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USDA Approves New Genetically Modified Crops from Monsanto
Two controversial genetically modified crops have received USDA approval: Monsanto’s glyphosate and dicamba-resistant cotton and soybean seeds. The seeds have been engineered to tolerate a wider range...
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USDA: New Inspection Program Will Reduce Salmonella By 30 Percent
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing new federal standards aimed at reducing the presence of salmonella and campylobacter in ground chicken and turkey products, along with...
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USDA Approves the First Non-Browning Genetically Modified Apple
On Friday, the government approved the first genetically modified apple for commercial planting. The Arctic apples, as they’re called, are part of a growing list of GMO fresh produce to be approved...
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USDA School Lunch Test Program Provides 3 Square Meals a Day For At Risk Youth
In a speech at the 2015 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $27 million to fund projects to help end child hunger. The projects will take...
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Coming Soon to a Food Label Near You: ‘Organic is Non-GMO & More’
Is there a difference between organic and non-GMO foods? A group of organic farmers is hoping to reduce customer confusion on the issue with a new organic certification seal called “Organic is Non-GMO...
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USDA Announces Plans for Federal ‘GMO-Free’ Label Certification Program
Federal requirements for labeling foods containing genetically modified ingredients may not be happening anytime soon, but the USDA has announced the development of a government certification for...
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USDA Says It Won’t Investigate Major Organic Farms For Alleged Animal...
According to the organic watchdog group, the Cornucopia Institute, the USDA has refused to investigate 14 legal complaints brought on by the organization. The complaints allege that major organic...
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What the PRIME Act Means for Local Meat Farms
That meat you purchased at the farmers market may have come from nearby local meat farms, but before making it to your table, it likely took a long trip – hundreds, maybe thousands of miles – to be...
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U.S. Organic Food Sales Up 72%, USDA Report Finds
A new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report shows that organic food sales have seen a sharp increase, with sales from organic farms topping $5.5 billion. AgWeb reports that sales are up 72...
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Americans Need to Eat More Diverse Vegetables (If They Can Actually Find Them)
Okay, so we’re not exactly blaming you for this recent U.S. Department of Agriculture data. We know you love kale, squash, and everything in-between. And we’re betting that you also have access to...
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Did the USDA Suppress Science on the Effects of Pesticides?
Established in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture is responsible for the development and execution of the nation’s official policies on farming, agriculture,...
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These College Students Really Hate Food Waste
College students around the U.S. can’t stomach the idea that while 1 in 6 Americans don’t know where their next meal will come from, Americans waste 40 percent of their food. The inconsistency drove...
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More Than 25 Percent of Wild Alfalfa is Now Genetically Modified Due to Crop...
Early in 2011, USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the agency approved unrestricted commercial planting of genetically engineered alfalfa despite concern from organic and non-GMO growers that...
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Urban Farming Gives New Growers a Boost in Phoenix
While the East Coast clears out after Winter Storm Jonas, Phoenix has reached its prime growing season. At an urban farming initiative downtown, beginning farmers harvest lettuce, carrots, beets, and...
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Salmonella Bacteria Limits on Raw Chicken to Be Strictly Enforced by USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will be enforcing a stricter limit on salmonella bacteria present in poultry products in an attempt to lower cases of food borne illness in the United States. It is...
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Is Hydroponic Food Organic? Organic Farmers Urge USDA to Say No
You’ve probably eaten hydroponic food–a tomato or cucumber perhaps, or maybe some aquaponic-grown lettuce. They may have even been promoted as organic, and what’s not organic about food grown without...
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Organic Farming on the Rise: More than 20,000 U.S. Organic Farms
Organic farming is on the rise, according to new information released by the Agricultural Marketing Service’s National Organic Program (NOP). Today, there are 21,781 certified organic operations in...
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Big Ag Execs Placed on USDA Organic Board Leads to Lawsuit
The Cornucopia Institute, the organic industry watchdog group, has filed a lawsuit against the USDA for the appointment of two non-farmers on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), a 15-member...
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Your Organic Eggs and Meat are Probably Not as Humane as You Think
The 90-day public comment period for the new USDA organic animal welfare rule ended on July 13. The rule was intended to create more stringent standards for organic eggs and other animal products....
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USDA Allows GMO-Free Labels on Qualifying Meat and Eggs
USDA will now allow meat and eggs raised without genetically modified feed to feature GMO-Free labels. Until now, the agency did not allow negative claims about GMOs on packaging unless the terms were...
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