GM maize has ‘polluted rivers across the United States’
The Independent - 9/28/2010.By Steve Connor – An insecticide used in genetically modified (GM) crops grown extensively in the United States and other parts of the world has leached into the water of the surrounding environment. The insecticide is the product of a bacterial gene inserted into GM maize and other cereal crops to protect them against insects such as the European corn borer beetle. Scientists have detected the insecticide in a significant number of streams draining the great corn belt of the American mid-West. |
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Americans come in first (in obesity, of course)
The Atlantic - 9/27/2010.By Marion Nestle – OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), a group of 33 countries "committed to democracy and the market economy," has just released a major report on obesity. Its main conclusion? The United States population has the highest percentage of overweight and obesity in the democratic, market-economy world. |
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Meet your local cheese makers
Kennebec Journal - 9/27/2010. By Mechele Cooper – Jean Koons will be handing out samples of her semi-soft and hard cheeses made of organic milk from a neighbor's grass-fed Jerseys on Open Creamery Day. This is the fourth year Koons and her husband, Peter – who own and operate The Kennebec Cheesery in Sidney – will participate in the annual agricultural day set aside to promote Maine cheeses. |
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Record crowds flock to Common Ground fair
Bangor Daily News - 9/27/2010. By Abigail Curtis – Unity: A larger-than-normal number of farmers, families, hippies and others came by bike, train and – of course – Subaru to this weekend’s 34th annual Common Ground Country Fair to celebrate rural living the Maine way. According to Melissa White-Pillsbury of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, 15,000 folks came to the fair on Friday and a record-breaking 27,000 came on Saturday. |
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