- USDA goes to the closets.
- Brazil to teach Tunisia how to grow wheat. Exchange of germplasm involved.
- ICRISAT DG makes a pitch for dryland farmers. And aquaculturists?
- A plan for cacao sustainability in Africa agreed. Germplasm not involved?
- Americans eat a lot of corn. A lot.
- The romance of cheese-making. Romance? These people should get out more.
- Peru offers Obamas a “cute” puppy. I still prefer the Mexican version.
Nibbles: Origins, Fungi, Animal welfare, Climate & history, Salmon, Butter
- A shaman’s grave from the verge of agriculture.
- Mushroom improves violin’s sound.
- Good news for California’s livestock.
- Linking climate and the rise and fall of China’s dynasties.
- I love pictures of gigantic fish, don’t you? Not farmed, thankfully.
- Making butter.
Nibbles: Seeds, Seeds, Semen, Seeds, Source, Souris, Sustainability
- Botswana’s main seed supplier pushes hybrid seeds.
- Ethiopia lists its genebank holdings.
- Scientific American on consequences of lack of livestock diversity.
- Creating tomorrow’s heirlooms, Bishop salutes amateur breeders.
- New Agriculturist on bananas et al.
- Climate change bad for fish too.
- Black rats bad for other rats too.
- Sustainable wine.
Pollan for president
In an open letter in the New York Times magazine, slow food pundit Michael Pollan urges the next US president, the Farmer in Chief, to
Reform the entire food system: unless you do, you will not be able to make significant progress on the health care crisis, energy independence or climate change. Unlike food, these are issues you did campaign on.
His main point is that the US should wean from oil, and resolarize the farm. I can see where he is coming from, but does he really want all that backbreaking drudgery again? Yikes.
Pollan also says that the government should encourage farmers to
grow as many different crops and animals as possible. Because the greater the diversity of crops on a farm, the less the need for both fertilizers and pesticides.
Fair enough, but at what cost? Pollan says that we do not know, because we haven’t tried. Well, I would agree that organic agriculture can be very productive, but kicking out fertilizers all together is a foolish idea.
It is a long article, and it has a long list of policy objectives: “Perennialize†commodity agriculture; Enhance national security by decentralization of the food system; Four-Season Farmers’ Markets; And, create a Federal Definition of “Food.†(I believe the goal is to make it illegal to call junk, food).
Pollan is a bit too much of a romantic to my taste. But then I am not much of a visionary. The US certainly should change some of its bad food habits. Our times call for a presidents who withstands the Agro-Industrial Complex (and who does not fear Iowa’s voters). If anything, Mr. President should take Pollan’s most daring advice: rip a section of the White House lawn, and farm and govern by example.
Plant Breeding News is out
The latest Plant Breeding News is out, though only if you’re registered for email alerts. However, in a couple of days you should be able to get October’s digest on the archive page, where you can also subscribe. Lots of stuff about breeding for climate change in this issue. It’s a great resource, brought to you by the Global Partnership Initiative for Plant Breeding Capacity Building (GIPB). And I’m not just saying that because they gave us a namecheck this month.