USDA Budget

63% of the USDA budget goes to nutrition programs.

Chewing Well

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS212878+07-May-2009+PRN20090507

Some Comments from Michael Pollan

From an interview with Michael Pollan:
* At least 20 percent of all fossil fuels go to agriculture, much of that in the form of synthetic fertilizer, Pollan noted. The nitrous oxide given off by such fertilizer “is 300 times more heat-trapping than carbon dioxide,” the greenhouse gas that gets the most press.
* President Obama “has [...]

Obesity and the Fastness of Food

 
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/obesity-and-the-fastness-of-food/

Food Safety?????

An article on HR 875 The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009
http://www.alternet.org/environment/135002/will_new_food_safety_bills_really_outlaw_backyard_gardening_and_end_farmers%27_markets/

Subsidize fruit and vegetable consumption?

This is an interesting post on an economic analysis done by two USDA economist on the consumption effect on fruits and vegetables given a 10% subsidy.
The author makes the following interesting statement:
Last but by no means least, I don’t think it makes a ton of sense to talk about subsidizing fruits and vegetables without talking [...]

A 50-Year Farm Bill

Published on January 4th in the New York Times by Wes Jackson and Wendell Berry
The extraordinary rainstorms last June caused catastrophic soil erosion in the grain lands of Iowa, where there were gullies 200 feet wide. But even worse damage is done over the long term under normal rainfall — by the little rills and [...]

Food Miles

In their recent policy primer for the Mercatus Center at George University economic geographer Pierre Desrochers and economic consultant Hiroko Shimizu challenge the notion that food miles are a good sustainability indicator.
The Food Miles Mistake

Food Fight

An interesting review of a new movie about eating locally produced, healthy fresh food.
The reviewer points out the shortcoming of using lots of ‘elite’ chefs to sing the virtues of fresh food when the real issues are not the value of fresh, organic foods, but how to have it available (and reasonably priced) in the [...]

Grain Farmers

I just read John Phipps most recent blog about farm finances, fertilizer prices, etc. (http://johnwphipps.blogspot.com/) and realized it sounds a lot like someone trying to explain our recent banking industry. John’s a smart guy who I respect…so I’m worried.
First, it was confusing….lots of stuff that sounded like speculation and manipulation. Second, it was complicated….not complex [...]