A conversation with Pulitzer Prize winner Diana Marcum
For many Californians – and many people around the nation – Diana Marcum has emerged as one of the key voices talking about the state’s punishing drought. A writer for …
Obama nominates Gayle Smith to lead USAID
President Obama has nominated senior White House official Gayle Smith as the next administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Smith, who has a background in international …
Calculating your water footprint
The California drought is dominating the news. Washington and Oregon have also declared drought emergencies. The list goes on. And the water situation is not likely to get better: “water …
Earlier this week, the Southern Foodways Alliance, an organization that “documents, studies, and celebrates” Southern food culture, received criticism for a blog post it published. In the post, SFA acknowledged …
#dessertworthy social campaign puts sweets in perspective
Pastry chef Emily Luchetti doesn’t think you should eat dessert every day. She’s concerned about over-consumption of sugar and the attendant issues of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Luchetti says, …
After months of talking up potential changes to the food stamp program (SNAP – supplemental nutrition assistance program), GOP congressional leaders are now indicating they will not to try to …
Salt, fat and sugar in Saudi Arabia
Recently, Pulitzer prize-winning author Michael Moss visited Saudi Arabia. He was not there to report on the arms race or war. Rather, he was there to attend a medical summit. …
Urban gardeners should test soil
The National Gardening Association reported last year that the number of Americans producing food in urban areas increased nearly 30 percent between 2008-2013. Anecdotally, many of us see evidence of …
Q&A: Andy Bellatti, Dietitians for Professional Integrity
“Change is inevitable. Whether you’re talking about the suffrage movement, civil rights, or marriage equality, history has shown that sustained advocacy brings change. It takes time, effort, and patience. And …
U.S. backs private equity for rural investment
Job creation and rural investment are key concerns of the Obama administration. Now, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce that the USDA “will support two private investment funds that will …