Kiko's Food News, 1.4.13

 Easy to feel optimistic about the year in food when I read stories like these:

The San Francisco Unified School District announced plans to award a contract to Oakland-based Revolution Foods to provide nutritious, freshly prepared meals for city schoolchildren–it’s about time! (San Francisco Examiner)

In its fifth year the Young Farmers Conference at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture sold out its 260 spots in 36 hours, with 175 on the waiting list: a real show of momentum for sustainable farming! (New York Times)

And 2012 was a huge year for the Right to Know–check out these top 10 highlights of the non-GMO movement internationally: (Clean Fish)

***

As for the future of the movement, this article argues that foodies should rally behind the reform of plant patents to make food property rights less exclusive and less profitable for big company executives: (Slate)

A 15-year old girl’s discovery of Brominated vegetable oil (a common ingredient in many citrus drinks that may cause side effects like neurological and thyroid disorders) on the ingredient list of her Gatorade bottle has brought attention to the arcane world of additive regulation: (New York Times)

Government regulators moved a big step closer to allowing the first genetically engineered animal – a fast-growing salmon – to enter our food supply; the AquAdvantage salmon contains a growth hormone gene from the Chinook salmon and a genetic switch from the ocean pout which causes the fish to reach market weight in about 18 months instead of three years: (New York Times)

Ever heard of a wine apartment, or a sourdough hotel? See how many you know on this fun list of food words that gained mass circulation in 2012: (Huffington Post)

New Year's Resolution: Waste Less Food!

I was at a British-themed party recently and came across the tome to the right, which included instructions for US personnel headed to Britain during World War II.

As you can see in the text I photographed below, the manual has some explicit advice for American Servicemen regarding waste. In short, “…when you destroy or waste food you have wasted the life of another sailor.”

I passed these juicy bits of history to my friend Jonathan Bloom, the author of American Wasteland, and he shared it on his food waste-focused blog. Here’s what he had to say:

“The instructions are also enlightening on what food and fuel meant in wartime Britain. In contrast to the food-rich US, Britain relied upon imported food (and fuel). During World War II, when the German navy threatened all shipments, British sailors risked their lives to secure such supplies. In addition to the need to feed soldiers, this risk provided all the more reason not to waste food.

I’ve never seen stronger anti-waste words. And I’d never heard such a direct correlation between food waste and ‘the ultimate sacrifice.’ Hopefully the below passage reminds us how fortunate most of us are and inspires us to avoid waste in honor of those past sacrifices.”

 

Kiko's Food News, 12.21.12

(Phewy, if you’re reading this I guess we’re all still here!)

Kiko’s favorite gift ideas (no shopping required):

• An investment in strengthening a neighborhood: People’s Community Market is gaining momentum to open in West Oakland, but needs help in reaching their $1.2M goal: (details here)

• Hands-on learning and cooking: 18 Reasons membership grants a year’s worth of discounts to 18 Reasons classes and treats at our supporting businesses: ($35-90,details here)

Can food, so often portrayed as the glue that binds a family together, also be the wedge that drives us apart? I loved this ode to the generational eating divide: (New York Times)

Deceptive restaurant menus got even fishier last week when an international organization dedicated to ocean conservation released a report that found tilapia and tilefish posing as red snapper, farmed salmon sold as wild, and escolar disguised as albacore tuna on New York menus: (New York Times)

The summer’s drought is now showing up in food prices, as the price for food on the producer price index jumped 1.3%, the largest gain since February 2011, and wholesale food prices have risen for six consecutive months: (Wall Street Journal)

Darjeeling growers have followed the example of Scottish whiskey distillers and French wineries, winning legal protection for the Darjeeling label under laws that limit the use of certain geographic names to products that come from those places: (New York Times)

Kiko's Food News, 12.14.12

After decades of rising childhood obesity rates, several US cities are reporting their first declines; as of today, 17% of children under 20 have a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile, qualifying as obese: (New York Times)

But that still feels high–to further this progress, the USDA announced their first-ever Farm to School grants, which totaled more than $4.5 million for 68 different projects around the country: (Slow Food USA)

Remember being offered “ABC (already been chewed) gum” as a kid? What if you were offered “already been digested” coffee? An exotic new brew is made from beans eaten by Thai elephants and plucked a day later from their dung: (San Francisco Chronicle)

While the number of Hispanic farmers grew by 14% over the past five years, Hispanic farmers comprise only 2.5% of all farm operators. The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) is giving farm workers, most of whom are first generation Latino immigrants, the chance to move up the job ladder, teaching them crop planning, marketing and distribution: (Huffington Post)

Remember my last week’s article about the dismal compensation for food workers across the country? Well this National Diner’s Guide to working conditions in US restaurants aims to involve consumers in pushing the conversation with industry management on fair pay and better working conditions: (Restaurant Opportunities Center)

An NRDC report on fresh produce losses at the farm and packing level revealed that up to 30% of fruit and vegetable fields aren’t harvested in some years, and up to 30% of some crops go unsold because they don’t meet cosmetic criteria: (Natural Resources Defense Council)

Most of the conversation surrounding climate change revolves around reducing emissions–not how to modify agriculture–but in the absence of a global treaty that provides incentives for farm adaptation (and with the world population expected to rise by another one billion people in 15 years), many governments are not waiting for an international consensus before taking action: (New York Times)

Kiko's Food News, 11.30.12

Maybe San Francisco’s further from New York City than I thought: this article proposes that the seated dinner party is an endangered pastime, but I refuse to believe that cooking for others is a dying art! (New York Times)

I found this list of top over-used ingredients compiled by CookWithJames (one of our longtime regular guests) right on; enough boneless, skinless chicken breasts and sundried tomatoes, already! (Cook with James)

A study found that buying from locally owned businesses could mean four times as much money staying in the local economy; independent stores in Louisville recirculate 55% of revenues compared to 14% for big retailers, and local restaurants recirculate 67% vs. 30% for big chains: (Fast Company)

An analysis by Consumer Reports found that most store-bought pork tested contains a bacterium that causes food poisoning, plus the samples were often resistant to antibiotics–probably because many farm animals are routinely fed them: (Los Angeles Times)

Wal-Mart accounts for the largest share of groceries bought by U.S. shoppers, and its concentrated buying power allows it to drive down prices paid to suppliers, who therefore have to find ways to cut costs, denying their own workers fair wages and pressuring farmers to do the same: (Food First)

Even though the defeat of Prop 37 means that genetically engineered info won’t be added to labels yet, PLU codes (four digit numbers that identify types of produce) can be revealing; for example, a PLU prefix of 9 signifies an organic item, and 8 signifies that an item is genetically engineered: (Bay Area Bites)

The potential for drilling and fracking to contaminate our food is evidenced by reports from ranchers in heavily fracked regions showing that oil and gas wells introduce chemical compounds and radioactive material into the air, soil and water; secrecy shrouding the hydrofracking process prevents consumers from knowing if their food is safe: (The Nation)

Kiko's Food News, 11.23.12

Happy Plaid Friday! Oaklanders founded this holiday as an alternative to the big box store “Black Friday” to promote local and independently owned businesses during the holidays.

A trip to a dinner party in Berlin reveals an idea of luxury different from the decadent British or American one; these Germans prize frugality, celebrating with boiled potatoes (how refreshing)! (BBC)

Payback Time! Organic diehards are boycotting these “natural” brands whose parent companies donated millions to defeat Prop 37: (Organic Consumer)

Check out these photos taken by an electron microscope that reveal how natural and processed foods differ not only in their nutritional value, but in their chemical structures: (Fast Company)

Swiss company Nestle is focusing on product innovation for the Chinese market, opening new research centers to try out peanut milk, spicy Sichuan sauces, congee, and a less bitter coffee more pleasing to Chinese palates: (Bloomberg)

A team of computer scientists have come up with an algorithm to guess how successful a recipe will turn out; it predicts with nearly 80 % accuracy how many stars a recipe will receive online, and can recommend more healthful ingredient replacements: (Capital Public Radio)

Looking for a fun holiday weekend activity in DC or NYC? For the first time, the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian have opened major exhibitions devoted to food and the food industry: (New York Times)

Kiko's Food News, 11.16.12

Goodbye Twinkies, Wonder Bread (and sorry Dad, goodbye Ding Dongs)! Hostess is liquidating its 82-year-old business due to a national strike on top of increasing consumer preferences for healthier food; a co-worker informs me that Amazon is almost sold out of Twinkies as of my writing this: (Wall Street Journal)

Mark Bittman laments how money played the leading role in preventing food movement triumphs in last week’s election, defeating both Prop 37 and the proposed soda taxes, and is confident that food mega-companies will continue spending to squelch local attempts to curb their dominance: (New York Times)

Oprah’s made millions on her food and health recommendations; her next venture may be her own line of frozen organic vegetables: (Forbes)

The sad human toll of factory farming was revealed by a study by the University of California, Davis which estimated that 254,000 people in the Tulare Basin and Salinas Valley, prime dairy producing regions, were at risk for nitrate contamination of their drinking water due to runoff from animal waste lagoons: (New York Times)

I spoke with Supermarket News about why we’re calling our new line of preserves, sauces, pickles, oils and more PUBLIC: (Supermarket News)

Today we’re taught to eat breakfast or else, but this historical review shows that, somehow, humans survived for centuries without it! (BBC)

Whole Foods Market has launched a travel company designed for active food lovers to experience “what travel should taste like”; Whole Journeys will offer guided trips through Europe, China and the U.S.: (Supermarket News)
Think your family has silly turkey day traditions? Check out some of the dishes US presidents have eaten at Thanksgiving: (Buzzfeed)

Kiko's Food News, 11.9.12

We knew our YES on 37 camp was the underdog, but are inspired by the 4.2 million Californians who sent a clear message about GMO labeling Tuesday; in the end, the world’s leading pesticide and junk food companies outspent us by more than 5 to 1: (New York Times)

A weed-laced meal at Roberta’s in Brooklyn convinced one author that following Colorado and Washington in legalizing pot would, in addition to engendering medical miracles and rendering moot a large sector of illegal-drug-related crimes, allow quantum leaps in the world of cooking: (GQ)

A study found that that if a penny-per-ounce tax was applied to soda, cuts in consumption would result in an 8% decline in diabetes cases among blacks and Latinos, who currently face the highest risks of diabetes and heart disease: (KQED)

This provocative opinion piece argues that food has replaced art as high culture, but shouldn’t as “it is not narrative or representational, does not organize and express emotion” (I beg to differ): (New York Times)

The Head of Sustainability at packaged food giant Unilever believes that low food prices leads to food waste (at least in developed countries), since they encourage people to buy too much and end up throwing out so much: (Huffington Post)

Beekeeper and advocate Robert Mackimmie, who tends to our rooftop hives, explains how city beekeeping is becoming an integrated way of life for Bay Area businesses: (Wall Street Journal)

On family-owned coffee farms in Africa, about 70% of maintenance and harvesting work is done by women, but only rarely do women own land or have financial control; the International Women’s Coffee Alliance is trying to change that by giving “sisters of coffee” access to training and networking: (NPR)

Kiko's Food News, 11.2.12

Don’t forget to vote Yes on Prop 37 Tuesday–and to visit the Creamery Saturday or Sunday for a 37-cent scoop of non-GMO Caramel Apple!

One side effect of the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy is a new unintentional fleet of “emergency response” mobile food providers: New York City’s food trucks are serving areas of the city that remain without power: (full story, Business Week)

Did you know that oysters once protected the New England coastline from storm surges? As storms like Sandy grow stronger and more frequent, our shorelines have become more vulnerable as the bivalve population has diminished: (full story, New York Times)

It’s been a year since Occupy Oakland–so what remains of the movement? Our own Sam Mogannam and Brahm Ahmadi of People’s Community Market penned this op-ed which presents a new kind of grassroots investment for community change: (full story, San Francisco Chronicle)

Heritage seed-inspired fashion? The couple who runs the largest mail-order heirloom seed business in the US is bringing back pioneer chic: (full story, Grist)

The biggest Italian dinner in history: Parmigiano-Reggiano promoters are organizing a national sit-down dinner in homes and restaurants across Italy to  revitalize the Parma region and its cheese making tradition: (full story, NPR)

Kiko's Food News, 10.26.12

Updates from our Yes! On Prop 37 campaign:

Check out the new California Right To Know ad–we need to share it widely to counter the millions spent by Monsanto and huge food conglomerates on TV-ads!

Alice Waters’ chefs’ petition in support of Prop 37 has been endorsed by over 100 top notch chefs including Dan Barber, Mario Batali, Jacques Pépin, Joyce Goldstein, Charles Phan, and our own Sam Mogannam–spread the word! (full story, New York Times)

An encouraging study demonstrated a decreased need for chemicals in agriculture, showing that longer crop rotations produced better yields of corn and soy, reduced the need for nitrogen fertilizer and herbicides by up to 88%, reduced the amounts of toxins in groundwater 200-fold, and didn’t reduce profits by a single cent: (full story, New York Times)

***

A lot of working women are still rushing home from work each night to cook dinner; a study indicated they spend more than twice as long (35 minutes) as working men (15 minutes) whipping up meals and cleaning up afterwards: (full story, NPR)

I’m inspired by the domino theory of public health–how one city or state’s putting a stake in the ground on an issue will influence others; our neighbor cities Richmond and El Monte have put the soda tax on their Nov. 6 ballot! (full story, New York Times)

Just when we thought the Rome police had better things to do than to stop people from eating a sandwich, a new ordinance outlawed eating and drinking at the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and other areas of historic, artistic or cultural value in Rome’s center: (full story, New York Times)

Only a few decades ago, many doctors and nutritionists warned that nuts should be eaten on special occasions and only sparingly, but have since revised their recommendations; here’s a breakdown of how our favorite nuts stack up health wise: (full story, LA Times)

Kiko's Food News, 10.19.2012

California’s Central Valley, the world’s largest patch of class one soil where the 25-degree daily temperature swing is ideal for growing and the sun shines nearly 300 days a year, is our greatest food resource. So why are we treating it so badly? (full story, New York Times)

A neglected icon of Cali agriculture, most raisins available today are devoid of seasonal pizazz, but special varieties like the Thompson, Diamond Muscat and Princess–freshly harvested and processed by small growers–are beginning to show up at farmer’s markets: (full story, LA Times)

CUESA explored the GMO labeling debate by interviewing farmers & food makers at their Ferry Building Farmers Market, many whose produce & foods we sell: (full story , CUESA)

Speaking of knowing what’s in our food, here are eight ingredients to avoid if you see them on a nutrition label: (full story, Today)

And speaking of GMOs, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal of a federal court ruling Monsanto won against an Indiana soybean farmer; this is exciting as no farmer has ever won a court case against Monsanto: (full story, Grist)

We’re keeping our eyes on Craig Ramini, a former Silicon Valley consultant turned buffalo mozzarella producer who’s working to produce the Italian cheese on his new farm and facility 69 miles north of SF; we’ve been tasting batches as part of his journey towards the traditional ideal! (full story, New York Times)

Tech investors have recently bought a $20 million controlling stake in Blue Bottle Coffee, a large stake in Stumptown Coffee, and an investment in Sightglass Coffee…but for reasons they see as far from “an exercise in the vanity of wanting to be in the restaurant business”: (full story, Wall Street Journal)

Through Slow Money’s efforts, more than $20 million has flowed to over 170 small food enterprises over the past two years; now the Soil Trust is focusing that money at the root of the issue: the dirt! (full story, Soil Trust)

Field Trip To Full Belly Farm Hoes Down

Communities come in all shapes and forms. We like to talk about how the relationships we build through buying and selling food strengthen our Bi-Rite community–our staff, guests, and food producers. But it’s times like last weekend that remind me how broad our community really is.

For the first time I got my act together to venture northeast of SF to Yolo County, the home of Full Belly Farm, for their annual Hoes Down Harvest Festival. We celebrate Full Belly throughout the year in the form of the amazing melons, squashes, potatoes and more they send us to sell in our produce section. Sam, Anne, Simon and the rest of our staff who make this an annual getaway had raved about how good the air feels up there, but I couldn’t have imagined quite how special this coming together of farmers, cooks, eaters, kids, animals, and every other happy being there could be. 

Highlights of the day included:

• The parking lot volunteers! These were the first people I interacted with upon arriving, and the grins on these guys’ faces said it all. Talk about pride–from all of the volunteers to the Full Belly staff to the hundreds of visitors, we all knew how fortunate we were to be celebrating this amazing

• family’s work and land.
• The farm tour given by Hallie (the daughter of Dru and Paul, Full Belly’s owners, who grew up on the farm and now coordinates the Hoes Down) and farmer Andrew. As we stood in a grove of walnut trees, Andrew talked about the wonder that is soil: how alive it is, how many billions of organisms it contains. When we’re standing on a farm, we may be blown away by fruit trees over our heads or veggie vines at our ankles, but what’s really amazing at Full Belly is the health of the soil underneath our feet. It was on this tour that Simon turned to me and said “This is the part where I start to cry!”
• The food! Man can the farm crowd cook–I started with an avocado lime popsicle, then moved on to tackle a plate of the most succulent grilled lamb and falafel (around the campfire we plotted a new dish for Bi-Rite–a lamb falafel ball–we’ll see if that comes to pass!)
• The camping groves: take your pick between pitching your tent under almond trees, walnut trees, and more.
• Square dancing–they made it look so easy!

And I couldn’t believe that we were swimming on an October day! Wading around in the beautiful, calm river that borders the farm, I felt like one of a herd of human elephants.

The Full Belly crew literally had to push people off the farm come Monday morning; the support of all of us who drove hours to the farm is testament to the relationships they’ve built over the years, and the secret to their success! 

Kiko's Food News, 10.12.12

Michael Pollan argued that what is at stake in the Prop 37 vote is not just the fate of genetically modified crops but the public’s confidence in the industrial food chain: (full story, New York Times)

Food prep for the vast majority of supermarkets today is done off-site to reduce staff size and labor costs, and this leads to a (frankly) horrifying amount of waste; this article investigates some of the strategies that could improve the situation, from bargain shelves to “sell by,” “best by,” and “use by” labeling to help reduce consumer confusion: (full story, National Resource Defense Council)

Hog farmers are under increasing pressure from animal rights groups and corporate pork buyers (Dunkin’ Donuts, ConAgra and Chili’s new to the list this week!) to put sows in group housing pens instead of gestation crates, a challenge as many farmers find the crates more profitable and easier on the pigs: (full story, New York Times)

For many years, breeders and seed companies have been breeding tomatoes for everything except taste, but as American palates get more sensitive, complaints about grocery-store tomatoes are leading agribusinesses to pour millions into efforts to hike up the flavor: (full story, Wall Street Journal)

Looking for snacks to serve at your upcoming Halloween or holiday parties? Get a load of what Pringles has cooked up: holiday pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon sugar, and white chocolate peppermint potato chips! Man oh man: (full story, Grist)

Kiko's Food News, 10.5.12

Guess who Chiquita has chosen to run their fruit and vegetable business? A former cleaning fluids CEO (and we wonder how huge food companies end up prioritizing profit over the well being of the people they feed!): (full story, Wall Street Journal)

The number of farms around the country has risen over the past decade (4% from 2002 to 2007), the first increase since the Great Depression pushed Americans into the fields in the 1930′s: (full story, Washington Post)

With millions of Hong Kong consumers worried about the safety of fruits, veggies and meats coming from mainland China, more are tending plots on rooftops and balconies; organic food stores are opening across the city, and there are about 100 certified organic farms in Hong Kong (vs. zero organic farms seven years ago): (full story, New York Times)

A study revealed that the only improved yield attributable to GMO crops is pesticide yield; genetically engineered crops led to a 404 million pound increase in pesticides between 1996 and 2011: (full story, CA Right to Know)

The White House announced that César Chávez, the late United Farm Workers founder, will be honored with a national monument named for him; Obama also declared March 31 to be César Chávez Day last year, both a welcome celebration of a champion for farm workers rights: (full story, Tucson Sentinel)

Kiko's Food News, 9.28.12

Have you confirmed your polling place for November 6th? With less than six weeks until election day, a poll showed that Prop 37 is likely to pass, supported by 61% of voters and opposed by 25%! ((full story, LA Times)

Governor Jerry Brown signed the Homemade Food Act into law, allowing Californians to make certain foods and baked goods at home and sell them to stores, restaurants and directly to consumers: (full story, LA Times)

It’s estimated that one of two tomatoes eaten in the US comes from Mexico, but that might change as the US Department of Commerce considers ending a 16-year-old agreement with Mexican growers that has kept the price of their tomatoes so low for American consumers (low enough that American growers can’t compete): (full story, New York Times)

The new Local Food/Tech Landscape is an interactive infographic that categorizes food & technology innovations by their role in the emerging alternative food system, whether it’s farming, aggregating, distributing, finding or buying; with the proliferation of start-ups in the local food and technology space, I have to admit this gives me a sense of order! (full story, Food Hub)

A new crowd-sourced map for finding antibiotic-free meat can help lead you to cleaner meals no matter where you are in the country: (full story, Fast Company)

If you’re one to choose a college for its dining options, check out this semi-scientific list of the best colleges for food in America; from tandoori ovens to on-site bakeries and meat shops to on-campus gardens with grills so students can BBQ on a whim, we’ve sure come a long way: (full story, FOX News)

Kiko's Food News, 9.21.12

As Non-GMO Month (October) and the Prop 37 Vote (November 6th) approach, the GMO labeling debate is heating up!

The first long-term feed trial exploring the health impacts of eating GMO corn and Roundup found that “safe” levels of each caused tumors, organ damage and premature death in lab rats, at odds with the ag-biotech industry’s mantra that GMOs are safe to eat: (full story, Sustainable Food Trust)

Mark Bittman predicts that if California votes Yes on 37, requiring labeling of GMO-containing foods, food manufacturers will reformulate their products using non-GMO ingredients and research in all fields of agriculture may increase: (full story, New York Times)

But it’s shocking to see companies behind some of the biggest organic brands we know–Kashi, Cascadian Farm, Horizon Organic and more–opposing labeling and contributing millions of dollars to defeat Prop 37: (full story, New York Times)

***

Did you know coffee is the most widely traded agricultural commodity in the world? Thanksgiving Coffee Company, a few hours north of us in Fort Bragg, is trying to minimize its impact in CO2 emissions through a new Carrotmob campaign; if successful, they’ll attempt to become the first coffee company in modern times to ship via wind power: (full story, Carrotmob)

Makers of snacks, sweet drinks and candy have long been under pressure to limit advertising to minors on TV and the web; now they’re reaching kids by embedding their products in games for phones and tablets, which is cheaper than TV commercials and so far unregulated: (full story, Wall Street Journal)

A new report projected that half of U.S. adults will be obese by 2030 unless Americans change their ways; currently, 36% of adults and 17% percent of children age 2-19 are considered obese: (full story, Reuters)

So what’s the best way for our government to fight this? This article debates whether banning mega sodas is going too far: (full story, Wall Street Journal)

Kiko's Food News, 9.14.12

 “Feeding someone is about as close as you can get without having sex with them”–Sam gave his TEDx talk about how prioritizing relationships over profit has led to Bi-Rite’s success: 

The New York City Board of Health unanimously voted to approve Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed ban on sugary drinks larger than 16 oz at restaurants, movie theaters and more; it will take effect next March: (full story, CNN)

And starting Monday, McDonalds will post calorie counts on every menu board and drive-through sign at their over 14,000 U.S. locations! (full story, Los Angeles Times)

The organic label’s place in our food decision making process is a complicated one; this article tackles the confusing bundle of values shoppers must weigh in the cluttered grocery aisle: (full story, New York Times)

Food co-ops are making big changes since the origin of their movement in the 1970′s, in response to the growth of Whole Foods and other organic and specialty-food giants opening stores across the U.S.: (full story, Washington Post)

Nicholas Kristof took a break from international coverage to visit with a dairy farmer friend in his hometown; he learned about the movement to get cows out of confinement and back on the land, and the philosophy that cows are a team member–not an object to be exploited: (full story, New York Times)

The State Department is deploying an elite force of 80 top chefs from across the U.S. as the first-ever American Chef Corps; the group, which includes Jose Andres, Ming Tsai, and Rick Bayless, will be called on to prepare state dinners, travel abroad or host culinary experts from around the world: (full story, NPR)

Kiko's Food News, 8.31.12

“As California goes, there goes the nation”, and in advance of November’s vote the Cornucopia Institute released a shocking visual of food brands divided yes vs no on Prop 37; many we may think of as health oriented are those opposing GMO labeling: (full story, Cornucopia Institute)

And in other GMO news, A USDA panel reached consensus that growers of genetically engineered crops should try to contain the spread of their genes to organic crops; disappointingly, the panel refused to hold the biotech companies that create the seeds responsible, instead recommending that taxpayer-subsidized insurance foot the bill to compensate farmers: (full story, SF Chronicle)

The Envionrmental Working Group (creators of the popular Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce) released Good Food on a Tight Budget, a guide to help eaters stretch our healthy food dollars; it ranks produce items that pack the highest nutrition for the least cost: (full story, Environmental Working Group)

Grocery chains are putting a full time dietician in their stores to capitalize on growing consumer awareness of the role food plays in health and happiness (and to fend off competition from specialty markets like Whole Foods and big-box stores like Walmart): (full story, New York Times)

The trickiest ingredient for cocktail creators, beer brewers, hot sauce makers and other small batch food makers to get their hands on? Bourbon barrels! But recently, used barrel seekers and sellers have been finding each other in a mutually beneficial partnership: (full story, NPR)

Sure yogurt has been made for centuries from just milk and live bacteria, but these days manufacturers are trying to increase profits by adding ingredients to speed up production and stabilize yogurt’s shelf life: (full story, Hand Picked Nation)

Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, the USDA has issued its first major rewriting of nutritional guidelines for government-subsidized school lunches and breakfasts in more than 15 years; they require schools to serve fruits and veggies every day, only fat-free or low-fat milk, more whole grains, and slash their use of salt, saturated fat and trans fat: (full story, US News & World Report)

Kiko's Food News, 8.24.12

Mark Bittman notices people increasingly giving the farmer credit (more so than the chef) for a delicious plate of food, and discusses why we need to advocate for real farmers who grow real food (as opposed to “businessmen riding on half-million-dollar combines”): (full story, New York Times)

The summer drought continues to kill crops across the country, but many of the farmers (some interviewed in this radio clip) are doing just fine with their crop insurance (on which taxpayers spend about $7 billion annually): (full story, NPR)

The same lawyers who took in millions suing big tobacco are now aiming their sights at Big Food, filing suits against players like ConAgra Foods, Heinz, General Mills and Chobani asserting that they mislead consumers and violate federal regulations by mislabeling products: (full story, New York Times)

GMO labeling advocates (guess we’re called the “yes on 37″ clan) definitely have our work cut out for us, since major bio-tech and food companies from Campbell Soup to Coca-Cola have just pumped almost $10 million into the campaign to defeat Proposition 37: (full story, Los Angeles Times)

And speaking of wanting to hide the GMOs in food, check out this roundup of ten lies told by Monsanto about the Proposition: (full story, Right to Know)

Local governments have been charged–rightfully so!–to reduce the amount of trash we all put into the waste system, and more and more California cities are banning plastic bags at store checkout lines (San Francisco already has this rule in place, and as of 10/1 will require we retailers to charge 10 cents per paper bag to encourage reusables): (full story, Los Angeles Times)

Kiko's Food News, 8.3.12

Sysco has pledged to do away with meat from pigs raised in gestation crates; this could have an even greater impact on the practices farmers use across the country than other big names (Burger King, McDonald’s and Kraft, to name a few) that have already made the pledge: (full story, Grist)

Recognizing the challenges faced by food hubs in finding financing, the Healthy Food Commerce Initiative (HFCI), a division of Wholesome Wave, is helping them secure capital by guiding their expansion into new markets, providing technical assistance with business planning, revenue diversification, market sizing, sales strategies and more: (full story, Forbes)

A sommelier for cheese? The 29th annual convention of the American Cheese Society will for the first time offer the Certified Cheese Professional Exam, a test that has been ripening for seven years: (full story, Wall Street Journal)

This article taught me a few new strategies for keeping food fresh at home, from leaving tropical fruits out of the fridge to storing meat and fish at the bottom of it: (full story, Huffington Post)

The new CMO of Quaker Oats discusses how he wants to reinvigorate their brand by targeting younger consumers, particularly moms from 28-32 since “their world is very different from their moms’ world and they are parenting differently from the way their moms parented”: (full story, Forbes)

There’s no doubt that the gluten-free food trend has taken the US by storm; this article investigates how many of us are actually sensitive to gluten, and how flours have changed over time, leading to increased sensitivity: (full story, Fox News)