As the Summer Solstice approaches, highlights this week include:  the antibiotic-resistant “super bug” controversy goes global; conservation efforts step up in the Mississippi River basin; the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines are right around the corner; and organic food labeling faces scrutiny… again.

• Paula Crossfield at Civil Eats explores how today’s kids are driving a healthier food movement.
• Research published in the Archives of Neurology suggests men with certain genetic variations exposed to pesticides such as DDT are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.
• Helena Bottemiller at Food Safety News catches up with Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, about what’s right and wrong with current government food safety measures.
• An op-ed at OtherWords discusses the paradoxical loss of farmland as many farmers struggle with profits and lose their land as banks continue to deny them enough credit to continue their operations.
• Health experts ask Congress to provide clear direction to drug companies to develop new antibiotics due to the global increase in “super bugs” following a report from the Center for Global Development indicating that drug distribution programs may be fostering drug resistance and endangering lives.
• The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee releases their recommendations for the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines to be released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) later this year.  Switching to a more plant based diet and reducing sodium are two of the goals outlined in the report.
• As the government and agribusiness usurp the definition of “organic,” Salon suggests moving to an “authentic” label to denote food sold directly by the person or family who grew it.   Additionally, organic food that is brought in from outside the U.S. is now up for question, as the USDA just announced it’s cutting ties with the lead organic inspection agency in China after it became apparent that they had hired inspectors who worked for the Chinese government to inspect and certify farms and food processing operations that were also owned by the state.
• As mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill, the USDA announced this week it will protect farmers from “unfair, fraudulent or retaliatory practices” in the meat industry.
• Conservation efforts by farmers in the Upper Mississippi River basin are making progress to reduce sediment loss and pesticide runoff as area farmers embrace effective conservation practices.
• According to an article in the Seattle Times, urban farming is becoming a viable business model for several communities looking to promote green space and local food production.