Promoting Sustainable Agriculture

[Guest guest]

Promoting Sustainable Agriculture

http://www.mercola.com/article/agriculture.htm

 

 

 

Consumers are paying a high cost for substandard, cheap factory food.

The following links are working on different areas but all have the

same goal - to support sustainable agriculture. There are far too

many groups to mention here (apologies to those we missed). Be sure

to find local sustainable agricultural groups in your area as many of

them hold extremely informative annual meetings where you can meet

local farmers. Depending upon your area of interest, familiarize

yourself with any or all of the following links.

 

If you are concerned about the quality of the food you are buying at

the grocery store, some of the following links will help guide to

healthier more humane choices through local farms.

 

If you are interested in stopping factory farming, some of the

following links will help show you how to get involved.

 

If you are a farmer who is interested in producing food for

consumers, there are links below that will help show you how.

 

Some of the following links will also be able to provide scientific

literature supporting the benefits of sustainable agriculture.

 

It is important to understand the impact you have when you spend your

money on factory food. Changing your shopping patterns by supporting

local agriculture will not only help improve your health, it will

also help improve the environment and bring back our rural

communities.

 

Price-Pottenger Foundation

The Price-Pottenger Foundation has supported sustainable agriculture

for over 50 years. They have preserved a collection of over 10,000

books and publications, spanning over 200 years of research from most

of the great nutrition pioneers of our time, including that of

William A. Albrecht, MS, PhD. The foundation is currently working on

posting their archives online, and deveoping an education program

available for people world-wide.

 

Weston A. Price Foundation

The Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the

human diet through education, research and activism. It supports

accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming,

pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and

informative labeling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies.

 

Slow Food

The association's activities seek to defend biodiversity in our food

supply, spread the education of taste, and link producers of

excellent foods to consumers through events and initiatives.

 

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance

The Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance is an advocate for the many

thousands of independent farmers, ranchers, livestock owners, and

homesteaders in this country.

 

Eat Wild

Eatwild.com is an excellent source for safe, healthy, natural and

nutritious grass-fed beef, lamb, goats, bison, poultry, pork and

dairy products.

 

The Meatrix

An excellent flash presentation about factory farming and links about

what you can do about it.

 

Food Routes

The FoodRoutes Find Good Food map can help you connect with local

farmers and start eating the freshest, tastiest food around. Find

your local food on their interactive map, listing farmers, CSAs, and

local markets near you.

 

Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)

 

Grace Factory Farm Project

The GRACE Factory Farm Project (GFFP) works to create a sustainable

food production system that is healthful and humane, economically

viable, and environmentally sound.

 

Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals

The Eat Well Guide is a free, online directory of sustainably-raised

meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns

and hotels, and online outlets in the US and Canada.

 

Sustainable Table

Helping consumers make healthy food choices to create a sustainable

system.

 

Sustainable Food In Schools

If you don't like the food being served in your or your child's

cafeteria, do something to change it! Includes guidelines on what to

do, how to do it, and examples of successful initiatives underway

around the country.

 

Local Harvest

This website will help you find farmers' markets, family farms, and

other sources of sustainably-grown food in your area, where you can

buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.

 

Farmers Markets

National listing of farmers markets.

 

Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture

The Kerr Center was established to provide farmers and ranchers in

the area with free technical assistance and information on how to

improve their operations. Wise stewardship was emphasized.

 

National Farm to School

Farm to School programs are popping up all over the U.S. These

programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of

serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student

nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities

that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers.

 

Farm to College

This site presents information about farm-to-college programs in the

U.S. and Canada collected by the Community Food Security Coalition.

 

 

 

Center for Food and Justice: Farm to Hospital

The CFJ has a program Farm to Hospital: Promoting Health and

Supporting Local Agriculture.

 

Farm to Cafeteria: Community Food Security Coalition

Putting Local Food on the Table: Farms and Food Service in Partnership

Farm to school programs have been addressing the dual issues of

improving children's health and providing new marketing options for

family farmers.

 

Food Security Coalition

The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a North American

organization dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and

regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious,

and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times

 

The True Food Network

The goal of the True Food Network Working is to create a socially

just, democratic and sustainable food system.

 

Acres USA

Acres U.S.A. is the only national magazine that offers a

comprehensive guide to sustainable agriculture. Drawing on knowledge

accumulated in more than 35 years of continuous publication, we bring

our readers the latest techniques for growing bountiful, nutritious

crops and healthy, vibrant livestock. Acres U.S.A. has helped

thousands of farmers feed the nation's growing appetite for clean,

delicious food.

 

Ecological Farming Association

Eco-Farm supports a vision for our food system where strengthening

soils, protecting air and water, encouraging diverse ecosystems and

economies, and honoring rural life are all part of producing

healthful food.

 

National Family Farm Coalition

The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) provides a voice for

grassroots groups on farm, food, trade and rural economic issues to

ensure fair prices for family farmers, safe and healthy food, and

vibrant, environmentally sound rural communities here and around the

world.

 

Rural Coalition

The Rural Coalition is an alliance of regionally and culturally

diverse organizations working to build a more just and sustainable

food system which: brings fair returns to minority and other small

farmers and rural communities, ensures just and fair working

conditions for farm workers,

protects the environment, delivers safe and healthy food to consumers

 

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy promotes resilient

family farms, rural communities and ecosystems around the world

through research and education, science and technology, and advocacy.

 

Grain

GRAIN is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) which

promotes the sustainable management and use of agricultural

biodiversity based on people's control over genetic resources and

local knowledge.

 

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture explores and

cultivates alternatives that secure healthier people and landscapes

in Iowa and the nation.

 

Rodale Institute

The Rodale Institute works with people worldwide to achieve a

regenerative food system that renews environmental and human health

working with the philosophy that " Healthy Soil = Healthy Food =

Healthy People ®

 

New Farm (Rodale Institute)

Helping consumers, brokers, restaurateurs and other farmers find the

farm services they're looking for.

 

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has

helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally

sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and

education grants program.

 

National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture

The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture is a diverse

nationwide partnership of individuals and organizations cultivating

grass roots efforts to engage in policy development processes that

result in food and agricultural systems and rural communities that

are healthy, environmentally sound, profitable, humane and just.

 

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

ATTRA provides information and other technical assistance to farmers,

ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in

sustainable agriculture in the United States.

 

Family Farm Defenders

The FFD mission is to create a farmer-controlled and consumer-

oriented food and fiber system, based upon democratically controlled

institutions that empower farmers to speak for and respect themselves

in their quest for social and economic justice.

 

The Center for Food Safety

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is an interest and environmental

advocacy membership organization established in 1997 by its sister

organization, International Center for Technology Assessment, for the

purpose of challenging harmful food production technologies and

promoting sustainable alternatives.

 

ETC Group

ETC group is dedicated to the conservation and sustainable

advancement of cultural and ecological diversity and human rights.

 

Environmental Working Group

EWG specializes in environmental investigations. They have a team of

scientists, engineers, policy experts, lawyers and computer

programmers who pore over government data, legal documents,

scientific studies and our own laboratory tests to expose threats to

your health and the environment, and to find solutions.

 

WorldWatch Institute

WorldWatch is an independent research group working for an

environmentally sustainable and socially just society. An excellent

book published by WorldWatch institute is by Brian Halweil, Eat Here:

Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket, 2004.

 

Union of Concerned Scientists

UCS is an independent nonprofit alliance of more than 100,000

concerned citizens and scientists. We augment rigorous scientific

analysis with innovative thinking and committed citizen advocacy to

build a cleaner, healthier environment and a safer world.

 

Institute of Science in Society

ISIS promotes science responsible to civil society and the public

good, independent of commercial and other special interests, or of

government control and a science that can help make the world

sustainable, equitable and life-enhancing for all its inhabitants.

 

Organic Consumers Association

OCA is building a national network of consumers promoting food

safety, organic agriculture, fair trade and sustainability.

 

Organic Center for Education and Promotion

OCEP generates credible, peer reviewed scientific information and

communicate the verifiable benefits of organic farming and products

to society.

 

Food and Water Watch

FWW is working on issues such as food and water safety, mad cow,

sustainable agriculture, irradiation. Also has a factory farm

campaign which aims to change government policies that promote

factory farms, fight corporate control that forces farmers " to get

big or get out, " and encourage sustainably raised meat.

 

United Poultry Concerns, Inc

UPC is dedicated to the compassionate and respectful treatment of

domestic fowl.

 

Sierra Club

(Including a toolkit for Factory Farm Pollution Activists)

The Sierra Club's mission is to explore, enjoy and protect the wild

places of the earth. Practice and promote the responsible us of the

earth's ecosystems and resources. Educate and enlist humanity to

protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment.

Use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.

 

Beyond Factory Farming

Beyond Factory Farming is a coalition of citizen's organizations from

all across Canada that share a vision of livestock production for

health and social justice. Their mission is to promote livestock

production that supports food sovereignty, ecological, human and

animal health, as well as sustainability and community viability and

informed citizen/consumer choice.

 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

 

Wegmans Cruelty

Video showing what goes on inside a factory chicken farm. Includes

news and events.

 

Humane Society of the US

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has worked since 1954

to promote the protection of all animals.

 

Humane Farming Association

HFA is an animal protection organization. Campaigns against factory

farming and slaughterhouse abuse. Also home to the world's largest

farm animal refuge.

 

Compassionate Consumers

Compassionate Consumers was founded in 2003 by a small group of

people concerned about animal welfare in the food industry.

 

 

 

Chicago's Green City Market

 

Chicago's only sustainable market with the highest quality locally

farmed products.

 

 

http://www.mercola.com/article/agriculture.htm