Stay in the know about our food industry.  This week's updates about the advantages of organic farming and more:

·      Humanity’s effort to take to the skies thwarted by jealous bees http://goo.gl/8P9mu

·      Generation Food Project http://generationfoodproject.org/

Local solutions to our agricultural conundrum…

·      The Global Diabetics Epidemic, Brought to You by Global Development http://goo.gl/NIxw4

·      Biodiversity International Publication: Sustainable diets and biodiversity (free download) http://goo.gl/o68p4

·      The Department of Good News: Famers’ Markets Keep Growing http://bit.ly/P3IG9M

o   USDA Directory Records More Than 7,800 Farmers’ Markets http://goo.gl/1JWyV

·      A Critical Mass for Real Food http://bit.ly/Qd7tTS

The old logic of the slave plantation is still the logic of our industrial food system, 500 years in the making. There’s a new way of thinking, and it’s taking off.

·      Wild Salmon Are Back on Menus in California, But Are They Here to Stay? http://bit.ly/RmW33Z

o   Boom-and-bust salmon catch is booming again http://bit.ly/OKg95b

·      Lobster Prices Hit Rock Bottom Thanks To Climate Change http://goo.gl/4Xfdz

Lobster lovers are rejoicing this summer – but the other effects of rapidly warming oceans should terrify us all

·      Wilson Solar Grill Stores the Sun’s Energy for Nighttime Fuel-Free Grilling http://goo.gl/ZKCIo

·      Gardens Thrive on Top of City Busses (NYC MTA) http://goo.gl/NDvjQ

·      Montgomery County initiative for young would-be farmers http://goo.gl/JkqI8

·      The Fate of Organics http://goo.gl/o8zaK

Santa Cruz nonprofit Organic Farming Research Foundation leads the charge for organics in the Farm Bill and beyond

·      Willamette Valley Immediately Threatened by Canola http://goo.gl/oJXxg

·      National Young Farmer’s Coalition: Farm Hack http://goo.gl/GqUlf

o   [Post] Card from Iowa, Part 1: Farm Hack http://goo.gl/7H5c4

o   [Post] Card from Iowa, Part 2: Farm Hack http://goo.gl/2MJP9

·      It’s hot, really hot…

o   It’s so hot in Oklahoma that this squirrel melted http://goo.gl/s1sbL

o   This Drought’s No Dry Run: Lessons Of The Dust Bowl http://goo.gl/90fP6

o   Farming on the frontlines of climate change http://goo.gl/SyUzb

o   Crop Data Prepares Drought-Stricken Farmers to Get By With Less http://bit.ly/MqoGbz

o   Senator Reid: Time to Stop Acting Like Climate Change Deniers Have a Valid Point Of View http://bit.ly/NmtuiU

o   Most Drought States Don’t Have Comprehensive Plans to Address Climate Change’s Impact on Water http://goo.gl/sSaHK

o   12 Innovations to Combat Drought, Improve Food Secruity, and Stabilize Food Prices http://goo.gl/8R7aY

o   Drought and the Food, Water and Energy Nexus http://bit.ly/NjS1oP

o   Desperately Seeking: A Sustainable, Climate-Friendly Food System http://goo.gl/x4ga4

o   Crazy Weather: ‘Virtually No Other Explanation Other Than Climate Change’ http://bit.ly/RFwdFZ

New study led by NASA’s James Hansen, refutes notion that weather events cannot be attributed to systemic climate change

o   Obama Call On Congress To Pass Farm Bill To Provide Disaster Aid For Midwest Drought http://goo.gl/iezge

·      Debate Between Food vs. Fuel Heats Up – UN Pressures Obama to Immediately Suspend Corn Ethanol Mandate http://goo.gl/32u1A

·      (Food System) Systems Thinking Tools: fixes that fail http://goo.gl/6rr6N

The globalized, corporate food system is a CAUSE not the solution to poverty!

o   Just food now; public opportunities and responsibilities http://goo.gl/ZOI3L

o   Just food now: taking personal responsibility http://goo.gl/5Nf0G

·      Family heirloom: How one seedy businessman became an apostle for the food movement http://goo.gl/wLG3c

·      Food Spending: Gallup Poll Tracks How Much Americans Spend On What They Eat http://goo.gl/orD6h

·      Horse Slaughterhouse In New Mexico Finds Unlikely Supporters: Horse Owners http://goo.gl/CHNdW

·      Canning History: When Propaganda Encouraged Patriotic Preserves http://goo.gl/tkqSB

·      Woman’s Homemade Sauerkraut Highlights Cottage Food Fight in AZ http://bit.ly/O4FzvD

·      LA Times: Persian Mulberries  http://goo.gl/QyyH6

With luck production of these beauties will continue to increase, they are unbelievable, no sugar needed…

·      Seeking new options for Costa Rica’s farmers http://goo.gl/vJDga

According to sustainable agriculture experts, Costa Rica’s current agricultural system is threatening its own future through farming practices that over-exploit the natural resources.

·      Should you be fined for wasting food? (Saudi Arabia) http://goo.gl/j7FpO

Massive serving portions coupled with all-you-can-eat buffet options make for a strong selling point for many restaurants especially during Ramadan. But could a penalty fee for wasting food change that?

·      One Billion Already Hungry as Deeper Crises Looms http://bit.ly/RGUzyX

Enough food exists for all, but shortcomings of global capitalism and industrial food system thwart new approaches to problem

·      British food: protect and serve http://goo.gl/7Il2f

Britain trails the (EU) pack in the number of native foodstuffs protected by law. What would you like to see awarded protected status?

·      Women flourish in farming http://goo.gl/iPuXk

Shunning traditional gender roles, they demand to be taken seriously

o   Investments in Women Farmers Still Too Low http://goo.gl/eq9oT

·      What happened to family farmlands? http://goo.gl/UTu48

·      How to transform African farming: Return to ‘orphan crops’ http://goo.gl/4vTg4

If sub-Saharan Africa is to benefit from advances in agricultural productivity, investments in the so-called ‘orphan cops’ – sweet potato, cassava, and millet – will be crucial for strengthening the poorest farmers’ livelihoods and improving nutrition.

·      Millions Made Insecure by Land Grabbing http://goo.gl/idmKc

·      World’s Underground Water Resources Are Being Over Exploited, Scientists Say http://goo.gl/l7wjK

·      Sizzler Has a Food Truck. Sorry, Hipsters http://goo.gl/Hdvw2

How a hot local trend became a marketing vehicle for national chains

 

Labor/Economics

·      Infographic: How co-ops are building a better world – The Facts http://goo.gl/UkI1h and the article http://goo.gl/EfFQ1

·      Lips Sewed Shut, Colombia GM Workers Will Not Be Silent http://goo.gl/0GBeO

·      Food Co-op Impact Study http://bit.ly/OGNNvo

·      Child Labor: Small Hands Picking Our Food http://bit.ly/TbD4JI

·      Food Inc’s Carole Morison is Free as a Bird http://bit.ly/S1ao3z

Carole is now raising pastured Rhode Island Reds

·      Raising the Minimum Wage: A Sure Path to Economic Health http://goo.gl/rWqpt

·      Can Whole Foods Coexist with the Homegrown Food Movement? http://goo.gl/XgDDB

Some worry a new Whole Foods might damage the gains of Detroit’s burgeoning food movement.

·      How Huge Food Corporations Will Make Upcoming Food Price Hikes Even Worse http://goo.gl/KzcwR

The entire American food system is built on one crop – corn. And that is really bad news.

 

Government/Regulation/Policy/Farm Bill

·      Food fight in Congress focuses on fresh vs. frozen produce in schools http://goo.gl/Hy4ia

·      Meatless Monday suggestion causes DC to have a cow http://goo.gl/aKstR

·      It’s All About the Farm Bill

o   How Crop Subsidies Contribute to Massive Habitat Loss http://goo.gl/ocjwU

o   Monsanto’s Quiet Coup http://goo.gl/LHPVk

·      Most Americans are ‘pro-regulation’ on food safety – regardless of politics, study suggest http://goo.gl/Fds4V

·      Pelosi Slams GOP on Food Safety: ‘This is the E. coli club’ http://goo.gl/rlNqK

·      Obama Signs into Law Groundbreaking Bill Providing Medical Care to Water Contamination Survivors http://goo.gl/kvNoQ

Now what about fracking water contamination?

·       President Meets With ‘Rural Council’ http://bit.ly/OKAl72

President Obama says the drought required an “all hands on deck response.” Says Congress should pass a Farm Bill.

·      Groups Challenge EPA to Regulate Use of Chemical Dispersants (oil spills) http://goo.gl/J9RDi

Suits follow on heals of study that shows toxic “clean-up” method causing sever damage to marine ecosystem

 

GMOs/Cloning/Nanotechnology/Poisons

·      GM corn backfiring http://goo.gl/o0Kl2

Extract: Potter told them the genetically modified corn is basically backfiring.

“Instead of making things easier, we’ve just made corn rootworm management harder and a whole lot more expensive,” Potter said

o   Superinsects Are Thriving in This Summer’s Drought http://goo.gl/gAfK3

o   Farmer becomes disillusioned with GMOs, switches to non-GMO (corn & soy) http://goo.gl/ciO5O

·      Cotton weed control has changed radically due to resistant pigweed http://goo.gl/X2Kez

·      California’s Prop 37

o   Food industry raises millions to oppose Prop 37 on GMO labeling http://goo.gl/FtnKa

o   Biotech Giants Are Bankrolling a GMO Free-for-All http://goo.gl/LfiQR

o   Why PespsiCo is Fighting GMO Labeling in California http://bit.ly/OKQ2xF

o   Big Ag Spends Big Bucks to Keep GMOs in Your Food Secret http://bit.ly/MKtGZZ

o   Say it Isn’t So: Organic Brands Backing the Campaign to Defeat GMO Labeling http://goo.gl/THLmH

·      Activists grill producers of modified corn http://goo.gl/DTkMs  and http://bit.ly/PD6ITy

Monsanto’s engineered crop hits stores unlabeled, but Wal-Mart isn’t worried

·      Monsanto’s $1 billion court victory raises eyebrows http://goo.gl/NNUHd

·      Persistent Herbicides, Green Mountain Compost, VT http://goo.gl/uygpQ

·      Biotechnology has no health and environmental hazards – Expert http://goo.gl/fzYsm

Really, what of the new proteins created through changing a DNA sequence? Do these proteins act as a prion does?

·      Decade-Long Feeding Study Shows Significant Health Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods http://bit.ly/O05CGQ

·      Europeans Strongly Against Consumption of GM Foods http://bit.ly/NZtwQG

·      Academics join call to ban modified maize http://goo.gl/QvFqp

·      Monsanto blocks research on GMO Safety http://goo.gl/rAqtR

·      Indian State of Maharashtra bans Bt cotton seeds http://goo.gl/19sAa

 

Healthy/Humane/Safe Food & Water?

·      Back to the Future: The Normal Way A Chicken Lives http://bit.ly/O7h8R4

·      Canola Oil’s Unhealthy Secret http://goo.gl/uAzRY

·      Canada Testes Tea and Soft Drinks for Safety http://goo.gl/ypmvq

·      Frac – Sand Mining and Processing Operations in Wisconsin Doubled in 2012 http://goo.gl/kaUUX

o   Analysts Conclude Fracking Wastewater Poses Substantial Risk to Drinking Water http://goo.gl/0uzOM

o   Fracking Industry Sponsors Lunch to Woo State Legislators http://bit.ly/RtIjWL

o   Is fracking linked to earthquakes? Yeah, kinda, sorta, probably http://bit.ly/MhzD3Q

o   Opening Protected Areas to Drilling Will Not Provide US ‘Revenue’ Promised by Industry: Report http://bit.ly/RFXnkm

OK, so they are going to poison our protected lands, receive tax subsidies and not pay for the destruction of our land, water and atmosphere?

·      Kansas State Finds Cattle Vaccine Works as Pre-Harvest E. coli Strategy http://goo.gl/l9B00

Can’t we have a fix in the causes of food contamination, rather than a band aid?

·      Neither Human Health nor Food Safety Were Ever At Risk in 4^th (US) Mad Cow http://goo.gl/VU0ZK

Really, once again, can’t we fix the system?

·      Hog farmers worry as more consumers demand phaseout of gestation stalls http://goo.gl/AEHF2

·      Deadly Virus Outbreak Show Need for Open-Net Salmon Farm Reform http://bit.ly/O2Z73r

·      Playing chicken on food safety? http://bit.ly/ORIPLG

USDA defends efforts to speed up poultry slaughter lines and replaces federal inspectors with plant workers

·      School Lunch Milk Cartons Take A Hit In New Ad Campaign http://goo.gl/wMmJX

·      10 Biggest Fast Food Chains In The US http://goo.gl/0tJ5o

·      The dark side of 5 fake foods http://goo.gl/nXyRU

With the introduction of the freaky new imitation chicken, Beyond Meat, the sci-fi future of food is coming to bear. But can we trust food made in the lab, rather than the field?

·      Cornucopia Institute: Corporations Sneak Synthetic Preservatives into Organic Food http://goo.gl/0lRfS

 

Events

·      Real Food Challenge Leadership Trainings http://goo.gl/4UzVy

o   Boston, MA August, 16 – 19

o   College Park, MD, August 16 – 19

o   Spokane, WA, August 23 – 26

o   St. Paul, MN, August 23 – 26

o   Chapel Hill, NC, August 30 – Sept 2

o   Santa Cruz, CA, Sept 6 – 9

o   Pending; Florida, Chicago