Farm Bill Update

Update as Farm Bill Moves to House Floor

First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your support and calls to legislators on Community Food Projects. This process is NOT over, and it’s important for us all to stay plugged in and informed as the Farm Bill moves to the Senate.

Currently in the House, tensions are rising among Democrats and Republicans as the Farm Bill moves to the House Floor within the next 24 hours. There has been some progress in securing Community Food Security Coalition priorities in the House version of the Farm Bill, while Community Food Projects remains WITHOUT MANDATORY FUNDING in the version of the Farm Bill being discussed and voted on by the full House.

Community Food Security Coalition Priorities

• Community Food Projects: The Rules Committee ruled early this morning to only allow 31 amendments to the Farm Bill to be offered on the House Floor, and this did not include an amendment by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) to give Community Food Projects mandatory funding. This is unfortunate, but means that we will need to work harder to push for funding in the Senate and in the Appropriations Bills that both houses of Congress will be voting on in the next few months. We are working to ensure that the importance of funding for CFP is included in upcoming floor statements.
• Healthy Food (Urban) Enterprise Development Program (HFUED): The loan portion of what was formerly called the Healthy Food Enterprise Development was adopted as an amendment (by Rep. Gillibrand (D-NY) to the Rural Development Title in the Agriculture Committee's Farm Bill last week and has remained in the version of the bill going to the House Floor. The grant portion of the program was included in the Horticulture & Organic Title of the "Manager's Amendment," an amendment by the Chairperson of the Committee (which almost always passes), as the "Healthy Food Urban Enterprise Development" Program (HFUED).
• Geographic Preference/Local Procurement: An amendment offered by Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) to clarify previous language allowing schools to use a geographic preference to request local food in all federally-funded Child Nutrition programs, was adopted by the House Agriculture Committee in its bill last week and is currently in the Nutrition title of the Farm Bill to be debated on the House Floor.
  

House Floor Debate

The version of the bill to be debated and voted on by the full House, as well as the 31 accepted amendments can be viewed at: http://www.rules.house.gov in the section under "H.R. 2419- Farm, Nutrition & Bioenergy Act of 2007." Debate should begin with 24 hours and will last at least 7 hours based on the timeline laid out by the Rules Committee: http://www.rules.house.gov/SpecialRules_details.aspx?NewsID=2793.
You can view the proceedings of the Farm Bill on the House Floor on C-SPAN or online at:
http://www.c-span.org/watch/index.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS
There are 2 accepted amendments to be offered on the floor that address healthy food and communities priorities, as well as 2 additional provisions in the Manager's amendment:

• Manager's Amendment Includes:
  
  • "Sense of Congress Regarding Food Deserts, Geographically Isolated Neighborhoods and Communities with Limited or No Access to Major Chain Grocery Stores"- The "Manager's Amendment" includes a provision recommending that the NIH, CDC, IOM and faith-based organizations assess the existence of food deserts and develop recommendations to eliminate them.
  • "Pigford Claims"- The manager’s amendment includes a provision that would allow people who met criteria in this case (who were black farmers who were discriminated against by USDA) but were denied a way to appeal their status in this case.
    
• Amendment # 10 (Welch)- An amendment will be offered by Rep. Jack Welch (D-VT) to encourage schools to develop plans to include locally grown foods in the Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program.
• Amendment # 23 (Clay)- An amendment will be offered by Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO) to create a grant program to assist in purchasing operating organic gardens or greenhouses in urban areas for growing fruits and vegetables.
  

When the House of Representatives concludes its debate and vote on the Farm Bill, we will provide a more comprehensive update on healthy food and communities provisions in the Farm Bill, INCLUDING OUR NEXT ACTION STEPS!

Thank you for all your support,
Steph and Aliza

--
Community Food Security Coalition
110 Maryland Ave. NE Suite 307
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.543.8602
www.FoodSecurity.org

Leite’s Culinaria and EAT FEED join forces to create

fellow member of the new media, I’d like to point your attention to the latest program from the Eat Feed Network, Now Serving. It’s a podcast all about food news and trends with in-depth interviews with famous food personalities and great food writing from the passionate foodies at Leite’s Culinaria (www.leitesculinaria.com). The show launched last month and we’d love to attract your trained ear as a member of our audience. Hey, if you like what you hear, maybe you’ll even share it with your circle of foodie friends.

I’ve included the press release, but the easiest way to check out the first episode is to subscribe via iTunes or visit the show’s website www.nowservingradio.com.


Please send us any comments, suggestions, or thoughts.


Thanks and enjoy!

Erica Hennings

Marketing Assistant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Mia Littlejohn

(312) 324-0142

mialittlejohn@eatfeed.com

www.nowservingradio.com

Leite’s Culinaria and EAT FEED join forces to create

NOW SERVING—A NEW FOOD PODCAST


CHICAGO, IL — June 18, 2007 — On Friday of last week, Eat Feed (www.eatfeed.com) and Leite’s Culinaria (www.leitesculinaria.com), two of the Internet’s most popular and critically acclaimed food-related Web sites, launched Now Serving, a new food podcast that combines the best of both sites—Eat Feed’s in-depth interviews and Leite’s Culinaria’s award-winning food writing.

“It was a natural fit,” says David Leite, cohost of Now Serving and publisher/editor-in-chief of Leite’s Culinaria. “When you look at what we offer our readers and what Eat Feed offers its listeners, we knew that together we had the goods to create a different kind of podcast format.”

“I think the show feeds two current passions,” says Anne Bramley, Now Serving’s other host, and co-founder and executive producer of the Eat Feed Podcast Network. “The desire to more intimately know about the people shaping the contemporary food world and the increasing demand to experience food in a more entertaining and literary format rather than the strictly hands-on, recipe-driven model often found on TV.”

Together Bramley and Leite have created a format for the podcast that includes discussions between the hosts about some of the interesting food news of the day; probing interviews that introduce the people shaping what, why, and how we eat; and audio essays, commentaries, and op-eds that explore the sheer pleasure of food and eating in all its forms.

The inaugural show, which is sponsored by Le Creuset, includes an interview with the venerated chef, cookbook author, and TV personality Jacques Pépin and an essay on the perils and passions of New England grillers by food writer and restaurant reviewer Elissa Altman. Future episodes include interviews with, among others, Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, authors of The Silver Palate Cookbook, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, as well as an essay about supertasters and an ode to the carnality of meat, both sexual and comestible.

“I’m very optimistic about the podcast,” adds Bramley. “Given the listener stats in the first few days, we fully expect Now Serving to surpass even our most popular series.”

To listen to the show, or to subscribe to its feed, visit www.nowservingradio.com or browse iTunes for Now Serving in its podcast arts directory.

###


The original Eat Feed podcast launched in January 2005 and has since expanded into a network that includes three of iTunes’ Top 100 food podcasts. Eat Feed’s unique approach to food has been featured in press as varied as Cooking Light, Saveur, and the BBC. Leite's Culinaria is the only Web site ever to be honored with a James Beard Award, one in 2006 and another in 2007. It has also won a 2006 Food Blog Award as well as the 2005 World Food Media Award for Best Food and/or Drink Web Site. The site's writers have been featured in Best Food Writing in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007.

For more information on Now Serving or to schedule an interview with Anne Bramley or David Leite, contact Mia Littlejohn at mialittlejohn@eatfeed.com.

Farm Bill Needs Your Help - TODAY!

Farm Bill Update 07.16.07
Contact Your Members of Congress-
Money Needed for Healthy Food in the Farm Bill



As Farm Bill debate heats up, we urge you to contact your Representative and Senators and recommend that they support a Farm Bill with increased funding for healthy food and communities provisions. For many of the issues, the target is funding, and Members of Congress on the Ways & Means (House) and Finance (Senate) Committees as well as Democratic Leadership (Speaker, Majority Leaders) are key to ensuring that funding is found for healthy food and farm provisions in the Farm Bill.

The debate has become increasingly polarized over the past 6 months. The “reformers” want moderate to extreme reductions in payments for specific farm commodities (corn, rice, wheat, cotton, soy and several others) in order to pay for increases in nutrition and conservation. The “extenders” who want to maintain the status quo for these payments. An extension of the 2002 Farm Bill would mean everyone—low-income communities, environment and small farmers—taking a hit. While those pushing for commodity reform may have an important message, the cost in votes to the nutrition, conservation and rural development parts of the Farm Bill may be too great if no consensus on the Farm Bill is reached by the deadline –Sept 30, 2007.

The next three weeks are critical as both houses of Congress work to craft and fund the next 5+ years of U.S. food and farm policy. Congress has heard from many constituent groups but needs more input from citizens the health of our communities and small, sustainable farms. Your legislators need to hear YOUR VOICE! Please call them TODAY, below are some talking points to use. If you don’t know your legislator’s number, call the Capital Switchboard at 202-224-3121.


Requests for CFSC Priorities


For Community Food Projects, Members of Congress, on and off the Ag Committee, are urged to support the $30 million funding level in MANDATORY spending.
Though the jurisdictional issue with the House Education & Labor Committee has been resolved, members of the House Agriculture Committee should be urged to support an amendment, to be offered by Congressman Kagen (D-WI), inserting brief language, clarifying the local procurement issue, into the House draft bill.
Members of Congress, on and off the Ag Committee, should be urged to support the no-cost request for the Healthy Food Enterprise Development Program language to be included in the House & Senate draft bills.


Timing Update


House Agriculture begins debating and amending Draft Bill: July 17
House Floor Farm Bill debate and vote may be as early as July 30
House Agriculture Appropriations meets July 18 on draft fiscal year ‘08 bill
Senate likely to postpone Agriculture Committee vote until September


Food Security in the Media


Sacramento Bee link: http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/272049.html
San Jose Mercury News link: http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_6355675


Other Media:

Washington Post link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2007/07/13/AR2007071301930.html


Other Farm Bill News


Timing in the Senate is not firm because Chairman Harkin and Senate offices have expressed that the full Committee draft of the bill will likely not be released in July if there isn’t time for floor debate until September. In both the House and Senate, Ag committee offices have expressed a reluctance to let the Committee draft sit in public for a month before going to the floor, since this greater amount of time would allow critics to find more changes to make to the Committee draft.



Since neither Agriculture Committee has expressed an interest in funding increases in nutrition or conservation through commodity reform, the debate has moved to the search for offsets, or sources of funding outside of the Agriculture committee. Both Agriculture Committees have begun requesting offset sources for the nutrition, conservation and fruit and vegetable provisions in the “En Bloc Amendment” or Farm Bill 2, from the Ways & Means and Finance Committee Chairmen Rangel (D-NY) and Baucus (D-MT), in the House and Senate respectively.



Speaker Pelosi and other members of the House Democratic Leadership have joined forces with Peterson and Ag Committee Democrats to find funding for these common priorities. In order to avoid an ugly situation on the House floor with many amendments and disagreements, Pelosi has told Peterson that a moderate amount of commodity reform is necessary in order to craft a politically acceptable bill. Peterson has sent several small measures of commodity reform to the Congressional Budget Office, that would close several of a larger number of loopholes that farmers can use to increase individual commodity payments.



Meanwhile, in response to Republican announcements that an extension of the 2002 Farm Bill seems likely, in Friday’s Congress Daily, Chairman Peterson stated that this may be simply a strategy by Republicans to prevent any bills from passing this Congress.



Congressmen Pomeroy (D-ND) and Berry (D-AS) have been drafted as Farm Bill whips for when the bill reaches the floor.



Despite the fact that most House Ag Committees have banded together to support the maintenance of most farm subsidy policy, in order to prevent increases in support for Rep. Kind (D-WI)’s reform bill when it’s proposed on the floor, there remains disagreement within the Committee. According to Congress Daily on July 12, Rep.

Cardoza (D-CA) is not satisfied with the $685 million for specialty crops included in the House draft bill, and has stated he won’t vote for the bill without increases for specialty crops, conservation and research that are based in real money rather than reserve funds, causing a rift between him and Chairman Peterson.



Chairman Harkin has also discussed plans to write a 6 or 7 year Farm Bill, which would allow for greater offsets from savings to fund other Farm Bill priorities. Other potential strategies for saving money expressed by both Chairmen include delaying advance payments to farmers and finding minor savings from crop insurance.



This afternoon, Congress Daily reported that Senators on the Agriculture Committee are reluctant to suggest specific offsets until after Harkin releases his commodity title, which is the only section of the unofficial Senate bill draft that has not been released to anyone.


If you are receiving this update from another list and would like to be added to the CFSC Farm Bill update list, please go to www.foodsecurity.org and submit your name.

Thanks for your support and for contacting your members of Congress!

Take care,
Steph & Aliza

--
Community Food Security Coalition
110 Maryland Ave. NE Suite 307
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.543.8602
Email: Steph@foodsecurity.org
www.FoodSecurity.org

Buy Organic Without Breaking the Bank

ORGANIC FOODS MAY be healthier for you, but they can have a sickening effect on your wallet.

Produced without pesticides and other chemicals, organic produce, meat and dairy products can cost 50% to 100% more than their conventional counterparts, says Urvashi Rangan, a senior scientist and policy analyst with Consumer Reports' Greener Choices. Despite those mark-ups, studies touting the health and environmental benefits of organic foods... CLICK HERE FOR MORE

How can we make a difference in sustainable living

Talking with Tim LaSalle, the new CEO for The Rodale Institute, got me thinking again about change, and why some of us like it enough to risk some bumps while others of us would rather endure pain to avoid it.

Choosing to work in an organization dedicated to changing the way America farms gives staff at The Rodale Institute reason to wonder: How can we make a difference to the people who are one step away from taking sustainability seriously for the first time in their lives? CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Volunteer on an Organic Farm

WWOOF is dedicated to helping those who would like to volunteer on organic farms.

The aims of WWOOF are to ...
# enable people to learn first-hand about organic growing techniques
# to enable town-dwellers to experience living and helping on a farm
# to help farmers make organic production a viable alternative
# to improve communications within the organic movement.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Organic farming meets Free & Open Source Software?

Organic farming meets Free & Open Source Software? Learn organic
farming during a "guerilla coding" retreat. Learn programming,
networking and other home-grown computer skills while building an
organic garden. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

House Releases Not One, but Two Draft Farm Bills

Farm Bill Update
July 10, 2007

House Releases Not One, but Two Draft Farm Bills


While Congress has been in recess, Agriculture Committee staffers in both the House and Senate have been busy crafting the Farm Bill. Late Friday evening, Chairman Peterson released the full House Agriculture Committee’s draft of the Farm Bill, which includes a primary Farm Bill that is similar to the current levels of funding, and an amendment with additional cost priorities that will be included if offsets for the funding are found. On the House Farm Bill homepage, http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/2007FarmBill.html there is an explanation of the “En Bloc Amendment”, which contains all of the provisions that would come from the $20 billion Reserve Fund. For the purposes of this update, “Farm Bill 1” refers to all other components of the draft besides the En Bloc Amendment, and “Farm Bill 2” refers to the En Bloc Amendment.

The glass is both half full and half empty for many Farm Bill interests including nutrition, conservation, small farmers, and healthy food and communities. The analysis of specific CFSC priorities in the Farm Bill draft is outlined below. In general, the draft maintains the status quo, which is to say that it doesn’t do many of the changes needed to promote community food security or make relationships between farmers and consumers closer—favoring instead large-scale factory farms and corporate agribusiness.

GOOD NEWS!
In a late-breaking development, staff at CFSC today found out that the jurisdictional issue related to geographic preference language in the Farm Bill has been cleared up. We’d like to extend our thanks to Chairmen Miller and Peterson in the House for working this issue out. Rep. Kagen (D-WI, 3rd) will be offering an amendment in collaboration with other members on the committee to insert this language into the Farm Bill.

Analysis of the Farm Bill Drafts

At this point in the process, it is important to continue to emphasize mandatory funding for Community Food Projects, support for the amendment to insert geographic preference language, and introduction of the Healthy Food Enterprise Development program as utmost importance with members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees as well as the Democratic Leadership. The drafts include the following:

* Community Food Projects was reauthorized with $30 million in Farm Bill 1. We expect Rep. Boyda to offer an amendment to make the funding mandatory (i.e. not subject to the appropriations process).
* Geographic Preference language was not included in either Farm Bill, but will be offered as an amendment during the full committee meeting by Rep. Kagen.
* The Healthy Food Enterprise Development was not included in either Farm Bill. We expect Rep. Gillibrand (D-NY, 20th) to offer it as an amendment.
* The Farmers Market Promotion Program was authorized at $5 million in mandatory funding for each year of 2008-2010, and $10 million mandatory for 2011 and 2012, with greater than or equal to 10% of these funds to be used for EBT access at farmer’s markets.
* The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is maintained at $15 million in annual mandatory funding with an authorization for an additional discretionary $20 million in 2008 increasing annually to $75 million in 2012.
* Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program is in Farm Bill 2 at $100 million in reserve funding (offset required).


For more information on the conservation aspects of the Farm Bill, see the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition website (www.sustainableagriculturecoalition.org) for the latest analysis.

In order for the Farm Bill to be a fair bill, CFSC and many of our partners need to see increases in funding for small farmers, conservation, nutrition and anti-hunger, none of whom fared particularly well in the House draft that was just released by Chairman Peterson. We will continue to update you as things move related to the Farm Bill.

Timing Update:
According to Congress Daily PM on July 10, Harkin said he will not call a meeting of the full Senate Agriculture Committee to review and debate the Senate draft of the Farm Bill unless floor time was given to deal with the Farm Bill before the August recess. If this is the case, the Senate draft of the Farm Bill would not be debated until September.

Media & Other Opportunities

Online Farm Bill Town Hall with Rep. Kind and Blumenauer

On Thursday July 12th, Rep. Kind (D, WI-3rd) and Rep. Blumenauer (D, OR-3rd), who are both on the Ways and Means Committee will be hosting an online radio call-in show about Farm Bill reform. You can email in questions in advance to BlumenauerOnAir@mail.house.gov to be included in the conversation about the Farm Bill.

Listen to the show starting at 2:30 PM EST on July 12 at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/earl

Boston Globe link: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/07/09/a_pro_food_farm_bill/

SF Chronicle link: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/07/10/MNGNUQTQIT1.DTL

Baltimore Sun link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.farm09jul09,0,1517718.story?coll=bal-opinion-headlines

If you are receiving this update from another list and would like to be added to the CFSC Farm Bill update list, please go to www.foodsecurity.org and submit your name.

Thanks for your support and for contacting your members of Congress!

Take care,
Steph & Aliza

--
Community Food Security Coalition
110 Maryland Ave. NE Suite 307
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.543.8602
Email: Steph@foodsecurity.org
www.FoodSecurity.org

Send a message to Congress and help the Farm Bill

The Farm and Food Policy Project (FFPP) has launched a website which lets individuals sign an on-line letter to Congress to show support for policies which advance fresh, local, and healthy foods in the 2007 Farm Bill.

This is part of a push before Chairman Peterson’s mark-up for the Farm Bill begins May 21st. We will also have other “pushes” prior to the Senate “mark-up” and any floor votes.

The website http://healthyfarmbill.org/ sends email letters to individual’s Representatives and Senators based upon their address information. You can link to this website to compliment your existing outreach capability on Farm Bill issues.

The goal is to show general support to Congress of policies which advance fresh, local, healthy foods, and offer support for bills in the House and Senate being introduced just prior to the House Agriculture Chairman’s Farm Bill.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

VIsit a Farm near year!

Family Farms

There are almost two million farms in the USA. About 80% of those are small farms, and a large percentage are family owned. More and more of these farmers are now selling their products directly to the public. They do this via CSA programs, Farmers' Markets, Food Coops, u-picks, farm stands, and other direct marketing channels. Would you like to support your local farmer? Use our map to find a small farm near you!

Large scale chemical agriculture is poisoning our soils and our water, and weakening our communities. By buying direct from a family farm you can help put a stop to this unfortunate trend. By buying organic produce from your local farmer, you are working to maintain a healthy environment, a vibrant community, and a strong and sustainable local economy for you and your kids to thrive in.

CLICK HERE TO FIND A FARM NEAR YOU

The Summer 2007 (Vol. 19, No. 2) issue of Sustainable Agriculture is now available online

The Summer 2007 (Vol. 19, No. 2) issue of Sustainable Agriculture is now available online at http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/newsltr/newsletters.htm.

IN THIS ISSUE:

+ SAREP funds ag marketing grants
+ UC sustainable farming systems field day June 22 at Woodland farm
+ From the Director: University of California's sustainable agriculture programs: a cornucopia of talent
+ From cafeteria to Capitol Hill: Growing healthy kids, farms and communities
+ SAREP receives $1000,000 to extend sustainable table grape project
+ Organic farming/gardening apprenticeships at UC Santa Cruz
+ Resources: Health, safety in farm communities
+ Sources of Funding
+ Calendar

The newsletter is produced by the statewide University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program (UC SAREP), with assistance from ReproGraphics, UC Davis. If you have suggestions or comments, please contact us at sarep@ucdavis.edu. CLICK HERE FOR NEWSLETTER

Jill's Tips this Barbecue Season

Hello!

With barbecue season upon us, why not grill yourself to great
health this summer?! Here are some tips:

1. Try portobello mushroom burgers in place of hamburgers.
They are tasty, meaty and have 1/10th the calories!

2. Don't fear corn on the cob. Yes, it's a carbohydrate, but
it's a good one, and if you count it as a grain instead of a
veggie, it starts looking very nutritious! You don't need
butter...fresh corn is very flavorful!

3. Avoid eating charred food. It's tasty, but contributes to
colon cancer.

4. Try alternative red meats that are very lean and high in
iron, like ostrich, emu and buffalo. Ostrich is especially
awesome--it tastes like beef and has less fat than chicken breast!

5. Grill extra chicken, veggies, fish, turkey, etc. so you can
eat it as leftovers on salads throughout the coming week.

6. If you need to use oil, spray it on. Drizzling and brushing
give you more than you need.

7. Find fun non-caloric drinks! Remember that when you drink
your calories they don't register with your appetite or raise
your metabolism for digestion. Alcoholic drinks will lower
your metabolism and increase your appetite.

My dear dad likes to say that a steak is finished when his glass
of Jack Daniels is empty...I hope YOU will say your grilled
veggies and ostrich are done when your sparkling water is empty!

Happy Summertime!

Jill

Jill Brook, M.A.
Diet for Health
1047 Foothill Blvd.
(818) 952-0668
www.DietforHealth.com

See Jill's nutrition tips at
http://jillsblog.dietforhealth.com

This email was sent to caroline@farmosafarms.org.
You can instantly unsubscribe from these emails by clicking the link below:
http://dietforhealth.cmail1.com/.aspx/u/203992/ut1dl1ji/

Farm to School Champions Needed in California

Dear Farm to School Supporter:



The California Farm to School Taskforce is working to promote and expand farm to school throughout all of California. We are currently recruiting “Farm to School Champions” who will serve as local contacts for others interested in Farm to School. Specific Farm to School issues vary depending on one’s geographic location and professional role in the activities. Nobody has your unique story, perspective, and experiences in working with Farm to School. This is why we hope you will consider becoming a Farm to School Champion.



The only qualifications for becoming a Farm to School Champion are that you believe in the Farm to School program, you have had some experience working in Farm to School, and you are willing to share your story with others. As a Farm to School Champion your name and contact information will be listed on the California Farm to School website as a source for interested parties to contact for Farm to School information and experience.



There are benefits for you as a Farm to School Champion as well. These benefits include increased visibility of your program, company or organization; training opportunities; and the chance to enhance your own program by sharing with and learning from others who are connecting local agriculture with school environments to improve student health.



We know you wear many hats, but we ask that you consider donning yet another symbol of excellence as a Farm to School Champion. If interested, please visit http://www.farmtoschool.org/ca/champion.htm to sign up or contact me with any questions.





Thank you for your support for Farm to School,

-Moira Beery & The California Farm to School Taskforce




Center for Food & Justice
Urban & Environmental Policy Institute
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA
Ph. (323) 341-5099
Fax (323) 258-2917
www.farmtoschool.org
www.uepi.oxy.edu

USDA attempting to change organic definitions without consumer input!

ALERT: ANOTHER SNEAK ATTACK ON ORGANIC STANDARDS: USDA TO ALLOW MORE CONVENTIONAL INGREDIENTS IN ORGANICS

USDA & INDUSTRY TRY TO SNEAK BANNED CONVENTIONAL INGREDIENTS INTO ORGANIC BEER, SAUSAGE, & PROCESSED FOODS

Send a Letter to USDA Now

(note: scroll to the bottom of this webpage to send a letter to USDA now).

The USDA has announced a controversial proposal, with absolutely no input from consumers, to allow 38 new non-organic ingredients in products bearing the "USDA Organic" seal. Most of the ingredients are food colorings derived from plants that are supposedly not "commercially available" in organic form. But several of the proposed ingredients, backed by beer giant Anheuser-Busch, and pork and food processors, represent a serious threat to organic standards, and have raised the concerns of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA).

ALERT UPDATE (6/23/2007): Despite receiving more than ten thousand comments from consumers and family farmers opposing various aspects of a late May 2007 proposal, the USDA has approved an interim rule that will allow 38 new non-organic ingredients to be allowed in products bearing the "USDA Organic" seal.

The USDA's passage of this proposal has resulted in the following:

-Anheuser Busch will be allowed to sell its "Organic Wild Hops Beer" without using any organic hops at all.

-Sausages, brats, and breakfast links labeled as "USDA Organic" are now allowed to contain intestines from factory farmed animals raised on chemically grown feed, synthetic hormones, and antibiotics.

-Products labeled as "USDA Organic" and containing fish oil may contain toxins such as PCBs and mercury (note: nonorganic fishoil products have this same risk, but despite the USDA ruling, it is against the National Organic Standards to allow such toxins in organic foods). CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Grow Organics Today!

EWG Action Fund Spread the Word about Organics Just 6 days left!

Help us reach our goal of 30,000 signatures by July 15. We're over halfway there! SPREAD THE WORD "According to the subsidy data from the Environmental Working Group, one giant cotton farm collected $2.95 million through crop subsidies in 2005, nearly as much money as the federal government spent on its primary research program for organic agriculture last year -- $3 million." -- The New York Times, July 4, 2007 "The Debate Over Subsidizing Snacks" Dear Supporter, New York Times reporters aren't the only ones poring over the information in EWG's Farm Subsidy Database. The unfair funding distributions have everyone's attention and EWG Action Fund's Grow Organics Campaign for organics funding is taking off. Thanks to your generous support, we surpassed our goal and raised a total of $45,000! These vital funds will help our staff meet with lawmakers to gain support for crucial changes in the Farm Bill. But organics aren't safe yet. In just a two short weeks the full House will vote on a new Farm Bill, which could be the first to include significant funding for organics. To make this happen, our Representatives need to hear from us! Add your voice to the Grow Organics petition today. More than 17,000 of you have signed on to level the playing field for organic farmers with the petition so we're more than halfway to our goal! Now is the time to reach out to your social networks and get them involved in the campaign. The more signatures on the petition, the more powerful our demand for fair funding will be - so spread the word today. Help EWG Action Fund tell Congress to shift funding from chemical-based agriculture to more environmentally friendly organics. Here's what you can do: Sign the Grow Organics petition Tell 10 friends or family members to sign the petition by forwarding this email or using the tell a friend page Add a link to the petition to your blog or e-mail signature: www.ewg.org/organics/petition Spread the word on your listserv or in your e-newsletter - link to www.ewg.org/organics/petition Add the "Grow Organics - Sign the Petition" button to your blog or MySpace page At EWG Action Fund, we're working with other groups, bloggers, and our Congressional champions to spread the word about fair funding for organics. Our goal is to get 30,000 signatures by this Sunday, July 15 and deliver them to Congress next week. Let's win this victory for organics. Sandra Schubert Director of Government Affairs P.S. If you haven't donated yet, it's not too late! Visit www.ewg.org/donate/organics to contribute to the campaign. donate | unsubscribe | change options | subscribe The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization dedicated to using the power of information to protect human health and the environment.The EWG Action Fund is a legislative advocacy organization that uses EWG research to promote healthy and sustainable policies. Donate now to support our work. Environmental Working Group / 1436 U Street NW, #100 / Washington, DC 20009 http://www.ewg.org

The marketing of foods targeting children in EU

Politics of Food

From global to local, changing our lives. Rachel's view.

Friday, 6 July 2007

The marketing of foods targeting children in EU

Last month, DG SANCO published a report of its ad hoc Round Table on Advertising (1) exploring both law and self-regulation with the aim to develop a best practice model for self-regulation. Currently, the EU legal backstop

Jill's Tips!

Hello!

Everybody knows it's healthier to spread out your caloric intake
over the entire day with frequent small meals, but many people
still prefer to save up most of their calories for a big
indulgence once a day or week.

Here's why that makes you gain weight:

An average body can handle AT THE VERY MOST 800 calories at once
and every calorie above that gets turned to fat (it's less if you
are small, inactive, etc.)

So no matter how much you starve yourself before that big dinner,
you'll still store fat if you eat (and/or drink!) more than
800 calories.  Unfortunately it's EXTREMELY easy to reach 800
calories at a restaurant or any time you consume alcohol or
dessert with a meal.  The good news is that if you are eating
frequent, small meals throughout the day you won't want to
overindulge so much at dinner.

Happy light eating!

Jill


Jill Brook, M.A.
Diet for Health
1047 Foothill Blvd.
(818) 952-0668
www.DietforHealth.com

See Jill's nutrition tips at
http://jillsblog.dietforhealth.com

Great video on Gastronomy!

Check out our new "food for thought" video on youtube.com. Please share it if you find it of interest:

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/2007/06/the_history_of_gastronomy.html

Farm Bill Update

Farm Bill Update
July 2, 2007

Larger Farm Bill Issues Affect CFSC Priorities

I. Action Needed During July 4 Congressional Recess (July 2-5)

With Members of Congress in their home districts this week, it is an important time to contact your Member at a local event or at the district office, and request his or her support for maintaining the $30 million mandatory authorization of Community Food Projects, and the inclusion of geographic preference language in the final version of the Farm Bill.

This is an important moment to emphasize the value of our healthy and local food priorities for a cross-section of groups now interested in the Farm Bill- farmers, urban districts, rural communities, etc.; all this at fairly low cost legislative requests. As the Farm Bill process becomes increasingly complex, we must emphasize the value of policies to support healthy food systems to our legislators.

Talking points on CFSC main issues—for Community Food Projects, Geographic Preferences, and Healthy Food Enterprise Development program—will be available shortly on our website: www.foodsecurity.org/policy . Language in the recent Resolution from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and a letter from four governors to the Congressional Agriculture Leadership (see below) is supportive of these priorities, and can be used as a guide for conversations with Congressional offices as well as media outlets.

II. New Timeline; Two Farm Bills

Chairman Peterson announced last Friday, June 29, that there will be two Farm Bills drafted by the House Agriculture Committee to account for the lack of new funding included in the Budget. One bill will include all of the items that fit in to the existing Farm Bill budget, and the other will include other items that are contingent upon offsets being found. The Chairman has indicated that he hopes this will make the process of moving a bill out of Committee easier. For more information about the 2 Farm Bill proposals, see this week’s Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Weekly Update at .

Both bills will be released by Chairman Peterson on Friday July 6th, and the committee will meet on July 17th to debate the proposals, with space reserved for the Farm Bill on the House floor the week of July 26th.

The Senate schedule has not been released, but it is expected that the Senate Agriculture Committee will likely meet in mid-late July to review their own draft of the Farm Bill.

III. Groups Weigh In on Farm Bill

a. Last week, the U.S. Conference of Mayors passed a resolution sponsored by 12 Mayors from around the U.S. which resolved their support for reforming U.S. agricultural policy in support of health and nutrition for citizens and communities. The text of the Resolution is available at http://usmayors.org/75thAnnualMeeting/resolutions_full.pdf
Several groups are working to capitalize on the momentum of the resolution via a press release and coordinated op-eds with quotes from Mayors around the country.

b. Additionally, a letter to the Congressional Agriculture leadership from the Governors of Texas, New York, Florida and California outlined similar goals for a reformed Farm Bill to support the health of communities and farming. Click here for Press Release and the text of the letter: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/press/pressreleases/PressRelease.2007-06-26.5150

c. A group of interested organizations and individuals has been working on bringing a health-based perspective to support healthy food & communities provisions in the Farm Bill. A series of calls during the past several weeks has helped to steer the IATP sign-on letter from health professionals that was released several weeks ago, and will be organizing a series of meetings with target Congressional staff next week. Please contact Thomas@foodsecurity.org or aliza.wasserman@gmail.com for more information or to get involved with this coordinating group.

IV. MEDIA Update

CFSC- supported Media
Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial link: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/321838_farmed.html

WVTF Public Radio: The following is a series of excerpts from public radio commentary on June 26th on the Farm Bill from Appalachian Sustainable Development Association’s Anthony Flaccavento:

“The genius of [the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program] is that the same dollar simultaneously helps small family farmers and people of limited means. So often, federal programs seem designed to help one population, while creating problems and costs for others. But SFMNP is different, one of a new generation of federal programs that some
characterize as “multi-stakeholder”. That’s because they’re designed to serve
two or more groups at the same time, turning one person’s need into another’s
opportunity. Local farmers, for instance need better and more secure markets.
Lower income people, including seniors, need access to healthy, affordable food.
SFMNP helps both.
“Around here, we might call this multi-stakeholder approach “neighborliness”, or
just good common sense. But common sense is no small thing, when it comes to
federal farm and food policy...
“But there’s good news - and great opportunity -- at our doorstep. Programs
designed to assist small farms while improving food access to those most in need
are gaining support.
“With less than 2% of our population involved in raising food, it only follows that the other 98% of us need to get involved and contact our representatives if we want to create a food and farming system that’s good for farmers, good for people and good for the environment. Now --and I mean now -- is the best opportunity we’ve had to do that in more than 20 years.”

Other Media
-NYTimes Op-ed by Timothy Egan link:
Times Select subscribers: http://select.nytimes.com/2007/06/28/opinion/28egan.html?hp OR Full Text Available at: http://www.chefann.com/blog/?p=765

-Des Moines Register Editorial link: http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070701/OPINION03/707010301/1110

-Pittsburgh Post Gazette link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07165/793909-109.stm

V. Other Farm Bill News

a. According to the National Journal’s Congress Daily, Senate Agriculture Chairman Harkin said last Tuesday he intends for Congress to pass a new Farm Bill with moderate reform, wanting to find money for conservation, rural development and nutrition priorities by limiting individual farm subsidy payments and by cutting back the program of direct payments to farmers.

b. With the expiration Saturday of the Fast Track Presidential authority over international trade negotiations, Rep. Kaptur says she will introduce legislation in July that would suspend NAFTA.

c. With the failure of the Senate immigration reform bill, according to Congress Daily last week, Senator Feinstein hopes that the AgJobs agricultural worker provisions may be potentially attached to the Farm Bill, although Congressional Agricultural leadership has expressed reservations about adding any additional components to an already complicated Farm Bill.

Thanks for your support and remember to CONTACT your Members of Congress during their recess THIS WEEK.

Happy 4th of July,

Steph & Aliza

THE FINAL WORD
"Can somebody run down to the Energy and Water markup?"
-- Senate Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., when the lights went out briefly during her panel's subcommittee markup Tuesday.

--
Community Food Security Coalition
110 Maryland Ave. NE Suite 307
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.543.8602
Email: Steph@foodsecurity.org
www.FoodSecurity.org