McDonald’s is set to launch a new ad campaign in January that features four of the restaurant’s beef and produce suppliers attesting to the quality of their ingredients.

]]> http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/organic-food/food-suppliers-star-in-mcdonald%e2%80%99s-new-transparency-campaign/feed/ 0 http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/omg-genetically-modified-gmo-seed-savers-sued-by-monsanto/ http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/omg-genetically-modified-gmo-seed-savers-sued-by-monsanto/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:47:39 +0000 Jill Ettinger http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=9638

AS if Pennsylvania doesn't have enough woes with all the fracking making much of its rural areas unlivable, Erie County farmers are now facing a lawsuit filed by the mega biotech corporation, Monsanto for re-planting genetically modified seeds.

Many consider sustainable farming a boutique industry, unable to compete with conventional farming and produce enough food to supply populations outside their local communities. And that pesticides and modern food processing technology is the only way to meet the world's demand for food.

But Mark Bittman, New York Times contributor and author of The Food Matters Cookbook, claims advances in sustainable farming now make it a viable solution to world hunger. He also points out that today's industrial farming practices aren't the savior they appear, citing record highs in the global food price index. And that conventional farming takes too heavy a toll on the environment.

Prince Charles, who once admitted to talking to his plants, is now encouraging everyone to grow an organic garden; even a tiny garden can yield fruits and vegetables, reduce carbon and feed local birds and insects.

In 1980, Prince Charles purchased his country home, Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, England, with the intention of turning it into an organic farm and garden. Today, its acres grow fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, leeks, carrots and Brussels sprouts. Also grown are native and endangered plants like jasmine, crane's bill, yellow rattle, lilies and honeysuckle.

European health officials are now warning that the German dioxin outbreak may be worse than previously thought - extending beyond tainted eggs - and prompting some countries to take harsher action.

The dioxin scare surfaced after 3,000 tonnes (over 6,600 pounds) of an animal feed additive sold in Germany were discovered to contain trace amounts of dioxin, causing officials to ban many farms from selling eggs.

Much has been written about cows’ role in producing greenhouse gas emissions. (Think burps and farts.)

A 2006 United Nations report stated that livestock were responsible for 18% of these emissions. To be fair, this statistic also included land use and degradation, deforestation, pesticide use and water pollution. Cow flatulence, however, continues to incur blame (not to mention really dorky jokes).

Fear not, bovine lovers: Researchers at the University of Arkansas and Michigan Technological University have found that the dairy industry is responsible for only about 2% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Using 2007 and 2008 data from more than 500 dairy farms and 50 dairy processors, as well as data from more than 210,000 round trips transporting milk from farm to processing plant, Arkansas researchers examined the trail of carbon emissions—from dairy farms to the milk in your coffee. They concluded that total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the fluid milk Americans consume were lower than previously reported.

Farm Aid, celebrating 25 years of protecting local and organic family farms, has just announced that its annual benefit concert will be held Oct. 2 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The artist lineup will be announced soon.  Tickets ($39.50 to $97.50) will go on sale 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14 (CDT) and are available at the Milwaukee Brewers box office, by phone at (414) 902-4000 or online.

The all-day festival will once again feature HOMEGROWN concessions: local and organic foods from family farms. Attendees can meet farmers, get their hands dirty, and learn how family farmers are connecting us to our roots.

“For 25 years, Farm Aid has worked to keep family farmers on the land,” says cofounder and legendary country artist Willie Nelson, who will perform at the concert. “This anniversary concert is a chance for everyone to join with Farm Aid to support the family farmers who are growing hope for America through the good food they produce, the economies they build, and their care for the soil and water. Family farmers are the backbone of our country, and right now we need them more than ever.”

“Midwest farmers share the same struggle as family farmers across the country,” adds cofounder and rocker John Mellencamp, who will also perform. “They are survivors, and they’re on the land creating solutions for America’s most pressing issues. Since 1985, Farm Aid has been a way for everyone in this country to step up and be part of the solution because nobody is going to solve these problems on their own. It’s going to take all of us working together.”

Photo © Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve, Inc.

A farmer may have more than 1,000 cows on his land, which create a steady stream of revenue—and manure.

In fact, a dairy cow typically produces 150 pounds of manure per day. Multiply this by scores of cattle, and you get a large—and odoriferous—waste situation.

Concerned about groundwater contamination and fecal-borne disease, farmers are continually on the lookout for ways to ensure safety and make cleanup easier.

One approach involves methane digesters, which operate on an old technology and handle cleanup effectively. As an added bonus, they produce electric energy.

By definition, a methane digester is a wastewater and solids treatment technology, according to Sustainable Conservation, a San Francisco-based environmental advocacy organization. When used on a farm, a digester processes animal waste under anaerobic conditions, yielding methane gas and reducing the volume of solids and treated liquids. The methane can be sold or used to generate electricity on the farm. The solid matter left behind is a valuable soil amendment. And the liquids become an easily applied fertilizer, with plant-available nutrients and low pathogen levels.

Typically, large farms will store liquid and solid manure produced by livestock in large waste ponds. The manure is later pumped back onto fields as a source of fertilizer.

But this type of storage scenario poses a host of problems, including strong odors, pathogens in the manure, and flooding of ponds and land when heavy rains or storms occur (allowing manure to reach local water sources). A methane digester provides a workaround solution, and harnessing the methane—a greenhouse gas more powerful than carbon dioxide—benefits the environment.

To offset costs, the U.S. government has started giving subsidies to farmers who wish to install methane digesters. Some, however, believe digesters may not be the best solution for small farms. Other communities fight large-scale digester installation because of their industrial appearance and added traffic from waste haulers.

Nonetheless, many environmentalists say the positives outweigh the negatives.

Suggested Reading

1. Organic Dairy Powered by Methane Digester (Straus Family Creamery)
2. Manure Power: Dairies Harness Methane to Create Renewable Energy (Checkbiotech)
3. Idaho Energy Czar Aims to Harness Cow Pie Power (Associated Press)
4. A Refreshing Idea for Barnyard Odor (Boston Globe)
5. A German Town Embraces Manure Energy (Fast Company)
6. Introduction to Methane Digesters (Oregon Department of Agriculture)
7. Energy Savers: Anaerobic Digesters for Farms and Ranches (U.S. Department of Energy)
8. Anaerobic Digestion of Animal Wastes: Factors to Consider (National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service)