Voters in two Oregon counties this week overwhelmingly approved ballot initiatives prohibiting cultivation of genetically modified crops, despite a million-dollar agribusiness PR campaign against the proposed ban.
Tag: Food Politics
Can Fast Food be Fair Food? Food Worker Strikes Go Global, Aim for ‘Yes’
When we talk about the impact of fast food, often we mean its effect on public health or its role in the ongoing obesity crisis. But the fast food industry also boasts an awful record when it comes to worker treatment. Today hundreds of fast food workers across 80 cities on six continents staged a one-day strike, seeking a livable wage from their $200-billion-dollar fast food industry exploiters — er, I mean employers.
5 Rules + 4 Tips to Help you Shop for Good Groceries
When it comes to shopping for groceries, it’s tough to make good decisions. Enter Marion Nestle — nutritionist, author, and food hero — and her 5 rules for buying good groceries.
You Can Change The Horrid Conditions Of American Farmworkers
When you dig into the the realities of our food system, you find truths you don’t want to know. Such is the case with farmworkers’ conditions.
One Million Moms gets it wrong in Ruby Tuesday kerfuffle
The conservative Christian group One Million Moms is protesting a Ruby Tuesday commercial for all of the wrong reasons.
Food News from the Pasta Wars: Barilla’s Anti-Gay Comments Turn Spaghetti Political
Food and politics go together like pasta and sauce — food choices always reflect the culture, background, and social values of the person making them. In fascinating food news developments this week, for at least the second time in recent memory a major food manufacturer is learning the hard way that homophobia just isn’t as popular as it used to be. Barilla chairman’s anti-gay comments spark outrage and trigger boycotts, as the pasta controversy reaches a rolling boil on the conscious consumerism scene.
#YesOn522: Washington’s GMO Labeling Initiative Draws Industry Wrath, Voter Support
Biotech megacorporations learned from Prop 37 that your vote is for sale — at least, that’s what they think they learned. Washington’s upcoming GMO labeling initiative known as I-522 looks posed to turn that assumption on its head, with 66% of voters polled in that state saying they will definitely or probably vote in favor of mandatory GMO labeling this November.
Weighing In On Marion Nestle’s 2013 Food Politics Predictions [Part 2]
When Marion Nestle, renowned food policy expert and author, wrote her predictions for 2013 in food politics, I was pleased to see that we here at EatDrinkBetter.com and ImportantMedia.org have been on top of the trends all year.
Yesterday, I looked at Nestle’s first five predictions. Today I’ll tackle the other five.
Vote For Real Food: Learn How Food Friendly Your Political Representatives Are
We’ve been treading water in a pool of political juices for awhile, so I apologize for stirring the legislative pot, but food policy has become a political topic. And now we have a tool to help us decide which levers to pull. A new organization, Food Policy Action (FPA), seeks to keep us in-the-know on how well our national government representatives support (or fail to support) important food policy decisions.
GMO Labeling and California Prop 37’s Defeat: What Now?
One important vote that national Election coverage wasn’t following so closely last night was California’s Proposition 37: The GMO Right to Know Act. Prop 37 might seem like it was only relevant in California, but had it passed, it would have set a precedent for GMO labeling – and transparency – here in the U.S.
Bigotry, Chicken, and Capitalism: Implications of the Chick-Fil-A Controversy on the Politics of Food
Chick-fil-A’s conspicuous homophobia and anti-gay bigotry prompted protests and boycots all over the country this week, by LGBT and progressive activists. On Wednesday the fast food chain also saw record sales, as fellow bigots flocked in droves to support the chain’s anti-gay policies during ‘Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.’ By galvanizing both the progressive community and right-wing homophobes to ‘vote their dollar,’ has the controversy opened a Pandora’s box of conscious consumerism and corporate accountability? Here’s hoping!
ALEC’s Influence Over U.S. Food Policy
According to ALECexposed.org, more than 98 percent of ALEC’s revenues come from corporations, corporate trade groups, and foundations, not membership dues. In other words, ALEC is nearly entirely funded by people with a highly vested interest in making sure their profits are not taken away by legislation. So, how does ALEC relate to the issues presented in Eat Drink Better? Well, as it turns out, the growing number of “ag gag” bills being passed state by state actually stem from model legislation prepared by ALEC. Ding ding ding.
Why Calories Count: From Science to Politics – Book Review
Calories cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, and yet they are vital to life. Why Calories Count: From Science to Politics takes a look at how our understanding of calories has developed over the years and how people today understand them.