It's best to shop your local produce markets.  Here are the latest headlines why you should know where your food comes from.  Get to know your local farmers.

·      Spotlight G-20: Mexico’s Surreal Leadership on Food Security http://bit.ly/LCRYbH

·      Vandana Shiva: ‘Making Peace With the Earth Is a Survival Imperative’ http://bit.ly/Ptd1fg

Indian activist Shiva discussed environmental activism, Rio+20 summit in interview.

·      How Veggie Co-Ops and Ice Cream Collaboratives Could Save the Economy http://goo.gl/hurKl

Local food really could bring down the jobless rate – if we can figure out how to do it right.

o   Family Farms Pulled Us Out of the great Depression http://goo.gl/ZLG3F

·      2012: The End of Organic Tomatoes? (Late Blight 2012) http://goo.gl/lLRHi

The worst disease in the garden world is making gardeners, farmers, and tomato lovers very nervous.

·      Let’s Add a Little Dirt to Our Diet http://nyti.ms/KVrD4B

·      Juneteenth Garden Plants The Seeds of Survival http://nyti.ms/KJMupj

Historical African American farming in Louisiana

·      Coke To Enter Myanmar For First Time In 60 years http://goo.gl/cfCd9

Only 2 countries left without Coca Cola…

·      Food has gotten cheaper – but at what cost? http://goo.gl/eNyrT

·      Food Fights Exploits Class, Income Splits http://goo.gl/jg2WG

·      Back to the Future With Local Rice Seeds http://goo.gl/WJriJ

·      Food from somewhere http://goo.gl/xPcep

Australian local foods are gaining consumer demand…

·      Aquaponic farming takes root in urban food desert http://goo.gl/KHm6Z

·      Film: Seeds of Freedom http://goo.gl/ovTlU

The story of seeds has become one of loss, control, dependence and debt. It’s been written by those who want to make vast profit from our food system, no matter what the true cost. It’s time to change the story.

·      World Bank: waste management challenge ‘greater than climate change’ http://goo.gl/198Ho

Report warns cost of dealing with waste and related emissions may skyrocket to $375bn by 2025

·      $28 cabbage, $65 chicken, and other insane food prices in Northern Canada (Inuit population) http://goo.gl/j22ou and one residents facebook page Feeding My Family http://goo.gl/vau7Q

·      Times of India: 700 farmers to grow vegetables solely for Europe http://goo.gl/tzx6q

·      Missouri fairy farmers struggle to survive http://goo.gl/rajqc

o   Dairy farms declining amid depressed economy http://goo.gl/6ARxR

·      To fix the climate, take meat off the menu http://goo.gl/eym7t

·      A Farm For The Future (BBC Documentary, 48 min) http://goo.gl/JGffn

·      Urban farm raising greens, jobs http://goo.gl/gvRu1

South Baltimore company aims to expand fresh food production across city

·      Waking Up: On the Future of Food http://goo.gl/TwJzE

·      Hayes Valley Farm (San Francisco) May Soon Shut Down to Make Way for Condo Development

·      Hebrew national hot doges not kosher, lawsuit claims http://yhoo.it/LzfqmZ

·      The Farmer Veteran Project http://kck.st/L23IVr

·      A 150-Year Experiment: Colleges that Serve Everyone http://bit.ly/My04fX

Land Grant Colleges, the commons and commitment to the public interest? Or privatization?

·      Politicians, health advocates seek transparency, restrictions in food stamp program http://bit.ly/Nn2BhP

·      Soda and Tobacco Industry Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns: How Do They Compare? http://bit.ly/MDTZm1

·      Rawanda Releases Iron –Rich Beans to Improve Public Health for Millions http://bit.ly/MDDbvm

Labor

·      Fair Food Standards Council oversees compliance in order to protect tomato pickers http://goo.gl/g2GNT

·      Walmart’s Forced Labor: We Feel Like We Are Slaves http://bit.ly/Kzstr1

Occupy, Anonymous & Protests

·      UC Regents Abandon Lawsuit Against Gill Tract Farmers http://bit.ly/KWb8oM

The (UC) Regents request dismissal in face of pending anti-SLAPP motion.

·      Occupy the BIO International Conference – Boston, MA, June 18 http://goo.gl/L8wgp

Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill

·      It’s all about the Farm Bill

o   Soda, obesity and your tax dollars at work http://goo.gl/39LTA

o   The five farm bill amendments you should keep an eye on http://goo.gl/K98GT

o   Farm Groups and Public Interest Advocates Join Forces to Oust Dangerous ‘Biotech Provision’ From Ag Spending Bill http://goo.gl/Kgis4

Hidden rider poses unprecedented constitutional assault, blocks USDA authority and denies GE crop safeguards

·      USDA ERS Publications – Slaugher and Processing Options and Issues for Locally Sourced Meat http://1.usa.gov/Mp0vNx

GMOs/Cloning/Nanotechnology/Poisons

·      Bernie Sanders: Label Genetically Engineered Food http://bit.ly/Mgsrkt

·      Food Safety Up Against Biotech Giants http://bit.ly/MM3n33

·      Farm Groups and Public Interest Advocates Join Forces to Oust Dangerous ‘Biotech Provision’ from Agriculture Spending Bill http://bit.ly/NeUAeA

·      Why GM food is dangerous: New report by GM engineers http://goo.gl/ZX8XN

·      States (India) say not to trials, GM research in the doldrums http://goo.gl/hxatH

·      Sygenta Charged for Covering up Livestock Deaths from GM Corn http://bit.ly/KxkMmp

·      Nature: Monsanto may lose GM soya royalties throughout Brazil http://bit.ly/MVQb01

Farmers notch up another victory in legal fight.

·      Genetic Engineers Explain Why GE Food Is Dangerous http://bit.ly/Ki3YcW and the report GMO Myths and Truths http://bit.ly/NTfAKC

·      Vermont Groups Sue Food Company (Pinnacle Foods Group) Over Labeling http://bit.ly/MdkgrV

Another suite over GM products being labeled as ‘Natural’

·      Mom-Turned-Activist Launches national Movement to Boycott GMOs http://bit.ly/Mdo9gA

·      GMOs should be safety tested before they hit the market says AMA http://trib.in/Myaa0i

·      Monsanto Face with Paying 7.5 Billion Back to Farmers http://bit.ly/LBIYAo

Back in April, a Brizilian court ruled that Monsanto absolutely was responsible for paying back the exorbitant amounts of cash back to the farmers, ordering the company to issue back all of the taxes, collected since 2004 – a minimum of 2 billion dollars.

Are things finally turning?

·      In Defense of GM Crops http://bit.ly/KIVnWU

Healthy/Humane/Safe Food & Water?

·      Green Wash at the Green Market? http://goo.gl/P6kCk

I think we all are aware of this issue. Additionally, I have found here in the Bay Area that some markets have vendors selling conventional industrial products and local and sustainable…

·      Coke to Enter Myanmar for First Time in 60 Years http://goo.gl/BjHLE

·      Feeding America’s obesity crisis with the fast food “fourth meal” http://goo.gl/qWDLA

·      ‘Shock Doctrine’ in Action: Vital Freshwater Resources Under Attack by Privatization http://bit.ly/MtwkRa

“I don’t consider this a environmentalist point of view; I’m just a human who is scared shitless of the future,” says the director of the new film “Patagonia Rising.”

·      Infographics of the Week: American Waistlines Grow as Grocery Spending Decreases http://bit.ly/KMzjWC

·      Tending the Body’s Microbial Garden http://nyti.ms/Ldha8U

·      Soda Marketer Says Soft Drink Industry Should Be Applauded For Targeting Minorities http://huff.to/KJZ2nc

·      District’s (of Columbia) needy get fruit and veg Rx http://wapo.st/MKzIYm

Mass General had a similar program a few year back and it worked! http://bit.ly/NPB2jB

·      Science Journal Takes Aim at ‘Big Food’ http://bit.ly/MDpYTy

… the ten largest food companies control half of all food sales worldwide. Three-fourths of the world’s food sales involved processed foods…

·      Worry for homeowners (UK) who face the threat of fracking http://bit.ly/LqndqQ

Events

·      Slow Money Northern California Farm Fest http://goo.gl/RP6qH