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

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

See also 

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