Welcome to FERN’s Friday Feed (#FFF), where we share the stories from this week that made us stop and think.
The Intercept
The European Union banned neonicotinoids, a common insecticide, because of their role in the decimation of bee populations. But in the U.S., “industry dug in, seeking not only to discredit the research [on neonicotinoids] but to cast pesticide companies as a solution to the problem,” writes Lee Fang. “The stunningly successful campaign has kept most neonic products in wide circulation in commercial agriculture as well as in home gardens. The result is a world awash in neonics — and massive profits for companies such as Syngenta and Bayer.”
The history of wacky chip flavors
The Guardian
British chip makers have experimented with a variety of flavors over the past several decades, from the always-popular onion and cheese, to a raspberry bellini experiment that, perhaps unsurprisingly, flopped. “How is it possible that, in 60 years, British shops have gone from selling one crisp flavour to selling hundreds – and why are seasonings becoming more unusual?” asks Amelia Tait. Perhaps it’s an affordable luxury during “economically uncertain times.”
FERN Talks & Eats NYC – Surf ‘n’ Turf
Panel: Can our seafood survive Big Ag and climate change?
As oceans warm, our major fisheries are shifting. At the same time, farm runoff is contributing to dead zones from the Gulf of Mexico to Long Island. Both of these issues – climate change and farming practices – affect the health of ocean ecosystems and, ultimately, the seafood that winds up on our plates.
Come to our panel discussion Feb. 10, 2020, 7:30 p.m., at Subculture in New York City. VIP reception with drinks and bites beforehand. Information and early bird tickets.
The New Yorker
This winter, years after Roberto, a soup, was born in Helen Rosner’s kitchen and sent out into the world via digital technology, he “exploded,” she writes. “I’m still not entirely sure why. Maybe we’re all chronicling our dinner more than we used to, or maybe this year’s winter demands beans and kale more than other winters, or maybe the fickle gods of virality decided that, Hey, right now, we’re all going to be really into this three-year-old soup recipe with a silly name, buried in a newsletter archive. The end result, however we got here, is that, every day, people are telling me that they’ve made my soup, and that they really like it.”
A word, or two, on the future of farming
The Daily Yonder
“For over 50 years the future I’ve seen in farming has been closing windows of opportunity shaded by corporate money grabs,” writes Richard Oswald. “Once lauded for their expertise in livestock production, my great grandfathers, my grandfathers, and my father sold into competitive hog and cattle markets that were open to all. They made good sales and coulda-been-better sales, but supply and demand, quality, and timeliness determined the price and profits they received. Today it’s all but impossible to raise hogs or poultry as a big (or any other size) independent farmer. U.S. cattle producers have a better chance, but with just four multinationals comprising 85% of the cattle market, the future is plain to see.”
To scale, fake meat may need a boost from Big Meat
Grist
As fake meat’s popularity grows, the companies making faux animal products may need help from the very Big Meat companies they aim to overtake. “This explosion of alternative meat is driven by a mix of environmental consciousness — raising livestock is a major contributor to climate change — and economic opportunity,” writes Andrew Zaleski. But in order to grow to scale, alt-meat makers will need “friends in high places — friends, perhaps, in the very industry they’re trying to disrupt.”