The Green Fork is the official blog of the Eat Well Guide. Click here to Find Good Food.

Last Wednesday, Feb 3rd, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene held a public hearing to discuss a proposed amendment to Article 161 of the New York City Health Code, which prohibits the keeping of wild animals, currently including honeybees. A proposal to amend this section was presented in December, which would “allow New Yorkers to keep hives of non-aggressive honeybees.”

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No More Mr. NAIS Guy The USDA is announcing plans today to kill the National Animal Identification System proposed by the Bush Administration in 2004, which was widely criticized by groups like the American Farm Bureau.  Secretary Vilsack is expected to announce work on an alternative tracing system today.
Who Ya Gonna Call? Speaking of the [...]

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With unemployment in the dismal double digits, there’s a lot of chanting and ranting about jobs right now. China’s cleaning our clock when it comes to clean tech, even as its growth continues to rely on dirty ol’ coal. And so does ours, for that matter. The difference is that China’s forging ahead with [...]

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In a ruling certain to discourage communities from fighting the construction of factory farms in their areas, last week the Illinois Supreme Court rejected an appeal by residents who are being sued for $300,000 in costs and damages after their unsuccessful attempt to have environmental issues addressed before construction of a Cargill-affiliated pork CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation).

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Having spent the last several years following the issues outlined in the film, I did not expect to be surprised by much that it covered and I wasn’t, but as I was caught off guard by my emotional response to it. Food, Inc. basically left me crying like a baby for the people — farmers and consumers alike — who’ve been hurt by our food system.

That said, if you eat food and haven’t seen this film yet, you should.

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An Unappealing Appeal In a ruling certain to discourage communities that don’t want a factory farm as a neighbor,  the Illinois Supreme Court denied an appeal filed by residents who are being sued for $300,000 in damages after their unsuccessful attempts to have environmental issues addressed before construction of a Cargill affiliated pork CAFO.
There’s an [...]

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Meet FLUPSY (Floating Upweller System), the solar and wind powered clam nursery.  This brilliant boat is good for the economy (because it’s increasing the number of clams in Hempstead Bay) and good for the bay (because the clams they’re growing are bivalves and help filter it) and it utilizes only renewable energy.  Love it.  From [...]

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The term “activist designer” may sound kind of funny to those of us who associate designers with swanky showrooms and high-end hedonism. But there’s a growing cadre of designers, architects, and do-it-yourselfers whose clientele is the citizens of the world, instead of the privileged few.
They’re pooling their tremendous talents through a non-profit organization called Project [...]

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It surprised us to learn that despite the many farms on the island and the trees everywhere dripping with citrus, many of the children living on Maui don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and have no idea how they grow or where they come from.

It turns out that despite a long-standing agricultural heritage and the lush environment for growing, over 90% of the food eaten on this island is imported–yet another example of our food system gone topsy turvy.

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3.56 million Quarter Pounders According to Grist’s Tom Philpott, the go-to guy on the mystery meat front, that’s what the 864,000 lb. ground beef recall, the first of 2010, adds up to.  Philpott also wonders whether industry will “grope for techno fixes,” presumably not of the “pink slime” variety.  Never one to miss an opportunity [...]

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