Francis Thicke’s Farewell Address to the NOSB After Hydroponics is Passed for Organic Certification

Last week it was a solemn defeat for many farmers, as hydroponics was welcomed into organic certification. It was decided during the Jacksonville National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting, right before Francis Thicke, a pioneering organic farmer, gave his farewell address.

In sum, Thicke’s words reminded listeners that organic is at a crossroads. “Either we can continue to allow industry interests to bend and dilute the organic rules to their benefit, or organic farmers—working with organic consumers–can step up and take action to ensure organic integrity into the future.”

Read more about Francis Thicke and the movement to #KeeptheSoilinOrganics here. 

Dicamba Rampage Continues

The herbicide Dicamba is intended for soybeans and cotton crops that have been genetically modified. But other crops on nearby fields are suffering.

Monsanto Attacks Scientists After Studies Show Trouble For Weedkiller Dicamba

“The tensions between Monsanto and the nation’s weed scientists actually began several years ago, when Monsanto first moved to make Dicamba the centerpiece of a new weedkilling strategy. The company tweaked the genes in soybeans and cotton and created genetically modified varieties of those crops that can tolerate doses of Dicamba. (Normally, Dicamba kills those crops.) This allowed farmers to spray the weedkiller directly on their soybean or cotton plants, killing the weeds while their crops survived.”

GMO Arctic Apples Hit the Shelves of Midwest Stores

“This month, up to 400 Midwest grocery stores started quietly testing packages of sliced “Arctic Apple” GMO apples. Intrexon, the company marketing the apples, won’t tell us which stores are selling them.” – Organic Consumers Association 

Join the scavenger hunt and spread the word by signing up here!

Big Stories, Small Seeds: John Coykendall, Artist and Master Gardner  

“The modern farm-to-table movement has renewed interest in heirloom fruits and vegetables. But long before the trend, John Coykendall has been on a mission to preserve rare heirloom seeds and document their heritage. He has more than 500 varieties gathered from small farmers and backyard gardeners around the world.”

Read the full report on NPR here. There is also a documentary about Coykendall called Deeply Rooted. It’s been circulating for private screenings at Slow Food USA chapters around the country, but you can view the full film here for free until Nov. 25.

U.S. Report Says Humans Cause Climate Change, Contradicting Top Trump Officials by NY Times

“Over the past 115 years global average temperatures have increased 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to record-breaking weather events and temperature extremes, the report says. The global, long-term warming trend is “unambiguous,” it says, and there is “no convincing alternative explanation” that anything other than humans — the cars we drive, the power plants we operate, the forests we destroy — are to blame.

The report was approved for release by the White House, but the findings come as the Trump administration is defending its climate change policies. The United Nations convenes its annual climate change conference next week in Bonn, Germany, and the American delegation is expected to face harsh criticism over President Trump’s decision to walk away from the 195-nation Paris climate accord and top administration officials’ stated doubts about the causes and impacts of a warming planet.”