Fighting Pests With Sound Waves, Not Pesticides (takepart) http://bit.ly/1NsECNWScientists have invented a device that uses acoustics to mimic the mating call of an insect that has been devastating Florida’s orange groves. Question is, can this technique be used for other insects?
The Curious Case of the Antidepressant, Anti-Anxiety Backyard Garden (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1loM69JWhether it’s microbes in the dirt or fresh air – or both – researchers do know this: Gardening is strong medicine.
8 Colorful Ways Countries Around the World Give Thanks for Their Harvest (takepart) http://bit.ly/1Q5nKx7
On Thanksgiving, There Is Such a Thing as Free Lunch (takepart) http://bit.ly/1NfTJ8pSome restaurants that say open on the holiday celebrate by giving food away to benefit their communities.
Jim Hightower: What Exactly Are We Celebrating on Thanksgiving? (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1Ni0URYWe face a momentous choice: a food future rooted in the ethic of sustainable agriculture or in exploitative agri-industry.
Behind Your Holiday Sweet Potato Dish, Hard Work In The Fields (NPR) http://n.pr/1jiqVEz
Ahead of Thanksgiving, Tribes Earn New Grants to Support Local Food and Farming (takepart) http://bit.ly/1N2osWzMoving toward food sovereignty is good for the stomachs and souls of Native Americans.
Native Americans mark Thanksgiving with mixed feelings, and a meal on LA’s skid row (LA Times) http://lat.ms/1kUxgrB
The “Honorable Harvest”: Lessons From an Indigenous Tradition of Giving Thanks (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1lRwDPE
Decolonize Thanksgiving (California Institute For Rural Studies) http://bit.ly/21h2Wb4
What’s Missing From Our Thanksgiving Menus? Justice for Farm Workers (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/21fXYLI
From Holiday Bird to Cold Cuts, Take a Scientific Look at What’s in Your Turkey (takepart) http://bit.ly/1lneVmxCalifornia lab brings high-tech scrutiny to the search for the perfect bird.
Wild turkeys are tough old birds. Here’s why you should hunt and cook them (grist) http://bit.ly/1Q1ryiM If you have never eaten wild turkey, you should. Note: they do need to be cooked differently…
Less Meat Consumption Critical to Achieve Global Climate Goals (TriplePundit) http://bit.ly/1HvYKhh
If We’re Going To End Factory Farms, We Need To Eat Way Less Meat (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1XweEdeMeat consumption is down after decades of growth, but the US still eats more of it than any other country.
Ethanol Industry Study Fudges The Number (Environmental Working Group) http://bit.ly/1QYyK02
‘Decolonize Your Diet’ With Healthy Plant – Based Mexican Cooking (takepart) http://bit.ly/1Xk3g49A new cookbook explores a cuisine built around healthy native crops that predate the arrival of Europeans in the Americas.
Profile in Obsession: Kuniyoshi Yamamoto, Tofu Maker (Lucky Peach) http://bit.ly/1XmcaOx
Environmental Groups Challenge Sugar Cane Burning (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1P7Ljqr
There’s A Burger That Costs $300k. We’re Not Kidding. (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/21kbEW0Who’s actually buying this stuff?
If you can’t stand the heat (The Economist) http://econ.st/1XlSFLpHow farmers in poor countries are responding to climate change
Global Trade Won’t Solve the Food Shortages Brought on by Climate Change (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1lnsqCU
What Americans Can Learn From a Beautiful French Film About Farming (Civil Eats) http://bit.ly/1JU6HgkAfter Winter, Spring looks at radical changes in modern agriculture through the lens of a tiny French village.
Food Insecurity, Hunger, & Obesity
American Hunger-Related Healthcare Costs Exceeded $160 Billion in 2014, According to New Study (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1OciGa4Food insecurity, especially for children, remains near record high despite the Great Recession’s official end.
160 Billion: The Health Costs of Hunger in America (Bread for the World) http://bit.ly/1Q5EsMJ This is what we found with Meals on Wheels, less food, worse health outcomes. No surprise.
Cooking Up Solutions to Undernourishment in American and Beyond (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/21fJBam
One Nice Meal Won’t Cut It – How You Can Really Help the Hungry This Thanksgiving (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1PPV10ADorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, was clear that soup lines weren’t the answer to poverty.
Food Security Must Be a Top Priority for the Paris COP (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1llqxGO
Labor/Unions/Coops
A Bill of Rights That Puts Workers Above Corporations (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1H4FCRBIt’s up to the voters of Spokane, Washington.
In New York, Farmworkers Rally for 1 Cent of Dignity (The Nation) http://bit.ly/1lvgZctThe Coalition of Immokalee Workers has won battles with McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Chipotle, and Taco Bell. Is Wendy’s next?
Food Workers, in Their Own Voices (East Bay Express) http://bit.ly/1PIAPOgA new oral history project attaches a face – and a voice – to the people who feed America.
Workers Say Turkey Processing Jobs Are Thankless (Takepart) http://bit.ly/1Xo8HEkTop producers have pledged reform, but workers say meeting holiday demand causes injuries and pays too little.
New York Times and Washington Post Journalists Failed to Disclose Sources’ Funding From Monsanto (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1QMlAUxAlso: New Yorker, The Atlantic, ABC News, Forbes and others. This is unacceptable collapse of journalistic standards.
Walmart’s Wage Increase Is Hurting Its Stock Price—and That’s OK (The Nation) http://bit.ly/1Hh1sHeThe stock market doesn’t take long-term economic growth into account very well, so why do we look to it to see if higher wages are succeeding?
Tesco agrees $12m payout to US shareholders over accounting scandal (The Guardian) http://bit.ly/1Ii9ISmUK’s biggest retailer sued after overstating 2015 first-half profit by £263m, causing a hit on stock prices when the error came to light. Tesco is the UK’s largest grocer…
Coke Adds Fraud: Exposing the Beverage Giant’s Shady Research Practices (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1kSn3f7One of America’s once-most-trusted brands funds research downplaying the link between sugary drinks and obesity.
APNewsBreak: Emails reveal Coke’s role in anti-obesity group (Associated Press) http://bit.ly/1Oe9RfQ
Coca-Cola Was Less Than Hands Off With the Anti-Obesity Group It Funded (takepart) http://bit.ly/1Q5nYEnEmails obtained by The Associated Press show that the relationship went beyond a simple donation.
reSET to Benefit Corps: If You’re Serious, Come to CT (TriplePundit) http://bit.ly/1MLxJoW
7 Paths to Development That Bring Neighborhoods Wealth, Not Gentrification (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1SIAz01
To Protest Walmart on Black Friday, Organizers Are Seeking Food for Underpaid Workers (Mother Jones) http://bit.ly/1XzD9q1They’ve got 1,000 collection drives planned.
Gleaning, Reuse, Recycling, Composting & Waste
Need $23,000 Worth of Chocolate Health Bars? Dumpster Dive (takepart) http://bit.ly/1HdwEanMeet the Canadian couple who survived on food-waste-only diet for six months.
Can We End America’s Massive Food Waste Problem? (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1NC8dWCAlmost half of America’s food is thrown out every year. Despite the popularity of things like local markets and farm-to-form initiatives, the US food system remains a heavily industrialized, wasteful business.
Water & Our Oceans
As Brazil’s Largest City Struggles With Drought, Residents Are Leaving (NPR) http://n.pr/1LuIaJq
Running dry: How the drought is forging a new California (SF Chronicle) http://sfchron.cl/1IKavtZCalifornians are living through a slow-motion natural disaster, a four-year drought that is combining with record heat to challenge the state in unprecedented ways.
California’s Drought Impacts Agriculture, Employment (California Institute For Rural Studies) http://bit.ly/1HoD9at
More California Farmers Switch To Almond Growing, Update on Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water (California Institute For Rural Studies) http://bit.ly/1T5XKAU
Top of the Food Chain: Fine Dining Pushes for Sustainable Seafood (takepart) http://bit.ly/1IaldQZSalmon and shrimp may be popular fare, but leading chefs prove that less familiar local seafood can earn top honors.
Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill
EPA Turnaround on Toxic Herbicide ‘Huge Victory for Future of Food’ (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1IpRBdaRevoking Enlist Duo approval, agency sides with green groups and pulls brakes on ‘lethal cocktail of chemicals’ Yes!
US (EPA) Changes Mind, Nixes Weed Killer Toxic to Monarch Butterflies (takepart) http://bit.ly/1OxddsBAgency reverses course a year later on weed-killing herbicidal cocktail that could further threaten declining monarch butterfly populations.
Water Pollution Trading Programs Under Fire as Report Finds Lax Oversight, “Shell Games” Put Waterways at Risk (DeSmog) http://bit.ly/1R5F0mx
Federal funds aims to boost migrating monarch butterflies (Lancaster Farming) http://bit.ly/1Ti8pJp
Congress Isn’t Delivering the Progressive Food Policy Americans Want (takepart) http://bit.ly/1WZSjKeEven as substantial majorities of voters say they want an overhauled progressive food system, lawmakers remain stuck in the status quo.
States Battle Cities Over Minimum Wage (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1CEu76t 16 states have laws forbidding local municipalities from raising the minimum wage, and/or benefits, via ALEC…
California Climate and Agriculture Legislative Roundup (California Institute For Rural Studies) http://bit.ly/1XhgRhZ
Costco Joins a Host of Retailers Refusing to Sell GMO Salmon (takepart) http://bit.ly/1XzAJroThe second-largest retailer in the world is now one of more than 60 US supermarket chains rejecting the laboratory fish.
Soper Fars Triples Net Income Switching From GMO Crops to Organic (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1YoDcqP
Europe’s Rejection of GMOs Ignites Eco-Farming Revolution (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1I5mKaY
Poisons
Dangerous Pesticides Are Being Found In Colorado’s Weed (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1Pb2XcOThe state doesn’t yet require marijuana businesses to conduct pesticide testing, leading to a “buyer beware” market.
Jack in the Box and General Mills Commit to Sourcing Cage-Free Eggs (TriplePundit) http://bit.ly/1Niof5Z
Jack in the Box Says ‘No’ to Birds in the Cage (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1SolnVrFive to 10 years is a long time for chickens to remain in cages, but Jack in the Box’s announcement is still great progress – 5 to 10 years? CAFO chickens are usually culled after one to two year… (Farm Sanctuary) http://bit.ly/1iG3Zvw
Borrow, Save, Share: 3 Ways Seeds Can Democratize Our Food System (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1j6QqJ1Just six companies control 63 percent of the commercial seed market. But seed libraries offer us an opportunity to reclaim the seed commons and create our own community food systems.
Got Food? How Local Food Systems Can Build Resilience for Turbulent Times (The Solutions Journal) http://bit.ly/1PGvKFW
This Maine Co-op’s Trying to Bring Fresh, Local Food to 10,000 College Students (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1QqDL12For the past 10 years, University of Maine students have been fed by a giant corporate food distributor. I Maine Farm & Sea Cooperative wins the next contract, they’ll send millions of dollars to local farmers and fishermen instead.
A Letter To The Future… and a Look To The Past (UC Food Observer) http://bit.ly/1XbF9EL
Climate change is gonna be rough on farmers and eaters (grist) http://bit.ly/1O9mOaP
Mennonites are farming in a Mexican desert and it’s not going well (grist) http://bit.ly/1Yn1fqa
Mennonite Farmers Prepare to Leave Mexico, and Competition for Water (NYT) http://nyti.ms/1SX5iq4
Alarming Developments in Palm Oil Industry in Latin America Spur Global Call to Action for Palm Oil Traders (Other Words) http://bit.ly/1Xch5kY
The Color of Food: How Gardens and farms an Help Us Heal From a History of Racism (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1QtE5NtWhen we work together, share meals together, and laugh together, we’re repairing relationships with the soil as a community.
Trucost reveals $3.33 trillion environmental cost of farming (GRAIN) http://bit.ly/1X5cely
Dangers of the Gates Foundation: Displacing Seeds and Farmers (Other Words) http://bit.ly/1Mq2wra
More Mexicans Leaving Than Coming to the US (Pew Research Center) http://pewrsr.ch/1S6KhIMNew Loss of 140,000 from 2009 to 2014; Family Reunification Top Reason for Returning
The new politics of the California almond (Grizzly Bear Project) http://bit.ly/1PFnu9h
Farmland, Food, and Bioenergy Crops Need not Compete for Land (The Solutions Journal) http://bit.ly/1T6HbFK
Israeli military offers a death-free experience – for soldiers’ diets, at least (grist) http://bit.ly/1PT0XUVVeganism is on the rise in Israel, and the military is taking note.
Food Insecurity, Hunger, & Obesity
Bewildering Biodiversity – A Success Story of Food Security for Indigenous Peoples in India (IPS News) http://bit.ly/1PGOVzC
After Decades in a Food Desert, These Neighbors Are Building a $2 Million Co-op – And They Own It (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1Y7zfXo
Gardening for Victory: One Battle for Urban Food Security (The Solutions Journal) http://bit.ly/1QALvhS
California Wants to Help Low-Income Residents Buy More Fresh Produce (Civil Eats) http://bit.ly/1SzIo7nA new bill could help more Californians afford to shop at farmers’ markets and food hubs and help pave the way to similar effort nationwide.
Suburbs become the new home for America’s poor (Grizzly Bear Project) http://bit.ly/1MYPZyu
Labor/Unions/Coops
Death in The Fields (The Desert Sun) http://desert.sn/1S7X5yKSix California famrworkers died in the summer of 2008 after laboring in the heat. Lawsuits spurred change.
Transgender Employee Sues Wal-Mart (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1HbaaXz… They’ve got wage and hour lawsuits, gender discrimination lawsuits, disability discrimination lawsuits, racial discrimination lawsuits, and age discrimination lawsuits…
Availability of Products and Produce under UFW Contract (United Farm Workers) http://bit.ly/1NI3Fbi
It’s the 50th Anniversary Of the Strike to Bring Fair Wages for Farm Workers: RFK, Jr. Reminds Us of their Bravery (Ring of Fire) http://bit.ly/1laqYnk
United Farm Workers celebrate the Delano Grape Strike ’65 movement (The Renegade Rip, Bakersfield College) http://bit.ly/1kMv3yj
US civil rights milestone marked at Delano’s historic Forty Acres (Angelus News) http://bit.ly/1QUt3jE
How This Brooklyn Neighborhood is Putting Healthy Food in Business (Yes!) http://bit.ly/20aeI6tA co-op training program in Brooklyn could serve as a model for other cities looking to combat the effects of gentrification for long time residents.
The “Sharing Economy” is the Problem: The Cooperative Economy is the Solution (Grassroots Economic Organizing) http://bit.ly/1H4Uxxb
The Black Co-op Movement: The Silent Partner in Critical Moments of African – American History (Other Words) http://bit.ly/1SQY5XW
The Legacy and Current Growth of Black Cooperatives (Other Words) http://bit.ly/1RFGTED
Business & Economics
Taco Bell to Switch to Cage-Free Eggs After 2016 (WSJ) http://on.wsj.com/1MzSIc3Restaurant chain says its 6,000 US locations will shift to cage-free eggs by the end of 2016
The Last Major Fast-Food Chain to Promise Cage-Free Eggs Will Be the First to Serve Them (takepart) http://bit.ly/1I3MR1UTaco Bell will implement the changes by the end of 2016, while McDonald’s won’t finish its supply overhaul until 2025.
Hotel chain bans bacon and sausage from breakfast menu (grist) http://bit.ly/1PSZX37
Kroger Feeds the Foodopoly by Gobbling up Wisconsin Supermarket (Food & Water Watch) http://bit.ly/1NldF0bKroger, the largest conventional supermarket chain in the US, is buying Wisconsin based grocer Roundy’s, further consolidating our squeezed food chain.
Corporations replace peasants at the “vanguard” of China’s new food security agenda (GRAIN) http://bit.ly/1OdOLMK
McDonald’s ordered to pay $355,000 for discriminating against legal immigrants (RT) http://bit.ly/1N1hsNU
As Boomers Retire, Millions of Small Businesses Will Change Hands. Can We Keep Them Local? (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1MUaKVHA “silver tsunami’ of retiring business owners is coming, and with it, one of the biggest changeovers of privately held companies in US history. Here’s how we can help owners pass their legacies – to their workers.
Syngenta convicted: Justice finds company responsible for armed attack on encamped rural workers (Terra de Direitos) http://bit.ly/1I2KfMz
The Bank-Free, KIY Lending System That Helps Friends and Families Finance Themselves (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1H7U15jWho needs banks when you have communities? This finance model lets people help each other – without interest.
Turkey at $1.38 a Pound Sounds Great. Until You Think About What That Means. (Mother Jones) http://bit.ly/1r0UHBm … the exploitation of farmers, animals, farm workers, processing, packaging, transportations, and grocery while poisoning the land, water and creating antibiotic resistance…
That turkey on your plate could use some industry competition (The Washington Post) http://wapo.st/1lBA0dw
Does the chicken industry pluck farmers? (grist) http://bit.ly/1SAqqSh The other side of the argument: there are always winners and losers… Really? Tick-tock the game is locked…
Protesters Continue to Try and Stop Massive Water Shut-Offs in Detroit (truthout) http://bit.ly/1kJil3p
These Are The Face Of The Fight For 15 Movement (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1O7CUjiWorkers protested nationwide Tuesday in an effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Here are some of their stories.
Gleaning, Reuse, Recycling, Composting & Waste
Global Sustainability Summit: Food & Sustainability (TriplePundit) http://bit.ly/213JPBe
Art of “Waste”: The New York Compost Box Project (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1HZPmT8
Water & Our Oceans
Removing Dams: Benefits for People and Nature (The Solutions Journal) http://bit.ly/1SbCrh3
Another Round of Water Nightmares for Flint (Food & Water Watch) http://bit.ly/1lCHz3wOver recent years, Flint residents have been subjected to illegally raised utility costs and poisoned water. Now, sixty percent of Flint water customers face having their water shut off.
Some Wisconsin Water Is Comparable to a Third World Country (Thank’s Scott Walker) (Esquire) http://bit.ly/1Qt05Ik“We can’t drink, brush our teeth, wash dishes, wash food; we can’t use our water, said one resident.
Study: Project: Failure at the Faucet (Wisconsin Watch) http://bit.ly/1MRXVekNearly half the private wells in Wisconsin have tested as unsafe – 2013 state researchers’ study of rural well water…
From Commutes to Corals: Reincarnating New York’s Subway Cars (The Solutions Journal) http://bit.ly/1O981gv
Incredible Infographic Shows How We Have Ruined our Oceans – and Ourselves as a Result (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1N34ZcMFrom plastic trash and discarded fishing gear to oil spills and pesticide runoff, human beings have treated the oceans as a vast dumping ground.
Only 1 Percent of the Earth’s Oceans Are Environmentally Protected (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1MlvxUQHow the majority of life on Earth lives under the sea, and 22 other facts about or world today.
Scaling Up Seafood Sustainability: An Illustrated Journey (The Solutions Journal) http://bit.ly/1SbxvJg
Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill
The WTO Just Dealt a Blow to US Consumers and Dolphins (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1O7TpOg
United State – Measures Concerning the Importation, marketing and Sale of Tuna and Tuna Products (WTO) http://bit.ly/1G8FkJt
Text of the Tans-Pacific Partnership (New Zealand Foreign Affairs & Trade) http://bit.ly/1QgwDnN
Latin American Legislators Find New Paths to Fight Hunger (IPS News) http://bit.ly/1PGOl4UWith eight specific commitments aimed at pushing through laws and policies on food security and sovereignty, family farming and school feeding programs, legislators from 17 countries…
Latin American Legislators, a Battering Ram in the Fight Against Hunger (IPS News) http://bit.ly/1SoaF0T
“Congress To Vote on Bill To Ban Microbead Hygiene Products in US” (Society of Environmental Journalists) http://bit.ly/1I2B43Z
Our Government Is Destroying Geese Families In the Cruelest Way (The Dodo) http://thedo.do/1I6A7T3… Wildlife Services has been Killing millions upon millions of animals for over 100 years. The Wildlife Services is a branch of the USDA.
US Agriculture Department Inducts Cesar Chavez into ‘Hall of Heroes’ (Latin Post) http://bit.ly/1GTyZaf
The USDA Is Putting $34.3 Million Into Local Food Projects. Will It Be Enough? (Yes!) http://bit.ly/1QHjgxl Those in the food justice movement question whether the agency’s recent efforts are a superficial attempt to t appear supportive of local food and minority farmers.
FDA OKs genetically modified salmon for human consumption (PBS Newshour) http://to.pbs.org/1PPT3vy We have lost this battle, but the war is not over…
FDA takes several actions involving genetically engineered plants and animals for food (FDA) http://1.usa.gov/215iYVy AquaAdvantage Salmon, voluntary labeling of foods from GE sources…
Emergency Lawsuit Filed To Fight FDA Approval of ‘Frankenfish’ (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1OiihkBIn addition to profound potential for ecological impacts, critics say move by FDA ignores fundamental right of consumers to know how their food is produced
EPA Finding on Fracking Water Pollution Disputed by its Own Scientists (Society of Environmental Journalists) http://bit.ly/1NI8UYA
California now has one of the toughest equal pay laws in the country (LA Times) http://lat.ms/1QX70Gp
BRIEF –Novozymes says BioAg Alliance targets 25-50 percent of US farmland by 2025 (Reuters) http://reut.rs/1PzjJSV
Eco Groups Take Canadian Government to Court in GMO Salmon Fight (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1OeAvn3Genetically modified fish pose too high of a risk to surrounding ecosystems, lawsuit states.
The First GMO Animal Was Just Approved. But You Probably Won’t Be Eating It Anytime Soon. (Mother Jones) http://bit.ly/1HfbMzA
Concerned Americans Urge White House to Overhaul GMO Regulation by the Thousands (Food & Water Watch) http://bit.ly/1lcGZsX
David and Goliath: Illinois Farer Takes on the World’s Largest Agrochemical Company Over GMO Corn (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1lbHzqAUS corn exports are still down 85% after Syngenta’s rush to the market with genetically modified product led to a ban in China, a farmer claims in court.
Poisons
Pesticide Exposure Linked to Abnormal Sperm (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1XhB4PhA new study has found that exposure to organochlorine chemicals like DDE And PCBs may lead to fertility problems.
Study: Sperm Aneuploidy in Faroese Men with Lifetime Exposure to Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Pollutants (Environmental Health Perspectives) http://1.usa.gov/1Ww2fej
EU Gives Monsanto Mixed Message on Roundup’s Cancer-Causing Potential (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1NjCeukResearch shows that glyphosate, the main ingredient in the pesticide Roundup (no, herbicide), can damage DNA, disrupt development and cause morbidity, even at normal levels of use.
Can We All Just Agree It’s Time To Treat Pigs Better? (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1OR69Kq
Healthy/Safe Food
Aflatoxins: Poisoning Health and Trade in Sub-Saharan Africa (IPS News) http://bit.ly/1NjIm5U
Scientists Have Discovered Bacteria That Are Resistant to All Antibiotics (Yahoo!) http://yhoo.it/1YmfxaH
The Meat Industry is Killing Kids, Say Pediatricians (Mother Jones) http://bit.ly/1j5Zwpd
Hold on to your lacerations: We’re heading towards a terrifying, post antibiotic world (grist) http://bit.ly/1NImUSm
Chipotle E. coli outbreak reaches six states, shares tumble (KELO) http://bit.ly/1MtbXpR
“E. Coli Bacteria Can Transfer Antibiotic Resistance To Other Bacteria” (Society of Environmental Journalists) http://bit.ly/1HdQDWA
Is This Chemical in Your Pizza Crust? (Civil Eats) http://bit.ly/1P0MkP3Why is potassium bromate, a possible human carcinogen, still available in US baked goods, despite being banned around the world?
Here’s Why You Should Heed the WHO’s Processed Meat Warning (Yahoo!) http://yhoo.it/1QKjuDSA new study shows the public doesn’t like pregnant pigs being kept in tiny crates. Really, they are cages…
Study: Public Attitudes to Housing Systems for Pregnant Pigs (Plos One) http://bit.ly/1j8jfVw
Farm bill favors corporations and ignores people of color (grist) http://bit.ly/1WM6x12
Farm Bill Report (University of California Berkeley Diversity) http://bit.ly/1iT5ee6
The Farm Bill: Corporate Power and Structural Racialization in the US Food System (University of California Berkeley Diversity) http://bit.ly/1NJksPG
India’s Indigenous Peoples organize to protect forests, waters and commons (The Ecologist) http://bit.ly/1SewFey
Vandana Shiva: West’s ‘fail-anthropy’ (The Asian Age) http://bit.ly/1McFxgY“’One Agriculture’ will starve the world and worsen the refugee crisis. The Gates Foundation, pretending to feed the world, is propagating the very source of half the climate problem.”
For Some, Russian Farmers, Trade Sanctions Never Tasted so Good (National Geographic) http://bit.ly/1WL1D0M
A First-Generation Russian Bull Comes of Age (National Geographic) http://bit.ly/1RMKnp1
Making a Meal That’s Bred-to-Order (The Atlantic) http://theatln.tc/1MKLfGaPlant breeders are working with chefs to create a better-tasting new varieties of fruits and vegetables.
San Francisco Becomes First City to Ban the Sale of Plastic Bottles (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1Nu0BiV
Salad-Making Is Performance Art At The Getty In Los Angeles (NPR) http://n.pr/20JL4VZ
Farmers Honor Late Neighbor With ‘Unbelievable’ Gesture Of Support (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1SqBzoE
Taste the Crown Jewel of the Grain World: Hand-Harvested Wild Rice (takepart) http://bit.ly/1kXObJ6This ancient Native American staple crop provides economic and environmental benefits on tribal lands.
Nonprofits Train Veterans For a New Challenge: Farming (National Geographic) http://bit.ly/1LbILzq
Food Insecurity, Hunger, & Obesity
When Employees Buy Restaurant Ingredients at Cost, They Get More Than Better Food (National Geographic) http://bit.ly/1QDYWNh
Fixing A Food Desert Isn’t As Easy As Putting A Grocery Store On Wheels (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1MQC3QMA mobile grocery store in New Mexico is no more. What’s sprung up in its place could be even better.
US Obesity Rates Are Rising Again, Especially Among Minority Women (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1O5MRxPAnd experts say they don’t have an explanation as to why.
There’s Little to Celebrate in New CDC Report on Obesity (takepart) http://bit.ly/1Mw2aNwBoth child and adult rates appear to be plateauing, and declines were only seen in on demographic group.
Are Junk Food Habits Driving Obesity? A Tale Of Two Studies (NPR) http://n.pr/1OGQOfq
Labor/Unions/Coops
Papa John’s Franchisee Gets Jail Time For Failing To Pay Full Wages (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1HQoJ2GIt’s very rare that a business owner serves time for wage theft.
Joe’s Crab Shack Becomes First Major Chain To Drop Tipping (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1OEWaIfServers will now be paid at least $12 an hour.
Tyson Foods Wants the Supreme Court to Let It Keep Stealing Workers’ Wages (Mother Jones) http://bit.ly/1MVQ1abTyson Foods gets sued a lot by its employees. It wants the Supreme Court to make them stop.
Why Is Tyson Foods Still Stealing from its Workers? (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1MHzLHX
Push For $15 Minimum Wage Becoming Part Of Presidential Politics (NPR) http://n.pr/20LyWnD
Campaigns for Paid Family and Medical Leave Gain Momentum, Despite GOP Resistance (truthout) http://bit.ly/1HOBs0A
Sorry, Eating Chicken Is Indefensible: The Real Horrors Behind America’s Most Popular Meat (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1PqtpyZChicken is seen as cheap protein and convenient food. But the labor practices and “killing line” are horrifying.
Complaints Against Multinational Supermarket Chain a Test of labor Protections in International Trade Agreements (UFCW Local 770) http://bit.ly/1NNU3jTCoalition of Labor and Consumer Groups File NAFTA and OECD complaints to Halt Worker Abuse at Mexican Retail Giant Chedraui Commercial Group
How a ‘Right to Your Job’ Law Could Help Unions Fight Back Against ‘Right to Work’ (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1RZHscE
Business & Economy
Ben And Jerry’s New Vegan Ice Cream Will Be Made With Almond Milk (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1lnKBso
Improving Lives by Connecting the Coffee in Your Cup to the Farmer Who Grew It (takepart) http://bit.ly/1kXNrnjBy naming roasts after growers – and paying a premium price for beans – Austin-based Tiny House hopes to make life better on Nicaraguan plantations.
Starbucks Offers Free College Tuition To Military Spouses And Children (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1Sv9tJ3Military families can now earn bachelor’s degrees at Arizona State University for free.
Almost Half of All American Workers Make Less Than $15 an Hour (The Nation) http://bit.ly/1WRUl9UThree years after the first #FightFor15 strike, workers nationwide rallied again yesterday for living wages and union rights.
1 in 2 Working Americans Make Less Than $30,000 A Year (Daily Caller) http://bit.ly/1RxpuxJ
Protests
Fast Food Strikes Hit Cities Throughout The Country (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1SFVnoSThe campaign says workers earning less than $15 per hour are “a voting bloc that can no longer be ignored.” Less than 50% of US workers make $30,00 per year, you are right, they can’t be ignored…
Photos Show Workers Around The Country Striking For $15 Minimum Wage (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1HA9qet
In Latest Round of Fast Food Strikes, Fight for $15 Tells Politicians: “Come Get My Vote” (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1QvJu5D
Gleaning, Reuse, Recycling, Composting & Waste
Should you be eating fruit foraged from urban landscapes? (grist) http://bit.ly/1NtyhgM
Is Food Foraged in Cities Safe to Eat? (Civil Eats) http://bit.ly/1koRWrnEarly research has found that some foraged urban foods are not only safe, they also have higher levels of nutrients.
To Forage Fruit in Germany, Start By Looking Up (National Geographic) http://bit.ly/1lq3A5H
Everybody Hates Wasting Food, Why Do We Do It and How Can We Stop? (truthout) http://bit.ly/1QE0F51
One Kitchen Aims to Upcycle Food Waste and Employ the Poor (takepart) http://bit.ly/1NRie0XThe Alameda Kitchen will take unwanted fruits and vegetables and turn them into meals for a good cause.
Park Service removes garbage cans from San Francisco beach… to prevent litter (grist) http://bit.ly/1lmaTuY
Water & Our Oceans
Report: Water, Drought, Climate Change, and Conflict in Syria (American Meteorological Society) http://bit.ly/1cFCBgR
The Drought Is Turning Dairy Farmers Away From Thirsty Feed Crops (takepart) http://bit.ly/1Qxu7JXRedwood Hill Farm is substituting the shrub tagasaste for water-loving alfalfa.
How California could get smarter about droughts and flooding (grist) http://bit.ly/1NnDhn8
Monster Fish Makes a Rare Appearance in Cambodia (takepart) http://bit.ly/1HRRtCSFishers catch and release a critically endanger Mekong giant catfish.
Monsanto Accused of Knowingly Polluting SF Bay with Toxic PCBs (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1PquAOKOakland city attorney says the chemical giant ‘chose profits over people, and American cities and citizens are still suffering the consequences.’
San Francisco Bay PCBs TMDL Project (California Environmental Protection Agency) http://bit.ly/1MMqpWZ We have been warned since 1994 not to eat fish from the San Francisco Bay due to PCBs…
OEHHA: A guide to eating San Francisco Bay Fish and Shellfish based on mercury or PCBs (California Environmental Protection Agency) http://bit.ly/1RREuHd
Chemicals used in oil spill cleanup made Gulf disaster worse (grist) http://bit.ly/1RRVMns
Study: Chemical dispersants can suppress the activity of natural oil-degrading microorganisms (National Academy of Sciences) http://bit.ly/1QkT1gX
Plastic Contaminates Table Salt in China (Scientific American) http://bit.ly/1MxbMwN
Study: Microplastic Pollution in Table Salts from China (Journal of Environmental Science & Technology) http://bit.ly/1OH7jrM
Big Trouble Looms For California Salmon – And For Fishermen (NPR) http://n.pr/1RDjsf4
Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill
TPP Ignores Workers’ Needs and Fails to Address Weaknesses from Past Trade Agreements (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1M9Gh8I
Worried TPP Will Hurt Workers? This Case Will Provide Some Clues (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1iXBwoa“If the administration fails to take strong action, critics will see it as a signal that the US is falling short on linking trade, investment, and labor rights.”
TPP Gives Food Industry Powerful Weapon Against Labeling GMO Foods (truthout) http://bit.ly/1HKGye9
European scientists (European Food Safety Authority) say weedkiller glyphosate unlikely to cause cancer (Reuters UK) http://reut.rs/1Mg1Lkq Really? When the world cancer authority (IARC) took into consideration not only glyphaste but the interaction with other chemicals… What of the precautionary principle?
Farm bill favors corporations and ignores people of color (grist) http://bit.ly/1WM6x12
Report: The US Farm Bill: Corporate Power and Structural Racialization in the US Food System (UC Berkley Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society) http://bit.ly/1iT5ee6
It’s Final: FDA Issues Long-Awaited Food Safety Rules (NPR) http://n.pr/1MQmf0i
What’s ‘Natural’ Food? The Government Isn’t Sure And Wants Your Input (NPR) http://n.pr/1QjgC1x
Think You Know What ‘Natural’ Means? The FDA Wants You to Share (takepart) http://bit.ly/1SusVWhAfter more than 20 years, the feds may be getting serious about coming up with a legal definition for the label food makers love to use and abuse
City Lets People Pay Parking Tickets With Canned Food Donations (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1QAWc39
India: Farmers criticize GM promoters’ covert practices (live mint) http://bit.ly/1NUrRfiFarmers ask government stop approval process for commercialization of genetically modified mustard
New GMO-Free Zone Will Protect Traditional Farmers in Colorado (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1HLgPrmThe zone will help traditional and organic farmers avoid the risk of transgenic contamination from nearby GE crops, particularly GE corn.
Poisons
Will the EPA Ban a Pesticide That’s Been Lowering Children’s IQs for Year? (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1PB94p7
Why the United States Leaves Deadly Chemicals on the Market (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1GI0QKpA 6-month investigation finds that the revolving door between government and the chemical industry has led the EPA to rely on easily manipulated research…
Pollinators
Farmers Have Been Enjoying The Fruits Of Bee Labor For 9,000 Years (The Salt) http://n.pr/1O4HxuE
Clay Fragments Suggest How Long We’ve Been Relying On Honeybees (National Geographic) http://bit.ly/1RRua1V
There’s a Horrifying Pork Factory Video Going Around. The Story Behind It Is Even Worse. (Mother Jones) http://bit.ly/1M87gBMThe puss-covered meat, poop-caked pigs, and snoozing employee? That’s supposed to be a model for the rest of the industry?
Undercover Video Appears To Show Pigs Conscious, Shaking In Pain As They Face Slaughterhouse Death (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1MLpk1LPigs that appear covered with feces and sores are headed for processing in the video at one of the largest US pork producers.
‘Not Safe to Consume’: Insiders Blow Whistle on Pork Inspection Regime (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1GZ4AaB“Personally, I will not eat any products that bear the name of the company which this meat is produced,” Says USDA whistleblower
Over 1,000 Hogs Die in Confinement Pit Gas Accident Near Tracy, Iowa (KNIA/KRLS News) http://bit.ly/1MHypNf
A father and son from Cylinder, Iowa have died after a manure pit accident this week (KTIV) http://bit.ly/1kvdgM6 and Funeral arrangements announced for father, son killed in tragic farm accident (WQOW) http://bit.ly/1MHyQaz
Turkey Prices Expected to Rise 15 to 20 Percent This Thanksgiving (Yahoo!) http://abcn.ws/1WULKDf Due to culling of turkey flocks in response to Avian Flue earlier this year…
6 Food and Farming Success Stories From Native Communities (Civil Eats) http://bit.ly/1WCfc0BNative American communities are connecting to their roots through food, farming and education.
Monsanto Fires Back at Neil Young’s Scathing New Album (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1SAKQvw
Report: Better Biofuels Ahead: The Road to Low-Carbon Fuels (EWG) http://bit.ly/1HnhVEh
A New Kind of Stove Could Save Lives and Trees in Ethiopia (takepart) http://bit.ly/1kiYZ4SCheaper, more efficient cookstoves rely on less fuel, which helps with a host of social and environmental problems.
Roses for Autism: How a Farm was Saved and a Vital Need Filled (Modern Farmer) http://bit.ly/1RqASvv
Forget Saving the Planet: Being a Vegetarian Is Cheaper Than Eating Meat (takepart) http://bit.ly/1PnD081A new study shows that cooking plant-based meals costs less than cooking with the lean meats recommended by the MyPlate diet plan.
Study: Economical Healthy Diets (2012): Including Lean Animal Protein Costs More than Using Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition) http://bit.ly/1Q5ZvQC
Feds Decide That Sustainability and Nutrition Don’t Mix (takepart) http://bit.ly/1SpVgNZThe heads of the USDA and HHS say Dietary Guid3lines shouldn’t include environmental concerns.
Feds: if You Care About Health and the Environment, Change the Way You Eat (takepart) http://bit.ly/1iDTImN
The History Of American White Bread Is Anything But Bland (NPR) http://n.pr/1MprwQG
Ripe and Ready: How ‘Evil Geniuses’ Got Us Hooked on Avocados (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1S4MBjb
Illegal Pot Farms Are ‘Silently Killing’ Endangered Wildlife (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1PfXl0B
Terrace Farming – an Ancient Indigenous Model for Food Security (IPS News) http://bit.ly/1GBsokl
Elon Musk’s Brother Wants to Revolutionize Our Food System (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1LZm6dA
Restoring Global Soil Quality Is One Of The Best Things We Can Do For Climate Change (Fast Company) http://bit.ly/1LWXYs0Little known climate change fact: Just the first meter of soil contains as much carbon as the entire atmosphere. And there’s potential to soak up much more.
Brewery Follows Ad Called Homophobic with ‘World’s First Transgender Beer’ (takepart) http://bit.ly/1QnCYxO
Your grain-free diet isn’t natural good for you or good for the planet (Washington Post) http://bit.ly/1PlWifH
Food Insecurity, Hunger, & Obesity
Soylent Isn’t About to ‘Disrupt’ World Hunger (takepart) http://bit.ly/1KLtDZFCreators of meal-replacement products have suggested they could help with nutrition aid.
Menu Calorie Labels Aren’t Perfect, But Can Still Help Fight Obesity (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1XQMewzTurns out information isn’t always power.
Parliamentarian Forum to Set new Goals Against Hunger (ISP News) http://bit.ly/1HlTexj
School Food
Give Schools the Tools to Prepare Healthy, Delicious Meals (The PEW Chartable Trusts) http://bit.ly/1x9jXse
The benefits of paid leave for children are real, majority or research says (CNN) http://cnn.it/1GZslyZ
Report: Paid Parental Leave in the United States: What the Data Tell Us about Access, Usage, and Economic and Health Benefits (Institute For Women’s Policy Research) http://bit.ly/1GbB0aF
Restaurant Sales Now Surpass Grocery Sales – but Restaurant Workers Are Paid Peanuts (truthout) http://bit.ly/1OvwtJS
Americans’ Spending on Dining Out Just Overtook Grocery Sales for the First Time Ever (Bloomberg) http://bloom.bg/1H3D3lt
US women paid less in all industries, every level: report (Reuters) http://reut.rs/1WFGh32The gender pay gap widened further as the job level increased with male executives earning many times more than their female counterparts…
3 Depressing Findings From A Huge New Study Of The Gender Pay Gap (ThinkProgress) http://bit.ly/1PpQUGK
There Are Jobs In Ag, There’s Just Not Enough New Grads To Fill ‘Em (KUNC) http://bit.ly/1XJTKJw
Report: Employment Opportunities for College Graduates: in Food, Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources, and the Environment, US 2015-2020 (Perdue University) http://bit.ly/1F9l10H
Report: Lives On The Line: The Human Cost of Cheap Chicken (Oxfam America) http://bit.ly/1H9aMwt
Workers (Taylor Farms) Speak Up After Being Told To Go Back To Work After Chemical Spill (ThinkProgress) http://bit.ly/1L1qC7u
Chipotle Ordered To Rehire Fired Worker Who Joined Fight For $15 (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1HdYFhJThe worker was also reprimanded from discussing wages with his colleagues, which is a federal right.
The Legacy and Current Growth of Black Cooperatives (Other Words) http://bit.ly/1RFGTED
Business & Economy
The Hard Power of Soft Drinks (New Republic) http://bit.ly/1MQLkyoHow Coca-Cola’s feel-good message silences its critics
Panera Bread Announces New Commitment to Animal Welfare (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1WDXy23
Mark Bittman Jumps From the Opinion Page to Vegan Meal-Delivery Start-Up (takepart) http://bit.ly/1RLr5jtThe Purple Carrot will feature recipes developed by the author’s team, and the business is expanding beyond feeding people healthy food.
Big Time Food Writer Mark Bittman Left the New York Times to… Sell Vegan Food Kits?! (Mother Jones) http://bit.ly/1M87rus
Mark Bittman’s plan to make you fall in love with vegan food (grist) http://bit.ly/1LMcDWX
Target Teams Up with MIT Geniuses to Figure out ‘Future of Food’ (Modern Farmer) http://bit.ly/1N68Vd2
Why some young American farmers want their student loans forgiven (Market Watch) http://on.mktw.net/1MUQEPR
Would You Pay $1900 for Dinner? (Yahoo!) http://yhoo.it/1Q928AY World’s Most Expensive Restaurants
The Rigging of the American Market (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1Ma7VAi… Why have food prices been rising faster than inflation, while corn prices are now at a six-year low?
Why Falling Food Prices Around the World Aren’t Helping US Consumers (Bloomberg) http://bloom.bg/1f7kMtdAmericans love their processed foods, and that’s part of the problem
Frances Moore Lappé: Busting Six Free-Market Fictions (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1XVfanh
US fast-food workers to strike in 270 cities: organizers (Reuters) http://reut.rs/1MI82m2
How Suffragists Used Cookbooks As A Recipe For Subversion (NPR) http://n.pr/1NfQQ89
Monday Night Football Crashed by Fracktivists Performing Sky-High Rappel in Bank of America Stadium (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1kCdd09
Farmers plow through Jerusalem to protest policies (The Jerusalem Post) http://bit.ly/1PlXv6M
Gleaning, Reuse, Recycling, Composting & Waste
7 Tips to Improve Food Recovery: A Case Study from Santa Clara County (Food Shift) http://bit.ly/1Mfg1MG
Americans Waste Way Too Much Food At Home. Here’s What Can Be Done. (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1PbbGLR“No matter how organically or sustainably we grow our food, if we don’t eat it, it’s a waste of resources.”
British Supermarket Chain to Donate Nearly Expired Food, Follow France’s Lead (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1SxVin7
Food Fraud/Scandals
Black Market Wine Industry Means Could Be Drinking Poison (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1NQzuRP
Water & Our Oceans
The journey from grey to green (agri cultures) http://bit.ly/1Rq37umDevelopment of watershed is an approach to make best use of rainwater for agricultural production while improving soil conservation and bio-diversity…
Saudi Wells Running Dry – of Water – Spell End of Desert Wheat (Bloomberg) http://bloom.bg/1MbZa91
Saudi Hay Farm In Arizona Tests State’s Supply of Groundwater (NPR) http://n.pr/1k7GFM8
Big Trouble Looms For California Salmon – And For Fishermen (NPR) http://n.pr/1RDjsf4
The Solution to the Global Overfishing Crisis Is Around the Corner (takepart) http://bit.ly/1GIhIAUWith a new report showing that most of the world’s fisheries are at risk, the United States is moving to ensure imported seafood has been legally caught.
Report: Illegal Fishing: Which fish species are at the highest risk from illegal and unreported fishing (World Wildlife Fund) http://wwf.to/20oWGOe
Collapse of New England’s iconic cod tied to climate change (Science) http://bit.ly/1RPkpkl
Woes Continue for West Coasting Fishing Industry as California Suspends Crab Catch (takepart) http://bit.ly/1kiXT9oToxic algae that thrive in warming seas have already shut down trade in other shellfish and some small fish.
Global Opposition Is Mounting Against the Latest Environmental Abuse – Deep Sea Mining (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1Q9GsEQ
Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill
FAO and WTO aim to improve small scale producer access to international markets (Food Navigator) http://bit.ly/1XQZUb0
TPP Text Reveals Broad New Powers for Corporations to Attack Food Labeling Laws (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1HdFEfg
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden Announces New USDA Commitments to Help Build up Next Generation of Farmers and Ranchers (Seedstock) http://bit.ly/1lhDbqq
EPA Slow to Halt Use of Deadly Pesticide (New America Media) http://bit.ly/1PgTAXiA pesticide know as “DDT’s cousin” is still being used in the United States, despite evidence of its toxic effects…
CDC Investigating As E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Chipotle Sickened 39 (NPR) http://n.pr/1XSHMNN
Meet the poorest member of Congress: A California dairy farmer (LA Times) http://lat.ms/1SlQpNL
Monsanto Handed ‘Double Whammy’ by Mexican Courts Over Planting GMOs (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1MI4uAc
Monsanto loses twice in Mexico. In one ruling, federal court of appeals upholds ban on the planting of GMO corn in Mexico. In a separate case, Mexico’s Supreme Court blocked the planting of GMO soy in the states of Campeche and Yucatan…
Mexican Federal Judge Upholds GM Maize Ban During Appeals Process (Sustainable Pulse) http://bit.ly/1PtMf6F
Monsanto Research Site In France Goes Up In Flames (Info Wars) http://bit.ly/1k5YBGV
Arson Suspected in Massive Fire at Monsanto Research Facility (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1RsOV3J
Monsanto posts larger than expected 4Q loss (Associated Press) http://bit.ly/1KWdVuL
Monsanto to shutter three R&D center in 2016, cut 90 jobs (Reuters) http://reut.rs/1XMBj7b
Monsanto to Cut 12% (2,600 jobs) of Workforce as It Forecasts Profit Drop (Bloomberg) http://bloom.bg/1MdX5gA
Monsanto Stunned – California Confirms ‘Roundup’ Will Be Labeled “Cancer Causing” (MintPress News) http://bit.ly/1isFdmtMonsanto was seemingly baffled by the decision to place cancer-causing glyphosate on the state’s list of nearly 800 toxic chemicals.
Monsanto to Mexico honey farmers: Our soya not to blame for woes (Reuters) http://reut.rs/20BrNWH
Most Americans Believe GMO Foods Are Unsafe; They Need Labels to Avoid Them (Organic Consumers Association) http://bit.ly/1Pg8oXJ
Poisons
Righting Civil Wrongs (Earth Justice) http://bit.ly/1Hnbn8HFrom California to Michigan, low-income communities of color have been waiting years for the EPA to take a stand against environmental racism.
Analysis: California’s Poorest Counties Hit Hardest by Spraying of Glyphosate (Center For Food Safety) http://bit.ly/1Q6DOyULost In The Mist: How Glyphosate Use Disproportionately Threatens California’s Most Impoverished Counties
Feds Used Monsanto-Funded Studies to Decide Monsanto’s Weed Killer Is Safe (takepart) http://bit.ly/1PwpqPN Of course they did, that is how we regulate…
Pollinators
Monarch butterflies fluttering back to Orange County (California), but populations struggle (The Orange County Register) http://bit.ly/1Nmi557
These Are The Foods We’d Lose If Honeybees Die Off (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1Opp92BHoneybees are responsible for about a third of all the food we eat.
Why Andrew Cuomo’s Pollinator Task Force Won’t Save New York’s Bees (Independent Science News) http://bit.ly/1S4pDsx
Morgan Freeman Converted His 124-Acre Ranch into a Bee Sanctuary to Help Save the Bees (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1L2exz0
Animals
Protect Your Backyard Poultry From Avian Flu (The Poultry Site) http://bit.ly/1OjrQ5u
Pork Farmers Want Subway to Slow Its Roll on Nixing Antibiotics (takepart) http://bit.ly/1NMxABIThe chains’ ambitious plan to stop using meat raised with drugs by 2025 hans’t been well received by livestock groups.
Why Chipotle’s Hard Line On Swine Antibiotics Is Now Blurry (NPR) http://n.pr/1HpNwFe
Healthy/Safe Food
Move Over, Yellow 6. More Natural Colors From Plants Are Coming (NPR) http://n.pr/1GIbtNy
Food companies should stop fighting the Obvious: Sugar is running our health (The Washington Post) http://wapo.st/1kYmikrcRobert Lustig: My study shows that cutting sugar an improve children’s health in just 10 days.
This Women’s Collective Is Using Agroecology to Fight India’s Green Revolution (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1WhH8aaIndia once had 14,000 different varieties of rice. But the Green Revolution displaced those traditional varieties with hybrids that can only be grown with chemical fertilizers.
From ‘Sustainable’ to ‘Regenerative’ – The Future of Food (Organic Consumers Association) http://bit.ly/20gxmd5
Biomimicry: using nature’s designs to transform agriculture (The Guardian) http://bit.ly/1KLaSWfFinalists in the Food Systems Design Challenge are creating cutting edge agriculture systems using some of the world’s oldest designs
You Choose: Do You Want to Eat Food Produced by Degenerative or Regenerative Agriculture? (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1Hm29JU
Sowing Sustainability: How Kids in California Are Learning How to Grow and Sell Organic Food (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1S8yFFyThe produce revenue that children earn go directly into their own savings accounts that supports their future education.
Let’s cultivate our soils wisely (The Sacramento Bee) http://bit.ly/1Hi4J3rInternational Year of Soils and other efforts are promoting good management if farmers use best practices they can help easy California’s water shortage
Iowa: Rural town aims to be “the place” for local food firms (Wallace Center) http://bit.ly/1LiHkkiPeople building strong places with local and regional food
Bread Is Broken (NYT) http://nyti.ms/1RjdqAhIndustrial production destroyed both the taste and the nutritional value of wheat. One scientist believes he can undo the damage. It’s not just wheat that has had its taste and nutritional value destroyed…
The Great Pumpkin Shortage Is Coming (Other Words) http://bit.ly/1PPS7IRSpooky weather patterns are disrupting specialty crops.
The Case for Home Cooking: What We Lose by Eating Out and Ordering In (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1ObwSRFOur busy lifestyles are preventing us from fully embracing our adult domestic coolness.
Chef Goes To Washington: Cooks Learn To Lobby Congress On Food (NPR) http://n.pr/1MyeJNB
Oregon uses schools to move the needle on regional food (Wallace Center) http://bit.ly/1NFrWkY
Food Hub Benchmarking Study (National Good Food Network) http://bit.ly/1IlF93bData dive explores financials at wholesale end of local food business
Millennials twice as likely to distrust ‘big food,’ study says (Chicago Tribune) http://trib.in/1NGW5QJ
Is Eating Organic the Only Way to Make California Agriculture Sustainable? (The People’s Vanguard of Davis) http://bit.ly/1P2d1o9
Special Ed Teacher’s Job Program Empowers Students, Changes Minds, Melts Hearts (takepart) http://bit.ly/1RnrAQVThe San Francisco teacher wants the entire school to
8 Nations Going Vegetarian, Proving To The World Less Is More (Peaceful Warriors) http://bit.ly/1l0w6L0
Buckraking on the Food Beat: When is it a conflict of interest? (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting) http://bit.ly/1M5rYA3
Could a Superfood Help Save Haiti’s Forests? (takepart) http://bit.ly/1l2yLngMoringa company Kuli Kuli wants to help to reforest the island by developing a moringa economy.
Is Indonesia’s Fire Crisis Connected to the Palm Oil in Our Snack Food? (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1McGGbTThe widespread burning of tropical rainforests and peatlands to develop palm oil plantations is one of the largest sources of carbon pollution today.
Indonesia is burning. So why is the world looking away? (The Guardian) http://bit.ly/1P6edqtA great tract of Earth is on fire and threatened species are being driven out of their habitats. This is a crime against humanity and nature
Peruvian indigenous leader in London to denounce illegal deforestation of 5000 hectares of Peru’s Amazon for palm oil (Forest Peoples Programme) http://bit.ly/1Hn5kB4
Hemp-Based Insulation Makes a Comeback in Belgium (Global Possibilities) http://bit.ly/1WudtKP
Food Insecurity, Hunger, & Obesity
Florida Restaurant Combats Local Hunger With Price-Free Menu (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1RppGiIEveryone has a seat at these tables.
Why Are So Many Food Charities Shutting Down In Ohio? (Think Progress) http://bit.ly/1WgWzVp
School Food
As Schools Buy More Local Food, Kids Throw Less Food In The Trash (NPR) http://n.pr/1W33goB
Labor/Unions/Coops
In Minneapolis, a Strong ‘Fair Scheduling’ Law for Workers Runs Into a Corporate Roadblock (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1SdO8nO
Pitting Poor Against Poorer in the Fight for Tips (Moyers & Company) http://bit.ly/1H9muSt
A Bill of Rights That Puts Workers Above Corporations (In These Times) http://bit.ly/1H4FCRBIt’s up to the voters of Spokane, Washington
Robert Reich: The Morality of a $15 Minimum Wage (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1PPWh3t
The Hellish Conditions Facing Workers At Chicken Processing Plants (Think Progress) http://bit.ly/1WgiRqi
Creative Finance Launched Worker-Owned Co-ops in Post-Sandy New York (truthout) http://bit.ly/1Hn2Anh
Hershey: US Income Inequality Is Transforming The Chocolate Business (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1NbdGSGCEO: “We are seeing a widening disparity between upper-income and lower-income” With fewer having the means to purchase what the middleclass has traditionally purchased, we will see more companies of all stripes suffering loss of sales…
Food and Beverage Sector Swallows Record Funding Amount (Dow Jones) http://bit.ly/1M6H8bA
The Sharing Economy is Booming in Helsinki” Here’s Why (truthout) http://bit.ly/1P4VBHq
Protests
Groups Gather at Nation’s Capitol to Pressure Congress to Ban Fracking on Public Lands (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1GwtG0v
Acclaimed Mermaid Delivers Strong Message to Chicken of the Sea (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1KRhZfR
Gleaning, Reuse, Recycling, Composting & Waste
A chef’s manifesto: let’s tackle food waste with good fare (The Guardian) http://bit.ly/20fmEncDan Barber: ‘If you think not leaving your plate full of food is the way to deal with this issue, you’re letting yourself off too easy.’
Salmon On The Menu Might Be A Fraud – Especially In Winter (NPR) http://n.pr/1O8Wgr5
Your ‘Wild’ Salmon May Be a Lie: Here’s What That Means for Your Health (Yahoo!) http://yhoo.it/1KJpYLV
Oceana Reveals Mislabeling of America’s Favorite Fish: Salmon (Oceana) http://bit.ly/1Nzqel8
Indian Government Sues Nestle for $99 Million After Finding Lead in Instant Noodles (Peaceful Warriors) http://bit.ly/1WmBCIt
Water & Our Oceans
Texas Activists Form Statewide Coalition to Confront Fracking Despite Pushback From State, Industry (truthout) http://bit.ly/1Rdbxoz
Utah’s Hopes For Oil Shale Bonanza Has A Public Relations Problem, Industry Symposium Hears (DesmogBlog) http://bit.ly/1P08gKi
Alarming Uptick of Earthquakes in Kansas Linked to Fracking With 52 in Just the Last Two Weeks (truthout) http://bit.ly/1LERWMI
(Queensland, Australia) Farmers should have right to veto coal seam gas on their land, says Warren Truss (The Guardian) http://bit.ly/1XynxVJ
Coca-Cola Has Poisoned the Drinking Water of Millions in Sri Lanka (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1ik3rz5The beverage giant apologized for leaking diesel fuel into the Kelani River, leaving millions without water.
What If Your Tap Water Was Too Polluted to Drink? (The Nation) http://bit.ly/1jYf3ZHThis sorry state of affairs is the daily realty for too many Americans.
How Washington (State) Transformed Its Dying Oyster Industry Into A Climate Success Story (Think Progress) http://bit.ly/1MivkP6
Why Is It So Hard To Save Gulf Of Maine Cod? They’re In Hot Water (NPR) http://n.pr/1PTSAtz And what of ocean acidification?
Global Warming Has Opened the Famed Northwest Passage to Navigation (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1XD9BJO
The Bizarre but True Story of Starfish Committing Suicide (Yahoo!) http://yhoo.it/1ScvmNP
Plastic Trash Found in Arctic Ocean, Likely Forming Sixth Garbage Patch (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1MAUWx0
Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill
Big Win for Farm Workers as EPA Moves to Ban Dangerous Pesticide (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/1WmhIgEAgency’s proposal hailed as ‘a step forward on the path to environmental justice.’
EPA to Ban Dangerous Pesticide Chlorpyrifos (Earth Justice) http://bit.ly/1KL3A4JVictory: Children, communities and workers to benefit from long overdue phase-out of neurotoxic agricultural chemical
USDA Scientist Punished for Neonic Study Files Complaint (Beyond Pesticides) http://bit.ly/1imdRh3
Senate’s First Biotech Hearing in a Decade Was a Lopsided, Pro-Industry Affair (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1HfkfgFWhen Senators questioned agency officials on regulatory procedures of GE crops and Biotechnology, no answers were given that address scientific studies needed to ensure their safety.
Pro-GMO Witnesses Participate in Senate Haring on GMO Labeling (Nation of Change) http://bit.ly/1H9pGgU
Another example of a federal agency operating by fiat (Capital Press) http://bit.ly/1isnJ8UCritics say the head of the National Organic Program is keeping secret the names of experts used to formulate policy, has failed to vigorously enforce regulations and punish violators, and is acting at the behest of large corporations.
Meet the Federal Agency Rubber Stamping the Rampant Expansion of Fracking (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1PDbq8dThe agency that once operated quietly under public radar has become the target of activist outrage for spearheading fossil fuel corporate domination.
Brown signs two oil spill bills, but marine protected areas aren’t fully protected (Bay Area Independent Media Center) http://bit.ly/1NDDRjd
GM Crops Now Banned in 38 Countries Worldwide – Sustainable Pulse Research http://bit.ly/1Rdr4ox
All Monsanto GMO Cornfields Burned Down in Hungary (Peaceful Warriors) http://bit.ly/1isq186Hungary has located and destroyed 1000 acres of maize that was found to be grown with genetically modified seeds. Hungary is a nation where genetically modified seeds are banned along with other genetically modified ingredients.
Hawaii Sees Tenfold Increase In Birth Defects After Becoming GM Corn Testing Grounds (Peaceful Warriors) http://bit.ly/1jYggAb
More Than 100 Monsanto Employees Crashed My Presentation on GE Crops and Pesticides (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1NMSYH4It’s not easy staring Goliath in the face and speaking hard truths. But it’s important.
Report: Pesticides in Paradise: Hawai’i’s Health & Environment at Risk (Center for Food Safety) http://bit.ly/1GZ8ShQ
Bernie and Hillary Support GMOs – but They Don’t Want Labeling Laws to Go ‘Dark’ (takepart) http://bit.ly/1GQhBD4According to the polling data, voters from both parties support labeling laws.
Genetically-Engineered Soybeans Give Altered Milk and Stunted Offspring, Researchers Find (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1LHaxb0This result is the strongest demonstration so far of altered growth and development in offspring of GE-fed mothers.
From Watch Dogs to Lap Dogs: How Corporate Media Mislead Us on GMOs (truthout) http://bit.ly/208AR5n
Mexico’s Chefs Are Fighting a Future of Genetically Modified Corn (Organic Consumers Association) http://bit.ly/1PPVfo6
Poisons
Whistleblower Accuses USDA of Censorship Over Anti-Pesticide Reports (Common Dreams) http://bit.ly/20eIyXH‘Bureacracys under political pressure from corporate stakeholders routinely shoot the messenger, even if they are wearing a lab coat.’
For the First Time Ever, a US Food Company Has Committed to Phasing out Bee-Killing Seed Coatings (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1kZGylWResponding to public pressure to save bees, America’s second biggest popcorn supplier will eliminate neonicotinoid seed coatings.
For the First Time Ever, a US Food Company Has Committed to Phasing Out Bee-Killing Seed Coatings (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1kZGylWResponding to public pressure to save bees, America’s second biggest popcorn supplier will eliminate neonicotiinoid seed coatings.
Animals
It’s Official: Jon and Tracey Stewart Convert 12-Acre Farm to Animal Sanctuary (EcoWatch) http://bit.ly/1WhKyK3
Home (again) on the range: Purebred bison return to Larimer County (Denver Post) http://dpo.st/1RjdeRDCollaboration among CSU and area agencies keeps Yellowstone bison genetics intact, removes troublesome brucellosis
USDA #FAIL: The Shocking Truth Behind So-Called ‘Humane Farming’ (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1RE0xAw
Healthy/Safe Food
We Are Winning the Fight Against Big Soda and the Health Catastrophe They’ve Created (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1Oj3icZSoda and other food corporations will spend fortunes to influence political processes – but we can still win.
In ‘Soda Politics,’ Big Soda At Crossroads Of Profit And Public Health (NPR) http://n.pr/1M1RWrt
The science is in: the case for a sugar tax is overwhelming (The Guardian) http://bit.ly/1OV00wv
Health Threat of Sugar Is Vastly Underestimated, Study Claims (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1jXEue0New research says sugar causes high blood pressure and heart disease regardless of weight gain, but critics doubt results.
Chipotle Closes Locations In Washington, Oregon After E. Coli Outbreak (Huffington Post) http://huff.to/1NlR0PJThe Mexican fast-food chain temporarily closed at least 43 restaurants in the two states.
Chipotle shuts Seattle, Portland stores after E. Coli outbreak (Reuters) http://reut.rs/1KTORV9
Processed Meats Rank Alongside Smoking as Cancer Risks, WHO Says (AlterNet) http://bit.ly/1MrTugAConfirming the worst fears of bacon lovers.
International Agency for Research on Cancer – World Health Organization Press Release N° 240 http://bit.ly/1LR0IoC
Marion Nestle: Some comments on the meat-is-carcinogenic report (Food Politics) http://bit.ly/1PPUifq
Bacon-Pocalypse: The Details Behind the Explosive Headlines (Think Progress) http://bit.ly/1GwvhTU
