Farm Subsidy Reform Now!
Tomorrow (Wed., Sept. 12), lobbyists for subsidized agriculture will hold a rally on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to pass a farm bill – any farm bill, even the terrible one produced by the House...
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Research
Toxic Beaches
Either toxic algae or potentially dangerous fecal bacteria forced the closure of at least 116 U.S. beaches this spring and summer and triggered health warnings at 162 more, according to a new analysis by the Environmental Working Group.
11 Champions
Everyone who eats should take a moment to thank 11 senators who proposed farm bill amendments designed to ensure that our farm and food policies help more farmers, the environment and the hungry at...
2012 Farm Bill: Crop Insurance - The Secret, Flawed & Expensive Safety Net
The cost to taxpayers of the current crop insurance system has soared from $2.4 billion in 2001 to nearly $9 billion in 2011 as a result of high commodity prices and the generous premium subsidies...
2012 Farm Bill: Conservation and the Environment
America's water, soil and wildlife habitat have never been under greater assault from the ravages of modern industrial agriculture. And since industrial crop production is exempt from most federal...
The Farm Subsidy Jackpot
Critics of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (previously known as food stamps) claim some recipients are wrongly receiving benefits after winning lottery jackpots. SNAP...
Research
Case Study: Iowa Cities Struggle to Keep Farm Pollution Out of Tap Water
The Raccoon River in central Iowa runs through one of the most intensely farmed regions of the nation. Agriculture is vital to the area's economy, but polluted runoff from farms poses an acute threat to residents' tap water – and a daunting challenge to utilities struggling to keep the water clean.
Wastewater Injection Made Faults More Vulnerable to Distant Earthquakes
A new study has added powerful new support to the growing evidence that deep underground injections of wastewater from hydraulic fracturing or other drilling activity has made some areas of the U.S...
Rate Your Plate Series: Natural vs. Artificial Flavors
“Natural flavor” is the fourth most common ingredient listed in EWG's Food Scores, which rates more than 80,000 foods on their degree of nutrition, ingredient concerns and processing concerns. But...
Research
Nitrate in U.S. Tap Water May Cause More Than 12,500 Cancers a Year
Nitrate pollution of U.S. drinking water may be responsible for up to 12,594 cases of cancer a year, at a cost of up to $1.5 billion for health care, according to a new peer-reviewed study by the Environmental Working Group
Can’t Handle the Food Truth?
Food industry lobbyists are none too pleased with EWG's new scoring system for foods
Top Ten Food Fights Facing the Obama Administration and Congress
Food policy decisions pending before Congress and the Obama administration could set the table for decades of better eating – or more leftovers.
Rate Your Plate Series: Should You Worry About Arsenic in Rice?
EWG scientists have concluded that consumers should shop vigilantly, choosing foods selectively to lower their chances of consuming excessive arsenic. That's why EWG's Food Score flags arsenic as a...
Research
Cover Crops: Reducing Farm Runoff While Saving Soil
In the summer, millions of lush green acres of corn and soybeans blanket the Midwest. Come fall, many harvesters scrape crop fields until they are black and barren, exposing large swaths of vulnerable land to heavy rains, melting snow and powerful winds. Until the following year's planting, soils laden with toxic farm chemicals are left to wash downstream, where they may contaminate sources of
Rate Your Plate Series: Food or Food-ish?
If you're reading this, you probably don't want to eat mystery chemicals. And you'd like to eat food, not food-ish stuff full of synthetics. But which food chemicals are most important to avoid? EWG's...
Congress Plays Scrooge With Our Land and Water
In what has become an annual ritual, Congress unveiled this week a massive spending bill to keep the government going, which includes provisions that would cut hundreds of millions of dollars from...
Ethanol Production and Profits Are Through the Roof
Corn ethanol production has soared to record heights this year, and with large harvests and low corn prices, that means record profits for the industry. Yet even with ethanol refiners making money...
Reducing Water Pollution Would Generate Billions in Economic Activity
Cleaner water in the Chesapeake Bay could mean billions of dollars in economic growth for the region.
Remembering Theo Colborn: The Rachel Carson of My Generation
Dr. Theo Colborn was the Rachel Carson of a generation of environmentalists who work on toxic chemicals, pollution and health. She inspired hard work, inventive investigation and courage across the...
Enviroblog’s Top 10 Stories of 2014
From the EWG staff, our picks for the Top 10 Enviroblog stories that had the most impact on Americans' environmental health in 2014.
FDA Clears BPA In Cans, Again
The federal Food and Drug Administration has quietly reaffirmed its position that Americans are not being harmed by bisphenol A, a synthetic estrogen that is an essential ingredient of the epoxy...
Senator Formaldehyde’s ‘Chemical Safety’ Bill
These days, legislation rarely makes it through Congress without support from interest groups on both sides of the issue, forcing lawmakers to draft bills that are largely balanced. Now, however, the...
Subsidizing the Wealthiest Farmers in the Hungriest Counties
Did you know that many counties with the highest rates of food stamp users are also home to recipients of huge farm subsidies?
California Needs Corn Ethanol Reform
The federal requirement to blend nearly 14 billion gallons of corn ethanol into gasoline – more than the system can physically absorb – is slowing the nation's transition to low carbon fuels, harming...
