On Twitter the other day, I was told that "moms choose organic" for their kids. I'm a mom (almost) and I don't choose organic. Personally, I dislike the implication that I am doing wrong by not buying organic and I…
Tag: Organic
Saving coffee from a serious plant disease
Written by Steve Savage Some of the world's best coffee comes from the tropical highlands of Central and South America. Recently these regions have experienced heavier rainfall. This is probably due to climate change, but in any case it fosters…
An Unlikely Fix: nitrogen fertilizer and organic agriculture
Written by Adam Merberg In 1898, the chemist and physicist William Crookes devoted his presidential address to the British Association for the Advancement of Science to “a life and death question for generations to come.” At existing rates, he argued, the world’s…
Harmonious Coexistance
Here's a catchy tune - about coexistence! Back when genetically engineered canola was new in Canada, there was a conversation between two farmers - one who grew organic canola, and the other, GE. That conversation turned into this song: As…
Analysis of Washington State GMO Labeling Initiative I-522
Written by Bill Price Background Recently, supporters of the Washington State initiative I-522 submitted signatures to the Secretary of the State of Washington. This initiative is designed to “establish mandatory labeling of foods produced through genetic engineering”. The official web…
Shades of Green Talk Wrapup
On Sunday, I gave a talk for the Ethical Humanist Society in Skokie, IL, on the outskirts of Chicago. Back in November, the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago asked me if I would be willing to talk about the benefits…
The Frustrating Lot Of The American Sweet Corn Grower
Written by Steve Savage We Americans love sweet corn - our uniquely national vegetable. We consume ~9 lbs of sweet corn per person per year (see how that compares to other vegetables in the graph above). The farmers that…
Community Contest 6: Love your plants!
Happy May, everyone! Frank N. Foode™ here to announce the start of a new community contest here on the Biofortified Blog! Spring is an exciting time for a plant such as myself. Farmers and gardeners everywhere are planning and planting,…
GMO Labeling And “The China Scenario”
Written by Steve Savage When asked, "Do you want foods that contain GMOs to be labeled?" most US consumers say, "Yes." To those unfamiliar with the food system, this sounds like a simple request. The reality is that GMO labeling…
Organic Infighting over GE Alfalfa
The USDA announced recently that Roundup Ready® alfalfa is cleared to be planted anywhere in the US without restrictions. In contrast to previous GE crop approvals, this time the USDA listed three potential options, the first being no approval at…