ORGANIC FOODS LINKS:

Organic Consumers Association

www.organicconsumers.org/

This grassroots group represents the interests of the nation’s estimated 10 million organic consumers. The link for “Find Organics” leads to a searchable directory of natural food stores, farm stands, catering services, and organic food growers in each state.

United States Department of Agriculture, National Organic Program

www.ams.usda.gov/nop/

Search this site to read the “final organic rule”—the national standards that govern the growth and labeling of organic crops and products in the United States. Also find here information about state programs, independent certifiers, and a thorough Q&A.

KidsRegen.org

www.kidsregen.org/

Exploring the theme “healthy soil, healthy food, healthy people,” this webpage, created by the Rodale Institute, offers a wealth of information, hands-on activities, and even recipes. There are also pages tailored specifically for families and educators. 

The O’Mama Report

www.theorganicreport.org/

This site, specifically designed for women, provides a great primer on buying and understanding organic products. It also offers articles on the importance of organic foods for babies and children, as well as tips for incorporating them into the home.

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms

www.wwoofusa.org/

For those who want to learn about organic farming firsthand, WWOOF-USA—a project of the Ecological Farming Association—publishes a directory of more than 250 farms willing to swap meals and accommodations for a pair of helping hands.

SUSTAINABLY CAUGHT SEAFOOD LINKS

Audubon’s Seafood Guide

http://seafood.audubon.org/

A printable primer on the best and worst seafood choices, this guide is sized to whip from your wallet the next time you’re stumped at a restaurant or grocery store. The green-to-red “fish scale” rates popular fish according to the level of their environmental impact.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

The aquarium’s Seafood Watch program raises consumer awareness about the fishing practices behind the food on their plates. Its regional and national pocket guides make recommendations on the most sustainable choices.

Environmental Defense

www.environmentaldefense.org/seafood/fishhome.cfm

Besides an online “Seafood Selector,” this site also provides recipes for fish that are okay to eat, lists fish subject to environmental contaminants like mercury and how often it is recommended they be eaten, and offers good substitutions for overfished species.

Blue Ocean Institute

www.blueoceaninstitute.org/

Blue Ocean uses science, art, and literature to build a greater ethic for ocean conservation. Its staff has researched the population status, biology, and management of various fisheries, compiling the results in a highly accessible Seafood Miniguide.

Seafood Choices Alliance

www.seafoodchoices.org/

A program of SeaWeb, the Alliance helps anyone with a stake in the seafood industry get the facts they need about the seafood they serve or sell. Its SeaSense database collects and communicates the seafood recommendations of several different organizations.

Caviar Emptor

www.caviaremptor.org/

This campaign, led by SeaWeb, the Pew Institute for Ocean Science, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, seeks to halt the rapid decline of Caspian Sea sturgeon by promoting more sustainable alternatives to beluga caviar.

EcoFish

www.ecofish.com/

This small company sources seafood only from fisheries deemed ecologically sound by its advisory board of leading marine scientists. It also reinvests 25 percent of its pretax profits into communities and organizations that promote sustainable fishing practices. 

NATURALLY RAISED MEATS LINKS

Eat Well Guide

www.eatwellguide.org

Search this convenient directory for sources of sustainably raised beef, chicken, turkey, pork, bison, fish, lamb, dairy, eggs, and even goat. The results can be tailored to search by geographic location, outlet (such as market or restaurant), or method of production (such as free-range or organic). There is also a handy guide to interpreting food labels. 

GRACE Factory Farm Project

www.factoryfarm.org/

Visit this site to learn about the downside of factory farming, to take political action against it, and to get help in mobilizing your community. You can also follow links to the Sustainable Table, a page dedicated to consumer education, and The Meatrix, an animated spoof of The Matrix.

The Pig Page

www.newfarm.org/depts/pig_page/

This New Farm web page is aptly named; it’s a complete primer on all things pig. Look here for articles on sustainable production, profitability, “pig-powered composting,” and the dangers of large-scale hog operations. It’s also a portal for taking action against looming meat monopolies.

Keep Antibiotics Working

www.keepantibioticsworking.org/

This campaign seeks to end the misuse of antibiotics in food animals. Search this site to read scientific documents and consumer information, or to learn about the positions of the federal government, specific restaurant chains, and major poultry producers.

A VEGETARIAN DIET LINKS

Vegetarian Resource Group

www.vrg.org/

The VRG offers vegetarian advice on topics from sports nutrition to disaster planning. It also links to an online restaurant guide, which helps to locate vegetarian-friendly restaurants nationwide and abroad.

EarthSave

www.earthsave.org

Started by John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America, EarthSave strives to inspire a shift toward a diet centered on fruits, vegetables, grain, and legumes. Sign up online for a vegetarian starter kit, which offers tips, recipes, and various resources to help you along.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

 http://pcrm.org/health/veginfo/

As part of its commitment to preventive medicine, the PCRM has created a vegetarian starter kit that includes advice for children and pregnant women. It also has a kit for restaurants, with tips for adapting meat-based recipes and suggestions for sure-fire veggie favorites.

Vegetarian Times

www.vegetariantimes.com/

The publishers of this popular monthly magazine have been archiving its editorial content online since the year 2000. You can also browse the site for a vegetarian food pyramid, ingredient substitutions, a message board of hot topics, or thousands of tempting recipes.

LOCAL SOURCING LINKS

Local Harvest

www.localharvest.org/

Local Harvest has mapped small farms, farmers markets, and other local food sources all over the country. To find the sources of sustainably grown food nearest to you, simply click the mouse over your home state or use the searchable directory.

USDA’s Farmers Market Directory

http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm

This clickable map provides the location, contact information, and hours of operation of farmers markets across the country, and in many cases indicates whether the markets accept coupons for low-income seniors or women through the USDA’s Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

The New Farm

http://www.newfarm.org/

The Rodale Institute launched this site to support the exchange of valuable “farmer-to-farmer know-how,” assisting in the transition to sustainable agricultural techniques. The site’s farm locator program helps consumers, restaurateurs, and other farmers looking for locally grown foods to search for specific farm products by state or by commodity.

Farm To Table

www.farmtotable.org

This site, designed to connect residents of New York City and State to New York State farmers and vintners, gives an excellent general overview of why to buy local. It also highlights produce now in season and reports food and environmental news worldwide.

Slow Foods U.S.A.

www.slowfoodusa.org

The Slow Foods movement is dedicated to supporting and celebrating a diverse food supply, as well as the communities and cultures that have produced these foods for centuries. It takes special interest in heirloom varieties now at risk of disappearing.

FARMLAND PRESERVATION LINKS

American Farmland Trust

http://www.farmland.org/

AFT works at the national, state, and local level to stop the loss of productive farmland, particularly in areas subject to urban development pressure, and to promote farming practices that lead to a healthy environment.

National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture

www.sustainableagriculture.net/

This alliance helps shape and promote federal agricultural policies that will support sound environmental stewardship, give consumers real choice about how their food is produced, and positively affect the lives of farmers and their communities.

familyfarmer.org

www.familyfarmer.org

Defenders of Wildlife sponsors this site as a means of creating an alliance between family farmers and conservationists. It provides agricultural updates and action alerts, a guide to the 2002 Farm Bill, and an exposé on the corporate control of farm policy.

Farm Aid

www.farmaid.org
Farm Aid’s annual concert has, since 1985, raised more than $25 million, which it grants to organizations that work to promote a family farm system of agriculture and keep farmers on their land. Its website offers an information center and a hotline number for farmers in need of assistance.