American Feast's Sustainable Food Blog
Learn more about natural & organic foods, sustainable food, your health and our planet at the American Feast Blog
November 29, 2011
Milling Sustainably for Almost 200 Years in Upstate New York
Historic New Hope Mill (photo courtesy of New Hope Mills)
New Hope Mills has produced quality products for more than 180 years; earning it the distinction of being one of America's oldest flour mills. It may be one of the oldest, but this water-powered mill is also one of the most environmentally sound.
Leaving Clear Skies & Clean Water Over the Centuries
The mill has been operating on water power since 1823, leaving clear skies and clean water by milling the old fashioned way. In fact, at New Hope Mills, the water is improved by its use; it is aerated as it passes over the waterwheel or through the turbine. The wheel does not put a drop of oil into the water because the wheel bearing is made of a rare wood, Liqnum Vitae, that has its own lubricant.
The mill originally contained three runs of stone capable of 200 bushels a day. In 1892, the mill began grinding with roller mills which are still there today. Just over 60 yeasr ago the mill was purchased by Howard Weed, Hubert Latta, & Leland Weed. To this day it remains in the capable hands of the Weed family.
The big waterwheel is the mill's most visible feature, but the mill's real power comes from the water turbine underneath the mill. The turbine can run all year round providing there is sufficient water. The mill has an ideal location and facilities for water power near a mill pond with a 28-foot waterfall. With solid management by the Weed family this venerable operation remains competitive while operating much as it did in the 1800's.
No Chemical Additives or Artificial Ingredients
For the Weed family the quality of the product is paramount. Any product that is made at New Hope Mills is absolutely free from chemical additives & artificial ingredients. The family’s commitment to quality has made New Hope Mills Pancake Mixes the number one pancake flour in central New York.
Most old mills today are a novelty. If still standing, they are deteriorating fast. At New Hope Mills, the Weed family takes pride in preserving an important piece of our American Heritage. You’ve got to love how they preserve our Heritage by making delicious products that protect the health of our families, while using methods that protect our environment.
There is FREE SHIPPING on all premium pancake mixes from New Hope Mills. For further info on them, go to:
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O Tannenbaum (photo by Michael S. Richter, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The season's entrepreneurs have set up shop on the sidewalks, bringing the scent of fresh pine to the sidewalks of the city. Many American families will be concerned that the cutting down of so many pine trees every Christmas is poor practice when it comes to conservation and the environment. Some opt for trees with the roots intact so that they can be replanted.
But our friends at American Farmland Trust assure us that Christmas trees can be farmed and enjoyed by those of an eco-friendly way of mind:
Tis still the season for farming at 21,904 Christmas tree farms throughout the country. Christmas tree farms can help sequester carbon dioxide, prevent erosion, protect water and provide habitat for wildlife; for every tree cut down, two to three seedlings are planted. Some tree farms are taking extra steps by adopting integrated pest management or organic practices to reduce pesticide use and by planting buffers to prevent runoff. Christmas trees have always been cherished for their green branches, and the many environmental benefits of live trees give us another reason to praise “O Tannenbaum.”
And here’s what Dr. Patrick Moore, founder of Greenpeace has to say about it:
I often say that one way to protect the environment is to choose renewable materials and energy wherever possible. Artificial trees are made from non-renewable plastics and petroleum-based products. Although some people claim that these trees last a lifetime, most are thrown away within nine years – and remain in landfill sites for centuries… The growing and production, use of and disposal of real Christmas trees could not be more sustainable and continues a tradition of thousands of years of decorating trees in mid winter and providing a focal point for the community, customer or family during the festive season.
Still thinking of getting an artificial this year to help protect the environment? Think again! Great Britain's Pines and Needle Company cites a study from Holland by J.M. Hekhuis, that found, "Natural trees use ten times less basic materials to produce and five times less energy. Their CO2 emission is four times lower and all waste is reusable."
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The Delaware River basin is one of Nature’s great gifts, providing clean drinking water to 16 million people. For years it has been under threat of being polluted by deep drilling for methane gas, commonly called “natural gas”. But for today at least, it is safe.
The Delaware River Basin Commission just canceled a vote to allow fracking in the basin that was scheduled for November 28. It appears they wouldn't have the votes they needed to allow it. The delay is a testament to the power of people coming together to do what's right for their communities. Thousands stood up against corporate lobbying and a pricey ad campaign and won a round in a critical fight.
Courtesy of Halliburton
Hydraulic fracturing (also called "fracking"), is a method for extracting oil and gas lying deep below the layer of shale that below the surface of the basin. The process of fracking comes to us courtesy of Halliburton, the giant energy corporation headed by Dick Cheney before he became the Vice President of the United States.
Fracking accesses the gas beneath the shale by injecting millions of gallons water, toxic chemicals and sand under high pressure, cracking the shale and tight rocks to allow gas to flow more freely from the well. It is a poisonous mixture and believed to be the prime culprit in the pollution of groundwater in areas surrounding drilling sites. Even drinking water hundreds of miles from a well can be contaminated. Some scientists have speculated that fracking may trigger earthquakes.
Fracking in Gasland
Director Josh Fox made the Sundance award-winning documentary “Gasland” after he was asked to lease his land for gas drilling. That led him to embark on a cross-country odyssey. His journey led to a film accusing fracking of causing chronic illness, producing toxic waste deadly to farm animals, dangerous explosions, and an abominal record of government agencies failing to protect public safety. The most famous scene in “Gasland” shows tap water being set ablaze.
Residents who get their drinking water from the Delaware river Basin are not alone in facing a threat to the safety of their drinking water. According to an article published by ProPublica in December of 2009:
In the next 10 years, the United States will use the fracturing technology to drill hundreds of thousands of new wells astride cities, rivers and watersheds. Cash-strapped state governments are pining for the revenue and the much-needed jobs that drilling is expected to bring to poor, rural areas.
The Struggle Ahead
A battle to keep water safe for drinking has been won, but the struggle is far from over. Big energy companies are expected to continue to pour corporate cash into the fight across the United States. In many parts of the country they have already won and ordinary people have paid a terrible price. Besides being able to set their kitchen tap water ablaze, American families have been told that taking a shower at home could lead to an explosion that will kill them. Their children have been made sick by the pollutants unleashed and many have seen their homes become virtually impossible to sell.
Incredibly, a loophole exempts natural gas drilling from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Drilling companies don’t even have to disclose the almost 600 chemicals that might be used in fracking and find their way into drinking water.
To see a trailer for the documentary film cited above, go to: Gasland the Movie
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Will AquaBounty's salmon be the first genetically engineered (GE) animal to be approved for the U.S. food supply?
Despite public opposition and over the objections of members of the U.S. Congress, the Department of Agriculture is funding research that could lead to genetically engineered salmon landing in supermarkets. Since there is no requirement for the labeling of genetically engineered foods, consumers will be unaware they are feeding a genetically modified organism (GMO) to their families.
According to the nonprofit Non-GMO Project, “In 30 other countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production of GMOs, because they are not considered proven safe.”
AquaBounty Technology's salmon has been given a gene from the ocean pout, an eel-like fish, which allows the salmon to grow twice as fast as a traditional Atlantic salmon. It also contains a growth hormone from a Chinook salmon.
New Government Funding is Just the Latest
The new USDA funding for AquaBounty Technology's GE salmon was recently reported in Grist. According to a story by Clare Leschin-Hoar, on Monday, September 26, "the agency awarded the Massachusetts-based company $494,000 to study technologies that would render the genetically tweaked fish sterile."
Environmentalists are concerned that should GE salmon escape into the ocean they would endanger wild Atlantic salmon through unintended breeding.
Research conducted by the nonprofit, consumer watchdog Food & Water Watch indicates that the new funding is just the latest support for GE salmon provided by the government. Prior funding has totaled almost $2 million dollars in federal research grants since 2003. With the new USDA grant the total is now approximately $2.4 million.
Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, has this to say:
"The U.S. government is giving taxpayer money to fund a project in Canada while our economy is faltering. Why is our government bailing out AquaBounty at a time when we're radically cutting our federal budget? This is research the company should do to prove their product is safe -- the American people shouldn't be paying for it."
On September 7, the Washington Post reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was poised to approve the GE salmon, while noting that, "Anne Kapuscinski, a professor at Dartmouth College and an expert on the safety of genetically modified organisms, said she is uncertain how well the FDA is able to assess the risks to the natural world that may be posed by an organism created in a laboratory."
We Have a Right to Know
A recent poll released by ABC News found that 93% percent of the American public wants the federal government to require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. As ABC News stated, "Such near-unanimity in public opinion is rare."
Yesterday, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) announced its filing of a groundbreaking new legal petition with the FDA demanding that the agency require the labeling of all food produced using genetic engineering. CFS prepared the legal action on behalf of the Just Label It campaign; a number of health, consumer, environmental, farming organizations, and food companies are also signatories.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Two national surveys indicate that most Americans "constantly" think about food production, yet have little connection to farming or ranching.
Yesterday, the findings of two national surveys about food and how it is grown and raised were released by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA). The surveys focused separately on the opinions, attitudes and questions consumers and farmers/ranchers have about the current and future state of how food is grown and raised in the U.S. Results reveal that lack of access to information, as well as no interest or passion for the topic, have divided consumer opinion on the direction of agriculture.
"Americans have a lot of questions about where their food comes from, how it is raised and if it is good for their health long-term," said Bob Stallman, chairman of USFRA and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. "The findings of both surveys indicate there is an opportunity for more dialogue between farmers, ranchers and the American public about how food is grown and raised in the U.S."
• While nearly all Americans agree that food production is important to the success of the country, they are split over whether it is going in the right or wrong direction
• Consumers think about food production constantly, yet know very little about how food is brought to the dinner table
• Overwhelmingly, farmers and ranchers share the same values as consumers on issues related to environmental stewardship and animal care
Additional Consumer Survey Highlights
The purpose of the consumer survey was to ask Americans what additional information they want to learn more about related to how food is grown and raised in the U.S. The survey revealed that consumers have become disconnected from their food, yet think about the subject regularly. According to the survey findings:
• 72% of consumers know nothing or very little about farming or ranching
• 69% of consumers think about food production at least somewhat often
• 70% say purchase decisions are affected by how food is grown and raised, with three-quarters (72%) of Americans saying they think about this topic while purchasing groceries
• 42% or two-in-five Americans say the way that food is grown and raised has improved in the last 10 years, while a slightly smaller group say it has worsened (37%)
• Those who say the way that food is grown and raised has improved cite food safety (22%) and food quality (17%), whereas respondents who said the way food is grown and raised has worsened also cite food safety (21%) and food quality (21%)
• Of all the aspects of how food is grown and raised, Americans are most satisfied with the availability of healthy foods (73%) and food safety standards (66%)
• One in five consumers who say food production has worsened in the last 10 years cite environmental impact as the top area of demise
• 79% of consumers say producing healthy choices for all consumers is very important for farmers and ranchers to consider when planning farming and ranching practices
Consumers also were asked to identify the Top 5 topics they want more information about; responses included:
1. How chemicals are used in farming/ranching
2. How pesticides are used in farming/ranching
3. Food safety standards
4. Effect of government regulations on farming/ranching
5. How antibiotics are used and genetic engineering in crops
Additional Farmer/Rancher Survey Highlights
The goal of the farmer/rancher survey was to identify topics that farmers and ranchers wished Americans had more information about when it comes to food and how it is grown and raised in the U.S. According to the survey, farmers and ranchers said the top misconception they need to overcome as an industry is that a few "bad actors" are representative of the entire industry. Additionally, farmers and ranchers identified the effect of pesticides, antibiotics and fertilizers on food as the most important priorities they should address when communicating with consumers. Additional findings included:
• 86% of farmers/ranchers responded that the average consumer has little to no knowledge about modern farming/ranching
• 58% of respondents in this survey felt consumers have a completely inaccurate perception of farming and ranching
• Nearly all farmers and ranchers say that protecting the environment (99%) and practicing humane animal care (96%) are very or somewhat important goals or practices related to their business
• 80% of farmers/ranchers say that consumers have little to no knowledge about proper care of livestock or poultry
• 83% of farmers/ranchers responded that new ways of improving yields with fewer environmental inputs will have a major impact on farming/ranching in the future
When asked which Top 5 topics were most important to educate consumers about, farmers and ranchers responded:
1. The effect of pesticides, fertilizers and antibiotics on food
2. Where food comes from in general
3. Proper care of livestock and poultry
4. Effect of government regulations on farming/ranching
5. Economic value of agriculture
"We want all Americans to join us to ask questions and regularly get information from farmers and ranchers who are growing and raising their food,” added Stallman.
About the Surveys
The 2011 USFRA Farmer/Rancher Survey was fielded by phone for USFRA by Ketchum Global Research Network and Braun Research between August 6-18, 2011, reaching 1,002 farmers and ranchers nationwide. The base sample has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%. The 2011 USFRA Consumer Survey was fielded by phone for USFRA by Ketchum Global Research Network and Braun Research between August 24-31, 2011, reaching 2,417 consumers nationwide. The base sample has a margin of error of +/- 2.0%.
About U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), established in 2010 and headquartered in Chesterfield, Mo., currently represents more than 50 of the top farmer- and rancher-led organizations and agricultural partners. The Alliance includes prominent agricultural groups at the national, regional and state levels that have collaborated to lead the dialogue about their commitment to continuous improvement and best production practices. For more information on the Alliance, affiliates and partners and the movement to lead the conversation with Americans about today's agriculture, visit: http://www.facebook.com/pages/US-Farmers-Ranchers-Alliance/103189669746931
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The Other Inconvenient Truth: How Agriculture is Changing the Face of Our Planet
In this TEDx video, Institute on the Environment director Jonathan Foley offers a striking view of the impact of agriculture on Earth’s landscape and proposes a strategy for creating a future in which we can produce sufficient food while protecting the planet.
Jonathan Foley is the director of the Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of the Minnesota, where he is a professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. He also leads the IonE’s Global Landscapes Initiative.
Foley’s work focuses on complex global environmental systems and their interactions with human societies. He and his students have contributed to our understanding of global-scale ecological processes, global patterns of land use, the behavior of the planet’s climate and water cycles, and the sustainability of our biosphere. This work has led him to be a regular advisor to large corporations, NGOs and governments around the world.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced loans and grants for more than 500 agricultural producers and rural small businesses across the country to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in their operations.
"This funding is an important part of the Obama Administration's plan to help the nation's farmers, agricultural producers and rural small businesses conserve natural resources, create more green jobs and lead us on the path to becoming an energy independent nation," Vilsack said.
The grants and loan guarantees are being provided through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), a 2008 Farm Bill initiative. REAP offers funds for farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. These federal funds leverage other funding sources for small businesses. In all, USDA announced today more than $27 million in energy grants and guaranteed loans for projects.
Converting Waste to Watts
The REAP program is helping many agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy consumption. For example, in Kirkwood, Pennsylvania, Jay Clifford Sensenig was selected to receive a $309,733 grant to install a co-op digester system that will process annually more than 16,800 tons of dairy, hog and chicken manure from four farms into methane gas, creating more than 879,000 kilowatts per year of electricity. In addition, the digester system is designed to accept and process food waste. The host farm uses 232,000 kilowatts annually; the excess energy produced from the digester will be sold to the local utility.
In Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, United Cooperative was selected to receive a $448,500 grant to help with the installation cost of 33 ethanol flex-fuel dispensers and 17 biodiesel dispensers. United Cooperative is a full-service cooperative that offers feed, grain, agronomy and energy products to south-central Wisconsin farmers and consumers.
Solar & Geothermal in the Mix
The REAP program is also funding several other types of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. For example, in Windham, N.H., the Pugliese Contracting Corporation was selected to receive a $99,500 loan guarantee and a $49,875 grant to purchase and install a 30 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system and a geothermal heating and cooling system in its 8,000-square-foot operations center. Once installed, the system will reduce energy purchased from the grid by 63%. The geothermal system will provide 100% of the business's heating and cooling needs.
Funding of each award is contingent upon the recipient meeting the conditions of the grant or loan agreement. Grants can finance up to 25% of a project's cost, not to exceed $500,000 for renewables, $250,000 for efficiency.
About USDA Rural Development
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
We once published a photo of a duck who keeps strawberries free of pests on an organic farm in the Catskills region of New York State. At Heidi's farm in Corrales, New Mexico a flock of native Rio Grande turkeys do the same amongst the hedge rows of raspberies. No need for poisonous pesticides!
It’s the combination of hard work and best practices on the part of Heidi and her brother Doug that make the incomparable organic jams of Heidi’s Raspberry Farm possible. It all starts with hand-picked, fresh fruit, and making their mouth-watering and nutrtious jams begins with a meticulous approach to sustainable methods on their farm in Corrales, New Mexico.
Corrales is a unique agricultural village farmed by families who have been living there for generations. Located on the Western bank of the Rio Grande, the land has been tilled since 500 A.D. Back then the ancestors of the present day Pueblo Indians reaped harvests in the fertile valley. Subsequent populations of Spanish, French and Italian families settled there to raise grapes, apples, livestock, and now, gloriously healthy raspberries!
Stewards of the Land
Having grown up in this special place Heidi and Doug are dedicated stewards of the land and keepers of a healthy environment. They are truly “walking the walk” when it comes to best practices for preserving the sustainability of their farmland and the health of their community. Doug has converted the farm to a drip irrigation system that makes the most efficient use of precious water. He provides hives in the field for the honeybees that pollinate the delicate raspberry blossoms.
Heidi, Maker of the Best Raspberry Jam We've Ever Tasted!
They’ve been selling organic raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and cut flowers at the local farmers markets in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Corrales and Albuquerque for several years now. By personally selling their delicious fare Heidi and Doug have made a lot of wonderful friends. They’ve also built a loyal following of appreciative customers who keep coming back for more of their amazing jams!
If you'd like to order some of Heidi's incredible raspberry jams click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Sushi and sashimi are such an integral part of the Manhattan restaurant scene that it’s hard to imagine a time when the city’s diners would have been aghast at the notion of having raw fish and hot wine served for dinner. Now, whether it is served at the intimate Sasabune on the Upper East Side or a humble, neighborhood takeout place, artfully presented sushi sells and shows no sign of decline in its popularity.
But with ever growing concern about the depletion of the world’s fisheries, we’ve come to wonder if the seafood on those lovely platters is sustainable. Since we don’t want to give up enjoying sushi, we’re happy to report that a major sushi preparer believes it should be.
Genji Sushi is the provider of fine sushi and Japanese-inspired cuisine at 137 Whole Foods Markets around the country and in the U.K. Their traditional and modern menu items are made with all-natural ingredients, free of harmful chemicals.
“Seeking out environmentally-friendly sources is a company mission and we continuously strive to be at the forefront of our industry in the area of sustainability. Running our business in an environmentally sound manner is important to our company, our customers, and is vital to our planet,” says Shingo Kanai, President & CEO.
In April of 2011 Genji began featuring its newest addition, sustainable Bay Scallops, in a special Earth Month promotion at Whole Foods Markets. From March 28th thru April 24th 2011 5% of sales from three specially marked sustainable items were donated to the Whole Planet Foundation.
“Our world is calling for the sushi industry to be more environmentally conscious in our business practices and we’re heeding that call,” adds Kanai.
With 70% of the world’s fisheries harvested at capacity or in decline, it’s essential for companies and consumers to select seafood that is sustainable in order to keep the culinary art of sushi for future generations. Wild albacore tuna, wild salmon, shrimp and shellfish are delicious options for customers interested in eating sustainably.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Founder Marina Marchese and the rest of the folks at Red Bee are passionate about the culinary delights of honey. Their philosophy is that every bottle of their artisanal honey is a gourmet food and can be tasted and evaluated much like wine, each one having a unique flavor profile determined by the kind of flowers visited by the bees.
The essence of a honey is dictated by the terroir, the unique combination of geographic location, climate, soil and temperature that gives each honey its complex composition and individual personality. As in winemaking, terroir dramatically affects the flavor profiles of the honeys produced.
There is just no comparison between the homogenous, processed honey common to supermarket shelves and honey crafted by a true artisan. Here is an excerpt from Marina's terrific book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, on her journey to becoming one of the country's finest food artisans:
It can be said that honey is only as good as the beekeepers that harvest it. Artisanal honeys are those produced by individuals using traditional methods and thus preserving the integrity of their products. With artisanal honey, quality and character are highlighted, rather than quantity and consistency. Beekeepers have to make many decisions regarding the management of their honeybees during a single season. Timing is everything, so colonies have to be at their peak strength and available to forage the fields at the exact time of the nectar flow. Beekeepers must select appropriate field locations for their honeybees and know when the nectar flow begins, when to add and remove honey shallows, and the best procedure to use to extract the honey.
(Excerpted with permission from Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper by C. Marina Marchese, published by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2009.)
Red Bee Farm
Marina's Red Bee is a boutique honeybee farm located in the historical Bradley Tool section of Weston, Connecticut. The company’s charming red cottages were once the home of ballerina Gelsey Kirkland, who partnered Mikhail Baryshnikov. Working there they are inspired to create the purest artisanal honeys and sustainable products. Using old world techniques, their products are handmade in small batches using only plant-based ingredients to insure the finest quality. They never use pesticides, alcohol, paraffin waxes, petroleum or preservatives.
Red Bee's organic gardens produce culinary and medicinal herbs, vegetables and flowers for cutting. They make their organic, free range chicken eggs available locally. Red Bee Honeybee products have been a spectacular success at the New Canaan Farmers Market each summer for the last 8 years.
Red Bee Founder Marina Marchese (photo: jeffbeckerphoto.com)
Marina Marchese is a second generation Italian sharing her love of crafting artisanal products. After graduating from the School of Visual Arts, Marina traveled to Europe and Asia as an illustrator and product designer. Her unique sense of style and love of color was defined in designs that have graced the cover of WWD and greeting cards sold worldwide by UNICEF including children's products, books and magazines.
Her own Red Bee® cards were recognized by The National Honey Board after appearing in Victoria Magazine and on the cover of American Bee Journal. Marina’s love of honeybees and painting has led her to the ancient technique of painting with beeswax, made popular by the Etruscans. (The portrait at the top of this item is one of her paintings in beeswax.)
(Photo Reprinted with permission from Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers.)
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
For those looking for some family-friendly, summer fun in Sonoma, the Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival, Northern California’s largest seafood feast, will celebrate its 17th anniversary on the weekend of August 27th and 28th, 2011. Children under the age of 12 will be admitted FREE!
One of the most popular festivals in the Bay Area, the event annually attracts thousands of foodies, art aficionados, wine and beer connoisseurs and music lovers to picturesque Watts Ranch in the village of Bodega, where Alfred Hitchcock filmed his classic thriller, “The Birds.”
More than 25 wineries and 15 micro breweries will pour wine and beer, while 15 restaurants and catering companies will offer a bounty of seafood classics, including barbecued oysters, crab cakes, Key Lime calamari, clam chowder and other delicacies. Vegetarian options will also be available.
Fun for All Ages
The work of 100 artists and craftsman will be featured at the juried art show and sale, which attracts exhibitors from throughout the United States. In addition to seafood, wine, beer and art, the festival also has three stages with a variety of musical entertainment, this year including the outrageous Pride and Joy, and other stellar performances, Captain Jack Spareribs, and other activities for children.
“There’s something for everyone, from toddlers to senior citizens,” said event manager and artist Janet Ciel, who co-founded the festival with her then husband, Michael Ecton, 17 years ago. Although divorced for more than eight years, the couple continues to produce the event, which grew from their joint passion for similar festivals they participated in while spending time on the East Coast.
Crab, Avocado & Mango Stack
Support for Good Causes
Proceeds from the event will support two important causes, Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, which works in partnership with the California State Parks Foundation to provide environmental stewardship programs, and the Bodega Volunteer Fire Department.
• Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 28.
• Admission is $12 for adults and FREE for children less than 12 years of age.
• Watts Ranch is located at 16855 Bodega Highway in the village of Bodega.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
It’s not easy being a seafood lover, not if you care about your family’s health and the health of America’s fisheries.
The fresh bluefish I grew fond of eating as a boy on Long Island is now a victim of pollution to the extent that it is only considered safe to eat when consumed very occasionally. The Atlantic cod, once so mighty an economic engine that one was proudly mounted on the wall of the Massachusetts statehouse, is now a depleted species with no encouraging signs of recovery.
What’s a seafood lover to do? Fortunately, our friends at the nonprofit Food & Water Watch have come up with some pretty good answers in their newly released, 2011 Smart Seafood Guide. Here’s what F&WW’s Lauren Wright has to say:
This year we recommend eating invasive species, many of which sound like they came straight out of a sci-fi flick! European green crabs, Asian swamp eels and rusty crawfish are just a few of the strange animals that are jeopardizing native species and taking over local ecosystems throughout the U.S. Our solution? Eat 'em!
The nonprofit organization recently had major event at NYC's famed James Beard House demonstrating how to prepare some of these species, including the deadly lionfish.
For those that might be feeling a bit squeamish about eating species they find strange, keep in mind that species have been going in and out of fashion for hundreds of years. The now venerated lobster served in the toniest of eateries was once considered so undesirable that it was largely fed to prison inmates, something the inmates resented. Prisoners complained that they were being fed far too much lobster!
About Food & Water Watch
The nonprofit organization works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, it helps people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Wild Salmon Leaping Upstream (photo by Matthew G. Hull, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
As we know, there is tremendous pressure coming from Big Biotech to get genetically engineered (GE) salmon into America’s food supply. The industry may have millions to spend on public relations and campaign contributions, but science and a wary public are not on their side.
Right now there is legislation in the works that would prohibit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from spending funds to approve the controversial fish. Last month, the House of Congress passed such an amendment and members of the Senate have informed the FDA that they are moving forward with similar legislation.
The Senate stated in a letter that, "Given the strong and growing Congressional opposition to the approval of GE fish in both chambers, spending time on further review of genetically engineered fish would be a waste of taxpayer dollars".
Wenonah Hauter, executive director of consumer watchdog Food & Water Watch, has this to say:
"We're in the middle of an intense budget debate and we have to make some difficult decisions about where to spend federal dollars. The last thing the federal government should be doing is frivolously throwing taxpayer money at a corporate science experiment that could devastate both the public's health and the health of the environment."
New Study Cites GE Threat to Wild Atlantic Salmon
If genetically modified Atlantic salmon were to escape, they could succeed in breeding and passing their genes into the wild, researchers at Canada’s Memorial University of Newfoundland have found. Their research, just published in the journal Evolutionary Applications, explores the potential reproductive implications of genetically modified salmon as they are considered for commercial farming.
“The use of growth-enhancing, transgenic technologies has long been of interest to the aquaculture industry and now genetically modified Atlantic salmon is one of the first species to be considered for commercial farming,” said lead author Darek Moreau, a graduate student who co-wrote the paper along with Corinne Conway, a research assistant, and Dr. Ian Fleming, a professor, all with the Ocean Sciences Centre.
“Yet, little is known about the potential impact on wild salmon populations if the genetically modified species were to escape captivity.”
Trojan Gene Could Lead to Eventual Extinction
One of the key concerns about a transgene escape is the “Trojan gene effect,” caused when a genetically modified fish outcompetes or reproduces equally against wild rivals. If the resulting offspring are genetically inferior this could lead a species towards eventual extinction. Until now there has been no empirical research to demonstrate the ability of transgenic salmon to breed naturally and infiltrate the gene pool of wild Atlantic salmon.
To measure the ability of GE salmon to breed with Atlantic salmon in the wild, the team of researchers from Memorial University’s Ocean Sciences Centre monitored breeding behaviour in a naturalized laboratory setting and used genetic analysis to determine the success of competing individuals at producing offspring.
Wild Males are More Potent Breeders
The scientists found that migratory wild males outperformed their captivity-reared transgenic counterparts in terms of a variety of spawning behaviours, and despite being less aggressive, wild males also achieved higher overall fertilization success, but the threat from GE salmon remains.
“While the transgenic males displayed reduced breeding performance relative to their non-transgenic rivals they still demonstrated the ability to successfully participate in natural spawning events and thus have the potential to contribute modified genes to wild populations,” said Mr. Moreau.
Very Real Threat to Wild Gene Pool
While the study provides an estimate of breeding performance under only a single set of physical and demographic environmental conditions, it does mimic a likely invasion scenario where the genetic background of the transgenic population differs from that of the wild population.
“Our study provides the first empirical observations on the natural reproductive capacities of growth hormone transgenic Atlantic salmon,” concluded Mr. Moreau. “While the resulting ecological and genetic effects of a transgene escape remain uncertain, these data highlight the importance of preventing reproductively-viable genetically modified salmon from entering natural systems.”
To tell your elected representatives to prohibit funding for GE salmon, go to: Food & Water Watch
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
As a lifetime New Yorker it’s always been a great comfort (and a tasty treat) to have some of the world’s cleanest and most flavorful water available straight from the tap. So it is absolutely mindboggling that a precious water supply could be fouled with toxic chemicals from deep drilling for gas, despite dire signs of the potential consequences.
For years there have been media reports from Pennsylvania to Texas of drinking water so tainted by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, that folks are able to light the water from their kitchen tap on fire. There have been more than 300 instances of contaminated water in Colorado since 2003, and more than 700 instances in New Mexico, according to Bruce Baizel, senior staff attorney with Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project. In West Virginia a once lushly forested area has been transformed into a dead zone.
Fracking in Gasland
Film Director Josh Fox made the Sundance award-winning documentary “Gasland” after he was asked to lease his land for gas drilling. That led him to embark on a cross-country odyssey. As the show “Now” on PBS explained, his journey led to a film that “alleges chronic illness, animal-killing toxic waste, disastrous explosions, and regulatory missteps.” It will be broadcast on HBO through 2012. The DVD went on sale in December of 2010.
“Gasland” shows tap water being set ablaze and explores fracking, a technology developed by Halliburton. Millions of gallons water, chemicals and sand are injected into the ground under high pressure, cracking shale and tight rocks to allow gas to flow more freely from the well. It is a toxic mixture and believed to be the prime culprit in the pollution of groundwater in areas surrounding drilling sites. Even drinking water hundreds of miles from a well can be contaminated.
Hundreds of Thousands of New Wells Coming?
Residents of New York State are not alone in facing a future threat to the safety of their drinking water. According to an article published by ProPublica in December of 2009:
In the next 10 years, the United States will use the fracturing technology to drill hundreds of thousands of new wells astride cities, rivers and watersheds. Cash-strapped state governments are pining for the revenue and the much-needed jobs that drilling is expected to bring to poor, rural areas.
Rejection of Fracking Goes International
France became the first nation to ban the use of fracking on June 30th when French senators voted to ban the practice and revoke the fracking permits issued to oil and gas companies. French Environment Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet said hydraulic fracturing will be illegal and parliament would have to vote for a new law to allow research using the technique.
Back in the States, the New Jersey State Senate voted to ban the practice and North Carolina’s Governor Bev Perdue vetoed a state senate bill that would have allowed fracking in the state.
Jane Preyer, North Carolina’s director of the Environmental Defense Fund said, “The veto sends a clear signal to legislators that rolling back regulations that protect the state’s environment is not a viable business plan for economic recovery or the well being of North Carolina’s families.”
Think Global, Act Local
Though it is hard to believe that risking the health of millions in order to extract natural gas would even be considered, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo may lift a ban on fracking that took a great, popular effort to establish. The new guidelines will prohibit fracking in N.Y.S. parks and in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds, but allow it in other communities!
New York State Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, an opponent of fracking, said, “If hydrofracking is not safe in the New York City watershed it’s not safe in any watershed…There’s a tacit admission on the part of the Department of Environmental Conservation that it is not safe and yet it is being allowed.”
Keep Drinking Water Safe
Incredibly, a loophole exempts natural gas drilling from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Drilling companies don’t even have to disclose the almost 600 chemicals that might be used in fracking and find their way into drinking water. Thankfully, our friends at Food & Water Watch have provided a way for concerned citizens to make their voices heard by contacting elected representatives.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Long ago in southern Arizona, the Hohokam people tapped the waters of the San Pedro River to irrigate their food crops. Today, so does third generation rancher Mike Mercer. Though Mercer runs a modern cattle operation—with tractors and center pivot irrigation rigs—you might say he’s gone “native.”
Eyes squinting in the mid-morning sun, Mercer jabs his boot at a clump of emerging grass. “Plains lovegrass is my favorite,” he says. “I’d like to grow more of that.”
Mercer’s ranch is nestled in the shadow of the Galiuro Mountains near the tiny town of Mammoth.
“There were Hohokam camps on all these buttes overlooking the river,” said Mercer. Below the most prominent of these buttes— Sombrero Butte—Mercer, like the Hohokam before him, is raising a crop on the river’s floodplain.
His 75-acre field is “greening up” with 14 native grasses, including Arizona cottontop, sacaton and plains bristlegrass.
Conserving Water and Growing Food in the Desert
Mercer began planting the native grass seed in the spring of 2008, purchased with financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. The Conservancy helped secured the financing.
The switch to native grass—after years of growing non-native sudangrass and sorghum grain—has been a big win for Mercer, and for the environment.
He estimates he uses about half the water that his father did. The perennial grass, once established, is low maintenance: No need for annual plowing, re-seeding or harvesting, except for occasional baling of some of the grass for feeding elsewhere on the ranch.
Using hay from these native grasses creates a new seed source in the grazed uplands, as the cattle spread the seed through their manure.
“We’re saving millions of gallons of water on this grass, and we are cutting our use of equipment and fuel,” says Mercer, whose family has ranched here since the 1920s.
Mike Mercer, Arizona Rancher
The Land Responds
The switch to native grass wasn’t risk free. The first year, coming off a decade of drought, “the grass didn’t look that great. I was sweating it. But I decided to plant some more last year, and so far this year, it’s really taking off.”
The land is responding in kind. “Since we planted this I’m seeing less run-off of water, because the grasses are helping the ground soak it up. I figure if times get tough again and there isn’t enough water in the river to irrigate, this seed will just go dormant and then sprout when the moisture is available again.”
Mercer learned of the Partners program through Rob Burton, the Conservancy’s former Lower San Pedro preserve manager. Rob had planted the grasses at the preserve, restoring what were once catfish ponds.
“We’re pleased at how well this has worked out,” says Kris Randall, state coordinator for the Arizona Partners program. “Grasslands are a declining plant community in Arizona. We are interested in providing financial and technical assistance to private landowners who want to do restoration projects.”
Dan Wolgast, who now manages some of the Conservancy’s properties, echoes the benefits of native grasses. “We’ve had some successes and challenges, but this grass is helping us control weeds. It’s very adaptable to unpredictable weather systems, and it’s a good thing for the river because it improves the health of the floodplain,” says Wolgast.
Seeding the Future
Something as seemingly simple as planting native grass is actually part of a paradigm shift for the Mercers. Not only is it a change in how they operate, but also who they work with.
One change is the market for their beef. By feeding their cattle native grass, the Mercers are tapping into the grass-fed, locally grown beef market. The Mercers sell their beef—under the name Sombrero Butte Beef—at local farmers’ markets and at a gourmet Tucson restaurant.
Mercer’s cattle are Brahman cows bred by Angus-Charolais bulls, which makes them genetically well suited for the desert; they withstand heat well, according to Mercer, and they eat desert plants like cat claw, cholla and jojoba leaves. Two months before they are butchered, Mercer grazes them on the native grasses to tenderize their meat.
“My cows love it,” he says. “They see me coming to open the gates, and they run to get there.”
Grazing issues have historically been a point of contention between ranchers and conservationists. The Conservancy, in Arizona and around the country, has been working to improve its relationships with those who produce the food we eat.
Mike Mercer’s willingness to work with the Conservancy signifies a sea change for his family. In the early 1990s, Mike’s father, Virgil, filed an appeal with the Bureau of Land Management to gain grazing access to the Conservancy’s public land leases at Aravaipa Canyon Preserve and the Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area. The Conservancy found itself on the opposite side from the Mercers in the judicial process. That appeal was tied up within the BLM for several years, and Virgil didn’t prevail.
So, the result has been that the Conservancy and BLM have continued a limited grazing regime at Aravaipa and no grazing at the Muleshoe in order to restore the properties. In the meantime, Virgil passed away in 2006, and his son Mike took over the ranch. Now he not only actively works with the Conservancy, he is also our neighbor—the Conservancy manages the 3,100-acre 7B Ranch adjacent to the Mercer property.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
Could a quick history lesson lead to a better future?
During World War II Americans lived with rations of such necessities as tires, gasoline, sugar, and other foodstuffs. The US government encouraged ordinary people to create Victory Gardens; small plots of fruits and vegetables to stave off food shortages so more mass-produced food could be sent to feed the troops.
The people responded. Two million Americans created Victory Gardens in their backyards or communities. According to author Michael Pollan, "...during World War II, Victory Gardens supplied as much as 40% of the produce Americans ate."
A Social Phenomenon
Victory Gardens were more than a war time activity, they were a social phenomenon. Schools and families planted Victory Gardens together, often on communal land. Families caught up on news as they planted and harvested. Nutrition information was widely disseminated to help home cooks create balanced meals for their families. Our current obesity epidemic must have been unimaginable to those gardeners.
Today there are many gardens that are very much like the Victory Gardens of old. In backyards across America folks are growing their own produce, spices and herbs. They harvest fruits and vegetables that have been raised without pesticides and enjoy them when they are at the peak of their freshness and nutritional value. Adding home-grown fare to the fresh produce from a local farm stand or a farmers market gives gardeners the best of both worlds.
Community Gardens
If you’d like to try your hand at growing some food of your own but don’t have your own backyard, you can join a community garden. In 2004, the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) estimated that there were already 18,000 community gardens across the USA and Canada. Urban community gardens can be found from South Central Los Angeles to the Bronx in New York City. If there’s no community garden near your home, think about organizing your neighbors to get one started.
Funded by federal grants, GreenThumb has been a program of the NYC Parks Department since 1995. The nonprofit organization has over 600 member gardens serving 20,000 city residents. New York University released a study of the effect of community gardens on nearby property values. The study of 636 community gardens in NYC showed a positive effect on sales prices of residential properties within a 1,000-foot radius of a community garden when compared to properties outside the 1,000-foot ring, but still in the same neighborhood. The effect was significant and increasing over time. The tax benefit to the city over a 20-year period was estimated at $647 million dollars or $1 million per garden. Who knows how much might be saved on medical costs by the healthier diet the gardens make possible.
Not all benefits are measured in dollars. Here’s what Karen Washington from the Garden of Hope in the Bronx had to say about her experience:
To grow your own food gives you a sort of power and it gives people dignity. You know exactly what you’re eating because you grew it. It’s good, it’s nourishing and you did this for yourself, your family and your community.
Victory Gardens could bring down the cost of food for American families and make organic poroduce more widely available. We could reduce America’s reliance on oil simply by keeping vegetable gardens and cutting down on the amount of food that has to be transported by truck. Victory Gardens would reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers on giant corporate farms. If you’re unhappy about where all the money Americans spend on oil and gasoline is going, then spread the word: Bring Back the Victory Gardens!
If you'd like to start a garden in your community or your backyard here's some info that should help:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
New York State Governor David Paterson has issued an executive calling a temporary halt to high volume hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling for natural gas, which is often referred to as fracking. Environmental activists have expressed concern that the governor’s order will allow vertical drilling. The governor contends that vertical drilling has been proven to be safe.
Fracking was deeply criticized in the Sundance award-winning documentary, “Gasland”. Josh Fox made the film after he was asked to lease his land for gas drilling. That led him to embark on a cross-country odyssey. His journey led to the film charging fracking with leading to chronic illness in humans, toxic waste deadly to farm animals, disastrous explosions, and poor regulation of the gas drilling industry.
States Differ on Approach to Fracking
In neighboring Pennsylvania fracking is already widespread, but NYS has been more cautious about its potential harm to the environment and the drinking water of millions of New Yorkers. Governor Paterson’s executive order will allow for another round of public review and input. It also calls for a revised draft of a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement. The DEC is directed to release a revised draft on or around July 1, 2011, after a public comment period lasting at least 30 days.
“New York’s draft plan to oversee fracking was fatally flawed and wouldn’t protect our waters or our health,” said Katherine Nadeau, Water & Natural Resources Program Director, Environmental Advocates of New York. “Re-releasing a revised draft plan for public comment will give New Yorkers another opportunity to demand the strongest possible protections.”
Prior NYS Legislative Ban Vetoed
The state legislature overwhelmingly passed legislation earlier this year that outlined a moratorium on both horizontal and vertical wells until May 15, 2011. Governor Paterson vetoed that legislation when he instituted the longer moratorium that more narrowly defines the types of drilling to be restricted.
The Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York (IOGA of NY) said in a statement, “We are grateful to Governor Paterson for his courage and clear-headed judgment in vetoing S.8129-B (Thompson)/A.11443-B (Sweeney). This bill would have had far-reaching consequences to the state’s oil and natural gas industry, and to the communities in which our member companies work.”
Long Battle Ahead
Kate Sinding, a senior lawyer with the Natural Resources Defense Council, wrote in her blog:
For anyone who has been following the dire staffing and budgetary cuts at DEC over the past several years, it is evident that an additional six months is nowhere near sufficient to generate a satisfactory new review. The state needs enough time to get it right this time – to fully consider the range of serious environmental and health threats associated with the risky new industrial activity that would take place, literally, in our backyards.
Actor and director Mark Ruffalo called on citizens to continue to protest against fracking. Last month he was placed on a terror watch list by the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security. He has been actively opposed to hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Delaware River region, working to arrange screenings of “Gasland”.
The issue will soon be in the hands of the incoming governor, Andrew Cuomo. During the electoral campaign, the Governor-elect said he “would not support any drilling that would threaten the State’s major sources of drinking water.”
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Report Calls for Strict Standards for Eco-Friendly Seafood Labeling
Fresh Seafood (photo by Sister Rahel, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Consumer advocates at Food & Water Watch have called for “rigorous” government standards to help consumers make informed decisions as to which seafoods are environmentally sustainable. The organization contends that shoppers are currently unable to distinguish between eco-friendly labels that are valid and those that might be misleading.
“People often think that if they buy seafood with an eco-label, it’s automatically a good choice,” said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch. “Unfortunately, these certifications don’t assure that the product consumers are getting is actually eco-friendly.”
The new guide from F&WW, De-Coding Seafood Eco-Labels: Why We Need Public Standards, lays out the differing approaches of six labeling organizations, highlighting the difficulty of coming to a consensus when it comes to defining ecological sustainability. In some cases there are organizational links to industry raising questions about conflicting interests and the neutrality of the labeling process.
The Marine Stewardship Council, Global Aquaculture Alliance, and Friends of the Sea are among those examined in the report, which finds that while a lack of national standards (such as USDA “organic” for seafood) has allowed private eco-labels to capture large portions of the market, they are not adequate indicators of sustainable seafood choices for consumers, restaurants or retailers.
“Consumers aren’t told that these labels often have a ‘pay to play’ aspect,” said Marianne Cufone, director of Food & Water Watch’s fish program. She explains:
A well-managed fishery that can’t finance certification may not have an eco-label, while one that is less sustainable could be certified because someone paid for it. As a result of this, labels can actually encourage consumers to buy less sustainable products, and it can be challenging for consumers to decipher whether labels are very meaningful.
About Food & Water Watch
The nonprofit organization works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, it helps people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Amid widespread concern that hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, or “fracking”, would endanger the high quality of the drinking water for millions in the region, the New York State Assembly has passed a moratorium on the practice. The vote in favor of the moratorium was 93-43.
The N.Y.S. Senate has already approved the measure and it appears likely that Governor David Patterson will sign it into law. The law will ban fracking in N.Y.S. until May 15, 2011. The measure is intended to provide time for a full review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation.
According to the New York Times, “This is the first time any state has ever taken this kind of action to protect the health and safety of its residents from the consequences of gas drilling,” said Kate Sinding, deputy director of the New York Urban Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “It sends a powerful message that New Yorkers don’t want new fracking here unless the industry proves it can be done safely.”
What are the Consequences of Fracking?
Over the last couple of years there have been media reports from Pennsylvania to Texas of drinking water contaminated by natural gas drilling. There have been more than 300 instances of contaminated water in Colorado since 2003, and more than 700 instances in New Mexico, according to Bruce Baizel, senior staff attorney with Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project. In West Virginia a once lushly forested area has been transformed into a dead zone.
The measure passed in the wake of revelations that actor Mark Ruffalo had been placed on a terror watch list by the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security. He has been actively opposed to hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Delaware River region, working to arrange screenings of the documentary film, “Gasland”. The film was awarded a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010.
Fracking Courtesy of Halliburton
“Gasland” offers a devastating critique of the deep drilling practice, originally developed by Halliburton. The film includes footage of kitchen tap water being set ablaze by a homeowner near a site where fracking was taking place. Millions of gallons of water, chemicals and sand are injected into the ground under high pressure, cracking shale and tight rocks to allow gas to flow more freely from the well. It is a toxic mixture and believed to be the prime culprit in the pollution of groundwater in areas surrounding drilling sites. Drinking water hundreds of miles from a well can be contaminated.
Josh Fox made the award-winning documentary “Gasland” after he was asked to lease his land for gas drilling. That led him to embark on a cross-country odyssey. His journey led to the film charging fracking with leading to chronic illness in humans, toxic waste deadly to farm animals, disastrous explosions, and poor regulation of the gas drilling industry. It will be broadcast on HBO through 2012. The DVD goes on sale in December of 2010.
More Fracking on the Way
According to an article published by ProPublica in December of 2009:
In the next 10 years, the United States will use the fracturing technology to drill hundreds of thousands of new wells astride cities, rivers and watersheds. Cash-strapped state governments are pining for the revenue and the much-needed jobs that drilling is expected to bring to poor, rural areas.
Incredibly, a loophole exempts natural gas drilling from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Drilling companies don’t have to disclose the almost 600 chemicals that might be used in fracking and find their way into drinking water.
To purchase a DVD of the award-winning documentary by Josh Fox, go to: Gasland the DVD
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
American Feast Proudly Offers Nature's Authentic Wild Rice
A Native American says a prayer & hands out tobacco, offering thanks to Nature (photo by Greg Peterson)
Unlike the genetically modified "wild rice" grown in paddies, truly authentic wild rice delivers a deep, rich flavor cherished by chefs and devoted foodies. Its unique qualities led Chef Alice Waters to choose it for a special New Year's Dinner at Chez Panisse.
Native Harvest Wild Rice is known as "the food that grows on water" and Manoomin to Minnesota's Native American Ojibwe communities. The wild rice is hand-harvested from pristine lakes on the White Earth Indian Reservation as it has been for centuries, using traditional methods. It has never been genetically modified.
Manoomin is a central aspect of Ojibwe culture and tradition, a part of the proceeds benefit the White Earth Land Recovery Project, which works to protect the integrity of this important native food.
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Ojibwe communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Canada harvest and process wild rice, following the traditions of their ancestors. Manoomin is also part of the Anishinaabeg migration stories and prophecies. It continues to define what it means to be Anishinaabeg. The campaign to protect the integrity of this heirloom wild rice is an important aspect of the White Earth Land Recovery Project.
"Too many of America's indigenous foods have been lost forever, or are in danger of becoming lost. We are proud to be helping the effort to save this important heirloom of our country's food culture by making it available to the widest audience possible," said Jeff Deasy, American Feast founder and president.
The indigenous specialty foods available from AmericanFeast.com are true gifts from nature for discriminating foodies and slow food cooking enthusiasts concerned about the health of the environment.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon approve the sale of genetically engineered (GE) salmon to American consumers. Incredibly, the FDA may do so without requiring that the fish be labeled as geneticall engineered.
Marion Nestle, a professor in the Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health Department at New York University has said, “The public wants to know and the public has a right to know. I think the agency has discretion, but it's under enormous political pressure to approve [the salmon] without labeling.”
Misleading Shoppers as a Sales Strategy?
Wild salmon delivers tremendous nutritional benefits, but the possible action by the FDA could lead shoppers seeking healthy food for their families tp unknowingly buy a GE substitute. Scientists have cautioned that there has been insufficient study of its impact on human health and the environment.
The nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists states on its web site:
So far, scientists have identified a number of ways in which genetically engineered organisms could potentially adversely impact both human health and the environment…In addition to posing risks of harm that we can envision and attempt to assess, genetic engineering may also pose risks that we simply do not know enough to identify.
Frightening New Revelations on Environmental Impact
After submitting a Freedom of Information Act request, the consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch received numerous recent internal documents and emails from the U.S. Department of Interior’s Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) exposing startling concerns about the GE salmon for which the company AquaBounty is seeking approval.
“Nice work Greg,” Denise Hawkins, PhD, FWS Regional Geneticist wrote to a coworker in September. “Especially pointing out that there is no data to support the claims of low survival in the event of escape, which I agree with you all is a big concern. I also agree…that using triploid fish [which AquaBounty claim have undergone a sterilization process] is not foolproof. Maybe they [the FDA] should watch Jurassic Park.”
A Very Real Threat to Wild Salmon
The FDA is required by law to conduct an environmental impact statement for any regulatory action that could negatively affect the human environment. The agency has not done so yet. Despite AquaBounty’s claim to produce only sterile salmon, the company admitted that up to 5% of their GE salmon eggs could be fertile, prompting the FDA to label the company's claims “potentially misleading”.
According to FWS internal emails, contrary to AquaBounty’s claims that GE salmon would be grown in closed systems (and therefore unable to escape), FWS employees received news of a proposal to grow the fish in a facility that would discharge into the ocean off the coast of Maine.
“No matter what precautions you take, fish escape and once they do, there is no closing that door. So, that being said, I think it is very bad precedent to set,” said one FWS program supervisor.
The FDA is closing a public comment period on November 22nd and could approve the product as soon as November 23rd.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
American Feast Talks with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group
A Napa Oak Overlooks Vines (image courtesy of Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group)
There's an excellent chance that your favorite Napa Valley winegrower is a member of the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group which was formed in 1995 to promote integrated pest management practices in Napa County, California. The mission of the Group is to identify and promote winegrowing practices that are economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally sound.
Specifically, the Group promotes viticultural land stewardship through educational outreach to:
• Optimize ecological stability and winegrape productivity and quality by understanding and emulating natural processes such as biodiversity, carbon and nutrient cycling, and plant-soil interactions.
• Reduce pesticide inputs through cultural practices, biological control, and use of alternative materials.
• Promote soil health through erosion control, reduced tillage, soil analysis, and the amendment of soils with cover crops and compost.
• Enhance returns on investment by promoting the value-added nature of sustainable winegrapes along with terroir and increased vineyard longevity.
The Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group is comprised of members representing Napa winegrape growers, vintners, and local government and educational organizations. The Group represents over 25,000 acres of farmed vineyard land and over 20,000 acres of un-farmed/wild land as of March 2007.
In a 5-part podcast interview, American Feast's Doug Ferber has a talk with the Napa Sustainable Winegrowing Group to learn more about their important work.
Food & Water Watch Releases 2010 Smart Seafood Guide
In the Pan (photo by Beglib, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The new guide considers the socio-economic impact of consuming seafood and warns against turning to imported fish post-Gulf spill.
The national consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch has just released its 2010 Smart Seafood Guide to direct consumers in making safer, more sustainable seafood decisions. This year, researchers analyzed over 100 types of seafood (60% more than in 2009) to create the only guide assessing not only the human health and environmental impacts of eating certain seafood, but also the socio-economic impacts on coastal and fishing communities.
In their 2010 guide, Food & Water Watch highlighted what they refer to as the "Dirty Dozen" -- species that fail to meet two or more of their criteria for safe and sustainable seafood. This year, the worst offender was imported coastal-farmed shrimp. According to the guide, the shrimp mostly come from countries where health, safety, labor and environmental standards are much weaker than in the U.S. This often means the shrimp were raised in crowded, dirty farms, and doused with assorted chemicals, antibiotics and pesticides, some of which are illegal to use in the U.S.
Gulf Oil Spill Raises Food Safety Concerns
"The guide comes at a critical time. We've been fielding countless questions from consumers on seafood safety after the Gulf oil spill," said Marianne Cufone, Food & Water Watch's Fish Program Director. "Unfortunately, because of the spill, many people are considering imported seafood as a safer alternative to domestic. Often, it's not.
The guide not only educates consumers on seafood selection, but also offers information on U.S. seafood production and regulation. For instance:
• Less than 2% of imported seafood is inspected.
• Over 70% of domestic shrimp and about 60% of domestic oysters came from the Gulf of Mexico prior to the spill.
• The average consumer eats around 16 pounds of seafood annually, about 4 pounds of which is shrimp.
Guiding Consumers Away from Unhealthy Choices
The guide steers consumers away from certain types of seafood like fish raised in factory farm conditions that pose threats to both the marine ecosystem and public health; unregulated imports; depleted fish (like bluefin tuna); and fish more likely to contain harmful contaminants like mercury and PCB (like swordfish).
The guide is offered as an online tool for consumers searching for seafood based on taste or U.S. region of origin. In addition, Food & Water Watch has developed a smaller, printed version for consumers to reference before making a purchase at markets or restaurants.
"It's really the most consumer friendly guide out there," Cufone said. "We're not telling you what to eat. We're providing you with important information so that you can make safer, more sustainable seafood choices based on your own personal tastes and priorities."
About Food & Water Watch
The nonprofit organization works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, it helps people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.
To learn more about the nonprofit organization’s new guide to sustainable seafood, go to: Food & Water Watch
For more information on the Gulf spill's impact on the availability of certain seafood items listed on the 2010 Smart Seafood Guide, check the latest government updates at:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Native American Offering Thanks to Nature for Manoomin (photo by Greg Peterson)
Indigenous foods are true gifts from nature, and terrific for giving to discriminating foodies, slow food cooking enthusiasts, socially-conscious loved ones, or anyone concerned about the health of the environment.
Sacred Manoomin
Authentic wild rice, known as Manoomin and "the food that grows on water" to Minnesota's Native American Ojibwe communities, is hand-harvested from pristine lakes on the White Earth Indian Reservation, as it has been for centuries, using traditional methods.
Unlike the genetically modified "wild rice" grown in paddies, truly wild rice delivers a deep, rich flavor cherished by chefs and devoted foodies. Chef Alice Waters served it at Chez Panisse for a special New Year's dinner. Manoomin is a central aspect of Ojibwe culture and tradition, a part of the proceeds benefit the White Earth Land Recovery Project, which works to protect the integrity of this important heirloom food.
Sustainably Harvested Seafood
If it is indigenous gourmet seafood you crave, the freshest Paddlefish Caviar from the waters of Tennessee and Wild Salmon Roe Caviar from Alaska are delicious choices. Alaskan Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon has exceptionally rich flavor, reddish color, and firm texture, prepared and smoked according to Alaskan tradition.
And it is nice to know that Alaska's State Constitution requires that all the seafood from Alaskan waters be sustainably harvested!
The American Eastern Black Walnut: The "Ultimate Nut"
Gathered in America’s heartland, the American Eastern Black Walnut is known to some as “the Ultimate Nut.” These walnuts are perfect for creating baked delights, and when added to salads or entrées, they turn everyday dishes into exciting signature creations with a rich, robust flavor.
"Pecan" is a Native American word from the Algonquin language, covering "all nuts requiring a stone to crack.” Creative bakers love the sweet tasting Native American Pecan because it is marvelous for any number of recipes. Both of the American wonder nuts come in a single package, the Bakers Bounty! Fancy Large Premium Black Walnuts & Native Pecan Halves.
Healthful Native Berries
The Wild Blueberry holds a special place in Maine's history, one that goes back centuries to Native Americans. They were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, their nutrition and their healing qualities. Unlike the larger cultivated blueberries usually sold in supermarkets, Wild Blueberries are tiny and really are wild, having crept over Maine's rocky land naturally.
A Wild Blueberry Gift Basket is a wonderful way to send some love to someone special.
Cranberries were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry's versatility as a food, fabric dye, and healing agent. Later, American whalers and mariners carried cranberries on their voyages to prevent scurvy. All-natural Cranberry Sauce made from a Colonial recipe, Cranberry Apple Chutney, Cranberry Pepper Jelly spiced with medium hot chilies from the American Southwest, and several more delicious cranberry products, are all prepared in one of New England’s most creative kitchens.
Sweet Maple Syrup
The first people to make maple syrup were the Native Americans of the Northeast who called their delicious syrup, "sinzibukwud," which means, "sweet buds." The Native Americans used it as a flavoring for breads, stews, teas, and vegetables, including cranberries. We are all forever in their debt for teaching their skills to French and English settlers. Pure Organic Maple Syrup is available in beautifully decorated bottles. The syrup is Grade A Light Amber, the lightest of the USDA’s classifications, with the mild and delicate flavor preferred by knowing maple syrup connoisseurs.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Green Chefs Empower the Next Generation to Preserve Blue Oceans
Whale Breach (photo by Matthew Hull, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Two exemplary nonprofits, the Chefs Collaborative and the Blue Ocean Institute, believe “Chefs are the gatekeepers of the seafood industry.” That shared belief led them to join forces earlier this year and create Green Chefs, Blue Ocean to inspire the next generation of great chefs to make seafood sustainability an integral part of mainstream culinary practice.
Some 70% of the revenue generated by seafood sales in the United States occurs in restaurants and catering services, giving chefs a powerful influence over the purchase and consumption of the world’s seafood. To empower emerging talents to make wise choices Green Chefs, Blue Ocean offers an online course for chefs and culinary students to overcome the limitations of a traditional classroom and provide immediate access to cutting-edge information on seafood sustainability.
The seven lessons take about two hours to complete and are available free of charge during the first year. The course covers all facets of seafood sustainability including: fisheries and aquaculture, global supply and demand, and the challenges of purchasing and sourcing ocean-friendly seafood. Practical components include: determining the current “best” seafood choices; menu design; marketing sustainability; staff training; and consumer awareness.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
AFT Will Soon Unveil America's Top 20 Favorite Farmers Markets
Fresh Corn (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Did you know that there are now 6,132 farmers markets in America? That represents a 16% increase over the number recorded in the National Farmers Market Directory in 2009.
The Contest Ends on August 31st
American Farmland Trust is celebrating National Farmers Market Week by unveiling the Top 20 Favorite Farmers Markets in all four categories. Anything can happen in the next four weeks before the contest ends at midnight on August 31st! Your local farmers market needs your continued support so that it can get the recognition it deserves.
Let's Keep the Movement Growing!
American Farmland Trust needs your help to promote the value of farmers markets in communities, and to make the connection between fresh local foods and the local farms and farmland that supply them. Farmers markets play a critical role in keeping farmers on the land and helping farms thrive. By providing farmers with a venue where they can provide their much sought after products, farmers markets are helping to save the land that sustains us.
Thank you for all that you do to support local farms and local farmers markets!
To learn more about the contest to select America’s Best Farmers Markets, go to: American Farmland Trust
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Can a meal be truly great without a dessert? "Maybe" was a reply that came up a few times during a small, informal poll. And then there was a welcome completion of the thought: "But why chance it?"
Our friend Robin sees no need to to take that chance and she has created a selection of gourmet chocolate sauces capable of satisfying dessert lovers everywhere. Place a jar of her creation in a microwave oven for just 30 seconds and a warm sauce du jour is ready for service over a favorite treat. Ice cream, cheesecake, fresh fruit, or homemade pound cake will all do nicely.
Robin’s Chocolate Sauce is handcrafted in northern Maine from a family recipe using only the finest, freshest ingredients. She combines pure organic cocoa, organic cane sugar and organic vanilla with local farm-fresh dairy ingredients to create a dessert topping that is simple and sophisticated, exotic and homemade. No artificial ingredients, just pure decadent goodness.
What began as a holiday gift for friends and family has gained quite a reputation among sweet tooths, cocoa connoisseurs and grandkids throughout Maine. Robin made her first batch of “Original Recipe” organic chocolate sauce in a 12-gallon steam kettle in 2004. Since then, she, her husband, and their two sons have built up the family business to produce six distinct varieties. Robin processes the sauce patiently in small batches to produce a luscious, creamy texture and flavor.
Great Dessert for a Great Cause
Awareness of global environmental issues is at the heart of the business. Robin became conscious of the not-so-sweet realities of the chocolate trade by researching where and how her ingredients are grown and produced, and by whom. She is committed to using organic, shade grown and local or Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients whenever possible. These standards are crucial to maintaining a sustainable environment, protecting migratory birds and creating healthy communities—and your children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren will notice the sweet difference.
Robin Herself
Robin’s Chocolate Sauce is more than a delicious dessert topping. It’s a resource for the education, awareness and advocacy of the issues concerning communities and the environment both locally and globally. Every delicious spoonful of sauce is helping make a difference.
With every purchase of Robin’s Chocolate Sauce, you’re supporting the mission of the National Wildlife Federation to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future. What could be better than getting some delicious treats and supporting a great cause!
If you'd like to order some of Robin's sublime chocolate sauces go to any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Large Farms Receive Most of the Government Farm Payments
Pumpkin Patch (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Small family farms made up 88% of U.S. farms in 2007, but “Medium-sales, large, and very large farms were more likely to receive Government payments, especially commodity-related payments, than smaller farms,” according to a new report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service.
A small family farm is defined as one with annual sales of less than $250,000. They held 63% of the land owned by farms in 2007, and small-farm households typically do not rely on their farms for their livelihoods. Most of their off-farm income is from jobs or self-employment.
The report says, “As custodians of the bulk of farmland, small farms have a large role in natural resource and environmental policy.” But, commodity-related payments are much larger than conservation payments, accounting for 75% of all Government payments made to farmers. Commodity programs target specific commodities, largely feed and food grains, cotton, and oilseeds. According to the report, “Medium-sales, large, and very large farms were more likely to receive Government payments, especially commodity-related payments, than smaller farms.”
Commodity payments are determined by output and though large-scale farms account for on1y 2% of U.S farms, they account for 84% of the value of production. The report notes three significant features of U.S. farms:
First, small family farms make up 88 percent of all U.S. farms. Second, large-scale family farms—only 9 percent of all farms—account for a disproportionately large, 66-percent share of the value of production. Third, farming is still an industry of family businesses. Ninety-eight percent of farms are family farms, and they account for 82 percent of production. Only 2 percent of U.S farms are nonfamily farms, accounting for the remaining 18 percent of production.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Shrimp & Clams (photo by joeb, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
In the film “Food Inc.” Gary Hirshberg, chief executive officer of Stonyfield Farm, asserts that large companies will respond to consumer pressure and offer sustainable foods when customers demand them. The filmed showed how Walmart began carrying Stonyfield Organic Yogurt, making Stonyfield the No. 3 brand in the United States.
Now Delhaize America has announced its 1,600 stores will operate under a new sustainable seafood sourcing program. The company is a major player in the supermarket industry. Its stores include Hannaford, Sweetbay, Bottom Dollar Food, Food Lion, Bloom, Harveys and Reid's. The supermarkets will move to selling seafood managed to sustain the availability of seafood for current and future generations.
Encouraging Local Sourcing
The supermarkets' new seafood policy requires suppliers to verify that seafood is coming from sources managed for sustainability and encourages sourcing locally. The requirement applies to all seafood in the stores, including fresh, frozen and packaged fish and shellfish. All suppliers are required to be compliant with the program by March 31, 2011.
"We want our shoppers to have confidence that seafood they buy from us is from fisheries that are viable and maintained for the future," said George Parmenter, a Corporate Responsibility manager for Delhaize America. "The health of fisheries is important to us as a retailer, both for the long-term product supply and for reducing the environmental impacts of products we sell. Our company is committed to operating responsibly."
Sustainable Certifications
The new sustainable seafood sourcing program was developed in close partnership with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), a non-profit marine science center. The comprehensive sustainable seafood policy requires all suppliers demonstrate that their seafood products come from well-managed fisheries. The fisheries, which could also be certified under a variety of sustainable certifications (such as the Marine Stewardship Council), must demonstrate a detailed management plan which includes the following components:
• Establishing plans to rebuild stock sizes within a specific timeframe if stock size levels are below target levels.
• Providing sufficient data to determine appropriate harvest levels or practices.
• Implementing monitoring and compliance measures to ensure harvest levels are maintained within acceptable limits.
• Maintaining enforcement policies to ensure harvesters follow regulations, and to prevent illegal practices and unreported harvest.
Farm-Raised Seafood
In the case of farm-raised seafood, suppliers must be certified by the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), a program of the Global Aquaculture Alliance. BAP certification ensures that the production of the product does not negatively impact communities, workers, the environment, or human health through inappropriate use of chemicals or drugs.
Sustainability Requires Traceability
Another core component of the policy is the requirement that all seafood be fully traceable to the port of landing or farm. As a result, all Delhaize America supermarkets will have immediate access to information about where the product was harvested, thus enabling the company to confirm claims around sustainable harvest.
The company has also built rewards into the system for seafood businesses that adopt sustainable harvesting practices, such as strategies to minimize accidental catch of fish not intended for market or to prevent damage to marine habitats. All seafood products sold in Delhaize America's 1,600 stores must demonstrate compliance with the policy or show a clear action plan to reach compliance by March 31, 2011.
"The new policy encourages ongoing improvement in sustainability practices and promotes local fisheries," added Parmenter. "Our customers prefer local seafood, and we believe buying local provides fresh food, supports our local economies, and reduces environmental impacts from transporting seafood from longer distances. Through this work, we will ensure that the local seafood we've always sourced for customers will be healthy for the local environment and around for future generations to enjoy."
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The ordinary tap water available to 12 million residents in the New York Metropolitan area has been reliably clean and flavorful since 1842, when an aqueduct was built to bring pristine water from upstate to the city. For years the prideful city's water has been a consistent winner in blind taste tests. Easy to take for granted, it comes as a shock to learn it is now endangered by natural gas drilling.
For a couple of years there have been media reports from Pennsylvania to Texas of drinking water so tainted that folks are able to light the water from their kitchen tap on fire. There have been more than 300 instances of contaminated water in Colorado since 2003, and more than 700 instances in New Mexico, according to Bruce Baizel, senior staff attorney with Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project. In West Virginia a once lushly forested area has been transformed into a dead zone.
Fracking in Gasland
Josh Fox made the Sundance award-winning documentary “Gasland” after he was asked to lease his land for gas drilling. That led him to embark on a cross-country odyssey. As the website for the show “Now” on PBS explains, his journey led to a film that “alleges chronic illness, animal-killing toxic waste, disastrous explosions, and regulatory missteps.” It will be broadcast on HBO through 2012. The DVD goes on sale in December of 2010.
“Gasland” shows tap water being set ablaze and explores the drilling process known as fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, a technology developed by Halliburton. Millions of gallons water, chemicals and sand are injected into the ground under high pressure, cracking shale and tight rocks to allow gas to flow more freely from the well. It is a toxic mixture and believed to be the prime culprit in the pollution of groundwater in areas surrounding drilling sites. Even drinking water hundreds of miles from a well can be contaminated.
Hundreds of Thousands of New Wells Coming
It is hard to believe that risking the health of millions in order to extract natural gas would even be considered, but the N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation is close to issuing a final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement on gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing near a major watershed in upstate New York. The SGEIS is expected to facilitate the process for fracking near a vital watershed. Concerned citizens are asking for a delay until DEC can study and integrate the conclusions of a full report on gas drilling from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Residents of New York are not alone in facing a future threat to the safety of their drinking water. According to an article published by ProPublica in December of 2009:
In the next 10 years, the United States will use the fracturing technology to drill hundreds of thousands of new wells astride cities, rivers and watersheds. Cash-strapped state governments are pining for the revenue and the much-needed jobs that drilling is expected to bring to poor, rural areas.
Keep Drinking Water Safe
Incredibly, a loophole exempts natural gas drilling from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Drilling companies don’t even have to disclose the almost 600 chemicals that might be used in fracking and find their way into drinking water. Fortunately, our friends at Food & Water Watch have provided a way for concerned citizens to make their voices heard by contacting elected representatives. Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. The organization challenges abuse of food and water resources by empowering people to take action.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
D & E Farms in Franklinville, N.J. (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The preservation of family-scale farms across the land is vital to achieving a healthier and more sustainable food sytem. Our friend Greg Plotkin of Change.org sent us the following message:
Every minute of every day, the country loses two acres of farmland to development. To make matters worse, the average age of a U.S. farmer is now 57 years old, signaling an even greater challenge than a lack of land to farm-namely, a lack of people to farm it. Ideas for Change winner American Farmland Trust (AFT) aims to keep food on our plates by securing the future of American farms. AFT is petitioning legislators to include farmland and ranch conservation in national and state farm policies.
Farmers Markets are Growing in Popularity
In 2009, the number of farmers markets in the U.S. increased by 13% from the prior year, a great illustration of just how many communities and consumers across the country are eagerly reaching out for fresh food and supporting their local farms. Farmers and consumers connected at 5,274 farmers markets this year, up from 4,685 in 2008.
Nearly a third of U.S. shoppers say they have specifically purchased locally produced food over the last month, double the number in 2006, according to food and grocery analysts IGD. Many do so to obtain the freshest produce, but a desire to support local jobs, farms and stores has also played an important role.
As Julia Child once said, “You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”
To learn more about the efforts of AFT and how you can support their efforts, go to: American Farmland Trust
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Urging Congress to Protect Historic Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay (photo by Michelle Kwajafa, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The devastation of the Gulf’s seafood industry by the BP oil spill is a disaster that will be felt for years to come. Livelihoods that have supported families for generations have been destroyed and seafood lovers will not be enjoying the Gulf’s bounty of shrimp, oysters and crab as they have in the past.
The Chesapeake Bay is another of America’s great sources of seafood in need of protection if the harvesting of shellfish including scallops, clams, blue crab, soft-shell crab and oysters, and fresh fish such as flounder, mackerel, croaker, and striped bass is to be preserved for future generations. It is the nation’s largest estuary and one of the most popular travel destinations in the U.S.
Major New Online Campaign
Now the great bay is the focus of a major new online campaign, “Restoring our Waters”, that aims to ensure Congressional support comparable to that already in place for other major American bodies of water.
The new Web-based campaign targeting transplanted natives, outdoors enthusiasts, vacationers, travelers and others around the United States is being launched in advance of the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee markup this month of S. 1816, the Chesapeake Clean Water Act.
“Restoring our Waters tells the story of how people around the country consider the Chesapeake a national treasure, worthy of protection,” Hilary Falk, director of the Choose Clean Water Coalition (CCWC), which is organizing the national effort.
Those who love the Chesapeake Bay know it deserves the national attention and iconic status of the Florida Everglades, the Gulf Coast, the Great Lakes, or the Mighty Mississippi. Having Americans who care about clean water and the great outdoors sign this petition and contact their legislators will demonstrate how important the Chesapeake is to our nation.
Peter Johnson, manager of the Restoring Our Waters campaign added:
Thousands of gallons of oil a day are spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. We are all astonished by this thought and the fact that we are largely helpless to stop it. But nutrients have been pouring into the Chesapeake, its rivers and streams for decades now. Its effects are more subtle than the startling images of oil-soaked birds and wildlife; yet nitrogen and other pollutants strangle the very life-blood out of the Chesapeake and the economy of the region. The federal government is finally starting to realize the devastating impact that decades of neglect and misuse have had on the waters of the Chesapeake.
Prevention as the Wise Choice
Johnson said, “Unlike a disaster situation, preventing more of this pollution from happening in the first place is a far better and more cost-effective solution. The Chesapeake Clean Water Act (S.1816) introduced by Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland will provide the tools and resources to address the persistent pollution plaguing the Chesapeake Bay.”
“What happens with this bill will show the concern Americans have for clean water in iconic places like the Chesapeake or the Gulf Coast. Passage of this bill depends of the support of citizens across the country, and now is finally the time to demand clean water.”
About Choose Clean Water & Restoring Our Waters
The Choose Clean Water coalition brings together people and more than 130 organizations from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, working together to help everyone in the region choose clean water.
The Restoring Our Waters campaign was launched in June 2010 to build the national case for support of the Chesapeake Bay as an Iconic American Waterway.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
U.S. Should Follow U.K.'s Lead on Oversight of Offshore Oil Drilling
Pelicans on the Florida Gulf (photo by Michael Richter, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The oil disaster in the Gulf is now widely acknowledged to be the worst environmental disaster in the history of the United States. The seafood and tourism industries in several states now face devastation, costing many thousands of people their livelihoods. Billions of dollars in revenue that might have supported schools, hospitals and other vital services are now lost.
Media reports make it pretty clear that this should never have happened. Steps to insure safety were not taken by either BP or government officials responsible for oversight. As a result, eleven BP employees lost their lives and a criminal probe is underway. More people are expected to suffer poor health as a direct result of the spill and clean up efforts.
The United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne recently announced that the U.K. will double the number of inspections it makes to offshore oil rigs, while also increasing the number of personnel assigned to those duties.
BP’s Troubling Criminal Past
A nonprofit environmental organization, Food & Water Watch, has called on the British government to immediately investigate the five deepwater platforms operated by BP in the North Sea and the North Atlantic. According to a statement from F & W’s Executive Director Wenonah Hauter:
Even before the Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico, BP maintained a troubled safety record in the United States. In addition to 2005’s Texas City refinery explosion that killed 15 workers and injured more than 170, BP has been subject to at least $142.8 million in fines and penalties for workplace safety violations.
BP has a history of criminality, having pleaded guilty to a felony in 1999. The charges stemmed from having illegally disposed of hazardous waste and violated federal drinking water law in Alaska. As part of the plea agreement, BP admitted that it failed to provide adequate oversight, audits and funding to ensure proper environmental management on Alaska’s Endicott Island. The company paid the maximum criminal fine of $500,000. It also agreed to spend $22 million to resolve the criminal case and related civil claims.
Ms. Hauter also said, “The U.S. should take the U.K.’s move to step up its inspection of offshore oil rigs as a cue to intensify its own scrutiny of BP and the entire oil drilling industry’s operations in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.”
The cost of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster is rising daily. Oil continues to wash ashore In Louisiana, where the seafood industry is said to be worth $2 billion a year. The toxic spill has also arrived on the beaches of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. A report in Reuters values Florida’s tourism industry alone at $60 billion annually.
About Food & Water Watch
The nonprofit organization works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, it helps people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.
To learn more about the nonprofit organization, go to: Food & Water Watch
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Our friends at Organic Valley Family of Farms have sent a timely reminder that genetically engineered or modified (GM) alfalfa has the capacity to destroy organic milk dairies. Cows producing organic milk are largely fed on alfalfa, and by law they cannot be fed GM crops.
If GM alfalfa makes its way into organic fields, those fields will be lost as a source of feed to organic dairy farmers. Just a wind blowing in the right direction would be enough to bring about the destructive contamination. So Organic Valley is asking folks to sign on to a letter asking the USDA to "Maintain the Ban" on genetically engineered alfalfa (see below).
Keep Children's Milk Free of Hormoes & Antibiotics
The huge numbers of parents who want their children to get the health benefits of milk without exposing them to the dangers of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) and the antibiotics fed to cows in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), have contributed mightily to organic dairy farming enjoying quite a boom in the United States. Families should not have to see the health of their children suffer so that a few large corporations can enjoy ever greater profits.
We are all indebted to the small farmers who took the risk of undertaking organic farming in order to produce healthier food, leave clear skies, clean water, and rich soil. According to a report from the USDA organic dairies are smaller than conventional dairies and 63% of their dairy feed is from pasture during grazing months.
A final word from Organic Valley Family of Farms, “Thanks for all your support for family farmers and a sustainable organic future for all!”
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
BP's Gulf Oil Spill Has Wiped Out Vital Jobs in Fisheries in 3 States
Recreational Fishing (photo by Digger Danno, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Twenty years after the Exxon Valdez disaster in the once pristine waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound oil still plagues hundreds of miles of shoreline. In some places the oil "is nearly as toxic as it was the first few weeks after the spill,” according to the council created to administer the $900 million that Exxon paid to settle lawsuits.
This week U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke determined there has been a fishery disaster in the Gulf of Mexico due to the economic impact on commercial and recreational fisheries from the ongoing Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The affected area includes the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Gulf disaster is many times the size of the spill in Alaska.
Significant Economic Hardship
“We are taking this action today because of the potentially significant economic hardship this spill may cause fishermen and the businesses and communities that depend on those fisheries,” Locke said. “The disaster determination will help ensure that the Federal government is in a position to mobilize the full range of assistance that fishermen and fishing communities may need.”
The declaration was made in response to requests from Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour based on the loss of access to many commercial fisheries and the existing and anticipated environmental damage from this unprecedented event.
Nearly 20% of Federal Waters in the Gulf Now Closed
Since May 2, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has closed a portion of federal waters affected by the spill to commercial and recreational fishing. This closure area, which is based on the scientific trajectory of the spill, now includes nearly 20 percent of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, largely between Louisiana state waters at the mouth of the Mississippi and the waters off Florida’s Pensacola Bay.
“We stand with America’s fishermen, their families and businesses in impacted coastal communities during this challenging time,” Locke said. “Commercial and recreational fishing provides vital jobs to the region and is essential to the Gulf Coast’s unique culture and heritage.”
Commercial fishermen in the Gulf harvested more than 1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2008. In addition, there are approximately 5.7 million recreational fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico region who took 25 million fishing trips in 2008.
Administration Expects Responsible Parties Will Pay Full Cost
The administration has requested $15 million of supplemental funding as a backstop to address this disaster, as well as $5 million of economic development assistance through the Economic Development Administration. In addition, the administration is requesting unemployment coverage for this disaster, and the Small Business Administration is offering economic injury disaster loans, which can help fishermen and other affected businesses. However, the administration expects that BP and any other responsible parties will cover the full costs of economic damages to and restoration of these fisheries.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Genetic Modification of Crops Leads to Superweeds Threat
Amish Farm (photo by Marianne Venegoni, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
May arrived with reports of “superweeds” that have developed a resistance to the herbicide Roundup, which is used extensively in monocultural agriculture where single crops predominate on large farming operations.
An alarming article in The New York Times says there are now "10 resistant [weed] species in at least 22 states infesting millions of acres, predominantly soybeans, cotton and corn."
Subsidized Failure
Soybeans, cotton and corn are heavily subsidized by the United States government. Those subsidies have helped them become some of the most widely grown crops in American agriculture. Those crops are now common ingredients in a tremendous number of products.
The plants were genetically modified (GM) to be resistant to Roundup, so the herbicide could be used to destroy weeds without harming crops. With the emergence of the “superweeds” farmers are likely to go back to conventional herbicides to kill the Roundup-resistant weeds threatening huge fields of GM crops.
A Predictable Disaster
Author and nutritionist Marion Nestle points out in a recent article for The Atlantic that the Union of Concerned Scientists predicted that the widespread planting of GM crops would produce selection pressures for Roundup-resistant weeds. The Union’s Jane Rissler and Margaret Mellon wrote that these would be difficult and expensive to control. They made that prediction in 1996.
Only the Most Recent Setback for GM Crops
This is just the latest in a string of failures for GM crops. In May of 2009, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine called on "Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks."
As for the claim that GM foods are needed to feed a hungry world, Doug Gurian-Sherman, a senior scientist in the Union of Concerned Scientists Food and Environment Program has concluded "...that GE (genetic engineering) has done little to increase overall crop yields." And a major study conducted at the University of Kansas has found that the controversial technology actually reduces crop yields.
Require the Labeling of GM Foods
Many people are unaware that they are regularly consuming GM foods because they are not labeled as such. Giant agribusinesses do not want the labeling of GM foods because consumers don’t want to buy them. They are even opposed to the labeling of foods as GM-free. (GM foods are prohibited from being used in food that carries the USDA’s organic label.)
As Elise Pearlstein, producer of the Oscar nominated film Food Inc. has said, "It's outrageous that genetically modified foods don't need to be labeled...Whatever your position, you should have the right to make informed choices, and we don't."
To view an interactive graphic by The New York Times on the spread of “superweeds” across the U.S., go to: Where Weedkiller Won’t Work
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The Victory Garden Foundation's 350 Garden Challenge
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
Victory Gardens beautifully illustrate that truly great ideas never get old.
During World War II Americans lived with rations of such necessities as tires, gasoline, sugar, and other foodstuffs. The U.S. government encouraged ordinary people to create Victory Gardens; small plots of fruits and vegetables to stave off food shortages so more mass-produced food could be sent to feed the troops.
The people responded. Two million Americans created Victory Gardens in their backyards or communities. According to author Michael Pollan, "...during World War II, Victory Gardens supplied as much as 40% of the produce Americans ate."
Victory Gardens were more than a war time activity, they were a social phenomenon. Schools and families planted Victory Gardens together, often on communal land. Families caught up on news as they planted and harvested. Nutrition information was widely disseminated to help home cooks create balanced meals for their families. Our current obesity epidemic must have been unimaginable to those gardeners.
The Foundation’s 350 Garden Challenge
Our friends at the Victory Garden Foundation have issued a well-timed challenge for grassroots action, the 350 Garden Challenge. Here’s what they say about it:
On a single weekend, May 15-16, 350 landscapes will be transformed into bountiful Victory Gardens, which uses water wisely to grow food all while educating and empowering community and supporting local businesses. This can be as simple as planting a fruit tree or a tomato plant in a pot. But it is also an opportunity to create innovative gardens on front yards, apartment patios, school and church grounds, and business premises while being waterwise.
Impact Worth Rooting For
Victory Gardens bring down the cost of food for American families and make organic produce more widely available. They reduce America’s reliance on oil simply by keeping vegetable gardens and cutting down on the amount of food that has to be transported by truck. Victory Gardens also reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers on giant corporate farms. If you’re unhappy about where all the money Americans spend on oil and gasoline is going, then maybe it’s time for your Victory Garden to take root.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The Film "Tapped" Looks at the Billion Dollar Bottled Water Industry
Tap Water (photo by Jane M Sawyer, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? Stephanie Soechtig’s award-winning feature film, Tapped is an unflinching examination of the billion dollar bottled water industry.
From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.U.S.A., this timely documentary is a behind the scenes look at the unregulated and unseen works of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back one resource that ought never become a commodity, our water. From the plastic production to the ocean where so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry, and the communities that were unwitting chips on the table.
A powerful portrait of the lives affected by the bottled water industry, this revelatory film features those caught in the intersection of big business and the public’s right to water.
Producer Sarah Olson and director Stephanie Soechtig are driving across the country urging Americans to Get Off the Bottle! They will collect pledges for people to reduce their bottled water use and trade people their empty bottles of water for a free Klean Kanteen stainless steel bottle.
There will be a screening of the film on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22nd, at 7:00 PM at Sunshine Cinemas, 143 E. Houston Street in New York City,. Go at 6:00 pm to exchange your plastic water bottle for a free stainless steel bottle.
For more info and to view a trailer of the award-winning film, go to: Tapped
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Saving Fisheries for Future Generations a Major Challenge
Fishing Boats at Sunset (photo by Michelle Kwajafa, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Recent news reports and a spreading of the word by social media sites have made many aware that after being fished in the Mediterranean for centuries, the Atlantic bluefin tuna population is at serious risk of collapse, but there are a number of other fish species once taken for granted that are also in trouble.
Popular choices, including swordfish, red snapper and Chilean sea bass, are in real danger of being lost to future generations. Atlantic cod was once a vital part of the Massachusetts economy and been heavily fished for the last 50 years. The nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund says, “U.S. and Canadian cod stocks remain extremely depleted, and European populations have declined as well.” The organization asks consumers to look for cod that has been caught by hook-and-line and avoid Atlantic cod caught with bottom trawls.
Worrisome Stats
The Seafood Watch program of the nonprofit Monterey Bay Aquarium says the global catch of wild fish leveled off over 20 years ago and 70% of the world's fisheries are being harvested at capacity or are in decline. The National Marine Fisheries Service says 60 important fisheries in the U.S are overfished or undergoing overfishing.
Wild Salmon Harvests
There are reasons to be cautiously optimistic. Wild salmon populations in Southern Oregon and Northern California region have sharply declined in recent years. In April of 2009, commercial salmon fishing off the coast of California was banned for the second year in a row. The salmon industry received a miniature federal bailout in the amount of $170 million in emergency aid after the 2008 season was canceled.
The ban has been effective enough that salmon will be fished off the west coast of the U.S. in 2010. Concerned salmon lovers can also look for wild-caught salmon from Alaskan waters for a sustainable alternative. The Alaskan constitution actually requires that seafood be sustainably harvested.
Food Stores Step Up to the Plate
Greenpeace has rated supermarkets based on a number of factors: policy, initiatives, labeling, and sales of critically endangered seafood species in 2009. The top supermarket wasn't a pricey, boutique-style store. It was Wegman's, a regional supermarket in the mid-Atlantic that won top honors thanks to its sustainable seafood sourcing policy. Number two was Ahold USA, the company that owns the Stop & Shop and Giant supermarkets, known more for everyday staples than expensive delicacies.
Whole Foods has had a comprehensive policy for stocking sustainable fish seafood for some time and specialty food retailer Trader Joe's has just announced that it will shift all of its seafood purchases to sustainable sources by the end of 2012. The company is also in the process of enhancing package labeling for all seafood items to include information on species' Latin names, origin and catch or production method.
To download a pocket guide to help you choose local, ocean-friendly seafood wherever you live or travel, go to: Seafood Watch Pocket Guide
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Slope Farms is one of very few providers of sustainably raised, grass-fed beef in New York State, but there’s reason to believe that such farms could dramatically grow in number.
“There are 3 milion acres of unused pasture land in New York State. That’s enough land to raise all the beef consumed in New York City,” said Ken Jaffe, the proprietor of Slope Farms in East Meredith, New York. He made his remarks as a panelist at “Meat and Potatoes: A local solution to a National Problem,” an event produced by the American Institute of Wine & Food on a recent night in Manhattan.
E. coli & Mad Cow Come from CAFOs
To make that happen will require a good deal of change. Current U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations are more favorable to the corn-fed beef raised on CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) that pose the dangers of E. coli contamination and Mad Cow Disease, the commonly used name for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. Cows raised on CAFOs are administered antibiotics to counter the ill effects of their unnatural corn diet. They are fed corn made cheap and plentiful by heavy subsidies of taxpayer dollars. Cows in CAFOs are also given growth hormones to add to the weight of each animal, though panelist George Faison of DeBragga.com said the use of hormones diminishes the quality of the meat.
Family farmers like Ken Jaffe produce beef that are free of the diseases brought on by the unnatural corn diet and closely confined conditions, but still face a system of legal requirements developed in the face of the threat to human health posed by cattle raised in CAFOs. One such rule makes it difficult for a farmer like Jaffe to have his animals humanely slaughtered, a hurdle that needs to be overcome to make much of New York’s unused pastures financially viable for family farmers who want to raise grass-fed beef.
Healthier Families & a Healthier Environment
The benefits of greater grass-fed beef production would be prodigious. Raising beef on grass would eliminate much of the foodborne illness plaguing the nation’s food supply. The beef raised on grass contains nutrients such as CLAs and omega 3 fatty acids, which are not typically found in animals raised in CAFOs.
Besides the health benefits there would be enormous environmental benefits. The corn fed to cattle in CAFOs requires a great deal of fossil fuel to produce and poisonous pesticides are used in growing that corn. The tremendous amount of manure produced by the thousands upon thousands of tightly confined animals is another environmental hazard. In contrast, the manure from the cows on the Jaffe’s farm is a marvelous fertilizer for the grasses on which those cows feed.
Restaurants Making a Difference
Panelists Andrew Taylor, owner of Diner and Marlow & Sons, and Chef Sean Rembold are set on a future of serving their customers fine, grass-fed beef and using the entire animal. They take delivery of whole animals from Slope Farms then age their beef to an extraordinary degree to maximize a rich flavor. They are committed to training their chefs to make use of the entire animal, even using the fat to fry potatoes. Their staff members visit farmers to deepen the food knowledge that gets applied in their kitchens. After the panel discussion those in attendance were delighted by the taste of the tender braised brisket they prepared.
Is there a down side to the story? Yes, grass-fed beef is roughly twice the price of corn-fed beef from CAFOs. One answer is to eat less and eat better. And what price should we place on healthier families and a cleaner environment?
To learn more about AIWF, the sponsor of the event, and the events they will be presenting in the future, go to: The American Institute of Wine & Food
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Roasted Alaska Black Cod with Leeks & Spinach Recipe
Alaskan Seascape (photo by Karen Freedman, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
“Alaska is dedicated to preserving and protecting this superior seafood for future generations,” say our friends at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). In fact, since 1959, the Alaska Constitution has mandated that “fish...be utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle.”
Sounds like there will be no end to enjoying wild-caught, sustainable and delicious seafood from Alaskan waters, and that means recipes gathered today will do well for many seasons to come. Alaska’s black cod season will be getting underway very soon, and the folks at ASMI say, “The extraordinary qualities of wild Alaska black cod are attributable to natural life cycle…swimming free in pure, icy Alaska waters eating only a native marine diet. Only nature can create this sublime complement of features and benefits in one fish.”
Our friends have provided us with a recipe that combines the unique qualities of wild Alaska black cod with leeks, a wonderful winter vegetable. It is a real seasonal delight and should be well within the capabilities of home cooking enthusiasts. If keeping a healthy heart is a concern, Alaska black cod is high in omega-3 fatty acids, making it a preferred source of protein.
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 4 Seven-ounce, Alaska Black Cod Fillets
• 2 Ounces Butter
• 3 Leeks, medium, trimmed & thinly sliced
• 1 Small onion, thinly sliced
• 7 Ounces dry cider
• 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley chopped
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F Gas Mark 5
2. Heat the butter in a frying pan and sauté the leeks and onion for about 5 minutes over a medium heat, until softened but not browned. Add the cider and cook until the liquid has almost evaporated.
3. Drizzle a little olive oil into a roasting pan and tip in the leeks and onions. Arrange the fillets of black cod on top and season with a little salt and black pepper.
4. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked. To make sure that it is done, check that the flesh looks opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork. Take care that you don't overcook it, or the flesh will become dry.
5. Serve the fish with the vegetables, garnished with chopped parsley and accompanied by some sautéed or new potatoes.
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Dairy Cows in Vermont (photo by Tara, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Many large corporations are busily sending messages about their newly “green” behavior, but Ben & Jerry’s has been operating as a socially responsible company for decades. The company has just announced a commitment to go fully Fair Trade across its entire global flavor portfolio by 2013.
Ben & Jerry’s was the first ice cream company in the world to use Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients starting in 2005, and today it’s racing ahead as the first ice cream company to make such a significant commitment to Fair Trade across its global portfolio.
Company co-founder Jerry Greenfield said, ”Fair Trade is about making sure people get their fair share of the pie. The whole concept of Fair Trade goes to the heart of our values and sense of right and wrong. Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else.”
Ben & Jerry’s Fair Trade commitment means that every ingredient that can be sourced Fair Trade Certified™, now or in the future, is Fair Trade Certified™. Globally, this involves converting up to 121 different chunks and swirls, working across eleven different ingredients such as cocoa, banana, vanilla and other flavorings, fruits and nuts. It also means working with Fair Trade cooperatives that total a combined membership of over 27,000 farmers.
Tackling Poverty through Trade
Rob Cameron, Chief Executive of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) said, “Congratulations to Ben & Jerry’s on the scale and the depth of this commitment to take their whole range Fair Trade. Tackling poverty and sustainable agriculture through trade may not be easy but it is always worth it, and Ben & Jerry’s has demonstrated real leadership in laying out this long-term ambition to engage with smallholders, who grow nuts, bananas, vanilla, cocoa and other Fair Trade-certified ingredients. Ben & Jerry’s, like all of us in the Fair Trade movement, believe that people can have fun standing up to injustice and campaigning against poverty while enjoying some of Ben & Jerry’s best-selling favorites like Phish Food and Chocolate Fudge Brownie, how cool is that.”
Farmers selling Fair Trade products earn a better income, which allows them to stay on their land. Fair Trade premiums also allow for reinvestment in their farms, their families, their communities and their future. Fair Trade means that certified farmers are using environmentally sound practices to grow and harvest their crops in a sustainable way.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Lovers of wild-caught halibut and black cod from the waters of Alaska can start looking over favorite recipes, as the harvest season will soon begin. Alaska’s waters are home to over 75% of the wild Pacific halibut and over 70% of the wild black cod caught in the United States.
Alaska halibut is the largest of the flatfish, some weighing over 300 pounds. Alaska black cod is high in omega-3 fatty acids, making it a preferred source of protein. Both whitefish selections pair naturally with a wide variety of flavor profiles and cooking applications such as: smoking, sautéing, poaching and roasting. Wild Alaska halibut and black cod are available fresh until mid-November.
Wild & Sustainable Choices
Alaska halibut and black cod, and in fact all seafood from Alaska, are wild and sustainable seafood choices. In fact, Alaska is the only state in the nation to have sustainability language written into its Constitution. Halibut is harvested exclusively with longline gear; black cod is harvested by longline and pots.
The 2010 wild Alaska halibut and black cod (sablefish) season opens March 6, 2010. Catch limits for Alaska halibut and black cod are set at 40.3 million pounds and 24.9 million pounds, respectively.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance has announced the introduction of a statewide certification program that provides third-party verification of a vineyard's adherence to a "process of continuous improvement" in the adoption and implementation of sustainable winegrowing practices.
Open to all California wineries and vineyards as a voluntary option, CSWA's new program requires applicants to meet 58 prerequisite criteria to be eligible for the program, assess winery and/or vineyard operations, create and implement an annual action plan, and show improvement over time.
The goals of the new certification program are to enhance transparency, encourage statewide participation and advance the entire California wine industry toward best practices in environmental stewardship, conservation of natural resources, and socially equitable business practices. Three years in the making, the certification program is the first statewide program available to both wineries and vineyards.
Finest Quality Grapes Produced with Eco-Friendly Practices
"Third-party certification helps California's wine community speed efforts to create a healthier environment, stronger communities and vibrant businesses," said Robert P. (Bobby) Koch, Wine Institute President and CEO. "The program reflects the California wine community's commitment to continually produce the finest quality wine and grapes with practices that are environmentally and socially responsible."
"The scale on which California's wine community is adopting and expanding sustainable practices is truly impressive, as the state is the fourth leading wine producer in the world," said California Association of Winegrape Growers Board Chairman Kim Ledbetter Bronson of Vino Farms in Lodi. "CSWA's mission is to bring recognition to the California wine industry as a change leader in the global marketplace and serve as a model for other industries."
To date, 1,566 vineyard and winery organizations representing 68.1% of California's 526,000 wine acres have evaluated their vineyards and wineries with CSWA's Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook. Wine Institute and CAWG established the Sustainable Winegrowing Program in 2002 and incorporated CSWA a year later as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to continue implementing the program.
"With a majority of our industry already involved in CSWA's Sustainable Winegrowing Program, the new certification option evolved as the appropriate next step," said CSWA Executive Director Allison Jordan.
2009 Wine Community Sustainability Report
CSWA has also released its 2009 Wine Community Sustainability Report, measuring the California wine industry's adoption over five years of 227 best management practices from the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook.
The strengths of the state's industry are practices for viticulture, soil management and ecosystem management. Areas identified as opportunities for improvement include energy efficiency, materials handling, waste reduction and environmentally preferred purchasing.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Apply for Mini Grants from the Victory Garden Foundation
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
There are plenty of benefits to planting a garden, and our friends at the Victory Garden Foundation explain some of the most tangible:
Those nasty pesticides can be avoided by growing your own food at home or buying organic. While buying organic can be expensive; you can grow your own food at home for pennies. And, did you know that food stamps can now be used for purchasing seeds and plants that produce food for the household to eat?
There you have it, planting a garden can improve your health, the environment, and your financial affairs. Inspired by the successful program of World War II fame, when as much as 40% of all the produce eaten by Americans came from Victory Gardens, the nonprofit Foundation wants to help today’s gardeners succeed. There’s a wealth of practical information at the organization’s web site, and it costs nothing to join. By joining you become eligible to apply for a grant as an individual or as an organization “in synergy with our mission.”
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Curb the Overfishing of Red Snapper Now for a Future of Plenty
Still Wild Coast in Costa Rica (photo courtesy of La Cuisinga Lodge)
Red snapper was long one of my favorite meals. The unique flavor always brings a fond memory of dining on it within a couple of hours of seeing it caught from a beach in Costa Rica with a simple rod and reel. I regarded it as a delicacy, but for the local residents it was a naturally plentiful seafood.
I gave up red snapper well over a year ago after reading that it was being seriously overfished, hoping it would some day return to abundance. Unfortunately, I just learned from the nonprofit Care2 that “…government assessments from 2008 show that the species is being overfished at eight times the sustainable level.” The population has dwindled to just 3% of its historic levels.
The good news is that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is working on new rules that should enable red snapper to make a big comeback. Our friends at Care2 write, “In less than 10 years, the population of red snapper would skyrocket -- and with it, so could catches of the species. Scientific projections suggest that it could be as high as a 25-fold increase, from 78,000 pounds of fish in 2006 to nearly 2 million pounds by 2036.”
Regretfully, “The red snapper's not the only species at risk; the speckled hind, warsaw grouper, golden tilefish, snowy grouper, black grouper, black sea bass, gag, red grouper and vermilion snapper are all at risk.”
The time for environmental action is now, so Care2 is asking for some grassroots help. They are collecting signatures in support of changes to fishing rules so populations have time to replenish themselves. They need thousands of signatures by November 22nd in order to hand-deliver them to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council as part of a public comment period.
To learn more about the issue and add your signature in support of the rule changes go to: Save a Snapper
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Landmark Film 'Food Inc.' Coming on DVD in November
Food, Inc. lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing how our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our environment. Food, Inc. reveals often shocking truths about what we eat, how it’s produced and who we have become as a nation.
The “powerful wake-up call for consumers,” (New York Times) Food, Inc., arrives on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on November 3rd. “Bracing, compassionate, witty and compelling,” (Time) Food, Inc. exposes the highly mechanized substructure that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of the government’s regulatory agencies, the USDA and the FDA. Using animation and graphics, Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Robert Kenner reveals the shocking truth behind corporate ‘factory farms,’ which churn out genetically modified produce and meat from diseased animals, detrimentally impacting the lives of millions.
Profits Before People
Putting profit before the health and safety of Americans, companies have utilized scientific advancements to create bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop and insecticide-resistant soybean seeds. The unfortunate by-product of advancement results in the evolution of new, more resistant strains of the sometimes-deadly E. coli bacteria, which sickens over 73,000 Americans annually.
Featuring interviews with Stonyfield Farm’s Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms’ Joel Salatin, and investigative authors Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), Food, Inc. is an eye-opening expose reminiscent of Super Size Me. Detailing how corporate food monopolies influence government regulations, the “smart and expertly shot” (Los Angeles Times) documentary also addresses the nation-wide epidemics of obesity and diabetes, which have drastically escalated over recent decades as a result of the lack of proper nutrition due to the consumption of poor quality food.
Ongoing Impact
Participant Media partnered with 20 nonprofit and social sector organizations to bring awareness to the film and the issues it addresses through a substantial cause marketing and social action campaign. The partnerships with groups including the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Center for Foodborne Illness Research and Prevention will continue beyond the DVD’s release. Celebrities Kelly Preston, Alyssa Milano and Martin Sheen, among others created public service announcements on the issue and they will be included on the DVD.
Bonus Features
Additional bonus features include deleted scenes – 40 minutes of footage and segments not shown in theatres, “Nightline’s” interview with Chipotle’s CEO, and more. The film will be available for the suggested retail price of $26.98 and Blu-ray Disc for $34.98.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Jump in Farmers Markets Illustrates the Need for Local Farms
D & E Farms in Franklinville, N.J. (photo by Emily Roesly , courtesy of morguefile.com)
Earlier this month Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the number of farmers markets in the U.S. increased by 13% from last year, a great illustration of just how many communities and consumers across the country are eagerly reaching out for fresh food and supporting their local farms. Farmers and consumers connected at 5,274 farmers markets this year, up from 4,685 in 2008.
“This growth in the number of farmers markets is a good indicator of just how important local farms and food are to people today,” says Julia Freedgood, managing director of American Farmland Trust’s Growing Local initiative.
As Julia Child once said, “You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”
Ms. Freedgood went to say:
Farmers markets play a crucial role in bringing fresh food to areas where it’s not always available. And by getting to know the farmers who grow their food, people are able to better understand where their food comes from, something that is hard to do in most grocery stores. This relationship between farmer and consumer underscores the fact that food comes from farmland nearby, and how without that land there would be no food.
American Farmland Trust launched a national online contest this summer so consumers could vote for their favorite farmers markets. The contest illustrated several key concepts including AFT’s “No Farms No Food” message and the importance of farmers markets to local economies, access to healthy food, farmland protection and the environment.
“Not only does this mean the number of farmers markets has increased,” adds Stacy Miller, Executive Secretary of the Farmers Market Coalition, “but it also represents growth in the number of people participating in nutrition and food assistance programs, and the degree to which communities are building partnerships and connections that support local food systems and access to local food.”
Ms. Freedgood concludes, "As AFT enters our 30th anniversary it is important to reflect on past successes but also to look ahead at how to engage a new generation in understanding the importance of protecting farmland. Farmers markets are a great way to accomplish this.”
AFT’s national office is located in Washington, D.C. The phone number is 202-331-7300. To visit the organization’s web site go to: American Farmland Trust
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
If you’re not already part of a crew you probably won’t get to join Alaska’s crab fishermen on the Bering Sea for the 2009-2010 crab season. The harvest seasons for Alaska’s two largest crab fisheries opens today, October 15th, but there’s always next year.
Alaska red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) is the largest and one of the most impressive of all shellfish, prized for its sweet flavor and rich tender white body meat. This year’s harvest limits were set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The Alaska Bristol Bay king crab harvest is set at 16 million pounds, a drop from last year, but above the 10-year average.
Also announced were the Bering Sea tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) fishery with a harvest level of 1.35 million pounds, and the Saint Matthew Island blue king crab (Paralithodes platypus) fishery with 1.17 million pounds.
The harvest levels point to Alaska’s ongoing practice of managing all of its fisheries to ensure their long term health and sustainability. State and federal fisheries managers continually adjust harvest limits based on the most current available scientific data. This is one key element within Alaska’s model of sustainability.
The history of crab fisheries in Alaskan waters extends back to 1930. The harvest season for Alaska king crab typically ranges from October through November and again from January through March. Alaska snow crab is usually harvested from October through mid-February. This year's harvest should ensure that your favorite Alaskan crab will be available at your favorite seafood store or restaurant throughout the year.
"The Last Frontier" state is celebrating its 50th anniversary of statehood and Alaska's Constitution states that “fish…be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle.” This dedication to sustainable management has resulted in an ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood for markets around the world.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
NRDC's "Growing Green Awards" are Back with a $10,000 Prize!
Our friend Serena Ingre at the National Resources Defense Council has just let us know that the Natural Resources Defense Council is now accepting nominations for its second annual Growing Green Awards. New this year, in addition to the previous award categories, is a “Water Steward” category just for 2010. Applications are due December 4, 2009 and a $10,000 prize will go to the winning green “Food Producer.”
Through these national awards NRDC will recognize extraordinary contributions that advance ecologically integrated farming practices, climate stewardship, water stewardship, farmland preservation, and social responsibility from farm to fork. Author and sustainable food activist Michael Pollan will again be on the selection panel, along with Chair Susan Clark, the Executive Director of the Columbia Foundation, A.G. Kawamura, California’s Secretary of Agriculture, and Nora Pouillon, founder of the nation’s first certified organic restaurant.
A Growing Green Award will be given to an outstanding individual in each of four categories including “Food Producer,” “Business Leader,” “Thought Leader,” and “Water Steward.” All winners will be widely celebrated through outreach to media and NRDC’s networks.
Growing Green Awards Criteria
In selecting from nominees the awards selection panel will consider the following criteria:
• Innovation in promoting ecologically-integrated food systems. This may include minimizing inputs of energy water and chemicals; reducing pollution and global warming gas emissions; use of on-farm polyculture; increasing natural resilience; and stewardship of biodiversity pollinators open space and land resources.
• Potential to achieve wide scale adoption implementation or behavioral change.
• Advancement of health safety and economic viability for farmers farmworkers and rural communities.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Theo's Gourmet Chocolate is Delicious, Eco-Friendly & Fair Trade
Founder and CEO of Seattle’s Theo Chocolate, Joseph Whinney, witnessed the effects of unfair, unsustainable cocoa trading as a conservation volunteer in Central America. That experience led him to pioneer the manufacture and supply of organic chocolate products as the first individual to import organic cocoa beans into North America in 1994. Over a decade later, Theo is proud to be the first to roast organic cocoa beans and the first roaster of Fair Trade certified cocoa beans in the United States.
Food and Wine Magazine honored Theo with an Eco-Epicurean Award for making the world "a better — and more delicious — place." Theo also won "Outstanding Chocolate" at the NASFT Fancy Food Show in New York City.
Eco-entrepreneurs deserve kudos for the risks they take to start up companies that strive for sustainability. Joe Whinney of Theo Chocolate is among the most deserving, so it’s quite fitting that the popular environmental news site Grist named him one of its top 15 green business founders.
All of Theo’s ingredients are carefully selected to ensure they meet the company’s high standards for social and environmental responsibility. As true chocolate makers, they carefully steward cacao (cocoa beans) through the process of roasting, blending and conching in order to coax out the distinctive flavor imparted by each unique growing region. Theo’s production is guided by their passion for chocolate and their ultimate goal is to lead the industry with the excellence and integrity of their offerings.
The company is located in a beautiful, historic building in Seattle, Washington. They welcome visitors for tours of the chocolate factory at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, seven days a week, with additional tours at 10:00 am and 12:00 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The cost is just $6.00 per person. You can reserve a place on the tour by calling 206-632-5100. Tours last about 1 hour and include a thorough explanation of artisanal chocolate making and delicious samples! Theo’s factory is in the Fremont district of north Seattle at the intersection of Phinney Avenue North and 35th Avenue North.
If you’d like to purchase some of Theo’s award-winning gourmet chocolate click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
In these challenging economic times families can really use a fun and healthy outdoor activity that actually saves them some money. Many are doing just that by visiting pick-your-own orchards this fall.
An article in the Chicago Sun-Times quotes Kathy McKay of the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association as saying, “Because of the whole staycation-daycation thing, a lot of our members are saying business has been good. People are looking for things to do near home instead of getting on a plane.”
Having them pick their own is a great way to get children more enthusiastic about eating fresh fruit and kids are bound to enjoy the hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, animal petting areas and other activities at offered at many of the farms.
Pick Your Own is a nonprofit organization with a web site that helps folks around the world find such orchards within traveling distance of their homes. There are about 10,000 such places altogether, according to PYO’s John Slemmer. Want to find out when your favorite local crop will be ready to harvest? The organization’s web site makes it possible to see the crop calendar for your area. They offer 150 recipes, easy preserving directions and affordable home canning kits for those who bring home more bounty than the family can consume while it’s fresh. PYO also offers farmers the opportunity to add their farms, a nice opportunity for family farms looking for a little additional income.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Farm to School Programs are Nourishing Kids & Community
Organic Tomatoes (photo by Dmitri Jeltovski, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Here’s a nonprofit organization whose work is helping build a better world for all of us. As their web site explains:
Farm to School brings healthy food from local farms to school children nationwide. The program teaches students about the path from farm to fork, and instills healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. At the same time, use of local produce in school meals and educational activities provides a new direct market for farmers in the area and mitigates environmental impacts of transporting food long distances.
More than 30 million children eat a school lunch five days a week, 180 days a year. If school lunch can taste great, and support the local community, it is a win-win for everyone.
To learn more about the terrific work they are doing & how you might help, go to: Farm to School
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Chef Alice Waters Receives Award for Pursuit of Common Good
Alice Waters (photo by David Liittschwager, courtesy of USF)
The University of San Francisco has just announced that legendary chef and restaurateur Alice Waters has been named the recipient of its 2009 California Prize for Service and the Common Good. The award recognizes significant service in pursuit of the common good for all members of society, and comes with a $10,000 purse and a handcrafted medal.
Alice Waters is a renowned chef and champion of food grown locally. She is credited with helping found the “slow food” movement that has revolutionized how we think about sustainable and organic agriculture. As owner of the legendary Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, her influence is felt across the country as she raises consciousness about how the food we choose affects our health and our planet.
The Edible Schoolyard & the School Lunch Initiative
Waters also created the Chez Panisse Foundation in 1996 to support educational programs that use food to nurture, educate, and empower youth. Through The Edible Schoolyard and the School Lunch Initiative, the Foundation envisions a public school curriculum that includes hands-on experiences in school kitchens, gardens, and lunchrooms, and provides healthy, freshly prepared meals as part of each school day.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this year's California Prize for Service the Common Good from the University of San Francisco,” Alice Waters said upon learning of the honor. “This award recognizes the work of the Chez Panisse Foundation and shows that the university supports a school curriculum that gives students the knowledge and values to build a humane and sustainable future.”
“Alice has championed an understanding that raising and preparing what we eat is both an ethical exercise and an acknowledgement that we share the earth's resources and hold it in trust for future generations,” said Stephen A. Privett, S.J., University President. “She has worked tirelessly to introduce school children to responsible food production and healthy eating, especially those in underserved communities.”
Waters will be honored Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at a dinner hosted on the USF campus. Proceeds from the dinner will directly benefit USF student programs—including internships and service learning projects at home and abroad.
About the University of San Francisco
Established in 1855, USF is the city’s oldest university and is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the country. The University of San Francisco is committed to being a premier Jesuit Catholic, urban university with a global perspective that educates leaders who will fashion a more humane and just world. With nearly 8,500 enrolled, the university offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional students the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as persons and professionals, and the values and sensitivity necessary to be men and women for others.
For more information about USF’s California Prize for Service and the Common Good, or for details about the dinner event on November 5th, please visit: USF California Service Prize
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Food Alliance Founder Named Head of USDA's Organic Program!
Soil-Saving Farming in Pennsylvania (photo by Scott Bauer, courtesy of USDA)
Our friends at the Food Alliance have sent us some great news for everyone who wants a healthier and more sustainable food system. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that Miles McEvoy has been hired to serve as Deputy Administrator of the National Organic Program (NOP). McEvoy assumes his position on October 1st.
"Miles McEvoy has worked in the field of organic agriculture for more than two decades and has a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the organic community," Vilsack said.
Organically grown and marketed agricultural products are of key interest to the Obama Administration, and the NOP will be receiving increased funding and staffing in the new fiscal year.
Vilsack also announced that the NOP will become an independent program area within AMS because of the increased visibility and emphasis on organic agriculture throughout the farming community, evolving consumer preferences, and the enhanced need for governmental oversight of this widely expanded program.
For more than 20 years, McEvoy led the Washington State Department of Agriculture's (WSDA) Organic Food Program, one of the nation's first state organic certification programs. In 2001, he helped establish the WSDA Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program. From 1993 until 1995, McEvoy was the founding Director of The Food Alliance, a program that blends sustainable farming practices and social welfare components into an eco-label program.
McEvoy helped establish the National Association of State Organic Programs in 1998 and currently serves as its President. He also assisted the Montana Department of Agriculture to develop the state's organic certification program and has been helping the Oregon Department of Agriculture in developing its own organic certification program.
According to the USDA, NOP is responsible for regulating the fastest growing segment of U.S. agriculture, the organic industry. U.S. sales of organic foods have grown from $1 billion in 1990, when the Organic Foods Production Act established the NOP, to a projected $23.6 billion in 2009. Congress increased NOP funding to $2.6 million in FY08 and to $3.2 million in FY09, just a fraction of the billions in subsidies that go to giant agribusinesses.
To learn more about the efforts of the Food Alliance go to: Food Alliance
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The 4th Annual Nantucket Fall Restaurant Week Kicks Off Sunday!
Easy Street at Sunrise (Images courtesy of Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce)
The island of Nantucket, located 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, proudly hosts the 4th Annual Nantucket Fall Restaurant Week, from September 28th until October 4th, 2009.
Nantucket is a popular destination for travelers in the off season months where the mood is relaxed but the world-renowned culinary scene is full of life! Nantucket is home to some of the most celebrated chefs and award-winning restaurants on the east coast (including Wine Spectator, Zagat's, Best of Boston, Fodor's, Frommer's and James Beard Award nominees.) This festive week-long event offers special menus at nearly 30 of the island's exquisite culinary establishments with a 3-course dinners offered from $25 - $45.
Kicking off this exciting week is the fabulous Taste Nantucket! Opening Event Sunday, September 27th, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at The Great Harbor Yacht Club, 96 Washington Street. Taste outstanding cuisine from Nantucket's finest restaurants and food purveyors, sip champagne and wine, savor samples of oysters and caviar, and enjoy live music all in a beautiful harbor front setting. Tickets are $100 (call 508-228-1515 to reserve) with all proceeds benefiting the Nantucket Culinary Arts Foundation, which provides scholarships and educational opportunities to island students.
The week will close with an equally exciting event, the 2nd Annual Nantucket Junior Chef Competition on October 4th, from Noon to 2:00 PM at Cisco Brewery, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Watch as island culinary students (paired with Nantucket's own top chefs) battle to create three courses featuring local ingredients for a panel of judges that includes James Beard Great Chef Northeast Nominees, Michael LaScola of American Seasons and Gabriel Frasca of Straight Wharf Restaurant. Hosted by NECN's TV Diner co-host Jenny Johnson, tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students with again proceeds benefiting the Nantucket Culinary Arts Foundation.
Following Restaurant Week festivities is the ever popular Annual Chowder Contest, Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 2 - 3:30 PM. This delicious contest challenges island restaurants to compete for the title "Best Nantucket Chowder" as voted by the tasting public.
Some of the finest months on Nantucket are in off season, when the island's natural beauty takes center stage and its historic museums, shops, lodging and fine restaurants are open to accommodate visitors. Nature lovers, sports enthusiasts, history buffs and patrons of the arts will delight in the myriad activities available on Nantucket. Visitors can enjoy walking, bicycling, hiking, picnicking, nature study and scenic viewing. Birdwatchers will appreciate the number of rare and endangered species to be sighted.
Those who love architecture or history will be charmed by Nantucket Town, which recalls the illustrious past of a whaling empire with its cobblestone carriageways and narrow lanes. More than 800 houses built between 1740 and 1840 still grace the island's downtown core, and almost all are preserved in their original settings. Nantucket is the only community in America where the entire island is recognized as an historic district.
Visitors are encouraged to leave their cars behind, as all activities are accessible by walking, bicycle, or taxi. Now that's sustainablility!
For a full Calendar of Fall Events as well as Fall Travel Specials including discounted lodging packages, merchant sales and more go to: Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce
Food & Water Watch's 2nd Annual Sustainable Seafood Recipe Contest
Fresh Seafood (photo by Sister Rahel, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Can you create a savory seafood dinner for under $25? If you’re up to the challenge, here’s a chance to win a cash prize, get your recipe published, and support a great cause in one fell swoop.
Food & Water Watch is calling for all creative cooks to participate in this year's Get Cookin' contest: Frugal Fish! This time last year they asked for your best sustainable seafood recipes and then published the winners in their booklet, Fish & Tips.
This year’s contest recognizes our tough economic times, but they want to show “you can eat well and have fun, even when you're on a budget.” So they want you to show them your best sustainable seafood dinner for under $25.
Send in your most delicious seafood recipe that doesn't break the bank -- using, of course, sustainable seafood! Food & Water Watch has a Smart Seafood Guide to help you figure out which types of fish are good for you and our planet, so be sure to use the seafood cited in their Guide!
To see the best choices for creating memorable & sustainable dishes go to: Smart Seafood Guide
To have a look at last year’s booklet with its tasty compilation of seafood recipes and useful tips go to: Fish & Tips
About Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.
AFT Applauds the Opening of the White House Farmers Market!
The White House (photo by Dr. Steven L. Berg, courtesy of morguefile.com)
“We applaud the opening of the new White House farmers market and for the First Lady’s support of increasing opportunities for local farmers and community access to fresh, healthy, local food,” says Jon Scholl, President of American Farmland Trust. The White House Farmers Market opened yesterday, just outside the White House grounds on nearby Vermont Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C.
“Farmers markets are a great way to bring local farms and communities together, and to help consumers understand that there’s no local food without local farmland,” added Scholl. “Our mission is to save America’s farm and ranch land, promote healthy farming practices, and support farms and farmers.”
“By opening this market, the White House has set the table if you will, for an important discussion. Protecting farmland for future agricultural use is of the utmost importance to every citizen in this country. And it is vital to maintaining the future viability of our farmers and rural communities,” added Scholl.
Julia Freedgood, managing director of AFT’s Growing Local initiative to promote strong local and regional food systems agrees. “In 1989, there were 1,890 farmers markets across the country. Today, there are about 4,900 markets, over a 250% increase in 20 years.”
Freedgood attributes the amazing rise of farmers markets to a number of factors. Among them, “…the public’s concern about how and where our food is raised. Today more than ever, consumers are demanding ‘food with a face’ that comes from a place – food choices that celebrate family farmers and special agricultural landscapes like the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”
To encourage the support of farmers markets and the economic and social role they play in the community and draw attention to the fact that farmers markets and local food ingredients cannot exist without the requisite farmland, AFT just held its first national online contest for people to vote for America’s Favorite Farmers Markets. Over 30,000 unique votes were cast with markets in Collingswood, NJ, Williamsburg, VA, and Davis, CA, earning the titles in their market size categories.
“Farmers markets provide public health benefits and economic development opportunities,” Freedgood says. The most recent USDA Census of Agriculture reported that nearly $1.2 billion stayed in local communities from direct to consumer sales—up 49% since 2002. “There is no question that farmers markets and farmland are a positive part of communities.”
“We’re excited to see the White House draw attention to agriculture in this way,” Scholl adds. “Whether providing healthy food, renewable energy or environmental services, agriculture is at the heart of solutions to our nation’s most pressing issues.”
American Farmland Trust is a national nonprofit organization working with communities and individuals to protect the land, plan for agriculture and keep the land healthy. As pne of the nation’s leading advocates for farm and ranch land conservation, AFT has ensured that more than a million acres stay bountiful and productive.
AFT’s national office is located in Washington, D.C. The phone number is 202-331-7300. To visit the organization’s web site go to: American Farmland Trust
Long Island's Wolffer Estate Vineyard Announces Harvest Party
Wolffer Winery & Vineyards (Images courtesy of Wolffer Winery)
Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York is pleased to announce the official date of their annual Wölffer Estate Harvest Party: Sunday, October 11. One of the most anticipated events on the fall Hamptons' social calendar, guests of all ages are invited to partake in harvest fun, and share the bounty and beauty of the season at Wölffer Estate.
A sumptuous harvest lunch, with an emphasis on local ingredients, will be served and paired with award-winning Wölffer Estate wines. Enjoy the feast at the large family-style tables arranged on the lawn. Live music, performed by local artists, will add to the celebration. Adding to the excitement will be the final round of the horse jumping competition of the Wölffer Derby held by the Wölffer Estate Stables at the vineyard ring.
This year's Harvest Party festivities include grape picking and stomping, a petting zoo, and barrel rolling races. For additional family fun, the Harvest Party will also offer pony and hay rides, face painting, a fall arts and crafts station, and many new events.
Wölffer Estate Vineyard Annual Harvest Party
Sunday, October 11, 12:00 to 5:00 pm (Rain date: Monday, October 12)
$75 plus tax for adults, $35 plus tax for children 4 to 20, under 4 admitted free.
$65 plus tax for Wine Club Members - this year a special VIP area will be exclusive to wine club members and their guests.
Reservations required. Please call (631) 537-5106, ext. 11
New Wine Releases
Coinciding with the fall harvest, Wölffer Estate is also pleased to toast the release of the new "Christian's Cuvée" Merlot 2005, as well as several new vintages from the winery: Merlot 2007, Chardonnay 2007, and Cabernet Franc 2006. The wines are also available for purchase at the winery tasting room or online at www.wolffer.com.
About Wölffer Estate Vineyard
A leader in Long Island winemaking for over 20 years, Wölffer Estate Vineyard, a 55-acre winery located in Sagaponack, (The Hamptons), New York, is an American winery with a decidedly European character. Reflecting our terroir and the meticulous stewardship of winemaker Roman Roth, these former potato fields are the foundation for world-class wines. Similar in many respects to conditions in Bordeaux, the local Bridgehampton loam soil and favorable maritime influences provide a perfect host for grapevines. Wölffer Estate Vineyard proudly practices sustainable agriculture.
To learn more about Wölffer Winery and plan a visit there go to: Wolffer Winery
Missouri Wind Farm Draws Visitors in Droves, Generates Power, Cash & Jobs
Windmills at Sunset (photo by Dan Tombs, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Missouri is nicknamed the “Show Me State" and droves of visitors want an up-close look at the twenty-seven wind turbines going strong on the Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm in King City. As our friends at American Farmland Trust have pointed out, “Wind farms are just one way farmers are simultaneously helping to solve our energy needs while providing farms with a new source of income.”
“Busloads of senior citizens and school children from Kansas City and the surrounding area have already made trips to King City…a small town with only two restaurants,” according to an article in the High Plains Midwest AG Journal. The power generated by the wind turbines on the Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm “is enough electricity for 20,000 average-size homes. The Journal reports that according to Gentry County Treasurer Linda Combs, the wind farm brought in $585,922 in additional tax dollars to be used for local schools and infrastructure improvements. The needed maintenance of the wind generators has created eleven full-time jobs. The article goes on to say that, “On the average, landowners receive $3,000 a year for each tower on their property.”
Interest from visitors traveling to see the wind turbines has been so high that a local group of residents has applied for a grant to build a wind farm education center.
Ample Harvest Enables America's Backyard Gardeners to Help the Hungry
While one of every eight people in America is food insecure, millions of backyard gardeners grow far more produce than they can possibly use. Since early May, the AmpleHarvest.org campaign has been enabling America's backyard gardeners to find local food pantries and then share their garden bounty with them.
Thankfully, the campaign is rolling out nationwide and over 800 food pantries and food banks across America have already registered. More are signing up every day! The campaign's goal is to diminish hunger in America by facilitating the donation of excess backyard garden produce that might otherwise spoil.
The AmpleHarvest.org campaign is an outgrowth of a nonprofit 503(c)(1) sustainability organization and has received support from many groups including,
• National Gardening Association
• Garden Writers of America
• USDA
• Google Inc.
• Rotary International
• VFW
• YMCA
• Numerous faith groups
• Food/Hunger bloggers
• Many food banks overseeing the pantries
AmpleHarvest.org is a first of its kind site. It doesn't just provide a list of area food pantries, it offers driving instructions from the donors to their local pantries. Pantries can post a photograph of its building to make it easier to find. It also enables the food pantry to inform donors who are not gardeners as to exactly which store bought items they do or do not want.
So,
• If you work at a food pantry, please register with AmpleHarvest.org (see link below) as soon as possible so that backyard gardeners can easily find you when they harvest their crops
• If you are a backyard gardener, please be generous with your bounty.
• Regardless of who you are, please inform any pantries or gardeners you may know about the AmpleHarvest.org campaign.
Although many people are concerned about their own economic situation, the AmpleHarvest.org campaign enables Americans to help their neighbors by reaching into their backyards instead of their back pockets.
To learn more about the terrific work of this organization and see how you might help go to: Ample Harvest
Working Lands Initiative to Preserve Wisconsin's Family Farms
We've received more good news from our friends at American Farmland Trust. Wisconsin, one of America's great agricultural states, has joined a growing list of states that includes Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Delaware, making major strides toward the preservation of farmland.
Wisconsin's new Working Lands Initiative will modernize the state's 30-year-old Farmland Preservation Program, develop a statewide Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements program, and create Agricultural Enterprise Areas to encourage agriculture in specific areas in each county. According to The New Berlin Land Conservancy, the state's agriculture officials believe the initiative "could go a long way toward ending the trend of 30,000 acres of working Wisconsin land being converted to other uses every year."
As our friend Bob Wagner at American Farmland Trust put it:
Approval for this initiative underscores the salient point that farms offer more than pastoral beauty—they are the backbone of regional economies and communities, provide food for our tables, and offer significant opportunity to protect our environment and natural resources.
Curbing sprawl and preserving more land capable of producing healthy food for generations to come...Bravo Wisconsin!
Preserve Food from Your Garden, Eat Well & Save Money
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
American families throw out about 14% of their food -- around $590 worth per year -- according to a study from the University of Arizona. Preventing that waste is what home food preservation is all about.
The White House Victory Garden is showing Americans how to get back to basics and raise healthy, nutritious food regardless of the amount of space available. From patio and container gardening to edible landscaping, gardening is America's #1 hobby, with an estimated nearly 43 million of us digging in the dirt.
Food contamination scandals, the rising cost of food, organic eating, better nutrition, bulk discounts at big box retailers – all these factors contribute to the upsurge in interest in preserving food. While there are many books on canning, freezing and pickling foods – few are as comprehensive as The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Preserving Food by Master Food Preserver Karen Brees, Ph.D. She’s won numerous ribbons at county fairs for her canned fruits, vegetables, preserves, pickles, and dried foods. Relying on over 40 years of expertise in preserving food, Brees shows readers how easy and beneficial food preservation can be;
• Reduce food bills significantly by growing food, buying foods in season, buying in bulk, and putting up the excess for use during the year.
• A well-stocked freezer will make it run more efficiently.
• For people with special dietary concerns (low or no-salt, low or no-sugar) home canning is the answer.
• Properly home-canned veggies are often more nutritious than "fresh produce" sold in stores. These veggies may be weeks old and have traveled thousands of miles, being touched by many hands. This increases the chance of food borne illness.
• Buying canning jars at thrift stores and garage sales can cut the initial capital outlay and sharing supplies with neighbors and friends is the economical way to go.
In addition Brees offers dozens of specific recipes for the preservation of everything from fruits to meat, special instructions for preserving food for people on sodium or sugar restricted diets, information about science behind food preservation, cooking and preserving from small individual portions to bulk buying.
If you’d like to learn more about food preservation and food safety from Karen Brees Ph.D. go to: Karen K. Brees Web Site
An advocate for sustainable farming once said that when it comes to farming everything you're great-grandfather did was better. Today, a major challenge facing all of us who want to see a healthier and more sustainable food system is overcoming the predominance of factory farms across America.
Giant factory farms are the prime culprits when it comes to the unhealthy use of pesticides, herbicides, anitbiotics, and hormones. They foster inhumane conditions for animals and wreak environmental devastation. The government purchases their surplus production and much of that food ends up being served to children for school lunches.
The food they produce is making people sick and the vast majority of people find themselves on the hook for the medical costs that result. Enormous quantities of fossil fuels are burned to transport their products to population centers. Dealing with the pollution they cause incurs enomrmous costs for environmental cleanups. Who pays?
And if you love eating good food as much as we do, you already know that food from factory farms is quite bland when compared to food that is fresh and sustainably produced.
There's no quick and easy solution to the problem, but every small step forward takes us closer to a brighter future. We just received this message from our friends Sarah, Alex, Noelle and The Food Team at the nonprofit Food & Water Watch:
Small farmers across the country are struggling to make ends meet, yet the USDA is helping new factory farms come on line by encouraging banks to give them guaranteed loans. Family farm groups from across the country are calling on the USDA to stop backing new factory farms. Can you take action to stop new factory farms?
Factory farms have already forced out many small producers by lowering the price that farmers are paid for chickens and pigs. The tough economic times are hitting everyone hard and many farmers are losing their contracts. The USDA has bought up surplus pork, chicken and eggs for nutrition and school lunch programs to absorb some of the over-supply, but still, the agency continues to back loans for new factory farms.
To make matters worse, taxpayers pay for this bad policy twice - when the government buys up surplus production and again when low prices drive producers out of business and USDA pays for the defaulted loans.
Tell Secretary Vilsack it's time to cut off the factory farm industry. Sign a petition calling for USDA to impose a moratorium on guaranteed loans to build new factory farms.
AFT Lists America's Favorite Farmers Markets So Far
Since June 1, thousands of people have cast their vote through American Farmland Trust’s (AFT) America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest. AFT’s website lists and continually updates the top twenty vote getters in each of three categories at www.farmland.org.
The top 20 markets list holds lots of surprises including the fact that the current market with the most votes overall is in the “small” category meaning that the market has only 30 vendors or less. This is a true testament to what even a small farmers market means to the community.
According to one farmers market customer, shopping at their local market is the highlight of their week:
“It is just a lot of fun. Besides the wonderful vegetables, fruit and prepared foods, there is music, chef demonstrations and many other special events. I really like seeing the faces [of the people] who grow my food and getting to know them.”
So far this summer, thousands of individuals have voted for over 700 farmers markets representing just about every state in the country. But there is still time for more votes and for the top 20 markets to change! Farmers market consumers are encouraged to vote for their favorite markets (one vote per market) at the America’s Favorite Farmers Market website, www.farmland.org/vote - and to tell their friends.
American Farmland Trust has sponsored the nationwide contest to promote the value of farmers markets in communities, and to make the connection between fresh local foods and the local farms and farmland that supply them. Farmers markets play a critical role in keeping farmers on the land. America is losing two acres of farmland per minute because many farmers find it more profitable to sell their land for development. Keeping farms viable, by providing them with a venue where they can provide their much sought after products, is one of the best ways to save the land that sustains us.
“Farmers markets are more than a passing fancy, they're here to stay” says Jane Kirchner, AFT Senior Director of Marketing. “They are a connection point in communities-where customers can connect directly with the people who grow their food, and come together socially. I also think we all intrinsically like the idea of supporting our local businesses!”
In 2007, direct sales from farms to consumers totaled $1.2 billion, an increase of 49% from 2002. Much of that increase comes from America’s growing number of farmers markets – 4,685 in 2008, compared to 3,137 in 2002. In addition to supplying seasonal fresh fruits, vegetables and agricultural products, farmers markets help support public health and can drive economic development in communities.
At the end of the contest, the top market in each category will win a shipment of No Farms No Food ® totebags to distribute to the customers that made it happen!
Boston has joined a growing list of cities taking steps to promote the purchase of locally grown food with Boston Bounty Bucks, a program providing vouchers that double the value of food stamps at 14 of the city's roughly 22 farmers markets.
Atlanta, San Diego and Providence already have similar programs benefiting low-income shoppers and local farmers who sell their products in urban neighborhoods. The city efforts complement new federal policies in the 2008 Farm Bill to improve access to farm-fresh fruits and vegetables for seniors, children and low-income residents.
Local farmers will get a much-needed boost in revenue from an eco-friendly program that reduces the need to ship and truck food over great distances. Shoppers who purchase fresh, locally grown produce will avail themselves of the most flavorful and most nutritious food, something that can be a real challenge for low-income urban residents, according to studies conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
According to the Bloomberg School's Department of Epidemiology, “Our findings show that participants who live in neighborhoods with low healthy food availability are at an increased risk of consuming a lower quality diet.”
Some of the communities examined were found to have no supermarkets within easy traveling distance, but plenty of fast food outlets serving processed foods high in calories and saturated fats. Even in some communities with nearby supermarkets “the availability of items like fresh fruits and vegetables, skim milk and whole wheat bread” in those stores was often found lacking.
"Place of residence plays a larger role in dietary health than previously estimated," said Manuel Franco, MD, PhD, lead author of the two studies.
Catch a Piece of Maine was created with the help of family, friends and the community of lobstermen as a response to the financial realities facing lobstermen and a way of introducing folks across America to Maine’s lobstering traditions, trade and the sea.
By selling direct, Catch a Piece of Maine has toppled the barriers between lobsterman and consumer, allowing those who love to eat the freshest and most delicious lobster a chance to get to know the dedicated lobsterman who harvested their dinner. Bringing the consumer closer to the dock lets the lobsterman earn a premium and preserve the traditional working waterfront.
Lobstermen are all stewards of the sea; always making sure today’s catch is available for tomorrow’s lobsterman. The industry exemplifies hard work, tradition, heritage, and sustainability. They pride themselves on their eco-friendly manner of harvesting, producing little to no by-catch and enforcing strict laws to allow the release of all lobsters too small and too large.
Maine;s Working Waterfront
Lobstering is hard work and capital intensive, requiring boats that cost as much as a house, on top of equipment, traps and fuel. In the past several years the price of bait and fuel has tripled, while the working waterfront has been slowly disappearing.
According to the Island Institute 2007 Access Report, of the 5,300 miles of the Maine coast, only 20 miles remain as working waterfront. For the next generation of Maine lobstermen it is both an honor and obligation to preserve and share this heritage. They love the ocean and the way of life it offers. They can’t imagine working anywhere else and want to share their passion with Catch a Piece of Maine partners, while offering fresh caught lobsters that they can ship to themselves, customers and family.
The lobstermen say there's nothing like waking up before dawn and watching the sun rise as the first trap is hauled over the rail. Maine lobstermen share a camaraderie and mutual respect for the sea with their friends and family, many of whom have lobstered their entire lives. It's in their blood and nothing else matches the challenge, thrill, and passion they feel when they’re out on the water.
Show your support for Maine’s working waterfront and the values associated with it. Each month allows customers to purchase a Catch a Piece of Maine directly from the boat of the lobsterman of the month. Treat yourself or those you care about the most to a delicious and exciting feast.
To show your support for Maine’s lobstermen by enjoying a sumptuous lobster feast go to: Lobster Share
The thought of mercury in your seafood is enough to ruin anyone’s appetite.
That’s why Damon Stainbrook, former Sous Chef of French Laundry, is leading the way in a new “conscientious cooking” movement. He’s working with a mercury certification program, Safe Harbor, to ensure the fish used in his delicious recipes meet strict standards for mercury content and are caught using only sustainable methods – verified through its traceability program.
He’d like to share the following recipe and let people know that there is a way to create delicious, healthy and sustainable dinners.
Those in Northern California wishing to create this recipe with Safe Harbor-certified fish can do so at any local Andronico’s, DeLano’s, Woodlands Market, and The Fish Market. If these retailers aren’t nearby, those wishing to prepare the recipe should be careful if purchasing Bluefin, Albacore, and imported Bigeye/Yellowfin tuna caught by longline as they tend to have higher mercury levels and should not be consumed too often.
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 4 Tuna steaks, 6 ounces each
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
Zucchini Pasta:
• 4 Cups julienne green and gold zucchini
• 2 Teaspoons kosher salt
Artichoke Sauce:
• 16 Ounces peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes
• 1 Medium yellow onion diced
• 3 Cloves garlic minced
• 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Cup diced marinated baby artichokes
• 1 to 2 Teaspoons finely minced hot or mild chile pepper, or to taste
• ¼ Cup chopped fresh basil
• Black pepper to taste
Black Olive Tapenade:
• 1 Cup pitted Kalamata olives chopped (or olives of your liking)
• 1 Big garlic clove minced
• 1 Tablespoon capers
• ¼ Cup fresh basil leaves chopped
• ¼ Cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
• ½ Cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Combine all tapenade ingredients, tasting and adding salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand at room temperature before serving. Makes 1 ½ cups.
2. Julienne the zucchini into long thin pasta like shape. Toss with salt and let sit in colander for 15 minutes. Zucchini will soften to an al dente consistency.
3. To make the sauce, cook onion and garlic with salt over a low heat in a heavy bottom pot until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for thirty minutes. Add artichokes, chile pepper and basil and simmer another ten minutes. Add black pepper to taste and set sauce aside to cool.
4. Right before grilling the tuna toss the sauce and zucchini together in large bowl.
5. Pull tuna steaks out of fridge fifteen minutes before cooking which will help to keep the tuna from sticking to the grill (If using). Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then brush lightly with olive oil.
6. Lightly brush a grill rack, or broiler pan with a little oil. Grill tuna over coals medium high heat. Turn after about 2-3 minutes for rare tuna, 4 to 6 minutes for more medium to well done. Tuna should maintain a pink center, but will flake easily around edges.
7. To finish, twist equal portions of pasta onto four plates, top with grilled tuna and a tablespoon of tapenade.
Stewardship of Organic Program Called an "Abomination"
Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farm, Crescent City, California (photo courtesy of Cornucopia Institute)
President Obama and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack are being urged to take immediate action to repair the USDA’s increasingly dysfunctional National Organic Program (NOP). Suspect imports of grains, nuts, and vegetables from China and other countries, questionable organic milk, beef, and eggs from giant factory farms, and a cozy relationship between USDA managers and corporate agribusiness lobbyists are said to be injuring the organic label's reputation.
Consumer demand for organic foods has skyrocketed in recent years, propelling organics into a $24 billion dollar a year business. That same hunger for organics has encouraged some large corporations, factory farms, and foreign producers to move into the U.S. organic business—but without allegedly upholding federal organic production standards.
The Cornucopia Institute, a national organic watchdog representing family farmers, has sent a formal letter and briefing paper to President Obama and Secretary Vilsack, specifically asking that they take “a very strong and proactive posture in turning around management at the National Organic Program (NOP),” which they described as being “Katrina-ed” by the Bush administration. Thousands of organic farmers and consumers have also contacted the President and USDA Secretary.
“The stewardship of the organic program at the USDA has been an absolute abomination,” said Mark A. Kastel, Cornucopia’s senior farm policy analyst. “It was not just management by neglect—it was an intentional monkeywrenching of the Department's oversight of the industry.”
In the last several years, audits prepared by the American National Standards Institute and the Inspector General's office have blasted the NOP for failing to ensure that independent certification agencies, which verify organic farming and production practices, are competent and properly performing their jobs.
Washington Post Reports on Investigation at USDA
According to a July 3rd Washington Post story, the USDA's Inspector General's office has widened an ongoing investigation and is looking at the Department's oversight of private certifiers. The Cornucopia Institute formally requested the Inspector General’s investigation after Bush administration officials failed to look into alleged improprieties by management at the organic program.
Among other grievances, the Department is accused of sidestepping protections and oversight implemented by Congress. According to the Post, 65 policy resolutions adopted by the National Organic Standards Board, the expert citizen advisory panel to the NOP, have never been reviewed or implemented since 2002.
“In addition to starving the National Organic Program for adequate funding, the political environment at the USDA has always been hostile to the organic industry,” said Kastel.
During the Bush administration, political appointees at the USDA had also significantly softened penalties for organic lawbreakers and overruled stiff enforcement actions recommended by career civil servants for factory farms that were found to be willfully violating federal organic standards. Other complaints detailing abuses on factory farms were quashed or went uninvestigated.
“If organic food production and eating had not caught on so well, we wouldn't see these scofflaws doing their thing,” observed Merrill Clark, a certified organic livestock farmer from Michigan and former member of the National Organic Standards Board. Clark added, “It’s time to change the culture at the USDA.”
The Cornucopia Institute launched a “Change@USDA” campaign earlier this year and is helping stakeholders in the organic community to unite for rehabilitation of the NOP. The farm group has helped coordinate many letters from industry stakeholders, letters to both Mr. Obama and Secretary Vilsack, from farmers, retailers, business executives and consumers, supporting a sweeping management shakeup at the National Organic Program.
Positive Change at USDA
One sign that the new administration at the USDA is taking the concerns of organic and sustainable farming interests to heart was the appointment by Secretary Vilsack of Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, a Tufts University assistant professor, as USDA Deputy Secretary. Merrigan helped write the original organic law adopted by Congress as an aide to its prime sponsor, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
“I cannot think of a more qualified public policy expert to take on this important role at what Abraham Lincoln referred to as the ‘people's department, ’” Kastel affirmed. The Cornucopia Institute, and many other farm organizations, lobbied hard for Merrigan's appointment. “I hope this is representative of President Obama and Secretary Vilsack subscribing to the old adage that ‘good government equals good politics,’” he added.
“The certified organic label belongs to the thousands of ethical organic family farmers, and their consumer allies and patrons, who have built the vibrant organic agricultural and food market,” said Peter Wiesner, General Manager at the Hungry Hollow Co-op in Chestnut Ridge, New York. “We need new management at the National Organic Program if we are to reclaim the organic label,” Wiesner said.
Family-Scale Organic Dairies Facing Crisis
As questions swirl around the handling of organics by the NOP, a true crisis is unfolding in the organic dairy sector. Ethical organic dairy farmers, and the co-ops and family-owned businesses they partner with for processing and marketing, are getting hammered by cheap, allegedly phony "organic" milk from giant factory farms and alleged predatory pricing by the $11 billion agribusiness behemoth, Dean Foods.
Dean Foods, owner of 50 different milk brands, including the nation’s leading organic dairy label, Horizon Organic, has heavily discounted their retail pricing, driving down market prices for all competitors. Dean/Horizon gets a large percentage of their milk from their Idaho industrial dairy, which has managed as many as 8,000 head of cattle, and from many other mega-farms they contract with. Just this week, it was announced that Dean Foods would come out with a "natural" version of Horizon milk products positioned as a new, lower-cost competitor to organic dairy.
"Natural milk is really conventional milk without bovine growth hormones, so Dean Foods’ introduction of Horizon “natural” dairy products is just plain profiteering at the expense of legitimate organic farmers,” said Will Fantle, research director at Cornucopia. “Unlike organics, there is no independent 3rd party verification of this claim, and “natural” fails to include other key organic practices, such as prohibitions against toxic agrichemicals, antibiotics and other drugs in livestock production, as well as unhealthy synthetic food additives in the final product,” added Fantle. Organic dairy production standards also require that the animals graze on pasture rather than being confined to feedlots on factory farms.
Meanwhile, the majority of the private-label, also called “store-brand,” milk (which is usually cheaper than branded organic milk) marketed by Wal-Mart, Costco, Safeway, Target, and other grocery chains comes from the controversial Aurora Dairy, operator of five giant factory farms in Texas and Colorado. The USDA found that Aurora had seriously violated the organic regulations but instead of decertifying the operation, as was recommended by career civil servants, the Bush Administration allowed them to continue in business.
In their research The Cornucopia Institute has stressed that although corporate marketers are large they are sad aberrations in the organic industry. "90% of all the namebrand organic dairy products reviewed in our survey were rated as excellent in terms of their adherence to both the letter and spirit of the organic law, stated the Cornucopia's Kastel. Their scorecard of 110 organic brands, for use by consumers or wholesale buyers, is available on their website.
Coverage of the slowdown in the organic dairy market was also poignantly featured in the pages of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on July 3rd, the same day the Post’s investigative report ran. The Dispatch’s story featured organic dairy farmers that were being squeezed out of business, allegedly, in part, because of a flood of milk from giant factory farms that had been allowed to operate illegally.
"I have invested my life in building this dairy farm,” said Kevin Poetker, a dairy producer from Waterloo, Missouri who has now lost his market for organic milk. "Now my entire livelihood and the financial future of my family is at risk."
Cornucopia Institute Calls for Action
"For many family-scale farmers, who face financial ruin, this is a legitimate emergency and we need the Obama administration to step in immediately,” appealed Cornucopia's Kastel.
Cornucopia is calling on the USDA to aggressively enforce federal organic regulations that would control abuses occurring in the organic dairy sector. Enforcement has been spotty, at best, at the USDA. A number of legal complaints filed by Cornucopia documenting alleged violations of organic law on industrial scale dairies, and other improprieties, were never investigated by the Department.
Farmers and other industry stakeholders can still make their personal appeal to president Obama and USDA secretary Vilsack by downloading a proxy-letter from the “action alerts” section of the Cornucopia Institute's website: www.cornucopia.org
Endangered Wines Donates 20% of Profits to Protect Threatened Animals
(photo by Nesstor4u2, courtesy of morguefile.com)
A new wine company donates 20% of its net profits to organizations that help protect threatened animals around the world. Aptly named Endangered Wines, it has just launched four varietals of wines, a Merlot, a Chardonnay, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Sauvignon Blanc. The wines’ labels include stunning photographs of a Tiger, Elephant, Panda and Polar Bear.
The winemaker for Endangered Wines is a Frenchman named Phillipe Pla who is a well known for his skillful wine making throughout South America. The wines are produced and bottled in Chile and exported to the United States for sale to retailers and customers. The wines are reasonably priced at around $9.00 a bottle.
Endangered Wines has partnered with reputable nonprofit organizations including Save China’s Tigers, The International Elephant Foundation, Pandas International, and Polar Bears International. The work being done to protect threatened animals around the world will directly benefit from donations by the wine company.
Endangered Wines was founded by Scott Day who is the owner of the Caribbean Vineyards wine brands based in St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Scott is an avid animal lover and naturally blended his two passions to create a wine company with a good cause. The wine company is based in Wilmington, Delaware and currently negotiating with distributors across the United States to sell the wines.
Endangered Wines’ labels says it all with “Great Wines Working For a Greater Cause.”
You can find out more about the new wine company at their website: Endangered Wines
Coming to a Market Near You: The Incredible, Edible, Egg
Our friends at the Food Alliance, a nonprofit organization that certifies farms, ranches and food handlers for sustainability, have just sent us this update:
Food Alliance has expanded its certification program for sustainable agriculture and food handling to include poultry and egg production. The new Food Alliance certification for poultry is available throughout North America to producers of chicken eggs as well as turkey and chicken meat.
The first company to earn Food Alliance certification for egg production and processing is Wilcox Family Farms, a fourth generation, family-run business headquartered in Roy, Washington with farms in Oregon and Washington. The company provides over 400,000 shell eggs (dozens) and 150,000 pounds of liquid eggs per week to grocery stores, bakeries and food service operations. The company’s organic shell eggs, organic liquid eggs, and cage-free brown eggs will now display the Food Alliance Certified label.
“My family’s company has a long history of working to protect the environment and benefit our community. Sustainability is a critical component of our business model,” says Andrew Wilcox, Director of Operations. “We look at certification as a way to be more transparent with our customers about how their food is produced. Food Alliance’s certification program is unique because they cover labor, animal welfare, and environmental issues. No other certification does all that. It really fits our values.”
To learn more about the organization's certifciation programs and other fine work go to: Food Alliance
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., based in Rochester, N.Y., affirmed its commitment to selling sustainable seafood by becoming the first supermarket chain to endorse the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign (www.takemarlinoffthemenu.org) and refusing to sell marlin, sailfish and spearfish at its 72 stores located throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and Maryland.
In recognition of Wegmans' commitment to not selling marlin, the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign, launched eight months ago by three leading marine conservation non-profits, wants consumers to know they can purchase seafood at their nearest Wegmans supermarket with the full knowledge that Wegmans is officially "Marlin Free."
The Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign was launched by the International Game Fish Association (www.igfa.org), the National Coalition for Marine Conservation (www.savethefish.org), and The Billfish Foundation (www.billfish.org).
As a leader in the supermarket industry, Wegmans urges other supermarket chains throughout the United States to follow its lead in not selling marlin, and helping to raise awareness among consumers that marlin populations are in serious danger due to overharvesting by commercial fishing fleets.
Supporting the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign is in keeping with Wegmans' reputation for innovation. Founded in 1916, Wegmans published its Sustainable Seafood Sourcing Philosophy, a policy that has been followed for many years and is promoted at all Wegmans stores, as well as on its website (www.wegmans.com). Wegmans also posts a chart of items sold in its stores that are certified sustainable and those which are not sold due to sustainability concerns.
"As an industry, we have a great deal of influence in what Americans eat," says Carl Salamone, vice president of seafood. "Every day, in supermarkets across the country, consumers ask seafood professionals what's great to eat. That's when we can point consumers to fish and seafood that is flavorful and good for our environment. Because when the marlin are gone, we all lose."
The ultimate goal of the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign is, through education and political advocacy, to end the commercial harvest, sale and importation of marlin, sailfish and spearfish in the United States, according to Jason Schratwieser, conservation director for the International Game Fish Association (IGFA).
"This is a huge step for our campaign because Wegmans is respected by consumers for its commitment to customer service," adds Ken Hinman, president of the National Coalition for Marine Conservation, located in the Washington D.C. area, "as well as throughout the supermarket industry for its innovation. We applaud Wegmans for stepping forward among its peers in the supermarket industry and coming out on the side of marlin and other billfish."
In addition to Wegmans, a growing number of restaurants support Take Marlin Off the Menu, including Wolfgang Puck Companies, which operate some of the most well known restaurants in the world.
The challenge facing the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign is drawing awareness to the plight of marlin and other billfish, says Ellen Peel, president of The Billfish Foundation. Unfortunately, many Americans are not aware that marlin have suffered a dramatic population decline. According to a national Harris Interactive consumer survey of 2,078 consumers conducted on February 25, 2009, and sponsored by the Take Marlin Off the Menu Campaign, 93 percent of American consumers were unaware that the populations of marlin have declined 80 percent from their peak several decades ago, before the advent of large-scale commercial fishing worldwide.
"However, according to our national consumer survey," Peel added, "when consumers become aware of the plight of billfish such as marlin, 78 percent of American consumers say they won't order or buy marlin. With this insight, we know that our job is to increase awareness of this issue and to persuade restaurants and seafood retailers to embrace our cause."
Marlin, sailfish, and spearfish are collectively called "billfish" because the long extension of their upper jawbone looks like a spear or bill. Marlin, the largest of the billfish species, have powerful muscular bodies, can weigh as much as a ton, and roam throughout the oceans feeding on smaller fish and keeping marine ecosystems in balance. As apex predators in the ocean, they serve the same role as lions, tigers and wolves on land.
About IGFA
The International Game Fish Association (www.igfa.org), based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping. Founded in 1939, the IGFA is internationally known for maintaining and publishing world records for saltwater and freshwater catches, and for maintaining the world's most comprehensive fishing hall of fame and museum.
About the National Coalition for Marine Conservation
The National Coalition for Marine Conservation (NCMC), based in Leesburg, Va., was founded in 1973 by conservation-minded anglers and is dedicated exclusively to conserving ocean fish and their environment. NCMC works to prevent overfishing, reduce fish bycatch and protect habitat for a wide variety of ocean fish. The group specializes in identifying problems and finding solutions; educating the public; developing proactive conservation strategies; and networking with like-minded fishing and environmental organizations. For more information about the NCMC, visit www.savethefish.org.
About The Billfish Foundation
The Billfish Foundation (TBF) is a science-based, non-profit organization dedicated to conserving and enhancing billfish populations worldwide, working through research, education and advocacy. TBF's comprehensive network of members and supporters includes anglers, captains, mates, tournament directors, clubs, and sportfishing businesses. TBF provides support to regional groups by contributing expertise in science, socio-economics, education and fisheries policy to help find solutions to billfish threats so fishing opportunities will remain available. For more information about TBF, visit www.billfish.org.
A Solar Roof at Fresh & Easy (PRNewsFoto/Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market)
We just learned about a very encouraging survey from an article published in Gourmet Retailer. The survey "...found that a product's "energy footprint" influences 77 percent [of] consumers' purchasing decisions, with 76 percent willing to pay more at the register for environmentally friendly products."
More surprisingly, the article states,
Green appeal carries over to the workplace, where 74 percent of U.S. employees believe organizations should take action to lead eco-friendly initiatives. The majority of these green-minded workers (64 percent) would be willing to support their organization's green initiatives at the cost of a smaller paycheck.
Aaron Franklin, project director at ORC Guideline, which conducted the survey, is quoted as saying, "The study's findings seem to debunk a common perception that people will go green as long as it doesn't cost them...In fact, in both the workplace and in the store, people seem to be willing to put their money where their values are."
WSU Restores "Ominvore's Dilemma" to its Required Reading Program
Just recently Washington State University removed Michael Pollan’s ground-breaking book, Omnivore’s Dilemma from the school’s Common Reading Program, which is required reading for all incoming freshman. It seems the University had come under pressure from corporate agribusinesses unhappy with the book’s central theme: The time has come for a healthier and more sustainable food system.
School officials claimed the book was removed due to tough financial times, but 4,000 copies had already been purchased. We’re guessing WSU’s administration didn’t realize just how many people agree with Michael Pollan’s message and didn’t anticipate the firestorm of protest that ensued from concerned citizens across the country.
Within hours of the University’s announcement Food Democracy Now! sent out an alert and the president's office was flooded with calls. One alum had a talk with the school’s President Floyd and offered to pay for Michael Pollan to visit the campus, as well as pay for the full cost to cover the Common Reading Program. Within days the book was restored to the Program’s required reading list.
Thanks to all those folks who made their voices heard. Nice to see democracy in action!
For more info on Michael Pollan’s ground-breaking book go to: Omnivore’s Dilemma
For more info on Michael Pollan’s most recent bestseller go to: In Defense of Food
To learn more about the efforts being made by a fine organization working for a more sustainable future go to: Food Democracy Now!
More Than 72,000 Acres of NYS Farmland Now Protected!
Wonderful news just in from our friends at American Farmland Trust, “New York State’s Farmland Protection Program awarded $23 million to permanently protect almost 9,000 acres on 27 farms, bringing the total number of acres protected by the program to 72,668 acres.”
“We like to say, ‘No Farms, No Food’,” says American Farmland Trust’s New York Director David Haight. “If farmland is developed, we lose the opportunity to grow fresh, healthy foods here in New York. Protecting these farms strengthens New York’s food security and food system.”
This development comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent announcement of $2.6 million in matching funding available from the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program to protect farmland in New York.
Less sprawl and more land capable of producing healthy food for generations to come...Bravo!
More Parents Choose Organic Baby Food for Their Kids
Organic Oranges (photo by Darnok, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Even in tough economic times many parents are more concerned about the health hazards that pesticides and harmful preservatives pose to their children than they are about the cost of organic food. Their concern has led to remarkable growth in the sales of organic baby food.
According to a report published by the research firm RNCOS, World Organic Foods And Beverages Report (2006), organic food still accounts for only a tiny share of the overall baby food market, but soared about 21.6% to reach $116 million twelve months ending February 24, 2007 – after jumping almost 16.4% the previous year, according to the Nielsen Company. Overall, baby food sales grew by just 3.1%, reaching $3.7 billion during the same period.
As various studies have found that organically grown foods contain more nutrients in comparison to their conventional version, customers spent about $13.8 billion on organic food during 2005, an annual growth of about 20%.
The RNCOS report says the organic food market in the U.S. generated $15.9 billion in revenues during 2006, representing an annual growth rate of 16.61% for the five-year period spanning 2002-2006. the growth rate for the organic food market in the U.S. will slow, but will remain the highest revenue generator globally for the foreseeable future.
Sales of organic fruits and vegetables were the greatest contributor to the growth in sales. Total revenues generated by that segment reached $6.6 billion, almost 41.4% of the overall organic food market, in 2006.
If you’d like to view some of the previous posts on the topic click on any of the following:
Brooklyn Bridge (photo by Seemann, courtesy of morguefile.com)
If last year’s Slow Food Nation in San Francisco was the Woodstock of the sustainable food movement, then last week’s Brooklyn Food Conference was a wonderfully successful local concert. The first-time event was expected to draw 2,000 participants, but approximately 3,000 showed up, according to spokesperson Alia Hanna.
A chief goal of the conference was to “Bring Brooklynites together to demand-and participate in creating-a vital, healthy, and just food system available to everyone,” according to the literature made available.
It wasn’t just Brooklynites who were there. Slow Food USA was one of more than 70 exhibitors, as was Sustainable Table, New York Farms, Equal Exchange, several environmental organizations, film makers, food artisans, and community organizers. There were dozens of workshops that seemed to cover every topic of interest to those who want a more sustainable food future for themselves and their children. All in all it was a terrific networking opportunity.
Keynote Speakers
Key-note speakers included well-known activist Dan Barber, executive chef and owner of Blue Hill Restaurant, and a leader of fair trade development and healthy food; Anna Lappé, co-founder of the Small Planet Institute and the author of Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen; Raj Patel of the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System; as well as LaDonna Redmond, head of the Institute of Community Resource Development in Chicago.
“Never before have there been such compelling reasons to rethink our energy policy, our environmental policy, and our health care system – and we cannot make headway on any of these without addressing food,” said Dan Barber.
300 Volunteers Made it Happen
The conference was entirely volunteer driven – from event planning to fundraising and community outreach. A team of over 300 volunteers planned the conference for seven months More than 75 organizations, including non-profit and community organizations, schools, elected officials and local businesses were partners in this effort.
“We hope to change our food system on local, state and federal levels so that all people have access to healthy food, and to ensure consumers and workers are treated with fairness and justice,” said Nancy Romer, the conference’s General Coordinator. “This conference is the official beginning of our collective efforts.”
Co-Sponsors
Co-Sponsors for the conference included: The Park Slope Food Coop; Caribbean Women’s Health Association; World Hunger Year; Brooklyn Rescue Mission; and Brooklyn’s Bounty. The conference was generously hosted by the administrators, teachers, students, and parents of John Jay High School and P.S. 321.
The Conference was free to all, but we couldn’t help purchasing a copy of the Manhattan restaurant guide, Clean Plates N.Y.C. It was co-authored by nutritional consultant and wellness counselor Jared Koch, and restaurant reviewer Alex Van Buren. It’s the first time we’ve seen a guide that selected restaurants because they were among both the tastiest and the healthiest.
By increasing awareness and educating around food issues the organizers expected to establish a Brooklyn Food Coalition that will develop a Legislative Food Agenda. The Conference included a town hall event to give participants the opportunity to speak out on issues vital both locally and globally.
NRDC Announces Winners of First-Ever Growing Green Awards
Farm Windmill at Dawn (photo by Wally Irwin, courtesy of morguefile.com)
The three winners of the first-ever Growing Green Awards have been announced by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The winners are: Will Allen of Growing Power, Fedele Bauccio of Bon Appétit Management Company and James Harvie of Institute for a Sustainable Future, in the categories of Food Producer, Business Leader and Thought Leader, respectively. A $10,000 cash prize will be awarded to Will Allen for his achievements in sustainable food production.
“The extraordinary contributions of these individuals are making a difference for how people produce, consume and think about food and our natural environment,” said Michael Pollan, best-selling author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and chair of the award selection panel. “We’re delighted that Will Allen, Fedele Bauccio and James Harvie are the winners of the first-ever Growing Green Awards.”
An independent panel of sustainable food experts selected the three winners from a pool of 140 impressive candidates that included diverse growers, entrepreneurs and business leaders across the country.
Will Allen of Growing Power
Will Allen, Founder and CEO of Growing Power, won in the Food Producer category for his innovative urban farm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that integrates year-round urban aquaculture and vegetable production. Waste from the fish is used to fertilize the plants, which in turn filter the water so it can be returned to the fish, both eliminating the need to add fertilizers or release polluted waste-water. The farm provides fresh fish, produce and jobs to an underserved community, in addition to training and o
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