Advertising
McDonald's gains Weight Watchers' endorsement of three products in New Zealand; obesity experts say it's a ploy
The Associated Press; The Guardian 2010-03-03
Opinion: Ethically compromised big green groups offer placebos when they should be conducting and amplifying our anger at betrayal of our environmental safety
By Johann Hari
The Nation. 2010-03-04
Gatorade ends Tiger Woods endorsement deal
By Mike Hughlett
Chicago Tribune 2010-02-26
Agriculture
USDA encouragement of small-scale producers worries production agriculture proponents
By Philip Brasher
The Des Moines Register 2010-03-07
Special fund to aid Mexico's poorest, smallest-scale farmers now subsidizing families of notorious drug traffickers, agriculture minister, other officials
By Tracy Wilkinson
Los Angeles Times 2010-03-07
Supply of winter tomatoes drops, prices rise after "crippling" loss of Florida tomato crop to cold snap
By Keith Morelli
The Tampa Tribune 2010-02-25
Big Players
Deal to save Everglades more about benefits for U.S. Sugar after state officials make decisions against needs of Everglades, taxpayers
By Don Van Natta Jr. and Damien Cave
The New York Times 2010-03-07
Opinion: With 70 percent of antibiotics fed to healthy livestock, they're ineffective for sick people; we are brewing a perfect pandemic
By Nicholas D. Kristof
The New York Times 2010-03-07
Industrial agriculture fights as rural Americans band together, use "local control" ordinances, historic designations to limit big pig farms
By Lauren Etter
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2010-03-03
Distribution & Transport
Imported goods bring rising number of invasive, destructive plants and insects
By Kris Maher
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2010-01-15
For tomatoes, UK supermarket Sainsbury's switching from cans to recyclable cartons to save 1.1 million tons of packaging a year
By Rory Harrington
nutraingredients.com/Decision News Media 2010-01-20
Michigan sues to protect lake from invasive species, Chicago's water diversion
By Kari Lydersen
The Washington Post 2009-12-27
Economy
New definition of poverty notes that food is smaller share of poor families' costs and includes food subsidies
By Amy Goldstein
The Washington Post 2010-03-03
US pays $152 billion yearly for food-borne illness; cost includes medical services, deaths, lost work, disability
By Elizabeth Weise
USA Today 2010-03-03
Opinion: Because obesity threatens national security, group of military retirees calls for extra funding to improve school meals, snacks, other nutrition programs
By Johnnie E. Wilson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2010-02-08
Environment & Pollution
As TVA coal ash spill cleanup drags on in Tennessee, other states find tainted water seeping from landfills holding dumped residue
By Bill Poovey
The Associated Press; The New York Times 2010-03-05
Study: Water tainted with common corn field weedkiller - but within EPA drinking water standards - can change frogs' sex traits
By David A. Fahrenthold
The Washington Post 2010-03-02
Farmers in quandary about turning methane-belching manure to power because "dairy digester" adds to smog problem
By P.J. Huffstutter
Los Angeles Times 2010-03-01
"Food-integrity and humane-handling whistleblowers should not have to rely on an undercover video investigation in order for USDA supervisors to take their disclosures seriously."
Farm/Food Bill
Opinion: To reduce childhood obesity, fix Farm Bill, which determines what children eat at school meals and subsidizes main ingredients of junk food - corn, wheat, soy
By Karen Nelson
Tucson Citizen 2010-02-08
Analysis: Obama's USDA pick hails from top corn, hog, ethanol state
msnbc
If Tom Vilsack confirmed as USDA secretary, Iowa (No. 1 in corn, hogs, ethanol) will have one of its own heading agency that dispenses federal crop subsidies, controls nearly two million acres of Iowa land, regulates state's many slaughterhouses. He's sympathetic to agribusiness giants, supports biofuels, agricultural biotechnology. And: Former governor will oversee $95 billion budget, with bulk going to nutrition - food stamps, school lunches (click 'See also').
By Philip Brasher
The Des Moines Register 2008-12-16
Parental guidance
For vocal coalition of parents, nutrition advocates and physicians, Congress and its support of the farm/food bill is the prime obstacle to nutritious, delicious foods for school children and for those in military. With legislation stalled in Senate, group sees chance to push its anti-corn dog agenda.
By Nicole Gaouette
Los Angeles Times 2007-11-25
Institutional
Citing health, environment, Chicago alderman proposes citywide ban on foam food containers in restaurants, school cafeterias
By Monica Eng
Chicago Tribune 2010-02-17
Opinion: Congress should expand and improve quality of school meals program
The editors
San Jose Mercury News 2010-01-25
U.S. military food contracts in Middle East worth billions, but private security is sticking point
By Walter Pincus
The Washington Post 2010-01-11
Labor
Wages, benefits lag for restaurant workers, survey of 2,500 workers and 150 employers in five cities shows
By Jane Black
The Washington Post 2010-02-11
Meatpacking plants, where work is dangerous, lure ever-changing immigrants - lately from Latino to Somali to Cuban
By Kate Linthicum
Los Angeles Times 2010-01-28
Flu bill would grant 5 paid sick days to lunch ladies, waiters
In effort to slow spread of swine flu, new legislation would guarantee five paid sick days for workers with contagious illness who are sent home by their employers. School cafeteria workers, restaurant employees, others in contact with public and without paid sick leave (click 'See also') otherwise would go to work with H1N1 and spread virus, says bill's sponsor. 39 percent of private-sector workers do not receive paid sick days, while among the bottom 25 percent of wage earners, 63 percent do not. Bill would apply to businesses with 15 or more employees.
By Steven Greenhouse
The New York Times 2009-11-03
Lawsuits
Fearing cross pollination, organic farmers file suit to halt planting, sugar production of genetically modified sugar beets
By Jeff Barnard
The Associated Press; The Washington Post 2010-03-01
New York must pay farmer's legal fees after challenging him on workers' houses he was building, court rules
By Danny Hakim
The New York Times 2010-02-03
A year after peanut-based salmonella outbreak, Georgia law enforcement has dropped probe, feds say no comment and food safety gaps remain
By Craig Schneider and Bob Keefe

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2010-01-31
Lobbying
Though lawmakers claim independent judgment, campaign donors expect return on investments, and experience makes outcome a good bet
By R. Jeffrey Smith
The Washington Post 2010-03-07
Soda lobby, joined by paper industry, some truckers, kills plan to tax sugared beverages
By Tom Hamburger and Kim Geiger
Los Angeles Times 2010-02-06
Lobbyists fight soda tax as health care reform funding source
During the first nine months of 2009, soda makers, supermarket companies, agriculture, fast-food business spent more than $24 million lobbying Congress on issue of tax on sweetened beverages plus other legislative and regulatory issues, reports show. Coalition fears what could be movement to raise money for health care reform by taxing sweetened beverages. Farm-dominated Senate Finance Committee sympathetic to food industry; Max Baucus hails from Montana, large producer of sugar beets; Iowa, home state of Chuck Grassley, is nation's largest producer of corn.
By Christine Spolar and Joseph Eaton
The Huffington Post 2009-11-06
Manufacturers
FDA considers bringing serving sizes for processed items into line with how Americans really eat; corresponding nutrition information may cause alarm
By William Neuman
The New York Times 2010-02-05
Food, beverage sector choices can lead sustainability, says expert
Food, beverage industry at forefront of sustainability because of its reliance on agricultural goods and the mostly small-scale farmers who produce them, food systems expert says. Retailers drive consumer demand and are powerful in setting terms for suppliers and choosing them but they don't have to substantially change operations. Food ingredients companies make specific choices about how to meet demands of companies, and can help provide long-term stability in community by choosing to invest in community.
By Jess Halliday
nutraingredients.com/Decision News Media 2009-11-20
Repeated salmonella outbreaks haven't altered FDA inspections
Despite 15-year history of nut-related salmonella outbreaks, FDA hasn't changed safety requirements at companies nor required inspectors to test for bacteria. Follow-up work after latest peanut recalls led agency to 20 previously unknown peanut product makers. FDA inspects some peanut processing facilities and contracts with states to perform inspections. And: Concerned about demand, farmers cutting back on peanut planting (click 'See also').
By Lyndsey Layton
The Washington Post 2009-04-03
Processors
Salmonella fears prompt recalls of thousands of processed foods; officials say recall could be largest in history
By Lyndsey Layton
The Washington Post 2010-03-05
Newly patented sugar-derived epoxy lining could replace bisphenol A in can linings
By Rory Harrington
nutraingredients.com/Decision News Media 2010-03-04
Two-part tomato scheme included bribes that likely pushed ingredient prices up and shipping of tainted products to Kraft, others
By William Neuman
The New York Times 2010-02-25
Restaurants
After advocates switch from animal welfare to invasive species argument, California decides to ban importing of non-native turtles, frogs for food
By Carla Hall
Los Angeles Times 2010-03-04
Reported calorie count of foods, especially side dishes, often less than that of researchers' analysis
Science Daily 2010-01-09
Restaurateurs embrace menu psychology to coax diners into spending more
By Sarah Kershaw
The New York Times 2009-12-22
Retail
Wal-Mart, other chains simplify by removing or replacing all but top-selling food staples, other items with house brands
By Parija Kavilanz
CNN 2010-02-15
Longer waits boost food sales at airports
By Leigh Remizowski
Daily News (NY) 2010-01-26
John Mackey and the pursuit of profits and higher purpose simultaneously
By Nick Paumgarten
The New Yorker 2010-01-04
Trade
Review extended on inspection rules for imported catfish as concern grows over trade war with Vietnam
By Kimberly Kindy
The Washington Post 2010-02-17
Russia's ban on chlorine-treated poultry risks U.S. export market worth $800 million in 2008
By Dasha Korsunskaya
Reuters 2010-01-14
Opinion: Goods from China earning reputation for shoddiness
Chinese drywall scandal just the latest in long string of contaminated products, including honey adulterated with antibiotics in 2002, cough syrup tainted with solvent in 2006, melamine-laden milk products in 2008. Consumers don't take well to being poisoned. Chinese goods are earning a reputation for shoddiness that will be hard to shake.
The editors
Chicago Tribune 2009-07-16
Wholesale
Price bite:
As China creates and begins to enforce stricter standards for food safety to restore confidence in the Made-in-China label, exports to U.S. fall, domestic growers cheer and American consumers see prices head upward.
By Don Lee
Los Angeles Times 2007-09-24
Organics shortage:
Despite higher profits and rising demand for organic corn and soybeans, few farmers switching over, forcing food companies to import organic soybeans from China and pay nearly double what they paid for organic corn last fall.
By Paula Lavigne
Des Moines Register 2007-08-12
Reviews:
"The Zen of Fish," and "The Sushi Economy," offer lessons in how global economy works, dangers of over-fishing and how it thrives on demand, and why trout might not be the best choice for eating raw (think tapeworms).
By Stuart Biggs
bloomberg.com 2007-08-08