More than a hundred representatives for the organic industry descended on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, last Thursday to extol to legislators the benefits of their industry to the US economy and ask for additional funding and help expand organic practices...
Climate change represents a major threat to food security throughout the world, according to former US President Barack Obama, and entrepreneurs, scientists and the food industry must act to mitigate the consequences.
One of America’s largest poultry producers, Tyson Foods, plans to stop using human antibiotics in its US chicken operations within the next five months.
America’s meat trade has reacted warmly to news that Donald Trump’s pick for agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, has finally been confirmed by the US senate.
A new survey found that there was disconnect between what consumers think labels like organic, antibiotic-free, or ‘no added hormones’ mean, and what the labels actually mean.
Meat and dairy often get a bad rap on the sustainability front, but not all animal production systems have the same impact on the planet, says EPIC Provisions co-founder Taylor Collins, who reckons that “the next big movement in food is coming in the...
There is a “tremendous parallel” between the emerging consumer demand for improved animal welfare in the US and the organic food movement, including notable business opportunities and significant challenges, according to Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey.
A significant portion of employees at the US Department of Agricultural fear that policy changes implemented during the Trump Administration’s first 100 days threaten their jobs and project funding, and could suppress data, according to a small study...
Contrary to what some may believe, farmers who grow genetically modified crops are “not the devil with horns,” and do have the planet’s and consumers’ health and best interests in mind when they select which seeds to plant and harvest, a Maryland farmer...
General Mills’ splashy commitment last year to double the number of organic acres it sources from by 2019 not only is a strategic business move to boost sales, but part of a larger effort to “do the right thing,” according to the company’s organic ambassador.
With the new administration comes new opportunities for the food and beverage industry, from agriculture and scientists to manufacturers and public health advocates, to make their priorities heard by collectively raising their voices, stakeholders argued...
Farmers transitioning to organic soon could more easily sell their products at a premium even during the transition period before they are fully certified thanks to a new USDA program announced today.
Manufacturers and retailers soon could find themselves between a rock and a hard place as the trend to source slower growing broiler chickens gains momentum with retailers and restaurants.
The Mediterranean diet is being undermined by climate change, a misuse of natural resources and a brain drain which are damaging the social fabric of rural communities, according to a new book by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Poultry giant Perdue Farms has responded to pressure on several leading US meat firms to tighten focus on water use, highlighting the actions it has already taken on the issue.
Big changes are underway in the US pig farming sector, which is ready for forthcoming government changes to antibiotic use, according to the National Pork Board (NPB).
The USDA approved a federal marketing order (FMO) for the pecan industry earlier this year, enabling the industry to collect mandatory dues that will go towards marketing and research efforts for US pecans. Last week, the industry started the nomination...
Trends may come and go, but they often don't stay gone forever -- rather most eventually cycle back in vogue, as is the case with the current focus on “ancient wisdom,” and time-tested, traditional cooking techniques and ingredients that are influencing...
It’s a bold move given how highly-charged – and extremely polarized - the debate has become, but Los Angeles-based start-up Soylent has weighed into the conversation over genetically engineered food crops with a blog post entitled: 'Soylent: Proudly...
It has been half a century since the US embargoed trade with Cuba, and now Nespresso is jumping on the first opportunity to bring the storied coffee beans of this tropical island country to the US.
'Foreign' crops dominate national food consumption patterns and farming practices, according to new research that finds nearly 70% of fruit, vegetables, legumes and grains in an average country's diet originate somewhere else.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made $16m (£11m) available through a series of grants to fund research into advancing methods of sustainable livestock production.
Fear not – nine billion people can be fed by 2050 without further deforestation. The claim comes from researchers at the Global Institute of Social Ecology in Vienna, Austria.
Tom Vilsack, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) secretary, has led a diplomatic mission to Japan and Vietnam to underscore the significance of bilateral trade, which includes reducing tariffs on meat.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make regulatory changes to organic meat and poultry practices, to ensure there’s a national standard to which high-welfare livestock producers adhere.
How to create a new high-value, sustainable business model for African ingredients? By focusing on demand-creation first, production second and engagement with communities, says the founder of baobab start-up Aduna.
Calculations by researchers at Purdue estimate 102,000 hectares of US forest and pasture would have to be converted to cropland if GMOs were eliminated, but anti-GMO organizations argued that the study isn’t valid.
A bill that would pre-empt state laws that mandate GMO labeling (such as Act 120 in Vermont) and set up a federal voluntary labeling system instead, has passed in the Senate Agriculture Committee 14:6, but faces an uphill battle when it goes to the Senate...
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan) has unveiled proposed legislation that would pre-empt state laws that mandate GMO labeling (such as Act 120 in Vermont) and set up a federal voluntary labeling system.
Sales of organic food and drink are set to double by 2018 but this is not enough to feed the world – a truly sustainable farming system is needed for future food and ecosystem security, say researchers.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that farmer Howard Buffet, son of the billionaire investor Warren Buffet, will speak at its Agriculture Outlook panel in February.
Startups ranging from the maker of fine sodas to an information management firm for farmers took center-stage at Rabobank North America Wholesale’s client appreciation event in New York City earlier this month where they were recognized as the winners...
Transparency on sustainability needs to go beyond data on packaging if it is to really engage consumers, says Nescafé, as it partners with Google to launch a virtual reality coffee experience.
A federal judge in Florida has approved a $3.99m deal to resolve a proposed class action accusing Kashi of misleading shoppers by labeling products made with GMOs as ‘all-natural’.
Wresting local control of the food supply is an idea that continues to spawn advocacy groups. The latest, called Local Food Shift, has cropped up in Colorado with the goal to launch a magazine as a way to spread the message and influence policy.
An increasing number of commercial organic operations could be contributing to higher levels of greenhouse gases coming from each acre of farm land, say researchers who warn that organic food production needs to take the right direction on emissions.
Pope Francis has weighed into the debate over GM crops, arguing that while he doesn’t believe there is any “conclusive proof that GM cereals are harmful to human beings”, he worries about their effects on the ecosystem, and argues that they have resulted...
New research showing organic agriculture is significantly more profitable than conventional should reassure farmers who are considering switching to organic but are nervous about financial loss during the three year transition in which they will have...
A $1.5 million investment from EcoEnterprises Fund will enable NurturMe to expand its line of quinoa-based children's food as well as its social mission as a B-Corporation to improve sustainable agriculture in South America, a company executive said.
US retail giant Walmart Stores is urging its meat, dairy, seafood and egg suppliers to cut back on the use of antibiotics in their livestock, making it the first multiple grocer to take such a stance.
Global food import costs are set to reach their lowest level in five years during 2015, even as volumes remain the same or rise slightly, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).