Resources on Land Rights, Agriculture and Farmers (US-Focused, mainly)

Blain Snipstal on food sovereignty, land and power (11/2013). A video in which returning farmer, Blain Snipstal, speaks on the history of farming, his experiences and more. Posted 11/5/13.

Nitrogen fertilizer remains in soils and leaks towards groundwater for decades (10/21/13). Scientists in France and at the University of Calgary found that nitrogen fertilizer applied to crops lingers in the soil and leaks out as nitrate for decades. Posted 10/22/13.

Study Shows Soil-Building Benefits of Organic Practices (5/28/13). An article posted on the Sustainable City Network's website summarizes a study that finds that using organic practices builds healthy soil and sequesters carbon, making organic agriculture a useful strategy for dealing with climate change. Posted 5/31/13.

Significant Dates on Black Land Loss and Land Acquisition. A timeline by the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund. Posted 5/6/13.

Discrimination at USDA: Response to New York Times (5/1/13). An article by Susan A. Schneider, Professor of Law and Director at the University of Arkansas School of Law. Posted 5/6/13.


Resources on Land Rights, Agriculture and Farmers (International)

Family farming vital to ensure world food security (1/13/14).  The United Nations recognizes the importance in family farming to the world. Posted 1/13/14.

Utopia's for Africa (May 2013). An article in Slow Food International's newsletter on landgrabbing in Africa that provides quotes from a dialog between Slow Food's president Carlo Petrini and Sefano Liberti, journalist, documentary filmmaker and author of Landgrabbing: Journeys in the New Colonialism.

Harakles Exposed: The truth behind Herakles Farms false promises in Cameroon. Summary of a report released by the Oakland Institute in September 2012 entitled Massive Deforestation Portrayed as Sustainable Investment: The deceit of Herakles Farms in Cameroon. The report exposes the significant discrepancies between how the company has represented the project to the public. Posted 5/22/13.

Leaked ProSAVANA Master Plan Confirms Worst Fears (4/30/13). A post on GRAIN's website that raises concerns about a recently released plan for the ProSAVANA programme that confirms the government's of Japan, Brazil and Mozambique are secretly paving the way for a massive land grab in Northern Mozambique.