Clipmarks | bignosemousie's 'farming' clips

Monsanto Loses Case in Canada

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:56:21 GMT

clipped by: cheapogroovo

Key points achieved were:

1. Percy has maintained his freedom to speak out - no gag order.

2. He will be compensated for the removal of Monsanto GMO plants from his land.

3. He or members of his family can take Monsanto to court in the future if they feel their land is contaminated by Monsanto. (Monsanto wanted a settlement earlier that would have involved Percy and his family accepting a gag order, and giving up any rights to take Monsanto to court in the future).

4. Percy and his partner Louise have set a precedent by challenging Monsanto and effecting a settlement with them

Percy, Louise and their family view this not only as victory for them but for producers throughout the world who want the freedom to plant their own seed, and keep the natural seeds from being contaminated by GMO products. And, the freedom to speak out and challenge those interests who promote corporate domination of the food system.

Tags: seed, farming, gmo, monsanto, fascism

The Sustainable Table

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:27:48 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: There are many links, and much information at this website for getting started.

Clip Source: www.sustainabletable.org

oday’s dominant form of agriculture relies on synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, large amounts of water, major transportation systems and factory-style practices for raising livestock and crops. Artificial hormones in milk, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, mad cow disease, and large-scale outbreaks of potentially deadly e.coli are all associated with this industrial form of food production.

Sustainable agriculture involves food production methods that are healthy, do not harm the environment, respect workers, are humane to animals, provide fair wages to farmers, and support farming communities. But rather than focus on the problems, Sustainable Table promotes the positive shift toward local, small-scale sustainable farming.

Clip Source: www.sustainabletable.org

Small changes can have large, lasting impacts, so join the millions of people who are now making wiser choices about the food they eat. Find out what you can do – and then go do it!

Tags: agriculture, sustainable, farming, eating, health, food

Flood Washington (State) with Relief

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:01:23 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: She has a link on her blog to donate directly, but she mostly just wants to get the word out. These flood victims need relief. You can always donate at The Red Cross or The United Way. Click to the source to read about her efforts.

Clip Source: www.daringyoungmom.com

Over 1600 homes were flooded in this disaster, the majority of which have no flood insurance. Businesses have been wiped out. As sad as it was to see Wal-Mart under water and Home Depot condemned, the hardest thing is to know that many small businesses may never recover. So even as their homes are destroyed, their livelihoods may be cut off as well, right at the busiest time of the year for many businesses.

It was incredibly humbling to drive past homes and farms that had been completely submerged, some blasted by 14 feet of filthy water. Farms that have been handed down for generations are destroyed, their owners left with nothing. Some had to shoot their own livestock so they wouldn’t suffer while drowning. There are cars and farming equipment still under water or stuck in mud and much of it is completely unusable. We saw toys, clothes and furniture several feet up in trees. People are in shock.

Tags: washington, flood, disaster, charity

Not just a Farm Bill, it's a food bill

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:17:16 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks:

If the eaters and all the other “people on the outside” make themselves heard, we just might end up with something that looks less like a farm bill and more like the food bill a poorly fed America so badly needs.

Call your Senator!

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Americans have begun to ask why the farm bill is subsidizing high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils at a time when rates of diabetes and obesity among children are soaring, or why the farm bill is underwriting factory farming (with subsidized grain) when feedlot wastes are polluting the countryside and, all too often, the meat supply. For the first time, the public health community has raised its voice in support of overturning farm policies that subsidize precisely the wrong kind of calories (added fat and added sugar), helping to make Twinkies cheaper than carrots and Coca-Cola competitive with water.

“This is not just a farm bill. It’s a food bill, and Americans who eat want a stake in it.”

Tags: farming, farm bill, agriculture, politics

Higher grocery bills

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:37:12 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: There is so much more info at the source. I recommend reading the entire article.

Clip Source: www.chron.com

In the Houston area, grocery prices rose 0.9 percent in July, on the heels of a 0.4 percent increase in June, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A basket of groceries that cost $100 in July 1984 and $183 a year ago would cost nearly $190 today.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans reported paying significantly more per week — between $8 and $20 — for groceries, according to a survey by America's Research Group. That's up from 53 percent in February and March.

Part of the rise in price is increased demand. About 14 percent of the U.S. corn crop is going to produce ethanol as an environmentally-friendly alternative and gasoline supplement.

Higher fuel costs translate to higher food prices because very little food gets eaten in the same part of the world where it is grown,

In addition to more corn going to ethanol, growing wealth in China and other developing nations means those countries have more money to buy food.

Tags: environment, agriculture, corn, ethanol, farming, shopping, consumerism

MONSANTO PATENTS ASSERTED AGAINST AMERICAN FARMERS REJECTED BY PATENT OFFICE

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:42:50 GMT

clipped by: jetcloud
clipper's remarks: One study of the matter found that, "Monsanto has used heavy-handed investigations and ruthless prosecutions that have fundamentally changed the way many American farmers farm. The result has been nothing less than an assault on the foundations of farming practices and traditions that have endured for centuries in this country and millennia around the world, including one of the oldest, the right to save and replant crop seed."

Clip Source: www.pubpat.org

NEW YORK – July 24, 2007 -- The Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has rejected four key Monsanto patents related to genetically modified crops that PUBPAT challenged last year because the agricultural giant is using them to harass, intimidate, sue - and in some cases literally bankrupt - American farmers. In its Office Actions rejecting each of the patents, the USPTO held that evidence submitted by PUBPAT, in addition to other prior art located by the Patent Office's Examiners, showed that Monsanto was not entitled to any of the patents.

Monsanto has filed dozens of patent infringement lawsuits asserting the four challenged patents against American farmers, many of whom are unable to hire adequate representation to defend themselves in court. The crime these farmers are accused of is nothing more than saving seed from one year's crop to replant the following year, something farmers have done since the beginning of time.

Tags: monsanto

How to tap into the bounty nearby

Tue, 22 May 2007 16:06:49 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: More resources at the source.

Clip Source: www.mercurynews.com

Here are some resources to inspire you to eat what's local:

www.eatlocalchallenge.com

A blog that offers insight and testimonials on eating locally produced foods.

www.eatwellguide.org. Plug in your ZIP code to find farms, restaurants, stores, markets, and bed and breakfasts that feature sustainable and humanely raised food.

www.localharvest.org. Pinpoints farmers markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area.

Books

"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver

"Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables" by John Peterson

"The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

"Real Food: What to Eat and Why" by Nina Planck

"The Slow Food Revolution" by Carlo Petrini in conversation with Gigi Padovani

Tags: books, farming, agriculture, eating, food, environment, produce

Reasons to buy local produce

Tue, 22 May 2007 15:45:26 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Buying local also means the food is grown because it tastes good and not because it ships well. More reasons in the article, I recommend reading it.

Clip Source: www.daily-times.com

Local produce fresher and safer; promotes economic growth

By Lisa Meerts The Daily Times

Eating locally grown foods does more than provide a tasty and nutritious meal. It also supports the local economy, saves farm land from development and builds community.

Guillermo Payet, president of Local Harvest, a national organization that connects growers with consumers, said food grown and sold locally supports the economy by keeping money circulating within the town. It promotes environmentally sound farming practices because people

see the farms and know whether they damage the environment.

But when the farm exists 5,000 miles away, no one knows the difference.

Farmers also earn the most money when they sell directly to a customer rather than going through a middle man.

Ultimately, as gas prices rise, it will make economic sense to eat locally grown foods rather then spend money on fuel shipping it up from Chile or other countries,

Tags: agriculture, agribusiness, farming, food, eating, environment, farms, health

Saving the family farm

Sun, 13 May 2007 22:29:35 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Check out the National Family Farm Coalition for more information about each of these policies. Eat better to live better.

Clip Source: www.nffc.net

U.S. farm and food policy must change in order to reverse the economic devastation currently faced by our nation’s family farmers and rural communities. In addition, our international trade policy must recognize each nation’s right and responsibility to make their own decisions about how to develop and protect the capacity to grow food, sustain the livelihood of food producers, and feed the people in its own borders.

The following is an outline of policies that the NFFC is pursuing. Family farmers and their allies are working together to:

(1) Enact farm policy (the Food from Family Farms Act)

(2) Restore competition to the farm and food sector

(3) Negotiate Fair Trade Agreements

(4) Promote Food Security and Food Safety

(5) Hold US Government Agencies Accountable

(6) Minimize the risks of Genetic Engineering

Tags: nffc, farming, agriculture, society, environment, family, food

Grow for Good - Saving the Small Farmer

Sun, 13 May 2007 18:32:37 GMT

clipped by: rachel923
clipper's remarks: This is a campaign to save local farmland by raising money and awareness.

Clip Source: www.foodandwine.com

A Robust Food and Wine Industry Begins at the Farm...

FOOD & WINE has launched the Grow for Good campaign to raise $1 million for Farm to Table, a national initiative that promotes sustainable farming practices and builds consumer demand for locally-grown foods. Grow for Good will enable Farm to Table to:

Expand its programs and services to 25 cities nationwide
Open a West Coast office serving California and other western states farmland
Work toward saving up to 1,500 farms
Provide education, tools and technology to help small farmers implement more sustainable practices
Create a national network for local ingredients: farm-to-farm, farm-to-consumer, farm-to-institutional buyer
Launch a national public education campaign

Tags: organization, farming, farm to table

Ark of Taste

Tue, 08 May 2007 23:03:17 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: The Ark of Taste is a project of the Slow Food Foundation. Its goal is to reintroduce forgotten foods, so that they do not go extinct. Large scale agrobusiness really threatens the existence of thousands of plant types, as well as animal species. Really interesting website with lots of information.

Clip Source: www.slowfoodfoundation.com

75% of European food product diversity has been lost since 1900

93% of American food product diversity has been lost in the same time period

33% of livestock varieties have disappeared or are near disappearing

30,000 vegetable varieties have become extinct in the last century, and one more is lost every six hours

The mission of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity is to organize and fund projects that defend our world’s heritage of agricultural biodiversity and gastronomic traditions.

We envision a new agricultural system that respects local cultural identities, the earth’s resources, sustainable animal husbandry, and the health of individual consumers.

Clip Source: www.slowfoodfoundation.com

The Ark of Taste aims to rediscover, catalog, describe and publicize forgotten flavors. It is a metaphorical recipient of excellent gastronomic products that are threatened by industrial standardization, hygiene laws, the regulations of large-scale distribution and environmental damage.

Tags: slow food, food, biodiversity, agriculture, farming, environment, science

Monsanto sues small farmers again (and again)

Sun, 06 May 2007 17:19:46 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Monsanto is suing a canola farmer because bees pollinated his crops with "trademarked" pollen from a GM farm. Nice way to do business. Soon all canola crops will be owned by Monsanto, if it doesn't kill the bees first.

Monsanto also sued a dairy farmer to prevent him from labelling his milk rBGH-free. Monsanto is the number one producer of rBGH.

Clip Source: www.organicconsumers.org

Percy Schmeiser is a farmer from Saskatchewan Canada, whose Canolafields were contaminated with Monsanto's genetically engineered Round-Up Ready Canola by pollen from a nearby farm. Monsanto says it doesn't matter how the contamination took place, and is therefore demanding Schmeiser pay their Technology Fee (the fee farmers must pay to grow Monsanto's genetically engineered products).

Oakhurst Dairy has been owned and operated by the same Maine family since 1921, and Monsanto recently attempted to put them out of business. Oakhurst, like many other dairy producers in the U.S., has been responding to consumer demand to provide milk free of rBGH, a synthetic hormone banned (for health reasons) in every industrialized country other than the U.S. Monsanto, the number one producer of the rBGH synthetic steroid, sued Oakhurst, claiming they should not have the right to inform their customers that their dairy products do not contain the Monsanto chemical.

Tags: monsanto, farming, agriculture, genetics, agrobusiness, engineering, science

GM crops are killing the bees

Sun, 06 May 2007 17:05:53 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: The article makes a good case for GM crops being bad for bees. I didn't know the disappearance of bees was heavier in Texas and California. I just noticed there weren't as many where I live.

Clip Source: www.organicconsumers.org

California and Texas have been hit particularly hard by the sudden disappearance of bees, but dozens of other states are reporting major losses as well.

So what's the cause of colony collapse?

The bee collapse began in isolated pockets before progressing rapidly around the nation. If cell phones are to blame, shouldn't the effect have been simultaneous, and witnessed years ago? And if pesticides are strictly to blame, shouldn't beekeepers near major farm systems be able to track those pollutants and narrow the field of possible suspects?

Several scientists have come forward with the startling claim that genetically modified food

is destroying bees.

A former agronomist has commented that the one trial of GM crops in the Netherlands quickly led to colony collapse within 100 kilometers of the fields, and it's reasonable to hypothesize nature's pollinators would bear an averse reaction to plants with poison coursing through every stem.

Tags: agriculture, genetics, food, farming, bees, science, nature

Gifts from one mother to another

Fri, 04 May 2007 22:56:18 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Buy a gift that keeps on giving. Heifer Project International is recognized by the BBB and has won the Hilton Humanitarian award. Help a mother to improve her life and the lives of her children by purchasing animals or seeds.

Clip Source: www.heifer.org

Raising children is a big job, and it's even harder for mothers who struggle for dependable sources of food and income. Honor or remember your own mother by helping another with a Mother's Day basket from Heifer International. The animals and training your gift makes possible will help a woman in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, or even right here at home care for her family the way your mother cared for you.

Mother's Love Basket
With shares of a heifer, goat, and water buffalo, the Mother's Love Basket includes animals that produce nourishing milk for a mother and her family and fertilizer for their crops. Learn More

Mother Earth Basket
Filled with seedlings and bees, the Mother Earth Basket offers essential trees that help clean the air and bees that help pollinate fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Learn More

Tags: mothers, farming, agriculture, charity, gift

Murder that threatens our survival

Fri, 04 May 2007 22:26:48 GMT

clipped by: bignosemousie
clipper's remarks: Languages are being murdered faster than ever before. What does this mean? The article ties linguistic diversity (LD) to biodiversity (BD). The two diversities seem to enforce and support each other. When the language dies, the knowledge dies with it. Interesting article for anthropologists and linguists.

Clip Source: www.journeytoforever.org

Habitat destruction through logging, the spread of agriculture and use of pesticides, and the economic and political vulnerability of the people who live in the world's most diverse ecoregions are recognised as the main causes of the disappearance of biodiversity. What is less widely understood is the link between diminishing global biodiversity and the disappearance of languages.

While new trees can be planted and habitats restored, it is much more difficult to restore languages once they have been murdered. And languages are being murdered today faster than ever before in human history. Even the most optimistic prognoses claim that only half of today's 6,000-7,000 spoken languages will exist by 2100.

People might say: so what? It might be better for world peace if we all speak a few big languages and understand each other. But language diversity is decisive for the future of the planet.

Tags: linguistics, language, biodiversity, science, biology, farming, agriculture, anthropology