globalbriefs


News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefi ts all.


Meatless Mondays World’s Largest Grassroots Diet Education Blitz Hits March 20


The annual global Meatout observance has grown explosively since its inception in 1985, with people in 30 countries and all 50 U.S. states participating last March. The latest U.S. twist in the 2011 Meatout edi- tion will be events aiming to serve vegan food to 10,000 veg-curious passersby and newcomers to veganism as a way to introduce them to the idea of Meatless Mondays.


WE MEATLESS MONDAYS


Double-Duty Label Fair Trade Goes Domestic


In the United States, national sponsor Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) reports that 30 million Americans have at least explored a meat-free diet, and one in fi ve teens thinks that vegetarianism is “cool.” Major manufacturers and retailers have come to support the concept by adding meat- and dairy-free meals. Several national fast food chains now offer veggie burgers and some major baseball ven- ues even have veggie ballpark dogs. Meanwhile, national beef and veal consump- tion are declining, according to the Meatout 2009 International Report. “Going meatless once a week can reduce your risk of chronic, preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity,” reports the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for a Livable Future. “It can also help limit your carbon footprint and save resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.” The average American currently eats eight ounces of meat a day, 45 percent more than the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recommended amount.


For more information, visit Meatout.org.


Dietary Shift Home Preparation of Fresh Veggies on the Decline


A new U.S. Department of Agriculture study reports that households headed by older generations spend more money per person on fresh vegetables prepared at home than their younger counterparts. After accounting for income and other demand factors, its Eco- nomic Research Service found that households headed by a person born in 1960 spent 66 cents per week less than those with a house- hold head born in 1930. Younger generations continue to spend different amounts in each


subsequent age point, with the youngest spending the least. Because of younger people’s continued reliance on convenience foods, the


researchers project that, as they age, they will spend more on fresh grocery veggies than they do now, but when they reach their parent’s current age, they will still spend less on such foods than their parents do now. Several mainstream health ad- vocacy organizations now promote consumption of plant-based foods, aiming to turn this trend around; they include the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins University and American Heart Association.


Many people today are familiar with International Fair Trade, as it ap- plies to the importing of items such as coffee, tea and cocoa. However, as the movement has grown, it has become apparent that many of the challenges facing producers in developing countries are also shared by North America’s family farmers. Big agribusiness continues to thrive, while small farmers have gone out of business. Consumers pay more, while farmers receive less. Meanwhile, farm workers are often denied fair wages and basic rights.


So, a group of Canadian farm-


ers, convinced that organics had been co-opted by large corporate- style interests and that cheap organic grain imports were undercutting their homegrown organic production, have given birth to Domestic Fair Trade certifi cation. To aid organic food shoppers, they have developed the fairDeal food label. It will most likely show up in the organic bins of local food co-ops. Initial products include fl ax, wheat, barley, oats, beans, peas, lentils, hemp seeds and mustard. Domestic Fair Trade Association


(DFTA) members include farm work- ers and their organizations; farmers and farmer groups; retailers; non-gov- ernmental organizations; marketers; and processors and manufacturers. Qualifying standards commit mem- bers to the principles of Domestic Fair Trade and continual improve- ment of their day-to-day practices.


For more information, visit thedfta.org. March 2011 25


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