Agriculture

G-8 Commitment on Hunger Must Support Small-holder Farmers and Sustainable Practices

G-8 discussions on the food crisis must include more than additional money, and should prioritize agriculture and food policies that improve the position of small producers—particularly women.

Land Grabbing

When the sharp rise in food prices hit in 2007, countries and corporations began looking for land around the world that could produce both food and biofuels. The focus of so-called "land-grabs" has been on countries in Africa, South America and Asia.

When the Fly in Your Soup May Carry Superbugs

The rise in illnesses due to antibiotic resistant bacteria has always been both easier and harder to understand than scientists have led us to believe.

The Labors of Chickens

Devin Foote is a 24-year-old beginning farmer at Common Ground Farm in Beacon, New York. Throughout the growing season, Devin will be chronicling his experiences as a young farmer growing for a local food system. June 12, 2009 72 Labors

IATP Applauds Mayor, City Council on Local Food Initiative

The Minneapolis City Council approved a resolution today put forth by the Homegrown Minneapolis initiative to support the production, sale and consumption of local, sustainably produced foods in the city and surrounding region.

IATP statement on commodity price volatility to UN High Level Conference

IATP participated in the United Nations High Level Conference on the economic crisis, development and financial institution reform. This statement for a multi-stakeholder roundtable of government delegates and NGOs argues for an international agreement to regulate commodity futures exchanges

Senate Report on Wheat Speculation Calls for Regulation

A report issued today by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations found that excessive speculation by commodity index traders drove up wheat prices and disrupted the market. The report confirms the urgent need for new regulatory safeguards on excessive speculation in commodity markets, according to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

The AMA Targets Healthy Food

Few things are as fundamental to good health as healthy food, grown well. And yet the reality of our times is that the easiest, most available, most "affordable" food is typically the least healthful. I'm talking about packaged and heavily processed foods high in calories, additives and saturated fats and low in nutritional value.

Indirect Misdirect

Calculating the carbon footprint of corn-based ethanol (including indirect effects around the world) continues to be a political hot potato that threatens congressional negotiations to address global climate change.

Cairns to Bali: Time for a new agricultural trade agenda

The group of 19 agricultural exporters known as the Cairns Group will meet June 7-9 in Bali, Indonesia. They will be discussing their position as a force within the WTO Doha negotiations on agriculture.