Big may look impressive, but life can be hell for the individual in agriculture today. The problems are vast and complex, and do not lend themselves to easy answers. So what is the agricultural crisis all about, and what can be done to tackle it? Steven Gorelick seeks out the true root of the crisis.
… Gorelick | 5th June 2000 News Agriculture Farming Crisis Agribusiness Factory Farming Small Farms Independent Business Economics Monoculture Farming Factory Farming Economics Food And …
Major funders of the pro-fossil fuel Global Warming Policy Foundation are always keen to speak out against public support for renewable energy, writes Brendan Montague. So how come they're so keen to help themselves to a fortune in farm subsidies?
… 2013 Comment Energy Renewables Wind Economics Farming UK wind-turbines-co-durham-cut.jpg … directly, and through his family trusts and farming business. The member of the House of … taxpayer-financed and Brussels-administered farming subsidies. Lord Vinson, a vocal …
Missouri voters have narrowly passed a 'right to farm' amendment to the state constitution. But small farmers already enjoy such rights, writes Ben Whitford. The beneficiaries will be industrial-scale corporate producers who now have a legal shield against regulation on GMOs, pollution, animal welfare and health standards - and, of course, the lawyers.
… | 6th August 2014 News USA Law Regulation Farming Food Corporations … and farmers to engage in ranching and farming practices." Constitutional Amendment 1 … to a wide range of fresh abuses by industrial farming operations. A victory for corporate …
The UK dairy industry is in crisis, writes Megan Perry, with falling prices forcing many farmers out of business. Smaller, more sustainable farms have been the worst casualties, while the large, intensive producers survive. We must ditch market-driven 'survival of the fittest' attitudes - and recognise both the real costs of intensification, and the true value of traditional farming.
… Food Trust | 30th October 2015 Comment Farming Food Economics UK EU … and the true value of traditional farming. Dairy farmers have faced an ongoing … industry's woes is simply to grow food and farming exports by £7 billion. It has remained …
Wave power has a huge part to play in supplying the US with clean, renewable electricity, writes Shalinee Kishore. But to achieve its full potential, we must harness not just the energy of waves, but their predictability - and so so ensure the smooth integration of wave power into the electricity grid.
Ocean energy plus cybernetics can supply a quarter of the US's power Shalinee Kishore | 14th April 2015 Comment Technology Renewables Oceans USA brighton-marina-waves-cut.jpg Wave power has a huge …
What's the point of farming? To produce an abundance of wholesome food, writes Colin Tudge, while supporting a flourishing rural economy and a sustainable, biodiverse countryside. Yet the powers that be, determined to advance industrial agriculture at all costs, are achieving the precise opposite. It's time for a revolution in our food and farming culture, led by the people at large.
… Colin Tudge | 22nd April 2016 Comment Farming Food Economics Corporations Society … GMOs tractor-cut.jpg What's the point of farming? To produce an abundance of wholesome … It's time for a revolution in our food and farming culture, led by the people at large. …
The green dream of being a small farmer producing high quality, organic food for local people has ended up being anything but for Alicia Miller. The problem is money - there's never enough of it. But she's not alone. All over the world, life is a financial struggle for small, ethical cultivators, and constant source of stress.
… Miller | 11th October 2014 Ethical Living Farming Economics veg-box-cut.jpg A gorgeous … money. The economic viability of small-scale farming is next to nil. Everyone is dependent … There are a lot of reasons that small-scale farming is a difficult business. For us, it's …
With most of our food exports going to the EU, and most of our food imports coming from the EU, Molly Scott Cato wondered what plans the government had for the sector after Brexit. The answer? None! Two reports published today map out a positive future of sustainable farming, local food, thriving rural economies and abundant biodiversity. But is the government on the same page?
… Brexit and the future of farming: threat or opportunity? Molly Scott Cato MEP | 21st February 2017 Comment Farming Biodiversity Economics Politics Brexit … map out a positive future of sustainable farming, local food, thriving rural economies …
Food has never been more affordable for middle class families in rich countries. But it comes at a high cost: the impact of industrial food production on health, environment and society has never been greater as Patrick Holden explained to Emily Lewis-Brown. Now the real cost of food US production will be examined in a ground-breaking conference in San Francisco.
… | 7th April 2016 Ethical Living Food Farming Economics Pollution … drive for food security through industrial farming and ever-cheaper food has, ironically, … put both our health and the future of farming at risk. Food prices have been kept …
Cuba is a global exemplar of organic, agroecological farming, taking place on broad swathes of land in and around its cities, write Julia Wright & Emily Morris. These farms cover 14% of the country's agricultural land, employ 350,000 people, and produce half the country's fruit and vegetables. But can they survive exposure to US agribusiness?
… Emily Morris | 27th June 2015 News Cuba Food Farming Organic Cities USA Politics Trade … a global exemplar of organic, agroecological farming, taking place on broad swathes of land … The principles of organic, or agroecological, farming were used to overcome the lack of …
Agroecology is key to retaking control over food, farming and land from the 'monstrous machine' of agribusiness, biotech, big finance and 'free trade', writes Colin Todhunter, as it represents a truly viable alternative to agriculture for corporate profit. But such are the powers ranged against the world's small farmers that it must be supported by a broad-based, global people's movement.
… the corporate stranglehold on food and farming - is agroecology enough? Colin Todhunter | 4th March 2016 Comment Food Farming Corporations The Land India USA Mexico … is key to retaking control over food, farming and land from the 'monstrous machine' …
Farming today is well on the way to becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the agro-chemical-biotech industry, writes Colin Tudge. Defra and the European Commission are all too keen to make it so, reflecting the interests of an agro-oligarchy obsessed with profits and growth at all costs. But there is an alternative. Join the 'real farming' agrarian renaissance ...
… Farming for profit? Or for people, nature, … Colin Tudge | 19th November 2014 Activism UK Farming Natural World Toxics Economics brussells-sprouts-cut.jpg Farming today is well on the way to becoming a …
First corporations gained legal personhood, writes Don Fitz. Next they seized the right to force 'free trade' on unwilling populations. Now they are making sure that 'corporate rights' trump citizen rights - like the right to wholesome food and a healthy environment. That's where the 'Right to Farm' constitutional amendments come in ...
… August 2014 Activism Corporations Law USA Farming mo-hog-farm-cut.jpg First corporations … right of farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices shall be …
As hundreds of British dairy farmers are forced out of business by milk prices well below production cost, writes Patrick Holden, it's time for a 'fair trade' British milk label that guarantees a fair price to smaller scale farmers operating to good environmental and animal welfare standards.
… Holden | 22nd January 2015 Comment Food Farming Economics UK cows-cut.jpg As hundreds … are bleak indeed, with the leaders of the farming industry still advocating that we have … and socially sustainable dairy farming. That way we can come up with an …
Just as the banks are 'too big to fail', so Britain's struggling dairy farmers are 'too small to save', writes Simon Fairlie. And it's not just the government that's happy to see 16 dairy farms go the wall every week - it's also the National Farmers Union to which most pay their dues. The NFU's paradoxical response to the milk glut is to push for ever higher, more intensive milk production.
… Fairlie The Land | 15th August 2015 News Food Farming Politics Economics cows-dorset-cut.jpg … businesses with cash-flow problems." So said farming minister Robert Eustice when he gave … ask, was the Committee parroting what the farming minister George Eustice told them, …
Unsustainable farming systems that damage the environment and public health thrive at the expense of sustainable producers. Patrick Holden makes the case for "true cost accounting" ...
… True-cost accounting in food and farming Patrick Holden | 29th November 2013 Comment Food Farming Economics Green Economy patrick-holden.png Unsustainable farming systems that damage the environment …
Among Cuba's greatest achievements is its organic farming sector, writes Miguel Altieri. Developed in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union, small agroecological farms now employ 300,000 campesinos and provide an abundance of healthy fruit and vegetables. But now US food and agribusiness corporations are eyeing up a multi-billion dollar business opportunity.
… Berkeley | 1st April 2016 News Food Farming CUMA USA Trade Agroecology … Cuba's greatest achievements is its organic farming sector, writes Miguel Altieri. … South America. Agroecology is an approach to farming that developed in the late 1970s in …
MEPs vote tomorrow on Green measures to ensure that TTIP 'harmonisation' on food and farming means applying the highest standards, not the lowest, writes Molly Scott Cato. But will MEP's put farmers, food and animals before corporate profit?
… Scott Cato MEP | 13th April 2015 Comment Food Farming Trade EU USA hens-caged-cut.jpg MEPs … ensure that TTIP 'harmonisation' on food and farming means applying the highest standards, … particularly the risks to our food and farming system . In my position on the …
The over-enrichment of waters and ecosystems with waste nutrients from industrial corn farming is one of America's greatest environmental problems, writes Donald Scavia. And it's a problem that can be solved - by eating less meat and sugar, by adopting rational energy policies, and by demanding sustainably-grown food.
… Industrial corn farming is ruining our health and polluting … Donald Scavia | 29th April 2015 Comment Food Farming USA corn-farm-cut.jpg The … with waste nutrients from industrial corn farming is one of America's greatest …
Last week a massive 350 hectare open cast coal mine at Druridge Bay took an important step towards winning panning permission. This got Chris Goodall wondering: what if the land was turned into a solar farm instead? His surprise discovery: solar power on England's south coast already costs no more than coal - and it's only getting cheaper.
Solar on the best UK sites is competitive with cheap coal Chris Goodall | 15th July 2016 Comment Energy Solar Fossil Fuels Coal UK Economics Renewables druridge-bay-cut.jpg Last week a massive 350 …
The True Cost Accounting in Food and Farming conference was remarkable - star speakers ... fine food, drink and music ... even an impromptu Panto performance. In short, writes Sharon Garfinkel, it was an inspiration to all who attended.
… Garfinkel | 3rd January 2014 Reviews Food Farming Economics farmers-market.png The True Cost Accounting in Food and Farming conference was remarkable - star … from the True Cost Accounting in Food and Farming conference at the Royal Geographical …
Leaving the European Union and reaching a trade deal with President Trump's US would create a perfect storm for UK farmers, writes Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Kate Parminter, with new EU tariffs, reduced subsidies and drastically lower standards. The changes would also pose a serious threat to our natural environment, food quality and public health.
… | 31st January 2017 Comment Trade Food Farming Politics Brexit USA UK … for decades to come. In the case of the UK farming industry and our rural environment, … the Single Market. Second, the level of farming subsidies is likely to be …
Farmers' first line of defence against pests is the ecosystem in and around their fields, write Jonathan Lundgren & Scott Fausti. With widespread or indiscriminate use of pesticides essential biodiversity is lost - and the result is more frequent and serious infestations, and a decline in food security.
… Scott Fausti | 14th August 2015 Comment Farming Ecology USA Toxics Food Insects … have more pests. The findings suggest that farming practices that promote insect …
Japanese rice farmers won a reprieve last week when TTP negotiations in Hawaii ended without conclusion on opening Japan up to cheap US rice imports, writes Nicole L Freiner. But with Japan keen to export more cars to the US, the victory is a temporary one. At stake is a way of life, an ancient land-rooted religion, and the future viability of Japan's farming villages.
… L Freiner | 3rd August 2015 News Japan Food Farming Society Trade USA … religion, and the future viability of Japan's farming villages. In small wet rice fields, or … will affect them. "I'm a simple man. I love farming and just want to farm" , a rice grower …