Wednesday headline roundup 7/11

Apriums, pluouts get press in Chicago Chicago Sun Times notes: Grown in Washington and California, they're just making their way to Chicago and causing a bit of confusion for shoppers: Pluots have smooth, plum-like skin, while the apriums, with their slightly fuzzy skin, resemble apricots and both offer a subtle sweetness that can't be found in an apricot or plum on its own.

Lettuce most likely source of E. coli? Cross contamination a possibility. From Huntsville, Ala., paper: Lettuce was the likely source of an E. coli bacteria outbreak that has now sickened 18 people, the Huntsville-Madison County Health Department's assistant director said Tuesday.

The new food crusade Push is on to change the way U.S. subsidizes agriculture, from The San Francisco Chronicle :The short version of the argument -- and nothing is short when it comes to the mind-numbing, complex farm bill -- is that the bill subsidizes the overproduction of corn and soy in the Midwest, which is driving up obesity and diabetes and polluting the land. Instead, they say, the farm bill should put more money into sustainable and organic food production, agricultural conservation and efforts to put a higher priority on fresh, local fruits and vegetables.

The yuck factor How produce placement in supermarkets can cause shopper disgust: From the UK Independent: This isn't the first time Morales has studied the psychology of disgust on the shop floor. She achieved similar results in earlier research into " consumer contamination". When picked up this newspaper, did you take the second one in the pile? If you did, you're not alone. "It's the same mechanism," says Morales. "We feel disgusted knowing someone else may have been in contact with the products we want to buy so we devalue these 'contaminated' products

Low path avian flu detected in Virginia Passed on by Big Apple of Fresh Produce Discussion Group, this story from the AP says a similar strain hit the Shenandoah Valley in 2002, costing farmers $130 million.

Edwards offer labeling, food safety initiative

China executes food and drug official Career hits dead end

Farm Bureau supports Peterson proposal According to AFBF, the proposal, or chairman’s mark, provides a strong safety net for producers while providing funding for critical conservation, rural development, nutrition, and energy programs.

Syngenta buys Israeli seed company Syngenta announced Monday it has agreed to acquire Zeraim Gedera Ltd

Tesco's carbon labeling initiative

Consumer Reports: Survey says consumers want labeling

Whole Foods, FTC spar before trial

Organic yields hold up to conventional farming Reuters reports Organic farming can yield up to three times as much food as conventional farming in developing countries, and holds its own against standard methods in rich countries, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

On freezing produce How-to steps from Montgomery paper

Fruits, vegetables need U.S. subsidies Letter to editor points out: In 2005, Kellogg spent$32 million advertising just one snack cracker. By comparison, the USDA had a budget of less than $1 million to advocate for the Food Pyramid.