Local Food News (May 11, 2008)

Local food news from the past week:

US Farm Bill Nears Conclusion – or Veto?

On the other side of the Atlantic, the 2007 US Farm Bill is edging towards a conclusion of sorts. And if you think this is irrelevant in Europe, think again. For months, the bill has been stuck in negotiations between the House and the Senate, and the major sticking point? Agricultural subsidy reform.

Sustainable agriculture advocates in the US are currently debating whether or not to support the veto of the bill threatened by the USDA on behalf of the President. The subsidy reform (largely focused on the Commodity Title) contained within the bill is largely seen as inadequate by sustainable agriculture advocates, and isn’t favoured by the President either, due to the role of US agricultural subsidies in stalling World Trade negotiations.

However, the bill in its current state does include some positive measures, including funding for Community Food Projects and the Conservation Title.

So the question asked here by Grist’s Tom Philpott is, should sustainable agriculture advocates support the bill, because it contains too much good stuff to loose, or should they support the veto, because it doesn’t do enough to challenge industrial agriculture? If you are such an advocate, go ahead and vote.

And have a think about the implications for CAP reform…

Much more detailed info on the farm bill is available from:

Center for Rural Affairs :: Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Gordon Ramsay Supports Seasonal Food, and Shoots Himself in the Foot

Gordon Ramsay’s call for the Government to legislate in favour of seasonal food in Britain’s restaurants has caused a surge of interest in the way we should encourage consumers to eat seasonally.

The BBC reported Ramsay’s comments that restaurants should serve only in-season fruit and veg, and should be fined if they do not (watch the video here). Then later that day, the Observer’s Wood of Mouth blog jumped in, encouraging readers to check the menus of Ramsay’s restaurants (available here) to see if they comply.

Surprise surprise, they don’t. They’re scattered with non-local, non-seasonal offerings. Since then, Ramsay has been hounded by the media and bloggers with charges of hypocrisy.

And whatever the tone of the reporting, this has to be another hit for the sustainable food agenda. Questions about eating locally and eating seasonally are creeping up the agenda, and despite the mainstreams media’s generally negative responses, these questions are becoming inescapable.

Food Waste Report Published

WRAP’s latest report on food waste in the UK was published earlier this week – for more details check out this post.