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A debate has erupted in Oakland over the legality of slaughtering backyard animals on private property. Chicken, goat, and pig owners are fighting for their right to grow, kill and eat their own food. Neighbors and co-op committees are pushing back with worries of health and safety hazards. So far, urban food advocates are still building their case, and need to find more examples of healthy, humane slaughtering methods across the country before expecting a change in legislation. The legality of raising backyard animals varies from state to state.

The FDA has finished an environmental impact report on genetically-engineered fish, and submitted a statement of support to the White House for review. The controversial salmon, created by AquaBounty Technologies, would be grown in captivity and sold commercially on the U.S. market. Proponents of the GE salmon say that it relieves strain in the fishing industry, is highly cost-effective, and presents no health danger to humans. Opponents fear cross-breeding between these fish and natural species, and cite a lack of evidence that GE foods are safe for human consumption.

In more genetically-modified news, the administration and the FDA continue to refuse mandatory labeling of foods containing GM ingredients. A new initiative backed by dozens of food organizations is demanding GM labeling, citing a statistic that claims 93% of Americans support identifying GM ingredients. The FDA maintains that a label for GM foods would imply that there was something unhealthy or bad about those foods, resulting in lower sales. The Just Label It! campaign takes the position that labeling gives consumers more choice when it comes to deciding what to put in their bodies.

Congress has signed three Free Trade Agreements with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama. The result of these FTAs is that the majority of agricultural exports from the U.S. to said countries will become duty-free. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have estimated that these FTAs will result in hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs and billions of dollars in exports. The administration hopes to attract these countries away from the U.S.'s competitors in corn and grain exports.

Economists from across the world are blaming agricultural speculation for the increase in food prices over the past year. In an open letter, the economists call on regulators to stop investors from buying and trading food commodities. This trading artificially inflates the price of these foodstuffs, impacting consumers dramatically. In the U.S., the price of bread and apples has gone up over 17%, beef and eggs over 12%, and coffee nearly 50% in the last year. Across the world, nearly a billion people are hungry or starving, and food riots have become commonplace as a result of increasing food prices.

About the Author: A student in Providence, Rhode Island, Leah Douglas loves learning about, talking about, reading about, and consuming food. Her work is also featured in Rhode Island Monthly Magazine.