Here's the latest food and ag news:
- Biotechnology News: More of the same... the biotech industry is marketing itself as "sustainable" and "able to feed the hungry" but studies and news show that a) it's neither and b) it's preventing scientists from conducting any independent research. Meanwhile, individual farmers are speaking up against biotech as it threatens their livelihood, and there's news of genetic contamination and news that Monsanto's herbicide Roundup is toxic to humans. Oh - and genetically modified goats are now legal and happening (for a human drug, not for food).
More below...
- Ethanol: In short, scientists say "no," economics says "no," and government and politicians say "yes." Why????
- Last week I reported on the new #2 at the USDA. Here's what one of her students has to say about her.
- AAF writes about whole grains and why they're good for you and Desmoinesdem joins in, writing about wild rice. None of this is exactly news, that whole grains are good for you, but if you've only really tried wheat, oats, and rice, these are good diaries to check out to find out about more options.
- AAF also writes up the latest in peanut butter news, that now it's time to repair the public trust. I'm sorry but they are going to have to do a LOT before I start trusting again. I just purchased canning equipment to make my own fruit preserves and tomato sauce.
- Consumers Union published an open letter to Tom Vilsack, asking for better meat labels on a number of fronts. There's the naturally-raised label, that needs to go away entirely. Then there's Country of Origin labeling, which needs its loopholes closed. And "raised without antibiotics" labeling that needs to be defined in the first place, etc etc.
- A recent report shows rising prices but declining farm incomes. In short, while prices went up on commodities like corn and soy recently, and the income of farmers went up too, the entire increase in farm income was from OFF-FARM JOBS. The small increase they made in income from on-farm activities was wiped out by a decrease in government payments.
- Fish news: Salmon are having a bad year, and so are some sea lions. The government is going to trap and kill individual sea lions who prey on endangered salmon. I am NOT happy about this. Also, apparently the fishing industry is blaming whales for declines in fish stocks - as an excuse to kill whales? What??? Ugh.
- Food, Psychology, and Eating Disorders: Last week the NY Times ran a piece about eating disorders in which kids as young as 8 were paranoid about eating pesticides, sodium, and other evils that lurk in their food. The article asks if overly concerned parents are to blame. I added my own two cents as I recently lost my brother who suffered from an eating disorder and I've spent the last 3 mos in therapy analyzing what the hell happened.
- The high fructose corn lobby is up to some interesting stunts. Their PR firm (a company known for sleazy tactics when it went to bat for the tobacco industry) is promoting a "study" by another sleazy company (a firm that does environmental toxicology reports for big corporations who want to "prove" they aren't polluting or poisoning people, even when they are). Their study - funded by the Corn Refiners Association - says that there's no mercury you need to worry about in HFCS. Another study, one I reported on last week and previously, by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, says there IS mercury in HFCS at low levels in about 1/3 of samples tested. Who's telling the truth? You decide.
- Pinocchio is now representing the Food Pyramid. That's right kids. Pinocchio never lies, so eat what he tells you! I've got a number of problems with this. Advertising works, and perhaps the Pinocchio ads would be helpful if the government could ever match the $1.6 billion the food industry spends marketing to kids. But it won't, not nearly. Isn't it a better use of our money to improve school lunches and regulate advertising to kids?
- Tom Vilsack is addressing longstanding racism at the USDA by speaking to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives (a group that helps black farmers stay on the land). He says he'll elevate the position at the USDA in charge of human resources and very carefully select someone for the job who is sensitive to discrimination issues.
So that's what's happening by me. What's new in your world?