Old poll and new

Do people lie about how much they exercise as much as they lie about how little they eat? Not the 26% who voted in Fresh Talk poll last week and said they exercise from zero to 15 minutes a day. The rest of us may be suspect. I was impressed, though, with the 26% who also said they exercise more than 60 minutes a day. These are folks who likely belong to the health club or have an addictive running habit. The biggest category - with 33% - say they exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day.

This week's poll: Will Tesco's Fresh & Easy format "make it" in the U.S?

Back to Chairman Peterson

Can House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson work his Jedi master will over the Senate and deliver a farm bill by next week? In a teleconference today, Peterson said he and Goodlatte had found an offset (credit card reporting guidelines) as a way to find about $5 billion over baseline for farm bill funding. What's more, while the White House isn't doing back flips, the offset isn't a deal breaker, either. Things are looking up....

Finally movement?

From the House Ag Republicans:

Opening Statement of Rep. Bob Goodlatte

Ranking Member, House Committee on Agriculture

Meeting of House and Senate Conferees

April 10, 2008

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Suffice to say, this day has been a long time coming and while we still have a significant amount of work to do, it is a good sign that we are all meeting in this room here today. As we sit around the table today, we all have different ideas about what should be in farm bill based on what we think is best for the farmers and ranchers in our districts or states. But as the 60 Members of the Congress selected by the Leadership to guide this legislation through this process, we have an obligation to approach these negotiations with a broader perspective: the overall good of American agriculture.

American agriculture is best served by us working together in a collaborative fashion to put together strong agricultural policy that allows this sector of the economy to flourish. Farm bills contain much more than just farm policy, yet without farm policy, our nutrition programs, conservation programs and energy initiatives would suffer. The agriculture sector is directly responsible for meeting some of our most fundamental needs, yet it is target of constant criticism and litigation. Yet, here the 60 of us sit, charged with the significant responsibility of ensuring that our food and fiber supply remains safe, abundant and affordable and no matter how progressive our reforms in some areas or expansion of programs in other areas, it will not be enough for farm bill critics.

So, why bother? Because if we don’t, no one else will and it is not just the American farmer or rancher that will the feel the effects of our inaction, but every person that eats a meal, buys groceries, drives a car, reads a book, takes a prescription medication or relies on food stamps to get the daily nourishment they need. If we are not willing to put aside our differences and truly work together in a bipartisan, bicameral way to put together a solid, reform-minded bill, we cannot succeed. I encourage you to bring your ideas to the table and we will have serious discussions and deliberations about the issues in the farm bill, but we must all be willing to compromise.

It is imperative that we get straight to work and finish this bill as quickly as possible so that we do not have to keep prolonging this process without end. We are days away from the extended extension of the 2002 Farm Bill and it is not realistic to think we will be able to finish this conference, pass the conference report through both chambers and get the bill to the President for his signature in the next week. We have entered peak planting season. Weeks ago farmers began planting their crops without any idea of what

policy, if any, would be in place when they pull their crops out of the ground. And we’ve yet to resolve the uncertainty that inaction on the farm bill has caused them. This is unacceptable. Our farmers and ranchers have already waited too long, we must act with purpose and haste to resolve the differences between us.

And no one knows more than Chairman Peterson how important finishing this bill is. I want to commend the efforts of Chairman Peterson who has worked tirelessly to move this bill forward. Between his meetings with House Members, Members of the Senate and the Administration, farm groups and various other constituent groups, dealing with media inquiries on a constant basis, I’m not sure there’s anybody he hasn’t talked to about the farm bill. But all of those conversations and all of those meetings have helped us get where we are today and I want to thank him for his leadership and his efforts to make this process as bipartisan, bicameral, and transparent as possible. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol to bring this bill to the finish line. I believe we CAN produce a modern, forward-looking farm bill that addresses the needs of all areas of American agriculture and will win the support of the House, Senate and the President.

Conference assignments - Farm Bill

This is admittedly "inside the beltway" info, but here - from the House Agriculture Committee - are section assignments for House conferees on the farm bill:

Several of you have asked for the section assignments for the House conferees named last night. The 14 members of the Agriculture Committee named to the conference will participate in all aspects of the conference meetings. The other 35 Members named to the conference will only participate in the specific areas of jurisdiction their committees are involved in. As the conferees were named last night, they were assigned specific sections of the farm bill that they will be involved with. The following is the text of what was read by the Clerk on the House Floor last night:
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Agriculture for consideration of the House bill (except title XII) and the Senate amendment (except secs. 12001, 12201-12601, and 12701-12808), and modifications committed to conference: Peterson (MN), Holden, McIntyre, Etheridge, Boswell, Baca, Cardoza, Scott (GA), Goodlatte, Lucas, Moran (KS), Hayes, Musgrave, and Neugebauer.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Education and Labor for consideration of secs. 4303 and 4304 of the House bill, and secs. 4901-4905, 4911, and 4912 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Miller, George, McCarthy (NY), and Platts.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Financial Services for consideration of sec. 11310 of the House bill, and secs. 6501-6505, 11068, and 13107 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Kanjorski, Waters, and Bachus.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration of secs. 3001-3008, 3010-3014, and 3016 of the House bill, and secs. 3001-3022, 3101-3107, and 3201-3204 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Berman, Sherman, and Ros-Lehtinen.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on the Judiciary for consideration of secs. 11102, 11312, and 11314 of the House bill, and secs. 5402, 10103, 10201, 10203, 10205, 11017, 11069, 11076, 13102, and 13104 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Conyers, Scott (VA), and Smith (TX).
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Natural Resources for consideration of secs. 2313, 2331, 2341, 2405, 2607, 2607A, 2611, 5401, 6020, 7033, 7311, 8101, 8112, 8121-8127, 8204, 8205, 11063, and 11075 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Rahall, Bordallo, and McMorris Rodgers.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for consideration of secs. 1501 and 7109 of the House bill, and secs. 7020, 7313, 7314, 7316, 7502, 8126, 8205, and 10201 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Waxman, Towns, and Jordan.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Science and Technology for consideration of secs. 4403, 9003, 9006, 9010, 9015, 9019, and 9020 of the House bill, and secs. 7039, 7051, 7315, 7501, and 9001 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Gordon, Lampson, and McCaul (TX).
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Small Business for consideration of subtitle D of title XI of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Velazquez, Shuler, and Chabot.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration of secs. 2203, 2301, 6019, and 6020 of the House bill, and secs. 2604, 6029, 6030, 6034, and 11087 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Oberstar, Norton, and Graves.
The Speaker appointed conferees - from the Committee on Ways and Means for consideration of sec. 1303 and title XII of the House bill, and secs. 12001-12601, and 12701-12808 of the Senate amendment, and modifications committed to conference: Rangel, Pomeroy, and McCrery.
The Speaker appointed conferees For consideration of the House bill (except title XII) and the Senate amendment (except secs. 12001, 12201-12601, and 12701-12808), and modifications committed to conference: DeLauro and Putnam.

Jim Allen checking in

Got an email from the always engaged and enthusiastic Jim Allen today. Besides a coming trip to Cuba - the New York Department of Ag is sponsoring an official trade mission (30 plus New Yorkers) the week of April 21-24 - Jim also noted an upcoming visit to Russia. From Jim's email:

I am enjoying the Russian coverage in the Packer. Since the Berlin show NY has shipped close to 10,000 cartons to Russia. Our USEAC (Export Council) is planning a trade mission to St. Petersburg in May. I will be attending along with shippers from CA, PA, MI, NE and NY. We are excited about the potential business in Russia. . I am sending you a copy of the editorial that I had in our Core Report about the Russian market. Thought you might be interested, that other states besides Washington are looking to Russia. Obviously WA dwarfs our shipments, but this is good new business for us.

Jim Allen
President
New York Apple Association, Inc


TK: Below is Jim's column about Russia from the Core Report. And yes, they really do love big apple sizes in Russia:


The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!
The last place you would expect to hear this phrase would be in Berlin, Germany, but that certainly was one of the most heard comments at this year’s Fruit Logistica Show. If it wasn’t the Russians, then it was the Indians that were storming the different booths in search of fresh apples. When one realizes that today Russia imports more apples than any other country and that India is one of the fastest growing new markets, requests from both of those countries should not have surprised anyone. Maybe overwhelmed would be a better description, because it was amazing to have so many very interested parties seek out the USAEC booth to specifically talk about USA apples. Our booth was conveniently located adjacent to the Washington Apple Commission booth, and at first one might think that would not be good for us, but on the contrary, many interested apple importers are looking for East coast sources for apples. Apparently the Western arrivals tend to jam up the ports, and Eastern arrivals would take a different path of entry. Let’s face it, when you export over 20 million cartons a year, you draw a lot of attention, and most of that attention had an opportunity to also sample a crispy, white Empire apple from New York. Both India and Russia prefer large, red fruit, which is not exactly our strong suit, but taste is also a factor, and that is our strength. Last year at the October PMA show in Houston, a Russian importer visited our booth inquiring about wanting many container loads of big red apples. Big to me is 88 and 80 count, and I was explaining to her that we would prefer to ship 100 and 88 size. I was taken back when she interrupted, in her Russian/English dialect (and rather forcefully), “NO. NO, I said big, as in 72 and 56 count and yes 48 count size.” I, with my flat Western New York twang, asked her to let me know how that all worked out for her this year. Guess who came to the booth in Berlin, and she politely told me that her desires for large fruit did not work out at all, not from the East. Helenia, as I now know her, could become an important key to shipments of Eastern apples into Russia and her tone, as well as mine, has both taken a new direction. The reality of our apple industry, compared to the Western U.S. industry is now better understood, and those that need to know are better informed about what each are capable of producing. Being in Berlin helped move this process forward. Ward Dobbins of HH Dobbins in Western New York and Chuck Andola of United Apple Sales, along with Kaari Standard of New York Apple Sales all had the chance to communicate with prospective apple importers from around the world. Ward commented, “It is hard to imagine a world glut of apples based on the amount of demand here at this show, when you talk to some importers that talk in thousands of metric tons, not just a few loads.” Clearly, one factor in the demand for more apples was this year’s small European crop, specifically Poland, which was hurt by spring freeze. Even with a Polish crop, the demand for apples in these countries continues to exceed the production and the weak U.S. Dollar continues to drive the demand as well. Checkpoint Charley was the gate between East and West Berlin from 1961-1989, where armed soldiers from the U.S. and Russia stood, separating capitalism and democracy from socialism and totalitarianism. Today, the gate for new business and expansion into emerging markets is open and unguarded.


TK: I extended Jim the opportunity to be a "guest blogger" as he travels to Cuba and Russia and that offer goes out to all association and industry leaders who think they would like to try it out. Let me know and I'll set you up.

Bag for life - but plastic?

Not a bad PR move for the fledgling retailer. But sorry if you expected a canvas bag.... From PR newswire:

In celebration of Earth Day, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market today (April 8) announced its 61 stores will bag groceries with free reusable "bags for life" for customers on April 22nd. The company encourages customers to reuse these bags and lessen their impact on the environment.

(Photo: http://www.trafficresults.com/click-rabbit.php?acctid=6TZMCjgesxs=&docid=AQTU19808042008-1&redirect=1&url=http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080408/AQTU198)

Fresh & Easy offers its customers two different types of reusable bags, including a $2.50 canvas bag and a plastic reusable "bag for life," which retails for $.20. The "bag for life" is larger and more durable than standard grocery bag and, if damaged, Fresh & Easy will replace the bag for free, forever. These bags are made with recycled material and are 100% recyclable.

"We want to make it easier for our customers to make more environmentally friendly decisions," said Tim Mason, Fresh & Easy CEO. "If everyone in the neighborhood shops with reusable bags, we can really make a difference."

Fresh & Easy has made a considerable effort to be a good neighbor and steward of the environment. For example, the company only sells energy efficient light bulbs, uses LED lighting in external signs and freezer cases, offers plastic, aluminum and glass recycling, and provides preferred parking for hybrid vehicles.

More broadly, Fresh & Easy has committed to build LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings and voluntarily joined the California Climate Action Registry to disclose its greenhouse gas emissions. At its distribution center in Riverside the company invested $13 million in a solar roof installation, which is one of California's largest at 500,000 sq. ft.

More information regarding Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market can be found at http://www.trafficresults.com/click-rabbit.php?acctid=6TZMCjgesxs=&docid=AQTU19808042008-1&redirect=1&url=http://www.freshandeasy.com.

Rosa on COOL

From the office of Rep. Rosa DeLauro:

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3), chairwoman of the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following opening statement during a subcommittee hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget for the Marketing and Regulatory Programs within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, at which Bruce Knight, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
at the U.S. Department of Agriculture testified.

From her opening remarks:

There are, of course, several other important issues to discuss during this hearing. One critical issue is country-of-origin labeling (COOL). In the FY 2008 omnibus appropriations bill, we included a timeline that would lead to the implementation of COOL by September 30, 2008. Unfortunately, USDA missed the first deadline – which was for Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to re-publish a proposed rule for covered commodities (beef, fruits and vegetables) by January 17, 2008. It is almost three months past that deadline, and we are still waiting.

I realize that the provision on COOL in the farm bill represents an agreement that was reached among the various stakeholders and so I understand the USDA may therefore be waiting for the farm bill to pass. However, USDA does not seem to not have a problem making assumptions about the new farm bill in their Fiscal Year 2009 budget request, so it is interesting that they would ignore it when it pertains to COOL.