Crops and Commodities

Red Palm Weevil: A Pest Damaging the Livelihoods of Date Producers

Tunis, Tunisia – Treatment against Red Palm Weevil in the streets of Tunis, 2013. ©FAO/Daniel Beaumont  Red Palm Weevil (RPW) is a key pest of palms originating from South and South East Asian Countries that has significantly expanded its geographical…

Partnership Aims to Train Needed Organic Seed Farmers

A first-of-its-kind educational partnership between the Organic Seed Alliance and the Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture is stepping up to train hundreds of new seed growers in organic production.

Twenty Seed-Saving Initiatives Preserving Biodiversity Around the World

These 20 initiatives across the world are preserving seed biodiversity for future generations.

Africa Needs Better Farm Policy—Not Better Farmers

I’ve recently spent several weeks in Malawi, and for about 15 years I have been working with colleagues on measuring the impacts of agricultural input use in Africa. With American budget cuts looming, I spent some of my time overseas…

Monsanto Faces Labor Law Violations Class Action Suit

Seed-corn workers brought a first of its kind class action suit against seed giant Monsanto for violations to two federal labor laws the day after the release of a two-year investigation into labor violations in the seed-corn industry.

Surviving the Drought with Jamaican Farmer Field Schools

Since winning the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition’s YES! Competition last year, Shaneica Lester and Anne-Teresa Birthwright now run a knowledge transfer project for small-scale farmers in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Lester and Birthwright’s program, which focuses on irrigation conservation…

Stephanie Whalen Speaks With Food Tank About Farming In Hawaii

Food Tank talks specialty crops, local farming, and educating the future generation of sustainable farmers with Hawaii Agriculture Research Center’s Stephanie Whalen.

Census of Agriculture 2017: Sign Up by June 30

The 2017 Census of Agriculture provides an opportunity for farmers and ranchers to influence the future of agriculture, including policies and budget priorities, by giving them a voice.

“Stronger and More Resilient,” the Future of CropMobster with Co-Founder Nick Papadopoulos

Founded as a resource to prevent food waste, the CropMobster network has grown into an online platform for farmers, food activists, and pantries to exchange resources. Designed to “ignite food system crowdsourcing,” CropMobster empowers local leaders to connect communities interested…

New Partnership Pursues Sustainable Rice

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Rice Research Institute are joining forces to promote sustainable rice production and improve the lives of small-scale farmers and women in developing countries.

General Mills Funds Sustainable Ag Research

Cascadian Farms and parent company General Mills has partnered with The Land Institute to incorporate organic Kernza in their commercial lines of cereals and snacks, and to support further research of the grain through a US$500,000 donation to the Forever Green Initiative of University of Minnesota.

African Farmers Stung by Climate Change Await Return of New Season Rains

Whitney McFerron is the lead writer and editor for One Acre Fund, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides farmers with the financing and training they need to grow their way out of hunger and poverty. Moses Odoli is watching his…

Smart Food for a Global Population, an Interview with Joanna Kane-Potaka

The Smart Food Project is hoping to popularize nutrient-rich, drought-tolerant crops in an effort to diversify diets and ensure global food security. An initiative by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Smart Food Project is…

Los Poblanos: Southwest Model Organic Farm

A historic inn and farm in arid New Mexico adopts organic and sustainable practices.

The Compost Story, Brought to You By Kiss the Ground

On May 7, 2017, Kiss the Ground released The Compost Story, a short film about how composting can transform the planet by reducing landfills and improving the health of soils everywhere.

Paul Lebeau on Home Milling, the Grain Revival, and the Mill Man, Wolfgang Mock

Food Tank sat down with Paul Lebeau of Wolfgang Mock to discuss home milling, its benefits, and the passion driving their work.

Sustainable Coffee Challenge: Making Coffee the First Sustainable Agricultural Product

The Sustainable Coffee Challenge spearheaded by Conservation International just announced the first four Collective Action Networks working to make coffee the first sustainable agricultural product in the world.

Research Raises Concerns for Pregnancy Complications from Pesticide Exposure

Researchers discover a correlation between glyphosate pesticide exposure during pregnancy and complications including low birth weight, raising another health concern for the world’s most commonly used and increasingly controversial pesticide.

Chefs and Restaurants in Defense of Bees

A new alliance of chefs and restaurants hopes to educate the public about the importance of bees for providing most of our food and to advocate for their protection.

Going Forward by Going Back Wrapped Up Day Two at Seeds&Chips

Food Tank partnered with Seeds&Chips to make the Going Forward by Going Back panel possible in Milan, Italy. It discussed how to take into account indigenous knowledge and traditional farming methods when innovating new technologies.

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