Category Archives: Organic Food

5 People Looking Out for Your Food

Posted on May 16, 2012 by lzerbe| Leave a comment

By Frances Beinecke, president of Natural Resources Defense Council

Today NRDC announces the winners of the 2012 Growing Green Awards. These awards celebrate the farmers, business owners, and bold thinkers who are transforming America’s food system. Each one of them has pioneered ways to produce food that nourishes our families and restores our water, air, and soil at the same time.

These leaders stand at the forefront of a movement that is sweeping the nation. This is the fourth year NRDC has hosted the Growing Green Awards and within that short time, there’s been an explosion of interest in healthy, sustainable food. Continue reading →

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Posted in Organic Food, Sustainable Farming

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Family Farmers Fight Monsanto

Posted on April 27, 2012 by emain| 2 Comments

By Margaret Riche, EcoCentric

According to many family farmers, there is an atmosphere of fear in rural America today. The threat of litigation looms, carried on the wind, by bird and by bee, in the form of Monsanto’s genetically engineered seeds. When these patent-protected drifters settle on a neighbor’s non-GE field, in effect contaminating their crops, unwitting farmers are suddenly at risk for legal retribution from the biotech giant. Continue reading →

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Posted in Food Politics, Organic Food, Pesticides & GMOs, Sustainable Farming

World’s Largest Rooftop Farm Gets More Space AND Bees!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by emain| Leave a comment

by Chris Hunt, EcoCentric

The arrival of spring tends to prompt a shift in collective attention toward soil and seeds, the warmer weather and longer days inspiring everyone from the large-scale farmer to the casual backyard gardener to plant and grow.  In most places, people look down to the ground.  But in New York City, we’re just as likely to look up to the sky – because here, many of our favorite farms are now on rooftops. Continue reading →

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Posted in Organic Food, Sustainable Farming

Fit for a King: On the Future of Food (A Book Review)

Posted on February 16, 2012 by lzerbe| 1 Comment

by Leslie Hatfield, GRACE communications

Advocates of locally sourced, sustainably produced food are often portrayed as elitists (most often by those with a vested interest in the agricultural status quo) and granted, it doesn’t get much more elite than His Royal Highness Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.

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Posted in Organic Food, Sustainable Farming

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The Endless Controversy Over Organics

Posted on February 16, 2012 by lzerbe| 1 Comment

by Marion Nestle, PhD, professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University.

I am a big fan of the Perishable Pundit, Jim Prevor, whose opinions on the produce industry I think are always worth reading whether I agree with them or not.  I check his site regularly.

I am also a big fan of organics.  I think research shows that organic production methods are kinder to soil, climate, and animals than industrial production methods. Continue reading →

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Posted in Organic Food

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Farm & College: Young Organic Farmers Do Double Duty

Posted on January 11, 2012 by lzerbe| 3 Comments

By Andrea and Erika Holm, second-generation organic farmers and members of Generation Organic

Twin sisters Andrea and Erika Holm are young organic farmers who live and work on their family farm in Elk Mound, Wisconsin. Together with their seven siblings, Andrea and Erika are second-generation farmers at Holm Girls Dairy. Recently, Andrea and Erika were chosen to join the Generation Organic 2011 “Who’s Your Farmer?” Tour, a road trip throughout the Pacific Northwest and California. Continue reading →

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Posted in Organic Food, Sustainable Farming

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How You Can Go Green This Year

Posted on January 10, 2012 by lzerbe| 2 Comments

 by Deirdre Imus, founder and president of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at Hackensack University Medical Center

As the New Year continues to breathe fresh—and, I hope, healthier—life into us all, The Worldwatch Institute, a global environmental research organization, has released its 12 Simple Steps for Going Green in 2012. Continue reading →

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Posted in Clean Energy, Low-Impact Living, Organic Food

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Organic Isn’t Always Sustainable

Posted on January 6, 2012 by lzerbe| 1 Comment


By Marion Nestle, PhD, professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University.

Sales of organic foods continue to increase at a faster pace than sales of conventional foods. This alone makes people suspicious of the organic enterprise.

Another reason is confusion about what organic production methods are, exactly. If you are part of the food movement, you probably want your foods to be organic, local, seasonal, and sustainable. You might also want them produced by farm workers who have decent wages and living conditions. Continue reading →

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Posted in Food Politics, Organic Food

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Turkey Label Claims Explained: Know What You’re Buying

Posted on November 22, 2011 by lzerbe| Leave a comment


By Mark “Coach” Smallwood, executive director of the Rodale Institute

Buying that fresh turkey to roast up this week is the cornerstone of the Thanksgiving traditions for so many Americans. Heritage breed turkeys are all the rage with the foodie set, and we’ve got a number of heritage breed chickens out at the Rodale Institute.  But what does that actually mean? Learning what the labels mean and how to ask your farmer about his or her practices can make shopping for your holiday bird almost as easy as eating it!

The Labels

Demand for meats that are “greener” have lead to an explosion in labeling at the meat counter and at your local farm that can be confusing for even the well-versed shopper. These are some of the more common terms, labels and certifications you might see on a fresh or frozen turkey. Remember: Pricing is simple economics—supply and demand. Industrial birds are less expensive due to economies of scale, so you’ll usually pay more for birds that bear these labels:

Heritage: This term describes the kind of bird rather than how it has been raised—like an heirloom vegetable. The overwhelming majority of turkeys available nowadays are Broad Breasted Whites and many heritage breeds are at risk of disappearing altogether. Kind of like if all dogs were Golden Retrievers. Although there are no production standards, heritage breeds are always small-batch production. Continue reading →

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Posted in Healthy Diet, Organic Food

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Organic Optimism: The Science Makes Sense

Posted on November 7, 2011 by lzerbe| 3 Comments


By Casey Knapp, fifth generation farmer and member of Generation Organic

Organic farming improves the soil and the environment, lets animals grow in harmony with nature, and provides consumers with healthy, wholesome food. But what really makes me believe in organic agriculture is that the premium goes to the American family farm. However, no business will stay afloat if it isn’t profitable. The reason organic agriculture has survived for over 25 years in the marketplace is because people recognize the importance of knowing where their food comes from and who grows their food. I am an optimistic member of Generation Organic, Organic Valley’s initiative to usher in the next generation of young organic farmers. I see organic farming playing an important role in years to come as the planet evolves to cope with challenges of the future.

Continue reading →

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