With increasing numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacterias found this year, we’ve reached what some are calling the end of antibiotics– and this is directly related to industrial animal agriculture.
This week’s food news is maddening, if you don’t happen be a sociopath who loves animal cruelty; but on the bright side, if you adore ag-gag laws and think accountability, food safety, and the First Amendment are all for the (antibiotic-resistant-disease-ridden) birds, then you’re in for a treat! Monsanto offers up some rather obnoxious distractions to this ag-gag foolishness — unfortunately for human kidneys, Monarch butterflies, and pretty much that whole ‘environment’ thingie. But before diving in to all those noxious Big Ag news fumes, let’s talk about progress: yes, some exists! For all the good, bad and ugly in the food world, get your news fix here!
After undercover reporters revealed animal cruelty at an Idaho dairy facility, guilty parties moved quickly to address the problem: almost immediately animal agriculture interests in that state introduced a bill to criminalize any reporting of such abuse. Idaho’s ag-gag bill passed the Senate earlier this month, then yesterday cleared the House. Now it only awaits a swipe of the governor’s pen to ensure that criminal prosecution focuses where it belongs: on people who tell you where your food comes from, and what’s done in your name to get it onto your plate.
Idaho strides boldly towards hideousness, with its latest bill aimed at criminalizing animal-ag whistleblowers. Food stamp use rises among a population where it absolutely should not, and a new report indicts the ‘substantial equivalence’ assessment that boosted GMOs to grocery-shelf sovereignty. Meanwhile poison seeps into your food from its packaging, and grocery manufacturers try to dupe you with deceptive labeling — okay, technically that last thing isn’t (strictly speaking) ‘news.’ But the food news world has been hopping this week: don’t miss the good stuff, read on!
Did you catch the best food news stories this week? Researchers publish new studies on health and obesity, GMO wheat looms on the agricultural horizon, Utah pushes back against ag-gag resisters, and would-be horse meat purveyors gnash their teeth over the new spending bill that effectively reinstates the U.S. horse slaughter ban. Meanwhile antibiotic resistant Heidelberg salmonella …
Top News from the Food Front: 15 Must-Read Stories for Mindful Foodies Read More 👉
Do you still eat chickens? There’s never been a better time to consider ditching birds from your diet. New reports find ridiculous levels of bacterial contamination in chicken meat, including many antibiotic resistant strains. Both organic and conventionally raised birds were found to be riddled with potentially dangerous bacteria, calling USDA practices into serious question and providing abundant inspiration for alternate sandwich-ingredient exploration.
As of this week, the U.S. finally boasts at least one state with a rudimentary GMO labeling law! But according to China, our corn is still icky because there’s precious little actual regulation of GMOs in our food products. New research compares the relative powers of sugar vs. fat to trigger food cravings. And Sriracha’s in trouble again — batten the (cupboard) hatches! Animal-ag debacles, farmed animal cruelty, and vegan wins abound. Read on, for the week’s top news in food!
This week’s news will make you cry, make you sigh, and make you smile. Some of it may even help you avoid diabetes, cancer, and kidney failure! New health research indicts meat and soft drinks, but encourages healthy eaters to go nuts. Animal factories continually find new ways to turn the stomachs of anyone who glimpses their work — and then they file charges against those who dare to see (and record) it. USDA proposes new anti-poop policies targeting organic farmers; but announces new projects supporting local food in public schools. Hawaii knocks the GMO-regulation ball right out of the park! In other breaking news, I suddenly want to move to Norway. Read on, for all the week’s top food news!
A salmonella outbreak linked to California’s Foster Farms chicken products has sickened at least 278 people in 18 states — some of the strains involved resist antibiotic treatment. Formerly furloughed government ‘regulators’ scramble frantically to catch up with the foodborne debacle. Disease purveyors urge you to cook the poop in your chicken so it can’t make you sick. The ongoing salmonella outbreak begs the question: is this really the best we can do?
The governor’s office has been inundated by pleas for a veto, from thousands of citizens, religious leaders, defenders of free speech and people working against animal cruelty. Now TN’s Attorney General Robert Cooper has also chimed in against Tennessee’s ag-gag bill, calling it constitutionally questionable.
Utah prosecutors announced Tuesday they’re dismissing charges against Amy Meyer, the first person to be charged under Utah’s ag-gag law since its passage in 2012. Overwhelming national attention and public outrage immediately preceded the decision to dismiss charges, which were first filed in February. Naturally prosecutors avow that THE PUBLICITY HAD NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH IT!!! … sure, guys — whatever you say! Regardless, Utah’s first effort at ag-gag enforcement has been an embarrassing flop, guaranteed to raise public awareness about the need to defeat these ugly laws. Thanks, Utah!
Matt Dominguez (HSUS) and Cheryl Leahy (Compassion Over Killing) joined me recently for a discussion exploring ag-gag legislation. These anti-whistleblower laws aim to mandate consumer ignorance, promote animal cruelty, threaten food safety, and undercut the right of citizens to have legislators serving the will of ‘We the People’ (vs. They the Food Industry Megacorporations). Industry relies on public ignorance about these destructive bills — don’t let ’em have it. Listen, share, resist!
Legislators in several states this month consider laws to criminalize reporting of cruelty or other criminal acts at animal facilities, to protect factory farming interests from the consequences of their own behavior. If you value food industry transparency — and DON’T value protecting criminal animal abusers from any and all legal culpability — get involved! Factory farming interests absolutely depend on your ignorance and apathy, to pass these laws: give them neither.
