Methyl Bromide is Out. What’s Next for California’s Strawberry Industry?
Strawberries are California’s third-largest crop, with annual farm-gate sales of $2.5 billion. California strawberry growers have leaned heavily on methyl bromide – a fumigant – to kill soil-borne pests, including …
USDA Reports: Americans’ Eating Patterns and more
The USDA has one of the UC Food Observer’s favorite websites. Spend a few hours poking around and you’ll discover treasures galore, ranging from reports covering commodities and obesity to information about legislation/public policy, …
Q&A: Ricardo Salvador, Union of Concerned Scientists
“For example, when we say we want ‘good value’ in our products — that term is a euphemistic part of our language — we usually mean that we want to …
New study: WIC food improves preschool children’s diet quality
One in five American children entering elementary school is overweight, highlighting the critical need to improve the diets of younger children. And that makes the findings of a new research …
Q&A (part 2): Dr. Kenneth Quinn, diplomat and president, World Food Prize
“I explained how, in 1959, at the height of the Cold War and, arguably the most dangerous moment in human history, Nikita Khrushchev visited Iowa. A discussion he had with …
Q&A: Elliott Campbell, University of California Researcher
“A really powerful message that seemed obvious to me is that a chunk of the environmental sustainability community has dismissed local food as a distraction, yet leans heavily on the …
Why We Aren’t Eating Vegetables (It’s Not Why You May Think)
The UC Food Observer is pleased to welcome guest blogger Teresa O’Connor to this space. Teresa is an author, speaker and consultant. Trained as a Master Gardener in California and …
Essay: GM wheat trial fails … but science wins
About five years ago, a team of scientists at Rothamsted Research (located in England) “began breeding wheat that could be grown using fewer pesticides.” Their ultimate goal? To engineer “the wheat …
Curb your appetite: save bread for the end of the meal
Who can resist tucking into a basket of warm, yeasty bread (preferably with lots of butter) while waiting for their entree? (Raise your hand). But there’s a downside, as NPR …
Caffeine culture: UC undergrad research traces coffee’s route from farm to cup
For UC Santa Cruz undergraduate Katie Slocum, an espresso habit at Verve Coffee Roasters led to employment with the specialty coffee company. And that led to an innovative, award-winning research …