FoodPoisonJournal.com
Published: May 22, 2011
By: Jeff Benedict

When I left Connecticut with my family four years ago, we settled into a rural Civil War-era farm in Virginia. I never intended to farm — I was just happy to find an affordable historic home with a few acres around it.

But after settling in, we converted our place to an organic farm. It happened gradually. First it was a few vegetable gardens. Then some fruit trees. Eventually we added chickens, hens and horses.

GlennBeck.com
Published: May 18, 2011
By: Jeff Benedict

For a couple of years my wife, Lydia, had been encouraging me to write a book on the food industry. I resisted, saying guys like Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser did that. I write nonfiction stories, usually ones built around legal disputes. I couldn’t see how to do a compelling legal story around food.

Then something happened. Lydia’s concern about food safety revolutionized the way our family eats. This did not happen gradually. One week she cleaned out our cupboards and refrigerator, getting rid of everything from brand-name cereal to frozen meat to staple products like butter, flour, and sugar. Even the salt and pepper went. Then she restocked our kitchen with organic foods. We also started going directly to small local farms to purchase our meat, poultry, and dairy products.

Newsweek

Published: December 6, 2010 

By: Jeff Benedict

Five years ago, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an effort to condemn homes in the name of business development. But the decision, which cleared the way for an "urban village" in Connecticut, sparked a revolt; more than 40 states have since put curbs on eminent domain. For the owners of homes to be condemned, however, the reality of injustice lingers. According to a recent report by the Castle Coalition, a property watchdog, at least 20 neighborhoods--including the one in Connecticut--have been snapped up for projects that hit a financial dead end. 

Marler Blog

Published: October 4, 2010

By: Jeff Benedict

For the past year and a half I’ve been writing a book about the biggest E. coli outbreak in U.S. history.  It started in Seattle in 1993 and ended up spreading through most Western states.  Jack in the Box restaurants was implicated as the source.  Writing this story has changed my life, particularly when it comes to the way I eat.  And I’m not just talking about beef.