thefoodchain (about)

For future of children - and France - chef shops daily, then makes fresh school lunches for $3 per person....

Minnesota university battles low rates of high school graduation in native American students with garden planted in hockey rink. ...

Volunteers transform trash-filled wasteland to bountiful garden for impoverished inner-city schoolchildren....

Scale of need - food, shelter, access to clean water - is vast in Myanmar after May cyclone. ...

Desperation for clean water, food, shelter emboldens refugees of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar....

Fat subsidies for farmers have no justification in world of deepening hunger, editors say....

Food crisis solution requires removing trade barriers, expanding biotechnology research and investing in increased food production, UN says. ...

Every second, a child dies from hunger, UN food crisis summit team learns from Nigerian agriculture head....

Today

Recalls & Alerts

Cattle farmers target TB-carrying badgers

With tuberculosis in cattle on the rise, UK farmers want badger population culled, but controversy continues over whether reducing germ-carrying population will reduce incidence of disease (click 'See also'). In 2007, 28,000 cattle were slaughtered because of TB; number likely to reach 40,000 this year.

By James Meikle

The Guardian (UK) 2008-07-05 (entry)

Biofuels pushed food prices up 75 percent, report says

Secret report says EU, U.S. drive for biofuels pushed food prices up 75 percent, contradicting U.S. assertion that plant-derived fuels contribute less than 3 percent to food-price rises. Biofuels affected prices by diverting grain from food, encouraging farmers to set land aside for biofuel production and by sparking financial speculation in grains.

By Aditya Chakrabortty

The Guardian (UK) 2008-07-04 (entry)

Ordering farms' halt to use of human antibiotic

FDA orders farmers to stop dosing chickens, cows, pigs and eggs with drug used to treat skin infections, stomach infections and pneumonia in humans. Agency says that overuse will render cephalosporins ineffective in treating human disease.

Bloomberg News; Newsday 2008-07-03 (entry)

Arts, Ideas & Trends

Circumventing industrial food system for beef in bulk

Growing number of urbanites, concerned about rising food prices, drugs and diseases and factory farm practices buy whole sides of beef for $750 and up. Then they face learning curve on chest freezers, butchers' paper, and what part of cow makes steak and what part makes ground round.

By Jane Black

The Washington Post 2008-06-17 (entry)

Outcry after heat death of grape farm worker

Outcry after heat death of grape farm worker

Jocelyn Sherman/UFW

Maria Jimenez, 17.

With nearest water cooler a 10-minute walk away, undocumented and pregnant grape field worker in California collapses and later dies of heat exhaustion. Governor promises justice. State has most stringent heat laws in U.S., requiring water, shade and rest breaks. In 2007, more than half of employers audited were violating rules; 200 inspectors are responsible for auditing millions of employers.

By Sasha Khokha

KQED; National Public Radio 2008-06-06 (entry)

From ancient pit, new life and hope grow

From ancient pit, new life and hope grow

Guy Eisner/Science Magazine

The Judean date palm, which once flourished in vast forests across what is now Israel, was thought to be extinct.

In unassuming pot, a 2,000-year-old date palm seed from Masada germinates and grows. Scientists are hoping that the plant, likely the Judean date palm called the 'tree of life,' is a female and, when mature in 2010, will bear fruit so that plant can be reintroduced as food crop for harsh, dry climates.

By Amy Maxmen

Science magazine 2008-06-12 (entry)

Community & Culture

Security tightened at food festival after shootings

City adds greater police presence to its popular 'Taste of Chicago' event after four persons shot following holiday fireworks display. Shootings occurred a mile away from festival, officials said. Sixty-five vendors are offering a total of 287 items for tastings. For interactive map, click 'See also.'

By Angela Rozas And Jason Meisner

Chicago Tribune 2008-07-04 (entry)

A gardener and his three degrees of activities

Backyard gardener works on three scales: With raspberries, boysenberries, he heads to the back door of Chez Panisse restaurant for that night's dinner. His wild mushrooms - often chanterelles - are sold at California's Monterey Market. And in Afghanistan, he helps restore orchards destroyed by war.

By Deborah K. Rich

San Francisco Chronicle 2008-06-28 (entry)

English translations for eating between Olympics events

As Olympics draw closer, Beijing offers restaurants an official English translation of local dishes whose exotic and sometimes alarming names can leave foreigners unsure. But critics complain that Chinese traditions are lost in translation. Which would you order: a dish of 'steamed pullet' or 'chicken without sexual life'?

By Chris Buckley

Reuters 2008-06-18 (entry)

Media

Removing the bruises, then cooking with love

Removing the bruises, then cooking with love

Making the most of ripe or slightly damaged fresh produce dumped by grocery stores, Rubulad in Brooklyn serves twice-weekly meals. 'Grub is a cheap, simple dinner for strangers and co-conspirators,' video creator says. 'We recover it, clean it, and cook it with love.'

www.youtube.com 2007-04-02 (entry)

Review: 'The World According to Monsanto'

Review: 'The World According to Monsanto'

Marie-Monique Robin, filmmaker and veteran journalist, conducts Google searches onscreen.

Filmmaker explores history of biotech seed company Monsanto, including: Its manufacture of Agent Orange and PCBs; its Roundup weedkiller; its aggressive use of patents; its success in persuading U.S. to approve its genetically modified seeds without scientific testing; the revolving door between the U.S. government and Monsanto's executive board; and its domination of U.S. commodity crop markets with its GM seeds. To watch the film, click 'See also.'

By Malcolm Fraser

Montreal Mirror 2008-05-22 (entry)

Sustainable seafood and shaping the seas

Sustainable seafood and shaping the seas

Barnes & Noble

Overhauling seafood industry begins with asking questions and expecting more from market fishmongers and restaurant chefs, says author of new fish book. More solutions: Remove subsidies for fuel and for ships; stop high-seas trawling; create green, no-fish reserves. Meanwhile, canned sardines, mackerel, herring and fresh mussels are ethical dinner choices; skip imported farmed seafood, shrimp and domestic farmed salmon.

By Nicole Pasulka

Salon.com 2008-04-29 (entry)

People

Chef's language prompts parliamentary concern

Chef's language prompts parliamentary concern

Barnes & Noble

Gordon Ramsay

After Gordon Ramsay uses expletive more than 80 times in 40 minutes during televised cooking program, Australian parliament moves toward tightening broadcast rules. Network reports one written complaint for about every 117,000 viewers. And: His reputation includes foul language - and good food (click 'See also').

By James Grubel

Reuters 2008-06-19 (entry)

World Food Prize for schoolchildren's feeding program

World Food Prize for schoolchildren's feeding program

Heather Wines/Gannett News Service

George McGovern, left, and Bob Dole.

George McGovern, Robert Dole awarded World Food Prize for school feeding program for world's poorest children. The program, which targets the 300 million children getting nothing to eat during the school day, was begun in 2000 with $300 million, but funding dwindled afterward. Through more spending via 2008 farm/food bill, funding could increase.

By Philip Brasher

The Des Moines Register 2008-06-13 (entry)

Obituary: JR Simplot

JR Simplot, frozen french fry developer who struck a deal with Ray Kroc and saw his business grow with nation's appetite for fast food, dies at 99 in Boise. The family was ranked in 2007 at No. 89 on the Forbes magazine's list of the 400 richest Americans, with an estimated wealth of $3.6 billion; their land holdings are about twice the size of Delaware.

The Associated Press; The Salt Lake Tribune 2008-05-27 (entry)

"We need a Thomas Paine approach to our movement to revolutionize American agriculture. We are not talking about gradual, incremental change in farming practices and methods; we are talking about a fundamentally different philosophy of farming. The differences between industrial agriculture and sustainable agriculture are as great as the differences between monarchy and democracy....I am not talking about a revolution that must be fought on the battlefield, in the streets, or even necessarily in the halls of Congress. I am talking about a battle for the hearts and minds of the American people. Agriculture ultimately must sustain a desirable quality of life for people - on farms, in rural communities, and in the cities - not the corporate bottom line. It's just common sense. "

— John E. Ikerd, University of Missouri-Columbia