British Army to ditch Danish bacon

Any member of the Armed Forces who is fighting on the front line is entitled to a full English every morning. However, for generations the bacon has not been British because it has been too expensive; instead troops have been offered cheap Danish or Dutch bacon.
The experiment involves turning 4-year old sow pigs into rashers. Bacon has historically always been made from young male, or boar, pigs. Sows, whose sole purpose is to breed, have been considered tough and inedible in Britain and their meat is sold to German bratwurst makers and Italian salami makers. Long-standing butchers said the only time sow meat, which tends to be very fatty and dark in colour, has been sold as a cut of meat was during rationing in the Second World War.
Farmers and butchers have long complained that it was an insult to the men and women fighting that they have been fed Danish and Dutch bacon, it being poorer quality and derived from pigs reared to a lower welfare standard, but Mr Goodger, is confident that by next year British sows will take over.

"And I see no reason why in a few years' time supermarkets can't stock sow bacon as their basic, value range of bacon. They might have to call it something other than sow bacon; it's not exactly consumer friendly. But it would enormously help British pig farmers if they had a market for their sow meat."
British pig farmers have been in crisis for some time, with most losing money on every animal they raise. It is estimated that it costs a pig farmer £160 for every kilo of meat they produce, and the best price they can fetch at market is £135 per kilo of meat, with sows fetching 80p a kilo.

More at The Telegraph

Organic produce is no better for you than food grown with pesticides

Organic produce contains no more nutrients than food grown using pesticides and chemicals, researchers say.

It can cost up to a third more, but is merely a 'lifestyle choice' for consumers, the study found.

Dr Susanne Bügel and the University of Copenhagen team found no clear evidence of any difference in the vitamin and mineral content of crops grown organically and those using legally permitted levels of fertilisers and pesticides.

The study, supported by the Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming, looked at crops of carrots, kale, mature peas, apples and potatoes – staple ingredients that can be found in most families’ shopping baskets.

The first cultivation method consisted of growing the vegetables on soil which had a low input of nutrients using animal manure and no pesticides except for one organically approved product on kale only.

The second method involved applying a low input of nutrients using animal manure, combined with use of pesticides, as much as allowed by regulation.

Finally, the third method comprised a combination of a high input of nutrients through mineral fertilisers and pesticides as legally allowed.

The crops were grown on the same or similar soil on adjacent fields at the same time and so experienced the same weather conditions.

All were harvested and treated at the same time.

Read more at Daily Mail