Making History Mondays is a digest of American food news from the around the web. These are the stories that are changing American foodways and impacting the way we eat.

• FREE TO ROAM?: In an effort to prevent reduce the risk of salmonella, the FDA is attempting to ban the sale of eggs from free-range chickens.
• ARSENIC AND APPLE JUICE: In a more sensible demonstration of their abilities, the FDA has reduced the amount of arsenic allowed in apple juice to match that of drinking water. This comes after over two years of public outcry.
• FIGHTING TO FILM: Animal-rights activists are fighting to overturn a Utah law that prohibits undercover filming of industrial meat complexes.
• ORANGE BLIGHT: A blight affecting orange crops in Florida is costing the industry millions of dollars as farmers quickly attempt to change the orange’s DNA to make it resistant to the disease.
• TOAST: After largely being killed off by Prohibition, New York distilleries are making a comeback and are producing everything from whiskies to rum.

Dan Brown, owner of Gravelwood Farm in Blue Hill, speaks to a crowd of more than 150 people gathered Friday, Nov. 18, 2011, in front of the Blue Hill Town Hall. The Maine Department of Agriculture has filed a suit against Brown, alleging that he is illegally selling unpasteurized milk without a license. Brown, meanwhile, insists he is doing nothing wrong and that a local food ordinance adopted by Blue Hill residents protects the rights of farmers to sell directly to consumers without a license.
(Photo: Kevin Miller / Bangor Daily News)

Making History Mondays is a weekly digest of American food news from the around the web. These are the stories that are changing American foodways and impacting the way we eat.

• Maine Food Revolution: Small towns across the state of Maine are passing “food sovereignty” ordinances allowing smaller food producers to bypass costly state and federal regulations. The state has begun suing individual farmers to prevent this, though they say they are legally allowed to manufacture products like raw milk or to slaughter chickens on a farm, rather than having to send it to a centralized processing facility.
• GMO Wheat Scare: The USDA is continuing to investigate how unapproved genetically modified wheat planted in Idaho fields by Monsanto ended up in Eastern Oregon, causing Japan and other countries to halt US wheat imports to their countries.
• NO SNACKS: The Department of Agriculture has effectively banned the sale of junk food in public schools, including candy, sports drinks and sugary sodas. The new rules were implemented after bipartisan legislation passed Congress in 2010 to improve school meals.
• MOONSHINE: Tennessee is turning to moonshine to help boost the state’s economy, by increasing the number of legal distilleries in the mountain region. The move is also expected to benefit local farmers.
• TWINKIES RETURN: After disappearing from stores following the bankruptcy of snack food giant Hostess in November, 2012, Twinkies will be returning to the shelves on July 15.

Your Produce Choices Without Bees, Source: Whole Foods Markets

Making History Mondays is a weekly digest of American food news from the around the web. These are the stories that are changing American foodways and impacting the way we eat.

• CAUSE AND EFFECT: A Whole Foods store demonstrates what the produce section of your grocery store will look like if bees continue to disappear.
• WHICH WHEAT: A class action lawsuit has been filed against mega agricultural corporation Monsanto by a group of farmers in Idaho. Monsanto has been testing Genetically Modified Wheat in Idaho, which isn’t approved for consumption or growing in the United States. It has been found to be taking over non-GMO wheat in fields in Eastern Oregon that weren’t planted with the new wheat, causing panic in the wheat markets. Japan has temporarily suspended wheat imports until the matter has been resolved.
• OL’ McDONALD WAS A LADY?: According to a recently released report from the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the number of women taking up farming as a career has tripled since 1978, making up 14% of the population of farmers in this country.
• MEAT ALTERNATIVES: Why is Bill Gates Investing in Chicken-Less Eggs? Scientists and investors are concerned that the ecosystem will not be able to sustain the current and growing demand for animal-based foods. The global demand for eggs, for example, was 14 million tons in 2000, and is expected to grow to 38 million tons by 2030. High profile investors like Gates are supporting research into alternatives like Beyond Eggs, an egg substitute made of ground peas, sorghum and other ingredients.
• FAD OF 2013: The official food fad of the summer of 2013 has been declared. The winner is the cronut – part donut, part croissant, all good. They can’t make them fast enough in New York, where bags of them are appearing on Craigslist for upwards of $40. We’ve had them here in Minneapolis for a little while, thanks to Angel Food Bakery, who is currently hostin a competition to find a new name since cronut has recently been trademarked.
• MORE CULINARY REVAMPS: Last week I reported that the National Park Service was rolling out new local and sustainable concession menus throughout the park system. Now Amtrak has also hired a culinary team to revamp their onboard dining experience.

Stefan Larsson serves up bison sloppy Joes and juniper-smoked bison tenderloin, which will be offered at the Yellowstone National Park this summer. Each park will have different menus featuring local foods. (Photo: Maggie Starbard/NPR)

Making History Mondays is a weekly digest of American food news from the around the web. These are the stories that are changing American foodways and impacting the way we eat.

• BISON BURGERS: National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis has announced major changes to the food offered at National Parks, with the aim to offer healthier more sustainable food options.
• BOOKS WITH YOUR BREAD: In the wake of numerous failed online grocery stores, Amazon, Inc is planning to challenge the market by introducing AmazonFresh delivered groceries. With the possibility of bringing local produce directly to your door, the e-commerce giant is looking to expand its preliminary program that has been running for five years in Seattle.
• HORSE MEAT: Efforts to expand horse slaughtering for food in the United States have hit a road block in New Mexico.
• …PEANUTS AND A PRIZE: For the first time since they began selling their product in 1893, the iconic brand Cracker Jack is introducing two new flavors – Kettle Corn and Butter Toffee – as well as “enhanced prizes” that utilize a new Cracker Jack mobile app.
• GULP: Smithsonian Magazine takes an in-depth look at the history of 7-11’s Big Gulp. When introduced, the standard soda serving was 6 ounces. The 32 ounce drink now pales in comparison to its larger siblings – including the 52 ounce X-Treme Gulp, the 64 ounce Double Gulp, and the massive 1 gallon Team Gulp.
• FARMERS MARKETS: With feet firmly planted in Farmers Market season, there’s some standard questions that will help you get the most out of your experience. However, there’s also some questions to avoid.

Albacore tuna for sale at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington. (Photo: urbanworkbench – Flickr, CCL)

Making History Mondays is a weekly digest of American food news from the around the web. These are the stories that are changing American foodways and impacting the way we eat.

• SOMETHING IS FISHY: Washington state has passed new legislation requiring fresh, frozen and processed seafood distributors to label their products after the common name defined by the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife or the federal Food and Drug Administration. This comes after several studies have found that over 1/3 of seafood products sold in the United Sates are mislabeled – intentionally or unintentionally.
• SMART MOVE: Kellogg Corporation has reached a $4 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought against the company after they claimed their Mini-Wheat cereal increased children’s attentiveness.
• FARM BILL UPDATE: Following several years of record droughts, the U.S. government is poised to increase farm insurance subsidies as part of the new farm bill.
• THIRSTY TECH: Cornell University’s Robotics Lab has developed a robot that knows when your glass of beer needs to be refilled – and then refills it for you. This, among other handy tasks…
• GROWING UP: The New York Times looks at the return to fruit and vegetable grafting as a healthier means of producing bug-resistant, higher volume plants – and how the United States is coming late to the game.
• PRETZEL REVOLUTION: The internet is abuzz with news that after successful testing in certain markets, the Wendy’s fast food franchise will be releasing a pretzel bun burger later this year. The company hopes that by using artistan-style breads, they can distinguish themselves in a crowded fast food market.
• FROM BIRTH TO PLATE: Three years in, Michigan’s efforts to track cattle from birth to plate are being hailed as a success in ensuring the cows lead healthier lives and produce healthier beef.

• FARM BILL UPDATE: Every five years, Congress works to pass a series of legislation collectively known as the Farm Bill. As I’ve previously reported, voting on the bill has been blocked as Congress continues to be unable to pass significant legislation. As a temporary fix, there is an effort to extend the current bill for a year, much to the dismay of many agricultural groups who say the 2008 bill is outdated and ineffective. If a Farm Bill is not passed this year, a group of Senators are working to ensure funds are made available to farmers affected by the drought. Meanwhile, the Congressional impasse is becoming an important topic in the upcoming elections.
• GOOD NEWS: A recent report by the USDA’s National Farmer’s Market program shows that despite the worst drought this country has seen since the 1950s, there are more Farmers Markets open this year than ever before: 7,864, which is up 9.6% from last year. In other good news, attendance at these markets are up, and with the addition of EBT technology for food stamp vouchers, fresh local foods are within reach of more people.
• HORRIFYING OR BRILLIANT? Smucker’s unveils Maple Bacon Flavored Syrup. Not surprisingly, neither maple or bacon have ever come near this product during it’s manufacturing.
• FIGHTING WORDS: Warmer temperatures have caused a longer breeding season for Atlantic lobster, giving Canadian and Maine fishermen one of the largest hauls in decades. However, the flooded market has caused the market price of lobster to plummet. In protest, Canadian lobster processors are blocking shipments from Maine calling the product garbage. Much of Maine’s lobster is trucked to Canada where it is processed for U.S. supermarkets and restaurants.
• FOOD TRUCK FLOP: With the increased popularity of food trucks nationwide, one event management company here in Minneapolis thought they’d make bank by hosting the first Minnesota Food Truck Fair. Poor planning led over 5,000 people – many of whom were paying over $25 a ticket just for entry – to arrive all at the same time, causing many to wait an hour for entry to the site, and over two hours to get food. With refunds scarce, many are calling upon the Better Business Bureau and the state Attorney General to look into the matter.

• Following one of the worst droughts in the United States since the 1950s, impacting Midwest corn crops in particular, prices on everything from food to diapers and plastics will dramatically increase.
• Following up on last week’s discussion on the tragi-comedy that has become Congress’ Farm Bill, the head of the USDA is requesting emergency funds to support farmers, particularly those hard-hit by the drought. They’ve received the support of the American Farm Bureau.
• After an internal memo went out to staff members of the US Department of Agriculture encouraging them to consider committing to a “Meatless Monday” to help reduce the environmental impact of consuming heavy amounts of meat, the GOP and the National Cattleman’s Association reacted harshly against the department. The USDA has since redacted the memo, claiming it was never officially vetted for internal distribution.
• Local farms and food artisans are turning to the internet to distribute directly to restaurant chefs and shop owners. In California, a small San Francisco start-up is also using the internet to sell directly to consumers.
• Pizza chains across the country are rallying to fight forthcoming FDA regulations requiring nutritional labeling on menus.

This week, The American Table is re-launching the weekly series, Making History Mondays, which reviews recent food policy and food news trends that are shaping the culture of food in the United States. 

• The Farm Bill, which impacts everything from agricultural process, market rates and food stamps, has been working its way through Congress. It is so bad and so tainted with political manipulation that the normally quiet Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vislack has publicly criticized the shambles of legislation. Politico has a good summary of the situation.
• Why is a serious Farm Bill important? Because low-standards and overcrowding at industrial meat processing facilities has led to yet another recall from mega-corporation Cargill – this being one of the largest beef recalls in American history. In a statement regarding the nearly 30,000 pounds of ground beef, the president of Cargill called the food borne illnesses “unfortunate.” Last year, Cargill had two major recalls of ground turkey due to antibiotic-resistant Salmonella – the first recall being over 36 million pounds of ground meat, and the second being 185,000 pounds.
• Also, large agribusinesses like Cargill and Monsanto have successfully sneaked in legislation to the Farm Bill which deregulates genetically modified foods.
• Multi-colored lobsters are appearing more frequently in daily catches, and nobody is really sure why.
• Food policy guru Marion Nestle announces the new recommendations to the President regarding the SNAP food assistance program. Click for the report and the recommendations.
• Surprise. It has been confirmed that the American Beverage Association is behind the ‘grassroots’ movement against NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on large-sized soft drinks.
• Convenience store chain 7-11 has unveiled their mashed potato dispensing machines that allow customers to get mashed potatoes and gravy like they get their Slurpees.