Sep 18, 2009 -
Some legislation, like healthcare reform, might take a little more work for the White House to push through, but other initiatives, like the White House farmers market, are happening virtually overnight. Less than a month ago President Obama revealed that he and the first lady were looking into holding a farmers market outside the White House — and the plan's already come to fruition. At the opening of the FreshFarm market yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Washington DC mayor Adrian Fenty spoke to a crowd of about 300 shoppers about the importance of eating healthy, local food.
- 4 Comments
Sep 01, 2009 -
Beginning today, a Vermont law recognizing gay marriage goes into effect — and, to celebrate, ice cream company Ben & Jerry's is renaming popular seller "Chubby Hubby." The new name? "Hubby Hubby."
- 22 Comments
Aug 21, 2009 -
In March, Alice Waters and other supporters of the local food movement thought they'd finally gotten what they wanted when the Obamas announced the planting of an organic garden in the White House. But yesterday reformers were pleasantly shocked when President Obama announced his hopes to set up a farmers market at the White House. At the Organizing for America National Health Care Forum on Thursday, Barack Obama revealed that he and the first lady are looking into the idea of a farmers market outside the White House that would sell food from the White House garden or other local farmers: "One of the things that we’re trying to do now is to figure out, can we get a little farmers’ market — outside of the White House .
- 8 Comments
Aug 14, 2009 -
If you've got a sweet tooth, you may be forced to reckon with a bitter truth. In a letter sent to US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, several of the country's largest food companies, including General Mills, Kraft, Hershey, and Mars, said the United States could "virtually run out of sugar" if the government doesn't let up on sugar import limits.
To keep prices within reason for domestic sugar farmers, the government only allows unlimited sugar imports from the Mexican market without paying tariffs.
- 8 Comments
Jul 27, 2009 -
North Korea doesn't merely have beef with the US government — it's also taken issue with America's most iconic food: the hamburger. Although the communist regime and its authoritarian leader, Kim Jong-Il, have long banned any cultural influences considered to be "US imperialist," the country opened its first-ever fast-food restaurant last month. The only thing that won't be served?
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Jun 01, 2009 -
The first couple have continued to convey political messages about food with their recent dining choices. The Obamas spent Saturday evening in Manhattan, where they dined at James Beard Award-winning chef Dan Barber's restaurant Blue Hill before catching a Broadway show.
Within hours, news sites were awash with commentary on the first couple's romantic dinner.
- 24 Comments
May 07, 2009 -
If you've been preparing to mourn the loss of Roquefort cheese, we've got good news for you: Yesterday, the United States struck a deal with the European Union, agreeing to drop its proposed tariff on Roquefort cheese, and products like Spanish ham and Italian mineral water.
The stink over taxes first began 10 years ago with a European Union ban on hormone-treated American beef, yet over the last few months, the controversy has heated back up. Before leaving office, President Bush proposed a 300 percent tariff on the pungent blue cheese from France.
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Apr 24, 2009 -
After embittered battles this year over Roquefort, beef, and Coca-Cola, France has decided it needs to show the rest of the world some love. Concerned that outsiders perceive two of France's top exports, wine and cheese, to be unapproachable, the French government, with the help of local producers, has agreed to spend $2.1 million to sponsor cocktail parties in 19 different countries. While many events around the globe will take place in large convention centers, the program in the US will be different.
- 1 Comment
Mar 19, 2009 -
For months now the US and France have been engaged in a stinky war over taxes on Roquefort, the pungent blue cheese from the south of France. The 300 percent import duty, which President George W. Bush enacted right before he left office, was scheduled to take effect March 23.
- 7 Comments
Jan 23, 2009 -
France and the United States are engaged in another food war, and this time it's not over fries. The French government was infuriated by the legacy that President George W. Bush implemented right before leaving office: enacting a colossal tax on France's prized Roquefort cheese.
- 12 Comments