In a study published Monday in Nature Plants, a coalition of international scientists embarked on a first-of-its-kind effort to map the representation of crop wild relatives — crops that are genetically related but have evolved apart from domestication — in seed banks worldwide. They found that for the majority of the 81 crops they looked at, wild relatives were insufficiently represented in seed banks (also called gene banks), signaling a crucial disconnect between seed banks and the potential genetic diversity available to farmers and breeders. (Wednesday March 23rd, 2016 — Think Progress- USA)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced on March 15 that it will consider whether to include the Western bumblebee and the Yellow-banded bumblebee on the list of protected species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Currently, no bees are listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA. That’s a little surprising, given all the attention Colony Collapse Disorder and bee disappearance have been getting for the last few years. (Monday March 21st, 2016 — Care2.com)

The Maryland House passed a bill recently that would implement a partial ban on neonicotinoids, a widely-used class of pesticides that’s been shown to harm honeybees. The bill would still allow farmers to apply neonics on their crops, but would ban everyday consumers from purchasing neonics for their home gardens or other use. (Friday March 18th, 2016 — Think Progress- USA)

On Thursday, March 24, Whole Foods Market Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena will be donating 5% of their total net sales for the day, to support the creation of the new all-school learning biodynamic gardens at Pasadena Waldorf School. The garden site, approximately 5,000 square feet, sits on the school’s newly acquired 2nd campus on Mendocino Street in Altadena. (Tuesday March 15th, 2016 — Pasadena Now - Pasadena, California USA)

We’re working on a new project about changes in American agriculture. We want to hear from farmers — their hopes, their fears, their challenges and successes — in order to tell a more complete story. If you wish to be a part of this, please send us an email describing your work to [email protected] with the subject line “Farming In America.” (Tuesday March 15th, 2016 — Huffington Post - USA)

For example, winegrower Matthieu Barret has, since 1998, made terrific estate-grown wines from Cornas and Saint-Joseph, two highly regarded northern Rhône crus famed for producing terrific 100-percent syrah-based reds. As part of his dedicated approach, Barret follows organic and biodynamic principles. (Tuesday March 15th, 2016 — Tribune-Review )

If you observed two elementary-school classes, one with children digging holes outside and the other where the kids were sitting at laptop computers gazing into monitors, in which “classroom” would you guess more learning is taking place? Educators who subscribe to the Waldorf progressive model of learning would “dig” the former natural environment over the latter. (Monday March 14th, 2016 — The Daily News Journal - Murfreesboro, Tennessee USA)

From pesticide and fungicide to soap making and cosmetics, neem oil is used in a wide variety of applications. (Saturday March 12th, 2016 — WhaTech - India)

A new study suggests that schools constructed with green building principles make for more environmentally aware students. (Friday March 11th, 2016 — Co.Design - New York, New York USA)

The Camphill movement was founded to give pride to the more vulnerable members of our society, by allowing them to grow in the freedom and protection of shared community. In the past 70 years this great family has spread through Ireland, Britain, Europe, America, Africa and the Far East. As it has grown, it has changed. Members judged able now live more independently, though still with support. (Friday March 11th, 2016 — Irish Times )

Tom Petherick ... has been pretty busy. He is an authority of biodynamic farming, author and columnist for The Telegraph and The Times and an inspector for biodynamic certification body, Demeter. He earns his living writing about or working on the land. (Thursday March 10th, 2016 — Plymouth Herald - UK)

“Bio Meran will simply become part of a producer organisation that is already active in many markets, while Apofruit will enjoy all of the advantages derived from the acquisition’s high level of professionalism in the biodynamic sector.” (Friday March 4th, 2016 — Co-operative News )

Seacoast Waldorf School announced it was awarded a $25,000 from the Davis Family Foundation of Yarmouth. ... The funds will be used toward the construction of a 7,500-square-foot building on the school’s 5-acre Eliot campus that will house the Seacoast Waldorf School middle school program. (Tuesday March 1st, 2016 — Foster's Daily Democrat - )

This philosopher and scientist's insights inspired what has become a worldwide movement of schools that promotes universal human values, educational pluralism and meaningful teaching and learning opportunities. (Tuesday March 1st, 2016 — Nottingham Post - UK)

Organic and biodynamic wines are hot topics. No longer “fringe” wines, they’re now commonplace in our shops, restaurants and homes. (Saturday February 27th, 2016 — TheChronicleHerald.ca - Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada)

“Dairy farms is not an easy business to be in today. This is an initiative to not just keep farmers on the farm for longer, but also enable them to gradually adapt sustainable, organic and biodynamic changes over the long term,” said Adelaide Hills Dairies managing director Ulli Spranz. (Friday February 26th, 2016 — The Advertiser - South Australia)

A peek into Pasadena Waldorf School’s new ‎Pre-school‬ site on the Mendocino Street campus in ‪‎Altadena‬. Two classrooms, a farm yard with six raised ‪‎garden‬ beds and ‪‎chickencoop‬ plus the new play yard featuring the beautiful and imaginative playhouse (above) built by one of PWS preschool dads. (Thursday February 25th, 2016 — Pasadena Now - Pasadena, California USA)

At Eugene Waldorf School, Perrott says, “every lesson we start with something already from their understanding and then we grow from there. So whether it’s science or math or reading and writing, everything we start with is something they already know about.” (Thursday February 25th, 2016 — Eugene Weekly - Eugene, Oregon USA)

Brazil has already welcomed British biotech firm Oxitec, the private company leading the development of genetically-edited mosquitoes, into the country. Instead of a gene drive, Oxitec genetically engineers mosquitoes to produce larvae that dies after about four days. Still, many are skeptic of their decision to release these mutant mosquitoes into the wild, and their release has ignited an online conspiracy theory blaming Zika’s existence on the genetically modified mosquito. These theories are exactly what the panel’s scientists want to avoid. Clarity and understanding should precede fear. In the words of MIT’s Esvelt: “If Zika is what it takes to talk seriously about gene drives in advance of experiments, so that the public conversation can demand that those experiments are transparent, that’s a silver lining to Zika. And we’d be fools not to grasp it.” (Wednesday February 24th, 2016 — Think Progress- USA)

A big part of biodynamic farming, even if you’re producing vegetables and fruits, are the animals. The Chesters’ farm animals are now famous: their stories have been featured on Oprah’s OWN network. (Wednesday February 24th, 2016 — Forbes - )