Locavore News by Elbert van Donkersgoed
Posted: November 16, 2009
Categories: Food in the News / News from Sustain Ontario
Perspectives on good food and farming
November 16, 2009
Lunch with Alice Waters in Larchmont elementary school’s garden
When Alice Waters talks about improving school lunch, she doesn’t just mean making the chicken nuggets more nutritious. She wants to see a table set, maybe with flowers. She wants children to have enough time to have conversations as they eat. Los Angeles Times story
Land Stewardship Project Hosts USDA Deputy Secretary on SE MN Farm
Citing the Land Stewardship Project as a national leader in getting the next generation of farmers on the land, the USDA’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture visited a southeast Minnesota farm Nov. 3 to announce the awarding of over $17 million in grants to 29 groups and institutions nationwide that are working with new farmers. “The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program is there to make sure beginning farmers and ranchers have access to the resources they need to succeed,†said Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan after touring Hidden Stream Farm near Elgin. “A lot of this is following in the footsteps of the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings program.â€Â Land Stewardship Project news release.
`Virtual water measures’
First there was carbon foot-printing, then food miles, and soon the world’s consumers will be told how much water was used to produce their food. Scientists say New Zealand exporters have little to fear from what are known as “virtual water measures”, and the low rate of exploitation could be a competitive advantage over other food producers. Otago (New Zealand) Daily Times story.
City Slicker Farms (California)
Slicker Farms increases food self-sufficiency in West Oakland by creating organic, sustainable, high-yield urban farms and back-yard gardens. These spaces provide healthy, affordable food and improve the environment. Â We seek to serve all West Oakland residents, prioritizing people who have least access. Our farms and gardens demonstrate the viability of a local food-production system, serve as community spaces, empower children and adults who want to learn about the connections between ecology, farming and the urban environment, and give West Oakland residents tools for self-reliance. City Slicker Farms website.
A Food Miles, of a Different Nature
Diversity is what makes us a great country. And I don’t ever want to be a food snob — I enjoy a hot dog as much (probably more than) the next guy. But clearly our eating habits are killing us. So if you are interested in financing a chain of salad bars along the interstate highway system, I’m your girl. Liz Neumark article in the Huffington Post.
Ambitious farming campaign must not fail
The long-awaited launch of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment is the best chance farmers have of fending off a compulsory replacement set-aside in England. But regulation will become a reality unless all farmers sign up to the initiative. In the same way the much-feted Voluntary Initiative staved off the threat of a pesticide tax, the campaign is the industry-led approach to re-capturing the environmental benefits of set-aside. It was launched on Thursday (5 November). The campaign aims to encourage and inspire farmers and land managers to adopt or continue management practices that increase or retain the environmental benefits provided by their farmland. Farmers Weekly Interactive (UK)Â story.
Connecting buyers and sellers of locally grown food
Farmers and other vendors begin by creating a profile page to promote their produce, as well as listing the quantities and prices of the products they have to sell. Individual and organizational buyers can then search for local food sellers and products in their area—searching by address, ZIP code or via map—and browsing the listings of those near them. Once they’ve found something they like, buyers can order food for pick-up at farmers’ markets or farms. A purchase order is automatically generated and mailed to them for use in picking up the food and paying the seller. Listing, ordering and bidding on items in Local Dirt is free; yearly memberships for more sophisticated features—such as wholesale capabilities—begin at USD 360.Springwise story.
Food Hub: Cultivating a Local Economy
FoodHub is designed to be a user-friendly, one-stop-shop for the chef who needs six dozen artichokes for a menu special, the baker looking for a local source for flour, or the large institutional food buyer whose purchasing power could significantly stabilize a family farm. Local farmers, restaurateurs, and institutional buyers from hospitals, schools, colleges and grocery stores can check out thewebsite to learn more. Portland, Oregon
Smart Choices Food Labeling Program, Under Investigation, Is Voluntarily Suspended
The Smart Choices food labeling program, under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration and state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, was voluntarily suspended Friday after federal regulators said the program could mislead consumers.Connecticut Hartford Courant story
White House loads policy initiatives into a few hours of fun at Healthy Kids Fair
The autumn sunshine was very bright, the weather unseasonably warm, and there was a party atmosphere at the White House for Wednesday’s Healthy Kids Fair. First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off her shoes and hula hooped, Double Dutch jump roped, and sprinted through an obstacle course on the South Lawn, accompanied by dozens of visiting school children. Meanwhile, White House Chefs, and a few high-profile guest chefs, whipped up recipes at a series of outdoor kitchen stations. That fun side of the Healthy Kids Fair was reported by mainstream media. But the event couldn’t have been more serious. Grist Magazine story.
Why Is There No Fresh Locally Produced Food Served in Our Schools?
The region last school year (2008-2009) included 29 public school districts that were part of the national school lunch program. This report highlights the procurement challenges that school food authorities face as they seek to purchase healthy fresh local food from farmers in the region. Iowa and Cedar Valley Region School Lunch Program brochure.
The Real Price of Cheap Food
Award-winning food journalist Michael Pollan was invited to speak on October 15 at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo but after pressure from a university donor who is chairman of the Harris Ranch Beef Co., the university changed his speech to a panel discussion. Transcripts of panel discussionon AlterNet.
AND if You Have Time
Food fight! Revelers run amok in tomatoes
Tens of thousands of revelers pelted each other with ripe tomatoes in a good-natured battle that filled the streets of a Spanish town with rivers of red pulp. MSNBCÂ story.