NEWS

Big Beef flexes its muscles: Reading the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s “Capitol Concerns” update will raise Ethicurean eyebrows. Over at Cattle Network, the NCBA opposes allowing producers to test voluntarily for BSE, because “All U.S. beef sold, either domestically or abroad, is BSE free, so private testing for BSE as a ‘marketing tool’ would be meaningless and misleading.” (Silly question: If no one is testing, how do we know it’s BSE free?) It’s also pushing for permanent repeal of the estate tax (a.k.a. the “Paris Hilton tax,” which applies to approximately the richest 2% of estates; see this article for info on the myth of the estate tax and family farms) and seeking to exclude livestock manure from the Superfund program (more about that here).

Can the wind measure?: The German government has allowed Monsanto to plant genetically modified corn in 6 of its 16 states, The ministry ordered a 200-meter (650-feet) border of fallow land surrounding each field, in an effort to prevent cross-pollination with other, nearby crops. (International Herald Tribune)

Dole gets it up for Farm Bill: Former Senate Majority Leaders Bob Dole and Tom Daschle have proposed new Farm Bill plan that would end direct payments to producers, reduce countercyclical payments, make the ethanol tax credit turn on and off based on market conditions, and put nearly $5 billion a year in savings into permanent disaster aid, expanded conservation, biofuels, and renewable electricity. (Hoosier Ag Today)

Exports vs. clean air: The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are among the largest sources of air pollution in Southern California, causing uncounted ailments among residents. After years of pressure from citizen groups, the ports have proposed a sweeping (and costly) clean air plan, which agricultural exporters oppose because the expenses will be passed on to shippers. (Los Angeles Times)

Xenophobia & the warrior princes: On the offensive after food safety scares, China is lambasting foreign goods for supposed safety and health problems. (Washington Post)

Poisonous Chinese-made toothpaste found for sale in U.S. (New York Times)

Ban proposed on planting “terminator technology” in Canadian farm fields (Canada.com)

House Oversight Committee to investigate federal crop insurance program (Committee on Oversight and Government Reform)

FEATURES & COMMENTARY

Challenges of always saying yes: The executive director of the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank explains some of the problems food banks face that vow to accept any food donation, no matter how junky it is. A pallet full of cocktail and daiquiri mix? Make (non-alcoholic) fruit punch for church socials. Low-carb diet foods? Their high protein content is a great addition to seniors’ diets. (Shreveport Times)

Show us the number: In the famous Mackey-Pollan conversation, John Mackey complained that simply sticking an “organic” label on meat wasn’t good enough; he wanted to see animal treatment given numerical ratings. Whole Foods will give this a try in the new store opening in Britain next week. (Times Online, London)

Dude, where are you shopping?: Commenting on the acquisition of Swift & Co. by a Brazilian meat company, the publisher of Cattle Buyers Weekly said the new Swift-JBS might be the world’s largest producer of beef and pork products, but it will remain behind Tyson and Cargill in terms of annual beef sales. “That’s because grain-fed beef has more value than grass-fed beef,” he said. (Greeley Tribune)

Profiting from charity: U.S. food aid programs — in which U.S. crops are packaged and shipped to needy countries at great expense — have been harshly criticized as inefficient and slow. Alternative proposals involve giving cash to relief agencies in the receiving country to buy food from local farmers. Aid organizations want to help the most people at the lowest cost, but caution that Congress will cut back on funding if the program doesn’t funnel money to U.S. businesses. (Fort Wayne News-Sentinel)

Strange podfellows: Whole Foods kicks off a new podcast series with an in-depth interview with Slow Food leader Carlo Petrini about his new book, “Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should be Good, Clean, and Fair.” (Whole Foods Market)

Selective dining: The New York Times Book Review gets around to reviewing Thomas McNamee’s “Alice Waters and Chez Panisse,” but does so blandly. Read this spicier one in the Washington Post instead.

Grading on a curve: The 2007 World’s Most Ethical Companies list includes Whole Foods Market, Kellogg, PepsiCo, Starbuck’s, Dole, and McDonald’s. Says the intro: “Some may ask, “How can McDonald’s be on the list?” The answer is that the food service industry is the largest industry in the world—and McDonald’s has clearly stood apart in introducing healthier food fare, sustainable packaging, food safety, and ethical purchasing practices. (Ethisphere)

An update on what progress is being made on organic farming issues in the 2007 Food and Farm Bill (PDF) (Organic Farming Research Foundation)

ON THE BLOGS, ETC.

Taking livestock: We’ve been meaning to mention that the Worldwatch Institute has a terrific (and hidden) group blog, featuring posts from people like Brian Halweil (he of the well-traveled 1,500 food-miles quote) and Danielle Nierenberg, who’s just reported on what leading livestock experts had to say at a World Bank workshop on the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report “Livestock’s Long Shadow.” Part 1 looks at CAFO operators’ unwillingness to change in response to global warming concerns; Part 2 looks at “meating” world demand by intensifying, but not concentrating.

Paymore Foods: The tricky issue of how much farmers charge — or should charge — for their “value added” products. (The Complete Patient)

Hog hoax: That 11-year-old who killed a giant hog in Alabama? Well, it was enormous, but some of the photos were faked, and it wasn’t feral. (BuzzFeed)

Bee theory roundup: Hightower on dKos assembles all the competing theories about colony collapse disorder in bees and rates them. A poll of thousands of readers at the end shows that most believe the culprit is electromagnetic pollution. (Daily Kos)