The regular Digest editor is going on vacation July 12-Aug. 1. Digest publication will be spotty during this period.

NEWS

Feed the world — organically: Organic farming can yield up to three times as much food as conventional farming in developing countries, and it holds its own against standard methods in rich countries, say U.S. researchers. "My hope is that we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can’t produce enough food through organic agriculture," opined the University of Michigan’s school of Natural Resources and Environment researcher. If we had a hammer… (Reuters; link to the published study; read what "Organic Inc" author Sam Fromartz has to say at Chews Wise)

Oh John, you stooped to sock-puppetry???!!!: For about eight years until last August, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey posted numerous messages on Yahoo’s stock forums as "Rahodeb" (an anagram for his wife’s name, Deborah). Rahodeb routinely cheered Whole Foods’ financial results, trumpeted his personal gains on the stock, and bashed Wild Oats. He even defended his own haircut. And we’re now wondering about this "Ric from Whale Tail Chips" who made the rounds of blogs in February about the Pollan-Mackey debate. (Wall Street Journal - free) Related: The latest hearing in the Whole Foods-Wild Oats merger discussion highlighted the judge’s lack of familiarity with nuances of antitrust law. (The Deal)

Hey Congress, are you listening?: U.S. consumers overwhelmingly support stricter food labeling laws — Consumer Reports surveyed 1,000 people, and 92% of them want to know which country produced the food they are buying. (Reuters, thanks Naomi!) Related: Supermarket guru Phil Lempert goes to the supermarket for USA Today story to see how hard it is to buy foods produced only in the USA, while over at the Law For Food blog, a law student examines the arguments for and against mandatory COOL.

Sacrificial victim: As just about everyone has by now blogged, China has swiftly executed its former top food and drug regulator for taking bribes, to show that it was serious about improving the safety of Chinese products. (New York Times)

NorCal to get new slaughterhouse: Bay Area Ethicureans may know that Rancho Veal, the Petaluma slaughterhouse that processes most local beef, will soon be closing, and many have been worried about what that will mean for area farmers. Help is on the way: "Samuel Goldberger and Phyllis Faber of North Coast Meats hope to build a new multi-species slaughterhouse to address these needs and perhaps make it possible for ranching to flourish once again in the North Bay." And they have $200K from the feds! (Argus Courier)

Shocking coincidence: The Corn Refiners Association released a statement crowing that a new study has found that beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup affect fullness" no differently than sugar. The new study was supported by grants from the American Beverage Association and the Corn Refiners Association, and by a fellowship from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. (Press release)

Compri Italiano!: Thousands of farmers marched through the Italian food capital of Bologna to protest against low-cost food imports that have been flooding the country. (International Herald Tribune)

You live here? Too bad for you: Awash in food safety problems, China says athletes, coaches, officials, and others at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games can be assured of "secure" meals. (Washington Post)

Make hay, not herbicides: A Virginia couple lost $80,000 worth of harvest for their pesticide-free CSA farm when they unwittingly poisoned the plants with herbicide-tainted mulch. (Washington Post)

Virginia bans live poultry sales and shows after finding avian flu antibodies in flock factory-farm of 54,000 turkeys (New York Times)

COMMENTARY

Rice and cotton welfare: Everybody loves to knock corn subsidies, but Dan Owens presents (in shock) a report from the Congressional Research Service that shows on a per-acre basis, rice has received an average of $270 and cotton $213, vs. $66 for corn. A must-read post for anyone wondering what the phrase "free market capitalism" means when applied to U.S. agriculture. (Blog for Rural America)

Here comes the Sun: The Sun’s editorial board encourages Congress not to give up on farm policy reform. Congress should limit payments, increase conservation funding, and help small farmers. (The Baltimore Sun)