As spring blooms into summer, we relish in the explosion of life all around us on the farm. In the heat of the day the bees are buzzing around the Calendula, Borage, and Sweet William flowers, fireflies bespeckle the pastures in the evening, and golden finch bird calls wake us at the cool hours of dawn. We are reminded every day that life goes on no matter what. Animals need to be cared for, weeds need to be tended, and our children need to grow and thrive.

This month I am happy to share that advances have been announced in farming. Carlo Mondavi, the grandson of famous winemaker Robert Mondavi, a man with whom I had extensive talks back in 2017, has been featured in the New York Times as championing regenerative organic farming in the wine industry. He is using a new electric tractor called the Monarch and not using glyphosate and other toxins to grow his grapes, leading the way for regenerative organic farming. His love for Monarch butterflies and pollinators inspired him. I believe the information that Moms Across America shared with him also supported his work to protect human and marine life. Progress is happening!

In addition, regulators are being held accountable. The Center for Food Safety and other nonprofit groups are suing the EPA for the authorization of toxic Enlist One and Duo Enlist agrochemicals that contain Agent Orange. Agent Orange was used as an aerial spray in Vietnam and has been proven to cause birth defects. Many are now standing up for our future generations and the safety of our food supply!

However, the food industry continues to push the envelope in attempting to create solutions for problems without anticipating or testing for the possibility of creating more problems with the new solution. One example is the recent release of a coating applied to fruits and vegetables, including organic, called Apeel. This coating, while intended to maintain the freshness of the fruit or vegetable for weeks longer, and is well-intentioned, can, according to FDA documents, allow alarming levels of heavy metals and toxins.

Another egregious example is the approval of lab-grown meat. In America, the fear of climate change is being utilized by opportunists to get funding for new products that claim to address climate change. Many companies are attempting to create fake food, i.e., lab-grown meat genetically engineered to grow in a lab, claiming that their new, expensive products are cruelty-free and will reduce climate change. No long-term impact analyses are being revealed, however, as to the use of the energy, the sources (often from coal and fossil fuel gasses), and no studies are being made to the public on the nutrient content and safety of the genetically engineered meat.

At Moms Across America, in partnership with many American nonprofits and international groups like Green Coop, Consumers Union of Japan, Detox Project Japan, and Seeds Savers of Japan, we can raise awareness and maintain accountability in the food supply. Japan is particularly important because the Japanese government owns the largest grain distribution center in the world, in Louisiana, USA. The Japanese have enormous influence over the American agriculture system. After many years of collaboration, Japan now has leaders working in all 47 prefectures for organic food in schools, and has achieved success in over 50 schools. Your support continues to strengthen our national and international partnerships to transform the food supply.

All we need to do is, like the seeds I planted in my garden a month ago that are now blooming, like the seed of conversation I had with Carlo Mondavi six years ago, like the seeds of hope and inspiration that were planted in Japanese conferences also over six years ago now … is to continue planting. Thank you for your partnership in planting seeds of hope and health for current and future generations!

With Gratitude, Zen Honeycutt Moms Across America