Despite campaigning to reduce child labour internationally, the US is home to at least 230,000 child labourers toiling in the fields to pick blueberries, tomatoes or cotton
International supply chains leave the horticultural workers harvesting our food in poor countries highly vulnerable to exploitation. Retailers, unions, NGOs and governments must work together to tackle this, says Julia Hawkins
More than a 100 pesticides are licenced for spraying on the humble lettuce. As well as posing a threat to consumers, workers harvesting the crop can face contamination and poisoning
In the first part of a special report looking at the hidden side of the horticulture sector the Ecologist focuses on one of our favourite foods - tomatoes - reporting from both Italy and the US.
Across Italy an invisible army of migrant workers harvests tomatoes destined for our dinner plates. Paid poverty wages and living in squalor, medical charities have described conditions as 'hell'. Andrew Wasley reports from Basilicata, southern Italy
The 'Immokalee babies' were born with severe deformities after their mothers were each exposed to pesticides whilst harvesting tomatoes. Barry Estabrook reports on the case that shocked the US
Greenpeace's chief scientist Dr Paul Johnston on why recent proposals to expand GM technology support a flawed agricultural system and serve the biotech companies with the greatest vested interests
Land seizures, rampant logging and oil palm expansion have decimated Sarawak's forests. But now an invigorated reform movement is fighting back - accusing the government and its chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud of duplicity. Alex Joseph reports
Processed food is becoming a national favourite but canned sandwiches, cheese that stays fresh for years and ready meals high in salt, sugar and fat come with a worrying health and ecological footprint, reports Sarah Lewis-Hammond
Can’t tell medlars from mushrooms? Noah Lee spoke to the Wild Man, aka forager Fergus Drennan, to find out exactly how to make your wild food fantasies a reality
As controversial UK trials of a potato genetically-modified to be resistant to late blight get underway, we speak to research leader and plant geneticist Professor Jonathan Jones about why he is in favour of an expansion in GM crops
More than £800,000 has been raised towards the cost of setting up a unique farm - complete with green houses, polytunnels, irrigation system, woodland, orchards and a shop - that could help meet the capitals' future food needs
