DOJ Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Dean Foods Company

The Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today against Dean Foods Company challenging its April 2009 acquisition of Foremost Farms USA's Consumer Products Division. The department said that the merger eliminates substantial competition between the two companies in the sale of milk to schools, grocery stores, convenience stores and other retailers in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.

The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, along with state attorneys general from Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit today in U.S. District Court in Milwaukee, seeking to require Dean Foods to sell the dairy processing plants it acquired from Foremost Farms.

In July 2009, Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) requested the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate milk processors in New England, including requesting that DOJ take a "very serious look" into Dean Foods.

U.S. Supreme Court decides to hear case about the risks of genetically engineered crops

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Monsanto v. Geertsond Farms. The case arose when the Agency of Agriculture decided to deregulate Roundup Ready Alfalfa (genetically engineered to be resistant to glyphosate) without preparing an environmental impact study under the National Environmental Policy Act. A California District Court ordered a preliminary injunction against further planting of GE alfalfa until an environmental impact statement could be prepared. The Ninth Circuit upheld the injunction on appeal.

The case was initiated by the Center for Food Safety.

Hoop houses in Ohio

Here is a link from Ethicurean to a story about Eliot Coleman's new book about growing in hoop houses.

Several years ago, Mr. Coleman served provided some expert evidence in support of the Intervale Center's effort to permit the use of hoop houses in the Intervale floodway.

USDA also recently announced a 3-year, 38-state study, which Vermont is a part of, will verify if high tunnels are effective in reducing pesticide use, keeping vital nutrients in the soil, extending the growing season, increasing yields, and providing other benefits to growers. Apparently, special funding is available for new hoop houses and participation in the study.

Schubart: Agriculture and UVM

Enjoyed Bill Schubart's commentary that aired this morning on Vermont Public Radio about the future of agriculture in Vermont and the potential (continued) role UVM can play in enhancing that future. I serve with Bill on the Vermont Farm to Plate Advisory Panel, and consistent with his commentary, his comments during the Farm to Plate meetings are consistently insightful.

The Vermont Farm to Plate (F2P) Initiative is run by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, in consultation with the Sustainable Agriculture Council and is working to develop a 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont’s farm and food sector.