EU trade with Trump would undermine international climate commitments by Civil society organisations | 18 Feb 2019 United States | EU | climate crisis Three years ago, widespread protests took place across Europe against a planned trade deal between the EU and the US. It was eventually halted. In order to avoid President Trump slapping tariffs on imports of EU-made cars, EU governments are now planning to agree terms to start negotiating a new transatlantic trade deal. Three years ago, widespread protests took place across Europe against a planned trade deal between the EU and the US. It was eventually halted. In order to avoid President Trump slapping tariffs on imports of EU-made cars, EU governments are now planning to agree terms to start negotiating a new transatlantic trade deal.
Cerrado: US investment spurs land theft and deforestation in Brazil by Alicia Prager and Flávia Milhorance | 29 Mar 2018 Brazil | United States | land grabbing Excellent investigative article, which shows how Harvard’s endowment fund in involved in a massvie land grab in Brazil Excellent investigative article, which shows how Harvard’s endowment fund in involved in a massvie land grab in Brazil
A couple of mega-companies are about to take over your food supply by Tom Philpott | 1 Feb 2018 Brazil | United States | corporations A rumored marriage between two ag behemoths, ADM and Bunge, could make life tough for farmers in a whole new way. A rumored marriage between two ag behemoths, ADM and Bunge, could make life tough for farmers in a whole new way.
How corporate giants are automating the farm by Jim Thomas | 19 Nov 2017 United States | corporations | technologies Self-driving tractors and the internet of cows – welcome to the world of precision agriculture. Jim Thomas of the ETC Group lays out the vision driving corporate giants into a merger frenzy Self-driving tractors and the internet of cows – welcome to the world of precision agriculture. Jim Thomas of the ETC Group lays out the vision driving corporate giants into a merger frenzy
The true cost of US food identified in new report by Sustainable Food Trust | 17 Aug 2017 United States | food crisis | food sovereignty The Sustainable Food Trust today publishes summary proceedings of an international conference which brought together leading experts to establish the true cost of food in the United States (US). The US was one of the first countries to intensify food production and as a result was also one of the first to suffer from the negative impacts. The Sustainable Food Trust today publishes summary proceedings of an international conference which brought together leading experts to establish the true cost of food in the United States (US). The US was one of the first countries to intensify food production and as a result was also one of the first to suffer from the negative impacts.
Top five reasons why we must block agrichemical and seed mega-mergers by Antonio Roman-Alcalá | 13 Mar 2017 United States | corporations | seeds & biodiversity Antonio Roman-Alcalá, sustainable food campaigner for Friends of the Earth US, shares why agrichemical and seed mega-mergers are harmful to the food system. Antonio Roman-Alcalá, sustainable food campaigner for Friends of the Earth US, shares why agrichemical and seed mega-mergers are harmful to the food system.
Meat and dairy industries damage climate by Food Tank | 1 Mar 2017 Argentina | China | United States | corporations | climate crisis | food sovereignty Food Tank interviews GRAIN about its recent report on industrial meat and climate. Food Tank interviews GRAIN about its recent report on industrial meat and climate.
Modern agriculture cultivates climate change – we must nurture biodiversity by Olivier De Schutter and Emile Frison | 10 Jan 2017 China | Indonesia | United States | technologies | climate crisis | seeds & biodiversity As a new year dawns, it is hard not to be dazzled by the current pace of technological change in food and agriculture. However, there is a risk that these technologies blind us to the very real problems facing modern agriculture – problems that are rapidly undermining the previous round of technological advances. Crop-breeding innovations are merely a short-term solution for falling yields. Only agricultural diversity can ensure food security and resilience. An excellent reflection by Olivier De Schutter and Emile Frison. As a new year dawns, it is hard not to be dazzled by the current pace of technological change in food and agriculture. However, there is a risk that these technologies blind us to the very real problems facing modern agriculture – problems that are rapidly undermining the previous round of technological advances. Crop-breeding innovations are merely a short-term solution for falling yields. Only agricultural diversity can ensure food security and resilience. An excellent reflection by Olivier De Schutter and Emile Frison.
In the battle against malnutrition, UN expert says junk food is the real culprit by Elizabeth Grossman, Civil Eats | 8 Dec 2016 United States | corporations | food crisis | laws & policies Hilal Elver, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, says Big Food’s impact on public health should alarm us. Elver is sounding an alarm for the world to hear. Earlier this fall, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food told the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that, despite all the high-profile work being done around the globe to fight hunger and malnutrition, “the world is not on track to reach globally agreed nutrition targets.” Hilal Elver, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, says Big Food’s impact on public health should alarm us. Elver is sounding an alarm for the world to hear. Earlier this fall, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food told the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that, despite all the high-profile work being done around the globe to fight hunger and malnutrition, “the world is not on track to reach globally agreed nutrition targets.”
Global call on banks to halt loan to Dakota Access Pipeline by multiple organisations | 30 Nov 2016 United States | actions Over 400 civil society organisations from more than 50 countries today issued a joint open letter to the seventeen banks providing a US$2.5 billion project loan to Dakota Access LLC. The letter, endorsed by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, demands that the banks involved immediately halt all further disbursements of the loan and require the project sponsor to stop construction work until all outstanding issues are resolved to the full satisfaction of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The letter and the full list of signatories can be found below. Over 400 civil society organisations from more than 50 countries today issued a joint open letter to the seventeen banks providing a US$2.5 billion project loan to Dakota Access LLC. The letter, endorsed by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, demands that the banks involved immediately halt all further disbursements of the loan and require the project sponsor to stop construction work until all outstanding issues are resolved to the full satisfaction of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The letter and the full list of signatories can be found below.
Five food system lessons we can learn from Africa by Jennifer Lentfer, Civil Eats | 7 Oct 2016 Ethiopia | United States | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity Small farmers who sell their food locally still produce around 80 percent of the food in sub-Saharan Africa. But that does not mean that farmers and food activists on the African continent can be complacent. Quite the opposite. Corporate industrialization of African agriculture is resulting in massive land grabs, destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems, displacement of indigenous peoples, and destruction of livelihoods and cultures. A recipient of the 2016 Food Sovereignty Prize from Ethiopia shares his insights on food and farming, threats to smallholder farmers in Africa, and communicating across ideological differences. Small farmers who sell their food locally still produce around 80 percent of the food in sub-Saharan Africa. But that does not mean that farmers and food activists on the African continent can be complacent. Quite the opposite. Corporate industrialization of African agriculture is resulting in massive land grabs, destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems, displacement of indigenous peoples, and destruction of livelihoods and cultures. A recipient of the 2016 Food Sovereignty Prize from Ethiopia shares his insights on food and farming, threats to smallholder farmers in Africa, and communicating across ideological differences.
No, giant farms are not feeding the world. They’re feeding Canada. by Tom Philpott, Mother Jones | 5 Oct 2016 United States | corporations | technologies | GMOs Can US exports really help "feed the hungry and malnourished in developing nations around the world," as the industry-funded site Facts About GMOs puts it? A new report from Environmental Working Group basically destroys that claim & Tom Philpott summarizes the data. Can US exports really help "feed the hungry and malnourished in developing nations around the world," as the industry-funded site Facts About GMOs puts it? A new report from Environmental Working Group basically destroys that claim & Tom Philpott summarizes the data.
US state of Vermont seeks documents on GMOs from seed, food companies by Jacob Bunge, Wall Street Journal | 19 Apr 2016 United States | corporations | GMOs [The US state of] Vermont's attorney general has asked a federal court to force big seed and food companies to turn over internal research on genetically modified crops, escalating a legal battle as the state defends its law requiring labels for GMO ingredients. State Attorney General William Sorrell filed motions in several US district courts seeking to compel Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta and other seed firms to produce studies or research related to "potential health or environmental impacts" of the crops, as well as pesticides used on them. [The US state of] Vermont's attorney general has asked a federal court to force big seed and food companies to turn over internal research on genetically modified crops, escalating a legal battle as the state defends its law requiring labels for GMO ingredients. State Attorney General William Sorrell filed motions in several US district courts seeking to compel Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta and other seed firms to produce studies or research related to "potential health or environmental impacts" of the crops, as well as pesticides used on them.
When Silicon Valley goes farming (with Monsanto) by Amanda Little | 3 Feb 2016 United States | corporations | climate crisis David Friedberg is a lifelong vegetarian. He was president of his high school’s “Healing Our Planet Earth” club. He’s a major investor in a restaurant chain that serves only bowls of quinoa. The 35-year-old software designer is also an unapologetic advocate of Monsanto, which bought his start-up, The Climate Corporation, in 2013 for a cool $1 billion. David Friedberg is a lifelong vegetarian. He was president of his high school’s “Healing Our Planet Earth” club. He’s a major investor in a restaurant chain that serves only bowls of quinoa. The 35-year-old software designer is also an unapologetic advocate of Monsanto, which bought his start-up, The Climate Corporation, in 2013 for a cool $1 billion.
Trucost reveals $3.33 trillion environmental cost of farming by Trucost | 23 Oct 2015 Brazil | Germany | India | United States | technologies | climate crisis Industrialized farming practices cost the environment some $3.33 trillion per year — more than the UK’s annual GDP — according to new research for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations by environmental consultants Trucost. Industrialized farming practices cost the environment some $3.33 trillion per year — more than the UK’s annual GDP — according to new research for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations by environmental consultants Trucost.