California has big lead in local food sales, survey shows

It's no surprise that the country's biggest agricultural state, and the top state for organic production, also leads the way in local foods. The USDA estimated that $8.7 billion worth of food was sold by farms in the U.S. through direct marketing practices—and nearly one-third of that was in California. Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin rounded out the top five. Read more at Agri Pulse...

Food packaging is not the enemy of the environment that it is assumed to be

We often think of food packaging as wasteful—but in some cases can it be an environmental boon? What about vacuum packaging, for example, which can almost double the shelf life for meat? Or resealable packages that keep food fresher longer? What about the double-edged sword of single-serve packaging that may prevent food waste but generate more plastic waste? Read more at The Economist...

Grocery of the future: The right food at the right moment on aisle 4

Kiosks for ordering prepared foods. Apps that help customers find products to match their preferences. Electronic shelf labels. Here's how technology is changing the retail experience. Read more at Take Part...

S.C.-based Sonoco hopes clear cans are the future of food

Consumers aren't gobbling up canned foods like they used to. But packaging companies are hoping that using see-through cans to package beans and other shelf-stable foods may lure consumers and stand out on the shelf. Read more at The Post and Courier...

Danone's CEO on going organic and why it's critical to be fair

Emmanuel Faber finished off his second year at the helm by acquiring WhiteWave Foods. But he says the food industry's model of simplifying and standardizing, and going for economies of scale, is reaching its limit and has not taken into account sustainability. Read more at The Wall Street Journal...