GM- No

There's a campaign to block the planting of genetically modified, herbicide resistant sugar beets this spring. From a press release from the Center on Corporate Responsibility. From a March 4 press release:

The full 63 companies targeted in the ICCR campaign at http://www.dontplantgmobeets.org/ reads as follows: Alpine Confections Inc.; American Crystal Sugar Co.; American Foods Group LLC; American Licorice Co.; Anheuser-Busch, Cos. Inc.; Brown & Haley; Brown-Forman Corp.; Campbell Soup Co.; Canada Bread Co.; Coca-Cola Inc.; ConAgra Foods, Inc.; Cott Corp.; Dairy Farmers of America; Dannon Co. Inc.; Dean Foods, Co.; Del Monte Foods; Dole Food Co. Inc.; Farley's & Sathers Candy Co.; Ferrara Pan Candy Co.; Flowers Foods Inc.; Foremost Farms USA; Fortune Brands Inc.; General Mills, Inc.; Gilster-Mary Lee Corp.; Godiva Chocolatier Inc.; Golden State Foods; Gorton's; H.J. Heinz Co.; Hain Celestial Group; Hershey Co.; Imperial Sugar Co.; Interstate Bakeries Corp.; J&J Snack Foods; J.M. Smucker Co.; Just Born Inc.; Kellogg Co.; Kraft Foods; McDonald's; McKee Foods Corp.; Molson Coors Co.; Nestle (US and Canada); New England Confectionery, Co.; OSI Group; Pepsico Inc.; Procter & Gamble Co.; Reser's Fine Foods; Ruiz Foods; Russell Stover Candies Inc.; Sara Lee Corp.; Schwan Food Co.; Seneca Foods Inc.; Sherwood Brands, Inc.; Tootsie Roll Industries Inc.; TreeHouse Foods Inc.; Unilever North America; Warrell Corp.; Wells' Dairy; Wendy's; Weston Foods; Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.; World's Finest Chocolate Inc.; Zachary Confections, Inc.

TK: I think it is too late to hope that consumers will turn back the clock on GM crops in the U.S. I don't think the public beleives there is a big risk with GMO crops, since there are already millions of acres planted to corn, soybeans, cotton and more around the world with little dire results so far. Here is the sugar beet industry perspective, and an interesting and long treatment of the GM crop discussion can be found at this link from Mother Earth News.

.

On the advancement of technology

One of the interesting features about Google Web search is the ability to search through U.S. patents. I recently did just that and focus on patents on developments in mechanized harvest equipment for fresh produce.

Here are a couple that I stumbled on:
Tree harvester trunk seal:Richard A. Briesemeister
A device for maintaining a seal between a first object and a second object is disclosed. The device comprises a retractable arm mounted to and extending from the first object towards the second object. The device also comprises a sealing arrangement mounted at a distal end of the retractable arm. The sealing arrangement includes a sealing member and a sensor configured to engage the second object and provide input to the retractable arm so as to maintain a predetermined distance between the distal end of the retractable arm and the second object. As a result, a seal is formed and maintained between the first object and the second object.

Mechanized harvesting machine with rotating picking elements Henry Rodriguez
A harvesting machine particularly suitable for picking or harvesting vegetables, such as peppers or tomatoes, employs a harvesting frame on which is mounted a rotating shaft aligned transversely to the direction of movement of the machine. A pair of spaced apart picking members are mounted on the shaft on opposite sides of a row of plants having a crop to be harvested. The picking members are simultaneously rotated; and each of them has a plurality of arcuate picking elements pivotally mounted on them.

TK The trade may want to keep up with new transgenic varieties, in addition to packing machine advancements, production and harvest related technology bright ideas through the Google site.

Parameters of a successful farm bill

That's the title of this White House document that spells out certain conditions the White House wants in the farm bill delivered by Congress to President Bush. The list of parameters includes the elimination of the fruit and vegetable planting restriction on program crop acres.

Email response from Harkin spokeswoman Kate Cyrul this morning:

"At this point, the Administration is the biggest sticking point to getting a new farm bill. With little new information in this paper, it seems the White House is more intent on foreclosing options to getting this bill done, rather than working to create a solution."

Farm Foundation Forum

The following links could be of interest to Fresh Talk readers.:

A podcast of the March 4 Farm Foundation Forum is posted here, and it focuses on food prices.

The Forum topic: Factors and Impacts of U.S. Food Price Increases

Charlie Stenholm was the moderator.

Presenters were:
Ephriam Leibtag, USDA Economic Research Service
Sophie Milam, Bread for the World
Scott Faber, GMA/FPA
Jon Doggett, National Corn Growers Association

TK: Also, here is a link to other noteworthy pdf presentations on land use in the U.S. and the ethanol issue.

Tesco Fresh and Easy Roundup

As usual, Tesco's Fresh & Easy continues to grab headlines. Here are few of note:

Fresh & Easy Takes Comparison Route Instore Marketing Institute
Tesco's nascent Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market is seeking to win over customers with a "Compare & Save" price program.
Shelf signs in Las Vegas stores compare the chain's prices on a variety of national-brand packaged goods products with those offered at the Albertsons and Smith's Food & Drug chains.

It might not be easy, but Tesco will get there in the end Retail Week

However, there was one sentence in Dennis's note that resonated with a source close to Tesco in the US. According to Piper Jaffray, if customer traffic was slow, then "Tesco must be concerned that the Fresh & Easy concept is not right and that they need to find out quickly what the issues are and reset the concept or ranges".
A key concern of sceptics is that Fresh & Easy's product offer is not targeting a broad enough church of US consumers. According to the US source, the format is proving popular with consumers who don't have big families to feed, such as young and elderly shoppers, but less so for those with families.

Specialty Crop Block Grants made available

Big Apple notes the Federal Register notice today making available specialty crop block grant funds to the state departments of agriculture. From the notice:

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the availability of approximately $8,440,500 in block grant funds, less USDA administrative costs, to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. State departments of agriculture interested in obtaining grant program funds are invited to submit applications to USDA. State departments of agriculture, meaning agencies, commissions, or departments of a State government responsible for agriculture within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, are eligible to apply. State departments of agriculture are encouraged to involve industry groups, academia, and community-based organizations in the development of applications and the administration of projects.
DATES: Applications must be postmarked not later than March 5, 2009.

TK: For who got what, check out the post by Big Apple.

To the brink

Congress and White House are going to the brink in farm bill negotiations, and the White House over the weekend presented Congressional leaders with a list of ten demands they require of the bill is funded $10 billion over the baseline. From coverage by Sally Schuff of Feedstuffs, noted this morning by Luis in the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group:

Key among the 10 demands is one that would end farm program eligibility for participants who pay income tax on an adjusted gross income (AGI) of more than $500,000 annually.

TK: Sally Schuff also notes the 3-page White House letter demand the elimination of new subsidy programs and elimination of the prohibition of the planting of fruits and vegetables on farm program base acres. She also notes that "a number of miscellaneous provisions were also opposed by the Administration." Let's hope that number doesn't include the fruit and vegetable program for schools, which has raised some objections from the White House in earlier position papers. Peterson indicated to Schuff that Congress would consider the White House demand but wouldn't allow terms to be dictated. I'll see if Kate Cyrul at Harkin's office or Robert Guenther at United has a copy of the White House letter we can post to discussion group.