The Bayer-Monsanto merger has hit a roadblock in the U.S. The agribusiness giants have been waiting for the Department of Justice (DoJ) to approve the business coupling, but last week the department’s antitrust division revealed worries that the merger could hurt competition, and they don’t think Bayer’s proposed plan to sell off some businesses before the deal is finalized goes far enough.
In January, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced rules to protect children from exposure to some of the worst agricultural pesticides used in the state. The resulting half-mile buffer zones put into place around schools are a solid step forward; however, a huge loophole exists in the execution of the buffers.
Biochar is an emerging movement, full of potential but with many unknowns. Can it be a useful tool in sustainable agriculture?
The last few weeks have seen encouraging momentum around the world in protecting bees and other pollinators from harmful pesticides. Learn more
Ahna Kruzic is a community organizer turned communicator and writer from rural southern Iowa. As PAN’s Communications Director, Ahna is passionate about building communications and strategies to further PAN’s work for a just, thriving food and agriculture system. Ahna holds a Master of Science in sustainable agriculture and sociology from Iowa State University, and has worked as community organizer, researcher, coalition-builder, publisher, and communicator.
The last few weeks have seen encouraging momentum around the world in protecting bees and other pollinators from harmful pesticides. As bees are responsible for pollinating one out of every three bites of food we eat — making them key actors in our food system — this news is extremely welcome.
Indigenous peoples facing climate change are most often concerned with the food system, as there’s a long history of Native peoples being dispossessed of lands by industrial agricultural. Learn more
On the small, mixed-fruit orchard I farm along California's Central Coast, confused apple trees spurt scattered blossoms in December, signaling that the weather patterns of yesteryear are being replaced by something new. With increasing drought, heat and disease pressure, any farmer will attest to the challenging impacts of climate change these days.
National poll results released this week confirm that farmers across the country believe the merger of Bayer and Monsanto will be bad for farming and farm communities. As the Department of Justice considers its final decision regarding the merger, the poll demonstrates serious concern from farmers and some details about why many believe more consolidation will be harmful.
PAN board member Kyle Powys Whyte holds the Timnick Chair in the Humanities at Michigan State University. He is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Community Sustainability and a member of the Potawatomi Nation. PAN’s Executive Director Kristin Schafer recently chatted with Kyle about Indigenous food sovereignty and how PAN’s work intersects with his own.
