The News in Food

CARE to Find Aid Elsewhere (AllAfrica.com) African food aid organization Care has opted out of US food assistance programs, as our current system of shipping surplus commodities eats up money in the shipping and does little to affect the status quo. The organization points out a need to “think very carefully about the impact of trade liberalization, especially the potential effects of agricultural subsidies on poor farmers.” According to Oxfam, food emergencies in Africa tripled over the last twenty years, while aid for African agriculture programs fell from $1.7 billion (1990-1992) to $944 million (2000-2002) in just ten of those years.

Los Angeles Brand Carrots Recalled in Canada (Ethicurean) Nosher from the North tells us that Mexican-grown “Los Angeles Brand” carrots are being recalled in Canada, over 3,000 miles from where they’re grown. He points out a. the lack of need for imported carrots, even in chilly Canada, and b. the scary number of health warnings around food and the even scarier fact that they’re hardly ever widely discussed by the media.

Eat Well Guided Tour Rolling Along In less frightening food news, the Eat Well Guided Tour of America has left Montana and meandered through the Grand Tetons and will stop for one last evening in Wyoming tonight before heading out to Nebraska tomorrow. Check out that photo of the mushroom pie–recipe coming soon!