By Natasha Longo As one of the few nations in the world with a GMO-free platform, Russia does not allow any cultivation of GMOs for commercial purposes. Their regulatory agencies recently suspended the import and use of an American GM corn following a study suggesting…
Image by Heather Callaghan Why avoid genetically modified foods? There are plenty of reasons; namely, your health. But you might hear people regurgitate the same old biotech slogans, when really it’s about feeding a bottomless bottom line and propelling an even bigger agenda. Biotech and…
By Heather Callaghan It’s only been 5 years since consumers slowly started hearing about a secret ingredient that has resided in some meat products for 20 years, now dubbed “pink slime.” To hear the American Meat President talk of ammonium hydroxide gas treated “Lean Finely…
by Rady Ananda An eastern Washington field has been contaminated with Roundup Ready alfalfa, the state Ag Department confirmed on Friday. The farmer reports he did not plant it, nor wants it. Of course we knew this was going to happen. Alfalfa seeds are only 2mm…
by Heather Callaghan In June, we reported on a David and Goliath fight between a longstanding farmers’ market in Mount Jackson, Virginia and the city. It was a nonsensical decision on the city council’s part to require the market operators to cough up $15-20,000 to…
by Rady Ananda The latest group to challenge Monsanto is heading to the US Supreme Court, this time to seek a covenant not to sue when their crops become genetically contaminated. The Organic Growers and Seed Traders Assn., et al. filed their petition for writ…
The movie that started it all! The Meatrix (www.themeatrix.com) spoofs The Matrix films and highlights the problems with factory farming. Instead of Keanu Reeves, The Meatrix stars a young pig, Leo, who lives on a pleasant family farm… he thinks. Leo is approached by a…
by Rady Ananda Superweeds are dominating the discussion at the American Chemical Society (ACS) symposium, being held in Indianapolis through Sept. 12. Not surprisingly, the solutions proposed include different toxic brews in tandem with stacked genetic traits in a never-ending chemical arms race with Mother…
by Heather Callaghan There are many reasons, this year, to believe that the USDA will be more lax than ever on meat safety. Eat large-scale and processed meats at your own risk. Just before Labor Day weekend, the USDA quietly admitted that they have lifted…
By Marco Torres We all know that hot dogs are not the healthiest food, but many people will consume them regardless. What’s the harm in consuming a few frankfurters here and there at BBQs, sporting events and gatherings right? Everything in moderation right? Unsuspecting consumers…
By Natural Blaze A single innovation from an octogenarian professor in Ireland is raising eyebrows and gaining accolades, though it is strangely absent in the U.S. mainstream media. Professor Austin Darragh of Limerick University is employing a new use of radio wave technology that could…
by Heather Callaghan Recently we learned of four-year-old “Rosie” and her single, disabled mother, “Mary” who were trying to keep the girl’s garden despite a property manager’s previous insistence that the garden go this week. It was later stated that the reason for removal was…
by Heather Callaghan Genetic modification is touted as the only way to feed starving nations, yet they often have decreased yields or lead to superweed and insect resistance. But there are solutions other than changing the entire ecology. Biodiversity, crop rotation techniques, or…simple crossbreeding! Earlier…
by Heather Callaghan Names have been altered to protect those involved…. Just when you think the front-yard garden wars can’t get worse, enter USDA’s rural development dictatorship domineering the food source of the most vulnerable of our society. In a South Dakota subsidized housing unit…
By Anne Gordon Would you eat chicken that ate arsenic and banned antibiotics? You probably already have. When eating that delicious nugget, or scrumptious chicken salad…. do you ever wonder how the tender, juicy, and appealing shades of pink get to your dinner plate? Welcome…
by Joe Martino An Earthship is a remarkable housing innovation that creates a completely off-grid and full-featured sustainable home. Utilizing passive solar as its main source of energy, Earthships also collect and treat their own water, keeps the climate warm and cool when necessary, and…
by Heather Callaghan In an odd turn of events, raw milk and pastured-egg farmer Alvin Schlangen, who received a court victory last September, was brought up on the same charges again and found guilty. Jury nullification, which is frequently upheld in Minnesota, was the saving…
by Anna Hunt Most Americans don’t realize that they are completely dependent on the ‘just-in-time’ food system that brings food from factories, industry farms, shipyards and the like, through a series of warehouses and distribution centers, to the local supermarket and grocery stores. If you’ve…
by Heather Callaghan A new genetically modified crop of ‘Golden rice’ was weeks away from harvest in the Philippines. It was reportedly going to be submitted to authorities for evaluation. This was an important milestone as other countries like Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia were considering…
By Brad Jordan The state of Minnesota is going after a small, peaceful dairy farmer…again. Alvin Schlangen is wanted for selling raw milk and other real foods to members of a private, buying club, without retail food sales permits. The state – which generally sees…
