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“Farm income – cut in half since 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture – means many small farmers have not had a positive cash flow for several years. That could hurt small- or medium-sized farmers who have not reached the break-even point in that span.”

http://harvestpublicmedia.org/post/farm-economy-downturn-prompts-fears-crisis

1. “Unless new approaches are adopted, the global amount of arable and productive land per person in 2050 will be only a quarter of the level in 1960, the FAO reported, due to growing populations and soil degradation.”

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/only-60-years-of-farming-left-if-soil-degradation-continues/#

 

 

“In my opinion, many people have been led astray by bad science. The tools used by scientific researchers in the past, and whose published papers have prompted changes in people’s diets, were not based on sound science. It was said that red meat and animal fats should be avoided, both because they are unhealthy and because ruminant animals (cows and sheep) are largely responsible for harmful methane emissions.”

But it turns out that neither of those positions are true.

https://www.farmdrop.com/blog/redefine-eat-healthy-sustainable-diet/

IMG_3297

 

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2017/04/14/lettuce-prices-on-the-rise-as-californias-wet-winter-prevents-planting/

“Prices right here right now, you are going to start seeing sticker shock,” said produce expert Michael Marks. “More than twice the price as what you should be seeing this time of year.”

“It is all because of the rain. The rain not last week, not last month, but the rain three months ago. Three months ago we should have been planting crops that we should be harvesting now. We can’t harvest those crops because they weren’t planted,” Marks said.

“On May 5, the FDA will begin enforcing its new menu labeling rules, which requires that restaurants and other away-from-home food retailers include calorie counts on menus and signage. Though the rules took effect on December 1, 2016 and compliance is already mandatory, the FDA was not permitted to enforce the law until May 5, 2017 so many restaurants have not yet prepared.

One hold up has been that these rules were tied to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare and attempts to repeal the healthcare law have encouraged some restaurants to wait to implement these changes. Though these regulations were likely to remain in the law, some restaurants have been waiting until they find out what provisions will remain.

However, with the most recent healthcare repeal setbacks, this law is still on the books, and until further legislation passes, restaurants are already responsible for labeling their menus appropriately. Here is what you need to know about the rule.”

https://www.foodnewsfeed.com/fsr/health-nutrition/everything-you-need-know-about-fda-s-food-labeling-rule?utm_source=fs_insider&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20170405

 

“UC Davis scores #1 in programs for plant and animal sciences in U.S. News and World Report’s “2017 Best Global Universities” report issued Monday (Oct. 24, 2016).

The rankings, which focus on overall research and academic reputation, rather than specific undergraduate or graduate programs, show UC Davis second in the world in agricultural sciences, and fourth in environment and ecology.

With the horticultural shift of the Green Revolution, industrial agriculture has been producing more calories than ever, but the lack of micronutrients in the resulting diet is causing widespread disease.

“The world’s worst health problems derive in one manner or another from problems with industrial agriculture, and are, in short, diseases of civilization. This sobering bit of business strikes straight at the heart of the question of sustainability, which has asked whether the land, the biota, the planet could stand industrial agriculture. The equally urgent question, now, is whether humans can stand it.”

http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/environmental-policy/the-green-revolution-zm0z14jjzchr

 

“Land degradation is costing the world as much as $10.6 trillion every year, equivalent to 17% of global gross domestic product, a report has warned.”

http://www.eld-initiative.org/fileadmin/pdf/ELD-main-report_05_web_72dpi.pdf