Regenerative and organic farmers have never needed you more!

The Trump Administration has been crashing a wrecking ball into the U.S. Department of Agriculture all year. Now it wants us to believe that two cents is more than one dollar because two is more than one.

After refusing to disburse $6.062 billion appropriated by Congress for family farmers adopting regenerative agriculture practices and serving local markets, we’re now supposed to celebrate because it is earmarking $700 million for regenerative agriculture.

This is money Congress appropriated for two regenerative agriculture programs (the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program) with a total annual budget of $4.515 billion. So, $3.815 billion (84 percent) of EQIP and CSP funds will be going to factory farms and pesticide-drenched genetically modified field crops.

Admittedly, Trump’s USDA isn’t the first to misappropriate these funds, but it is the first to celebrate it.

TAKE ACTION! Remind Congress: It Appropriated $4.5B for Regenerative, It Can’t Let USDA Only Give It $700M!

We are excited to announce that another Regeneration International’s certificate on- line course, running February 16 – March 17 is being taught by Prof. Dr. André Leu, in conjunction with South Seas University.

This 5-week foundational (101) training provides a coherent introduction to the concepts and practices that underpin regenerative land management and agroecological systems and blends regenerative agriculture, organic farming, and agroecology into a practical, science-based program that empowers you to design productive, climate-resilient farming systems.

It combines global perspectives, essential principles, and practical strategies so you can:

* Understand how to build healthy soils and thriving plant communities

* Apply regenerative practices that restore ecosystems and biodiversity

* Strengthen farms, landscapes, and communities with climate resilience

* Grow your confidence to act — whether in farming, research, policy, or advocacy

Whether you’re improving an existing farm, launching a new project, or advancing sustainable practices in your community, this certificate gives you tools, credibility, and global insight to make a real impact.

Register here

Danielle Enblom, Organic Consumers Association:

One of the last intact ancient temperate rainforest watersheds on Vancouver Island is being clear-cut for profit. These forests, home to centuries-old western red cedars, Douglas firs, and Sitka spruce, support wildlife, regulate water systems, and store immense amounts of carbon that cannot be replaced once lost.

On the ground, land defenders and First Nations Elders are working to protect what remains, even as logging proceeds under government approval. The destruction of this watershed is not accidental or unavoidable; it is the result of policy choices that continue to prioritize extraction over long-term ecological protection.

While the British Columbia government presents itself as a leader on climate and sustainability, it has approved logging in one of the rarest forest ecosystems left in North America. Much of the ancient wood being harvested will be exported for pulp or burned as biomass fuel, benefiting a small number of corporations while undermining climate commitments.

Read the full article to learn why this watershed matters, how Indigenous leaders and forest protectors are responding, and what you can do today to demand an end to old-growth and primary forest logging

Follow the Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek Blockade Facebook page

by Ben Martynoga, The Guardian:

“Replacing annual plants with perennial varieties would massively reduce agriculture’s environmental impact. Soil erosion would drop; perennials would instead build soil health, limiting runoff of nutrients and toxic farm chemicals, cutting fertilizer and pesticide use, and storing climate-heating carbon within farm soils.

There is just one problem. Reliable, high-yielding perennial grain crops barely exist.

The inspiration for the Land Institute’s push to develop perennial grains came from its founder, Wes Jackson, 89. For Jackson, the health of soils that generate 95% of human calories should be a primary concern for all civilizations. ‘Soil is more important than oil,’ he says in a recent documentary. ‘Soil is as much of a non-renewable resource as oil. Start there, and ask: ‘What does that require of us?’”

Jackson hit upon an answer during a visit to a native prairie reserve in Kansas in the late 1970s

Sustainable Pulse:

“A new report finds that four major groups of toxic chemicals, including phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides and PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, are imposing up to $3 trillion a year in preventable health care and environmental damage around the world. These hazardous substances are used at every stage of the food system, from fertilizers and pesticides in the field to processing and packaging, and contribute to disease, reproductive harm, ecosystem degradation, and long-term economic instability.

The analysis shows the true cost of chemical pollution is massive and argues that stronger regulation and safer alternatives could dramatically cut these harms and protect public health.
This important report presents enormous amounts of scientific evidence on the harms of toxic chemicals to build a clear case for action. Through case studies, it demonstrates from empirical, real-world experience that regulation works, that reduction of exposure to toxic chemicals is possible, and that exposure reduction prevents disease and saves lives. It shows that consumer chemicals, especially those to which children are intimately exposed, require the same level of regulatory oversight as pharmaceuticals.”

Read about the call for coordinated global action

Read the full report here

by Eric W. Dolan, PsyPost:

“A new study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science challenges the conventional wisdom regarding the relationship between self-discipline and happiness. The findings suggest that psychological well-being acts as a precursor to self-control rather than a result of it. This research indicates that individuals who prioritize their emotional health may be better equipped to pursue long-term goals than those who rely solely on willpower.

Psychology has traditionally viewed self-control as a prized human capacity that is essential for a successful life. The general assumption holds that the ability to resist short-term temptations in favor of long-term goals leads to better health, career success, and financial security. By extension, scholars and the public alike often assume that exercising high self-control leads to increased happiness and life satisfaction.”

Read how the most important takeaway for the average person is to reconsider how they approach self-improvement

Maira Butt writes for Independent:

“New tests have revealed the fruit and vegetables most affected by potentially cancer-linked pesticide mixtures. Using data released by the government last month, the Pesticide Action Network (Pan) UK found 12 food items were at risk of a ‘cocktail effect’, meaning several pesticides mixed together increase the toxicity level of the chemicals.

While the government’s health and safety food monitoring programmes concluded that the vast majority of samples tested contained a safe level of pesticides, Pan UK said the report only tested individual pesticides and not a mix. Grapes were found to be the worst of all the food groups, with one sample containing the residue of at least 16 different pesticides. At least 90 per cent of the 108 grape samples tested contained multiple pesticides.

Other foods affected included 79 per cent of 24 lime samples, 67 per cent of 73 banana samples, 49 per cent of 96 sweet pepper specimens and 46 per cent of 97 melons. Chilli peppers were found to contain 11 different pesticides, while one sample of broccoli contained eight.”

Read how 123 different chemicals were found in the 17 types of fruit and vegetable tested, which included 42 pesticides with links to cancer and 21 known to interfere with hormone systems

READ: “New Scorecard Warns: U.S. Food Retailers Lag on Reducing Harmful Pesticides”

Order “The Myths of Safe Pesticides” by André Leu

Damien Gayle, The Guardian:

“Scientists have issued an urgent warning that some of the synthetic chemicals that help underpin the current food system are driving increased rates of cancer, neurodevelopmental conditions and infertility, while degrading the foundations of global agriculture.

The health burden from phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides and PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ amounts to up to $2.2tn a year – roughly as much as the profits of the world’s 100 largest publicly listed companies, according to the report published on Wednesday.

Most ecosystem damage remains unpriced, they say, but even a narrow accounting of ecological impacts, taking into account agricultural losses and meeting water safety standards for PFAS and pesticides, implies a further cost of $640bn.”

With this level of contained exposure to endocrine disruptors, such as bisphenols and phthalates, there could be between 200 million and 700 million fewer births between 2025 and 2100

The USDA is trying to cut funding for regenerative agriculture, but we are fighting back!

Join us in urging Congress to restore funding and support organic and regenerative farmers.

Another way you can support our efforts is to spread the word about our upcoming Certificate Course on Agroecological, Regenerative, and Organic Agriculture taught by International Director of Regeneration International, Prof. Dr. André Leu. This 5-week online course starting on Feb 16.

Double Impact: Fund Our Fight & Get Educated!

The future of our planet’s health and our food system’s resilience depends on more organic regenerative agriculture. That’s why we’re fighting against the USDA’s cuts and misappropriation of funds meant for regenerative and organic farmers.

Take a stand with us! We’re urging Congress to honor its commitment to regenerative agriculture and allocate the full 6.062 billion appropriated for these vital programs.

Your donation will help us: Lobby Congress to restore funding for regenerative agriculture programs, support organic and regenerative farmers in their vital work and educate and empower more people to help create healthier, non toxic, sustainable and equitable food pathways for our communities and nation!

Make a tax-deductible donation to Organic Consumers Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Make a tax-deductible donation to Regeneration International, our international sister organization

Have you considered making a gift from your IRA?

Tufts University:

“Led by researchers from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, the study identified the locally available food items that would meet basic nutritional needs with the absolute lowest possible level of greenhouse gas emission and the lowest monetary cost, and compared those diets with foods actually consumed.

The findings address a potential win-win: healthy diets that are both cheaper and more climate friendly. The findings, which appear in the journal Nature Food, challenge the widespread assumption that climate-friendly healthy eating requires paying more for premium products.

The team analyzed three kinds of data about each food item: its availability and price in each country, how much of each country’s food supply it accounted for, and the global average greenhouse gas emissions associated with that product.”

Read how at the grocery store, frugality can be a helpful guide to sustainability

Frey Vineyards has generously stepped up to help OCA with our fundraising efforts through a special offer to our network.

Discover Frey Vineyards — Nestled in Redwood Valley, CA,  they are America’s first Organic and Biodynamic Winery! Their wines feature no added sulfites, native yeasts, and regenerative farming practices, capturing true, earth-driven flavor. The Frey family are stewards to nearly 1,000 acres of wildlife corridors around and through their vineyards, preserving the native habitat, a home for bears, mountain lions, and pollinators. Thank you, Frey Vineyards, for your long time commitment to organics and for your support of OCA.

Use the code, ORGANICCONSUMERS at checkout to enjoy a 15% discount to your Frey Wine purchase—plus, 25% of that sale directly supports the Organic Consumers Association and our mission to protect and advocate for consumers’ right to safe, healthful food and other consumer products, a just food and farming system, and an environment rich in biodiversity and free of pollutants.

Visit Frey Vineyards online to join us in supporting planet-positive wine. Savor every sip, make every purchase meaningful. Visit our Facebook page to join the conversation.

Massive Logging Project Next to Yellowstone National Park Blocked by U.S. Court

Johnson & Johnson Ordered To Pay $40M to Women Who Said Talc To Blame for Cancer

Farmworkers Are Frequently Exploited. But Few Farms Participate in a Program That Experts Say Could Prevent Abuse.

World Food Kitchen: Your Gaza Questions Answered

The Italian Grandmas Winning Instagram at Nearly 90

Cambridge University Researchers Identify 168 Chemicals that are Toxic to Beneficial Gut Bacteria

The Indigenous Women Changing the Course of Their Communities

Adding Black Cumin to Your Diet May Lower Bad Cholesterol and Calm Inflammation

The Turkish Breakfast That Keeps You Full Until 4PM Unlike American Cereal

Federal Changes Affect Who Qualifies for SNAP Food Assistance

The Overlooked Benefits of Real Christmas Trees

Food Banks Wish You’d Donate These 8 Items More Often

California Schools Scale Up Organic Purchasing to Benefit Farmers and Student Health

How States Are Policing AI in Health Care

New Study: This “Widely Consumed” Oil Could Lead to Substantial Weight Gain

Scientists Thought Parkinson’s Was in Our Genes. It Might Be in the Water

‘Earth’s Health Is Key To Saving Humanity’: Up PM Yogi Adityanath Shares How Natural Farming and Multi-Crop Cultivation Can Boost Farmers