Agriculture
Oregon congressman urges revamp of farm bill, moving billions away from agribusiness and new focus on aid to family farmers, new farmers and production of healthy, local food
By Pete Kasperowicz
The Hill 2011-10-26
In Big Fix report on food system, researcher argues for folding good ideas into conventional system if they increase supply, reduce environmental damage, improve food security
By Justin Gillis
The New York Times 2011-10-12
After heat devastates crop, ton of Runner peanuts that cost $450 a ton in 2010 now cost $1,150 a ton; price of peanut butter forecast to rise as well
By Tiffany Hsu
Los Angeles Times 2011-10-11
Biodiversity
FDA will support sale of genetically engineered fish for human consumption, source says; environmental groups, some in Congress, oppose farming and sale of such fish
By Jim Kozubek
Talking Points Memo 2011-10-10
Monitored goat grazing, low-cost and environmentally friendly, becoming a more common practice in restoration and conservation efforts
By Nicole Santa Cruz
Los Angeles Times 2011-03-05
After years of resistance, European Union policy-makers to vote on allowing traces of genetically modified material in animal feed imports; move would be victory for GM lobby
By Caroline Henshaw
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2011-02-21
Climate Change
Increased competition over land for growing biofuels, coupled with climate change and poor farming practices risks ability to feed growing population, UN warns
The Associated Press; The Washington Post 2011-11-28
Haiti, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe most vulnerable to extreme weather of climate change and lack social, financial ability to cope; areas of north America, northern Europe protected
By Damian Carrington
The Guardian (UK) 2011-10-26
Global Adaption Index tracks nations' food capacity, import dependency, malnutrition, rural population, other indicators to forecast resilience in face of climate change
By Morgan Clendaniel
Fast Company 2011-09-19
Conservation
Fearing water shortages caused by climate change, food and beverage firms, tobacco companies, clothing makers and metal and mining companies reckon with dependence
By Leslie Kaufman
The New York Times 2011-11-01
Oregon congressman urges revamp of farm bill, moving billions away from agribusiness and new focus on aid to family farmers, new farmers and production of healthy, local food
By Pete Kasperowicz
The Hill 2011-10-26
Drastic decline in Chesapeake Bay oyster population can only be halted by banning any fishing for them, study reports
By Darryl Fears
The Washington Post 2011-09-01
"Congress is fighting to keep pizza and French fries on the school menus when we have an obesity problem nationally."
Energy
In Oilsprings, a new version of popular game Settlers of Catan, players compete for classic resources of grain, lumber, ore, wool, brick and grain, plus new commodity: oil
By Umair Irfan
ClimateWire; The New York Times 2011-09-06
With $15,000 from Chesapeake Energy, Pennsylvania's game lands planted in chicory, buckwheat, oats, field corn to attract deer, turkey
By Tom Venesky
The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Scranton PA) 2011-09-04
As Texas faces worst single-year drought ever and drinking wells fail, natural gas industry has unlimited water use; fracking taints water, removing it from hydrologic cycle
By Josh Harkinson
Mother Jones 2011-09-01
Farm/Food Bill
Florida subdivision residents lose homes to sinkholes after farmers drain aquifers in bid to save strawberry crops from cold snap
By Barry Newman
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2010-04-19
Analysis: Obama's USDA pick hails from top corn, hog, ethanol state
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
Opinion: Making good
Bush vowed years ago to end expensive commodities subsidies but backed down. Now, his acting secretary of agriculture vows to recommend a veto of the Senate's version of the farm/food bill. Belated action is better than none for this bill and its billions in subsidies for corn, cotton, wheat, rice and sugar that U.S. agribusiness produces to excess.
The editors
The Cincinnati Post 2007-11-08
Habitat
Obama administration's new health strategy emphasizes prevention, asks country to think of health care as including cleaner water, easier access to good food
By Juliana Schatz and Don Sapatkin
The Philadelphia Inquirer 2011-06-17
Acorn-loving feral pig population growing in California county; feds consider hunting and trapping them, citing threat to deer, turkey, other bird populations and to oak habitats
By Tony Perry
Los Angeles Times 2011-06-05
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
Land Quality
Howard Buffett urges soil-health approach to helping African farmers end hunger, says crop diversity, not biotech seed and monoculture, will ensure families' survival
The Associated Press; The Washington Post 2011-10-12
Regenerative ag could return 13 percent of today's CO2 to soil, researcher says; some ranchers, farmers employ composting, year-'round plantings, tillage reduction, plant diversity
By Kristin Ohlson
Discover magazine 2011-06-30
As landfills become increasingly full, diverting food waste - 14 percent of municipal trash - becomes growth industry for composting companies, benefiting gardeners, soil
By Georgina Gustin
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 2011-04-11
Pollution & Waste
Despite public health threat of cadmium, Mexico continues use of it in production of fertilizer, toys, batteries; population absorbs toxin through foods, smoking tobacco
By Emilio Godoy
Inter Press Service (Rome, Italy) 2011-11-03
Movement to make business heads, politicos liable for environmental destruction gains global momentum; campaigners say ecocide on par with other crimes against humanity
By Joe Jackson
Time magazine 2011-10-24
Lamb, beef, pork and cheese generate the most greenhouse gases, tend to be high in fat and have worst environmental impacts, lifecycle assessment shows
By Kari Hamershlag
Environmental Working Group 2011-10-01
Water
Water limits are close to being reached or being breached in areas of northern China, India's Punjab and western U.S., says report that urges farming overhaul
Reuters; BusinessWorld (Manila, Philippines) 2011-08-24
EPA moves to control perchlorate, 16 other toxins in drinking water; rocket testing ingredient thought to stunt normal growth of fetuses, infants, children
By John M. Broder
The New York Times 2011-02-03
Cholera epidemic death toll reaches 583 across Haiti; health officials expect tens of thousands more infections from tainted drinking water in next few years
BBC 2010-11-09
Weather
Pasta prices rise after heavy rains, flooding prevents 1 million acres of durum wheat planting in North Dakota; state produces 75 percent of nation's finest pasta ingredient
The Associated Press; The Washington Post 2011-09-02
With states, towns short on cash and unemployment still high, 14-state drought now shrinking cattle herds, canceling fishing tourneys, triggering surges that cause blackouts
By Kim Severson and Kirk Johnson
The New York Times 2011-07-11
Year-in, year-out price tag of our increasingly volatile weather is $485 billion per year in the U.S. alone, up to 3.4 percent of our GDP
By Tara Thean
Time magazine 2011-06-27