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2012 May Bring the Apocalypse, But Mercury Emissions Won’t Be the Cause

Jill Ettinger — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:00:24 +0000

Closing out 2011 on something of a high note, the EPA revealed new standards that would dramatically limit emissions on mercury and other toxins allowed by coal and oil plants.

USDA Investigates Salmonella Outbreak in Beef

Erin Shaw — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 08:00:31 +0000

The USDA is investigating an outbreak of Salmonella that originated with beef products sold throughout the Northeast at Hannaford grocery stores. Tracing the outbreak source up the supply chain is complicated by weak record-keeping standards for grocers' beef products.

Kale Bait: Vermont Backs Local Business in Chick-Fil-A Trademark Suit

Erin Shaw — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:00:29 +0000

Chick-Fil-A sues Vermont artist and small business owner Bo Muller-Moore to squash his Eat More Kale merchandise line, which the restaurant says violates their rights to the slogan "Eat Mor Chikin." VT Governor Shumlin supports the artist and raises money for his legal defense fund.

People’s Tribunal Indicts 6 Pesticide Giants for Human Rights Violations

Erin Shaw — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:00:48 +0000

The Permanent People's Tribunal indicted the Big 6 transnational pesticide companies - BASF, Monsanto, Syngenta, Dow and Bayer - for violating internationally recognized human rights. While the PPT can't enforce legal penalties, the trial could set precedent for future legal actions.

Most Biomedical Research Chimps Can Retire, Panel Finds

Erin Shaw — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:16 +0000

A new report from the Institute for Medicine calls for the retirement of most, but not all, of the 600 chimpanzee test subjects held by the National Institute for Health. NIH asked The Institute for Medicine for advice last December after NIH ordered a group of retired chimpanzees back into active research, sparking widespread protest.

Label It Today! GMO Salmon Up for FDA Approval, Public Scrutiny

Erin Shaw — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 08:00:25 +0000

There has never been a better time to assert your right to an informed choice in food. The FDA may be finalizing approval of genetically engineered salmon, the first GE animal for human consumption, and there is one team working hard for consumers’ rights to know. The Just Label It! Campaign is calling for support for their legal petition urging the FDA to require mandatory labeling of GE salmon and all genetically engineered foods.

Busted: USDA Finally Enforces Organic Standards at Shamrock Farms

Erin Shaw — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:00:36 +0000

Shamrock Farms is under fire from the USDA for questionable “split operation” livestock management practices that could get their organic certification revoked. The USDA investigation is in response to a formal complaint by the Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry watchdog that first inspected Shamrock in 2008. Cornucopia found “inadequate, overgrazed pasture adjacent to their milking facility,” and learned from Shamrock employees that “the confined cows had not been out in weeks.” Federal organic regulations require that cows be grazed, a practice that some factory-scale dairies shirk according to Cornucopia’s investigations.

Hawaiian Families Sue Dupont’s Pioneer Over GMO Crop Dust

Erin Shaw — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:00:36 +0000

Families on the “Garden Isle” of Kauai are suing the Dupont-owned Pioneer seed company for failure to investigate the danger posed by open air testing of genetically modified crops.

McDonald’s Finds Loophole in SF’s Efforts to Reduce Childhood Obesity

Jill Ettinger — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 08:00:08 +0000

Don't ever say that clowns aren't clever. After San Francisco passed a ban aimed to prevent McDonald's and other fast-food chains from giving toys away with kids' meals that do not meet the city's nutritional standards, the chain has simply started charging a nominal fee for them instead.

Pardon? Monsanto GMO Ban Overturned in France

Jill Ettinger — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:00:48 +0000

A ban on planting genetically modified crops in France was annulled last week, shocking a nation that prides itself on being known as the world's gourmand with a focus on fresh and whole foods. The decision to overturn the ban came as the government cited a failure in being able to establish the reason for the rushed initial ban and the lack of any conclusive scientific evidence that genetically modified foods pose human health or environmental risks.