China’s Wise Wheat Reserves

It’s fashionable to worry about China. One common fear is that China’s increasing demand for food will wreak havoc on international markets, causing mass starvation in food-importing countries. However, China uses safeguards to stave off food shortages. We...

Out-of-Whack Budget Whackers

Let’s play a game called “Washington Budget Whackers Go Wacky”! Unfortunately, though, it’s not a game. Ax-wielding Republicans and Democrats alike are madly whacking at our nation’s public programs in a political contest to show which of...

Dairy Farmers vs. Commodities Traders

Despite treating her cows humanely, strictly adhering to milk production regulations, and carefully stewarding her land, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer I know is $70,000 in debt. She has no idea how she’ll repay her creditors or how much longer they will allow her...

End the Factory Farm Nightmare

Of course you want your meat to be cheap, but the costs of producing so-called cheap meat come at a hidden price you might not want to pay. Corporate giant Smithfield Foods and other major producers use what is known as confinement or factory farming–keeping...

A Climate-Friendly Farm Bill

We’re in a rut when it comes to taking action on climate change. Congress has stalled on passing climate legislation. International negotiators failed to agree on binding emission cuts in Cancun late last year. And it’s unclear whether the EPA will have...

Standing Up for Farmers’ Markets

Almost $1.5 billion changed hands at farmers’ markets across the United States in 2010. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of markets rose by 16 percent last year–from 5,247 to 6,132. More than three million Americans regularly buy...