1. Rancho Recall: The End of Sonoma County Beef? (Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

Millions of pounds of beef have been recalled after-the-fact, many small local Bay Area producers are left without a processing facility, and some big questions remain unanswered. The Pt. Reyes Light, a hyper-local newspaper, also investigates.

2. Rival Industries Sweet-Talk the Public (New York Times)

An interesting run-down of the legal battle between the sugar industry and the Corn Refiners Association (two of the most powerful players in the food industry) about the proposed re-naming of high fructose corn syrup as “corn sugar.”

3. How This Food Blogger Convinced Chick-fil-A to Go Antibiotics Free (Reuters)

The company said consumer demand was responsible for the change, but some sources are crediting blogger Vani Hari whose large audience seem keen to sign petitions aimed at food corporations. Her site, Food Babe, was also involved in last week’s removal of the yoga mat ingredient in Subway’s bread.

4. Organic Dairy Farmers Hit by California Drought (Medium)

Organic standards require dairy cows to graze on pasture for at least 120 days a year. But current conditions in the state have kept pastures to dry to provide sustenance. With their pastures barren, organic cattle and dairy farmers in California are looking at bowing out of farming altogether.