Climate agreement must support shift toward sustainable agriculture

To effectively address global climate change, policy solutions must support a transition toward more sustainable agriculture systems that recognize the critical role agriculture plays in the world, concludes a series of issue briefs released today by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP).

Antibiotics, Animal Agriculture and MRSA: A New Threat

Widespread use of antibiotics leads to the development and spread of more antibiotic-resistant bacteria, like MRSA. When used, antibiotics kill off susceptible bacteria leaving resistant ones to multiply and spread; greater use of antibiotics—wherever that occurs—translates into greater numbers and different varieties of drug-resistant bacteria.

U.S. Groups Call for Leadership from the Obama Administration at the World Summit on Food Security

At the World Summit on Food Security in Rome, U.S. civil society organizations expressed concern with the Obama administration's support for increasing intensive, large-scale agriculture production and trade expansion as a solution to rising global hunger - failed approaches that have actually contributed to the global food crisis.

Minnesota farm to school efforts catch eye of USDA Deputy Secretary Merrigan

Minnesota farm to school efforts that provide students with healthy, locally grown food are attracting national attention.

New report: Grain reserves hold promise in stabilizing global agriculture

Grain reserves could be an effective tool to address global hunger and stabilize agriculture markets.

Strategic Grain Reserves in an Era of Volatility

An analysis of current and historical uses of grain reserves and how they might be used at the international level to address volatility in agriculture markets.

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.

Family farm/sustainable agriculture groups urge passage of animal antibiotics bill

Family farm and sustainable agriculture organizations sent a letter to President Barack Obama and Senate leaders today urging them to support a bill that would restrict the non-therapeutic use of medically important antibiotics in food animals. The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA) S.

Smart Guide Hormones in the Food System

Hormones are routinely used in meat and dairy production as growth promoters, given to dairy cows to increase milk production, hormone -active pesticides are sprayed on crops, are used in plastic food packaging and can be found in the industrial chemicals and byproducts, used in industrial processes, which also make their way into the food chain.

How to Bring Healthier Food to Corner Stores

Corner stores around the country have used a number of innovative strategies to bring healthier food to their shelves, finds a new paper by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.