Posted May 14, 2013 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment
Every five years or so Congress revisits our nation’s food and agriculture policies and right now its Farm Bill season again. The Farm Bill is sweeping legislation that touches on everything from nutrition programs to energy development, to environmental conservation...continued→
Posted December 10, 2012 by Jonathan Kaplan in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment
Here at NRDC we consider ourselves seasoned experts when it comes to the problem of antibiotic misuse in animal agriculture. But Mike McCraw’s investigative reporting of this issue today in the Kansas City Star is a real eye opener...continued→
Posted October 23, 2012 by Jonathan Kaplan in Curbing Pollution, Living Sustainably
In private, agency sounds less confident about its voluntary approach in lieu of binding regulatory action It’s hard to explain the significance of newly disclosed FDA memos without first providing a refresher on the problem of antibiotics use in livestock:...continued→
Posted June 29, 2012 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably
Take action: Tell FDA we need real controls on antibiotics in animal feedlots, not voluntary “guidance” Take action: Ask Trader Joes to be even more of a leader on this issue. I hope that someone is sharing the new “Meat...continued→
Posted May 25, 2012 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment
In the latest indicator of NRDC’s growing commitment to sustainable food systems, our communications team posted the first ever NRDC food page last week. My favorite addition: “Food and Agriculture” now appears on our drop-down menu of key NRDC “Interest...continued→
Posted March 23, 2012 by Jonathan Kaplan in Curbing Pollution, Environmental Justice, Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably, Solving Global Warming
Two-thirds of all applied nitrogen became groundwater pollution instead of crop nutrient Farmers are losing costly plant nutrients while we gain a groundwater pollutant. That was my read of a landmark report released last week by researchers at UC Davis...continued→
Posted December 7, 2011 by Jonathan Kaplan in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment
And help NRDC find next year's Growing Green Award winners by December 16. NRDC Growing Green Award winner Jim Cochran grows organic strawberries on the California coast. Those who have tasted them will confirm that Jim's berries are among the...continued→
Posted June 2, 2011 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment, U.S. Law and Policy
The Washington Post today reported that on Tuesday night 28 Republicans and one Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to an appropriations bill that would hamstring FDA’s authority to keep toxic chemicals and contaminants out of the...continued→
Posted January 24, 2011 by Jonathan Kaplan in Living Sustainably
Any way you look at it, California isn’t going to solve pressing environmental challenges without agriculture being part of the solution. I can’t think of anyone better than Karen Ross to help make that happen. Agriculture matters. Growers in our...continued→
Posted December 1, 2010 by Jonathan Kaplan in Curbing Pollution, Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably, Solving Global Warming
Growing Green Award nominations due December 10 Farmers and foodies, it’s time to nominate your favorite sustainable food hero for NRDC’s Growing Green Awards. For the third year in a row, NRDC is recognizing food producers, business leaders, researchers and...continued→
Posted May 7, 2010 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment
Earlier this week, the New York Times reported on an emerging threat facing farmers, rural communities and the environment: The proliferation of “superweeds” that are resistant to the widely used herbicide “Roundup” (also sold generically as glyphosate). First some background: ...continued→
Posted December 4, 2009 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment, Living Sustainably
After learning that the Huffington Post was writing a story about the Growing Green Awards, we decided to extend the deadline so any of you finding out about the award for the first time could still apply. All deadline-challenged sustainable...continued→
Posted October 5, 2009 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment
If you have a favorite farmer or sustainable food leader, nominate them for the 2010 Growing Green Awards. Applications are due December 4, 2009, and a $10,000 prize will go to the winning green Food Producer. When we announced the...continued→
Posted January 26, 2009 by Jonathan Kaplan in Health and the Environment
NRDC hasn't always been agriculture's favorite non-profit organization. We have a history of doing things that some growers don't like including litigation and policy reform to curb emissions of pesticides, reduce livestock waste, conserve water, etc. So it may be...continued→
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