Grass fed

When i was living in Canada one of the staff members at my college owned a cattle ranch, but not just any cattle ranch, but an actual grass fed, black Angus ranch. They actually still move the cattle from pasture to pasture, they use no hormones or antibiotics , this was beef! From the first time I tasted the meat I was hooked, the diet and the conditions of the cattle made a huge difference in the taste, since I returned home every steak has been a disappointment. I was very interested to find this article of just such a ranch. Not only did it remind me of that great beef up in Canada, but it also talked about the environmental effects of this style of cattle raising

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/05/lasater_grassla_1.php

US organic food food and bev sales continue to rise

this article talks about how organic food sales @bev have gone up .but Europe's %is higher about 7-10% of total .US in 2006 was up 22%over the previous you.Also it talks about the supermarkets and the small chains and natural grocery stores.

Sustainable what?

We've talked about sustainable agriculture and organic farming and who knows what else. I've been able to pull some meaning from what's been said in class and in the textbook from the context in which it was used, but still did not have a clear definition for the concept. What are the overlaps? What is involved?

So, I went looking. The Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) is much more than a scary name. It is a resource for the curious and involved. By going to http://www.attra.org/fundamental.html you can click on an URL to read the organization's Sustainable Agriculture: An Introduction. This small booklet provides a very high level over view behind the principles for sustainable agriculture.

--Robert

Glabal Warming

With it being the start of global warming week i figured i would throw this post out there. We all know that global warming is a major issue in the world today, but to what extent ? Climate is on of the major factors in animals habitats and if the temperature is constantly on the rise, year by year, some of our produce and other rare meats may becaome even more rare. Not just talking about the animals, but the vegetation as well.

http://www.climate.org/topics/agricul/index.shtml

More Monsanto

I thought this article would be fitting after seeing the movie on GM crops last week. This article takes the movie to another level by getting the acutal questions and interviews from the companies who produce the GM crops. The big name you allready know, being Monsanto, gives their thoughts and answers to some of the questions.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/jul/26/gmcrops

Celebrate Good Times... with Organic Confetti!

Throwing a party? Do you want to throw one that doesn't hurt the environment? You can now with organic confetti! They're made of flower petals so your party will turn out smelling great when you throw them in the air. Being flower petals, they're bio-degradable so they won't hurt the environment.

Source:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/shropshire-petals.php

The 2000 Acre Scam

Alaska allows oil companies to purchase oil leases in the state, and to downplay any environmental impact, the oil companies claim that they would restrict their drilling and exploration to 2000 acres. Not quite true, says the opposition factions. Oil deposits are in small pockets spread out over a large area of the coastal plain. In order to explore and mine these pockets, the oil companies would drill 100 acres here and a couple hundred acres somewhere else, adding up to the given 2000acres. But they would have to build miles and miles of roads and pipelines to connect each section, covering up a large section of wildlife habitat. A serious risk to the migrating animals would impact the entire Alaska eco-system. Maybe we should leave Alaska wild and get our fuel somewhere else.

http://www.savearcticrefuge.org/learnmore.html

Safe Food

Author Marion Nestle dares to speak out about Safe Food - Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism. Food safety is a matter of intense public concern, and for good reason. Millions of annual cases of food "poisonings" raise alarm not only about the food served in restaurants and fast-food outlets, but also food bought in the supermarket. I think we've all experienced this at one time or another?! How concerned should we be about such problems?

Marion argues that ensuring safe food involves more than washing hands or cooking it to a high of enough temperature. It involves politics. Who decides when a food is safe? She demonstrates how powerful food industries oppose safety regulations, deny accountability, and blame consumers when something goes wrong. Century old laws for ensuring food safety are no longer being followed and protecting our food supply. Things are about to get much worse, from what is sounds like?

www.foodpolitics.com

Does it take more energy to produce a gallon of ethanol for E85, than the energy we get out of it?

No. This has been a common misconception of the ethanol industry, that it takes more energy to make ethanol than is available to the final consumer. Remember, ethanol is produced from plant matter, today dominated by corn, wheat, potatoes, sorgum, etc. Plants grow through the use of energy provided by the sun and are a renewable resources. In the future, ethanol will be produced from waste products or "energy crops."

Food and Environment

genetic engineering

During the past decade, biotechnology companies commercialized the first generation of genetically engineered crops—primarily corn, soybeans, and cotton altered to control insects and weeds. U.S. commodity crop producers responded by planting millions of acres of these engineered crops. Because corn and soy are widely used in food processing, small amounts of engineered ingredients show up in a majority of processed food products. But most foods—the vast majority of vegetables, grains, fruits, and nuts—remain unaltered. Of the eight other engineered food plants allowed in U.S. grocery stores, it appears that only engineered canola and papaya are currently available.

Among food animals, only engineered fish are under active consideration by U.S. regulators. Other engineered plants, animals, and microbes are farther down the research pipeline but few are poised for introduction in the near future.

Scientists are concerned that engineered organisms might harm people’s health or the environment. For example, engineered crops might contaminate the food supply with drugs, kill beneficial insects, or jeopardize valuable natural resources like Bt toxins. Engineered fish may substantially alter native ecosystems, perhaps even driving wild populations to extinction.

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/genetic_engineering/

As we advance in this field, there are points when the producers of these crops/live stock have to step back and consider what is going to far. The food and drug administration has approved many products mainly to keep up with the demand of US consumers. The article above details some of the items that the FDA has approved and or considered.

Riam Fox

Local Food & Food Democracy

"Consumers, farmers, environmentalists, and other sane people don't want the Monsantos to use us as their guinea pigs, so they have already gotten more than 100 local governments to ban GMO crops within their area. This has infuriated the corporate powers, who have spent tons of money to defeat these local bans... but lost. So, for the last couple of years, they've been sneaking off to state legislatures to pass laws (often with no debate) that take away our local control over this health issue."
- Jim Hightower

http://www.environmentalcommons.org/local-food.html

The quote that i posted above is a farmer speaking out about the current laws that protect big company's GMO cross contamination of farmers crops. The largest part of this article is about farmers and people that support them are going to there local governments to make it so the farmers are not responsible for big companies cross contamination. The farmers are also protected from big companies trying to claim there crops because of contamination.

Riam Fox

The Business of Food

Helping Food Producers Make Healthful Products and Consumers Make Healthy Choices

Posted on: 08/05/2004

Environmental Defense staff met with managers of a Smithfield contract farm to tour a hog barn. Sanitation suits were worn to protect the hogs from the spread of disease.

With some 6.4 billion people sharing this Earth, speaking thousands of different languages in about 193 different countries, there is at least one thing we all have in common: We need healthful food and clean water to survive and thrive.

More than ever buyers and consumers around the globe are concerned about the health and quality of their food. As newspapers splash headlines about mad cow disease outbreaks and contaminated fish, questions about the quality of what we're eating increasingly arise. Is meat free of contaminants and dyes? What role did antibiotics play in this animal's life? Does the seafood contain mercury or PCBs? What kind of pesticides were used on the vegetables? Is the food my grocer stocks genetically modified and what does that mean for my family?

Issues like these are causing more people to pay attention to the origin of their food, and consumers are realizing more and more they have a breadth of choices when it comes to eating. Vegetables, seafood and meat are all produced in a variety of good and not-so-good ways, from the small farmers and ranchers who tend several acres of farmland or own a small herd of cattle to the agribusinesses and ranching conglomerates that control thousands of acres and animals. Environmental Defense is working with a range of food producers to ensure the food you and your family eat is good for both you and the environment.

Greening the Supply Chain

If you're not serving food straight out of your garden, it has probably traveled through several links before it reaches your dinner table. Take meat, for instance. This food chain starts with the livestock farmer, who raises the animal. It then goes to a meat processor, who slaughters and butchers it, and then to a supplier, who in turn finds it a buyer. The buyer could be as large a company as McDonald's or a niche buyer like a small grocery chain.

All along this supply chain, members of the food industry have a responsibility to address consumer concerns and respond to consumer demand for food choices that reduce the environmental footprint of food production while guaranteeing healthful products.

Source:
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentID=3893

This article begins with stressing the importance of healthy food and water supplies. It continues to speak about awareness that companies are beginning to take on these topics. It makes some great points on how the media effects the awareness of the public. the article ends with a short paragraph on how companies are addressing food concerns.

Riam Fox

Why commodity prices are rising?

Commodity prices are rising partly because of the ethanol plants that are build throughout the Midwest. Corn is the bus and it's driving the grain market. Because corn can be sold at a premium price, farmers that used to plant soy beans, black oil sunflower seed, millet or Milo are now planting corn. This year the planting intention for corn was 92 million aces which is much higher than any previous years. This year increase in corn acreage caused a shortage in black sunflower seed which is the prime ingredient used by Fritolay the largest snack manufactuer in the country. Fritolay used to pay $9.00 per 100 lb a year ago now they are paying $22.00 per 100 lb. In addition, as a result of the high corn based ethanol demand dog food, and catel feed are compiting with those plant for corn, which in turn creates an increase in price of dog food and beaf meat.
Michee mpeti

Mid Term practice test answers

Class,

Here's the answers to the midterm practice test

1. B
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. B
6. C
7. A
8. D
9. E
10. C
11. D
12. A
13. E
14. A
15. C
16. B
17. C
18. B
19. E
20. D
21. A
22. E
23. B
24. C
25. D
26. E
27. A
28. C
29. E
30. E
31. E
32. E
33. D
34. E
35. E
36. T
37. T
38. T
39. T
40. T
41. T
42. T
43. T
44. F
45. F
46. F
47. T
48. T
49. T
50. T

Don't eat pork in Nam.....

HANOI -- Vietnam must speed investigations into a pig disease that has struck 42 people killing two, the agriculture minister said, calling for urgent measures to contain the bacteria.


http://www.enn.com/med.html?id=1568

WHAT'S ALL THE BUZZ (OR IS THERE) ABOUT?

EVERYONE HAS PROBABLY HEARD THE STORY OF THE BIRDS AND BEES FROM OUR PARENTS AT SOME POINT IN OUR YOUNG LIVES. HOWEVER THEY NEVER TOLD US ABOUT THE COLAPSE OF WORLD FOOD PRODUCTS. THE FIRST TIME I ENCOUNTERED A BEE SITE, I ENDED UP WITH A SWOLLEN EYE. FOR MANY YEARS I WOULD TRY TO KILL THEM WHENEVER I SEEN ONE. LITTLE DID I KNOW THEN THAT THEY WERE A MAIN CONTRIBUTOR TO SOME OF THE MANY FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND GRAINS WHICH I ENJOY TODAY. TODAY HONEYBEES POLLINATE OVER 14 BILLION SEEDS AND CROPS ANNUALLY. HOWEVER, THERE IS GREAT CONCERN AMONG RESEARCHERS, UNIVERSITYS, AND BEEKEEPERS AROUND THE WORLD. THE HONEYBEES ARE DISAPPEARING AT AN ALARMING RATE, MANY CALL IT THE "AIDS OF THE BEE INDUSTRY". WEST COAST LOSSES RANGE FROM 30 TO 60 PERCENT AND UP TO 70 PERCENT FROM THE EAST COAST AND TEXAS. MANY THEORIES ARE BEING EXAMINED BUT THE END RESULT COULD BE DAMAGING. TO BEE OR NO(T) TO BEE! by lknutson

Why are grocery prices rising?

The Alabama Farmers Federation, which conducts a monthly price survey, says higher energy costs, increased global demand and dry weather in parts of the country continue to put pressure on grocery bills. The group said the average cost of 20 basic market items in Alabama was $49.95 during the first week of July, up 2 percent in a month.
State shoppers found double-digit increases in per-pound prices for pork chops, chuck roasts, chicken breasts, eggs and tomatoes, the Farmers Federation said. Slight savings were found on bacon, Boston butts, lettuce and some dairy products. Its all because of everything that is going on in our world. Global warming???

Paleolithic Diet

Basically, the diet consists of foods that were consumed by Stone Age Ancestors. The food cosisted of such thigs as root vegetables, meat, nuts ans eggs. they are saying this diet showed a significant increase in health, over in Sweeden. The food is so simplistic, it is almost hard to believe.

This diet would save a lot of people and produce in the world. I believe the environment would benifit from humans eating correctly, in the long run anyway.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/care_for_some_paleocuisine.php

World Grain Supplies Will Barely Meet Demand Despite Record Harvests Forecast for 2007

World cereal production is forecast to reach a record high in 2007, and food analysts anticipate that total supplies will be barely adequate to meet increased demands. Over the past several years, grain harvests have consistently fallen short of consumption. This has reduced our carry over stock, which is at its lowest level since the 1980's. International cereal prices have risen to their highest levels in a decade, creating concern for low income food deficit countries and hunger hotspots like Sub-Saharan Africa. One of the reasons for this is the rapidly expanding biofuels industry, and also because of the growth in the food and feed sectors. Biofuel markets have caused a increase in the price of corn, which indirectly boosts the price of other cereals, particularily wheat.


http://www.earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/201


Chris Olson

Class,

The farmers market is located at 375 Jackson St, St Paul Minnesota. It's downtown. I'll see you all there by 12:15. We should be able to find eachother, and I'll take roll when we meet.

"Click here for directions to St Paul Farmers Market"

Do you know where botulism comes from and are you eating food that may contain botulism poisoning.

Botulism is a muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin made by a bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Such bacteria are commonly found in soil. Botulism can be found in food packaged in defective cans, including those with leaky seams, can become contaminated because the bacteria can be sucked into the containers as the product cools, according to health officials. The FDA and CDC have found over 90 items that Americans commonly eat that contain botulism. Botulinum toxin is extremely potent. Even opening a contaminated can may expose consumers to the toxin if it is inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the eye or breaks in the skin.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070720/ap_on_he_me/chili_sauce_botulism

Congo Bishops Alarmed by ‘Uncontrolled Pillaging of Natural Resources’

If the Catholic Curch is willing to say somthing about this problem than it must really be bad.

trilateral energy agrement passed

The first ever energy agrement between US canada and mexico was passed today. They all finaly decided to work together to reduce energy uses. They just don't have any idea what they are going to do yet. But it has been called " another step -we belive a major step-toward enhancing global energy and security and environmental protection. We shall see, I hope it works out. http://www.thestar.com/News/article/238977

The Ethics of Eating

NPR's acclaimed show "Speaking of Faith" recently had Barbara Kingsolver on the show, discussing the most important points about local and sustainable food philosophy. It will give you another perspective on why we are focusing on this subject in class.

"Krista speaks with celebrated author Barbara Kingsolver about the longings and lessons behind her new book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle — a chronicle of a year her family spent eating primarily what they could grow or raise themselves. "

If you're interested, listen to the show "here"

Missing Mountains

Many years ago, I traveled from Joplin to the eastern half of Tennessee for spring break. Yeah. I know. Not your idea of a spring break hot spot. It wasn't then, either. Still, it was up in the mountains. The asphalt on the roads had turned green from ore smelting in the area. Copper ore, I think. The elderly couple we stayed with had a great home up where the mountain violets bloomed in the night time fog that settled over the mountain tops. From their porch, you could see the pond that they formed to hide the coal from nosy corporate types.

After watching the introductory video at iLoveMountains.org, I wonder if their home, their lake, their mountain top survived these thirty-five years. It seems that coal mining is more active today than it has been for a while. The quick, efficient, cheap way to mine the coal is to blow the tops off the mountains, shove the debris in the valleys, and forget that nature, people, environment are there; forget that thought is required before major surgery. Such actions are damaging the environment, including water supplies that are used down stream.

Go to http://www.footprintnetwork.org/download.php?id=104 for yourself and view the first video on the page.

--Robert

why farmers use hormones
by: larry klein

this artical isnt about why they us hormones as to the reasons why they started useing them. it is a long artical but use full in the world in wich we will be venturing into. i liked it but it was a bit to long for my taste but i think that if you choose to look it up you wont be dissapointed.
check it out for yourself @ http://www.westonaprice.org/farming/hormones.html

from your helpful friend ivry rose morseth

Milk crates

Everybody would use milk crates here and there. It is one huge thing for college dorm rooms. But now it might getting a little hard to get them. In 2005 milk crates were priced at 7 cents a pound now in 2007 the are priced at 22 cents a pound. There are even being sent to china becasue people are useing them for everything. People have even used the for lights and other various things you would never think they could be used for. It is crazy what we can use now a days.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/recycling_milk.php

organic farms and financial trouble

There are alot of farms struggling with paying the bills because of sizes of farms. Most organic farms are smaller in size and cost more to run, so the farmers end up having to take out lots of loans and just keep digging themselves a hole they cannot get out of. There is success in organic farming, but only when farms can get recognized by other chefs and start using thier products. I hope this makes us all aware of how important it is to buy local, and support our producers of fine goods.

Waiter, there’s a shark fin in my soup!

Not like there's anything wrong with shark fin soup (unless the soup's not meant to have a shark fin in it). There is, however, something wrong with the overfishing of sharks. Some may become extinct if this problem persists. Many sharks are caught just only for their fins and the rest is just wasted. Shark populations have dropped significantly in the last few years. Sharks been around since the dinosaurs. Let's keep it that way.

http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/features/index.cfm?uNewsID=105060

Another GM foods article

I know people love to post about geneticaly modified foods, but this one is a little different. This article is completely biased in the sense that, this person hates them even more than the next, and is not afraid to talk about it. Now some of the information given is opinion based, but that is sometimes the most important expresion one can recieve on a topic this broad and well talked about.

http://www.karinya.com/gm2.htm