The Economics of Farm Labor Shortages
Looking at farm labor shortages, people often scratch their heads, thinking, “Why can’t native-born Americans do that work? ”
Here’s why.
Articles by Marc Brazeau
Looking Back at 2018
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2018 FAFDL Thanksgiving Reader
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SNAP CHALLENGE GOURMET: Stepped Up Mac n’ Cheese
Trying to help a friend with diabetes, a shoestring budget, and press for time do better than boxed mac n’ cheese. This dump and stir recipe might not be health food, but it’s cheap and easy step in the right direction.
In Praise of Bt Corn and RoundUp Ready Soybeans
Don’t apologize for GMO commodity crops. Say it loud and proud: These are the biggest innovations in sustainable agriculture of the last three decades.
Milk, it’s whats for … wait, what exactly IS milk anyway?
The definition of skim milk seems like it should be pretty straightforward. Not so fast. There’s more at stake than meets the eye.
More at Stake in the Battle to Define Meat Than Meets the Eye
The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association is making a pre-emptive strike against potentially misleading marketing for the next wave of plant meat and other meat alternatives, but the definition is changing fast. Trying to define meat by production process doesn’t play well with where the industry would like to see biotech regulation reformed.
What Constitutes Good Nutrition Advice?
While affirming the conventional wisdom on What to Eat, two skilled health reporters diverge on What Not to Eat. The divergence underscores two different approaches to giving nutrition advice – outlining an optimal diet or emphasizing a few improvements that people will likely follow?
Home Meal Kits: Highbrow and Lowbrow
Today brings us new evidence that 2018 will find the home meal kit industry in flux and in search of successful business models in two bits of news.
Star Wars, Tatooine Fennel and a Parallax View of American Cuisine
Principle photography for Star Wars began in the Tunisian desert in March of 1976. Just as location scouts were tasked with finding an other worldly landscape, some clever prop master was given the task with creating prop food for a Tatooinian lunch.
The Farms Are Too Damn Small: The Small Farm Glut
A recent story in the Wall Street Journal on an increased reliance by small farmers in the Midwest on off-farm income highlights that we don’t have a shortage of farmers, we have glut of small farms.
Annals of Bad Health Reporting: Ultra-Processed Food Linked to Cancer
Eating highly processed foods may be associated with an increased risk of developing cancer, according to a new study published in The BMJ. The study was widely reported in the media – mostly uncritically. But there are a number of problems with the study’s design …
Further Fraying Food and Farm Coalitions
Monsanto sues the citizen’s Arkansas State Plant Board, Bunge partners with the Non-GMO Project, the GMA continues its collapse. They fraying of food and farm coalitions continues apace.
Follow Up Thoughts on The Death Throes of the Anti-GMO Movement
Does the proliferation of Non-GMO labels represent a serious obstacle to progress in agriculture or are they just a hazy clean food fad that will pass soon enough. I think it’s a fad that I wouldn’t worry too much about.
Superbowl Snack: Bacon and Eggs
This easy to make crowd pleaser is a remix of a classic combination.
Conservation Cooking: 13 Bean Chili
Consider using a 13 bean blend in your Superbowl Chili for chili that encourages diverse rotations and nitrogen fixation.
2018 Predictions: Fraying Food and Ag Coalitions
As consumer preferences and values have shifted over the last decade, tensions and fault lines in the various food producer and ag coalitions have come to a head. Expect more shake ups and betrayals in 2018.
2018 Predictions: The Death Throes of the Anti-GMO Movement
The ability of the anti-GMO movement to frame the debate in mainstream venues has been waning. Is 2018 the year they return to the fringe?
2018 Predictions: GMOs 2.0, a turning point
Three new biotech products recently hit the market that have the potential to steer the GMO debate in more productive directions.
2018 Predictions: This Year Will Be an Inflection Point for Home Meal Delivery
Home meal kit is delivery brittle business model for solving a resilient problem. Look for the herd to be culled and the beginnings of a new model by year’s end.