Something rotten at MSU

It's no joke about cafeteria food at Michigan State University. Here is a report of another food poisoning outbreak at MSU Newsinferno.com

Michigan State University (MSU) is again facing a food poisoning outbreak, this time, indefinitely closing a campus dining hall, reported the Detroit News. This fall, MSU was hit with an E. coli outbreak believed linked to Aunt Mid's lettuc.Now, health officials are reporting that over 50 people have been stricken with a stomach illness, which was followed by an investigation by the county health department, said Detroit News. "We have a number of students who became ill in a short period of time," said Dr. Dean Sienko, head of the Ingham County Health Department. "That's an outbreak," he noted, according to Detroit News.The illness started being reported at about 2:00 a.m. yesterday with about 28 students reporting symptoms that include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain and who were treated at a local hospital, said the Detroit News; 16 remained hospitalized as of last night. Approximately 30 other students were treated at the student health center, said Detroit News, which noted that most of the ill students live at MSU's Shaw Hall.The source of the illness and the type of illness remain unknown; however, the college believes the sickness to be food borne. According to Dr. Sienko, the current outbreak appears to be different from this September's E. coli outbreak, "We are early in the investigation…. People want us to have answers, and these things just take time," quoted the Detroit News.


Pistachio had tested positives for months USA Today
The company that recalled 2 million pounds of pistachios on Monday had been receiving positive salmonella tests for as long as five months, federal officials say. Salmonella in nuts from Setton Pistachio was detected by one of the company's food-manufacturing customers. When the Food and Drug Administration asked Setton officials if any of their own tests had come back positive for salmonella, the answer was yes, says David Acheson, FDA associate commissioner.
"They told us, 'We've had montevideo, newport, senftenberg and larochelle,'" Acheson says, meaning the earlier discovery of four strains of salmonella. "The question is, 'Did Setton Farms have an ongoing problem, and what did they do about it?' " Acheson says. The FDA believes batches of pistachios that tested positive for salmonella were destroyed, not distributed. Setton Pistachio spokeswoman Fabia D'Arienzo could not confirm that.


Pistachio recall frustrates shoppers The Denver Channel.com
Karen Andrews is vaguely aware of the long list of recent food recalls, from E. coli-tainted spinach to salmonella pistachios. "Somebody is probably not doing their job or we need to take a look at more people -- have a look at how we process food," said Andrews. The food safety system in the United States is broken and needs a complete overhaul, according to Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), who points to the pistachio problem.



DHS chief supports E-verify Daily Record

In an interview today with Gannett Washington Bureau, Napolitano said the Obama administration hasn't taken a position on whether or not to make E-Verify mandatory for all U.S. employers."It's all about who gets to work and making sure they're legally present in our country. And to do that nationally E-verify becomes a key component,'' she said. "It certainly needs to available, effective and as inexpensive as possible and that employer needs to use it as a tool."



Working toward a more efficient USDA Tom Vilsack McClatchy



European land use and CAP USDA FAS


Chattanooga market aims to shift buying patterns Chattaratti

The Chattanooga Market, which returns to the First Tennessee Pavilion beginning April 26, has announced its new Support Area Food Economies (SAFE) Program. The membership-based program will provide consumers with affordable options for seasonal locally-grown foods while supporting a wide variety of local food producers. The ultimate goal, according to owner Chris Thomas, is to change the buying habits of Chattanoogans—away from chain stores and mega-marts and towards local vendors.

Gardening can provide a wealth of benefits Gloucester Daily Times
A modest 600 square foot plot and $70 in seeds will yield $530 of produce after harvest, Metallo said. Even those without a lawn can grow crops, since "almost any vegetable can be grown in a container," said Siobhan O'Donoghue of Wolf Hill Home and Garden Center on Eastern Avenue

Controversial sheriff snubbed by House immigration panel Politics
Arpaio, who promotes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff," said he's being unfairly vilified for his approach to law enforcement."It's a political witch hunt to use me to stop local law enforcement from enforcing federal laws," Arpaio told FOXNews.com on Thursday, noting that activists who regularly protest his policing hold up signs calling him "Hitler" and "Nazi.""I've been the sheriff going on 17 years, and I always get re-elected. And all the polls on this issue of immigration support me so it's just a small minority of politicians and activists who accuse me" of mistreating suspects, Arpaio said.Among the primary concerns during testimony was section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was put into law in 1996 as a result of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.

Layoffs rise despite hope recession is easing AP

With employers axing payrolls, the nation's unemployment rate is expected to jump to 8.5 percent, from 8.1 percent in February. If that happens, it would mark the highest jobless rate since late 1983, when the country was recovering from a severe recession that drove unemployment past 10 percent.As the recession, which started in December 2007, eats into their sales and profits, companies are laying off workers and resorting to other cost-saving measures. Those include holding down hours, and freezing or cutting pay, to survive the storm

Drought threatens Calif. agriculture ABC7

Dr. Doom is bullish Forexpros.com

Credit card rules moving forward in Congress Market Watch

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights would restrict retroactive rate increases on existing balances, double-cycle billing, and "due-date gimmicks," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY, who has spearheaded the legislation. The proposals approved by a House subcommittee are similar to final rules passed late last year by the Federal Reserve and other regulators. Earlier this week a Senate committee approved its own set of credit card restrictions

Sustainable food in s sustainable future Vision

account the farm's relationship to the environment as an integral part of an ecosystem. Dr. Stephen R. Gliessman, longtime director of the Agroecology program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, defined the idea as "a whole-systems approach to food, feed, and fiber production that balances environmental soundness, social equity, and economic viability among all sectors of the public." This is not just a system of growing food but a return to the culture in agriculture.

Eurofresh wins Chef's Best Award Citizen's Sandbox

For the 12th consective year, Eurofresh Farms of Willcox has won a 2009 ChefsBest Award for its Tomatoes on the Vine (TOV) variety.The "Best Taste" award from the independent judging organization is given to the brand rated highest overall among leading brands by independent professional chefs.