Proposal in federal budget aims to boost organic food labels
Burlington Free Press - 2/2/2010.By Nicole Gaudiano – Washington: President Barack Obama's record $3.8 trillion budget proposal includes a $3.1 million boost in a program important to Vermont's organic farming industry. Obama's budget, which must be approved by Congress, would increase spending for the National Organic Program by 44 percent, to $10.1 million. The program certifies that organically produced foods meet national standards. The increase includes $2.1 million for regulatory review and enforcement and to forge agreements with other countries to help expand exports. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said some agriculture groups want to "get in on the cheap" and charge more for products with misleading labels. |
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Slow Food Lake Tahoe – It's all about sustainable and organic
Sierra Sun - 2/2/2010.By Amy Edgett – The Slow Food Lake Tahoe potluck included a presentation by Sierra Valley Farms owner Gary Romano, who espoused both the rewards and challenges of the small farmer. Romano helped save his family's 102-year-old farm, returning to the land he once worked as a child. “As long as you have a piece of land, you never feel stranded,” said Romano. “You can always grow food – it's very spiritual. That's part of what keeps me going.” |
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Rethinking the politics of food
Organic Consumers - 2/1/2010.By Fred Kirschenmann, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture – By now it is obvious to almost everyone that food politics has captured center stage. Invite best-selling author Michael Pollan to a university campus and it stirs enormous controversy. A student writes a column in the school newspaper about the influence a corporate donor has on her university's educational environment and it causes heartburn for the administration. A neighbor complains about an unintended consequence of a particular agricultural practice and it becomes a source of conflict in the community. |
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To Weep or Reap: The Flap on School Gardens
Huffington Post - 2/1/2010.by Lisa Bennett, Communications director, Center for Ecoliteracy. "Cultivating Failure," the much talked about Caitlin Flanagan article in the current issue of The Atlantic, lambastes school gardens. So it's no surprise that many garden proponents have already shot back with their objections -- reiterating the value of getting kids into gardens, exposing them to healthy food, and giving them experiences that teach them something about nature, especially in these times of unprecedented environmental instability.
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