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.

More good news for organic farming enthusiasts. Despite longstanding opinions that organic farming could not successfully challenge the perceived efficacy or durability of conventional farming, or the big push from Monsanto and other manufacturers of genetically modified seeds that claim to provide higher yield and less dependence on pesticides, the benefits of organic farming are becoming more apparent and desirable.

In efforts to meet a pre-Thanksgiving holiday break deadline, the House and Senate ag committees are working via a joint panel to create the national food and farm policy for the next five years, with what could have significant repercussions for the nation's farmers markets.

Amidst all the food-related doom and gloom courtesy of "food deserts," deregulated genetically modified foods, massive outbreaks of deadly salmonella-tainted animal products and seemingly endless options of processed junk food around every corner, food in America may have a brighter future than you think thanks to a rising college course trend: Organic agriculture.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is less common on poultry farms that have made the transition from conventional methods to organic farming, finds a new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Britain's Advertising Standards Authority banned an ad that claimed organically raised animals had higher welfare standards than those conventionally raised.

And China didn't take it lightly. They executed two company executives held responsible for the outbreak, so needless to say, any food imports from China need strict inspection.

That's why the U.S. Department of Agriculture has banned a Nebraska organic food inspecting company from operating in China due improper operations.

Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA), located in Lincoln, Nebraska, had been working in China for years, but recently got lazy.

What did they do? The USDA requires organic food to be inspected by a third party, and it turns out OCIA was using Chinese government employees to inspect Chinese farms state-owned land. Oh what's the big deal! Sigh.

These crops are branded with the USDA's organic seal.

And surprise-surprise, in the wake of this blunder, OCIA's executive director declined to comment on the USDA's ban.

But kudos to China, prior to OCIA getting the boot, Chinese organic farms did have periodic visits from other food inspectors certified by the USDA.

Now, while this is great to hear - you have to come down hard on lazy companies, especially ones that handle our food - the USDA had been trying to revoke OCIA's license since 2007. Talk about glacial action.

Hey, better late then never…I guess.

It's an understatement, but China does have its fair share of toxic problems. In addition to the melamine debacle, previous reports have linked China's massive air pollution to birth defects. Is there an inspector for that too?

Image credit: Trade Prince

Local and organic food-growers need your help!

Bill S. 510 is an overhaul of the food safety system that will hurt small-scale organic producers. The bill would require a $500 registration fee for all farms, regardless of size, and would require complicated monitoring of crops. If this bill passed, it would seriously burden small local and organic farms, which is probably why big food businesses like The American Frozen Food Institute, General Mills, and Kraft Foods support S. 510.

Food safety is an important issue, and Congress should definitely do something about it. But why put extra burdens on small growers when the major recent health scandals — E. Coli, melamine, and salmonella, just to name a few — were linked to industrial farming practices? This is surely an issue on which all citizens can agree — whether they be small-government conservatives or liberal, eco-friendly foodies.

Defenders of Wildlife, Farm Aid, and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, among others, have announced their opposition to S. 510. Please join them and help stop it. This bill is scheduled to come before the US Senate for a vote in the next few weeks, so please, visit Credo Action to learn more and contact your Senator and tell them that you support organic and local farms.

Organic turkeys don't come cheap! In Wisconsin, a 16 pound organic, free-range bird can cost you around 70 bucks.

Sounds like a lot, considering the kiddie table never finishes their food, Uncle Bob only eats the drumstick, and the rest ends up as cold sandwiches.

So one farmer in Wisconsin figured this year he wouldn't sell that many organic turkeys, wrong guess.

Turns out, they're still buying them, and now he has to turn people away. He doesn't have enough birds to go around.

Farmer Matthew Smith was worried that he'd get stuck with unsold birds, so he didn't raise as many as he normally does. But he sold out in three weeks.

A local food co-op believes people are being smarter with their organic purchases, instead of buying things like organic cookies and snacks, they are shifting priorities and just buying organic meat, butter, and cheese.

Makes sense, in light of swine flu and E. coli, people probably are more likely to get willies about meat than organic potato chips.

Via The Wisconsin State Journal.

Image credit: WWVB