Renaming vegetables for your kids and other top headlines

Why didn't we think of this before? Cauliflower by any other name may be better liked by your kids, says this story from Inventorsspot.com. From the story:

In a recent study, 186 four-year-olds were given carrots in their lunch on some days. For the other days, they were given the same carrots, but they were renamed to X-ray Vision Carrots. On the days of the renamed carrots, the children ate twice as more of them.

Also observed afterwards was that the kids continued to eat 50 percent more carrots, even when they didn't have a cool name.

Other headlines tonight....

Tesco's market share falls to three year low Bloomberg

Cheshunt, England-based Tesco last month cut prices for a second time this year as it battles to prevent more shoppers from defecting to discount retailers, such as Germany's Aldi and Lidl. The chain this month also increased its range of low-price branded products as shoppers curb spending during the recession.

Senators see better way to curb subsidies Reuters

It's organic Does that mean it is safer? NYT

The national outbreak of salmonella in products with peanuts has been particularly unsettling for shoppers like her who think organic food is safer.The plants in Texas and Georgia that were sending out contaminated peanut butter and ground peanut products had something else besides rodent infestation, mold and bird droppings. They also had federal organic certification.

Stretch your grocery dollar and eat healthy too Examiner Good advice from yet another story about food and budgets

Soda, energy drinks and potato chips are extras that can blow your budget and your healthy diet. As much as possible, stick to whole food purchases like fruits and vegetables and choose good old-fashioned tap water – it's good for you and it's free.


Food safety remains focus for California growers Coverage from The Packer

Produce companies in California are embarking on a three-year plan to bolster traceability of their products throughout the supply chain.Companies are working on the Produce Marketing Association's Produce Traceability Initiative, a plan that calls for uniform protocols between growers, shippers, distributors and retailers to trace where leafy greens and other items originate.


Watermelon group to publish guidelines in Spanish Coverage from The Packer

Credit card companies cut credit limits, lower scores Bloomberg
About 45 percent of U.S. banks reduced credit limits for new or existing credit-card customers in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to a Federal Reserve January survey of senior loan officers. Financial institutions may slash $2 trillion in credit- card lines in the next 18 months, Meredith Whitney, a former Oppenheimer & Co. analyst, wrote in a Nov. 30 report.

Orlando Sentinel: Congress should approve Obama's plan to reduce farm subsidies
Members of Congress from other states — including Florida, whose fruit and vegetable growers get only a pittance under federal farm programs — should be eager to back the president

Trucking schools fill up as demand for drivers declines Newschannel 3
As unemployment lines continue to grow more people are going back to school to learn a new skill.A local truck driving school saw more people enroll in three months than all of last year. But the trucking industry is not doing much better than other industries right now. Almost 25,000 truckers lost their jobs in January and the economy drove 70,000 others off the road in 2008.

 

Cross border trucking may be run off the road by Democrats Washington Post

The Senate is close to passing a catch-all spending bill that would seal the U.S. border to Mexican long-haul trucks, ending a 15-year project whose goal was to let U.S. and Mexican trucks carry products from Albany to Acapulco.Barring a last-minute reprieve, the cross-border trucking project will be killed by a provision entombed in the $410 billion legislation that the Senate began debating yesterday. The project, inspired by the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, was intended to ease the flow of the $230 billion in U.S.-Mexico trade carried by trucks, while deepening the relationship between the two neighbors.

Limp February retail sales expected Reuters

For February, analysts expect retailers to post a decline of1.3 percent in same-store sales, according to Thomson Reuters Excluding Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, same-storesales are expected to be down 5.1 percent.

CU and Food & Water Watch Support Groceries to Use Scanners in Food Recalls

TK: Is this reasonable?

Sacramento, Calif.—Today, Consumers Union and Food & Water Watch, a national consumer advocacy organization, expressed strong support for California Senate Bill (SB) 550 introduced by Senator Dean Florez, chair of the Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture. The legislation will require all California grocery stores that use programmable checkout scanners to ensure that employees and customers at the check-out stand are notified that the product being purchased is subject to a recall by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Consumers Union is a strong supporter of this proactive measure, which establishes an alert system at the bigger grocery retailers in California," said Elisa Odabashian, West Coast Director of Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. "Senator Florez's legislation will go a long way in protecting consumers from purchasing recalled products."

The recent salmonella outbreak in peanut products is the latest example of how contaminated foods can end up on store shelves, threatening consumer safety. The largest recall in U.S. history is linked to approximately 650 illnesses and nine deaths across 44 states.  To date, over 2,100 products have been voluntarily recalled by more than 200 companies, and the list continues to grow.

"There must be measures in place to ensure that recalled food is not sold to unsuspecting customers," said Mark Schlosberg, California director for Food & Water Watch. "Senator Florez's legislation creates a necessary safety valve to ensure that consumers do not leave stores with food that has been recalled."

Harnessing grocery stores' internal databases and scanners has already proven to be effective in the recent recall efforts. Kroger, the nation's second-largest food retailer, is using the technology to keep tainted goods from being sold or consumed.

Consumers Union and Food & Water Watch are working closely with members of Congress to craft legislation that will increase inspections of food facilities and give FDA mandatory recall authority with the end goal of further protecting American consumers.


Elisa Odabashian and Noelle Ferdon, senior organizer with Food & Water Watch, will participate in a press conference with Senator Florez on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 10:00 am in the State Capitol, Room 313, in Sacramento.

On Thursday, March 5, Food & Water Watch's Mark Schlosberg will testify at a hearing of the Senate Food and Agriculture Committee on the recent salmonella outbreak associated with peanut products. The hearing is at 10:00 am in the State Capitol, Room 3191.

Harkin, Chambliss reintroduce measure to reduce dangerous pollutants

From the Senate Agriculture Committee:


Harkin, Chambliss Reintroduce Measure to Reduce Dangerous Pollutants

Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and Ranking Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) today reintroduced legislation to implement pesticide-related obligations under agreements for a worldwide group of 12 toxic chemicals known as "POPs," persistent organic pollutants. Examples of these chemicals are DDT, PCBs, and dioxins.

"Passage of this legislation will help clear the path for ratification of three important agreements to reduce worldwide levels of these dangerous chemicals, all of which are already illegal in the United States," said Sen. Harkin.  "The United States has not been able to participate in this global effort for years since we have not ratified the agreements.  We must act now."

"This measure would put the U.S. at the table where decisions on these chemicals are made," said Sen. Chambliss. "Our observer-only status limits our ability to participate in the critical decisions that affect American businesses and economic interests and our environment and public health.  I urge my colleagues to ratify the treaties and support this measure so we can reclaim our rightful place as a world leader in the safe management of hazardous chemicals."

The implementation legislation would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to implement three international agreements concerning Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).  POPs are toxic chemicals that remain in the environment for a extended period of time and can bio-accumulate in the food chain.  This bill would establish notice and comment procedures to ensure the American public has an opportunity to have input into federal action related to decisions by the parties to the conventions. The bill also would add new export reporting and labeling requirements to ensure compliance with U.S. obligations under the Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (PIC) Convention. Specifically, the convention requires all signatory nations to stop the production and use of 12 listed POPs. Parties to the convention also agree to control sources of POPs by-products to reduce releases and provide for the safe handling and disposal of POPs in an environmentally sound manner. The convention includes a science-based procedure to allow other POPs to be added and provides technical and financial assistance to help developing countries manage and control POPs.

Passage of this bill would help clear the way for Senate ratification of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Convention), the Aarhus Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants to the Geneva Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP POPs Protocol) and the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (PIC Convention).

While the Harkin-Chambliss bill addresses FIFRA-related provisions, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) need to be amended in order to implement the treaties.

Chat - Melissa McDill

Melissa McDill, president of McDill Associates, a California marketing firm specializing in trade and consumer support of produce brands, took time for a Fresh Talk chat on Feb. 27.

12:04 PM McDill: hi there!

me: Hi Melissa. Thanks for taking time for another Fresh Talk chat.

12:05 PM McDill: Thank you, Tom

me: Melissa, when did you know you wanted to be involved with marketing and communications? What was your previous and work and background before you started your own agency in 1976?

12:06 PM McDill: I started my agency a year after I finished college at the California College of Arts, majoring in graphics

12:07 PM I started out in the field by working for a very talented designer who guided me my first year. I didn't really know any better so I just started my own agency. I fell into it. Based on my location in the Monterey Bay Area there was limited opportunities to work for an existing agency.

12:08 PM I also worked as a creative arm for other agencies out of the Bay Area -- that's how I started working in the food category

12:09 PM me: That was quite a step. Who was your first produce client and how would you describe your connection to the industry?

McDill: My first connection to the industry was working for the CA Strawberry Commission through another agency

12:10 PM I grew up in Salinas, both my father and grandfather were produce brokers. Many of my classmates were working in the industry so I had a lot of contacts from that history.

12:11 PM Through my work with the CSC (doing POS and trade availability information) I started to work with Driscoll's

12:12 PM me: Definitely some connections ot draw on in Salinas. What are two or three of your most memorable or significant campaigns over the years? What is your goal for your clients?

12:15 PM McDill: Most memorable campaigns: 1) the development and launch of Cool Cuts for Tanimura & Antle which established the opportunity to market products specifically for kids in the produce department, 2) the launch program for Carrot Chips (for Grimmway Farms) through a promotion with the Major League Baseball Player Alumni Assoc. This was a hugely successful promotion culminating at the PMA in Atlanta. 3) The Iceless Leader campaign for NewStar Fresh. This was memorable because we helped them define a position in the market that was already in place -- but not owned by anyone.

12:16 PM The goal for our clients is always return on investment. Not just marketing and creativity but results. We call it marketscaping.

12:17 PM We look at marketing in a different way -- marketscaping is really taking a close look at the terrain, all influences, the current market conditions, trends, the consumer's needs, what the retailers are looking for... All of this is paired with realistic objectives for the company, and we define a program from there.

me: Interesting... I have a tough question for you. We are in the midst, I would say, of a historic recession. How has the economic environment affected views about advertising and marketing campaigns? What are the arguments that speak to continuing promotion/marketing activity in the midst of a broader slowdown in the economy?

6 minutes

12:24 PM McDill: Good question. The economic situation has definitely affected how clients view and value marketing. They want to be assured that we can produce results from our work. Companies should not completely stop marketing they need to market more effectively. The messages they put out into the market needs to show value to the consumer and retailer while also touching on current trends: eating at home, showing operational/cost efficiencies, sustainability, traceability, and product value. We're advising our clients to take a hard look at how they position their products in regards to these areas. It's expected that your products deliver quality and service -- you have to deliver on that just to be a player but also prove it. There needs to be evidence that you are growing, supporting and owning your category and reaching consumers with appropriate messages.

12:25 PM me: The market place is always changing, and your analysis certainly makes sense. How do you think the industry and your company will change in five years? Do you think produce brands will be more or less important then?

8 minutes

12:34 PM McDill: Our company (and the industry) will need to continually adapt to this economic situation and the market needs. We will all need to be increasingly concise and targeted in our outreach efforts. The fact is that the produce industry is by far and away the most innovative in the grocery store but it's not generally known as a branded area of the store. It's tough to say what will happen with produce brands because in most cases, consumers don't get to make "brand" choices, they get to make product choices. Retailers will only support branded produce that sets itself apart and delivers on the topics we mentioned (value, sustainability, etc) while still offering profitability. Product innovation will continue to be key in establishing and building on brands/

12:36 PM Private label is also a factor.

me: Great insights. I've kept you quite a while. Thanks for taking the time to chat, and where would you direct readers who would like more information on your company?

12:37 PM McDill: Thanks for chatting with me, Tom. You can learn more about McDill at www.McDill.com. Soon we'll be launching a new site so check back.

GMA applauds bipartisan food safety proposal and other headlines

Food safety bills are beginning to pop, with one Florida source stating that the Costa-Putnam bill could be dropped today. This is from the Grocery Manufacturers Association:

(Washington, D.C.)  The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) today issued the following statement from GMA President and CEO Pam Bailey regarding the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) and Judd Gregg (R-NH).  Additional cosponsors include: Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA).

"Ensuring the safety of our products is the food industry's most important priority. I applaud Senators Durbin, Burr and Gregg along with their fellow cosponsors for crafting sensible legislation that will strengthen the foundation of America's food safety systems.  In particular, GMA supports proposals requiring all food companies to have a comprehensive food safety plan in place.  It is absolutely critical that manufacturers take a preventative approach in identifying and evaluating potential hazards, and building food safety into the manufacturing process from the very beginning.  We look forward to working with Congress to enact food safety legislation that will continually improve the safety of America's food supplies."

 

More headlines snatched from the Web:



Plastic bags will be taxed under Texas bill The Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Democrat wants Texas to join two other states pondering the problems, pollution and politics of taxing each of the ubiquitous sacks that start at groceries, hardware stores and retail shops but often end up in sewer systems, landfills, parking lots, riverbeds, up against fences and blowing down highways."If people know that there's an added cost to doing plastic, they're either going to use paper, which is biodegradable, or they're going to bring their own bag," Anchia said.

Salmonella may be more common in surface water than previously thought
A new University of Georgia study suggests that health agencies investigating Salmonella illnesses should consider untreated surface water as a possible source of contamination.Researchers, whose results appear in the March issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, tested water over a one-year period in rivers and streams in a region of south Georgia known for its high rate of sporadic salmonella cases. The team found Salmonella in 79 percent of water samples, with the highest concentrations and the greatest diversity of strains in the summer and after rainfall."Streams are not routinely tested for Salmonella, and our finding is an indication that many more could be contaminated than people realize," said Erin Lipp, associate professor in the UGA College of Public Health. "We found our highest numbers in the summer months, and this is also the time when most people get sick."


Higher food prices not going down well LA Times

The big grocery chains contend that food manufacturers have raised prices too fast and too far, considering the recent drops in prices for fuel, corn, wheat and other commodities.The food companies disagree and say they are still coping with many rising prices themselves.Unilever called the situation "complex," with pricing levels remaining "both volatile and unpredictable in the medium to long term."

Will recession become something worse? AP

No one disputes that the current economic downturn qualifies as a recession. Recessions have two handy definitions, both in effect now — two straight quarters of economic contraction, or when the National Bureau of Economic Research makes the call.Declaring a depression is much trickier.By one definition, it's a downturn of three years or more with a 10 percent drop in economic output and unemployment above 10 percent. The current downturn doesn't qualify yet: 15 months old and 7.6 percent unemployment. But both unemployment and the 6.2 percent contraction for late last year could easily worsen

UC Davis experts Drought and water supply UC Davis
Faculty and staff who can speak to the issues of water supply in the state

Recession proof fun: Whole Foods The Examiner

Wrong direction for farm policy Mike Johanns
This budget proposal is especially troubling for the state of Nebraska. Of the 47,712 farms across Nebraska, nearly 35,000 currently receive federal farm payments. Of that number, 5,921, or 17 percent, have over $500,000 in gross sales, and would be affected by this change in policy. Considering that 10 percent of farms across the United States have sales over that amount, Nebraska's rural communities would feel the negative effects of removing this critical safety net more than in many other states.

Sheriff Joe's circus costly and ineffective Tucson Citizen

Nutritionists: food plan helps kids Des Moines Register

School children could get more healthful meals, including freshly prepared fruits and vegetables, under the president's proposal to cut farm subsidies and use the money for child nutrition, according to school nutrition directors.But they know it won't be easy to persuade lawmakers to go along with the reduction in farm subsidies."Is it going to be hard for the family that is going to lose that subsidy?" said Beth Hanna, director of nutrition services in the West Des Moines school district. "Yes. We're going to have a hard sell." Her own cousins could be affected by the proposal, she said.



Ontario expected to publish list of banned pesticides CP24

It won't be long before Ontario lawns begin to sprout weeds and homeowners head out to pick up some weed killer - but the choices may be limited because of new regulations to ban certain chemicals.The Ministry of the Environment is expected to publish a proposed list of banned pesticides tomorrow. The ban is expected to include 85 targeted substances found in about 250 pesticide products.

French fries: the no. 1 vegetable for kids

Don't act surprised. French fries are the number one vegetable for kids, says this story from Philadelphia.com. We can lament the fact it is not broccoli, but are we surprised? From the story:

But according to a recent study, children are getting the majority of their daily vegetable intake from french fries. They're also getting most of their fruit intake from fruit juices. Fried potatoes make up 25 percent of kids' vegetable consumption, while juice makes up about 40 percent of their fruit intake, USA today reports. While kids are eating abundant amounts of french fries, they are eating far fewer deep-green and orange veggies, which carry more nutrients.The study by Ohio State University researchers also found that children in higher-income families eat more fruits and vegetables than those in lower-income families, possibly because fresh produce can be expensive. On average, children consume two cups of fruits, vegetables and juice a day. Government nutritional guidelines recommend 2 to 6.5 cups, based on a daily calorie range of 1,000 to 3,200.

This story addresses a familiar theme in recent weeks. Eating well on a downsized food budget, published by the New York Times.

One myth to dispel is that fruits and vegetables must be fresh to be nutritious. Not only do canned and frozen versions usually cost less and require less preparation, but nutrient value is as good or better and less food is wasted. Fresh produce is often harvested before it is fully ripe and so comes to the consumer with fewer than optimal nutrients. But fruits and vegetables that are canned or frozen are picked at the peak of ripeness. There is more vitamin C in a glass of orange juice made from frozen concentrate than in freshly squeezed juice.

Off to Immokalee Grist
Immokalee is one of the hotspots of of a globalized, industrial food system. The plight of its workers -- many of them refugees from small farms in Mexico and Central America that have collapsed under the weight of that same system -- represents just another externalized cost of stocking supermarkets, fast-food outlets, and school cafeterias with "cheap" food.

OTA: Organic growth slows in 2008 Coverage from The Packer

Coupon blogs gaining popularity The Examiner
Websites like Money Saving Mom, the Frugal Mom, and Coupon Cravings have experienced an increase of web traffic up to 250% during the past four weeks alone! The sites all have one thing in common: they can lead you to the best deals. In many cases, you can sign up for a newsletter that send you the info you need straight to your inbox.

EU confident Obama will follow its lead on climate change AFP

The 27 EU nations in December committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 but have also agreed to increase the cut if the rest of the developed world gets on board with the plan."We know that the US wants to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, we don't know what their mid-term target is," Czech Environment Minister Martin Bursik told reporters after a meeting with his EU counterparts

Meat eaters trade down from steak to chicken Bloomberg

Meat-eaters are "trading down" from beef and pork in favor of chicken as consumers pare their food costs, according to the chairman of grocery chain Safeway Inc. and analysts at Deutsche Bank AG.The switch will squeeze beef and pork producers, while chicken sellers may gain from the quest for "cheaper protein," Deutsche Bank said in its "Monthly Mouthful" report. Still, poultry prices face pressure as rising protectionism and global recession make global trade more competitive, the report said.

Subsidy debate weighs farmers versus children: Vilsack: Reuters

U.S. lawmakers will need to choose between supporting rich farmers or feeding more hungry children amid a slumping economy and a surging deficit, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Monday.Vilsack said he already has heard concerns about the Obama administration's plan to redirect subsidy payments for large farmers into nutrition programs as a way to help end hunger by 2015 and stem the rising tide of childhood obesity."We will do our best to frame this discussion in that way, so that people understand: 30 million children, 90,000 farmers," Vilsack told Reuters after speaking to people who work with the nation's food banks and anti-poverty groups.


Indy Fruit shows gives retailers some insights Coverage from The Packer

Testing may help food verified organic NYT
Now a researcher in Germany has demonstrated the feasibility of laboratory testing to determine whether a carton of organic milk is what it says it is.As described by Joachim Molkentin of the Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the testing relies on the fact that in Germany at least, organic milk has higher levels of the fatty acid alpha-Linolenic acid and different carbon-isotope ratios than regular milk.

Chiquita seeks dismall of lawsuit Latino
Chiquita International Brands is currently seeking dismissal of a nearly $8 billion lawsuit filed on behalf of about 400 Colombian families. In 2007, Chiquita admitted to giving money to the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia or AUC. The AUC was deemed a terrorist organization by the United States in 2002, making it a crime to give them money. The corporation asked a judge to dismiss lawsuits claiming the banana company has a responsibility to the families of the victims of violent acts committed by the AUC.

Redpack adds tomato packer Packagingnews.com

Working night shift is hard on the heart Forbes

Working the night shift might lead to hormonal and metabolic changes that raise risks for obesity, diabetes and heart disease, researchers say.


EU environment ministers uphold ban on biotech crops International Herald Tribune

European Union governments delivered a blow Monday to the biotechnology industry, allowing Austria and Hungary to maintain national bans on growing genetically modified crops from Monsanto. The vote, taken by European environment ministers, could irritate the U.S. government, which has in the past complained to the World Trade Organization about obstacles to planting bioengineered crops.

Dole announces debt offering PRinside

Dole Food Company, Inc. ("Dole") announced today that it intends to commence a private offering to eligible purchasers, subject to market and other conditions, of $325 million principal amount of Senior Secured Notes due 2014 (the "Notes"). Dole intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, together with borrowings under its revolving credit facility, to purchase its outstanding senior notes due May 1, 2009 and pay related fees, premiums and expenses.

Mexico's retail report USDA FAS

Unfortunately, the retail sector has already realized its first casualty due to the economic downturn. As a result of the declining peso, Comercial Mexicana (Contoladora Comercial Mexicana (CCM)), which is the third largest retailer and a Joint Venture partner with Costco, has asked a court for bankruptcy protection against creditors three times since November2008. It was reported that in December 2008, Comercial Mexicana signed agreements with
some of its creditors which would protect the retailer from any new lawsuits until March 2,2009. All of the retailer's outlets are still operating but inventory has been an issue with theexception of the COSTCO stores, where vendors were assured payment from the U.S. based company. In the future Wal-Mart de Mexico and Soriana could benefit from the possible collapse of Comercial Mexicana if President Calderon's second package of measures to boost growth and generate employment is successful.

Abandoned citrus groves breed disease St. Petersburg Times
Hillsborough County is home to about 4,000 acres of abandoned groves, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics released last fall. Pasco isn't far behind with about 2,400 acres.


Rio Queen citrus set to reopen Coverage from The Packer