The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy promotes resilient family farms, rural communities and ecosystems around the world through research and education, science and technology, and advocacy.

4/15: Duluth News Tribune. Minnesota Power Looks to Wood for Fuel

4/5: Newtown Bee. Pricier Corn is Good for the Nation

4/4: Mountain Mail. Pricier Corn is Good for the Nation

3/23: Minnesota Public Radio. Flame Retardant Raises Health Concerns

3/10: Baltimore Sun. Arsenic's Use in Chicken Feed Troubles Health Advocates

3/8: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Some Question Chicken Safety

3/5: Financial Express: On WTO, U.S. Doesn't Want to Play It's Cards Now

A Fair Farm Bill for Renewable Energy

The 2007 Farm Bill will dramatically influence how and what crops will be grown for the new bioeconomy. In the latest installment of its Farm Bill series, IATP analyzes how better policies could support sustainable crop production that benefits the environment and rural communities. The briefing paper explains how we can accelerate the transition from the first generation of corn- and soybean-based biofuels to more sustainable biomass and how we can ensure farmers, rural communities and the environment retain the benefits.

Read "A Fair Farm Bill for Renewable Energy," along with an interview with IATP's Jim Kleinschmit, and other resources at IATP's 2007 Farm Bill Web page.

USDA's Revenue Insurance
Proposal Falls Short

A Farm Bill proposal pushed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture could weaken protections for farmers from natural disasters, according to a new backgrounder by IATP Senior Policy Analyst Dr. Steve Suppan.

The USDA's complicated proposal for revenue-based countercyclical payments (RCCP) is touted as both disaster relief and an income safety net, and is an attempt to make Farm Bill support payments compliant with World Trade Organization rules. But the proposal fails to adequately protect farmers hit by natural disasters in small regions of the country. And high subsidy levels caused by low market prices would be allowed to continue under the program.

"Unless there is a natural disaster covering a wide part of the country, the RCCP formula won't result in payments adequate to compensate farmers for their losses," says Suppan. "Congress should not pretend that a permanent natural disaster relief fund is a basis for fair prices or market-based income."

Revenue-based countercyclical payments: U.S. policy disaster relief?

IATP Joins the Mill City Farmers Market

IATP is happy to announce that it will become the fiscal sponsor of the Mill City Farmers Market. "We are very excited to formalize our support for this fantastic market," said IATP President Jim Harkness. "The market brings farmers and consumers together to buy locally-grown, healthy food. To have such a wonderful market with diverse food choices, in such a spectacular part of Minneapolis, is truly a gift."

The Mill City Market runs on Saturday mornings beginning May 12 through October 20. And for the first time, it will also hold the market on Thursday afternoons beginning on June 7. The market has locally grown vegetables, flowers, meats and poultry, as well as cheeses, bread, coffee and tea. The market is located along the Mississippi River on 2nd St. S. between Chicago Avenue and Park Avenue - between the Mill City Museum and the new Guthrie Theater.

The Mill City Farmers Market is a collaborative effort between chef Brenda Langton, Farm in the City, Mill City Museum, Chipotle, and RiverWest Condominiums. Sponsors of the market include IATP, Wedge Co-op, Brighton Development, Flour Sack Flats, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and Intelligent Nutrients. IATP's Vice President of Communications, Dale Wiehoff, will serve on the board of directors of the Mill City Farmers Market.

Find out more about the Mill City Farmers Market.

An Inconvenient Alliance

The majority of World Trade Organization (WTO) members are desperate to conclude the Doha Round of negotiations. WTO members and the WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy continue to invent new methods to try to achieve a breakthrough in the talks, including fireside chats, enchilada lunches, open-ended consultations and caucus meetings. Nothing seems to be working. Now the spotlight is on four countries - the U.S., the European Commission, Brazil and India - to reach a deal.

IATP's Trade Information Project reports on the latest from the WTO in the new Geneva Update

Water, Food and Gender

For several generations, irrigation-intensive agriculture has been widely promoted as the solution to food security challenges faced by the developing world. Unfortunately, such intensive agriculture, with its close link to the global trade regime, is actually aggravating the global water crisis. Poor women bear the brunt of the water crisis, particularly in the context of rural agriculture. In a new examination of how the global water crisis impacts women, IATP Senior Policy Analyst Shiney Varghese writes about how sustainable agriculture may be the key to food sovereignty.

Water Crisis and Food Sovereignty from a Gender Perspective

IATP's Water Issue Directory

New Book on Agricultural Trade Liberalization and Poor Countries

The current WTO negotiations have been touted as a "development round" that would benefit poor countries. But would greater trade liberalization through WTO rules achieve many benefits for poor countries? In a new book, experts on international trade, including IATP Senior Trade Advisor Sophia Murphy, analyze how poor countries have faired under agriculture trade liberalization and what new trade rules could mean for development.

Read more about the book Agricultural Trade Liberalization and the Least Developed Countries

U.S. Groups to Congress: Oppose Fast Track

On June 30, Fast Track trade authority for President Bush will expire. Fast Track allows the President to present trade agreements for an up or down vote to Congress and limits both debate and Congressional participation in finalizing trade agreements. On March 29, 712 national and local organizations, including IATP, sent a letter calling on Congress to allow Fast Track to expire and end the "era of Bush NAFTA-style trade agreements."

Read the letter and press release.

Peace Coffee Visits the Dominican Republic

Beginning this year, IATP's 100 percent organic and fair trade coffee company, Peace Coffee, will start purchasing coffee from the Federation de Caficultores de la Region Sur cooperative (FEDECARES) in the Dominican Republic. Established in May of 1985, FEDECARES is a second-level co-op made up of 176 base organizations, 6,000 coffee producers and 7,498 members in total (some of whom produce products other than coffee). Based in San Cristobal, the co-op provides members with technical assistance, marketing assistance, social services, and works with gender and youth action programs. The coffee producers of FEDECARES collectively farm on 15,000 hectares (approximately 6,000 acres).

You can find out more about Peace Coffee's work with FEDECARES in an article by Peace Coffee's Andy Lambert and Ryan Seibold.

What do you think about Fair Trade?

Interest in certified Fair Trade consumer products has skyrocketed over the past decade, but there is little research available on how consumers' personal values influence their purchase of Fair Trade products. Caroline Doran, a PhD candidate at Capella University, is conducting an on-line survey on why people buy "Fair Trade." The results will be published and help organizations like IATP understand how to continue the growth of the Fair Trade movement.

Participate in the survey

What's happening "In the Field?"

Are you interested in local food systems, renewable energy and how leaders in Wilmar, Minnesota, are setting a new standard for rural communities? You can find details on all this and more at IATP's blog - In the Field: Rural Places, Real People

Radio Sustain

On the latest Radio Sustain podcast you can hear from the Mainstreet Project's Amalia Anderson about new immigrants in rural communities, IATP's Don Arnosti about biomass and ethanol production, and IATP's Kathleen Schuler on how to make consumer products safer.

Listen to Radio Sustain

Donate to IATP! You can help. IATP does very important work to keep family farmers on the 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. Your tax-deductible contribution will help us secure a sustainable world. Please make your tax-deductible contribution today. If you would like more information about our programs, or if you would like to discuss different contribution options, please contact Kate Hoff, Development Director, at khoff@iatp.org or (612) 870-3404. We appreciate your interest in our work. Thank you for your support.

You can help support IATP by contributing online. We thank you for your continued support!

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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