More Than 200,000 NGOs, Farmers, Consumers, and Organic Producers Call for USDA to Prohibit Genetically Engineered Alfalfa

Resulting contamination of non-GE and organic alfalfa hay and seed would devastate livelihoods and organic industry
The National Organic Coalition (NOC) today announced that more than 200,000 people submitted comments to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) critiquing the substance and conclusions of its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on Genetically Engineered (GE) Alfalfa. Groups, [...]

This Week in School Lunch

More of the same this week: corn dogs, chicken nuggets and nachos.
Monday, in Pocatello, ID:
- Corn Dog or Chicken Nuggets
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Baby Carrots
- Sliced Pears
- Applesauce
Tuesday, in Lawton, TX:
- Chicken Taco OR Cheeseburger OR Nachos OR Ham and Cheese Sub OR Noodle Oodle Salad
- Corn
- Lettuce with Dressing
- Fresh Vegetables
- Canned and Fresh [...]

Obama Administration Supports Protection for High-Profile Bluefin, But Will Anybody at CITES Speak out on Behalf of Equally Endangered Sharks?

Would you like an order of chips with this?

News this week that the United States had come out in support of giving endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna protection under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was hailed as a major victory by environmental groups. “The Obama administration’s decision to support [...]

Obamas Screen Oscar Nominees: The Academy Awards & Foodie Films At The White House

Oscar winner* Mo’Nique stars in a Let’s Move! PSA; Food, Inc.; Julie & Julia; and Precious; Avatar; Beyonce, Jay Z, Dreamgirls…The 82nd annual Academy Awards will be handed out in Hollywood tonight. As many people know, there’s a mini movie theater at the White House, where President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama–and the [...]

2010 Conservation Reserve Program Sign-up Announced

At last Saturday’s Pheasants Fest in Des Moines Iowa, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced there will a general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) this year, the first general sign-up since 2006.  In testimony before Congress last year USDA indicated there would not be a general sign-up this year, so this week’s announcement represents [...]

Shigella Foodpoisoning Outbreak at an Illinois Subway – Shigella has a long history of Foodborne Illnesses

Shigella is a bacterium that can cause sudden and severe diarrhea (gastroenteritis) in humans. Shigellosis is the name of the disease that Shigella causes. The illness is also known as “bacillary dysentery.” Shigella bacteria can infect the intestinal tract after the ingestion of relatively few organisms. This is why shigellosis is the most communicable of [...]

U.S. energy policy fuels the “Brazilian-ization” of African agriculture

Tanya Kerssen and Rick Jonasse (Cliquez ici pour lire en français)  
Hard lobbying by U.S. corn ethanol and soy biodiesel corporations paid off earlier this month when the Obama administration announced its plan to boost the country’s production and consumption of biofuels. The strategy offers little in the way of "change". Rather, it recommits the country to [...]

Food Safety and Health Organizations Criticize Elanco for Inaccuracies in rbGH White Paper

Food safety, consumer and health advocacy organizations blasted Eli Lilly subsidiary Elanco for claiming that prominent health organizations had endorsed use of the controversial artificial growth hormone rbGH,(rbST) on dairy cows when, in fact, they have not. Elanco’s report, from eight experts and academics in medicine and dairy science, said that groups such as the [...]

Legislation Update: Food Safety and Food Marketing in Schools

Two new school food bills hit the table this week: the Safe Food for Schools Act, and the Food Marketing in Schools Assessment Act.
The School Food For Schools Act comes in response to a dismal GAO report that found that federal notification to schools about contaminated food was spotty at best. According to the report, the [...]

A Sunshine-State Attraction with a Big Difference: The Florida Modern-Day Slavery Museum

A sad continuim.

With faux jungles full of parrots, pods of under-water-ballet-performing mermaids, and parks cashing in on every conceivable theme, it would seem that the last thing Florida needs is yet another “attraction.” But if you’re in the Sunshine State during the next six weeks, I strongly urge you to visit the new Florida Modern-Day [...]