| Wednesday, July 13, 2005 |  |
| Farm Aid Returns to its Roots | 0 comments |
| 13 Jul 2005 @ 16:09 Farm Aid Returns To Roots, Promotes Food from Family Farms Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Headline 20th Anniversary Concert on Sept. 18 in Chicago CHICAGO - July 11 - Farm Aid founder Willie Nelson and co-founder John Mellencamp today announced that the nation's leading family farm advocacy organization will mark its 20th anniversary by returning to Illinois -- the state where it all began. Farm Aid 2005 Presented by Silk Soymilk will urge Americans to choose food from family farms. The 20th anniversary celebration will kick off with a week of food and music events in Chicago. Pre-concert events will showcase the city's efforts to promote family farm food by linking rural and urban communities. The events will culminate with Farm Aid's 20th anniversary all-star fundraising concert to take place on Sept. 18 at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, IL. The 20th anniversary concert will feature Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, plus other top artists to be announced later. Farm Aid week in Chicago will include the County Fair at the Garfield Conservatory on September 17, a film festival, possible small-venue performances, educational and restaurant events, as well as the release of Farm Aid's book, FARM AID: A Song for America. During the week, Farm Aid will spotlight activities at Chicago-area farmers markets. Farm Aid began in 1985 when Willie Nelson, inspired by comments from Bob Dylan at Live Aid, along with Neil Young and John Mellencamp, hosted a day-long music benefit for family farmers in Champaign, IL. From that moment forward, Farm Aid's activist board has shown relentless commitment and dedication, motivating support from millions of Americans and providing hope for struggling family farmers. "From small towns to folks in the city, everybody knows family farm food is the best," said Farm Aid President Willie Nelson. "It's good to be back in Illinois where it all started. This state is showing how good food can connect places like Champaign and Chicago. It inspires us to think about family farmers every day. I'm looking forward to playing on the Farm Aid stage, playing music with my friends." "Farmers have a tremendous impact on the quality of food that we eat," said Farm Aid Board Member John Mellencamp. "Farm Aid is always a great show, but even more important is that Farm Aid helps the consumer and the family farmer work together for the benefit of all of us." Since its beginning, Farm Aid has traveled the country, supporting local organizations working to strengthen and promote family farms. From Washington state to Washington, DC, Farm Aid has established a platform for family farmers to help create a movement that increases the supply and demand for family farm- identified food. Farm Aid's vision is to offer as many opportunities as possible for farmers to provide us with good products-food and alternative fuels that protect our land, our health and our environment. "Right now, America is on the cusp of a "good food" movement, promoted and supported by Farm Aid," said Farm Aid Executive Director Carolyn Mugar. "The American public recognizes family farmers as their resource for food that is local, humanely- raised, organic, and sustainable, and consumers are reaching for these foods in grocery stores, at farmers markets, in schools and even in hospitals. This demand offers growing economic opportunity for family farmers to thrive. Farm Aid will continue to work to increase the options for all family farmers in order to secure a safe, healthy food supply for our future." "I am pleased to welcome Farm Aid to Chicago to celebrate its 20th anniversary," said Mayor Daley. "Chicago is committed to supporting small businesses and improving the quality of life for its residents, and Farm Aid helps family farmers do their job of producing the highest quality food for our City and for people all over the country." For the third year, Silk Soymilk is the presenting sponsor of the Farm Aid concert. "Silk Soymilk is proud to present Farm Aid's 20th anniversary concert," states Mike Keown, Senior Vice President of Marketing for WhiteWave Foods. "We salute the important role that family farmers serve in promoting sustainable agriculture and providing healthy food to American families. We look forward to this celebratory event in the Chicago area- centrally located in the heart of our nation's Farm Belt." Tickets for Farm Aid 2005 Presented by Silk Soymilk are on sale July 30 at 10 a.m. CDT and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Tweeter Center box office, charge by phone in Chicago at 312-559-1212, or online at [link] For more information about Farm Aid's 20th anniversary, visit [link] Farm Aid will offer special advance sale tickets to its FarmYard members. To become a member of Farm Aid's FarmYard, visit [link] For directions, venue rules and regulations, parking and general information, please visit [link] or call 708-614-1616. Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. Dave Matthews joined the Farm Aid Board of Directors in 2001. Farm Aid has raised more than $27 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. Through public education and direct grants, Farm Aid supports national, regional and local efforts to build and strengthen family farm food systems. |
| Whale Burgers | 0 comments |
| 13 Jul 2005 @ 04:40 Despite protests from conservationists, a Japanese fast food chain has begun to offer whale burgers. The sandwich is made from deep fried minke whale meat, a globally threatened sea mammal. Although most nations have banned whale hunting, Japan claims it must kill the animals in order to study them. |
| Whale Burgers | 3 comments |
| 13 Jul 2005 @ 04:37 Despite protests from conservationists, a Japanese fast food chain has begun to offer whale burgers. The sandwich is made from deep fried minke whale meat, a globally threatened sea mammal. Although most nations have banned whale hunting, Japan claims it must kill the animals in order to study them. More > |
| G8 Nations Summit Fails to Deal with Climate Change | 0 comments |
| 13 Jul 2005 @ 04:21 G8 Nations Summit Fails to Deal with Climate Change AUCHTERARDER, Scotland, July 8, 2005 (ENS) - The G8 leaders have signed a climate change agreement without measurable targets and timetables for reducing heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions. At the close of the G8 Summit at Gleneagles today, the heads of government of the world's eight wealthiest nations agreed that "climate change is happening now, that human activity is contributing to it, and that it could affect every part of the globe." But they decided on dialogue, technological development and marketing rather than emissions limits to address the problem. "We know that, globally, emissions must slow, peak and then decline, moving us towards a low-carbon economy. This will require leadership from the developed world," the G8 leaders state. "We resolved to take urgent action to meet the challenges we face," they declare. "The Gleneagles Plan of Action which we have agreed demonstrates our commitment. We will take measures to develop markets for clean energy technologies, to increase their availability in developing countries, and to help vulnerable communities adapt to the impact of climate change." But the Gleneagles Plan of Action disappointed environmentalists who had hoped for an immediate emission reduction program to avoid catastrophic climate change. The campaign group Friends of the Earth blamed the United States for the lack of progress, saying the Gleneagles document offered nothing new, with no commitment to firm action agreed. British Prime Minister Tony Blair outlines the G8 decisions at the close of this year's summit. (Photo by Anita Maric courtesy G8) British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who hosted the gathering, said, "We speak in the shadow of terrorism. But it will not obscure what we came here to achieve." Referring to the terrorist bomb blast in London Thursday that claimed at least 50 lives, Blair said, "There is no hope in terrorism, nor any future in it worth living. And it is hope that is the alternative to hatred." "We came here to acknowledge our duty to be responsible stewards of the global environment," said Blair. "We do not hide the disagreements of the past but we have agreed a process, with a plan of action, that will initiate a new Dialogue between the G8 and the emerging economies of the world to slow down and then, in time, to reverse the rise in harmful greenhouse gas emissions," said Blair. "The Dialogue will begin on 1 November with a meeting here in Britain." To further their Plan the G8 leaders have asked the World Bank to create a new framework for mobilizing investment in clean energy and development. World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said, "A first high-level meeting on this is scheduled to be hosted in Britain on November 1st by Prime Minister Blair and the World Bank Group.² These arrangements were not strong enough to reassure environmentalists. Friends of the Earth International Vice Chair Tony Juniper said, "Despite the growing evidence of human induced climate change and the dangers of its impacts becoming more widely known and understood, the outcomes of this summit leave us very little further ahead. While the leaders carry on talking, the world continues warming." The G8 leaders "warmly welcomed" the involvement of the leaders of the emerging economy nations of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, who they said contributed "ideas for new approaches to international co-operation on clean energy technologies between the developed and developing world." "Our discussions mark the beginning of a new Dialogue between the G8 nations and other countries with significant energy needs, consistent with the aims and principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This will explore how best to exchange technology, reduce emissions, and meet our energy needs in a sustainable way, as we implement and build on the Plan of Action," the G8 said in the Chair's Summary document. CLICK TO READ More > |
| 3 Organic Heros Speak Out | 0 comments |
| 13 Jul 2005 @ 04:18 3 Organic Heros Speak Out Organic pioneers share their sometimes controversial views with the San Francisco Professional Food Society Julia Hollister Freelance Writer SAN FRANCISCO Three pioneers in the field of organics shared their views with fellow foodies here recently and had some spicy words for those on the other side of the table. "The biggest threat to the organic movement are the (genetically modified organisms)," said Els Cooperrider of Mendocino County. "Eventually it could be the end of the organic agriculture." Cooperrider was responsible for getting an initiative passed that banned biotech crops in that county. After the initiative passed she said she was on Monsanto¹s "hit list" and was sued by the biotech giant. She won. Speaking at a meeting of the San Francisco Professional Food Society, she said she was also instrumental in stopping Caltrans from roadside pesticide spraying. "We hear that the White House promotes GMOs and is blackmailing developing countries that desperately need food," she said. "Pesticides are bad enough but GMOs are worse. What¹s more, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking at making allowable levels (of GMOs) and that will be fatal to organics. "The USDA is not working for farmers, they are working for the chemical companies." Nell Newman, who launched Newman¹s Own Organics with the support of her father, actor Paul Newman, agreed. "Organic farming is all part of the consumer educational process," she said. "If the public knew how food is grown it would be a different world." Her line of food items includes pretzels, chocolate bars, cookies, coffee, pet food and fresh produce. In 1993 when she began the business, carbs were in and pretzels were hot. She laughed when relating her father¹s reaction to the organic food business. He asked if her food was like "the nut loaf with gravy that your mother makes." She reassured him organics are fresh and tasted good. "Organics have come a long way and California leads the way with all its beautiful produce," she said. "But we have a long way to go bringing that message to those in the Midwest." Cooperrider said there were three main reasons why she got into organics and opened the first certified organic brewpub in the country: Organic is better for the environment, the workers and food just tastes better. "When we opened we decided not to put Oorganic¹ on our signage because people were wary and equated organics with tofu and sprouts," she said. "We use local produce, butcher our own cows for our hamburgers and make our own mustard, mayonnaise and catsup." Guinness McFadden, a farmer and rancher from Potter Valley in Mendocino County, said he has been in organics since the 1970s, before they had a name for it. "I started out with a small radish garden and was the first to get into grapes when I relocated to the coast," he said. He also has beef cattle and herbs but says growing vegetables are the most difficult because they attracts every bug. "Most importantly, organics mean a lot to those working the ground because there are no lethal chemicals to make them sick." |
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 13 Jul 2005 @ 04:08 "World's Ugliest Dog" Sam wins again The owners of the other contestants in this year's World's Ugliest Dog Contest may have thought their pooches had a chance - until they saw Sam. The 14-year-old pedigreed Chinese crested recently won the Sonoma-Marin Fair contest for the third consecutive time, and it's no surprise. The tiny dog has no hair, except for a yellowish-white tuft erupting from his head. His wrinkled brown skin is covered with splotches, a line of warts marches down his snout, his blind eyes are an alien, milky white and a fleshy flap of skin hangs from his withered neck. He's so ugly even the judges recoiled when he was placed on the judging table, said proud owner, Susie Lockheed, of Santa Barbara. ''People are always horrified when I kiss him. He may turn into a prince yet. He's definitely a toad,'' she said. ''I always thought he'd be great on greeting cards or on a commercial for Rogaine.'' |