Food Politics

AUGUST 23, 2024

Susan Greenhalgh. Soda Science: Making the World Safe for Coca-Cola. University of Chicago Press, 2024. This terrific book picks up where I left off with Soda Politics: Taking on Big Soda (and Winning) (2015) and Unsavory Truth: How the Food Industry Skews the Science of What We Eat (2018). Susan Greenhalgh’s focus, however, is on ILSI, the International Life Sciences Institute (now renamed the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences).

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Science Food 342

Real Agriculture

AUGUST 21, 2024

I feel like all I have talked about on RealAg Radio for the past two weeks is the potential impacts of both Canadian railways going on strike. As the minutes tick down to the August 22nd strike deadline, it’s become clear that Canadians are completely comfortable with the impacts of the threat. The comfort level.

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Logistics Livestock Production Crop 338

Agricultural Biodiversity

AUGUST 20, 2024

I do love a good historical counterfactual. Unfortunately, Henry A. Wallace becoming president of the USA in 1945 is not a particularly good counterfactual. You really want these things to hang on a coin toss, and it was in fact extremely unlikely that FDR would have chosen Wallace again as his vice-president running mate in 1944. However, that didn’t stop me enjoying the recent episode of the podcast Past Present Future entitled “ What If… Wallace not Truman Had Become US President

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Logistics Agriculture Agriculture Crop 272

Agri-tech

AUGUST 14, 2024

A major international study has explained how bread wheat helped to transform the ancient world on its path to becoming the iconic crop that today sustains a global population of eight billion. “Our findings shed new light on an iconic event in our civilisation that created a new kind of agriculture and allowed humans to settle down and form societies,” said Professor Brande Wulff.

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Crop Agriculture Agriculture 145

Berkeley Blog

AUGUST 12, 2024

Seismic data from NASA's Insight lander indicate deep, porous rock filled with liquid water The post Scientists find oceans of water on Mars. It’s just too deep to tap. appeared first on Berkeley News.

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Science 145

Food Tank

AUGUST 2, 2024

A version of this piece was featured in Food Tank’s newsletter, released weekly on Thursdays. To make sure it lands straight in your inbox and to be among the first to receive it, subscribe now by clicking here. Do you know when the hottest day ever recorded on Earth was? Last week. July 22, 2024, marked the highest global average temperatures ever recorded since NASA began keeping records in the 1800s.

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Food Politics

AUGUST 9, 2024

This brand new book—all 498 pages of it—is open access. As the publisher explains, This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access Analyzes the connections between agriculture and resource use, commodity trade, food businesses, and retail markets Provides diagrams and data visualizations to explain, predict, and assess changes in the food system Features rich visualizations and primary source information for updated charts from US and international sources The autho

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Food Marketing Family Farming Distribution 320

Agricultural Biodiversity

AUGUST 21, 2024

The authors of book “ Moving Crops and the Scales of History ” have been awarded the Edelstein Prize 2024 for their work to “redefine historical inquiry based on the “cropscape”: the assemblage of people, places, creatures, technologies, and other elements that form around a crop.” Let’s see how many cropscapes we can come up with today.

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Seeding Crop Technology Agriculture 186

USDA Blog

AUGUST 27, 2024

Nichole Espineli is studying for her master’s degree at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her determination, borne from her personal experience with food insecurity, led her to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) internship this past summer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

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Food Agriculture Agriculture 140

Berkeley Blog

AUGUST 23, 2024

Bestselling author and UC Berkeley Professor Emeritus Michael Pollan discusses how he chooses his subjects, why he co-founded the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics and the role of storytelling in shifting our perspective. The post Berkeley Talks: It’s not just psychedelics that change minds, says Michael Pollan. Storytelling does, too. appeared first on Berkeley News.

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Science 144

Civil Eats

AUGUST 21, 2024

This is the first of a two-part series. On a recent spring afternoon, CheeNulKa Pocknett’s truck rattled slowly across Monomoscoy Island, the engine roar swallowing the caw of seabirds. It caught the attention of a gray-haired woman working in her garden who popped up from behind a wall of red and yellow tulips, a scowl shading her face. “She knows me and doesn’t like me,” Pocknett said, casting a half-hearted wave in her direction.

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Harvester Harvest Harvesting Aquaculture 133

Food Politics

AUGUST 27, 2024

Recall that the large grocery chain, Kroger, proposed a couple of years ago to acquire another large grocer, Albertsons, for about $25 billion. The FTC did not think this was a good idea. It FTC filed a suit to prevent the proposed merger on the grounds that it would make the US supermarket landscape even less competitive than it already is. It would be likely to raise prices for consumers, reduce wages for employees, and ( as I’ve written previously ) lead to the closure of many stores.

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Logistics Production Food 289

Real Agriculture

AUGUST 13, 2024

What’s the best planting depth for corn? There’s lots of research that points to a two-inch depth, but there’s growing evidence that planting corn up to three inches deep is a better choice if the seed can access optimum moisture levels at that depth. On this episode of The Sharp Edge, Maizex Seeds agronomist Henry.

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Seeding Technology Production Farming 328

Agricultural Biodiversity

AUGUST 8, 2024

SeedLinked : an app to source cool vegetable seeds. And more. Want to become a variety champion for the Heritage Seed Library? Where’s the app though? A compendium of evidence on the efficacy of biofortification from HarvestPlus. Jeremy surely available for comment? Kew celebrates efficacy of enset conservation in Ethiopia. Not sure if the Ethiopia Biodiversity Institute is in on that celebration.

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Seeding Food Agriculture Agriculture 138

USDA Blog

AUGUST 20, 2024

Vanessa Valencia is a recent graduate from Oregon State University who majored in marketing. She is one of 14 students accepted into the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) High School Equivalency Program (HEP)/College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) internship program.

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Marketing Agriculture Agriculture 138

Berkeley Blog

AUGUST 29, 2024

The catalytic process, discovered by researchers at UC Berkeley, efficiently reduces polymers to chemical precursors, bringing a circular economy for plastics one step closer to reality The post New process vaporizes plastic bags and bottles, yielding gases to make new, recycled plastics appeared first on Berkeley News.

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Processing Yield Science 141

AgriLife Today

AUGUST 6, 2024

AgriLife Extension expert discusses bryozoans — colonies of tiny Texas wildlife The post Unraveling the mystery of Texas’ cryptic freshwater blobs appeared first on AgriLife Today.

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Aquaculture Science 133

Food Politics

AUGUST 12, 2024

Last year, the Egg Nutrition Center offered free continuing education credits for dietitians. This year, I received an e-mailed press release: EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: 8:00 a.m. ET, Thursday, March 28, 2024 Fortified Eggs Did Not Raise Cholesterol in Modest-Sized Cardiology Study Further study needed to investigate secondary findings. …A study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session and led by researchers at Duke, offers new evidence on fortified eggs, which are

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Food Agriculture Agriculture 264

Real Agriculture

AUGUST 23, 2024

It has been quite the past week in covering the events leading up to the Canada-wide rail strike and lockout. Then on Thursday afternoon, just 17 hours after the lockout began, the federal labour minister initiated Section 107 to force binding arbitration through the Canada Industrial Relations Board. With the union serving a new 72-hour.

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Logistics Production Agriculture Agriculture 324

NASDA

AUGUST 21, 2024

My internship with NASDA this summer has been exceptional. NASDA granted me the opportunity to gain more knowledge and experience than I imagined could be offered by one internship. When I first began this internship, I was not sure what to expect, mostly because I did not realize how broad the communications field is. However after my first week, I quickly learned how much thought and effort go into all aspects of a communications position.

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USDA Blog

AUGUST 13, 2024

In Miami, crops grow 365 days a year. This fact spurred Dr. Maruthi Sridhar Balaji Bhaskar of Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, to take action to help his students. “We have lots of interest in agriculture here,” said Bhaskar, an associate professor in the FIU Department of Earth and Environment. “I want my students to know what different opportunities are available to them, especially with USDA.

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Crop Agriculture Agriculture 134

Berkeley Blog

AUGUST 7, 2024

The post Dr. Gina Ann Garcia appointed inaugural faculty director of Latinx Thriving Initiatives appeared first on Berkeley News.

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Civil Eats

AUGUST 12, 2024

At Argus Farm Stop, the shelves are full of locally raised vegetables and fruit, herbs, beef, chicken, fish, and more. Beets from one local farm snuggle up against sunchokes from another, across eggs from yet another. Above many of the market’s displays hang smiling pictures of farmers alongside their produce. And when these same farmers make a delivery to Argus Farm Stop , in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the staff treat them like minor celebrities: free coffee, shout-outs from the owners, the works.

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Farming Farming Marketing Food 129

Food Politics

AUGUST 6, 2024

USDA has proclaimed August 4 – 10 as National Farmers Market Week. I love farmers markets and I’m glad USDA is trying to promote them. USDA publishes a directory of US farmers markets—7,033 listings. It also lists Agrotourism sites (12,763) CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture (1,011) Food hubs (230) On-farm markets 1,937) Farmers markets have a long history in the U.S.

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Marketing Farmland Food Agriculture 264

Real Agriculture

AUGUST 12, 2024

Efficiency is everything when timeframes are tight and acres are many. The equipment chosen for a job can make a substantial difference in how quickly, efficiently, and economically a field gets seeded and fertilized. These factors were top of mind when Morris Equipment designed their new 10 Series Air Cart, which is the largest tow-between. Read More Efficiency is everything when timeframes are tight and acres are many.

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Fertilizer Acre Seeding Production 317

NASDA

AUGUST 20, 2024

Letter Dear Prime Minister: Our members represent a broad array of the agricultural supply chain that relies on freight rail transportation from the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) and CPKC, and we write to express concerns regarding a potential significant disruption to the North American supply chains. We request that you take action to ensure railroad operations continue before a lockout or strike occurs to prevent serious damage to the Canadian and U.S. economies.

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USDA Blog

AUGUST 6, 2024

Yasmin Miranda-Mandujano is one of 14 students chosen for an internship with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) High School Equivalency Program/College Assistance Migrant Program (HEP/CAMP). Yasmin is a sophomore at Madera Community College in California, majoring in business administration.

Agriculture 135

Agriculture Agriculture 135

Berkeley Blog

AUGUST 5, 2024

UC Berkeley researchers have created earpieces that identify brain activity associated with relaxation and drowsiness. The post Dozing at the wheel? Not with these fatigue-detecting earbuds appeared first on Berkeley News.

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Technology 137

Food Tank

AUGUST 26, 2024

Seeds for Resilience , a project of Crop Trust , is working to strengthen gene banks across sub-Saharan Africa. The project provides financial and technical support to the national gene banks of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia. According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development , the climate crisis and land degradation create unprecedented challenges for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Food Politics

AUGUST 13, 2024

I was interested to see this article in The Lancet: Mexico’s bold new law on adequate and sustainable nutrition. Mexico’s new General Law on Adequate and Sustainable Nutrition ( Ley general de Alimentación Adecuada y Sostenible ) is a substantial step towards transforming food systems to address NCDs and promote environmental sustainability… It enshrines the human right to food…It prioritises health, environmental stewardship, water access, children’s health, enhanced food supply and distrib

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Food Production Distribution Processing 257

Real Agriculture

AUGUST 15, 2024

Former federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl passed away on August 13, 2024 after a prolonged battle with cancer, his family has announced. Strahl, who was 67, was a surprise pick to many in the agriculture community when former Prime Minister Stephen Harper tapped him to serve as the Conservatives’ first agriculture minister after winning the.

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Agriculture Agriculture 315

NASDA

AUGUST 15, 2024

The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development is seeking a dedicated professional to join the team as the Chief Science Officer – State Division Administrator 17. This individual will directly provide guidance for MDARD’s executive office and its bureaus/divisions/programs using scientific research and practices to help direct and evaluate current and future policies, goals and metrics.

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Science Agriculture Agriculture Rural Development 130

Agri-tech

AUGUST 23, 2024

Much of what we know about plant circadian rhythms is the result of laboratory experiments where inputs such as light and temperature can be tightly controlled. Less is known about how these biological timing mechanisms operate in the more unpredictable natural world where they evolved to align living things to daily and seasonal cycles. A pioneering collaborative study between UK and Japanese.

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Mechanics 126

Berkeley Blog

AUGUST 1, 2024

New assistant professors cement UC Berkeley's leadership in quantum science and technology The post Four new faculty hires are a quantum leap for experimental physics appeared first on Berkeley News.

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Science Technology 136

Food Tank

AUGUST 5, 2024

The Chennai Urban Farming Initiative (CUFI) is working to promote gardening on rooftops and vacant urban spaces across Chennai, India. They aim to build a sustainable and local food system, make healthy food more accessible, cool the city, and create jobs for vulnerable populations. One aspect of CUFI’s programming involves partnering with day care centers and schools to build organic, edible gardens.

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Food Farming Farming Compost 128

Food Politics

AUGUST 29, 2024

I came across this provocative headline in Medium (to which I subscribe): Red Lobster was killed by private equity, not Endless Shrimp. I knew that Red Lobster had filed for bankruptcy and that its all-you-can-eat shrimp were being blamed for it lack of profitability. Not at all, Cory Doctorow explains. Blame corporate greed. Ten years of being bled out on rents and flipped from one hedge fund to another has killed Red Lobster…The supplier who provided Red Lobster with all that shrimp is Tha

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Supply Chain Finance Food Production 223

Real Agriculture

AUGUST 21, 2024

The impacts of an impending dual rail strike are already being felt by Canada’s export-dependent industries and individual farmers, but the pain is about to get a whole lot worse for businesses and, in turn, Canadians.

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