Bread in the News

Feilding inventor up for Nobel food prize

Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A Feilding inventor who has vowed to consign the plough to the dustbin of history has been nominated for the US$250,000 (NZ$327,000) World Food Prize.

Dr John Baker perfected the cross-slot seed drill over 30 years as a scientist at Massey University and then spent 10 years fighting to win ownership of it from companies the university sold it to.

He regained control of the drill in 1998, after $10 million had been spent on developing it, and set up a factory in Feilding to build them.

Cross-slot tillage is described as the keyhole surgery of farming. The drill creates two side-by-side pockets as it passes through the soil, depositing seed in one and fertiliser in the other.

Pittsburghers of faith protest cuts in Harrisburg

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Pittsburghers representing many religious groups crowded the steps in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg Tuesday, protesting proposed cuts to education and mass transit.

A Call to Congress: Churches Alone Cannot Protect the Poor

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

There are many verses in the Bible that address taking care of poor people and those in need. Proverbs 14:31 says, “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him,” and Proverbs 19:17 reminds us that, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”

Guest Commentary - President Obama Leads the Fight against Hunger

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Tomorrow, President Barack Obama will deliver a historic address on hunger at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security. Since the early days of his administration, the president has articulated a vision of a world without hunger. His administration arrived amid a global food price crisis, during which hundreds of millions of people either fell deeper into poverty or experienced it for the first time.

World leaders address global child malnutrition crisis

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

If you had $75 billion to spend on solving some of the world’s greatest challenges, where would you start? An expert panel of Nobel laureate economists known as the Copenhagen Consensus recently answered that question. After extensive research and consultation, they determined that the single best investment the world could make to advance health and prosperity would be to fight malnutrition in young children.

LTE: Churches can't make up lost nutrition funding

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

I was glad to see an article about food stamps and the WIC program in Sunday's paper. These are important programs that are indeed being targeted for budget cuts by Congress. However, the consequences of the proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were not highlighted in the article.

What would African-Americans do with President Romney?

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

As the country moves into the full scale 2012 presidential election process a troubling pattern is developing within certain segments of the African American community. There’s a concerted effort by some within the community to silence those who are offering honest, valid, and well thought through analysis and criticism of the Obama administration.

Caring for Poor People: Should the Church Do It Alone?

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

When I open my Bible, it isn't hard to find a verse that underscores our responsibility as Christians to care for the least among us. Proverbs 19:17 tells us, "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." Unfortunately, some members of Congress don't buy into this notion. They believe instead that taking care of the most vulnerable people in our society is for the church to do alone.

Senior advocates fight cuts to nation’s nutrition assistance program

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

More than 5 million older Americans struggle to put food on the table and another 3.5 million are living in poverty, according to new analysis from Bread for the World, a Christian organization, and one of the country’s largest anti-hunger/anti-poverty advocacy groups.

Local Heroes: Saving Starving Kids Around Globe

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Is it really possible to solve the world's huge problems, such as saving the lives of starving children around the globe? Some would say no.