Food security

CFTC should impose tough limits on Wall Street speculators

Minneapolis – The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) should act immediately to limit excessive speculation by Wall Street firms on energy derivatives trades, a move that will help address extreme volatility in both energy and agricultural markets, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) said in a comment submitte

Protecting food from Wall Street speculators

As Congress dithers on regulating Wall Street, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is quietly acting to limit the role of speculators on energy markets—with a spillover effect that could help stabilize agriculture markets as well.

IATP comment to CFTC on speculative position limits

This comment to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regards a proposed rule to implement speculative position limits for energy contracts.

What's so radical about family farming?

In mid-February, the third Farmers' Forum was held just prior to the 33rd Governing Council meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome. IFAD is a specialized agency of the UN that funds agriculture production projects in developing countries.

Agriculture Sustainability

A critical look at the what the term sustainable agriculture has come to mean since becoming popular in the 1970s. This article by Dennis Keeney appeared in Prairie Fire, March 2010.

Commodity Market Deregulation and Food Prices

The 200 million person increase in global food insecurity since 2006 — over one billion according to UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) — did not result from global production failure or a shortage of supply.

Game on for child nutrition

Earlier this week, First Lady Michelle Obama announced her Let's Move initiative to combat childhood obesity. Rising childhood obesity rates, however, tell only part of the story.

USDA not the only federal agency influencing our food system, new paper reports

Minneapolis – While the U.S.

Beyond the USDA: How other government agencies can support a healthier, more sustainable food system

Introduction

The race for the world's farmland

The accelerated practice of land grabbing—where countries or corporations buy up agricultural land, usually in poor countries—is one of the most troubling responses we've seen to the sharp rise in food prices in late 2007 and early 2008.

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