Published on January 21, 2011
- Fact Sheets:
Over the last two decades, small- and medium-scale livestock farms have given way to factory farms that confine thousands of cows, hogs and chickens in tightly packed facilities. In Wisconsin, there were 270,000 hogs, 40,400 beef cattle, 257,000 dairy cows and 7.4 million chickens on the largest operations in 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture. Wisconsin ranks fifth in the nation in factory-farmed dairy cows.
Published on January 20, 2011
- Fact Sheets:
Over the last two decades, small- and medium-scale livestock farms have given way to factory farms that confine thousands of cows, hogs and chickens in tightly packed facilities. In Pennsylvania, there were 998,000 hogs, 35,300 beef cattle, 54,600 dairy cows and 25.5 million chickens on the largest operations in 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture. Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the nation in factory-farmed egg-laying hens.
Published on January 12, 2011
- Fact Sheets:
Over the last two decades, small- and medium-scale livestock farms have given way to factory farms that confine thousands of cows, hogs and chickens in tightly packed facilities. In North Carolina, there were 10.1 million hogs, 13,800 dairy cows and 46.9 million chickens on the largest operations in 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture. North Carolina ranks second in the nation in factory-farmed hogs and sixth in factory-farmed broiler chickens.
Published on January 07, 2011
- Fact Sheets:
An aquaculture company has proposed building a massive ocean fish farm, larger than any existing operation in Hawai’i waters, off the coast of North Kohala, Hawai`i Island. The fish farm would be run by Hawaii Oceanic Technology, Inc. (HOTI), headed by Texas native Bill Spencer. During the permitting process, HOTI did not fully address many questions about the ecological and cultural impacts that such a large facility could create. Now the company has proposed changes to its design and operation plans that introduce elements outside of its initially approved permit conditions. Yet, the project seems to be moving forward. Right now, it is questionable whether the benefits from the HOTI project outweigh the risks to public resources. Those agencies responsible for overseeing and monitoring use of ocean resources need to know the whole story about the project and share it with the public.
Published on December 26, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
Local governments across the country have uncovered a smart way to reduce costs and improve the performance of their water systems: They are exiting management contracts with private water companies and bringing water services under public control. A number of cities and towns have saved millions of dollars by running their water utilities with public employees instead of private contractors. For these communities, public operation is a much better deal.
Published on December 10, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
Choosing the best fish to eat can be complicated. In many cases, the more you know, the more questions arise: Is this wild or farmed? Local or imported? Produced in an environmentally responsible way? High in mercury? Tainted with antibiotics and chemicals?
In light of these questions, there is a demand for straightforward guidance on seafood. To address the sustainability questions surrounding fish, a number of certification programs have developed sets of standards and labels to evaluate and then market “environmentally friendly” or “sustainably produced” fish. But what do these labels really mean? We examined various seafood certification programs and unfortunately, these labels do not always represent what you might expect.
Published on December 08, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
Food companies throughout the entire food chain are rapidly consolidating, leaving just a handful of powerful middlemen between 2 million American farmers and more than 300 million consumers. One of the most critical links in the food chain that has suffered the effects of this consolidation is the retail sector. A smaller number of grocery stores and supermarkets are exerting more and more control over which foods reach the mass market and the prices families pay at the checkout case. As food retail companies grow larger, so too does their influence on food processors and manufacturers, encouraging consolidation up the food chain, all the way to farmers growing crops and raising livestock.
Published on December 07, 2010
- Reports:
Choosing the best fish to eat can be complicated. People browsing seafood counters or restaurant menus may wonder whether certain fish are both safe and sustainable. In many cases, the more a person knows, the more questions arise: Is this wild or farmed? Local or imported? Produced in an environmentally responsible way? High in mercury? Tainted with antibiotics and chemicals?
In light of these questions, there is a demand for straightforward guidance on seafood. To address the sustainability questions surrounding fish, a number of certification programs have developed sets of standards and labels to evaluate and then market “environmentally friendly” or “sustainably produced” fish.
Published on December 06, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
St. Louis should retain public control of its valuable water resources. The city’s well-run water division provides quality drinking water to about 370,000 people and has never violated a water quality regulation in more than a century of testing. The city should not risk jeopardizing the commendable operation by transferring control to a private company like Veolia.
Published on December 04, 2010
- Issue Briefs:
The U.S. government is currently exploring ways to boost seafood production through aquaculture (i.e., fish farming). Certain types of fish farms have been associated with serious environmental, economic and cultural concerns, including industrial-size finfish facilities in the ocean and international coastal shrimp operations. But some methods of shellfish farming could provide an alternate means to help supplement our seafood supply. Carefully located, well-designed oyster, mussel and clam farms could help achieve the goal of expanding U.S. seafood production, while also providing food for health-conscious, environmentally concerned consumers.
Published on November 30, 2010
- Reports:
Over the last two decades, small- and medium-scale livestock farms have given way to factory farms that confine thousands of cows, hogs and chickens in tightly packed facilities. Farmers have adopted factory-farming practices largely at the behest of the largest meatpackers, pork processors, poultry companies and dairy processors. The largest of these agribusinesses are practically monopolies, controlling what consumers get to eat, what they pay for groceries and what prices farmers receive for their livestock. This unchecked agribusiness power and misguided farm policies have pressed livestock producers to become significantly larger and adopt more intensive practices. Despite ballooning in size, many livestock producers are just squeezing by because the real price of beef cattle, hogs and milk has been falling for decades.
Published on November 29, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
A new wave of water privatization formed in the wake of the recent financial crisis. With municipal budgets in the red, various cities and towns across the country considered auctioning off their water and sewer systems to generate funds. But the sale or lease of water assets is not a smart way to balance budgets. Privatization could further weaken public finances, jeopardize water resources and saddle generations of consumers with debt.
Published on November 29, 2010
- Reports:
Confronted with daunting budget shortfalls following the recent economic downturn, various cities and towns across the country have considered cashing out their water utilities to generate revenue. But rather than ease fiscal pressures, the sale or lease of water assets would likely further weaken a locality’s long-term financial health and saddle consumers with debt.
Published on November 17, 2010
- Issue Briefs:
Since 1999, the 50 largest agricultural and food patent- holding companies and two of the largest biotechnology and agrochemical trade associations have spent more than $572 million in campaign contributions and lobbying expendi- tures, according to a new analysis by Food & Water Watch. The companies and trade associations have hired a bevy of well-connected lobbying shops — including at least 13 former members of Congress and over 300 former congres- sional and White House staffers — to promote genetically modified food and agricultural products.
Published on November 17, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
Since 1999, the 50 largest agricultural and food patent-holding companies and two of the largest biotechnology and agrochemical trade associations have spent more than $572 million in campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures, according to a new analysis by Food & Water Watch. The companies and trade associations have hired a bevy of well-connected lobbying shops — including at least 13 former members of Congress and over 300 former congressional and White House staffers — to promote genetically modified food and agricultural products.
Published on November 14, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
California’s Pacific salmon, once abundant, are in grave danger.
Published on November 09, 2010
- Reports:
U.S. poultry farmers have used drugs containing arsenic, a known poison, to control the common disease coccidiosis for decades. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the arsenic-based drug roxarsone as a feed additive in 1944. The chicken industry discovered that roxarsone promoted growth, increased feed efficiency (pounds of chicken produced from each pound of feed), and improved flesh pigmentation as well. Between 1995 and 2000, 70 percent of broiler chicken producers used roxarsone feed additives.
Published on November 04, 2010
- Issue Briefs:
Expanding ways to feed the world’s growing population is a persistent topic of discussion. One company, AquaBounty Technologies, is claiming to have a new method to help feed the world — a genetically engineered (GE) salmon that grows faster than a non-altered fish. While an increase in fish production could provide more protein to an expanding world in need of more food, a closer look at this GE salmon reveals that the costs likely far outweigh any benefits. The claim is a nice talking point for the company and a booster for the product, but analysis shows that alleviating hunger is not the primary intent of the GE salmon. Furthermore, the costs associated with bring- ing it to market, including the need for more feed to support rapid growth, its inferior nutritional profile as compared to wild salmon, and potential threats to wild salmon populations from escapes, make the likelihood that it will help feed the world a highly dubious proposition. Like other GE foods before it, GE salmon will not likely contribute to food security. And, while certain forms of fish farming may help alleviate food insecurity in some places, farmed fish do not need to be genetically engineered.
Published on October 23, 2010
- Fact Sheets:
The Renew America’s Water campaign is asking Congress for legislation that would create a dedicated source of federal funding to repair and improve America’s water infrastructure. Today, America’s aging, leaking pipes are in dire need of repair and municipalities across the country lack adequate funding to do so. The Renew America’s Water Fund would finance repairs for existing systems. It would also provide incentive to improve water management by supporting new, more sustainable methods such as green infrastructure. Investing federal money in America’s water infrastructure programs will improve water quality, protect the environment, create good jobs and ensure safe, reliable water for generations to come.
Published on October 18, 2010
- Issue Briefs:
In years past, children coming off the school playground would run inside to line up in front of a drinking fountain. Today, many students are flocking to vending machines instead, where they shell out money to buy water in plastic bottles. Meanwhile, school water fountains are now often broken or shut off. This trend in schools mirrors a broader trend: As municipal water systems in the United States, built many years ago, are aging and in need of renovation, the bottled water industry is using glitzy corporate marketing campaigns to convince American consumers that packaged water is superior to water that comes out of the tap. Today, as more people are buying water out of plastic bottles, tap water infrastructure is falling into disrepair, and public sources of drinking water are disappearing.
