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USDA Left Schoolkids Vulnerable The Government Accountability Office has found that the USDA didn’t tell public schools of food safety recalls quickly and may have caused school cafeterias to inadvertently serve tainted foods.
Municipal Water Systems A-gush “Major blowouts” in local water systems are on the rise in cities like LA and Baltimore, hinting at an [...]

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USDA is Loco for Local: Everyone’s excited about the new Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative (henceforth to be known as KYFx2) the USDA rolled out this week, which includes a focus on rural development and direct marketing, the opening of the new farmers’ market near the White House and funds for farm-to-school programs and community food projects. Tom Philpott brings us back down to earth.

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With great excitement about the USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, which rolled out this week, and particular joy over the White House farmers’ market, which opens today, here is an inspirational video from our friends at Cooking Up a Story. This one is about a farmer who’s helping build his local economy while feeding local schoolchildren more nutritious food. Farm to School networks, like farmers’ markets, are excellent methods by which we can rebuild our local economies and our local food distribution systems.

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As I type up this post, I imagine Roger Doiron, a man I’ve only met once or twice in person (we’ve exchanged quite a few emails), is just walking out onto the White House lawn. Roger’s been invited to tour the White House garden today, which is auspicious, because it’s also his birthday. But he’s the one coming bearing gifts.

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The Swine Flu/CAFO Connection As public health officials brace for colder weather and the flu risks that come with it, Environmental Health Perspectives remind us of the origins of H1N1. (hat tip to Ralph Loglisci at Center for a Livable Future)
“Recycling” NYC Restaurants The flailing economy, and the resultant restaurant closures, have inspired a new [...]

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Shake your stinger Yale senior Max Lanman and his four brothers have put out an adorable rap video in support of honey bees, appropriately named “Do the Honey Bee.”  Here’s hoping they spark a new dance craze.
Food Firms Fret Over Potential Impact of Climate Bill Multinational food companies like Cargill, General Mills and Tyson are [...]

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Obama Loves Local At last Thursday’s interactive health care strategy meeting, the President pointed out the link between good food and health, going so far as to call for a farmers’ market outside the White House.

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Hot on the heels of a new USDA study (PDF)* which revealed that only 64% of US farms have access to a computer (and only 59% have access to the internet) came the news that the panel we’ve proposed for next year’s South By Southwest (SXSW) Interactive festival is up for consideration and has entered the voting process.

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A health-food controversy Whole Foods CEO John Mackey took to the pages of the Wall Street Journal this week in protest against the Obama Administration’s proposed health care plan, sparking a boycott against the natural foods giant.

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Although the recipe below calls for green beans, kabocha squash and chard (since those are the things we’d received in our produce box this past week) you could just as easily substitute spinach or kale for the chard, turnips or carrots (or both) for the squash, add some potatoes, etc., etc. Likewise, though I’ve listed curry powder below, you could toast your own spices if you’re a purist or you could also use one of the Thai curry pastes with delightful results. The basic concept is very flexible so feel free to experiment.

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