Posts Tagged ‘USDA’
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Judge Bans Genetically Modified Sugar Beets
Federal district court Judge Jeffrey S. White revoked the government’s approval of the planting of genetically modified sugar beets Friday, August 13, in a San Francisco court. The beets, like
“Roundup Ready” soybeans, are genetically engineered to resist Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller. Farmers that plant these varieties can use herbicides to kill weeds without hurting their crops, a process that is quicker than mechanical cultivation. The decision comes in the wake of the ongoing debate and increased concern that Roundup may be producing “super weeds.”Judge White ruled that the Department of Agriculture did not take into account the environmental consequences before approving the beets for commercial planting, reports the New York Times. The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought against the USDA by activist groups including the Center for Food Safety and the Sierra Club.
The affects of the new ruling won’t be seen for at least a year. The Wall Street Journal reports genetically modified beets that are currently planted will be allowed to be harvested, processed and sold as sugar. Genetically modified sugar beet seed will not be allowed to be planted until the USDA repeats its regulatory review process, which will include a mandatory written Environment Impact Statement.
This is the second challenge of Monsanto’s Roundup ready crops, the first being Roundup Ready Alfalfa, which is currently illegal to sell or plant after a Supreme Court decision last spring. The Supreme Court outlined in the ruling that “environmental harm” now may include genetic contamination.
More National News
Aug. 13: The value of farmland in the Central Plains region of the country has increased, despite lower reported farm incomes. Reuters
Aug. 12: Whole Foods and “Renegade Lunch Lady” Chef Ann Cooper are partnering to install nearly 300 salad bars in school cafeterias. Whole Foods Blog
Aug. 12: U.S. farmers are on track to produce the largest corn and soybeans harvest in history. Corn production is estimated at 13.4 billion bushels and soybeans are estimated at 3.43 billion bushels. USDA
Regional News
Aug. 16: Candidates running for Vermont governor lay out their views on environmental issues and policies. Times Argus
Aug. 16: The need for subsidized summer meal programs for low-income children has increased. Vermont Public Radio
Aug. 13: Maple Grove Farms of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, will no longer allow tourists to observe maple syrup production from the factory floor because of terrorism concerns. Associated Press
Aug.12: Vermont energy companies Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service have made a contract with HQ Energy Services, a subsidiary of Hydro-Quebec, to provide renewable low-emission energy. Market Watch
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Farm, Bike!
It’s 7:15 am, mid-June, and a steady stream of bikers is rolling down Riverside Avenue into Burlington’s Intervale: farmers heading to work. While this image may not be a new one, the number of non-farmers hopping on a bike to pick up produce or simply pay a visit to nearby farms is on the rise. Bike-centri
c farm events (and even a farm-centric bike business) are sprouting up all over Vermont.You might wonder just how many people are both into cycling and a fan of small farms? Lots, it turns out. Last year, more than 500 people attended the annual Tour de Farms, a fall ride with stops (and samples) at a variety of Addison County farms. In July, I’m teaming up with Local Motion and the Open Farm and Studio Weekend to organize the first annual Heart of the Islands Bike Tour, a ride exploring Champlain Island farms, art studios and vineyards. One Revolution, a bicycle delivery service, recently launched its services with an impressive contract to deliver CSA shares for the Intervale Food Hub.
Vermont has a reputation for healthy food and healthy people: according to the USDA’s most recent Census of Agriculture, Vermont leads the nation in per-capita direct sales of produce from farmers to consumers. In addition, America’s Health Rankings put Vermont at the top of the charts in its 2009 review (almost a third of Vermonters are regular bike riders!). In a state where we’re increasingly eager to meet our farmers and move toward healthier forms of transportation, farm-biking is on a roll.
Here are a few opportunities to “veg out” while you ride this season:
Saturday, July 10
Heart of the Islands Bike Tour
Explore Champlain Island farms, art studios, food venues and vineyards during a leisurely (and spectacular) 10, 24 or 35-mile ride to support Local Motion. Lots of free samples from farms, vineyards and eateries along the way! 10 am to 4 pm from Snow Farm Vineyard, South Hero. Register here.Saturday, July 17
Valley Farm Ride
Riders visit farms in the Mad River Valley to sample locally grown produce in an event to benefit and raise awareness for the Vermont Food Bank. 9 am to 1 pm, begin at the Waitsfield Farmers’ Market. For more info, call Peter Oliver 802.496.5538.Sunday, September 19
3rd Annual Tour de Farms
Cyclists choose from one of three routes that wind through the beautiful Champlain Valley and offer stops and sampling at farms along the way. Expect lots of hot food options, farm and craft vendors, along with entertainment and merriment! Tour de Farms registration forms will be available July 1 at www.ruralvermont.org.One Revolution
Get your CSA delivered by bike! One Revolution is a new bicycle-based pick-up and delivery service serving the greater Burlington area. Jericho Settlers Farm, Intervale Food Hub and Pete’s Greens shares are all available for delivery. Visit www.onevt.com or 877-4BIKEVT (877.424.5388) for more info.See more great images of Bike & Food events on our flickr page!
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Cartoons on Snacks Appeal to Children
A new study published by Pediatrics concluded that children would rather eat snacks that are packaged with images of familiar cartoon characters, like Dora the Explorer and Shrek.
The study is noteworthy in a time where childhood obesity has become an epidemic; one in three children is overweight. Advocates for childhood nutrition often criticize food companies for adding to the problem of childhood obesity by marketing fattening snack foods and desserts to appeal to children.The study was done by Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. The researchers polled 40 children ages 4 to 8 years old. Two-thirds of the children chose the snack with the cartoon character on the package over the snack with plain packaging, even though the contents were identical. Half of the children determined the snack with the cartoon character also tasted better.
Time reports that food companies spend more than $1.6 billion in advertising directed at children per year, and 13% of that budget is spent on licensing familiar characters and cross-promotions.
USDA Proposes New Laws to Protect Small Farmers
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Friday the proposal of several new regulations that would add significant protection for small-scale farmers and increase fairness in the livestock and poultry market.
Vilsack announced in a written statement, “Concerns about a lack of fairness and commonsense treatment for livestock and poultry producers have gone unaddressed far too long. This proposed rule will help ensure a level playing field for producers by providing additional protections against unfair practices and addressing new market conditions not covered by existing rules.”
The changes reflect the hardships that small poultry growers and livestock producers have been burdened with when fulfilling contracts with large companies, which often require a lot of investment capital and little job security for the small producer. The new proposal speaks to this issue and includes a provision to “Establish new protections for producers required to provide expensive capital upgrades to their growing facilities, including protections to ensure producers have the opportunity to recoup 80 percent of the cost of a required capital investment.”
Additional proposals include standards on base pay, advanced notice of contract suspension and limits to exclusive arrangements between packers and dealers to create competition. For more information on the new proposals, see the USDA website.
More National News
June 21: Roundup-resistant weeds have sprouted, causing farmers to use herbicides that contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Associated Press
June 21: Food and drug recall data will be released and published online by the FDA. Wall Street Journal
June 19: The Obama administration is cracking down on laws that prevent child labor on farms. New York Times
Regional News
June 21: The Stowe Wine and Food Classic raised $20,000 for Copley Hospital in Morrisville, Vermont. Burlington Free Press
June 21: A proposal has been entered to build a new distillery that will produce specialty liquors in Marlboro, Vermont. Brattleboro Reformer
June 21: An old mill in Bennington, Vermont, will be resuscitated to source hydroelectric power. Vermont Public Radio
June 18: Vermont dairy farmers are advocating for legislation overhauls to improve milk prices. Vermont Public Radio
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Organic Food Inspection Group Banned By USDA
Foreign products that receive the USDA organic label can be found in supermarkets and natural food stores across the nation. To ensure products meet USDA organic standards, the U.S. government hires third party, independent inspectors.
The USDA announced on Monday that it will ban the Organic Crop Improvement Association from operating in China because of conflicts of interest and concerns on food safety. The non-profit group has been a leading inspector of organic food for U.S. markets in China.The Wall Street Journal reports that the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) “improperly used Chinese government employees to inspect Chinese farms that use state-owned land to grow crops for export to the U.S. bearing the USDA’s organic seal.”
In addition to the ban of OCIA, the USDA plans to send an audit team to China this year to broadly review the certification process, reports the New York Times.
OCIA is a non-profit based in Lincoln, Nebraska, that was founded by farmers in the 1980s. On its website, the group describes itself as “one of the world’s oldest, largest and most trusted leaders in the organic certification industry. A nonprofit, member-owned, agricultural organization, OCIA is dedicated to providing the highest quality organic certification services and access to global organic markets.”
The Wall Street Journal reports the USDA has been trying to take away OCIA’s authorization since 2007, when it was discovered that Chinese government employees had been working as farm inspectors, but the OCIA appealed the ruling.
OCIA began shutting down its operations in China in March, due to financial difficulties and regulatory pressure, says the New York Times. The group signed a settlement agreement with the USDA on May 28 that bans its operation in China for one year. The company can reapply for accreditation after the one-year ban is up and can continue inspecting organic food in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Organic products from China are sold in supermarkets nationwide, including at organic retail leader Whole Foods. Whole Foods stopped stocking products inspected by OCIA last year. The grocery store has decreased its Chinese organic offerings in the past two years, going from selling 30 products made with Chinese organics to selling only 2, shelled and unshelled frozen edamame, by the end of this year. The shift away from Chinese products has come from customer complaints and better prices from other sources.
More National News
June 14: The “Go Local Chicago” initiative works to distribute locally produced food and beverages in corporate offices. Chicago Tribune
June 13: Wisconsin dairy farmers who want to legally sell raw milk will make their case in court on June 15. Chicago Tribune
June 12: Revolutionary British food critic Egon Ronay died at age 94. Associated Press
June 12: Despite an increase in milk prices, dairy farmers in New York state are still in financial trouble. Associated Press
Regional News
June 14: If approved, Williamstown, Vermont will boast the state’s largest solar farm. Times Argus
June 14: Woodchuck Cider donated 8,432 trees to plant as a part of the Global ReLeaf campaign. Burlington Free Press
June 14: NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, the housing non-profit, was awarded a $4.5 million grant for innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. Vermont Business Magazine
June 11: Maple syrup production in Vermont has dropped 3 percent this year, but nationwide production of maple syrup has dropped by 19 percent. Associated Press
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Vilsack Works to Boost Rural Economies
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke on the continuing need for an economic rehabilitation of the nation’s rural communities at last week’s National Summit of Rural America held in Hillsboro, Missouri.
At the summit, Vilsack announced $22.5 million in USDA funding for small farmers through the Value-Added Agricultural Producer Grant program, which was added in the 2008 Farm Bill.Said Vilsack, “This new program will help provide access to capital, business-based training and technical assistance to the smallest of small businesses. We need to embrace new strategies to help create a thriving rural economy.”
The grants can be used for enhancing business plans, executing feasibility studies, marketing value-added agricultural products and investing in farm-based renewable energy products. According to Vilsack, the grants will “improve financial returns and help create jobs for agricultural producers, businesses and families across the nation. USDA is investing in farmers, ranchers and cooperatives to strengthen the economic foundation of rural America.”
Independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives and agricultural producer groups are eligible for grants.
Vilsack posted an op-ed piece on the Huffington Post to further detail his goals to strengthen rural communities, explaining that developing new markets abroad, investing in rural broadband access and creating green jobs are key elements to making rural communities profitable and sustainable. He also encouraged the restoration and conservation of natural resources.
Despite Vilsack’s announcement of additional funding for small farmers to improve their business models and expand marketing efforts, the USDA is still under fire from critics who cite injustice in agriculture antitrust laws.
Eric Holt Gimenez, Executive Director of Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy, responded to Vilsack’s recent announcements on the Huffington Post that the USDA’s efforts to revolutionize rural economies was lacking. Gimenez argued that the Agriculture Secretary should have included in his plan an overhaul of agriculture antitrust laws to restore competition to the industry, which, Gimenez argues, is currently controlled by several large conglomerates.
In Vermont, Champlain Orchards, Screamin’ Ridge Farm, Artesano and Cellars Carbon Labeling Co., Inc. recently received Value-Added Producer Grants. For a national list of recipients, see the USDA website.
More National News
June 7: Large food companies are improving their recipes to preemptively comply with health regulations from the Obama administration. Business Week
June 7: Chipotle serves more naturally raised meat than any other national chain. 85% of Chipotle’s beef is naturally raised. Market Watch
June 5: More than 500 chefs gathered at the White House to support Michelle Obama’s “Chefs Move to School” program to work to end childhood obesity. Let’s Move
May 25: The USDA released a study that reveals where local meat processing facilities are needed most. USDA
Regional News
June 6: The Slow Money National Gathering will be held June 9-11 at Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont. Burlington Free Press
June 6: Senator Patrick Leahy spoke on the difficult issue of immigration reform for immigrant Vermont dairy workers. Times Argus
June 4: Senator Bernie Sanders announced $120,000 has been awarded to schools throughout Vermont to establish community gardens. Bernie Sanders
June 4: The federal government decided to close the small U.S.-Canada border station at Morses Line rather than close the Rainville family dairy farm. Associated Press
June 4: The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation is awarding $531,119 in grants to reconstruct and expand hiking trails throughout the state. Vermont Business Magazine
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A New Business Model for Farmers’ Markets
Farmers’ markets might be the easiest way for a consumer to connect directly with the farmers that grow their food. Outdoor markets are a social scene in themselves–a weekend venue where community members can connect, socialize and buy fresh food that supports the local economy.
Why then, aren’t more people shopping weekly at farmers’ markets? A new article by The American Prospect highlights the areas in which the farmers’ market business model could be improved to address problems facing low-income consumers: high prices, limited availability of food staples and awareness of farmers’ markets.Picking up a few items at a farmers’ market to make dinner can get pricey quickly, especially if you choose to eat organic. For some consumers, the price point of the farmers’ market just can’t compete with the low cost of canned items in a grocery store or a meal from the dollar menu at McDonald’s. Farmers’ markets in low-income neighborhoods struggle without the support of the majority of the community and are at risk of being put out of business by chain grocery stores that offer discounted prices.
To make shopping at farmers’ markets financially possible for low-income families and profitable for farmers, government programs need to be extended to farmers’ markets. Though some farmers’ markets currently accept food stamps, vendors who do not accept debit card purchases often cannot process food stamp payments, since food stamps are currently issued on debit cards (EBT or Electronic Benefit Transfer) instead of on paper.
Some farmers’ markets have developed creative strategies for working around these obstacles. In Washington, DC, FreshFarm Markets has implemented a food assistance program that doubles funds for low-income customers through a public-private partnership. The market allows EBT purchases and has put up tents where a food stamp recipient can easily swipe his or her EBT card in exchange for tokens that can be used at the farmstands.
To make farmers’ markets more accessible to families in need, the USDA’s Women, Infants, and Children Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program received expanded funding in 2009. The program “provides supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding post-partum women, and to infants and children up to 5 years of age who are found to be at nutritional risk.” The program issues “Get Fresh” checks to be used specifically at farmers’ markets.
The American Prospect article cites the Ward 8 farmers’ market in Washington, DC, as an example of how changing the farmers’ market business model increased revenue for farmers while serving a low-income community. The market got directly involved with the community, working with customers to determine what products were most desirable so farmers could anticipate demand. Jody Tick, the director of the Capital Area Food Bank’s Harvest for Health initiative, started a youth gardening project to educate children in the area about eating healthfully. The conveniently located market started accepting EBT payments, and leftover produce from the farmers’ market was donated to convenience stores to extend the market’s reach through a partnership with the D.C. Healthy Corner Store Program.
Focusing on the community, facilitating collaboration between consumers and producers and accepting payments from subsidized government programs are steps every farmers’ market can take to expand their reach and build a prosperous market where both the consumer and the producer are beneficiaries.
More National News
May 24: The USDA announced the availability of the compliance guide for mobile slaughter units. USDA
May 22: The “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative has received criticism from senators claiming it favors small, organic farmers and slights “conventional farmers who produce the vast majority of our nation’s food supply.” Kansas City Star
May 21: Raw alfalfa sprouts have been linked to salmonella outbreaks in ten states, causing a nationwide recall of Caldwell Fresh Foods alfalfa sprouts. FDA
Regional News
May 23: Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy is asking Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to close the Canadian border crossing at Morses Line, rather than expand the facility, which would require land to be seized from a family farm. Associated Press
May 22: The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife designated the animals (including the now famous Pete the Moose) at the Big Rack Ridge Preserve a “special purpose herd,” which spares them from being killed as a measure to prevent the spread of disease. Associated Press
May 21: Green Mountain Power is moving forward with plans to build what will be Vermont’s largest wind farm. The farm will be large enough to power 20,000 homes. WCAX
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A Look at Food Waste in California
In California, more than 6 million tons of food products are thrown away every year by farms, restaurants and supermarkets. Food shelters, on the other hand, do not have the supply to meet the ever-increasing demand.
A recent examination by California Watch and the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism took a close look at California’s food system to try to identify the reasons why these unwanted food products are not channelled to food banks and other organizations where donations are greatly needed.The examination concluded that many grocery stores are more likely to throw away food than to donate it to local food banks because of liability concerns. Often, stores will donate bakery products but will throw away other highly perishable foods, including meat and produce, even before the expiration dates have been reached.
This is in spite of a 1996 federal law that, as reported in a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, “protects all donations made in good faith . . . . The only exceptions are gross negligence or intentional misconduct. A plaintiff would have to prove that a company or individual intentionally tried to harm another person by making a donation of food it knew to be unsafe.”
The California Watch examination also reported that the majority of restaurants in California do not participate in food-donation programs, opting instead to throw out tens of thousands of tons of edible food each year.
In the San Francisco area, however, most restaurants in the Golden Gate Restaurant Association participate in the Food Runners program that distributes food that would otherwise go to waste to shelters.
On a national level, Food Donation Connection partners with the National Restaurant Association to link restaurants to food banks. This program rescued more than 21 million pounds of food in 2008.
In Vermont, initiatives are already in place to make sure that food that might otherwise go to waste gets to the people who need it most.
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Michelle Obama Prompts Food Giants to Get Healthy
Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the Grocery Manufacturers Association to emphasize the importance of producing healthy, affordable foods to reduce childhood obesity. Mrs. Obama asked that the major food manufacturers take responsibility for improving their offerings in grocery stores by improving food labels and reducing salt and fat in the products they sell.
With the national consciousness trending more and more toward healthy food consumption, big businesses are taking note. Several major food companies including PepsiCo, Kraft Foods and ConAgra have since announced that significant and voluntary improvements will be made in the nutritional value of their products in order to better serve the consumer and meet market demand.Yesterday, PepsiCo announced it will cut sodium in its key brands by 25 percent in five years. In the next ten years, the company will cut the average amount of added sugar per serving by 25 percent and saturated fat by 15 percent.
ABC News reports that PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi told investors the company will focus more on producing healthier foods even before additional legislation is passed requiring changes because “the consumer is shifting” and demanding healthier, more nutritious foods that are a better value.
Last week, PepsiCo also announced it would remove full-calorie sweetened drinks from all schools globally by 2012, a policy that is currently in place in the U.S.
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Feds Investigate Possible BigAg Antitrust Violations
The U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are joining forces to investigate potential violations of antitrust laws in the agriculture industry. Attorney General Eric Holder and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack traveled to Iowa last week speak to farmers, ranchers and industry leaders at a public meeting.
The first of five workshops on competition and consolidation in the agriculture industry took place on Friday in front of a crowd of about 700 people.The central question to tackle is, Holder said, “Is today’s agriculture industry suffering from a lack of free and fair competition in the marketplace.”
Public relations executives from Monsanto Company were also at the meeting.
Monsanto, a biotech company that has patented their genetically modified soybean, is one of the most prominent companies under scrutiny. The Justice Department is currently investigating whether or not the patents on seeds are being abused to maintain dominance in the industry. Currently, 93 percent of U.S. soybeans contain Monsanto’s patented Roundup Ready gene.
Monsanto received national attention after being featured in the documentary Food Inc., which showed the huge amount of power Monsanto wielded in court against small farmers and seed cleaners who were sued by Monsanto for patent infringement.
According to the New York Times, Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney drew applause from the crowd on Friday when she announced the Justice Department “planned to keep a close eye on the coming shift to generic forms of biotech crop traits, as the patents that companies hold on those traits expire.”
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Federal Funding Coming for Farmers’ Markets
The USDA’s Know Your Famer, Know Your Food initiative has earmarked $5 million in funding from the 2010 Farmers’ Market Promotion Program for grants to develop new farmers’ markets and enhance existing markets, roadsides stands and CSA programs as part of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign.
USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the grant funding on a visit to New York City last Thursday, where she said, “The benefits of direct-to-consumer marketing are two-fold. Consumers are provided with fresh, healthy, affordable and locally grown products, while meeting the farmers that produce it. Farmers, on the other hand, are able to expand their economic opportunities and grow their incomes.”The grants are an effort to reduce what the first lady has labeled as “food deserts,” areas in the country that don’t have access to healthy foods from supermarkets or farmers’ markets.
According to the USDA, there are 5,274 farmers’ markets in the country. This figure marks a 13 percent increase in farmers’ markets since 2008. Despite this increase, there are still many areas nationwide that do not have farmers markets. Click on the Local Foods tab then select “Farmers’ Markets” on the USDA Economic Research Service’s recently launched Food Environment Atlas for a visual representation of the so-called “food deserts.”
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