Easy to feel optimistic about the year in food when I read stories like these:

The San Francisco Unified School District announced plans to award a contract to Oakland-based Revolution Foods to provide nutritious, freshly prepared meals for city schoolchildren–it’s about time! (San Francisco Examiner)

In its fifth year the Young Farmers Conference at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture sold out its 260 spots in 36 hours, with 175 on the waiting list: a real show of momentum for sustainable farming! (New York Times)

And 2012 was a huge year for the Right to Know–check out these top 10 highlights of the non-GMO movement internationally: (Clean Fish)

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As for the future of the movement, this article argues that foodies should rally behind the reform of plant patents to make food property rights less exclusive and less profitable for big company executives: (Slate)

A 15-year old girl’s discovery of Brominated vegetable oil (a common ingredient in many citrus drinks that may cause side effects like neurological and thyroid disorders) on the ingredient list of her Gatorade bottle has brought attention to the arcane world of additive regulation: (New York Times)

Government regulators moved a big step closer to allowing the first genetically engineered animal – a fast-growing salmon – to enter our food supply; the AquAdvantage salmon contains a growth hormone gene from the Chinook salmon and a genetic switch from the ocean pout which causes the fish to reach market weight in about 18 months instead of three years: (New York Times)

Ever heard of a wine apartment, or a sourdough hotel? See how many you know on this fun list of food words that gained mass circulation in 2012: (Huffington Post)