Musings on sustainable food systems, agriculture vs. agroecology, and more!
When talking about technological innovations that could revolutionize agricultural value chains, one term comes up time and again: the blockchain. However, the term also creates a lot of confusion and questions in people’s minds: What is it? How is it different from Bitcoin? What can it be used for? And how far we are in … Continue reading Using Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency: Fad or Future?
If my readership is anything like myself, you probably spent the last week in alternate states of disbelief and real panic over the election of Donald J. Trump as next US President. Enough analyses have been written about how we got here and what some of the more momentous impacts on a global scale might … Continue reading (Food) Politics after Trump
Antibiotic resistance is the number 1 looming health crisis that barely anyone has heard of. Picture this: you get an infection, go to the best-stocked and best-staffed hospital and are given medicine after medicine, with no effect whatsoever. So you die, despite access to the best medical care available. According to the WHO, this is … Continue reading Animal Antibiotics: The New Apocalyptic Threat?
I know we have talked about this before, but I found this infographic made by Yes! Magazine a great means to dig down into what differences exist between food safety laws on both sides of the Atlantic. Especially since many of these laws could be on the table during international trade negotiations soon. Americans, Europeans, join … Continue reading Food Safety Law Face-Off
In my first blog post of the year, I mentioned the ongoing negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union and the United States as one of the issues to watch out for, and thought the time was right to dig a little deeper into the question – what would … Continue reading The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: What Does It Mean for Ag?
… or, alternative title: “Can anybody explain how the EU works?” Have you heard the news? The European Commission is set to approve a new variety of genetically modified corn (a variety called Pioneer 1507 which was developed jointly by Dow Chemical and DuPont) despite the fact that 19 out of 28 countries oppose its … Continue reading The EU GM Battle Goes in the Next Round…
Hej hej, how are you surviving the pre-Christmas rush to get things done? I had my last class on Monday, but am still up to my ears in things-to-do before I get on a plane on Saturday for some well-needed travels. I hope you are getting into the Christmas mood though – here are some … Continue reading Link Bonanza – On Antibiotics, Ethics and Food Geography
Breaking news – the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) just issued a public health alert for chicken produced on a Californian farm that has caused 278 outbreaks of salmonella in 18 states. According to their website, the outbreak is continuing. While their announcement also refers to an investigation done by the Center for Disease … Continue reading Salmonella Outbreak During US Government Shutdown Shows Importance of … Government.
Given that I am living in Europe right now and haven’t been a resident of the US for more than 17 years, it seems I am posting disproportionately about US politics, doesn’t it? Well, my apologies to my European readers, I will try to balance it in the future – however, right now there are … Continue reading The US Government Shutdown and Its Impacts on Food Policy
Remember my last post that was defending genetic engineering when done right? Well, as you know I try to keep my blog as impartial as possible and look at things from multiple perspectives, which is why this post is all about the potential consequences of genetic engineering done wrong. In particular, I have two articles … Continue reading Sunday Reads – The Glyphosate Debate and "Agent Orange Corn"
