Grist | Topics | 7 Results

RESULTS		Results 1 – 7 of 7
Headline	Author	Published	Section
Forget the Farm Bill For now, local politics is the way to effect ag-policy change	Tom Philpott	02 Aug 2007	Victual Reality
Over the past few years, grassroots support has swelled for new federal farm policies -- ones that promote healthy, sustainably grown food, not the interests of a few agribusiness firms. Udder madness. Photo: iStockphoto The target of much of this organizing has been the 2007 farm bill. If past farm bill debates have been the concern of a small cadre of lobbyists and activists, this one ...
Topics: ag policy, agriculture, Congress, farmers markets, food, industrial ag, Iowa, local food, organic food, politics, sustainable ag, Victual Reality (all these topics)

At Last, Some Consensus House votes today on universally despised farm bill		27 Jul 2007	Daily Grist
At Last, Some Consensus House votes today on universally despised farm bill Today finds the House scrambling to pass its controversial version of the 2007 farm bill. And by controversial, we mean everyone hates it -- Democrats, Republicans, and the White House. The $286 billion package, which contains about $42 billion in subsidies, ends subsidies to farmers with an income of over $1 millio ...
Topics: ag policy, ag subsidies, agriculture, Congress, news, politics (all these topics)

Nothing busted but our chops How the 2007 Farm Bill can help restore market competition	Aimee Witteman	13 Jun 2007	Gristmill
Are federal authorities finally taking the idea that a few companies shouldn't be allowed to dominate the food system seriously? Well, the Federal Trade Commission recently blocked Whole Foods from gobbling up rival natural foods marketer Wild Oats. Congratulations to the FTC for busting up the natural-foods trust! But even combined, Whole Foods and Wild Oats would account for only 15 percent of natural-foods sales. Meanwhile, Smithfield Foods alone now controls ...
Topics: ag policy, agriculture, Congress, Department of Agriculture, Department of Justice, food, politics (all these topics)

Influencing the Farm Bill Now is the time to harangue your reps about farm and food policy.	Steph Larsen	16 May 2007	Gristmill
As debate over the 2007 Farm Bill heats up, more people than ever are realizing that the five-year omnibus legislation, due to expire this year, directly influences what crops are produced in this country, who gets paid for them and how much, the manner in which they are produced, what kind of product they become, and who eats what. They're also connecting the dots and realizing that our current farm and food policy is making us overweight and unhealthy while lining the ...
Topics: ag policy, agriculture, Congress, food, politics (all these topics)

An encouraging farm bill proposal Reps. DeLauro and Gilchrest want to invest in local infrastructure.	Tom Philpott	04 May 2007	Gristmill
Update [2007-5-4 15:15:3 by Tom Philpott]:Oops. I misinterpreted this bill. It's what's known as a 'marker bill,' not intended to be voted on, just to express the opinions of the legislators. Thus its lack of a 'commodity title' doesn't mean its sponsors intend to eliminate commodity payments, as I assumed. Nevertheless, the bill contains good ideas, and remains worthy of debate. It's just not 'epochal,' as I hastily -- and wishfully -- wrote below. When Bush's USDA ...
Topics: ag policy, agriculture, Congress, politics (all these topics)

The Senate slaps sustainable ag And what you can do about it	Tom Philpott	21 Feb 2007	Gristmill
Ask small-scale, sustainable-minded farmers where they go for tips, and invariably they'll mention ATTRA, an information clearinghouse funded by the USDA. Just this morning, I went to attra.org to get information on how to make organic potting-soil mix for starting seeds. Like many farmers, I've printed out copies of ATTRA's indispensable guides to cover crops and soil management and keep them in a prominent place in the farm office. As a new farmer, I can't imag ...
Topics: ag policy, agriculture, Congress, Department of Agriculture, politics, US Senate (all these topics)

Celebrate, But Organize What the Democrats' win means for the sustainable-food movement	Tom Philpott	15 Nov 2006	Victual Reality
After being sentenced to death on specious grounds in 1915, the pro-union agitator and singer Joe Hill delivered a bracing message to his supporters: "Don't waste time mourning, organize!" The bums may be gone, but don't get too giddy. Photo: iStockphoto Under more celebratory circumstances, Hill's formulation doesn't seem quite right; after helping purge so many scoundre ...
Topics: ag policy, ag subsidies, agriculture, Big Ag, Congress, grassroots activism, politics, Victual Reality (all these topics)

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