Massive Brainstorm

Last week, I kicked off a massive brainstorm around how we can use social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare to affect the 2012 Farm Bill. Inspired by the use of social media in the mid-term elections, I think we have a real opportunity to change the bill that effects the cost, health, and quality of our food and communities. What do you think?

How do you think social media tools could be used to affect the 2012 Farm Bill?

There have been some wonderful ideas such as Adriana Velez’s suggestion to build a Tumblr site: What Does The Farm Bill Have To Do With Me? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comment section of the post or on our Facebook page. I will be sharing all of your responses next week. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Information Bites

Goodies Not to be missed from last week:

WordPress.com ventures into content aggregation with Foodpress.com, a little open inspiration from Tim O’Reilly, and Ulla Kjarval’s first guest post about the newly updated Farmshed app.

Economist Debates: Biotechnology
Join in online-Oxford style debate about whether biotechnology and sustainable agriculture are complimentary or contradictory.

Digital Green Advances Indian Agriculture Through Viral Video-GOOD
Digital Green is a NPO that uses viral video content to spread good farming practices throughout India.

Gourmet Live Joins Foursquare (And Why You Should Care!)- Mouth of The Border

Recently released Gourmet LIve Ipad application is now on Foursquare, which means you can get recommendations on where and what to eat from the Gourmet team.

Nokia Taking a Road to Rural Growth- NYT

Nokia Introduced Ovi Life Tools in Nigeria this week, which includes agricultural services such as market prices, news, advice, & weather.

The 2012 Farm Bill: It’s Not Too Late To Think BiG- Civil Eats

Understanding the Farm Bill: A Citizen’s Guide to a Better Food System, a new Facebook page launched by Lee Zukor and Mark Muller that aims to educate the public about the Farm Bill.

A Dinevore List That Can Get You Funded: Where Do New York VCs Eat?- This Is Going To Be Big

Entrepreneur In Residence Charlie O’Donnell’s Dinevore list got lots of people talking last week. Dinevore is a new site that allows New Yorkers to curate restaurant lists around themes.

After 2015, We Need A New Set of MIllennium Development Goals That Apply To All Countries- The Guardian

“Developed countries” are also in need of improvement. This article proposes a new set of universal goals to address inequality and unsustainable consumption.

What The Midterms Mean For Federal Ag-Policy Reform- Grist

Overview of what the mid-term elections mean for farm policy ahead of the 2012 Farm Bill negotiations.