Friday, August 28, 2015

Bits of good news

In case you missed them

SCHOOL MEALS


"BATTLE CREEK, MICH. – A new national survey commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) shows that people in the United States overwhelmingly support current efforts to keep school meals healthy. Among the key findings:
  • 86 percent support today’s school nutrition standards, which are helping more than 31 million kids get their daily nutrition through healthy school meals;
  • 88 percent support government-funded farm to school programs, which help supply school cafeterias with local, fresh produce."
In addition, those surveyed note the improvement in school lunches.

WASTE


French Supermarkets have a year to contract with charities to recover their food waste.
But - the BBC cites stats from the French Ministry of Ecology:
Apparently we in the USA are not alone in our wasteful household ways. And here I thought the French were different.

HUNGER

Food hardship rates are down nationally and in many states, overall the lowest they have been since this data collection effort began in 2008. http://frac.org/pdf/food-hardship-rate-by-state-first-half-2015.pdf


FOOD PRICES


Earlier this week a friend posted on Facebook this stat: egg prices here are up. $3.61 versus $1.45 per dozen a year ago. I pointed out that less than $4 per 1 1/2 pounds of animal protein is still reasonable. The bird flu epidemic in the midwest combined with drought caused higher prices for chicken feed (it's not chicken feed anymore!) and the effects of Prop 2 (anti-CAFOs) have combined in this effect. Personally, I think the chickens are happier, and so am I to be paying what seems like a fair price for their labors. You go girls! 
(Actually, I buy from a neighbor, or Clover organic, so pay a little more.)