Nicolas Sarkozy’s supermarket threat to shops (Daily Telegraph) France's renowned butchers, bakers and grocers say they are being threatened by a new law that makes it easier for large supermarkets to open anywhere. [News Source]

Entries from Torontoist tagged with ’spacing’ (Torontoist) The idea of a TTC riders' union is nothing particularly new, but after what happened this weekend, it's quickly—and deservedly—picking up steam. [News Source]

Rest in peace nanobacteria, you were not alive after all . Nanobacteria, extremely tiny “microorganisms” that have sparked controversy and may cause disease, have been declared dead. Again. [News Source]

Ban on bad cattle lauded. The head of the national Humane Society and a Chino Hills mother were both pleased with news this past week of major meat and dairy industry groups backing a total ban on downer cattle entering the food supply. [News Source]

Higher feed costs contributed to loss at Tysons (International Herald Tribune) Tyson, like other livestock producers, has been hurt by the high price of corn and soybean meal. Corn prices have skyrocketed due to strong demand for exports, ethanol production and as a livestock feed. [News Source]

U.S. must solve beef problem (The Japan Times) On April 23, a spinal column, a part of the cow that is banned from import because it is considered at risk of spreading mad cow disease, was found in a shipment of beef from the United States.... Read more ... [News Source]

Eat locally, survive globally. National food policy should give priority to local agriculture over globalized agribusiness [News Source]

How the era of cheap food has gone and why we face a hungry future. Good-quality food will become the preserve of the well-off, while those on lower incomes will have to make do with what they can afford. [News Source]

Green is easy - if you remember the bags. ARE you a worrier? I am. About everything and anything. Whether it's the world's petroleum supplies drying up (will that mean no more lip balm?), the rogue whisker on my chin developing into a full-grown beard or getting mad cow disease (it's irrational, but anything's possible). [News Source]

U.S. report urges Japan to forget its beef safety. The United States urged Japan on Friday to eliminate all controls on U.S. beef imports linked to the prevention of mad cow disease and to fully open its market despite renewed fears in Japan about the safety of U.S. beef. [News Source]