Big Ag’s Gifts for 2018
Our tradition continues this holiday season as we remind ourselves of the many “gifts” Big Ag has provided us in the last 12 months. Can we return to sender? Here’s our top five for 2018. #5 - Big Ag Keeps…
Our tradition continues this holiday season as we remind ourselves of the many “gifts” Big Ag has provided us in the last 12 months. Can we return to sender? Here’s our top five for 2018. #5 - Big Ag Keeps…
The holiday season is upon us and after all the preparations, parties and family traditions, we know it’s hard to keep in mind how to make this year’s celebrations more environmentally sustainable. To get some helpful advice, we’ve asked friend…
Hurricane Matthew, which devastated Haiti on its way to the United States, caused significant damage and casualties across Florida, South Carolina and Georgia. But it hit North Carolina hard, with the flooding resulting in at least 17 deaths in the state and stranding over 1,500 people. Some of the hardest hit were family farmers, particularly in rural areas. According to the National Weather Service, the damage isn’t over yet: Major flooding could continue into next week.
A Greener World, which operates the Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Grassfed by AGW and Certified Non-GMO by AGW labels, has already received many urgent requests for help from farmers who have lost livestock, barns and shelter, tons of feed and essential equipment. Many are still without power. We expect the number to grow as people are able to return to affected areas and truly assess the damage.
After years of delays, the U.S. National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has finally agreed the organic standards should encompass the treatment and welfare of animals. The big question is: will the proposed welfare standards actually change anything?
As detailed in the National Organic Program’s (NOP) Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices, the proposed welfare standards would introduce a range of new requirements on the living conditions of organic animals, including transportation, slaughter and minimum indoor and outdoor space requirements. The proposals are intended to address what many see as a long-standing—and gaping—hole in the U.S. organic standards concerning the welfare of animals on organic farms, not to mention the huge shortcoming in consumer expectations of what the “organic” label actually stands for.
At A Greener World, we’re always looking for positive solutions to help fix our food system, as well as ways to give farmers and ranchers the practical support and guidance they need to transition towards sustainable, pasture-based livestock production. Well, we have some exciting news to announce…
Farm Health Online is a powerful new website, offering free and immediate access to practical, science-based advice on positive livestock management and sustainable farming practices for cattle, sheep, poultry, and pigs, with comprehensive information on over 100 common livestock diseases, best practices on nutrition, housing, breeding and husbandry—and much more!