Some blogs and writings by Raj Patel, Philip McMichael and Mindi Schneider on food, agriculture, capitalism, pigs, riots, vegetarianism, China…

Food magazine Zester has just published a report and slideshow about the Anlong co-op by award-winning journalists Robyn Eckhardt and David Hagerman. Even if you’ve read my reports I recommend you check this out, since their experience with food and farming attuned their eyes to details that I missed, and needless to say their writing and photography are far superior.

Third installment of my series on alternative food networks and experiments with urban-rural relations in China, pointing out an interview and two reports, and introducing three more projects in Chengdu.

Report on the monumental strike of about a 1,000 teachers from three private secondary and primary schools in Chengdu, with support from their students the students’ parents, for improvements in teachers’ salary and benefits, and in the schools’ facilities and work conditions. The strike ended today when the government intervened and temporarily took over management at one of the schools, but negotiations continue.

Today about 50 construction workers assembled outside the gate of the “Manhatten” office building in Chengdu, on behalf of over a thousand workers, demanding 30 million yuan in back pay from Chengdu Xinda Real Estate Development Co. (成都鑫达房地产开发有限公司) for 12 months work building the five-star Regal Master Hotel (成都富豪首座酒店), from July 2006 to July 2007.