Selected Participant Blog Sites
Marion Nestle, PH.D
Blog: Food Politics
- Civics lesson: SNAP amendments to the farm bill
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Posted 14 hours ago
I know the mere words “farm bill” are enough to put any sane person into a coma, but what’s happening in Congress can be quite entertaining if you don’t care what happens.
For example, the bill is so big and covers so much territory that just about every legislator introduces amendments (these are tracked by FarmBillPrimer.org).
Because SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) takes up 80% of farm bill funding to the tune of about $80 billion a year, lots of amendments deal with further decreasing the budget allocation or restoring amounts that have been cut. So far, none of these has passed.
But… - FoodNavigator-USA’s enlightening interview: the industry POV on GMOs
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Posted 2 days ago
I just read Elaine Watson’s lengthy interview on FoodNavigator-USA with Cathy Enright, the executive vice president for food and agriculture at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)—the trade organization for producers of GMO foods.
If you have any doubts about why the agbiotech industry has failed “to win hearts and minds about the merits of genetically engineered ingredients,” read this interview.
Ms. Enright’s comments are remarkable for their tone-deafness to the issues that so trouble ordinary people about GMO foods.
Here, for example, are few selected quotes from the interview:Consumers are not worried about biotechnology in other areas of their lives…Take human insulin [injected…
- What I’m reading about the farm bill: sarcastic, sober, troubling
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Posted 3 days ago
The best recent analysis of what’s happening with the farm bill comes from Tom Laskawy on Grist.
For one thing, it has a great title: “Undead farm bill: Everyone’s favorite legislative zombie shuffles on.”
For another, it makes a troubling point: if Congress fails to pass a farm bill, the good parts go out with the bad.
Actually, the question really is whether Congress will ever pass a farm bill again. For the first time, those close to the legislative process are starting to have their doubts. And that may be a really bad thing.
Bah, humbug, you say! The farm bill is larded… - How to recognize industry groups in disguise
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Posted 5 days ago
Michele Simon and the Center for Food Safety have just come out with a new report: Best Public Relations Money Can Buy: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups.
This report explains…
- The farm bill’s nutrition efforts: practically irrelevant to SNAP
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Posted 7 days ago
SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is funded by Title IV in the farm bill, currently under consideration in Congress. It accounts for about 80% of the total farm bill funding, and costs taxpayers about $80 billion a year.
SNAP is an entitlement, which means that everyone who qualifies gets benefits—unless Congress changes that. So far, all it is doing is trying to cut budget.
Although SNAP is under the Nutrition title, little about the program is designed to improve the nutrition and health of participants. But the farm bill has plenty to say about nutrition—just not for SNAP participants.
Much of the…
Debbie Borg
Blog: Technology and Food
- Our Ag kids need our Encouragement
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Posted 246 days ago
Our Ag kids need our Encouragement I will soon have the opportunity to coach some “Intro to Ag” kids about the importance of livestock judging and oral reasons.To me it’s easy, looking back having the privilege of being a member of the livestock judging team at Colorado State University was…
- Feed Recipe
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Posted 576 days ago
Just wanted to share how we feed each pen of cattle that we have. Each pen has a recipe and…
- Farmkid3
- Shocked and Disappointed with NE Farmers Union
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Posted 581 days ago
I am so disappointed in the Nebraska Farmers Union for their recent agreement with the HSUS. (See it here: http://kticradio.com/news/agricultural/index.php?more=hz7j8tzn ) So rather than sit and talk to my friends I decided I should write to the board members who made the decision and point out just a few facts…
- What does a farmer Look Like?
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Posted 784 days ago
The other day I had the opportunity to share the ‘amazing’ soybean story to a little over 600 4th graders in central Nebraska at a Life on the Farm field trip. About half way through the day, I started asking them-after I introduced myself as a farmer who grows corn,…
Sam Quinones
Award Winning Journalist
- Fair Grounds History
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Some content - Coffee Country
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- Your Coffee Dollar
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- SamQuinones.com
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