Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Students ignore hygiene tips

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: Doug Powell
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:03:58 -0500
To: BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU<BITES-L@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU>
Subject: [BITES-L] bites Sept. 17/09 -- II


bites Sept. 17/09 -- II

BARFBLOG: Kate Gosselin: use a meat thermometer and maybe you won't give your kids Salmonella poisoning

BARFBLOG: UK Food Safety Agency is now the sustainability agency; serve it piping hot

US: Students tend to ignore hygiene tips, study finds

UK: E coli 0157 in Surrey: Update

IOWA: Food safety specialist earns reputation as innovative, dedicated

UK: Three swimming pools shut in water bug outbreak

UK: Agency's fish advice takes account of sustainability

The changing panorama of bacterial enteric infections

A re-evaluation of the impact of temperature and climate change on foodborne illness

A prolonged outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infection related to an uncommon vehicle: hard cheese made from raw milk

Risk factors for the occurrence of Escherichia coli virulence genes eae, stx1 and stx2 in wild bird populations

Evaluation of Gram-positive rod surveillance for early anthrax detection

A tale of two parasites: the comparative epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis

how to subscribe

BARFBLOG: Kate Gosselin: use a meat thermometer and maybe you won't give your kids Salmonella poisoning
17.sep.09
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/09/articles/thermometers/kate-gosselin-use-a-meat-thermometer-and-maybe-you-wont-give-your-kids-salmonella-poisoning/
Earlier this week on Jon and Kate plus 8, or whatever it's called, newly single Kate took to the grill for apparently the first time and was terrified of poisoning her brood.
"Dear chicken, please do not give us sammonella. Love Kate."
Cara gets bloody chicken. Kate laughs this off and says "oops" in the interview chair. … Ashley confirms the raw chicken. 


Stick it in. And don't poison your kids.
http://gosselinswithoutpity.blogspot.com/2008/09/movie-catch-recap.html




BARFBLOG: UK Food Safety Agency is now the sustainability agency; serve it piping hot
17.sep.09
barfblog
Doug Powell
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2009/09/articles/food-safety-communication/uk-food-safety-agency-is-now-the-sustainability-agency-serve-it-piping-hot/
The U.K. Food Safety Agency has decided it is now the deciderer of sustainability. I'm not sure what that has to do with food safety, or the agency's mission.
But, in addition to telling British consumers to cook their turkey until it is piping hot, FSA has now entered the sustainability word barf fest:"
"… the advice is being set more firmly in the wider sustainability context and consumers are now being asked to think about the choices they make when they choose which fish to eat."
The Food Safety Agency is now encouraging consumers to:
try to choose fish that has been produced sustainably or responsibly managed
look for assurance scheme logos
be adventurous and eat a wider variety of fish species
The Agency worked with Defra, the Department of Health, the Scottish Government and other Government departments, responding to recommendations from stakeholders such as the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and the Sustainable Consumption Roundtable.
.
Wow, that a lot of government salaries sitting around the table. And nothing to do with food safety,
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2009/sep/fish
http://barfblog.foodsafety.ksu.edu/2007/12/articles/food-safety-communication/how-to-check-if-a-turkey-is-cooked-piping-hot-is-not-sufficient/




US: Students tend to ignore hygiene tips, study finds
17.sep.09
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Katherine Mangan
http://www.chroniclecareers.com/article/Students-Tend-to-Ignore/48454/
Posting signs and scattering bottles of hand sanitizer are not enough to make students practice good hygiene, even in the midst of a swine-flu pandemic, according to a study by researchers at North Carolina State University and Kansas State University.
College health officials who want students to change their habits must be creative, communicate through social-networking sites, and lose the scientific jargon and polite euphemisms, says Benjamin J. Chapman, an assistant professor of family and consumer sciences and a food-safety specialist at North Carolina State.
"For example," he says, "don't refer to something as a 'gastrointestinal illness.' Instead tell them, 'This could make you puke,' or 'Dude, wash your hands.'"
The study, published in the September issue of the Journal of Environmental Health, was conducted during a suspected norovirus outbreak at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, in 2006. Mr. Chapman and one of his co-authors, Brae V. Surgeoner, were graduate students there. Ms. Surgeoner is now a food-safety researcher at Kansas State, where the third co-author, Douglas Powell, is an associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, as well as an expert on food safety.
The virus that struck Guelph is highly contagious and causes diarrhea and vomiting. The researchers wanted to see whether students were complying with instructions that were plastered around the campus.
"We couldn't follow students into the bathroom, because that leads to ethical problems," Mr. Chapman says. So the researchers focused on whether students were using a plastic bottle of hand-sanitizing gel placed at the entrance of a cafeteria that had been described to them as "ground zero" of the outbreak.
Signs were posted to remind people to use the sanitizer, and campus officials were under the impression that many were using it. Mr. Chapman and his colleagues were unconvinced. As they watched from a discreet distance during a pair of two-hour sessions, they observed that only 17 percent of the students entering the cafeteria used the gel, even though 83 percent of those later polled said they routinely practiced all prescribed hand-hygiene practices during the outbreak.
"What people do and what they say with regard to hand hygiene are two different things," Mr. Chapman reports.
He says health officials should aim their messages at specific audiences, such as students living in a particular residence hall. Instant messaging and other social-media tools should be used as well.
"It really hits home," he notes, "when their classmates start changing their IM names to something like Puking Veronica."




UK: E coli 0157 in Surrey: Update
17.sep.09
Health Protection Agency
http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1253114164898?p=1231252394302
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) reports that the total number of cases of E Coli O157 linked to Godstone Farm in Surrey is 45.
Twelve children are currently being treated in hospital. Of these children four are seriously ill, six are in a stable condition and two are improving.
More information: http://www.hpa.org.uk/ecoliVTEC




IOWA: Food safety specialist earns reputation as innovative, dedicated
17.sep.09
Iowa State University
Michelle Rydell
http://www.hs.iastate.edu/news/inside/view/265/
On any given day, you can find Sam Beattie on his back underneath a conveyor belt in one of Iowa's 350 food processing plants. Looking for pest and rodent infestations is one of his favorite parts of working as Iowa State University's Extension food safety specialist, he'll cheerfully tell you, though it is a decidedly unglamorous task.
Beattie, who returned to his alma mater six years ago to work in Extension and as an assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, spends 75 percent of his time in Extension and 25 percent in research. He works side-by-side with consumers and food processors, teaching them about risks associated with foods and how to reduce those risks.
Developing food safety programs in food processing plants is crucial to their success in the larger marketplace and in their collaboration with regulatory authorities. Through Beattie's food safety programs, processing plants not only produce safer food, but also reach larger markets, which in turn stimulate Iowa's economy.
Many of his clients go on to market their products to national corporations. In Iowa City, Beattie set up a food safety program for Bochner Chocolates, which now sells truffles to Target. It's just one part of his job that reminds him that his work has an important purpose that reaches beyond the state level.
"Food safety is not just hand washing and proper cooking," Beattie said. "When we get into food processing, food safety becomes a complex and vital part of the mission of any processor who wishes to expand."
But Beattie has not only earned a reputation as an Extension specialist with a knack for understanding complex problems and offering practical solutions. His research has also earned national attention, notably from R&D magazine, which touted his research in their annual "Top 100 Innovations of the Year" in 2009.
Beattie's research has a history that is rooted decades ago in the basement of the Dairy Industries Building (now Food Sciences Building) at Iowa State, the same building he works in today.




UK: Three swimming pools shut in water bug outbreak
17.sep.09
Wales Online
Madeleine Brindley
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/09/17/three-swimming-pools-shut-in-water-bug-outbreak-91466-24716136/
All the swimming pools at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre have been closed following an outbreak of cryptosporidium.
The outbreak control team today said the decision to close the three pools is a temporary measure but it follows a new cluster of cases.
A thorough investigation into this second outbreak - the first cluster of cases was linked to a pool party at the leisure centre in mid-August - is now being carried out.
The move comes after eight further cases of cryptosporidium have been confirmed in children and adults who swam in the pool between the end of August and the beginning of September. One other possible case is being investigated.




UK: Agency's fish advice takes account of sustainability
17.sep.09
Food Standards Agency
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2009/sep/fish
The Food Standards Agency has today updated its fish and shellfish advice to help consumers make informed, sustainable choices as part of its commitment to taking sustainability into account in all of its policy making.
As the evidence for the health benefits of fish consumption remain clear, Agency advice is unchanged: people should be eating at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be an oily fish.
But the advice is being set more firmly in the wider sustainability context and consumers are now being asked to think about the choices they make when they choose which fish to eat.
Consumers are, for example, encouraged to:
try to choose fish that has been produced sustainably or responsibly managed
look for assurance scheme logos
be adventurous and eat a wider variety of fish species
The updates to the fish and shellfish advice, which appear on the Agency's consumer website eatwell.gov.uk, are supported by links to sources of useful information and follow work with a range of stakeholders and partners and a public consultation.

The Agency worked with Defra, the Department of Health, the Scottish Government and other Government departments, responding to recommendations from stakeholders such as the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and the Sustainable Consumption Roundtable.

The eatwell fish page continues to provide advice on preparing, storing and cooking fish and shellfish, fish allergy, and contains specific advice for pregnant women. There is also detailed advice about the recommended limits for adults and children because of the low levels of pollutants in certain fish – advice based on the joint report of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and the Committee on Toxicity.
You can read the Agency's updated fish advice at the eatwell link at the foot of this page.




The changing panorama of bacterial enteric infections
17.sep.09
Epidemiology and Infection (2009), 137:1531-1537
C. STEIN-ZAMIR, H. SHOOB, N. ABRAMSON, G. ZENTNER and V. AGMON
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=6191064&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S095026880900243X
We studied the age-specific population-based incidence of bacterial enteric infections caused by Shigella, Salmonella and Campylobacter, in Jerusalem. During 1990–2008, 32 408 cases were reported (incidence rate 232·1/100 000 per annum). The patterns of Shigella (47·4% of cases), Salmonella (34·4%) and Campylobacter (18·2%) infections evolved noticeably. Campylobacter rates increased from 15·0 to 110·8/100 000 per annum. Salmonella rates increased from 74·2 to 199·6/100 000 in 1995 then decreased to 39·4/100 000. Shigella showed an endemic/epidemic pattern ranging between 19·7 and 252·8/100 000. Most patients (75%) were aged <15 years; children aged <5 years comprised 56·4% of cases, despite accounting for only 12·9% of the population. Campylobacter was the predominant organism in infants aged <1 year and Shigella in the 1–4 years group. The hospitalization rates were: Shigella, 1·8%; Campylobacter, 2·3%; Salmonella, 6·9%. Infants were 2·2 times more likely to be hospitalized than children aged 1–14 years (P=0·001). Household transmission occurred in 21·2% of Shigella cases compared with 5% in the other bacteria.




A re-evaluation of the impact of temperature and climate change on foodborne illness
17.sep.09
Epidemiology and Infection (2009), 137:1538-1547
I. R. LAKE, I. A. GILLESPIE, G. BENTHAM, G. L. NICHOLS, C. LANE, G. K. ADAK and E. J. THRELFALL
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=6191088&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0950268809002477
The effects of temperature on reported cases of a number of foodborne illnesses in England and Wales were investigated. We also explored whether the impact of temperature had changed over time. Food poisoning, campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, Salmonella Typhimurium infections and Salmonella Enteritidis infections were positively associated (P<0·01) with temperature in the current and previous week. Only food poisoning, salmonellosis and S. Typhimurium infections were associated with temperature 2–5 weeks previously (P<0·01). There were significant reductions also in the impact of temperature on foodborne illnesses over time. This applies to temperature in the current and previous week for all illness types (P<0·01) except S. Enteritidis infection (P=0·079). Temperature 2–5 weeks previously diminished in importance for food poisoning and S. Typhimurium infection (P<0·001). The results are consistent with reduced pathogen concentrations in food and improved food hygiene over time. These adaptations to temperature imply that current estimates of how climate change may alter foodborne illness burden are overly pessimistic.




A prolonged outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infection related to an uncommon vehicle: hard cheese made from raw milk
17.sep.09
Epidemiology and Infection (2009), 137:1548-1557
Y. T. H. P. VAN DUYNHOVEN, L. D. ISKEN, K. BORGEN, M. BESSELSE, K. SOETHOUDT, O. HAITSMA, B. MULDER, D. W. NOTERMANS, R. De JONGE, P. KOCK, W. VAN PELT, O. STENVERS and J. VAN STEENBERGEN
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=6191028&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0950268809002337
In 2006, in The Netherlands, an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 561 (STM DT7, corresponding to the rare DT7 in the international typing scheme) was detected, accumulating to over 200 cases. By telephone interviews, data were collected from all laboratory-confirmed cases. In addition, in August 2006, a case-control study was performed in a subset of cases. Environmental and microbiological investigation was performed on a suspected dairy farm. In the case-control study (51 cases, 105 matched controls), hard cheese purchased from a farm, specifically farm X, and from a market stall were found to be associated with infection. The dairy production room of farm X tested STM DT7-positive in August. However, it was only in November, after earlier unsuccessful attempts, that a low-level contamination was confirmed in the hard farmhouse cheese, triggering control measures. A timely and adequate response was hampered during this outbreak for several reasons. Measures for improvement in handling future similar incidents are discussed.




Risk factors for the occurrence of Escherichia coli virulence genes eae, stx1 and stx2 in wild bird populations
17.sep.09
Epidemiology and Infection (2009), 137:1574-1582
L. A. HUGHES, M. BENNETT, P. COFFEY, J. ELLIOTT, T. R. JONES, R. C. JONES, A. LAHUERTA-MARIN, K. McNIFFE, D. NORMAN, N. J. WILLIAMS and J. CHANTREY
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=6191100&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0950268809002507
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) can cause serious disease in human beings. Ruminants are considered to be the main reservoir of human STEC infections. However, STEC have also been isolated from other domestic animals, wild mammals and birds. We describe a cross-sectional study of wild birds in northern England to determine the prevalence of E. coli-containing genes that encode Shiga toxins (stx1 and stx2) and intimin (eae), important virulence determinants of STEC associated with human disease. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified unique risk factors for the occurrence of each virulence gene in wild bird populations. The results of our study indicate that while wild birds are unlikely to be direct sources of STEC infections, they do represent a potential reservoir of virulence genes. This, coupled with their ability to act as long-distance vectors of STEC, means that wild birds have the potential to influence the spread and evolution of STEC.




Evaluation of Gram-positive rod surveillance for early anthrax detection
17.sep.09
Epidemiology and Infection (2009), 137:1623-1630
D. MLYNARSKI, T. RABATSKY-EHR, S. PETIT, K. PURVIANCE, P. A. MSHAR, E. M. BEGIER, D. G. JOHNSON and J. L. HADLER
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=6191172&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0950268809002581
Since 2003, Connecticut laboratories have reported Gram-positive rod (GPR) isolates detected within 32 h of inoculation from blood or cerebrospinal fluid. The objectives were to rapidly identify inhalational anthrax and unusual Clostridium spp. infections, and to establish round-the-clock laboratory reporting of potential indicators of bioterrorism. From 2003 to 2006, Connecticut's GPR surveillance system identified 1134 isolates, including 657 Bacillus spp. (none B. anthracis) and 241 Clostridium spp. Reporting completeness and timeliness improved to 93% and 92%, respectively. Baseline rates of Bacillus spp., Clostridium spp. and other GPR findings have been established and are stable. Thus far, no cases of anthrax and no unusual clusters of Clostridium spp. have been detected by the GPR surveillance system. This system would probably have confirmed the inhalational anthrax case in Pennsylvania in 2006 3 days sooner than traditional reporting. Using audits and ongoing evaluation, the system has evolved into a highly functional 24/7 laboratory telephone reporting system with almost complete reporting.




A tale of two parasites: the comparative epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis
17.sep.09
Epidemiology and Infection (2009), 137:1641-1650
S. J. SNEL, M. G. BAKER, V. KAMALESH, N. FRENCH and J. LEARMONTH
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=6191076&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0950268809002465
New Zealand has a higher reported incidence of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis than most other developed countries. This study aimed to describe and compare the epidemiology of these infections in New Zealand, to better understand their impact on public health and to gain insight into their probable modes of transmission. We analysed cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis notification data for a 10-year period (1997–2006). Highest rates for both diseases were in Europeans, children aged 0–5 years, and those living in low-deprivation areas. Cryptosporidiosis distribution was consistent with mainly farm animal (zoonotic) reservoirs. There was a dose–response relationship with increasing grades of rurality, marked spring seasonality, and positive correlation with farm animal density. Giardiasis distribution was consistent with predominantly human (anthroponotic) reservoirs, with an important contribution from overseas travel. Further research should focus on methods to reduce transmission of Cryptosporidium in rural areas and on reducing anthroponotic transmission of Giardia.


bites is produced by Dr. Douglas Powell and food safety friends at Kansas State University. For further information, please contact dpowell@ksu.edu or check out bites.ksu.edu.

To subscribe to the listserv version of bites, send mail to:
(subscription is free)
listserv@listserv.ksu.edu
leave subject line blank
in the body of the message type:
subscribe bites-L firstname lastname
i.e. subscribe bites-L Doug Powell

archived at http://archives.foodsafety.ksu.edu/fsnet-archives.htm and bites.ksu.edu

Labels:

Fw: Fresh produce sector seeks innovation of the year

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: "Dreimann, Ilka"
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:22:17 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
Subject: Fresh produce sector seeks innovation of the year

FRUIT LOGISTICA Berlin - 3-5 February 2010

The World of Fresh Produce

International Trade Fair for Fruit and Vegetable Marketing, Berlin

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

Fresh produce sector seeks innovation of the year

 

FRESHCONEX exhibitors now eligible for industry award. Application deadline for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA): 27 November 2009

 

Berlin, 16 September 2009 – A special focus at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 (3-5 February) will be on outstanding innovations in the fresh produce sector. Messe Berlin and FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE (Düsseldorf) are encouraging exhibitors at the leading international trade fair for fruit and vegetable marketing to submit their applications for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA). The award for exceptional innovations in the fresh produce sector and its service industries recognises new products or services that have made a real difference in the industry. The award competition is open to all companies exhibiting at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 that have introduced an exceptional innovation to the market between 1 November 2008 and 31 October 2009. For the first time, FRESHCONEX 2010 exhibitors will also be eligible for the FLIA. The international trade fair for fresh produce convenience takes place in conjunction with FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 in Hall 1.1 at the Berlin exhibition grounds. Applications for the FLIA must be received by 27 November 2009.

 

A panel of experts will select the year's ten most significant innovations from the submitted entries and nominate them for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award 2010. These ten innovations will be presented at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2010 in a special exhibit area. More than 50,000 trade visitors expected from 120 countries will have a chance to vote for the innovation of the year during the first two days of the fair. The winner will be officially honoured at an award ceremony on 5 February 2010. Registration forms and detailed conditions of entry are available in PDF format from the FRUIT LOGISTICA website under Exhibitor Service / FLIA Registration.

 

Attracting widespread interest from industry experts and the media, the FLIA has become the most important award in the fresh produce industry. Previous FLIA winners include "Salanova" lettuce produced by Rijk Zwaan (2006), "Vitamini's" vegetable snack produced by FresQ/Rainbow Growers Group (2007, the "Intense" beef tomato from Nunhems Netherlands BV (2008) and the "Sweet Green Pepper" produced by Enza Zaden (2009).

 

 

This press release is also available on the Internet: www.fruitlogistica.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press contact:

Messe Berlin GmbH

Michael T. Hofer

Director, Corporate Press and Public Relations

 

Wolfgang Rogall

Press Officer

Messedamm 22

14055 Berlin

Tel.: +4930 3038-2218

Fax: +4930 3038-2287

rogall@messe-berlin.de

 

Executive Board: Raimund Hosch (CEOr),
Dr. Christian Göke

Chairman of the Supervisory Board:
Hans-Joachim Kamp

Commercial Registry:

Charlottenburg Admin. Court, entry no. HRB 5484 B

 

 

Additional information:

www.fruitlogistica.com

www.messe-berlin.com

 

 

 

Fw: FYI - Cibus Rebrands as Cibus Global

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: Julia Monti
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:16:17 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
Subject: FYI - Cibus Rebrands as Cibus Global

Good afternoon Tom,

 

FYI -- Leading agricultural biotech firm Cibus is now Cibus Global, part of a rebranding effort to reflect enhanced global focus.  Full details below.

 

Best,

Julia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact:

Julia Monti, 646.695.7044, julia@rosengrouppr.com

 

Introducing Cibus Global:

Leading Agricultural Biotech Firm Rebrands to

Reflect Enhanced International Focus

 

San Diego, Calif. (September 17, 2009)—Cibus, a leading plant trait development technology company, is now Cibus Global.  Announced today by Cibus Global President Keith Walker, Ph.D., the shift marks a new age for the company, with an international operating structure and a continued focus on advancement and product growth in markets around the globe.  Cibus Global has research facilities in San Diego, as well as offices in Minneapolis-St. Paul and the Netherlands.

 

"The past year has been a time of marked expansion for Cibus Global, seeing the formation of a number of critical partnerships and ventures that will increase demand in the coming years for our proven Rapid Trait Development System," said Dr. Walker.

 

Cibus Global continues to grow its team of scientists and executive leadership, with a recent announcement of three new researchers in the San Diego facilities.  LaDon Johnson serves as chief financial officer and Cibus International president, based out of the Netherlands office.

 

"Our fast-paced and upward growth has precipitated the structural realignment under Cibus Global, a move that will allow for stronger positioning in world markets," Mr. Johnson added.

 

About Rapid Trait Development System (RTDSTM)

RTDS technology produces changes within a plant species that could only occur in nature, but does so in a directed way. Thanks in part to recent developments in genome mapping, RTDS is significantly more precise and much faster than conventional plant breeding in the process of new trait development in plants.  The process generates specific, desired crop traits that have the potential to benefit farmers around the world.  Additional information can be found at www.cibus.com/rtds.php.

 

About Cibus Global

Cibus Global (CIBUS) is a privately held trait development company that produces crop traits for the agricultural community. Through the application of a proprietary technology called the Rapid Trait Development System (RTDSTM), CIBUS creates traits in a directed way with more precision than traditional breeding techniques and without the introduction of foreign genetic material. RTDS has proven itself in the laboratory with several different crops, as well as in initial field trials of CIBUS' first commercial crop, canola. Further information on Cibus Global can be found on the Web at www.cibus.com.

 

####

 

Fw: Sweet Times with Vidalias Winners Announced

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: Ashley Lansdale
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:44:26 -0500
Subject: Sweet Times with Vidalias Winners Announced

For Immediate Release
September 17, 2009
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Ashley Lansdale                                                           Wendy Brannen
Sahlman Williams                                                        Vidalia Onion Committee
(813) 251-4242 ext. 226                                             (912) 537-1918

VIDALIA® ONION COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF
SWEET TIMES WITH VIDALIAS® NATIONAL RECIPE & FAVORITE MEMORY CONTEST
 'Savory Stuffed Vidalia® Onions' Rank Top with Judges

Vidalia, Ga. (Sept. 17, 2009) – On Sept. 10, Tamara L. Furda was selected as the grand prize winner of the Sweet Times with Vidalias® national recipe contest.  Held by the Vidalia® Onion Committee, the contest gave contestants a chance to win one of three cash prizes by submitting a favorite Vidalia onion recipe and fond memory of the sweet onion. Recipes and stories were judged by a panel including Chef Joe Randall, owner of Chef Joe Randall's Cooking School in Savannah, Ga., and Wendy Brannen, executive director of the Vidalia® Onion Committee.
 
Furda's original recipe, Savory Stuffed Vidalia® Onions with Creamy Marsala Sauce, and heartwarming Vidalia onion memory were selected from nearly 400 entries to win the grand prize of $1,000 based on criteria including creativity, originality and use of Vidalia onions.
 
"I saw the Sweet Times with Vidalias® contest online and immediately sweet memories of my father came rushing back," says Furda.  "A memory of him biting straight into a Vidalia inspired me to create this irresistible recipe.  I know he would be so thrilled and proud to see I've won."  
 
Joan Churchill of Exeter, NH, wins a $750 second prize cash award for her Vidalia and Pear Honey of a Soup recipe and childhood memory.  A recipe for Vidalia Shortcake and endearing love story submitted by Lisa Keys of Middlebury, Conn., wins a $500 third prize cash award.  
 
"We always receive enticing recipes when we announce a national contest, no surprises there! What struck me was how truly touching the Vidalia memories were," says Brannen.  "I personally read each of the hundreds of entries and am so thankful to have learned so much about our consumers; how they have adapted our sweet onions into beautiful recipes from their own unique cultures, how their families have literally bonded over creating Vidalia-specific meals when money or cooking resources were low, how through silly ways they inspired stubborn kids to enjoy eating onions, and how so many families value our vegetable as a rite of passage, cooking it from one generation to the next."
 
From May through August, cooks nationwide were given a chance to win one of three sweet prizes by submitting a favorite Vidalia onion recipe and warm memory of cooking with Vidalias. The contest was promoted online and in select supermarkets nationwide.  
 
Vidalia onions have been a part of Georgia history and family recipes since the mild, sweet onion was originally pioneered in the 1930s. The sweet onions are only grown in the low sulfur soil of 20 counties in the Southeast region of Georgia, but they are loved throughout America. The original sweet onion is preferred over other sweet onion brands by 75 percent of consumers, according to an Opinion Dynamics survey.
 
To view the winning recipes and their sweet memories, visit VidaliaOnion.org.  For updates on future contest and promotions, become a fan of the Vidalia® Onion Committee on Facebook.  
 
The Vidalia® Onion Committee was established in 1989 as Federal Marketing Order No. 955. The order authorizes production research and marketing promotion programs. The Vidalia® Onion Committee administers the order locally and consists of eight producer members and their alternates and one public member and an alternate.


# # #




Fw: GMA Applauds HHS Secretary Sebelius and HHS for New CommunityPrevention and Wellness program

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: "Openshaw, Scott W."
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:09:11 -0500
Subject: GMA Applauds HHS Secretary Sebelius and HHS for New Community Prevention and Wellness program

 

For Immediate Release                                                                 Contact:Scott Openshaw

       September 17, 2009                                                                                  202-295-3957 or

  Brian Kennedy

  202-639-5994

 

GMA Applauds HHS Secretary Sebelius and HHS for New Community Prevention and Wellness Program

Helping to Reduce Childhood Obesity and Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles Top Priority for

Food and Beverage Industry

 

 

(Washington, D.C.)  GMA Senior Vice President and Chief Science and Regulatory Affairs Officer Robert E. Brackett today commended Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for launching a new community prevention and wellness campaign. 

 

"We applaud Secretary Sebelius and HHS for launching its new community prevention and wellness initiative.  Helping to reduce childhood obesity and encouraging healthy lifestyles is a top priority for the food and beverage industry. The new HHS initiative is a great example of ways our society can work together to win the battle against obesity.  A healthy diet combined with regular physical activity is the key to healthful living."

 

 

###

 

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) represents the world's leading food, beverage and consumer products companies.  The association promotes sound public policy, champions initiatives that increase productivity and growth and helps to protect the safety and security of the food supply through scientific excellence.  The GMA board of directors is comprised of chief executive officers from the association's member companies.  The $2.1 trillion food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry employs 14 million workers, and contributes over $1 trillion in added value to the nation's economy.  For more information, visit the GMA Web site at www.gmaonline.org.

 

Fw: OTA welcomes new National Organic Program head

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile


From: Organic Trade Association
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:18:56 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
Subject: OTA welcomes new National Organic Program head

For immediate release     

Contact: Barbara Haumann (413-376-1220)

Organic Trade Association welcomes new National Organic Program head
 
GREENFIELD, Mass. (Sept. 17, 2009)—The Organic Trade Association (OTA) today expressed delight at the selection of Miles McEvoy as the new Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) National Organic Program (NOP).
 
"As Organic Program Manager for Washington State Department of Agriculture's Organic Food efforts, Miles has been very active as a long-time member of the Organic Trade Association (OTA). OTA is pleased that he will be filling this very important position in USDA. OTA is confident that, with his experience, he will provide invaluable guidance and clear thinking that will further the integrity of the National Organic Program," said Christine Bushway, OTA's Executive Director.
 
As an active participant in OTA activities, McEvoy most recently served on OTA's Canada-U.S. Equivalency Task Force and is currently a member of OTA's Fertilizer Verification Task Force. He also participates in OTA Member Forums on aquaculture, farm supplies, international trade, and U.S. governmental affairs. McEvoy has also led the National Association of State Organic Programs, an organization of state officials that provides a forum for discussing the promotion and regulation of the organic farming industry.
 
This new position and the elevated status for the National Organic Program were announced at OTA's Policy Conference held in March in Washington, D.C.
 
In its first nine months in office, the Obama Administration has taken numerous steps to build NOP and to include provisions for organic agriculture within USDA agencies.
Most recently, Kathleen Merrigan, USDA's Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, announced that USDA had applied to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for a review of its accreditation process and program. Under the review planned for fiscal year 2010, NIST's National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation program will evaluate NOP's accreditation program to assess its ongoing conformity with international standards for managing accreditation programs. Receiving such recognition would support NOP's credentials as an accrediting body and satisfy regulatory requirements for NOP to obtain peer review.
 
In May, Merrigan announced USDA's intentions to create a division dedicated to organic agriculture within the department. Historically, NOP has been part of the Transportation and Marketing Program within USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. In addition, efforts are underway to expand staffing at NOP, including bringing in compliance and enforcement capability within the agency.
 
Meanwhile, the 2008 Farm Bill has jump-started organic data collection, and provided more money for organic research. USDA also is conducting the first-ever wide-scale survey of organic producers. In addition, USDA hopes to complete an evaluation of crop insurance prices and surcharges for organic crops by the end of the year.
Also in May, USDA offered $50 million in new funding to encourage greater production of organic food in the United States. Available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program administered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, the program was open to producers either certified through NOP or in the process of transitioning to organic production.
"These efforts are all ones that the Organic Trade Association has worked towards. It is exciting to see NOP receiving more resources to do its job and to uphold the integrity of organic agriculture and production," said Bushway.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA's mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and tthe economy (www.ota.com).

You have received this message because you are a member of the press or educational institution
with an interest in organic agriculture or products. Please contact our office if you would like to be removed
from our e-mail contact list.

Organic Trade Association P.O. Box 547 Greenfield, MA 01302

Labels: