EJToday is SEJ's selection of new and outstanding stories on environmental topics in print and on the air, updated every weekday. SEJ also offers a free e-mailed digest of the day's EJToday postings, called SEJ-beat. SEJ members are subscribed automatically, but may opt out here. Non-members may subscribe here. EJToday is also available via RSS feed. Please see Editorial Guidelines for EJToday content.
Uptick in Animal Antibiotic Use; Resistance Remains Issue in Meat
Food Safety News, 02/08/2013"The use of antibiotics in food animal production slightly increased and antibiotic resistant bacteria in meat products remained an issue 2011, according to two sets of data released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday."
"Veggies To Blame For Majority Of Foodborne Illnesses"
TIME, 01/31/2013"Did you have a nasty case of food poisoning this year? Chances are that fruit or vegetables were the culprit."
"PepsiCo Drops Brominated Chemical From Gatorade"
EHN, 01/28/2013"PepsiCo Inc. will remove a controversial chemical that is added to orange Gatorade in response to customer complaints. Outcry over the chemical, known as brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, had been building over the past year."
"Quinoa: Good, Evil, Or Just Really Complicated?"
Mother Jones, 01/28/2013"'Can vegans stomach the unpalatable truth about quinoa?,' thunders the headline of a recent Guardian piece. Hard to say, but reality check: It isn't just vegans who enjoy quinoa. Like many occasional meat eaters I know, I've been eating it for years. Quinoa is also big among gluten-intolerant omnivores. So quinoa's truth—unpalatable or not—isn't just for its vegan fans to bear."
"BPA Ban Approved for Maine Food Packages"
Portland Press Herald, 01/25/2013"A state board votes to bar the chemical from baby products' containers. The Legislature has the final say."
"First Global Assessment of Land and Water 'Grabbing'"
Science Daily/U.Va., 01/23/2013"As world food and energy demands grow, nations and some corporations increasingly are looking to acquire quality agricultural land for food production. Some nations are gaining land by buying up property -- and accompanying water resources -- in other, generally less wealthy countries."
"Traces of Melamine From Dinnerware Can Seep Into Food, Study Says"
LA Times, 01/22/2013"Serving hot food on melamine tableware could increase your exposure to melamine, a study released Monday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine suggests."
"Farm Bill Extension Evidence Of Ag Sector's Lost Political Clout"
AP, 01/04/2013"WASHINGTON -- A patchwork extension of federal farm programs passed as part of a larger 'fiscal cliff' bill keeps the price of milk from rising but doesn't include many of the goodies that farm-state lawmakers are used to getting for their rural districts."
Washington State Proposal Would Require Genetically Modified Label
AP, 01/04/2013"Any food sold in Washington state and made with genetically engineered crops would have to be labeled under a ballot initiative submitted Thursday."
"Farmer Cites Religious Issues in Raw Milk Case"
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 01/03/2013"A Sauk County [Wisc.] farmer headed for trial on criminal charges related to the sale of raw milk has rejected a plea bargain that could have kept him out of jail and has raised religious freedom objections in the case."
Maryland Law Banning Arsenic in Chicken Feed Takes Effect
Wash Post, 01/02/2013"With the new year, Maryland becomes the first state to ban the use of additives containing arsenic in chicken feed, a practice already prohibited by Canada and the European Union."
"Climate Change Threatens French Wine"
Global Post, 01/02/2013"PARIS, France -- From rising shorelines to devastating hurricanes, the visible effects scientists say climate change is wreaking on daily life no longer surprise many people around the world. The French have their own take on just how radically life may change."
"Genetically Altered Salmon Are Safe, FDA Says"
Wash Post, 12/24/2012"Salmon that has been genetically engineered to grow twice as fast as its natural counterpart inched a little closer toward the nation’s dinner tables on Friday."
"Livestock Must Be Tagged in USDA Plan to Trace Mad Cow Disease"
Bloomberg, 12/21/2012"Most livestock moved across state lines will have to be identified and tracked under a U.S. Department of Agriculture rule that aims to rapidly trace diseased animals to their origin."
Brominated Drinks: "Dude, What's This Stuff Doing in My Gatorade?"
EHN, 12/19/2012"Sarah Kavanagh isn't your ordinary 15-year-old. Sure, the Hattiesburg High School sophomore rides the bus to school and participates in all the typical activities -- everything from Spirit Girls to forensics club. But this Mississippi teen also is behind an online petition to remove a potentially toxic chemical from sodas and sports drinks that are popular with her friends and family."

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