cornucopia.org - 1/14/2009
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“We were and still are optimistic that when Mr. Obama talked about ‘change’ during his campaign, that he included a shift away from corporate agribusiness domination at the USDA,” said Mark Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute.
CORNUCOPIA OP-ED: Obama Administration Challenged to Clean up Bush's Organic Mess
iowafarmer.com 1/29/2009 — For the last eight years, Bush administration officials at the USDA have been widely criticized for "monkeywrenching" the National Organic Program. They have been accused of not enforcing the law and, among other improprieties, allowing giant factory farms to produce organic milk, meat, and eggs.
USDA fudging the numbers
gristmill.grist.org 2/23/2009 — By Tom Laskawy Are there more small farms or not? Everyone from Reuters to the NYT has documented what appears to be an increase in the number of small farms in the U.S. But blogging ag economist and former USDA Economic Research Service ...
Ready, set, go change the food system, part 2: More USDA action items
ethicurean.com 2/4/2009 — On Friday we published the first half of this epic attempt to compile a list of specific actions the new USDA could undertake in its first six months that would offer significant payoff in terms of real changes in the food system. After polling a ...
Release No. 0042.09
usda.gov 2/13/2009 — WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2009 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today "broke pavement" on the inaugural USDA The People's Garden during a ceremony on the grounds of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) commemorating the 200th birthday of Abraham ...
denverpost.com 2/26/2009 — The Department of Agriculture recently released its long-gestating definition of "naturally raised" meat. Previously, the word "natural" had been ill-defined and virtually unregulated. The new standard is a step in the right direction for our nation's ...
This is what democracy looks like
ethicurean.com 2/25/2009 — Today is a big day for all of us who believe not only in sustainable food and agriculture systems, but also in the democratic process. The months since the election brought an outpouring of engagement from citizens urging the Obama Administration to ...
Climate change comes to your backyard
wwwp.dailyclimate.org 3/23/2009 — Daily Climate: As winter retreats northward across the nation, gardeners are cleaning tools and turning attention to spring planting. But climate change is adding a new wrinkle, and now a standard reference – the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ...
National Gardening Association :: National Gardening Association
garden.org 3/17/2009 — USDA Hardiness Zone Finder The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate zones; each zone is 10°F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the adjacent zone. If you see a hardiness zone in a catalog or plant description, ...