Growers and Grocers

The Los Angeles Times reports that a California Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of tuna canners who wanted to avoid warning customers about mercury levels (free registration or bugmenot required).
The California judge pointed to an existing federal decision, which declares that the mercury levels are too low for concern. Critics of the ruling […]

A “protest picnic” is being held today in Plaisance-du-Touche#&151;a suburb of Toulouse, France—to demonstrate against plans for a huge shopping mall project. Baptised “Portes de Gascogne”, the mega-shopping center would include 138 small shops and 28 superstores.
Opponents argue that the Toulouse area is already overrun with malls and hypermarkets, and point to the environmental drawbacks […]

The United States government should revamp the Farm Bill in 2007 to promote sustainability instead of obsolete crop subsidies, according to activist group American Farmland Trust.
From the press release:

AFT proposed a two-part safety net. Some $5 billion a year would be paid to farmers and ranchers who practice land, water and wildlife conservation on […]

Tana Butler of the Small Farms blog points her readers to Certified Humane, an organization that makes an effort to recognize producers who handle their livestock responsibly. A few clicks will lead you to stores in your area that sell meat and dairy products that the organization has vetted.
When I saw Michael Pollan speak recently […]

South Carolina’s legislature passed a bill that loosens the regulations on large-scale poultry factories, according to The State. Before the bill passed, counties could restrict the locations of notoriously toxic and rancid poultry farms. Counties could keep them away from schools and churches.
The legislature overturned that power, which has poultry producers crowing. Similar laws have […]

A few people told me about an article in today’s New York Times about Whole Foods’s new ad campaign. The new ads paint the upscale chain as…a source for values and deals.
It’s not hard to see the impetus: The chain wants to counter Wal-Mart’s moves into the organic marketplace. Whole Foods claimed earlier this week […]

In preparation for the Farm Bill of 2007, the USDA has started to issue “theme papers” that will educate the public rather than suggest policy. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced that the Department of Agriculture will eventually release 41 of these documents, each focused on a particular area of concern. The first one focuses […]

Major brands are knocking at the door of poor to middle-income homes in developing countries as corporations strive to increase market share in Asia, Africa and South America. These direct sales represent a way to reach consumers who do not have access to grocery stores and supermarkets.
An article on the anti-globalization site Bella […]

Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation created the modern animal rights movement, and he remains an influential thinker about livestock treatment and other ethical eating issues.
Salon.com interviews Singer today, touching on a number of issues familiar to Growers and Grocers readers: factory farms, the cost of food, and myths about the benefits of local foods. He argues […]

Scientists and nutritionists may have to revise their thinking about Aspartame, the artificial sweetener that came under fire when researchers discovered an increase in cancers in rats that had eaten the chemical. According to this post on Yahoo! News, the European Union’s Food Safety Agency re-examined the initial study and didn’t find any cause for […]