Exeter might be affluent and hungry for locally produced, sustainable food, but in common with other towns and cities across the UK, independent retailers, producers and food entrepreneurs face an uphill challenge, reports Charlie Taverner
Of 5,500 badgers to be shot during the pilot culls, only 240 will be independently monitored for humaneness, it has emerged. And just 4 Natural England officials will oversee the killing in Gloucestershire and Somerset
Dan Crossley, of the Food Ethics Council, talks to the Ecologist about their work on developing an 'ethical food manifesto' ahead of the next general election
Whilst running the length of South America to raise awareness of the vulnerability of the continent's remaining wilderness Katharine and David Lowrie meet the winners and losers in Argentina's rush on soya....
Libby Grundy, Food for Life Director at the Soil Association, talks to the Ecologist about the food challenges facing the planet and what's inspiring her work...
Observing a new momentum in the biodynamic and permaculture movement brought by young enthusiasts encouraged Cory Whitney to revisit the basics of these two agricultural systems....
The Sumatran elephant, one of the smallest of the Asian elephants, is the most endangered elephant in the world. Currently there are between 2,400 and 2,800 left, making the species 'critically endangered', according to the charity Elephant Family.
If the Soil Association joined those opposing the cull it would be able to brand its organic milk and dairy products 'badger friendly'- no doubt leading to a much needed boost in sales, says Dominic Dyer
Buying organic food is an important choice for everyone concerned about animal welfare, wildlife and conservation. It would not make sense for consumers to stop buying organic if they disagree with badger culling, says Helen Browning
Ahead of publication of the Ecologist Guide to Food - the first in a forthcoming series of hard-hitting consumer guides - our regular new blog will be covering all things ethical and culinary, and reporting on stories and issues that there simply wasn't room for in the book...
Palm oil is a key ingredient in everything from cereal, biscuits and margarine to shampoo, lipstick and toothpaste. Unless we curb our desire for it critical forests and wildlife habitat will be gone forever, says Dan Bucknell
Western consumers are inadvertently driving the Sumatran elephant to extinction by eating, washing and wearing - in cosmetics - the derivatives of a fruit that is destroying the animal's last remaining forest habitat. Jim Wickens reports
Where there are cattle, there is the threat of bovine Tuberculosis (TB). The farming methods may differ greatly, but from the dairy farms of Ethiopia to the beef herds of Canada the race is on to find the best way to tackle the disease
A growing number of farmers are now questioning the nature of the cull and its effectiveness. And some are blaming poor biosecurity and intensive farming for the spread of TB in the UK cattle herd. Andrew Wasley and Sarah Stirk report
