Author Archives: The Cornucopia Institute

How Committed Is Your State to Local Food?

Supporting local farms not only supports your local economy, it also allows you to know how your food was produced. Cornucopia encourages consumers to buy local and organic food whenever possible. Fresh food has a higher nutrient value, tastes better, and can be stored in the refrigerator longer. Our support of the best small farms also helps them remain in business and benefits the local economy. The 2019 Strolling of the Heifers Locavore Index was

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Sugar Maples, a Proverbial Canary in the Changing Climate

As our climate changes, many species are disappearing from their native habitat, and sugar maples are one that is in danger. Sap farmers are tapping other trees for syrup now, including the more hardy red maple. Many people are planning adaptations to the changing climate, and more study and discussion on the subject is needed.

The Cultivator – Fall 2016

The Fall 2016 Cultivator, Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter, is now available online. Download the PDF here. In it you’ll find: Cover story: Toothless GMO Food Labeling Bill Becomes Law Commentary: A REAL Apple a Day Feature: Cornucopia Asks Regulators to Block Merger Beneficial Wildlife Preserving Organic History Local Food Relations Farmer Profile: Bathed in Love at Butterworks

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Avoid These Autumn Garden Mistakes

Cornucopia’s Take: Organic gardening is sometimes more labor-intensive than conventional gardening, but there are tricks to ease the workload. Rodale offers great advice for gardeners. 8 Gardening Mistakes You Make Every Fall Rodale’s Organic Life by Rebecca Straus Source: Bill Barber These autumn errors set you up for extra work come spring. Fall is probably the time of year when your garden begins to get away from you. You get lax about weeding and procrastinate

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Big Drop in Neonics in Pollinator Plants at Big Box Stores

Cornucopia’s Take: Increasing consumer awareness is clearly encouraging stores to consider pollinators as they procure garden plants for sale. Voting with our forks as well as our gardens is changing what is available in the marketplace. Big drop found in neonicotinoid content of home stores’ ‘bee-friendly’ flowers MinnPost by Ron Meador Source: Marcia Cirillo Big progress is being made on one small battlefield of the war to protect bees and other pollinators from neonicotinoid insecticides.

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New Certification Program for Growing Cannabis

Cornucopia’s Take: With the rise in medical marijuana prescriptions, concerns arise about environmental practices and toxic chemicals used in growing the plants. MOFGA is now offering Clean Cannabis Certification to growers following organic guidelines. MOFGA Announces Clean Cannabis Certification Program Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) (This article is from their newsletter) One-year Trial to Determine Grower, Consumer Interest August 24, 2016 – The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) today announced a

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Indigenous Cooking Revival

Cornucopia’s Take: Indigenous cooking around the world is, by definition, local and seasonal. Sean Sherman is helping the Midwest learn about the foods available to his ancestors and to us today. The Movement to Define Native American Cuisine The New York Times by Tejal Rao Source: Marilylle Soveran LAKE TRAVERSE INDIAN RESERVATION, N.D. — The moon was full and the chokecherries were ripe in the southeastern corner of North Dakota. “It’s the one smell that

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Ecology Action Shares Biointensive Farming with the World

Cornucopia’s Take: While Big Ag insists that GMOs are the only way to feed the world, this nonprofit is teaching interns to grow more food on less land. Biointensive farming methods build the soil quickly and use far less water to grow more food than conventional or GMO methods. How Three U.S. Mini-Farms are Sowing the Seeds of Global Food Security Ensia by Bob Cooper Source: Christian Guthier Tiny, biointensive operations show smallholder farmers from around the

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Beekeepers’ Pesticides May Hinder Bees’ Digestion

Cornucopia’s Take: Pesticides applied to keep bees safe from parasites like Varroa mites have been found to alter bees’ gut microbiota. Growing evidence in the beekeeping world points to using management techniques to control pests and safeguard bee health. Pesticides used to help bees may actually harm them EurekAlert! from Virginia Tech Source: North Worrell Pesticides beekeepers are using to improve honeybee health may actually be harming the bees by damaging the bacteria communities in

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You Asked for It! Cornucopia Clarifies What Organics Is and What It Isn’t

[This article was previously published in the summer issue of The Cultivator, Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter.] by Melody Morrell, Data Analyst & Research Specialist at The Cornucopia Institute Source: Adobe Stock The Cornucopia Institute is proud to represent thousands of members within the good food movement. Our research and educational efforts support the integrity of the organic label. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions posed on our social media: Can

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