·      Raj Patel: What I Did This Summer http://goo.gl/mMnD9

The food folks at Canada’s Globe & Mail asked me to write a piece called “What I Did This Summer.” Never having written one before, I thought I’d channel my inner 12 year old.

·      Food Activists See Portents of New and Deeper Hunger Crisis http://goo.gl/Yav6S

More than 46 million US citizens currently rely on the federally – funded food stamp program to help meet their nutritional needs – more than on in seven people. The average benefits amount to about 143 dollars a month, even as food prices continue to rise.

·      Juan Manuel Sanchez Gordillo, Spain’s ‘Robin Hood’ Mayor, Robs Supermarkets, Gives Groceries To Poor http://goo.gl/g8E6v

·      ‘Crash test cow’ video is like a low-budget Mythbusters http://goo.gl/KKCQL

·      The Hidden Cost of Burgers: Your Quarter Pounder Needs 450 Gallons of Water http://goo.gl/XkpgB

·      Study Finds With Vacant Lots Greened, Residents Feel Safer http://goo.gl/gicT1

The case for urban ag…

·      Obesity Rates By State: New CDC Data Looks At Weight Across the Country http://goo.gl/7kk0I

·      Best Food Job Ever? http://goo.gl/9BggM

Perennial Plate, season 3: 12 countries of sustainable eating http://www.theperennialplate.com/

·      It’s hot and dry out there…

o   Farmers turn to engineered corn to adapt to drought. But will it be enough? http://goo.gl/9Uo7B

o   The Coming Food Storm http://goo.gl/Qf3XH

o   Food Prices: World Powers Weigh Emergency Meeting http://goo.gl/sQ3it

o   Drought Stricken Farmers to Get $170M Pay-Day From Feds http://goo.gl/cJR8T

o   USDA to buy livestock for food–aid programs http://goo.gl/Mfshq

o   Climate Change Poses Food Distribution Risks, Experts Worry http://goo.gl/Cw7UA

o   Climate change poses risks to food, beyond US drought http://goo.gl/zihg7

You think? Russian drought & fires 2010 http://goo.gl/WCCbK, Pakistan floods 2011 http://goo.gl/OY0wY & 2012 http://goo.gl/zRKqu…

o   Canada: Stop feeling sorry for farmers http://goo.gl/7gIXo

o   Nearly Half of Corn Devoted to Fuel Production Despite Historic Drought http://goo.gl/WQTEO

·      A Reason to Kiss the Sea: Montauk Pearl Oysters http://goo.gl/oQVnL

Montauk, NY’s first oyster farm…

·      Study: Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Caused Mutant Butterflies http://goo.gl/8oxOX

·      Apple Season 2012: Farmers Optimistic for Northeast Crop Harvest Despite Spring Frost http://goo.gl/xKdKH

·      18 Little Known Facts That Will Motivate You to Cut Back on Food Waste http://goo.gl/fkSUX

·      6 Largest Organic Retailers in North America 2011 http://goo.gl/iUKGU

Walmart is #1…

·      Animal Welfare Approved Introduces Audit Certification Program in US for Farms Coexisting with Predators http://goo.gl/eF0JJ

·      Victory! Brazil court orders work on Belo Monte dam suspended http://goo.gl/F1ziF

·      Sourcing Organic Seed Just Got Easier: An Introduction to Organic Seed Finder http://goo.gl/xeUyf

·      Let’s Make Him Do It http://goo.gl/CbNwH

·      Governor (Cuomo) set to host yogurt summit http://goo.gl/ryXDy

Labor/Economics

·      Serving Justice – new food label certifies (Domestic Fair Trade) workers’ right on US farms http://goo.gl/nVqbw , Agricultural Justice Project’s Food Justice Certification website http://goo.gl/qyvHl

Fie farms in the US and grower group of 70 farms in Canada are now Food Justice certified…

·      Walmart May Have Engaged In Bribery, Money Laundering, Tax Evasion, Lawmakers Allege http://goo.gl/oxSOr

·      Study: Healthy Foods, Healthy Communities http://goo.gl/HOyhB and the study http://goo.gl/qNG2u

The impact of food coops on local communities and economies

·      Workplace Safety Agencies, Falling Down on the Job http://goo.gl/OLkSK

Faced with lawyers-up companies, state workplace safety agencies are backing down, reducing fines, and forgetting victim’s families.

·      Documentary: Food For Change http://goo.gl/0i95N

Food For Change is a work-in-progress feature-length documentary about the history of the co-op movement and food co-ops today.

Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill

·      Philadelphia woman faces $600 – a – day fine for feeding needy neighborhood kids http://goo.gl/kiaBg

·      USDA: School Food Data Reflects Progress and Room for Growth in Local Buying http://goo.gl/qYM9i

o   Choicelunch founder explains new USDA school lunch rules http://goo.gl/Z5085

o   States With Tough School-Nutrition laws Show Slimmer Kids http://goo.gl/19PPI

o   Banning Junk Food in School Vending Machines Seems to Work http://goo.gl/7gqwM

o   LAUSD rolls out new batch of healthy menus http://goo.gl/YSk1n

·      USDA National Organic Program: Drought Relief: Organic Ruminant Farmers http://goo.gl/0dfzm

·      It’s all about the Farm Bill

o   Ethanol vs. the World http://goo.gl/LkaM4

o   Farm Bill Politics: Two Different Views http://goo.gl/sAUbN

·      Deadly Listeria Outbreak Focus of Federal Criminal Probe http://goo.gl/60NZ9

GMOs/Cloning/Nanotechnology/Poisons

·      Prop 37: California GMO Fight Pits Big Food Against Activists http://goo.gl/nr6Tk

o   Monsanto Gives $4.2 Million to Kill California GMO Labeling Initiative http://goo.gl/Nz5Go

o   Say it Isn’t So: Organic Brands Backing the Campaign to Defeat GMO Labeling http://goo.gl/6GkI2 and http://goo.gl/E1S0R and http://goo.gl/DIJIE

o   Modified food will be on voters’ menu http://goo.gl/ZPfme

o   Big Food Hires Big Tobacco Shills to Fight GMO Labeling http://goo.gl/wb2jg

o   Pro-GMO Propaganda in California Dismantled by New Cost Study http://goo.gl/DT6to

o   The Biotech Goliath Roars: Monsanto’s Gang Dumps $25 Million into NO on 37 Campaign to Label GMOs http://goo.gl/L9AMe

o   These companies don’t want GMOs labeled in California http://goo.gl/XFjbg   

·      Europe Says No to Genetically Engineered Food: http://goo.gl/bfx7g

·      Sowing dissent http://goo.gl/eZhC2

·      Pesticide-resistant insects add insult to drought injury http://goo.gl/vptmU

·      Oregon Farmers File Suit to Prevent Destructive (GM) Canola Planting in Willamette Valley http://goo.gl/d9pCf

·      Indian parliamentary panel slams GM crops http://goo.gl/X239F

·      Peter Thiel (Pay Pal) Backs 3D Bioprinted Meat Start-Up Modern Meadow http://goo.gl/dorQI

They want to use regenterative technology to create USDA-grade beef…

Healthy/Humane/Safe Food & Water?

·      IATP: Inaction persists at FDA in restricting antibiotic use in livestock production http://goo.gl/obSoj

·      Animal Rights Protestors Put On Bloody Display In Abilene http://goo.gl/394Rw

·      Consumer Reports Receives $2 Million Grant for Food Safety Study http://goo.gl/p5FSY

·      Tennessee Riverkeeper Files Notice of Intent to Sue Wastewater Plant http://goo.gl/D8gK3

o   California Drinking Water: Dept. of Public Health Sued Over ‘Erin Brockovich Chemical’ http://goo.gl/OL08e & NRDC & EWG sued CA DPH to protect millions from toxic drinking water http://goo.gl/Pq9Qx

o   Drought, Fracking, Coal and Nukes Wreak Havoc on Fresh Water Supplies http://goo.gl/SvhDV

·      Fracking: Toxic Wastewater Dumped in Streets and Rivers at Night: Gas Profiteers Getting Away With Shocking Environmental Crimes http://goo.gl/MBDr7

Allan Shipman was found guilty of illegally dumping millions of gallons of natural gas drilling (fracking) wastewater. But he’s part of a much bigger problem.

·      Lawyers in Big Tobacco Suits Target Major Food Makers http://goo.gl/myxqZ

·      BPA and Narrowed Arteries: New Study Links Plastics Chemical With Coronary Artery Stenosis http://goo.gl/XGDJY

Education

·      Political Writing: Getting Your Opinions Published with Christopher Cook http://goo.gl/xhQ6O

Events

·      Last Call: Calling All Chefs for Food Systems Network NYC’s Great Tomato Un-Cook Off! http://goo.gl/PFA2K

·      Sustainable Agriculture Education Association 5^th Annual Conference, Sept. 9 – 10, Corvallis, OR http://goo.gl/pOrvy

·      Nationwide Rally Protesting Toxic Fracking Waste, Sept. 12, http://goo.gl/c3Kct

·      6^th National Small Farm Conference, Sept. 18 – 20, Memphis, TN http://goo.gl/DKvg4

·      Natural Products Expo East, Sept. 19 – 22, Baltimore, MD http://goo.gl/ymBJ7

·      FEAST Portland, Sept. 20 – 23, Portland, OR http://feastportland.com/

·      Portland VegFest 2012, Sept. 22 – 23, Portland, OR http://goo.gl/U4HTW

·      IATP National Meeting: Food + Justice = Democracy, Sept. 24 – 26, Minneapolis, MN http://goo.gl/aM3xB

·      National Chef’s Collaborative Sustainable Food Summit, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, Seattle, WA http://goo.gl/Ypbcd

·      South By Southwest Eco, Oct. 3 – 5, Austin, TX http://sxsweco.com/

·      National Cooperative Business Association: Annual Meeting & Co – Op Conference, Oct. 2 – 5, Seattle WA http://goo.gl/E9lv7

·      USDA National Organics Standards Board Meeting, Oct. 15 – 18, Providence, RI http://goo.gl/xWdER

·      Seedstock Sustainable Ag Conference, Oct. 24, Los Angeles, CA http://goo.gl/ctND0

·      Sustainable Ag Conference, Oct. 26 – 28, Greensville, SC http://goo.gl/yqAxM

·      Agriculture and Water Quality Alliance Workshops, California Central Coast http://goo.gl/xNjck

o   Nutrient & Pest Management, Strawberries/ Taller: Manejo de Nutrientes y Plagas en Las Fresas, English & Spanish, Aug. 22, 9am – 12pm, Santa Maria, CA

o   Dry Farming in the Central Coast AVA: Starting the Dialogue, Aug. 22, 9am – 12pm, Paso Robles, CA

o   Organic Production on the Central Coast, Sept. 6, Santa Maria, CA

o   Monterey County Food Safety Conference, Spanish & English, Sept. 12  8am – 1pm, Salinas, CA

o   Introduction to Geographic Information Systems: Data Acquisition in GIS, Sept. 14 & 15 8:30am – 5:30pm, UC Santa Cruz

o   8^th Annual Sustainable Ag Expo, English & Spanish, Nov. 12 & 13, Monterey Conference Center

o   UC Soil Fertility Short Course, Nov. 28 8am – 4:30pm, UC Davis

·      Tilth Producers of Washington Conference, Nov. 9 – 11, Port Townsend, WA http://goo.gl/Wztb5

·      American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Conference, Nov. 9 – 10, Cary, NC http://goo.gl/YFtl6

·      Domestic Fair Trade Association Annual Meeting Registration Now Open

November 12 – 14, Rochester New York http://goo.gl/GK0la

·      Young Farmers Conference, Dec. 12 – 14, Pocantico Hills, NY http://goo.gl/wW7B9

Other

·      Local Food Lab Fall Startup Accelerator 2012, application deadline September 10^th http://goo.gl/V3q1d

·      The Horticultural Society of NY 3rd Annual Urban Agriculture Conference - Call for presenters http://goo.gl/nfYo5

The Horticultural Society of New York is looking for presenters and
field tour guides for the 3rd Annual Urban Agriculture Conference. The
conference will be held in New York City in May 2013. 

The  3rd Annual Urban Agriculture Conference will bring together
professionals from every aspect of urban agriculture to explore the role
of food production in today's society.  The conference will highlight
individuals who are effectively producing food in urban environments and
are excited to share their expertise, instruction, and inspiration to
help energize and engage our diverse community.

2011 Presentations: http://goo.gl/k9dkY

·      Good Food Awards, entry period August 5 – 31 http://www.goodfoodawards.org/

·      Animal Welfare Approved Grants for Farmers: 2012 – 2013 Applications & Info. http://goo.gl/eJAvr