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.

11/17: Agri-Talk. Commodity Speculation and the Food Crisis

11/17: Des Moines Register. Corn Price Plunges, But Grocery Costs Higher

11/17: Reuters. Study Urges Speculation Rules to Ease Food Crisis

11/16: The International News (Pakistan). Speculation Caused Global Commodity Price Hike: Report

11/15: St. Paul Pioneer Press. The Recount Referee

11/14: Grand Island Independent. Food Prices Driven Up by Speculators

11/14: The Age (Australia). WTO Faces Calls for Ministerial Meeting

11/14: Minnesota News Connection. Speculators Distort Ag Markets

11/13: Agence France-Presse. WTO Faces Fresh Calls for Ministerial Meeting

11/03: Minnesota Daily. Chemical in Plastic Raises Issues

11/01. Minnesota Monthly. Infant Fears

10/27. Minnesota Public Radio. Rural Communities Meet with African Immigrants

10/27. Minnesota News Connection. State Summit Focuses on African Immigrants

10/26. Austin American-Statesman. Biofuels Might not be the Greenest of Alternatives

10/25. Minneapolis Star Tribune. Peace Coffee: Changing the World a Cup at a Time

10/23. Lake County News Chronicle. Time for a 21st Century New Deal

10/21. St. Cloud Times. Rural African Summit Scheduled

10/20. Minnesota News Connection. Consumer Group Wants Sludge Off the Menu

10/17. MinnPost. Minneapolis Doctor Honored for Safety Work on Food Supply

10/08. The Bridge. The Business of Morality

10/01. Business Today Egypt. Seeds of Change

President-elect Obama and U.S. Relations with the World

The campaign is over and Barack Obama will be our next president. But what does an Obama administration mean for our relationship with the rest of the world? On November 7, IATP’s international board members (global leaders in fair trade, sustainable agriculture, local food and human rights) joined IATP President Jim Harkness at our Stevens Avenue building to offer an international perspective on the Obama administration. A packed house heard from Dr. Cândido Grzybowski of the Brazilian Institute for Social and Economic Analysis (IBASE), Brazil; Mika Iba of the National Coalition for Safe Food and the Environment, Japan; Dr. Joseph Rocher of the European Network of Food and Agriculture NGOs (RONGEAD), France; Stephen Shrybman, international trade lawyer, Canada; and Dr. Arie van den Brand, former member of the Netherlands parliament and President of Biologica.

If you couldn’t make it, you’re in luck. Short videos of the presentations are coming soon to iatp.org.

First Rural African Summit in Minnesota

Minnesota has always attracted new immigrant populations. Over the last decade, the state has become one of the country's most popular destinations for African immigrants. About 20,000 new African immigrants live in Minnesota's rural communities—many working in meat and poultry packing plants around the state. IATP's Garat Ibrahim discussed some of the challenges for new African immigrants in Minnesota on Radio Sustain.

To help connect African immigrants in rural Minnesota and discuss common strategies for overcoming the challenges they face, IATP hosted the first Rural African Summit in St. Cloud, Minn. in October. The meeting attracted about 150 participants, including community leaders from many smaller rural towns like Owatonna, Pelican Rapids and Willmar.

You can find more background about African immigrants in Minnesota in a short report by Neal Remington. Look for more on the Summit, including materials, photos and videos, on IATP's Rural African page soon. You can read a report from the meeting at IATP's Think Forward blog.

New Consumer Guide on Sludge Use in Food Production

Consumers should choose foods produced without sewage sludge-based fertilizer, concludes IATP’s new Smart Guide on Sludge Use in Food Production by Marie Kulick.

Sewage sludge can contain disease-causing microbes, synthetic chemicals and heavy metals that can cause acute and chronic disease. Many of these contaminants can persist in soil for centuries and can enter the food system through crops grown on sludge-treated land, as well as through food animals that graze on sludge-treated land. Currently, there is no labeling requirement for food produced on land treated with sewage sludge, and consumers may find it difficult to know if they are using a sludge-based fertilizer product in their garden.

You can listen to an interview with Marie Kulick, as well as download IATP’s Smart Guide on Sludge Use in Food Production, a chart outlining the potential health effects of some of the more persistent synthetic chemicals found in sludge, and a list of sludge-based fertilizer products marketed for home use.

Confronting the Global Food Challenge

According to the United Nations, the number of people worldwide who go to bed hungry has grown by 75 million over the last year. IATP is working with organizations around the globe to clearly identify the causes of the food crisis and to advocate for solutions that ensure everyone has access to enough healthy food.

This month, we released Commodities Market Speculation: The Risk to Food Security and Agriculture, which reported how excessive speculation in agriculture commodity markets played a major role in the rapid rise and fall in global food prices leading to hunger. “It is important to recognize that many of the deregulatory measures that brought on the Wall Street collapse also contributed to the food security and agricultural market crises,” said IATP’s Steve Suppan, a contributor to the report.

In two new articles, IATP’s Mark Muller explains how wildly volatile agriculture markets undermine efforts to expand sustainable and climate-friendly agriculture; and IATP’s Dennis Olson proposes solutions to address the food and energy crises together.

In Geneva, Switzerland, IATP, the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance and the FoodFirst International Action Network will host civil society groups from around the world to explore the impact of trade and investment on the human right to food on November 24-26. In preparation for the meeting, IATP’s Carin Smaller and Sophia Murphy published Bridging the Divide: A Human Rights Vision for Global Food Trade. You can find other background papers and reports on the meeting here.

In Guatemala City, IATP co-organized a two-day dialogue in October on the role of biofuels and agribusiness in the current food crisis. Representatives from more than 30 farm and environmentall groups, developmental NGOs and research bodies from Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico, the United States and the European Union participated. The meeting report is now available in Spanish with an English report coming soon.

In Washington, D.C., as development and finance ministers from around the world gathered for the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund meetings in October, IATP’s Steve Suppan spoke at “The Global Food Crisis: Time for a Fresh Look at Sustainable Agriculture Alternatives.” The discussion, broadcast on C-SPAN (you can view it here in RealPlayer), was organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Heinrich Boll Foundation.

Dr. Wallinga Leading on Health

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation is honoring IATP's own David Wallinga, M.D. with its Upstream Health Leadership Award. They couldn't have found a more worthy recipient.

"Dr. Wallinga is a leading voice for science-based public policies that better protect children from environmental pollutants, especially those that enter the food chain," said Foundation Vice President Joan Cleary. "Dr. Wallinga's leadership points to upstream causes and solutions, such as developing policies for more rigorous testing of chemicals and products before they enter the market."

The foundation cited David's research on the health effects of chemicals used in pesticides and children's products as well as the overuse of antibiotics in animals raised for food consumption. David will be presented with the award on November 20 at the St. Paul River Center.

One Cup at a Time

If you want to learn more about the sustainable business model of IATP’s award-winning, 100 percent organic and fair trade coffee company, Peace Coffee, check out the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s glowing article, “Changing the World: One Cup at a Time.” Peace Coffee also recently received a hometown honor in Metro Magazine, where it was listed number 15 out of a list of “100 Reasons to Love the Twin Cities” in their October issue.

Become a Fan of IATP on Facebook

Yes, the rumors are true. We now have our own Facebook page, where you can become a fan and urge your friends to check out what one of your favorite organizations is up to.

What’s New on IATP’s Think Forward Blog

IATP staff have been blogging on the upcoming Obama administration, the G-20 meeting on the global financial crisis and a new book on local food at Think Forward. You can subscribe to Think Forward through RSS and get your regular dose of IATP.

Radio Sustain on Sludge, Organic Farming and the Food Crisis

In the latest issue of IATP’s Radio Sustain podcast, you can hear from IATP's Marie Kulick on toxic sludge use in food production, China’s Shi Yan on her experience working on a Minnesota organic farm and Benin’s Dr. Simplice Davo Vodohue on the global food crisis.

You can subscribe to Radio Sustain through RSS or iTunes.

Support IATP and Make a Difference in the World Today!

IATP works hard to keep family farmers on their land, to ensure the safety of our food supply and to preserve biodiversity and the environment for future generations. We cannot do this work without you. Please join us in our work of advocating for fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Click here to make a donation. If you have additional questions about supporting IATP, please contact Kate Hoff at 612-870-3404 or khoff@iatp.org or Anne Walters at 612-870-3408 or awalters@iatp.org. Thank you!

Support IATP and Make a Difference in the World Today! IATP works hard to keep family farmers on their land, to ensure the safety of our food supply and to preserve biodiversity and the environment for future generations. We cannot do this work without you. Please join us in our work of advocating for fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Click here to make a donation. If you have additional questions about supporting IATP, please contact Kate Hoff at 612-870-3404 or khoff@iatp.org or Anne Walters at 612-870-3408 or awalters@iatp.org. Thank you!

IATP News is an occasional publication reporting on recent events and activities at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). It is sent to board members, supporters, partners and friends. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP)
Jim Harkness, President
2105 First Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404 USA
Tel. 1 (612) 870-0453 Fax. 1 (612) 870-4846
Email: iatp@iatp.org Web: iatp.org