Since the days of Ronald Reagan, the Republican Party has avowed itself the defender of state and local rights in the face of an imperious federal government.

You may have seen that some news outlets have announced the defeat of Measure 92, the Oregon state ballot initiative to label genetically engineered foods, but the race to pass Measure 92 is still too close to call.

There are still thousands of votes left to be counted and right now the campaign is less than 6,900 votes from victory.

I was recently approached by a division of the publishing giant Condé Nast to participate in a video series examining issues related to food, agriculture, and the environment. I was told experts from a variety of disciplines, including representatives of the Monsanto Company, would participate. That was fine with me.

Governor Expected to Sign First No-Strings-Attached Law to Require Labeling for Genetically Engineered (GE) Foods

Vermont is on the cusp of history after the legislature just passed the nation’s first no-strings-attached bill to require labeling for genetically engineered (GE) foods.

If you're like me, then you are probably overwhelmed with emails and articles opining on the evils of Monsanto -- and for good reason. Monsanto is a chemical company that began genetically engineering seeds in order to sell more chemicals. The company's business model is based on privatizing life, privatizing our genetic heritage (seeds), and poisoning the Earth.

You may have noticed the impressive grassroots movement gathering steam lately over the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods.

The agricultural biotech industry -- well, let's call it what it really is: the chemical industry -- has gone on the offensive as never before with a set of slippery policy riders to the House Farm Bill.

The U.S.

We can only repair or heal the world through relationship. Since food is the most intimate relationship we have with the natural world around us, reestablishing a sustainable and humane relationship with our daily sustenance is a critical issue for all of us devoted to working for tikkun.

The challenge is great.

Many of you may have read press today reporting that the 7-1 decision announced by the Supreme Court this morning went entirely in Monsanto's favor, and have asked us to clarify this decision. Not to our surprise, Monsanto’s PR machine is working hard to overpower the truth in today's decision in the first-ever Supreme Court case on genetically engineered crops (Monsanto Co. v.

It should be no surprise that Monsanto's PR machine is working hard to spin the truth in this morning's decision in the first-ever Supreme Court case on genetically engineered crops (Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms).

It's finally happened. At last a government agency has rejected a genetically modified crop on the basis of a lack of conclusive scientific evidence that it is safe for consumers and the environment.

Thanksgiving is the holiday most associated with celebrating healthy and abundant food.

There is one fact about genetically engineered foods that there is no debate about: no one wakes up in the morning eager to buy gene-altered food. There's good reason for this. Genetically modified foods do nothing for the "eating public". They provide no extra nutrition, flavor, safety or any other trait that people actually want.

World leaders who met last month at the United Nations climate summit took stock of the sobering reality that a global pact on climate change very likely will not be achieved in Copenhagen this December. At the heart of this looming failure is money. Most of the proposed solutions to curb greenhouse gas emissions are costly, and funds are scarce.

When Michelle Obama created an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn earlier this year, the move was greeted with positive headlines and excitement among the food advocacy community.

The Obama administration came to Washington pledging to reinstate competence across all areas of government. Among their greatest challenges will be to restore the Food and Drug Administration's tattered reputation.

In Shakespearean literature, the doomed Romeo poisoned himself in a fatal demonstration of his love for the beautiful Juliet.

In the wake of the mortgage crisis, there's no doubt that the Bush Administration's lack of a coherent regulatory plan and its subsequent mishandling of events paved the way for a dramatic, and deeper, economic collapse. Acute observers noted that the President's laissez faire approach to regulation extended to nearly every federal agency and program.

Subdued approval greeted President-elect Obama's choice of Tom Vilsack for Secretary of Agriculture last week. This came from mainstream environmental groups, such as Sierra Club, and even organizations that have been critical in the past of the Iowa governor's policies.

Summer's longer sun-filled days lead to visions of leisurely outdoor dinners and weekend picnics.

This Mother's Day, as you give and receive the boxes of candy that are so much a part of the holiday, enjoy those luscious chocolate covered crèmes, nougats and truffles. There's no denying that chocolate is the taste of Mother's Day, but this may very well be your year for worry-free Mother's Day candy, and I'm not referring to calorie count.