Don Carr

21 October

Hot Diggity: Plate of the Union

Written by Don Carr

Last week while I was lamenting the lack of a coherent “Food Party” to press candidates ahead of the first Democratic debate, a coalition of groups and food movement powerhouses were planning a full-on assault on the primary process. Plate of the Union launched yesterday with a press event that included Food Policy Action, the Union of...

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13 October

A Democratic Primary Debate “Food Party” Policy Questionnaire

Written by Don Carr

Let’s assume the nascent “good food” movement had its collective shit together enough to coalesce and organize into a coherent political force like the farm lobby. The Club for Growth has famously hamstrung conservative politicians with its tax pledge and its not out of the question to think someday the food movement could exercise...

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02 October

This Equals This

Written by Don Carr

Bad policy, politics and greed are big contributors to our current clean water woes. But as consumers we contribute, too. Farmers and food companies do response to demand. We’re the ones eating all that cheap meat after all. How effective would it be to slap this on billboards and buses in Toledo? The idea would...

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18 September

It’s Good to be the King

Written by Don Carr

There have been rumors of the demise of the farm lobby’s power. But recent events with agriculture check-offs suggest otherwise. Check-offs are government monitored promotion programs that siphon off money from farmers to pay for marketing and research. They are the money machine behind much of the ag and food sector’s marketing appeals, and sometimes sketchier efforts....

Ag Lobby, conservation, politics Comments are off

04 September

Ag Insider: Bird flu likely to return

Written by Don Carr

Guest writing the Ag Insider column for the Food and Environment Reporting Network this week. Here’s Monday’s, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and Thursday’s columns. Avian flu expected back in the fall This spring the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza epidemic tore through poultry farms across 15 U.S. states, leading to the death of 48 million birds. The bulk of those were egg-laying hens,...

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10 August

Walker Fails to Trump Bush’s Iowa Team in Farm Subsidies

Written by Don Carr

On Friday August 6th, the Republic of Awesome published a rundown of federal farm subsidies paid to presidential hopeful Jeb Bush’s Iowa “Farm Team.” Jeb’s team pulled in an impressive $9.2 million. The piece also looked at the implications of cozying up to the highly subsidized in a Republican primary field where being a...

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06 August

Jeb Bush’s Iowa Farm Team Harvested Millions in Ag Subsidies

Written by Don Carr

Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush announced his “Iowa Farm Team,” on Wednesday, July 30th. As reported by the Iowa Quad City Times’ Ed Tibbets: Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush on Thursday announced the endorsements of several farmers and other agriculture professions in Iowa. The campaign said the former Florida governor’s “Iowa Farm Team” would...

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31 July

Avian flu is hammering hens — should poultry farmers get a bailout?

Written by Don Carr

You may have noticed that the price of eggs has gone up. That’s partially due to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza epidemic that decimated poultry farms across 15 U.S. states this spring. The death toll from the flu and culling has surged to over 48 million birds. The bulk were egg-laying hens, many concentrated in massive...

#ROA, Republicofawesome Ag Lobby, Animal Welfare, farm subsidies Comments are off

25 June

Sweet Cornageddon

Written by Don Carr

The modern farm lobby has many similarities with the Republican Party like denying climate change and calling for the repeal of Obamacare in policy books. Until today, DC based ag lobbyists have largely adhered to a peace accord similar to the GOP 11th Amendment axiom made famous by Ronald Reagan to not attack other...

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22 June

Mercy for the Messenger

Written by Don Carr

Consumer preference for more ethical and healthy fare is driving change in food and farming. Animal welfare concerns are often at the heart of this change. Spurred by activists exposing cruel treatment of livestock, many operations have made welcome and humane improvements in how farm animals are handled. Still, it seems every week another...

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