Legal

Misuse Of Law Could Be Toxic To Farmers

How would you like it if your home were suddenly declared a toxic waste site? Sound like something out of Ripley’s “Believe it or Not!”? Yet in today’s topsy-turvy world, that is exactly what some people are proposing. If you have any land with horses, cattle, chickens or other livestock on it, you have reason to be concerned. The proposal-being…

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Food Beverage

Certified Organic Vs Fair Trade Certified

The title of this article is disturbing. The concepts of Organic and Fair Trade are very important to building (rebuilding) a sustainable society. The good news is that the certifications are not mutually exclusive and actually complement each other nicely. First, a word about certification. In our current market, third party certification is essential to both organic and fair trade.…

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Food Beverage

Local Or Organic A False Choice

A couple of years ago, I visited an organic vegetable farm in southeast Minnesota, not far from the Mississippi River. Nestled in a valley that sloped down from rolling pasture and cropland sat Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables, a 40-acre farm. Featherstone was part of a local food web in the upper Midwest, selling at a farmers’ market, through a CSA…

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Environmental

Tips On Becoming An Earth Friendly Consumer

April is Earth Month, a time for people to stop and think about how they can do their part to help the environment. According to Environmental Defense, a leading nonprofit organization committed to protecting the environment, the United States is ranked the No. 1 global warming polluter. What can you do to help change that? Here are some small steps…

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Wine

Buy Local Food Save The Environment

Do you know how far the apple in your kitchen traveled before you picked it up at the grocery store? According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, apples in American grocery stores typically travel 1,726 miles before reaching your kitchen! Just think about the fuel needed to transport produce like this across the country or across borders. Also think…

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