Publication archives

by
Ben Lilliston
Was it just exhaustion from two-plus years of negotiations that finally produced the Farm Bill that is expected to be signed by the President this week? Or, was it the sense that “it could have been a lot worse” when compared with a mean-spirited, destructive Farm Bill passed by the House of Representatives last year.
We deserve more than this bad Farm Bill
Topics Covered: Cradle to Cradle Third Party Certification  
by
Karen Hansen-Kuhn
Farmers, union, environmental and women’s activists gathered in Mexico City last week to take stock of the lessons from NAFTA and plan strategies to confront the next big threat: the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). One of the earliest lessons from the NAFTA experience was that people and environments in all three countries were affected. The stories from Mexico, Canada and the U.S.
Agriculture in TPP: Repeating NAFTA’s mistakes
Topics Covered: GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals Outdoor Industry Assn. Chemical Management   Speakers: Lauren Heine, Clean Production Action Tommy Thompson, Hanes Brands
by
Tara Ritter
The second Rural Climate Network newsletter was released last week, featuring updates on how rural America is responding to the climate challenge.
Topics Covered: Regulation and Additionl Safer Chemistry Drivers Supply Chain Management Biz-NGO Framework Business Case Study - Staples Companies for Safer Chemicals campaign  
by
Karen Hansen-Kuhn
Ben Lilliston
Congress is quietly considering legislation that would speed the passage of two mega trade agreements, and seeks to specifically eliminate government programs that favor “localization.” The bill would give the Obama Administration what is known as “fast track” authority—meaning Congress would surrender its constitutional authority to shape trade agreements negotiated by the president and instea