Industrial ag once again demanding free pass to crap in your backyard
Grist - 1/11/2011. By Tom Philpott – I've long argued that chemical-intensive commodity agriculture could never flourish without the right to pollute freely and stomp on surrounding communities and landscapes. Evidently, Big Ag's greatest champions agree with me. Take the Chesapeake Bay. Once one of the nation's most productive sources of wild food, the area has become a virtual wasteland after decades of serving as a "toilet" for the poultry industry. |
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Number of organic farms growing
Maine Public Broadcasting - 1/11/2011.By Jay Field – One of the hot workshops at this year's Maine Agricultural Trades Show is called Convergence Equals Sustainability. One group excluded from these sessions, organized by the Maine Farm Bureau, is MOFGA. MOFGA's exclusion comes as it releases a new report, showing growth in the number of organic farms in Maine and in the amount of revenue and jobs they create. |
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With modified seeds, the USDA breaks the rules yet again
The Atlantic - 1/11/2011. By Barry Estabrook – If you want to understand the Obama administration's schizophrenic attitude toward agricultural issues, consider Tom Stearns. He is the founder and president of High Mowing Seeds, a small Vermont company that sells 100 percent organic fruit and vegetable seeds, primarily to commercial growers. |
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Organic farmers push for larger role
Maine Sunday Telegram - 1/9/2011.By Avery Yale Kamila – The Maine Farm Bureau will host a workshop, "Convergence = Sustainability," each day of the Maine Agricultural Trades Show, scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday at the Augusta Civic Center. While organizers say each workshop will address "food safety, biotechnology and the challenges of organic and modern farmers," Maine's largest organic farming organization won't be represented at the three sessions. |
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