Southeast Farmers Say More Organic Seed Research and Education Needed

April 18, 2012 | Organic Seed Alliance

News Release – Port Townsend, WA – Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) has released preliminary findings from an organic seed survey conducted in the Southeast region of the U.S. Findings point to enormous interest among farmers and other agricultural professionals in strengthening seed systems in the Southeast to address the needs of the organic community. Read More

Five Major Challenges Facing North American Agriculture

April 18, 2012 | Noelle Swan

Over the next 40 years, world population is expected to swell to 9 billion people. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization predicts that in that time global food production will need to increase by 70 percent in order to prevent massive famine. Simultaneously, producers must learn to cope with changes in climate, intensification of floods and droughts, depletion of resources, and dramatic political shifts. Meeting the coming demand for food will mean addressing these large challenges head on.  Read More

World Scientists Define United Approach to Tackling Food Insecurity

March 29, 2012 | CGIAR

News Release – (LONDON – 28 March 2012) – Nearly one billion people in the world are undernourished, while millions suffer from chronic disease due to excess food consumption. Global demand is growing for agricultural products and food prices are rising, yet roughly one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. Climate change threatens more frequent drought, flooding and pest outbreaks, and the world loses 12 million hectares of agricultural land each year to land degradation. Land clearing and inefficient practices make agriculture the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution on the planet. Read More

New Case Study Released on Beginning Farmers in Sustainable Agriculture

March 27, 2012 | MISA

News Release – ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture has released the second case study in an online series that provides beginning and transitioning farmers with a unique virtual resource.

“Profiles in Sustainable Agriculture” is a project that uses graphics and narratives to integrate personal stories of profiled farmers with detailed information on their practices. Read More

Farming for the Future: National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Releases its 2012 Farm Bill Platform

March 19, 2012 | National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

News Release (March 19) – Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition released its comprehensive 2012 Farm Bill policy platform, Farming for the Future: A Sustainable Agriculture Agenda for the 2012 Food & Farm Bill.

With a round of Senate Agriculture Committee hearings complete and House Agriculture Committee field hearings underway, Congress is hard at work writing a new farm bill.  Meanwhile, the perfect storm of economic, environmental, and health crises currently gripping our nation demands decisive farm policy reform that will ensure a sustainable future for American agriculture.  Adoption of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s 2012 Farm Bill platform will expand opportunities for family farmers to produce good food, sustain the environment, and contribute to vibrant communities. Read More