Multiple lines of evidence point to consumer food choices as major contributors to diet-related disease, and poor health and fitness. In a peer-reviewed journal article published today, authors Chuck Benbrook and Robin Mesnage cite studies indicating that “Some 90% of…
HHRA and ORG-Tracker, represented by Dr. Chuck Benbrook and Dr. Brian Baker, submitted comments to the Agricultural Marketing Service at the USDA in advance of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting in Portland, Oregon, from October 22nd to 24th,…
As 2022 comes to a close, HHRA is happy to report progress on all fronts. We share some highlights from 2022 and describe what we hope to accomplish in 2023-2025. A NEW MISSION AND VISION As a part of our…
Advocates calling for change in US Ag Inc often struggle to point to successful models through which farming and food chains have evolved toward safer and more sustainable production systems. The surest way to largely eliminate the impacts of prenatal…
By Mark Lipson, HHRA's Director of Policy and Regulatory Engagement September 25th marked the close of public comments on a historic petition to EPA calling for an end to organophosphate (OP) pesticide applications on food crops. Twelve groups led by…
Have you heard: A new study has reported that one-half of the residents in high-density, low-income public housing in New York State apply pesticides inside their apartments at least once per week? No wonder then that 85% of pregnant African…
AgriPulse is a daily must-read subscription newsletter for ag and food professionals, policy wonks and business leaders. It’s “Daybreak” feature for October 27, 2021 ends with this quote in their “She Said It” section: “Food insecurity is a policy choice.…
In the mid-1980s when I was the Executive Director of the Board on Agriculture in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), I had the privilege of working with some of the nation’s top weed scientists who had already become concerned…
By Tom Green, HHRA Board Chair and Charles Benbrook, Executive Director In the late 1990s Wisconsin soybean farmers eagerly adopted the Roundup Ready (RR) system of weed management. About 40% of the State’s soybean crop was planted to RR soybeans. On 70% of…
Scientific uncertainty and controversy go hand-in-hand in our nation’s efforts to prevent adverse public health and environmental impacts from the pesticides applied by farmers, ranchers, foresters, landscapers, and groundskeepers. Significant progress has been made in the sciences supporting pesticide risk…