The 50 million pound challenge and other headlines

America itself will be the biggest loser, in a way. This story talks about the 50 million pound challenge, a shared weight loss plan sponsored by State Farm Insurance and the brainchild of Dr. Ian Smith, a journalist and author of the book "The Fat Smash Diet." Working with State Farm Insurance, "Smith's campaign aims to engage Americans in individual and group activities that will help them shed excess pounds to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and other life-threatening diseases." It might help if we get televised weigh-ins, don't you think?

Other headlines snatched from the Web:

Lose your property for growing food Worldnet Daily

House Resolution 875, or the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, was introduced by Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., in February. DeLauro's husband, Stanley Greenburg, works for Monsanto – the world's leading producer of herbicides and genetically engineered seed. DeLauro's act has 39 co-sponsors and was referred to the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 4. It calls for the creation of a Food Safety Administration to allow the government to regulate food production at all levels – and even mandates property seizure, fines of up to $1 million per offense and criminal prosecution for producers, manufacturers and distributors who fail to comply with regulations.

Later...

What is going to happen is that local agriculture will end up suffering through some onerous protocols designed for international agriculture that they simply don't need," Olson said. "Thus, it will be a way for industrial agriculture to manage local agriculture."

As basic as meat and potatoes Times Union

So President Barack Obama's recognition that the Food and Drug Administration is not doing its job as well as it should comes as welcome news. So does his creation of a Food Safety Working Group. American consumers could be forgiven if they feel like canaries in a coal mine. It took an outbreak of E. coli in 2006 — which claimed at least one life — to reveal this country's weak safeguards on vegetables. It took some 1,500 people sickened from jalapeno peppers last year to underscore the absence of regulations on farms and processing plants not just in Mexico, but in the United States. And the recent outbreak of salmonella poisoning — more than 640 confirmed cases in 44 states and at least nine deaths — revealed how even firms that know of contamination don't always have to tell authorities.

10 winners in the recession

Research by Atlee Burpee, he world's biggest seed company, found that $50 of seeds and fertilizer can yield $1,250 worth of produce. Green thumbs agree: Sales at Burpee are expected to jump 25 percent in 2009, while veggie seed sales at Park Seed are up 20 percent this year from 2008. And a National Gardening Association poll shows that the number of households planning to grow their own food in 2009 has increased by 19 percent from 2008. The trade-off? Fewer flowers. With garden space—and budgets—squeezed, flower seed sales are down.

Tough times call for home gradens Philadelphia NBC


U.S. government suspends Bush H2A rules Politics and immigration blog

The changes to the H-2A temporary foreign agricultural worker program took effect on Saturday, January 17. The DOL said it plans to reverse those changes and reinstate the policies that were in effect until that time. It may take several weeks for the changes to take effect.

Wal-Mart unveils plans for own label revamp FT.com

With more than 5,250 items across more than 100 categories, Great Value is already the largest American grocery brand by value of sales and by volume. But private label – or own label – accounts for only about 16 per cent of Wal-Mart's total grocery sales, compared with about 25 per cent at supermarket rivals such as Safeway and Kroger.The brand relaunch, which has been a year in the planning, coincides with strong growth in sales of private-label grocery goods as US consumers seek out lower prices.

Key Democrats see momentum in food safety legislation CQ Politics
Congressional food safety advocates say they are optimistic that President Obama's endorsement of their cause over the weekend will breathe life into efforts that have remained stalled."It's no longer a matter if the [Food and Drug Administration] will be reformed, but rather a matter of when and how," said Rep. Bart Stupak , D-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.Obama boosted the profile of the food safety issue by highlighting it March 14 in his weekly radio address. He said he would appoint a new working group to produce legislative recommendations for overhauling food safety laws "as soon as possible."

Mexico places tariffs on U.S. goods NYT
The measure was taken "for the incompliance of the country in its agreements regarding transport under the North American Free Trade Agreement," Mr. Ruiz, left, said. "That is what is commonly known as measures of retaliation." Mr. Ruiz said the tariffs would be imposed on items representing $2.4 billion in trade, but did not name the products.

U.S. farm export at risk over truck feud Reuters

Credit card worreis end stock rally ForexTV

Share prices had been as much as 2.3% higher but a steep selloff began just before 2 p.m. EDT when American Express released delinquency data in a regulatory filing. The credit card company said charge-off rates rose to 8.7% in February from 8.3% a month earlier. It was the first down day for stocks after four consecutive gains.

Fitch upgrades debt ratings for Dole AP

Dole prices $325M in new bonds Leveraged Finance News

Another reason to eat your fruits and veggies Examiner
UCR stuy shows f/v remove cancer cell response to chemotherapy

Valley businesses take different approach to downturn Salinas Californian

Produce and pesticides: the annual report EWG

Russia's customs reforms leads to less f/v imports