Food and Agriculture

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    Grocery Chains to Ban Use of Neonics by Suppliers, in Move to Protect Pollinators

    Grocery Chains to Ban Use of Neonics by Suppliers, in Move to Protect Pollinators

    Some grocery chains are moving to help protect pollinators by requiring their suppliers to stop using nitroguanidine neonicotinoids, or neonics. Chains including Whole Foods and Kroger have recently outlined policies that will ban the use of neonics in crop production. Whole Foods’ policy also applies to its floral department. According to the Whole Foods policy, […]

    USDA Census of Agriculture Shows U.S. Losing Small Farms to Factory Farming, While Gaining in Renewable Energy Use

    USDA Census of Agriculture Shows U.S. Losing Small Farms to Factory Farming, While Gaining in Renewable Energy Use

    The latest Census of Agriculture from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raises concerns over a loss of small farms and a growth in larger farms, while also showing some promise with the growth of renewable energy implementation in agriculture. The USDA completes a Census of Agriculture every five years to count the nation’s farms […]

    In ‘Vital Victory for Farmers and the Environment,’ Arizona Court Cancels EPA’s Approval of Dicamba Pesticide

    In ‘Vital Victory for Farmers and the Environment,’ Arizona Court Cancels EPA’s Approval of Dicamba Pesticide

    In a win for farmers and endangered plants and wildlife, an Arizona district court has revoked the approval of the destructive pesticide dicamba, saying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law when it allowed it to be on the market. Dicamba-based weedkillers have been widely used on soybean and cotton crops genetically engineered […]

    How to Choose Chocolate That’s Truly Sustainable

    How to Choose Chocolate That’s Truly Sustainable

    Like with so many products, staring at the shelf of chocolate chips and baking bars can be overwhelming. What are the “right” labels to pay attention to: “Certified Compostable,” “Direct Trade” or “Fair Trade?” Does higher price mean better wages for the workers that produced it? Cacao is produced in humid regions near the equator […]