Op-ed/Commentaries
Reflections on the right to water: How to make it a reality for the rural poor
Published February 23, 2011
Shiney Varghese
MINNEAPOLIS, FEBRUARY 23, 2011 — This week the UN Independent Expert on human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, will visit the United States, giving us an opportunity to pause and reflect: what does right to water include? In early February,...
Food safety going global
Published February 22, 2011
Minneapolis, February 22, 2011 — Many argue that globalized trade creates a “race to the bottom,” where the country with the weakest regulations or lowest wages ultimately sets the standards in the global marketplace. Something different may now be happening around food safety: Global forces are...
Is famine the new normal?
Published February 7, 2011
Jim Harkness
Minneapolis, February 7, 2011 — When global food prices spiked in 2007-08, a hundred million people were added to the ranks of the world’s hungry, pushing the total number over 1 billion for the first time in history. Now, just two years later, we are seeing another food price hike, and more famine is...
A climate-friendly Farm Bill Climate-friendly agriculture isn’t just about cutting carbon emissions.
Published January 10, 2011
Julia Olmstead
Minneapolis, January 10, 2011* — We’re in a rut when it comes to taking action on climate change. Congress has stalled on passing climate legislation. International negotiators failed to agree on binding emission cuts in Cancún late last year. And it’s unclear whether the EPA will have the power to...
Hospitals support Minnesota farmers, purchase locally grown produce
Published December 22, 2010
Marie Kulick
Minneapolis, December 22, 2010 – Hospitals, as places of healing, have a natural incentive to provide food that’s healthy for people and the environment and to be models for healthy eating. A poor diet is a risk factor for four of the leading six causes of death nationally: heart disease, stroke, diabetes...
Climate change demands a new way to feed the world
Published December 5, 2010
Jim Harkness
REMARKS OF JIM HARKNESS, PRESIDENT, IATP DIÁLOGO CLIMÁTICO, CANCÚN, MEXICO CAncún, December 5, 2010 — I would first like to thank our Mexican hosts and say what an honor it is to appear with such an inspiring group of farm leaders from around the world. We are here in Cancún because climate change threatens the...
Healthy environments, one neighborhood at a time
Published October 7, 2010
Minneapolis, October 7, 2010 — As I read this excellent report on health disparities, one voice whispers “community” in my left ear, another whispers “environment” in the right. Geographically speaking, the place where many of the upstream determinants of health mentioned in the report...
Farm to School’s teachable moment
Published October 6, 2010
JoAnne Berkenkamp
Minneapolis, October 6, 2010* — Schools throughout the country are shaking up the cafeteria through new initiatives to improve children’s health while giving a boost to local farmers. It’s time to give the mystery meat a break and bring out locally produced apples, squash, tomatoes and chicken. You...
Carbon markets: A reliable and practical source of climate finance?
Published October 5, 2010
Jim Harkness
Remarks of Jim harkness, president, IATP United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Tianjin, China Tianjin, October 5, 2010 — Thank you for joining us today. My name is Jim Harkness. I am the President of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. We are a 25-year-old organization that works...
Farmers’ new normal
Published September 29, 2010
Jim Harkness
Minneapolis, September 29, 2010* — The Minnesota River near Jordan is expected to reach its fifth-highest crest at 32.7 feet on Tuesday. Jordan and much of the rest of southern Minnesota were hit with some 10 inches of rain last week—flooding houses, farm fields, and shutting down highways and bridges....
