Dirt To Dinner
Why are we not eating more cell-based meat? Blame over-regulation, protectionist states, and skeptical consumers
In , we wrote about the excitement consumers and investors had for a new type of protein. By 2013, investors ...
What’s the difference between GMO and CRISPR
What is a GMO? GMOs (genetically modified organisms) involve transferring a gene from one species to another to provide an ...
How does Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill impact farmers
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was signed into law July 4 is indeed big, but just how beautiful ...
How our diet impacts hormones
Hormones are chemical messengers that quietly dictate everything from how well you sleep to how alert you feel, how easily ...
The science of seed oils: Healthy or harmful?
The Dirt Seed oils have become the most recent food to avoid. Despite being a staple in every diet and ...
High stakes: Why hasn’t Congress passed a new farm bill in two years, and what would it cover?
The Farm Bill is the comprehensive federal legislation that lays out our food and agricultural policies. Think of it as a ...
Viewpoint: Trump’s puzzling tariff strategy leaves farmers and ranchers anxious
President Trump called April 2, 2025, “Liberation Day,” citing a national emergency from the continuing trade imbalance between the United ...
Food waste: How critical a crisis? What can be done?
The documentary BUY NOW! has ignited important conversations about the impact of consumerism on waste and environmental degradation. The documentary ...
Viewpoint: Every independent risk agency in the world has concluded that the herbicide glyphosate is safe as used. What about its impact on wildlife, soil and watersheds?
Glyphosate is the most controversial pesticide in the world, even though it is the most studied and generally deemed as ...
Greening cows: How farmers can accelerate the transition to more sustainable milk production
This past summer, we read about Danish farmers paying a carbon tax on their cows and pigs. Starting in 2030, ...
Will Trump’s global tariffs disrupt the U.S. agricultural and food system?
Trump is using tariffs to bring jobs back to America, keeping illegal immigrants from crossing the Canadian and Mexican border, ...
Defining healthy: Three uniquely effective ways to measure your health — and what it has to do with food
In the U.S., we spend almost $5 trillion on healthcare, 17.6% of our GDP — that’s $14,750 per person. And ...
If it navigates a poltical gauntlet, FDA’s proposed nutritional label could actually have constructive impact
The proposed “Nutrition Info box” is set to transform how Americans shop for food, offering a quick “Low,” “Med,” or ...
Death, dying and dinner: A nightmare reflection on a comfort meal
The Dirt: Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue [has] cautioned Americans not to fear their food. That’s an amazing thing for any ...
What can farmers do to mitigate the impact of rising global temperatures
Dire warnings of the terrible effects of changes in our global climate seem to be all around us these days ...
Reishi, chaga, lion’s mane: Is it possible to verify trendy ‘superfood’ mushroom supplement claims?
Recent studies have shown that mushrooms are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and special compounds that are great for your ...
Podcast: How synthetic biology can tweak DNA in viruses, plants or even animals to improve the environment, health, agriculture and industrial processes
Welcome back to Dirt to Dinner: Digging In, where we dig into what’s going on in the food and ag world ...
Viewpoint: Climate-conscious diet? Tradeoffs are key as every way of eating has an environmental impact
For instance, I enjoy eating meat, and I also care about the environment. Are the two mutually exclusive? Can only ...
Viewpoint: ‘Adapt or else…’ — Why Britain is shaking off shackles of European crop biotechnology science-rejectionism and embracing gene editing
This summer, the United Kingdom took the issue of biotechnology and genomics out of the shadows and back into the ...
Hundreds of companies now making plant-based proteins, from beef to chicken to seafood. Here is what’s on the platter
Imagination is a wonderful thing. It is even more incredible when you can realize your dreams. Did you ever think ...
Viewpoint: Should you choose plant-based chicken over the real thing to protect the planet and your health? Here are the facts
We’ve all seen and probably tried the Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat beef burgers. Plant-based options are popping up in almost every fast-food ...
The bioengineered label replacing GMO claims has been in place for four months. Here’s what we know
You may have recently noticed new labels on some of your food. As of January 1st, 2022, the United States ...
Viewpoint: Carbon negative farming? Cover crops, rotational grazing and no till agriculture could capture greenhouse gas emissions
Farmland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Everyone seems to agree this is a good idea. But how do we do ...