FEED - October 2008
Contents
1. What You Can Do: Send USDA comments on engineered crops2. Green Cuisine: Organic flavors in the Pacific Northwest
3. Country of origin labeling for foods finally takes effect
4. New guidelines on engineered animals fall short
5. Citizens ask next president for a White House community garden
1. What You Can Do: Send USDA comments on engineered crops
We need your help! A new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposal regarding genetically engineered crops, including food crops engineered to produce drugs and industrial chemicals, could allow these substances to contaminate the U.S. food supply. The new proposal ignores calls from the Union of Concerned Scientists and major food companies for a ban on outdoor production of these "pharma" rice, corn, and other food crops, and could instead weaken the existing regulations. The USDA will accept comments from the public on its proposal through late November, and UCS wants to generate hundreds of personalized letters from citizens like you in opposition. Will you commit to submitting individualized comments to USDA? If so, send an email to jpalembas@ucsusa.org with the subject line "USDA comments" to sign up. We will provide you with background materials and guide you through the comment submission process. Your input is critical to change this proposal and keep drugs and industrial chemicals out of our cornflakes!
2. Green Cuisine: Organic flavors in the Pacific Northwest
The latest edition of Green Cuisine puts the spotlight on a thriving and interconnected food system in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle's critically acclaimed Tilth Restaurant is one of the few certified organic restaurants in the country. Here, executive chef and owner Maria Hines serves up cheeses from nearby creameries and dishes with regional ingredients like huckleberries, Walla Walla onions, and Northwest salmon and mussels. One of her local vegetable suppliers is Andrew Stout, owner of Full Circle Farm. This mid-size organic farm is succeeding commercially while also maintaining local water quality and creating healthy habitats for wildlife, including endangered native salmon. See the beautiful photo slideshow and get a FREE recipe from Hines celebrating the changing seasons!
3. Country of origin labeling for foods finally takes effect
Starting this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will finally begin to implement legislation requiring most foods to be labeled with their country of origin. The county of origin labeling (COOL) requirement applies to most meat, fish and shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, and nuts. COOL was passed in the 2002 and 2008 Food and Farm Bills, but implementation was delayed for fish and shellfish until October 2004, and for the rest of the foods until September 30 of this year. Some experts are concerned because COOL does not apply to processed food items; for example, it does not apply to peanuts when they have been roasted. Read more from USA Today.
| "COOL implementation is good news. It will help consumers buy American products and will make it easier to trace outbreaks of foodborne illness. But the USDA should correct the loophole that exempts processed foods from COOL." ~ Brise Tencer, Washington Representative for Food & Environment Program |
4. New guidelines on engineered animals fall short
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released new, largely voluntary guidelines overseeing genetically engineered (GE) animals. The guidelines, issued under the FDA's drug authority, recommend that companies wishing to produce and market GE animals send the FDA information about each step of the gene insertion and production process. The public will not be able to participate in the review of GE animals nor challenge an approval in court. In addition, consumers will be in the dark about whether the foods they are eating are from engineered animals. Companies will not be required to label foods as genetically engineered, only to indicate that genetic manipulation has changed a nutritional feature of the food. GE animals in the pipeline include salmon, pigs, cows, and goats. Read more from The Washington Post.
| "These long-awaited rules usher in a new era for our food supply, and it's one that many consumers will not be comfortable with. Consumers have the right to know whether or not the food animals they eat have been genetically altered." ~ Margaret Mellon, Food & Environment Program Director |
5. Citizens ask next president for a White House community garden
As election fever heats up, the presidential candidates are taking stands on many issues including the economy and foreign policy. But what about ensuring that our food is grown in a way that protects the foundations of our food supply, clean water and air and healthy soil? One organization called The WhoFarm is asking the next president to demonstrate his commitment to sustainable agriculture by installing an organic community garden at the White House. The garden would showcase U.S. breeds of vegetables and would provide local produce for the White House table, nearby schools, and food pantries. Learn more.
