| | | You might have heard the word "regenerative" popping up more and more lately, maybe even heard it to describe how your cereal, yogurt or chocolate bar was made. But do you know what the term means about how that food was produced? Regenerative agriculture, which aims to heal degraded land from the ground up, is absolutely necessary right now, given the scale of topsoil loss and the rapidly escalating climate crisis. And while the term may seem in vogue, regenerative agriculture is not new, and it extends beyond mere farming techniques. The industrial food system does much more harm than simply degrading the environment. The current system prioritizes profit over people, removes control over food from individuals and communities, and exacerbates inequities and historical injustices, particularly towards Indigenous people and people of color. Recent moves towards regenerative agriculture have come under fire for lacking acknowledgement of its Indigenous roots and for an outsized focus on maximizing carbon capture without looking at land management more holistically. As an alternative to the industrial food system, regenerative agriculture must go beyond environmental sustainability and address foundational issues in who controls farmland, who makes and profits from food, and how food is distributed to people. A simple starting point for understanding regenerative agriculture is to acknowledge that most principles of what is considered regenerative agriculture come from Indigenous land management techniques. | | | | Beyond the image of flooded rice paddies, what do you know about rice production? Thanks to the negative environmental impacts of the water used to flood the fields, other less water-intensive techniques are being implemented across the globe. Whether rice is part of your most treasured family traditions or is simply one of the staples you keep on hand for easy weeknight meals, here's what you need to know about where and how it's grown and its environmental impacts. | | | Two New Zero Waste Cookbooks | | | | When it comes to reducing food waste, zero waste recipes like making pesto with wilting herbs or turning food scraps into vegetable stock are important, but they're only the tip of the iceberg. Two new books on the topic look at the larger habit shifts, including shopping and cooking philosophies, that can help home cooks reduce their overall waste for the long haul. Step one: determine what zero waste means for you and choose a goal. | | | Arizona's Megadrought Tests the Hopi Tribe's Resilience | | | | OUR TAKE: Hopi farmers have stewarded the lands of the American Southwest for millenia, developing sophisticated water management systems and dry-land farming techniques. But as The New York Times reports, the drought across the region has pushed farmers and ranchers to their limits as the rain can't sustain even small herds and harvests. While members of the tribe struggle to adapt, they also question the unequal infrastructure that leaves them with so little water in the first place. | | | Spain to Ban Plastic Wrap for Fruits and Veggies | | | | OUR TAKE: Following a similar move by France, Spain recently announced it will ban all plastic-wrapped produce starting in 2023, as reported by EcoWatch. The country currently generates approximately 1.8 million tons of plastic waste every year, less than half of which is recycled. The Spanish measures also aim to reduce the amount of plastic bottles and cups sold, and to push for 100 percent recyclable packaging in water bottles. Learn more about the environmental and public health problems caused by plastic in the FoodPrint of Food Packaging report. | | | | Food and Environment Reporting Network | | | Facing a Merger and a Pay Cut, Chicken Farmers Push Back | | | | OUR TAKE: With its infamous "tournament system" that pits farmers against each other, the poultry industry has never been friendly to farm finances. But in an increasingly consolidated industry, payout rates for farmers keep falling, trapping many with money-losing contracts. After Sanderson Farms tried to cut pay, farmers in Mississippi refused to sign their new contracts. As Food and Environment Reporting Network reports, now they've organized to demand better pay and greater transparency while ringing the alarm bell about how consolidation can financially ruin farmers. | | | Why Is Ag Secretary Vilsack So Afraid of a Plan to Cut Pesticides and Meat? | | | | OUR TAKE: The Trump administration was critical of European efforts to make the food system less dependent on synthetic chemicals, but given the Biden administration's focus on climate change, why hasn't the White House changed course? As Mother Jones explains, the answer lies with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who has extensive ties to agrochemical companies and big agriculture. As a result, he's suggested unusual partners for the US, coordinating policy with industry-friendly countries like Brazil and the United Arab Emirates rather than Europe. | | | | | | |  Find Us on Instagram @FoodPrintOrg
Get inspiration from Marisa (@foodinjars) and grab some pears for this salted caramel pear butter. All you need are pears, apple cider, lemon juice, brown sugar, butter and salt. Head to Marisa's IG for the recipe and visit FoodPrint for more pear tips. (📷 @foodinjars)
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