In December 1998, hog prices in Central Missouri nosedived to a record low of seven and a half cents per pound, far below the cost of production. The low prices, coupled with corporate overproduction and rapidly-growing concentration in the industry,…
Read more »Modern agriculture could easily be called fossil fuel farming due to the dependence on petroleum and natural gas for food production, processing and distribution. In fact, livestock production (beef, pork, chicken, etc.) accounts for 18% of all the global warming…
Read more »This is an interview about globalization and agriculture with Miguel Altieri, Ph.D., a Chilean pioneer in developing the concept and best practices of agroecology. The interview is by Arty Mangan. AM: You do a lot of work in Latin America…
Read more »Locavore: someone who eats locally grown food. Thirteen plant foods can be grown successfully anywhere in the continental United States. These can be eaten locally and in season without needing to import them from afar. 1. Apples 2. Lettuce 3….
Read more »My now teenage son thinks I’m crazy. The feeling is mutual. His recent comment was “Why are you always talking about organic. Pesticides aren’t bad for me.” Well, I am no longer a teenager, and therefore am not immortal. So…
Read more »People often say farmers market food is too expensive. The authors of Eat Local Challenge are intent on debunding this myth with their Penny-Wise Eat Local Challenge, launched last week. The challenge is to eat on a budget based on…
Read more »People panic. Yes. After I do a workshop on our food system and the increasing consolidation of agriculture by a small number of giant companies, people realize how deeply rooted the problem is in our institutions and politics, and they…
Read more »And does it matter? Maybe you get your food from more than one source? Millions go straight to Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world. Wal-Mart gets a lot of flack, but if we could make it greener, more just……
Read more »Slurping a Cup of Fair Trade If you’ve never witnessed “coffee cupping,” this is a great introduction. This process is the reason why some coffee can taste so fabulous. View the 6-minute audio/ visual slideshow for a fascinating look at…
Read more »In just a couple weeks, farmworkers from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and their allies will travel from Immokalee, FL – home of one of the largest farmworker communities in the country – to Chicago, IL, home of the…
Read more »