On Sept. 10, more than 50 citizen lobbyists representing a consortium of 15 national nonprofits and organizations gathered on Capitol Hill for the first My Health Alliance Lobby Day, organized by the Organic & Natural Health Association (Organic & Natural Health).
The post Organic &
Deforestation isn’t just about losing trees—it’s about losing entire ecosystems. Forests are home to complex networks of plants, animals, and fungi that severely struggle when their habitats disappear. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), agriculture causes 90% of global deforestation.…
At Sustainable Harvest International (SHI), we practice natural and organic farming methods that restore soil health and increase food yields. We believe in opting for sustainable practices that nourish communities and the Earth. Our methods minimize the use of toxic chemicals that degrade the land and weaken a farmer’s ability to grow food. One powerful tool SHI farmers use to improve food production is an organic fertilizer called bokashi.
Humanity’s taste for beef comes with a massive toll, arguably larger than almost any other sector: Ranching has displaced millions of hectares of tropical forest this century, particularly in the Amazon, where a 2008 study estimates it’s responsible for 80% of deforestation. The loss of forests contributes vast amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere and huge declines in biodiversity — indeed, livestock production in general has been labeled the largest threat to biodiversity globally. And cattle themselves emit nitrous oxide and methane, greenhouse gases that are more potent trappers of heat than CO2.
Linley Dixon, Co-Director of The Real Organic Project, studied soil science in college and worked at the USDA on plant-fungal interactions while maintaining a life-long aspiration to one day become a farmer. The alure of raising her child on a farm motivated her and her husband to quit their jobs, move to the country and start a small organic farm. In the process of overcoming all the challenges that come with such a bold move–raising capital, accessing land, earning a profit in Colorado’s short growing season, etc.–she took on a job to help make ends meet as a scientist evaluating the materials that organic farmers use. That’s when her work became political and she joined the fight to keep organic real. Linley was interviewed by Arty Mangan of Bioneers.
Israel just decimated the olive groves of the Palestinian village of Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, where olive oil production is an important part of the yearly income of most families. The Israeli army had imposed a curfew on the village last Thursday and began to search homes, arresting an unspecified number of Palestinians, including the village mayor, Ameen Abu Alia, over the course of three days.… Read more here
The post Israel Wanted to Punish a Palestinian Village. So It Destroyed 10,000 of Its Olive Trees. appeared first on Regeneration International.
The international seed treaty is being changed in ways that could harm farmer communities and indigenous peoples, worldwide. New proposals favor large corporations over small farmers, threatening food security, traditional seed systems and farming practices. Join us in calling for an accountable and transparent seed treaty.