Search results

You are what you eat?

In this week’s Field Report, controversial research on growing food in cities, the food and agriculture impacts of the Key Bridge collapse, and more. The post Despite Recent Headlines, Urban Farming Is Not a Climate Villain appeared first on Civil Eats.

Livestock bosses celebrate outcome at online summit, while critics condemn failure to tackle meat and dairy consumptionLobbyists for the world’s biggest meat companies have lauded a better than expected outcome at Cop28, which they say left them “excited” and “enthusiastic” for their industry’s prospects.US livestock bosses reflected on the conference’s implication for their sector on a virtual panel, fresh from “sharing US agriculture’s story” at the climate summit in December.Campaigners and climate scientists had hoped the summit, which was billed as a “Food Cop” because of its focus on farming, would result in governments agreeing to ambitious action to transform food systems in line with the goals of the Paris climate agreement. Continue reading...

Though factory farming is a small part of bank financing, it leaves an outsized carbon footprint. The post Report: Banks Should Set Stricter Climate Goals for Agriculture Clients appeared first on .

In southeast Michigan, Jason Grostic's family farming dream was shattered by PFAS contamination in biosolids used on his farm, raising concerns about regulatory gaps and the need for more stringent testing. Teresa Homsi reports for Harvest Public Media. In short: Jason Grostic's farm was shut down due to PFAS contamination from biosolids, highlighting a widespread issue with these chemicals in agriculture. Michigan, despite extensive PFAS investigations, is among the few states testing biosolids, while others wait for federal guidance. Grostic is suing for damages, as he faces bankruptcy, underscoring the personal and economic toll of environmental contamination. Key quote: “We're still putting PFAS into lots of products that are making their way into our wastewater and being concentrated in biosolids." — Shelley Megquier, Maine Farmland Trust Why this matters: Biosolids are the nutrient-rich organic materials resulting from the treatment of domestic sewage in a treatment facility. While they can be beneficially used as fertilizer or soil amendments to improve soil health and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, their potential to contain PFAS has raised environmental and health concerns. The concern with PFAS in biosolids is that these substances can accumulate in the soil and then potentially leach into groundwater or be taken up by plants, entering the food chain.

By Leah Douglas(Reuters) - Climate advocacy groups are pressuring world governments gathered at this year’s United Nation’s COP28 climate...

This story was originally published by Inside Climate News and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. When researchers at the United Nations published a bombshell report in 2006 called “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” the livestock industry soon realized it had a major public relations challenge on its hands. Media outlets around the world covered the report and its […]

Past Presentation | What happens when a grassroots agricultural movement evolves into a booming international market. From farm fields to government meetings to industry trade shows, director Shelley Rogers shows us the hidden costs of conventional agriculture. We also see how our health, the health of our planet, and the agricultural needs of our society are all intimately connected.

For centuries, farmers used almanacs to try to predict nature. Now, a new generation of Latin American start-ups is helping to achieve this with artificial intelligence tools that promise an agricultural revolution in giants like Brazil. Aline Oliveira Pezente, a 39-year-old entrepreneur from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais (southeast), was working at the multinational […] The post Can AI and Big Data Solve Latin America’s Farming Woes? appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

The isolation of this ecologically rich archipelago of peaks, located in a “sea” of desert that stretches from northern Mexico into southern Arizona, means that plants grow here that don’t grow anywhere else. Its 2,800 acres—the first protected habitat for the wild relatives of crops in the United States—now shelter not just a single pepper but […] The post Seeds from Wild Crop Relatives Could Help Agriculture Weather Climate Change appeared first on Civil Eats.

Insects tend to be more abundant on organic farms than conventional ones, which may cause the pests to spill over into neighbouring fields, prompting these farmers to increase their pesticide use

Past Presentation | Extending the Link is a student-run documentary team using film as a vehicle for social change. This film tells the story of women in agriculture in Minnesota and Rwanda and illustrates how agriculture serves as a tool to improve community building, nutrition education, and economic development. It is critical for all members of the world to be agents for change in their own communities. The filmmakers hope to generate awareness about the important role women play in global agriculture and how they enhance relationships between consumers and farmers and inspire people to participate in their local food movement.

Josh Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell believe their film Common Ground could drive a global movement. The post The Mission to Save the World Through Regenerative Farming appeared first on .

“For the first time during a global climate summit, heads of states of many countries are expected to commit to transforming their food and agricultural systems,” said Patty Fong, the program director of climate at the Global Alliance for the Future of Food (GAFF), during a press conference last week. “In addition, actors from across […] The post Will a Food and Ag Focus at COP28 Distract From the Fossil Fuel Economy? appeared first on Civil Eats.

Past Presentation | The region of La Huerta of Valencia in Spain has some of the world's most fertile soils and consists of a unique environment for both its scenic beauty and its agricultural heritage. In Europe, measures to protect native, nature-rich landscapes have broad public support, but that support rarely extends to agricultural lands, which also entail a cultural heritage seriously threatened by the globalized system of food exploitation. At present, the future of this Mediterranean landscape is at stake.

An agriculture policy group said the popular Environmental Quality Incentives Program wastes money on industrial farms' manure systems.

Past Presentation | Unbroken Grounds explains the critical role food will play in the next frontier of our efforts to solve the environmental crisis. It explores four areas of agriculture that aim to change our relationship to the land and oceans. Most of our food is produced using methods that reduce biodiversity, decimate soil and contribute to climate change. We believe our food can and should be a part of the solution to the environmental crisis -- grown, harvested and produced in ways that restore our land, water and wildlife. The film tells the story of four groups that are pioneers in the fields of regenerative agriculture, regenerative grazing, diversified crop development and restorative fishing.

Past Presentation | Fleming's Legacy tells the story of agricultural entrepreneur David Thomas Fleming and his role as an early conservationist on Maui. The film also shares the efforts of his granddaughter and others to carry on his work in the native plant arboretum that bears his name.

Now Playing | After his father's death, Yusuf goes back to his village, which he has not been to for years, and learns that a geothermal company wants to buy his father's agricultural lands and drill a well. He wants to solve problems without disrespecting his father's memory, but things don't go as he hoped.

A version of this article originally appeared in The Deep Dish, our members-only newsletter. Become a member today and get the next issue directly in your inbox. In 2020, Common Ground received just under $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to train entrepreneurs to grow and distribute food in low-income areas. In 2022, […] The post This Farm Bill Really Matters. We Explain Why. appeared first on Civil Eats.

The Department of Agriculture is boosting enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program but being less stringent on environmental measurements.

Past Presentation | Priceless looks at the consequences of big-money campaign donations and a Capitol overrun by lobbyists. This non-partisan film includes a look at two national policies - agriculture and energy - shaped by a variety of interests including industry groups, political parties, lobbyists, citizen groups, candidates and officeholders.

Manske runs conventional crop operations in Iowa and Minnesota, including managing a 1,000-acre family farm in northern Iowa, and primarily plants a rotation of corn and soybeans. Because corn requires nitrogen fertilizer to grow, Manske is concerned that further consolidation of the fertilizer industry will drive his input prices up more. “It’s kind of like, […] The post An Iowa Fertilizer Plant Purchase Spurs Antitrust Concerns appeared first on Civil Eats.

Past Presentation | The Greenhorns explores the lives of America’s young farming community – its spirit, practices, and needs. It is the filmmaker’s hope that by broadcasting the stories and voices of these young farmers, we can build the case for those considering a career in agriculture – to embolden them, to entice them, and to recruit them into farming.

Past Presentation | The story of organic agriculture told by those who built the movement. A motley crew of back-to-the-landers, spiritual seekers, and farmers’ sons and daughters rejected chemical farming and set out to explore organic alternatives. A heartfelt journey of change–from a small band of rebels to a cultural transformation where organic is mainstream. It’s the most successful outgrowth of the environmental impulse of the last 50 years.

Tulare Lake was resurrected to more than 100,000 acres, bringing fear and wonder. I went to see it – and couldn’t find it‘Stay out of the water’: what lurks below California’s zombie lake?For a time last year, it was difficult to drive through a large swath of central California without running into the new shoreline of a long dormant lake.Resurrected for the first time in decades by an epic deluge of winter rain and snow, by spring the lake covered more than 100,000 acres, stretching over cotton, tomato and pistachio fields and miles of roads. Continue reading...

Conditions deteriorated in 2023 but were stlil relatively good for ecosystems and agriculture. Unfortunately, the alarming decline of threatened species continued.

Past Presentation | Animal agriculture, the leading cause of many environmental problems, including deforestation, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, and ocean “dead zones,” goes on, almost entirely unchallenged. Andersen uncovers what an apparent intentional refusal to discuss these effects, and industry whistleblowers and watchdogs warn him of the risks to his freedom and even his life if he persists. As eye opening as Blackfish and as inspiring as An Inconvenient Truth, this shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large scale factory farming has on our planet and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population.

Now Playing | The path to successful bio-intensive market gardening in the Last Frontier involves an enthusiasm to work in partnership with nature; to steward the soil and the multitude of organisms it contains and supports. As Alaskans contemplate the reality that a staggering 95% of food found in the grocery stores is imported, Emily Garrity and her Twitter Creek Garden operation are chipping away at this food insecurity and providing a roadmap for others to emulate. Aspiring to provide alternatives to the destructive standards of commercial agriculture, life-long Alaskan, Emily Garrity, shares her hard-won secrets in this biopic short film.

Past Presentation | As We Grow is a short documentary following the development of Tallahassee Sustainability Group, a young Tallahassee student organization dedicated to educating the public about food and agriculture, increasing accessibility to fresh, healthy, food, and strengthening communities by means of urban farming. Though there are many problems that exist in our current industrialized food system, motivated people can begin our transition to a healthy food system by taking action locally and building a sustainable local food community. The concept of urban farming is paramount to this transition and growing food on unused or underutilized land where people actually live is the first step to food security and empowerment

Past Presentation | Hungry for Justice: Spotlight on the South provides a snapshot of the injustices present in our current food system and introduces one of the promising market-based solutions that has arisen—Food Justice Certification. It tells the story of one farm in the South and their commitment to focus on social justice issues for their farmworkers by seeking this certification and market label. Food Justice Certification, a project of the Agricultural Justice Project (AJP), is a unique program in the domestic fair trade movement as it is the only verification program in the marketplace that has included farmworkers and farmworker representatives in the development of the certification standards and includes them in the verification process.

A new legislative proposal in Maine seeks to exempt agricultural pesticides from regulations and bans related to forever chemicals, sparking a debate over public health and farming needs. Rachel Ohm reports for the Portland Press Herald.In short:The bill would allow agricultural pesticides to bypass a 2030 deadline for banning products containing forever chemicals, citing the need for more time to find alternatives.Critics argue this exemption could lead to PFAS contamination in food, while proponents argue it levels the playing field for Maine's farmers.Forever chemicals, known for their environmental persistence, are linked to health issues, and Maine leads in legislating against their use.Key quote: “It’s out there and it’s not just in Maine. We need time during this period to consider the research that’s ongoing as it relates to PFAS and the environment and what we can do to eliminate it. But it all takes time.”— Don Flannery, executive director of the Maine Potato BoardWhy this matters: The ongoing debate in Maine about how best to eliminate, or at least diminish the proliferation of PFAS in agriculture and ultimately our food supply is playing out across the globe. Read more about the insidious infiltration of PFAS into our everyday lives: Investigation: PFAS on our shelves and in our bodies.

Past Presentation | Phosphorus, the most critical element in modern agriculture, has been acquired through phosphate mining in Florida for over a century, but Florida’s phosphate is quickly running out. When it is gone, the United States will be dependent on phosphate imports. A new source of phosphate is discovered in North Florida that could extend America’s phosphate supply. Local landowners are determined to mine it, but environmentalists vow to stop them before they can begin. The environmentalists point to Central Florida, where strip mining for phosphate has polluted water and air for decades. A county permit is all that stands in the way of the strip mining project. The fight between mineral security and a healthy environment embroils two rural counties in North Florida, where the future of American phosphate mining will be determined by a few public servants.

When astronauts return to the moon later this decade, they’ll bring along science experiments to study moonquakes, lunar water ice and extraterrestrial agriculture

Exclusive: 80% of Welsh dairy farms inspected, 69% of English ones, 60% in Scotland and 50% in Northern Ireland breaching regulationsThe majority of UK dairy farms are breaking pollution rules, with vast amounts of cow manure being spilled into rivers.When animal waste enters the river, it causes a buildup of the nutrients found in the effluent, such as nitrates and phosphates. These cause algal blooms, which deplete the waterway of oxygen and block sunlight, choking fish and other aquatic life. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Study released at Cop28 misused research to underestimate impact of cutting meat eating, say academicsA flagship UN report on livestock emissions is facing calls for retraction from two key experts it cited who say that the paper “seriously distorted” their work.The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) misused their research to underestimate the potential of reduced meat intake to cut agricultural emissions, according to a letter sent to the FAO by the two academics, which the Guardian has seen. Continue reading...

A versatile fern called azolla could revolutionize food production by offering a sustainable source of nutrition and aiding in carbon capture, according to recent research. Matt Simon reports for Wired.In short:Azolla, a rapidly growing fern, holds potential as food, fertilizer, and biofuel, but requires further research to ensure it's safe and nutritious.Carolina azolla, a specific species, has lower levels of polyphenols, making it a better candidate for human consumption after processing.Beyond nutrition, azolla's ability to fix nitrogen and capture carbon could significantly benefit agriculture and the environment.Key quote: "I’m not out here saying everybody should go eat this stuff right away, but boy, it’s got so much potential." — Daniel Winstead, research technologist at Penn State.Why this matters: Azolla's rapid growth and environmental benefits could provide a crucial alternative in times of food scarcity and play a role in sustainable agriculture. In this 2017 essay, Robyn Alders and Richard Kock argue that it’s time to rethink our food system and acknowledge our responsibilities to renewal of resources and the rights of existence for all life forms on Earth.

As the avian flu continues to threaten poultry farms and wildlife, are factory farms a sitting duck?

Despite recent headlines, a study finds urban farming's climate villain reputation may be undeserved, spotlighting the nuances of its environmental impact.Lisa Held reports for Civil Eats.In short:Misinterpretations of a research study have led to unfair criticisms of urban farming's climate impact, overlooking the study's actual findings.The distinction between urban farms and community gardens significantly affects greenhouse gas emission comparisons, with urban farms showing competitive carbon footprints when considered separately.Infrastructure contributes majorly to carbon emissions in urban farming, suggesting potential for reduction through sustainable practices and materials.Key quote:"The most important sustainability challenge of our time is climate change, and if we’re gonna talk about sustainability in the context of urban agriculture, we have to talk about carbon emissions."— Jason Hawes, Ph.D. student at the University of MichiganWhy this matters:Urban farming, the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas, holds significant potential for mitigating climate change impacts. This innovative approach to agriculture offers a sustainable pathway for cities, contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced carbon sequestration, and improved overall urban environmental health.For more than 150 years, from the rural South to northern cities, Black people have used farming to build self-determined communities and resist oppressive structures that tear them down.

Academic experts also criticise UN Food and Agriculture Organization for dismissing alternative proteinsThe omission of meat-eating reduction from proposals in a UN roadmap to tackle the climate crisis and end hunger is “bewildering”, according to academic experts.The group also criticised the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s report for “dismissing” the potential of alternative proteins, such as plant-based meat, to reduce the impact of livestock on the environment. Continue reading...

Forest firefighters from the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) responded to a forest fire that has been affecting the Turrialba Volcano National Park (PNVT) since March 10 of this year. The fire originated on a private farm, encroaching into the National Park and impacting the moorland […] The post Costa Rica’s Turrialba Volcano National Park Fire Prompts Emergency Response appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Past Presentation | How will organic farming be in future? Farmer Mechtenbach tries to use new nanotechnology to defend the health of his highland cattle against growing pollution.

Past Presentation | This infomercial parody pokes fun at the overuse of pesticides and herbicides and the psychology used to market them

"Argentina's certification approach relies on a silvopastoral system"

Past Presentation | Vermont herbalists Jeff and Melanie Carpenter sold their natural products business to buy raw land and start an organic farm to grow medicinal herbs, rather than source them from half-way around the world.

Past Presentation | Gillian and her brother visited a Shona Africa community in Zimbabwe, an area that has been practicing permaculture for over 20 years. The community has pulled 7,000 Shona Africans out of hunger and malnutrition using permaculture farming techniques and bottom up social organization.

Now Playing | The practice of eating bugs -- entomophagy -- has a lot to commend it. You may disagree. But try to put your preconceptions aside!

Past Presentation | A short film that documents visionaries Michael Lewis (of Growing Warriors) and Rebecca Burgess (of Fibershed) as they collaborate to re-introduce industrial hemp to the American landscape.

Past Presentation | When a rural irrigation district in Northern California has its water cutoff during a historic drought, the community must join together to face the devastating impacts to their way of life and the environment around them.

Past Presentation | This is a documentary thriller about how Agro-Chemical multinational corporations victimize international scientists to prevent them from publishing their scary findings.

Past Presentation | People are increasingly aware of the origins of their food and the effects of chemicals in agriculture. Numen brings the same analysis to our healthcare system, providing both a sobering view and a vision of safe, elective and sustainable medicine.

Past Presentation | Black Tide is a documentary about the ongoing environmental crisis with South Florida's water, due to mismanagement by the Army Corps. of Engineers and the power of Big Sugar.

Now Playing | A short movie explaining how sea lice coming from fish farms in British Columbia are harming wild salmon to the brink of extinction.

Past Presentation | A documentary film that examines the role of urban farming in America and asks how much power it has to revitalize our cities and change the way we eat.

Past Presentation | Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures, tells us his evolution from industrial to regenerative farmer.

Now Playing | A look into the devastating effects of a deadly disease on the historic olive trees in Puglia, Italy.

Past Presentation | A meditation on urban green spaces and the post-industrial cityscape that explores a 1-acre rooftop organic farm in New York City. Connecting the built and natural environments, this film documents an imaginative experiment in green urban redevelopment attempting to transform the roof of a century-old former factory into a sustainable, pastoral haven.

Past Presentation | The people of Vanuatu, once dubbed the happiest place on earth, are struggling to maintain culture and tradition despite climate change. This film explores its impacts on Malekula Island as told through conversations villagers have with each other as they go about their daily lives attempting to grow traditional crops.