USDA Hearing on the Leafy Green M.A. in Columbus

As food safety concerns continue to be topics of discussion among growers and policy makers, I thought I would pass along this following information.  There will be a hearing in Columbus on Oct. 6, 2009.  Details are below.

Defining Local Food

What does “local food” mean to you? As Bear wrote in SlowFood Columbus recently.  As big food industry scrambles to redefine their products as “local”, we must keep in mind the values we embrace as we support local food.

The locavore movement arose at a time when “local” meant not just “from nearby” but also “made by our neighbors,” “sustainable” and “not industrial.” As concepts go, it was the perfect storm of progressive foodie goodness: in one word it connoted fresh taste, a low carbon footprint and good farming practices, and appealing social values.

- Bear, Slow Food Columbus, What is Local Food?

Illinois Passes Locally Grown Food Law

Governor Pat Quinn recently signed into law legislation that will help put more Illinois-grown food on Illinois tables. The law is designed to increase demand for locally grown food by building a reliable market for it at state agencies and facilities that receive significant state support.  Read the Article

Would You Buy a Bag of Lays Chips If They Ran Deceptive Ads Saying Local Farmers Grew the Potatoes?

Frito Lay is trying to co-op the “local” label by claiming that their chips are locally grown. This revealing article shows why this is an obvious ruse. It is important to know what it means for something to be “local” so that we can respond to attempts to water it down.

http://www.alternet.org/environment/142071?page=entire

GE seed manufacturers stifle independent research

GE seed manufacturers stifle independent research

A leading scientific magazine has criticized Monsanto and other major producers of biotech crops for limiting scientists’ work on GE varieties. The editors of Scientific American recently spoke out against the companies’ user agreements that forbid anyone from using GE seeds for independent research. The user agreements prevent anyone from assessing the qualities of engineered seeds, determining whether they perform as advertised, comparing them with other varieties, or evaluating their possible impact on human health or the environment without permission from the company. In many cases the companies blocked the publication of studies that were unfavorable to GE crops after they had initially given permission for the studies to be done. Read the Scientific American editorial or a related story from The New York Times.

via FEED – Latest Issue | Union of Concerned Scientists.