The Year Food Was Totally Schizoid: Growing Local Takes Off, As Giant Agribiz Becomes More Dominant.By Ari LeVaux, AlterNet. Posted December 27, 2009."In the battle between Big Ag and Small Food there were notable victories on either side...As 2009 closes out, the dominant issues in the world of food could be lumped into two competing paradigms that have framed much of the decade. In one corner we have Big Food: factory farms, fast food restaurants, mystery meat, biotechnology and other examples of when the economics of scale are applied to how we feed ourselves. In the other corner is Small Food, whose players include farmers' markets, ecology-based agriculture and seasonal diets of minimally processed food."The Full Story

A lot of students and teachers from the USA participated in our study tours. They met many people dedicated to protecting Crete’s heritage -- botanists, geologists, historians, mountaineers, musicians, community-based tourism directors, ecolodge owners, herbalists, organic farmers, artisan food producers and chefs. They discovered a little bit about Crete’s culture and nature and enjoyed fresh and local cuisine along the way. One class filmed their adventures with us for our documentary. Stay tuned!http://www.cookingincrete.com/CCS-Newslett...inter-2009.html

NGOs Review Gate's Initiative for AfricaStan Okenwa, 5 November 2009A coalition of leading environmental pressure groups in Nigeria who met recently in Abuja to study the development initiative of US billionaire Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), land grabs and non-ecological agriculture have recommended that Africa should not be a dumping ground for unverified technologies such as genetically modified crops.Participants drawn from around the continent rose in unison to declare the need to build knowledge and resistance to land grabs on the continent and other non-ecological agriculture that threaten African agriculture and food sovereignty.The full story:http://allafrica.com/stories/200911050463.html

“Fair Food: Field to Table” is a multimedia presentation promoting a more socially just food system in the U.S. It was created by California Institute for Rural Studies and Rick Nahmias Photography.Through the stories and voices of farmworkers, growers, businesses and fair food advocates, viewers learn about the harsh realities of farmworker conditions and, more importantly, the promise of improved farm labor practices in American agriculture. The growing movement for “fair food” is tapping into rising consumer demand for food produced in accordance with their values.More info and video links: http://www.fairfoodproject.org/main/

FOR-PROFIT SEEDS HURTING FARMERS, BIODIVERSITYSOURCE: Inter Press Service, ItalyAUTHOR: Haider RizviURL: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=48976DATE: 10.23.2009FOR-PROFIT SEEDS HURTING FARMERS, BIODIVERSITYArticle Excerpt:UNITED NATIONS, Oct 23 (IPS) - Large biotechnology firms are not only depriving poor farmers of inputs essential for their livelihoods, but are also pushing up food prices, according to a new U.N. report.”Excessive protection of intellectual property rights in agriculture is an obstacle rather than an incentive for innovation,” says Olivier De Schutter, the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food, who authored the report released Tuesday.In ”Seed Policies and the Right to Food”, presented to the General Assembly body tasked with discussing human rights issues, De Schutter pointed out that the world’s proprietary seed trade is dominated by a mere 10 companies.There are currently two ways for farmers to access seeds - storing them from one year to the next and exchanging them locally, or depending on commercial systems that market...

Join us in Crete for an exciting series of seminars:April 19 - 25, 2010: Celebration of the International Year of BiodiversityFor avid outdoor adventurers and organic food lovers. Join us in celebrating the fascinating geology, botany and cultural-culinary heritage of Crete. May 24-29, 2010: The Magnificent West and Cuisine from the Ground UpDiscover Crete's natural beauty and organic food production along with cooking demos and classes.Before we head to the kitchen, we’ll meet the people that produce our excellent ingredients. Space is very limited. Contact CCS for more information. www.cookingincrete.com

From The Nation Magazine, September 21, 2009 IssueA series of articles on food safety, production, environmental issueshttp://www.thenation.com/doc/20090921The question is -- when will this info sink in? If sustainable organic farmers continue to struggle, how long can they wait for everyone to support their work?

Joel Salatin, farmer, author and lecturer, is honored as a Heinz Award recipient for creating alternative, environmentally-friendly farming techniques, spawning a movement towards local, sustainable agriculture that has been replicated by family farms around the country. Mr. Salatin has developed a new paradigm for agriculture by successfully challenging the commercial production of chicken and beef by food industry giants. His pioneering agricultural practices inextricably and beautifully interweave a food system with the land and have been embraced by farmers nationally. At Polyface Farm, Mr. Salatin’s 550 acres of rolling Virginia hills in the Central Shenandoah Valley, he raises beef, sheep, chickens, pigs, rabbits and turkeys in a complex rotation based on the intricate relationships of these animals to one another and to the grass that is at the basis of the farm’s food chain. The full article: http://www.heinzawards.net/recipients/joel_salatin

From Biodiversity International - 2009 AwardsPanagiotis Sainatoudis is the coordinator of Peliti, one of the most important non governmental organizations in Greece whose aim is to rescue and distribute local crop varieties to growers. Peliti (‘oak tree’ in the Pontic Greek dialect) also deals with the registration of native rural animals. To date, roughly 1,500 varieties of vegetables, cereals etc. have been collected and distributed to approximately 30,000 amateur and professional farmers around Greece. Peliti also oversees an annual Pan Hellenic Feast for the exchange of local varieties.The full story: http://www.bioversityinternational.org/new...iterranean.htmlPeliti's website: www.peliti.gr

Crete, Greece, August 27, 2009: Crete’s Culinary Sanctuaries, the award-winning educational travel program noted for best practices in Responsible Travel, will offer a blueprint for implementing similar programs from October 11-18, 2009, for professionals in tourism, conservation, agriculture, and the culinary arts. Attendees will travel with specialists to historic sites and villages, organic farms and nature reserves for presentations on heritage preservation, and building mutually beneficial relations between local populations and the tourist trade. CCS Founder, Nikki Rose, says “Crete is blessed with fascinating history, natural beauty and excellent fresh food. There is much to celebrate and protect. The roots of the Mediterranean Diet originated in Crete. CCS programs help to support people striving to preserve their lifestyle and share their valuable knowledge in mutually beneficial ways.” CCS Seminars include organic olive oil and wine tastings, cooking demos, botanical hikes, traditional music and other activities celebrating Crete's distinctive heritage. Doctors, nutritionists,...