Good News on Mad Cow is rare, but this one’s well done Posted by michaelhansen at 08/01/06 02:47 PM

On the mad cow front, it looks like the Department of Agriculture (USDA) had an unusual attack of common sense yesterday. This is not typical for USDA. Earlier in the week, USDA had announced that they were going to reduce testing for mad cow disease (also called BSE) by 90% (a "don't look, don't find" approach).

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Canada's seventh mad cow Posted by Jean at 07/11/06 04:18 PM

Still the Canadian authorities assure the public that this proves that their feed ban, instituted five years before this cow was born, is effective (!!!!!).

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What? Artificial ingredients in organic foods? Posted by ayusra at 05/05/06 04:17 PM

Will USDA keep the organic label truthful? Proposed agency rules could allow synthetic substances – including over 500 food contact substances -- to be used in organic processed foods without public review and approval. Comments were due on May 12.

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Really bad ideas part deux Posted by Reggie at 01/24/06 02:11 PM

If there was such a thing as a pretzel logic award (Apologies to Steely Dan) it would certainly go to the food industry for pushing HR 4167, the federal food safety uniformity bill. The bill would prohibit state and local governments from taking any action concerning food safety unless it’s first OK’d by FDA. Here’s where you have to twist, stand on your head and cross your eyes to see the logic – somehow, consumers will be safer if the most knowledgeable and accountable officials -- the ones closest to the problem -- have to get an OK from the Feds to protect their commmunities. Don't forget that the feds are constantly bombarded and frequently corralled by industry lawyers and lobbyists.

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Fronting for industry on tobacco, alcohol and now...risky fish Posted by ayusra at 01/21/06 11:35 AM

There is a slick new website (fishscam.com) that claims to reveal a terrible scam perpetrated by a few fearmongers—namely, warnings to pregnant women and children that they shouldn’t eat certain high-mercury fish. But what is the scam and who is the scammer here?

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Congress’ vote on 'organic' label a sham Posted by Urvashi at 10/25/05 10:05 PM

In the dark of the night, without public input, and ignoring the will of most Americans, Congress has made a sham out of the organic label.

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Really Bad Ideas Posted by jamere at 05/04/05 08:36 PM

Submarines with screen doors, Pat Boone covering Ozzy Osborne and Pharma Crops

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Loopholes in the feed ban Posted by frayam at 05/03/05 01:55 PM

You wouldn't feel too hot either if you were made to eat chicken feces, feathers, sawdust and cow's blood.

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Iowans swimming in manure? Posted by mitcka at 04/08/05 06:54 PM

Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are now the norm for raising pigs and chickens across the great plains states. A new report on Iowa CAFOs documents their effect on rural communities.

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