A Straight Line to Sustainable Agriculture [This article was previously published in the winter issue of The Cultivator, Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter.] by Rachel Zegerius, Communications and Development Associate at The Cornucopia Institute Courtesy of FreddyMillerPhotography.com “Turns out,” says Teresa Kurtak, “there’s really nothing else that comes close to being as satisfying as being a farmer.” Although… Read more »
Search Results for: GMO
Tell the Trump Administration Not to Undermine the Democratic Governance of Organic Food and Farming
[This alert is over. The USDA withdrew the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule in March 2018.] USDA Should Enact the Proposed Rule Improving Enforcement of Organic Livestock and Poultry Living Conditions Don’t Let Factory Livestock Interests Undermine the Organic Label Screened-in Porch as “Outdoor Access” The USDA recently announced its intent to withdraw the Organic Livestock… Read more »
Fall Gardening Reminders You Almost Certainly Need
Cornucopia’s Take: As garden harvests come in, few of us are thinking about weeding. But a few minutes spent pulling those invasive plants with ripening seeds can save hours next spring. 8 Gardening Mistakes You Make Every Fall Rodale’s Organic Life by Rebecca Straus These autumn errors set you up for extra work come spring…. Read more »
Will Amazon Continue to Carry Small, Local Brands at Whole Foods?
Cornucopia’s Take: 10-20% of the products in Whole Foods currently come from local producers, giving small farmers a large venue for sales and improving the image of Whole Foods. Investors have demanded the company offer fewer products in order to cut costs, and local producers are left to wonder about their future with Amazon’s Whole… Read more »
Spring Brings Baby Chicks
Cornucopia’s Take: Caring for a few backyard chickens is rewarding – both in eggs and time well spent, as well as the enjoyment of working with an animal. And unless you know your farmer personally, it is the only way to ensure the hens who lay your eggs are treated as you expect them to… Read more »
Community Farming in Detroit
Cornucopia’s Take: A nonprofit in Detroit is teaching volunteers to grow food in a north end neighborhood and crowdfunding to remodel an apartment building into a community center, café, and commercial kitchen. This is a creative way to work together to bring fresh produce to the community. Farming nonprofit aims to grow North End co-op… Read more »
Cornucopia Asks Regulators to Block Merger
Groupe Danone/WhiteWave Would Dominate the Organic Dairy Market [This article was previously published in the fall issue of The Cultivator, Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter.] by Kestrel Burcham, JD Farm and Food Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute Certified Organic Factory Farms (Above) Hilltop LLC, Boehning Dairy in Earth, TX (May 17, 2014). (Below) No evidence of cows… Read more »
Will Carrageenan Remain in Organic Food?
Removal of Carcinogenic Substance Uncertain Due to Industry Lobbying [This article was previously published in the summer issue of The Cultivator, Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter.] by Linley Dixon, PhD Farm and Food Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute Source: Adobe Stock The FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of more than 9,000 food additives used… Read more »
Maryland’s Honeybees are Being Massacred, and the Weapon Might Be in Your House
The Washington Post by Darryl Fears In the end, Maryland lawmakers couldn’t ignore the same haunting story from beekeepers. “I go into winter with a really strong population, managed them to be fat and healthy, treated for mites, with plenty of food,” said Bonnie Raindrop, a keeper in Baltimore County. “But at the end of winter,… Read more »
Colorado Rancher Jail-bound for Spraying Pesticides to Protect Wife from Mosquitoes
The Denver Post by Bruce Finley 81-year-old James Hopper’s neighbors complained that his mosquito spraying threatened their organic farm An 81-year-old Colorado rancher who waged war on mosquitoes after his wife nearly died from West Nile virus has launched a last-minute fight against going to jail this week for spraying pesticides that wafted over his… Read more »
