Growers and Grocers

Welcome to the first edition of “The Sunday News.” This weekly post at Growers and Grocers will keep you informed of the latest developments in food policy and marketing, sustainable agriculture and organic food, and other issues related to how food gets to your table. Look forward to a link-filled view of what’s happening in […]

The prestigious French “Appellation d’origine contrôlée” label applies to food products as well as wine. On June 22nd, 2006, the national AOC institute (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine) recognized two new food products: the Nîmes olive and Corsican chestnut flour.
Two hundred Corsican farmers grow chestnuts for the sweet, delicate flour that Corsican cooks use […]

I live in the Aveyron department in France, and my husband is a consultant for farmers. When he visits sheep-raising country, his clients often offer him a large round of Roquefort to take home. Despite my fondness for this famous blue-veined cheese, I usually have so much of it on hand that I don’t […]

Trivia question: what is Switzerland’s favorite cheese? Emmenthaler? Gruyère?
Try again. John Tagliabue of the New York Times reports today that mozzarella has become the Swiss cheese of choice. And not only are the Swiss eating it in record quantities, now they even produce this traditional Italian treat.
The article profiles Mr. Hans Bieri and […]

Consumers are becoming more conscious of the need to support local farmers. But large structures such as a hospitals or schools don’t always have time to seek out producers from their own area.
Rick Barrett of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal reports that a former Whole Foods employee, Heather Hilleren, hopes to solve this problem with a […]

Boston’s network of Farmers Markets opened their season on Tuesday, May 30th, reports Darren Sands for the Boston Globe. The markets are managed by the Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets, a non-profit service organization run by a volunteer board of directors.
This year Boston residents can look forward to a plethora of local delicacies, including goat […]

Once again, Britain’s Guardian Unlimited brilliantly sums up 21st century food issues. “You’re trapped in a moral maze,” writes Mimi Spencer in Sunday’s edition. “Local, seasonal, organic? Fairtrade, sustainable, ethical? Unprocessed, free-range, farm-assured? And then there’s the packaging. If it’s dressed like a prom queen, it’s out.”
Even the traditional British “cuppa” is subject to […]

Major corporations contribute significant funds to North American universities and, like it or not, this financing helps guarantee the undeniable quality of American academics. But should companies be allowed to operate retail outlets on campuses, all in the name of research?
Despite public furor over the issue, the administrative council of Quebec’s Université Laval has […]

I just got back from a trip to London, and have spent quite a bit of personal blog space praising the vibrant British food scene. Now, just when I thought it was safe to defend British cuisine to the hilt, The Guardian reports that Heinz is planning to launch ready-made baked beans on toast: […]

Some butchers and farmers in Great Britain are selling “organic” meat illegally, reports James Meikle in Monday’s issue of The Guardian. A TV documentary that will be aired tomorrow evening reveals the problem, showing non-authorized sales of supposedly organic food.
In Great Britain, organic producers must buy a yearly license (approximately $750) and register with the […]