In a move that is exciting aquaculture (actually a real word) folks and distressing environmental people, the USDA has cleared the way to allow fish producers to label farmed fish as “organic.”  Let’s listen in on the Washington Post, which wrote an article on this today and even managed to throw the word “vexed” in there:

The question of whether farmed fish could be labeled organic — especially carnivorous species such as salmon that live in open-ocean net pens and consume vast amounts of smaller fish — has vexed scientists and federal regulators for years. The standards approved yesterday by the National Organic Standards Board would allow organic fish farmers to use wild fish as part of their feed mix provided it did not exceed 25 percent of the total and did not come from forage species, such as menhaden, that have declined sharply as the demand for farmed fish has skyrocketed.

Environmental folks aren’t too happy about the part of that quote that says fish farmers can use 25% wild fish as their feed mix.  All other feed for “organic” animals must itself be 100% organic.  “They [environmentalists] also noted that open-net pens can harm the environment by allowing fish waste and disease to pollute the ocean.”  That, of course, is code for the fact that fish poop in the ocean.  Gross.

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Alright, as I mentioned earlier I’ve been missing Brooklyn lately, and another reason is tomorrow’s Harvest Festival at the Added Value Farm in Red Hook.   So, once again, I ask all of you New Yorkers to head down to the festival and let me live vicariously through your experience at this amazing urban farm.   My college friend Caroline Loomis helps run this remarkable, formerly-concrete-now-verdant oasis, which teaches kids from the community to grow and sell their own produce.   Beyond providing a much needed nutritional resource for the community, the Added Value programs provides

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Get the feeling we’re gobbling down too many pills and not enough greens?  Then check out Food Matters, a controversial documentary that takes a stark look at the frightening effects of a nutrient-starved diet, and the subsequent reliance on the pharmaceutical industry.   To help navigate the terrain and help people find a healthier, food-based path, nutritionists turned filmmakers, James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch, spoke with leaders in nutrition and natural health.   Check out the preview:

Whoa. I’m gonna go eat some organic broccoli.

takepart by hosting a screening of Food Matters.

Have diets gone the way of jazzercising? According to yesterday’s New York Times an increasing number of people are steering clear of deprivation diets and instead savoring more fresh, wholesome foods. Disillusioned by the broken promises of weight-loss fads and tired of calorie counting, many consumers are discovering that they can enjoy a delicious home-cooked meals prepared with healthful ingredients.

Following the wisdom of writers and chefs, like Alice Waters, Michael Pollan and Marion Nestle, and organizations like Slow Food, the country is rethinking their relationship with food. We are walking away from the unhealthy confines of processed and refined foods, and making our way out into the wide-open fields, or at least the closest farmer’s market.

Yesterday I met an inspiring mother and her two children, overweight and battling diabetes who, fed up with impractical diets, have decided to add more vegetables and whole grains to their diet. Working together and with a nutritionist they are devising a meal plan that includes healthier versions of food they already love. And they aren’t eliminating their favorite treats, but instead scaling the portions down and keeping out of the house, so a nibble of chocolate includes a healthy stroll around the block . They are discovering that despite being time and cash strapped, they are able to enjoy healthier meals together, with some simple adjustments.

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Move over Rachel Ray, teens are moving in.

The Food Network is cooking up a new show called The Chef Jeff Project. Chef Jeff Henderson grew up in South Central LA and at the age of 24 he was arrested. sent to prison and spent the next 10 years behind bars. While in prison, he discovered his love for food and cooking and decided to turn his life around.

And he certainly did. He is the Executive Chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas, a best selling author and with the Food Network,  he is about to change the lives of 6 at-risk youths. Jeff is putting these teenagers to work at Posh Urban Cuisine, his catering company and ultimately giving them a chance to for a new life with a career in the culinary arts.

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During our time at Slow Food Nation, we caught up with great leaders and changemakers of the slow food movement. Here are excerpts from some of our interviews. More on the way! Stay tuned!

Eric Schlosser:

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High fructose corn syrup… is good for me?! Can it be true?

Have you seen the “Corn Refiners Association” TV commercials? You know, the ones where they try to calm the fears of Americans who are starting to believe that this ubiquitous ingredient may not be so good for your health.

I saw the commercial last night at around 11:45 pm on Lifetime (yes, I was watching re-runs of Will & Grace). Our friends at Chowhound report that they saw these ads on the FOOD Network.

Below is the ad that i saw last night. And it looks like there are 3 more. The end of these “PSAs” suggest that you learn more at SweetSurprise.com where you can find quick facts like:

Research confirms that high fructose corn syrup is safe and no different from other common sweeteners like table sugar and honey. All three sweeteners are nutritionally the same.

Sounds more like Sweet Deception to me.

Here is one of their ads:

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Left to right: Dawn Brighid and Diane Hatz of Sustainable Table, Kerry Trueman of Eating Liberally, Me, Destin Joy Layne of the Eat Well Guide and Participant’s own Sarah Newman
Related:

TakePart at Slow Food Nation

Leave something extra on your plate? Unused eggshells from cooking? What about all those coffee grounds? Los Angeles is asking a group of residents to recycle these and other leftovers for an experimental garbage pickup program.

Here is how it works:

The Bureau of Sanitation will distribute 2-gallon kitchen pails to 5000 households in Harbor Gateway, Lincoln Heights and South Los Angeles and residents are asked to dispose of food and “food-soiled” materials like pizza boxes.

A 2002 survey found that single-family homes generate 230,000 tons of food waste annually that could be turned into compost. That survey found nearly 27% of the garbage in the black bins was food waste.

If this program becomes citywide, it could divert as much as 600 tons of waste from landfills.

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Maybe Wall-E was right?

According to a study published in the journal Obesity, all US adults could be overweight in 40 years. ALL? Is that even possible?

Researches say that even if we never actually reach 100% of the adult population, any upward is the cause for alarm. 2/3 of the US adult population are already overweight.

And waistlines aren’t the only thing getting bigger.   The cost of healthcare directly related to excess pounds will double each decade, reaching $957 billion in 2030 — that’s one of every six healthcare dollars spent in the US.

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