Today in Organic: August 6, 2009

Roadside Wisconsin cow / Mark Andrew Boyer

• The Senate approved spending $500,000 to audit the USDA's National Organics Program yesterday, the Washington Post reports.

• Jill Richardson at La Vida Locavore observes sustainable food essayist / activist Wendell Berry's 75th birthday: "I would like to think that I'll be raising as much hell as Wendell Berry when I'm 75. Happy birthday, Wendell Berry!!!"

• Continuing with the this week's theme (seed production), TreeHugger explains "why genetically modified, drought-resistant seeds are a waste of time and money."

• Thinking of starting a community garden? Slate's Sandy Stonesifer breaks down the three necessary ingredients: space, funding and interest.

• Change.org's Sustainable Food blog pulls out some pretty horrifying statistics about animal waste from the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production's recent report on the recent report on the environmental impact of industrial farming.