USDA – Impact Lab

Analysis, Food, Science & Technology News

Infographic shows shelf life of food in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer

March 1, 2013

What is the shelf life of food?

Are you one of those people who absolutely swears by expiration dates on food? Yuck, the milk expired today! The bread smells fine but it says it’s not BEST BY today anymore. You don’t have to blindly adhere to those labels anymore. You can now follow the rough estimate of this infographic that shows the shelf life of food in the pantry, fridge and freezer. (Infographic)

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Analysis, Animals, Business, Food, Science & Technology News

A sustainable future for next-generation fish farming

February 20, 2013

Aquaculture provides many products for food consumption like these sockeye salmon.

Jeffrey Silverstein, aquaculture program leader for the USDA, points out that 70 percent of the Earth is covered in water, yet only 1.5 percent of human food is drawn from it.

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Analysis, Economy, Money Talk

The cost of raising a child today

December 26, 2012

American families can expect to spend about $250,000 to raise a child for the next 17 years.

With Laura Sowa’s husband working strictly on sales commission in a down economy, money has been tight for several years now. Laura lives in Nashville and she works hard to keep things as normal as possible for her two daughters. But “normal” these days is being redefined. This hit home for her recently as she listened to the girls playing “shopping trip” in the next room.

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Analysis, Food, Health & Fitness, Latest Trend

Americans eating less meat

March 11, 2012

Meatless meals were s a top food trend for 2011.

It may be due to rising prices, concern for the environment or a growing emphasis on health, but Americans are eating less meat.

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Analysis, Big Problems, Crazy Stuff, Food, Globalism, Health & Fitness, Historical Perspectives, Latest News, New Discoveries

Random USDA Testing Finds 34 Unapproved Pesticides on Cilantro

June 6, 2011

Cilantro tastes so good but may have a plethora of pesticides on it.

Hold the guacamole for just a moment and make sure that your cilantro is organic. Food safety came front and center this week when random USDA testing found 34 different varieties of pesticide residue atop a batch of conventional cilantro…

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Big Problems, Business, Corporate Manipulation, Crazy Stuff, Culture, Current Events, government, Health & Fitness, Hot Issues, Latest News, Latest Trend

USDA Outsources Biotech Crop Evaluation to the GMO Industry

April 24, 2011

What kind of logic prevails when environmental impact statements
on biotech crops are outsourced to the GMO industry itself?

The U.S. is already cultivating 165 million acres of genetically modified crops, up 7 million acres from just two years ago. Modified seeds and large monocultures in general, are monopolizing our nation’s agriculture system like never before and crop after crop are deemed “safe” by the USDA. We’re headed full speed down a dark, winding road and it seems we’re driving blindfolded. And most recently, according to a story on Grist, the USDA is starting a new program which will outsource environmental impact statements on biotech crops to the GMO industry. Obviously, biotech companies are thrilled with the idea…

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