5@5: USDA axes organic animal welfare rule | IBM, Walmart take food safety blockchain initiative to China

USDA puts final ax on organic livestock rule

Implementation of the proposed amendments to the animal welfare standards for USDA’s organic program, which the Obama administration finalized and published just in time in January, has been delayed three times by the new administration, prompting the Organic Trade Association to sue the agency in September. Now USDA plans to withdraw the final rule, saying it would “exceed USDA’s statutory authority.” OTA, meanwhile, says it will continue to fight for stricter organic animal welfare standards. Read more at Feedstuffs...

IBM & Walmart launching Blockchain Food Safety Alliance in China with Fortune 500’s JD.com

It’s the buzzword you’ve probably been hearing a lot lately, and you’re going to be hearing even more of it. A powerful cohort of companies and retailers is bringing blockchain technology to China in an effort to improve traceability and food safety. The group intends to develop standards for collecting data about the origin, safety and authenticity of food. Earlier this year, Walmart was one of 10 food suppliers and retailers who committed to working together on similar efforts in the U.S. Read more at Forbes…

Tips for established companies to keep innovating

Don’t ignore the small stuff—like emerging market trends or startup competitors. Companies that sniff those out early are more apt to stay one step ahead, says Paul Earle, an adjunct lecturer on innovation and entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School. He advises companies to foster a culture in which employees can experiment and share their ideas without corporate red tape. Read more at Kellogg Insight…

In Newark, a startup plans to convert trash into usable products

Set up in an old meatpacking plant, Industrial/Organic, or IO, is waste management of the future. The company ferments food waste in an enclosed tank, which releases moisture from the food and sterilizes and stabilizes it. Then it separates the carbon, nutrients, water, organic acids and alcohol and upcycles those resources to make fertilizers, animal feed and clean energy—all in a week’s time. Sounds impossible, right? Read more at Jersey Digs…

What happens when an Ohio town loses its only grocery store?

In eastern Ohio, the town of Carrollton saw its only grocery store close abruptly last year. Now, its residents, like those in other food deserts, must shop at discount stores of drive half an hour to the nearest supermarket. Read more at WOSU…