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Wall Street speculators need tough limits

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) should limit excessive speculation by Wall Street firms to help address extreme volatility in energy and agricultural markets. IATP has submitted comments to the CFTC - which is accepting public comments on a proposed rule to limit speculation through April 26.

CFTC should impose tough limits on Wall Street speculators Press release | Mar 4 | PDF
IATP comment to CFTC PDF
CFTC's proposed rule

Market Deregulation and Food Prices

The Spring 2010 issue of Food Ethics Magazine examines how our global finance system has undermined food security. IATP's Steve Suppan reports on how commodity market deregulation in the U.S. affects food prices.

Commodity Market Deregulation and Food Prices Commentary | Mar 1 | PDF
Food Ethics Magazine Spring 2010

More: Fair trade

IATP Trade Observatory | Geneva Update: Documenting the WTO

Beyond the USDA

USDA is not the only federal body influencing what, and how, food is raised and consumed in the United States: many other spheres of governance shape our food system. This report details opportunities for change—and funding—in government agencies other than the USDA that can help create a healthier, more sustainable food system.

USDA not the only federal agency influencing our food system, new paper finds Press release | Feb 4
Beyond the USDA: How other government agencies can support a healthier, more sustainable food system Report | Feb 4

Farm to School in Minnesota

The number of Minnesota school districts purchasing fresh food from local farms has more than doubled in the last 15 months, according to a new survey by the Minnesota School Nutrition Association (MSNA) and IATP.

Farm to school efforts double in Minnesota Press release | Mar 9 | PDF
Farm to School in Minnesota: A Survey of School Foodservice Leaders Report | Mar 9 | PDF

More: Local food

IATP Ag Observatory | Environment and Agriculture Program

Farm Bill is Lost Opportunity

The 2008 Farm Bill continues a path of deregulation that has increased market volatility to the benefit of global food companies. IATP comments on the Farm Bill conference agreement of May 13.

Farm Bill Would Perpetuate Market Deregulation and Volatility Press release | May 13 | PDF
Farm Bill a Missed Opportunity Commentary | May 13 | PDF

More: U.S. Farm Bill 2012

IATP Ag Observatory | Latest headlines

Fueling Antibiotic Resistance?

The ethanol industry could immediately stop the unnecessary use of antibiotics at production facilities because better alternatives are readily available, finds a new IATP investigation.

Fueling Resistance? Antibiotics in Ethanol Production Report | Jul 16 | PDF
Ethanol Industry Can Stop Using Unnecessary Antibiotics Press release | Jul 16 | PDF
Video interview with Julia Olmstead
Video of Wisconsin ethanol plant exploring antibiotic alternatives

Assessing Biofuels' Carbon Footprint

In a commentary published in the Star Tribune, IATP President Jim Harkness, Michael Noble of Fresh Energy and Patrick Moore of Clean Up the River Environment discuss biofuels and global climate change.

Dispute Over Biofuels Has a Middle Ground Commentary | Jun 13

More: Bioeconomy

Latest headlines | Rural Communities Program | In the Field blog

Food Systems and Public Health

There is a disconnect between agriculture policy and public health. The latest issue of the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition offers a great collection of ideas on how to make our food system healthier, including contributions from IATP's Dr. David Wallinga and Mark Muller.

The full issue
Today's Food System: How Healthy Is It? by Dr. David Wallinga
Alligning Food Systems Policies to Advance Public Health By Mark Muller, Angie Tagtow, Susan Roberts and Erin MacDougall

Cheap food policy contributing to childhood obesity

A decades-old “cheap food” policy has helped create a broken U.S. food system where unhealthy foods are both cheaper and more available to children than are healthy foods, writes the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s David Wallinga, M.D. in a new article in the influential journal, Health Affairs.

New article in Health Affairs journal outlines needed reforms Press release | Mar 2
The Role Of Agriculture Policy In Reducing Childhood Obesity Health Affairs Policy Brief | PDF
Audio and video of press conference

More: Healthy food

IATP Health Observatory | Food and Health Program

Sustainable Agriculture in China

Rice Fields in China

IATP and the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Renmin University hosted the International Conference on Food and Sustainable Agriculture, March 14-15, in Beijing, China. Participants shared their knowledge and discussed current challenges to global food and agriculture systems, and identify the best ways forward to sustainable solutions.

IATP President Jim Harkness, and Professor Wen Tiejun from Renmin University discussed China's rural issues with Central China TV.

Interview with Central China TV Video

Reports

Farm to school in Minnesota: A survey of school foodservice leaders
March 9 | PDF
Beyond the USDA: How other government agencies can support a healthier, more sustainable food system
February 3 | PDF
Climate and Agriculture: A Just Response (Executive Summary)
November 30 | PDF
Putting Agriculture on the Global Climate Agenda
November 30 | PDF
U.S. Climate Policy and Agriculture
November 30 | PDF
More reports from IATP

Fact sheets

NAFTA: Fueling market concentration in agriculture
March 11 | PDF
Antibiotics, Animal Agriculture and MRSA: A New Threat
November 15 | PDF
Integrating Agriculture In a Global Climate Deal: Benchmarks For Copenhagen
October 2 | PDF
Smart Guide: Hormones in the Food System
August 24 | PDF
Growing a New Crop for a New Market
August 7 | PDF
More fact sheets from IATP

IATP News

February 2010
Ideas for a healthier food system, hunger and human rights, a Copenhagen climate wrap-up and more...

February 22
Radio Sustain's Child Nutrition Edition: Former USDA official Rod Leonard discusses the origins of the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, Director of Nutrition for Minneapolis Public Schools Rosemary Dederichs talks about new USDA child nutrition standards, and JoAnne Berkenkamp fills us in on the state of farm to school in Minnesota.

February 22 podcast MP3
September 11 MP3
Radio Sustain Archive MP3
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Brownbag lunch: Free Trade and Food Security in West Africa

Wednesday, March 24, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
IATP, 2104 Stevens Avenue South, Minneapolis

What role have neoliberal policies played in Africa’s rising hunger rates? A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences looks at the effect of two decades of neoliberal policies on food production and household livelihoods in the Western Africa countries of Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali. Macalester Geography professor Dr. William Moseley was the lead author of the study, which looks at rice, cotton and sorghum production and food security in the three countries.

Dr. Moseley will present his findings at an informal brownbag lunch at IATP’s Stevens building. Please bring your lunch and join us!

Please RSVP to events@iatp.org

Sustainable Alternatives to Conventional Agriculture

Thursday, April 8
7:30–9:00 p.m.
Bell Museum, University of Minnesota—Minneapolis campus

Rural areas are experiencing significant population losses, and industrial farms are not sustainable in the long term. What can be done to revitalize rural communities and ensure environmental stewardship in farming practices?

Speakers:
Kathy Draeger, director of the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships and Big Stone County farmer;
Jim Kleinschmit, director of IATP's Rural Communities program

Film:
"A Farm for the Future" (2009) investigates how to transform a family's farm into a low-energy farm for the future and discovers that nature holds the key. Originally aired on the BBC's Natural World series. 50-minute run time.

Our mission

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy works locally and globally at the intersection of policy and practice to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems.