The President-elect's choice of former Governor Tom Vilsack for Secretary of Agriculture has ignited sentiments ranging from delight to dismay, just what you'd expect from a pick who "has the merit of being unsatisfactory to both extremes of the farm-policy debates."

Here at Envirovore we've been digesting a range of views on the Secretary of Ag nominee -- the Secretary of Food, as some advocates keep reminding the nation. This position comes with a host of responsibilities tied to issues that don't automatically register when one hears "agriculture," like nutrition, food stamps, rural development, energy and conservation, to name a few. We know the road ahead will demand the tools of diplomacy and debate. May it also include millions of watchful eyes who are waiting for Obama's administration to see through his ambitious plan for Rural America.

So, here you go. Below the fold is a quick and dirty overview of why Vilsack comes bearing both promise and peril.

The investigation that ensued after China's milk scandal -- where melamine, a chemical used in industrial products like plastics and glues, was found in baby milk formula -- showed how unregulated practices can create a dangerous wake that spans the earth. We know now that melamine is often added to some food products so they test for higher protein levels, even though the material offers no actual nutritional benefit.

And we know melamine is also added to livestock feed. Actually, the U.S. knew this well before the China scandal broke. The pet food scare in 2007 involved melamine traces in a wide variety of pet food, from fish to dogs and cats. It's an "open secret in China," the New York Times reported. But has anything changed since then? Maybe not.

In November, hundreds of tons of soymeal from China were taken off the market after testing positive for melamine. The soymeal in question was used to feed organic poultry in western France, and tested 50 times over the recommended limit.

There are a lot of lessons to be gleaned from these events, like how far livestock feed companies will go to earn extra bucks. This time it was adding a fake ingredient to bolster the perception of nutrition without real knowledge of health implications. Isn't it ironic? That which gives the perception of better nutrition might in the end harm and, sadly, kill? But perhaps this case isn't that much different from a host of unpronounceable ingredients on processed food labels, or "foodlike substances," as Michael Pollan calls them. Perhaps melamine has provided a hard lesson in what constitutes real food.

Sources: The Straits Times, New York Times (including image)

Irish scientists are gearing up for what could turn into another potato blight epidemic. New outbreaks of the fungal disease that wiped out the potato crop in the mid-19th century have scientists working fervently to tackle the threat, and some are turning to biotechnology. There's still much resistance to transgenic crops in Ireland, however.

Have you heard? Tinkering with genes has become a hobby that some are taking up at home. Imagine what your neighbor could unleash...

A top Vatican official denounced GMOs, calling their pursuit "a way to make more profits." He says people shouldn't abuse their power to manipulate nature, and that fixing distribution systems are the answer to food crises, not GMOs.

A Nigerian environmental group agrees, saying GMOs aren't a solution to Africa's food crisis. And Kenya's president is the focus of a heated GMO debate, where a Biosafety Bill awaits his signature. The bill aims to allow the widespread introduction of transgenic crops into the country. Meanwhile, in Ethiopia, a biotech industry organization is pushing transgenic crop research and development as the government struggles to put safegaurds in place.

And hot off the press, a book called Food Fray: Inside the Controversy over Genetically Modified Foods by molecular biologist Lisa Weasel aims to provide readers a variety of perspectives on the GMO debate. Next month look for Hope Not Hype, which makes the case for the "right biotechnology."

The new year marked the beginning of stronger hog farm regulations in North Carolina. The positive impacts, however, won't be seen for years to come.

It goes like this: The legislature in 2007 banned open-air waste ponds on new and expanded hog farms and set higher standards for other waste disposal systems. The rules that implement the law took effect on January 1st. It sounds great, a way to tackle water and air pollution problems caused by large livestock operations, and it is. Only, the key words here -- "new and expanded hog farms" -- mean that existing open-air waste ponds are allowed indefinitely. Because of the economic climate, hog farms are "in survival mode" and not expanding their operations anytime soon.

Still, the ban is a promising new rule that will eventually reduce pollution for North Carolina residents living near factory farms. Without small steps, we'd never change the big picture.

Source: The Charlotte Observer

For a long time kosher-observant Jews could trust that meat labeled as kosher came from sustainably raised animals. But now some say too many compromises are made when choosing kosher products.

For example, Jewish sustainable food advocates say kosher certification is outdated, that kosher slaughter may be humane but the animals' treatment before slaughter isn't always healthy, like raising them in confined and dirty conditions, and administering hormones and antibiotics -- practices that were unheard of when kosher guidelines were created.

These advocates are also adamant that Kosher production and processing honors laws in the Torah outside those specific to food, such as the fair treatment of workers. This has become an important topic following a raid last year of the largest kosher meatpacking plant in the U.S. Workers there complained of mistreatment, and the plant was accused of employing hundreds of illegal immigrants and a number of under-age workers.

Just what does kosher encompass? More than you may think:

More evidence that climate change is destroying our coral reefs, an iconic symbol of ocean diversity and beauty, and the biggest sign of life on Earth (since they're visible from space).

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) says coral growth in the Great Barrier Reef "is at its slowest rate in 400 years and could stop altogether by 2050." The study found that the absorption of atmospheric carbon is likely causing as much damage as rising temperatures.

Porites -- the type of coral sampled in the study -- produce layers of new growth each year, so scientists can study environmental changes by looking at skeletons, much like reading tree rings.

The Australian findings are not unique. We reported on research in the U.S. that discovered higher levels of atmospheric carbon has led to a 30% increase in ocean acidity over the last 200 years -- ten times faster than climate models predicted. The increased acidity is corroding the calcium carbonate shells and skeletons of many marine species, wreaking havoc on biological communities.

"These organisms are central to the formation and function of ecosystems and food webs," the AIMS researchers say, "and precipitous changes in the biodiversity and productivity of the world's oceans may be imminent."

Source: ABC News, Scientific American

A recession has led to a lot of new budget changes, including what we spend on food. As can be expected, certified organic products, which often carry a higher pricetag, are taking a big hit.

And it's not just eaters tightening their belts.

Some organic farmers in the UK are lobbying the government to allow for a temporary loosening of organic feed standards during the recession. That is, since organic feed prices are historically high and demand for organic groceries low, farmers want the option of feeding some conventional feed alongside organic. It's estimated that as many as half of all British shoppers who typically buy organic will reduce or give up their organic purchases.

Typically an organic livestock operation would lose its certification if a producer knowingly breaks the rules. And it takes a few years of following the standards to earn the certification back. Still, farmers who want the temporary exemption from the organic feed rule say the integrity of the label will be maintained since no other standard will be changed, and that when the economy gets better, the organic feed rule will again be strictly enforced.

To be sure, a temporary change to organic certification rules would provide relief to livestock producers who pay twice as much for organic feed as conventional. But will the greater implications include British consumer distrust, confusion, or disillusion around the integrity of the organic label?

Sources: Food Navigator, Epoch Times

The BBC reports that the GMO debate in India is heating up, pointing to cotton failures that might be linked to mass farmer suicides. Currently cotton is the only transgenic crop approved for production; though, Monsanto predicts that India will adopt transgenic corn within five years.

The Biotechnology Industry Organization, representing more than 1,200 biotech firms, is praising President-elect Obama's choice for Agriculture Secretary.

Monsanto admits wrongdoing in a recent transgenic cotton contamination event.

A relatively new collaborative effort to verify non-GMO ingredients officially launched a standard this month. With over 350 products enrolled, The Non-GMO Project's Product Verification Program works to ensure the availability of non-GMO food choices through a third-party verification system.

The total global area of transgenic crops now accounts for nine percent of global primary crop production. Four crops account for nearly all of the production: soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola. But can the technology deliver?

An EU official is testing the political climate by moving forward with an approval of transgenic corn field trials. These would be the first authorized in 10 years.