Agriculture

IATP has been advocating for fair and sustainable agriculture and food systems for more than 35 years. Learn more about our agriculture work on our Agriculture & Food Systems page.

Next stop: Barcelona

IATP's Anne Laure Constantin is blogging from Bangkok at the global climate talks.

IATP reports on Bangkok climate meeting

IATP President Jim Harkness just returned from Bangkok at the global climate talks. In this video, he reports on the state of the talks and what they could mean for agriculture. The video interview can be watched here.

Walking a tightrope: Secretary Vilsack on U.S. agricultural policy

On October 5, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack came to Minneapolis to deliver the fifth and last Freeman Lecture at the University of Minnesota. The lecture’s namesake, Orville Freeman, was governor of Minnesota and then Secretary of Agriculture during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations (1960–68).

Can food reserves address global hunger?

Almost since the beginning of time, people have put food away in times of plenty to ensure they have food in times of need. Many countries, including the United States, have utilized food reserves over the years for a number of reasons like addressing hunger, stabilizing food prices and ensuring a fair return to farmers.

Building bridges between climate and agriculture in Bangkok

IATP's Jim Harkness and Anne Laure Constantin are in Bangkok at the global climate talks. Below, Anne Laure blogs on what is at stake for agriculture.

The risks for agriculture in global climate talks

IATP's Jim Harkness and Anne Laure Constantin are in Bangkok at the global climate talks. Below, Jim blogs on what is at stake for agriculture. “Fifty years: no Bangkok! In the sea! Hot, hot! Very hot!”

Biomass program rolls out, raises eyebrows

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), launched in the last Farm Bill, was hailed as an opportunity to spur the wider adoption of new, more sustainable crops to feed a growing bioeconomy. Now, we are reminded once again that the intent of legislation and real-world implemention are two different things.

Integrating Agriculture In a Global Climate Deal: Benchmarks For Copenhagen

The global agriculture system is failing both the world's hungry and the climate. A paradigm shift is needed to build a resilient system of food production, while contributing to climate change mitigation.

Questionable start for new biomass program

The way the U.S. Department of Agriculture has rolled out the first part of BCAP is raising eyebrows, as initial funding seems to be going to pay for already-existing biomass supplies used for renewable energy, instead of focusing on helping to jump-start the new cellulosic energy future.

Vilsack robs Peter to pay Paul to address the hypoxic zone

At the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient task force meeting, Sept 24, 2009, Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the release of $320 million to fund a new Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI).

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