Section » Organic vs. industrial

Saul’s got SOLE: The Jewish deli in Berkeley evolves

By Marc R. aka Mental Masala • on February 15, 2010

When it comes to comfort food — especially comfort food that is wrapped in "tradition" like the Jewish deli — change can cause a lot of discomfort. People want what they think will make them feel better. They want what they are used to eating, whether that means

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Sustainable food movement has a class problem

By Ethicurean • on December 2, 2009

The flavor of fairness: When a recent UC Santa Cruz study asked grocery shoppers on California's Central Coast to rank their concerns about the food system, respondents prioritized animal welfare above the treatment of human workers on the farms. This is but one example, says Bay Guardian reporter Caitlin

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Citrus pest threatens California growing center

By Ethicurean • on October 30, 2009

Not the kind of greening you want: The Asian citrus psyllid, which has wreaked havoc in Florida as well as overseas, has been found in rural San Diego County. Northern San Diego County has about 2,500 acres of commercial citrus orchards and is home to the largest concentration of organic citrus farmers

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Do I dare to eat a peach? Not a conventional one, says Tribune study

By Elanor • on August 13, 2009

Another day, another facet to the debate over whether organic produce is worth the extra moolah. Unless you've been living on a remote mountaintop with no wireless, you've probably witnessed the recent frenzy over a UK

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Checking in on the agricultural check-off programs

By Marc R. aka Mental Masala • on July 30, 2009

Standing in front of a 50-foot tall display of potatoes, mushrooms, beef jerky, and other agricultural products at the 2009 All-American Farm Expo in Modesto, CA recently, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recalled his recent trip to Idaho — America's land of potatoes — and his shock at hearing

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A roundup of pesticide drift coverage: Who should pay for unruly spray?

By Ethicurean • on July 26, 2009

Chemical standoff: Farm country residents mostly "grin and bear it" when pesticides from neighboring farms drift onto their property, but some are speaking out. In Illinois, a vineyard owner tires of watching clouds of 2,4-D engulf (and kill) his grapes when a nearby farm sprays. A retired minister gives

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‘Natural’ soy’s sins listed in new report

By Ethicurean • on July 10, 2009

Soy vey!: Soy products market pioneer Silk doesn't look so smooth in a new report by the Cornucopia Institute. Not only does it get a zero-bean rating in the scorecard,

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If biotechnology won’t feed the world, what will? Knowledge, says GE expert Doug Gurian-Sherman

By Elanor • on July 10, 2009

Earlier this week, I asked plant pathologist and molecular biologist Doug Gurian-Sherman to explain some of the science behind genetically engineered crops and their potential — or lack thereof — to feed a more populous, climate-changing

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Sam Fromartz on the WaPo’s organic standards article

By Ethicurean • on July 6, 2009

"Don’t make a fucking shelf-stable organic English muffin!": We've been holding off on Digesting the Washington Post's much-talked-about and hands-wrung-over story, “Purity of Organic Label is Questioned,”

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Dispatch from Germany: An agroecology student dives deep into organic

By Guest • on June 21, 2009

By Renee Ciulla Although many days I would prefer to just pick up a shovel and start farming, I am forging ahead with a Master of Science degree in Agroecology. I am currently studying for a year in Germany, and the

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Marion Nestle disembowels “organic is elitist” argument

By Ethicurean • on June 21, 2009

Three cheers for Marion!: At the end of her column, nutritionist Marion Nestle provides a fabulously steely answer to a reader's question, "Aren't organics elitist? People can't buy organic foods if they aren't available at an affordable price." High prices aren't organic producers' fault, she says:

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You want demand? We got demand!

By Ethicurean • on June 16, 2009

So much for that elitism crap: According to a new report released by the USDA, the demand for organically produced food in the U.S. continues to outpace supply. Organic food sales have increased more than five-fold since the late 1990s, while organic production has slightly more than doubled in that

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Can aquaculture feed the world with protein sustainably?

By Ethicurean • on June 4, 2009

Swimming in controversy: In a world of growing population and shrinking ocean resources, aquaculture is often touted as a necessary tool for food production. And yet many criticize the damage that aquaculture does to wild ecosystems, its use of chemicals, and other unsavory practices. Environmental Health

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USDA hearings on NAIS

By Ethicurean • on May 23, 2009

Will they really listen? The Rural Blog reminds us that the USDA is holding "listening sessions" about the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The last two will be in Storrs, Connecticut on May 27 and Loveland, Colorado on June 1 (location information and a link to the NAIS comment page at

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Organic agriculture gets $50M boost from USDA

By Ethicurean • on May 5, 2009

Feeling like 50 million bucks: Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced $50 million for a new initiative to meet the Obama Administration's promise to encourage more organic agriculture production. The 2009 Organic Initiative, to be funded as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives

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