Can blueberries help with memory loss?

Can blueberries help with memory loss?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2010/0413/1224268217558.html

DOES IT WORK? BACKGROUND: With the population ageing, more people are becoming concerned about memory loss – or what is more specifically called cognitive decline. A request was recently sent to this column to look at the evidence regarding blueberries and memory loss.

Memory loss can be due to the ageing process, or may be due to an underlying condition like Alzheimer’s disease, which is a leading cause of dementia. Research is being conducted to identify the various causes and risk factors for dementia. There is much interest in the potential of dietary factors to reduce cognitive decline and slow the onset of dementia.

Blueberries are closely related to cranberries and bilberries, all of which are members of the Vaccinium genus. Bilberries are sometimes called blueberries, but true blueberries have a greenish white flesh whereas bilberries have a blue-purple flesh. The original “wild” blueberries come from Vaccinium angustifolium , a low-lying bush native to eastern Canada and northeastern US. A number of hybrids are now grown commercially in other regions.

Blueberries were primarily used as a nutritious fruit, high in fibre and vitamin C, but they were also used for a number of ailments. The dried leaves were used to treat sore throats and mouth inflammations. Recent interest in blueberries and memory loss has developed because they contain anthocyanins, which contribute to the red and purple colour of many fruits and flowers. Some are not absorbed when eaten, but other are and are powerful antioxidants.

EVIDENCE FROM STUDIES

The interest in diet and memory loss arises from large population surveys which found that higher consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with better cognitive performance in the elderly and a lower risk of diseases that lead to dementia. However, such studies do not reveal whether dietary factors cause such effects, or whether diet is one of a number of contributing factors that help slow cognitive decline.

Because blueberries are high in antioxidants, which have beneficial health effects, they are being examined in many research projects. However, most have reached only the stage of animal testing. Anthocyanins pass into the brains of animals and can specifically enter those regions known to be important for memory. Some experiments have found that older animals fed blueberries performed better in memory tests.

What is believed to be the first study of blueberries in humans was published earlier this year. The study involved nine people with an average age of 76 years who were compared to seven people taking an artificial juice. Anyone diagnosed with no memory decline or having mild or more serious dementia was excluded from the study. Those involved had normal age-related forgetfulness, and thus belonged to a very specific group who were at the earliest stage of memory decline. Each person was asked to drink a commercial wild blueberry juice three times a day, consuming about 500ml daily. After three months, those drinking the blueberry juice had statistically significant improvements in memory compared to those drinking the placebo.

PROBLEMATIC ASPECTS

Blueberries are not known to cause problems. No adverse effects were reported in the above study, although blood glucose levels were reduced to a small extent. This could be beneficial for some, but anyone taking medication for diabetes should carefully monitor their sugar levels if they start consuming blueberries regularly.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Blueberries are a nutritious and safe food. They are being examined for a number of health benefits. However, research on their specific effects is at a very early stage. The authors of the above study noted that their research was preliminary and needed to be repeated with much larger numbers of people. For now, adding blueberries to a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is warranted. Whether blueberries alone will help prevent memory loss remains to be seen.

McDonald’s wants to rewrap restaurants

McDonald’s wants to rewrap restaurants
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0413-mcdonalds-makeover--20100412,0,2749029.story

Internal memo emphasizes cash incentives for updates; consultant says chain wants to be like Starbucks


As McDonald's Corp. moves more deeply into the cafe world of lattes, frappes and smoothies, the Oak Brook-based hamburger chain is attempting to speed up the remake of its U.S. restaurants into cozier places to linger and spend money, according to an outside expert.

Richard Adams, a franchise consultant, said a 2010 pilot program offers a higher level of corporate financial assistance to McDonald's franchisees willing to revamp their restaurants inside and out. Adams heads Franchise Equity Group, a San Diego-based consulting firm.

Normally, McDonald's prevails upon franchisees to remodel when their contracts are up for renewal. That occurs with 300 to 400 restaurants nationwide each year, Adams said.

But the company is sweetening its typical financial contribution in an effort to bring another 400 to 600 restaurants into the remodeling pipeline, said Adams, citing an internal McDonald's memo that spelled out terms of assistance.

The revamps could boost a restaurant's annual sales from $2.3 million to $3.1 million in four to five years, the memo stated. Adams said there's no guarantee remodeling will translate into more sales.

Nationwide, the company has 14,000 restaurants, of which 85 percent are franchises.

Adams estimates that a franchisee's cost might range from $600,000 for remodeling to $1.5 million for rebuilding. This comes shortly after franchisees retooled to handle coffee drinks, at a cost of up to $100,000 per restaurant.

McDonald's would not confirm or deny the contents of the memo. Spokeswoman Danya Proud said remodeling efforts are part of "an evolution of the restaurant redesign that started back in 2003."

Remodeled restaurants can feature plasma-screen televisions, lounge chairs and electric fireplaces. And separately, the chain is adding free Wi-Fi in most of its U.S. restaurants.

"The whole idea is they are trying to imitate Starbucks with coffee drinks," Adams said.

McDonald's declined to characterize it that way, with Proud saying, "It's an effort to contemporize existing restaurant locations."

In fact, not all the changes are aimed at encouraging customers to linger. With drive-through representing 65 percent of business, the revamped stores will include double lanes.

Tribune reporters Julie Wernau and Wailin Wong contributed to this report.

Malihabadi dussehri is the first branded mango

Malihabadi dussehri is the first branded mango

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_malihabadi-dussehri-is-the-first-branded-mango_1369138

Mumbai: The first alphonsos, named after a 16th century Portuguese governor of Goa, came from Africa some 400 years ago. This one mango tree that grew in the Konkan developed a unique taste and fragrance.

The crop was suited to this region. Horticulturists say the reason for this uniqueness is the coastal soil, sea wind, and the hilly terrain.

Alphonsos are grown over 65,000 hectares in Ratnagiri, 30,000 hectares in Sindhudurg, 50,000 in Raigadh, and 13,000 hectares in Thane. These four districts (along with Mumbai) comprise the Konkan or coastal region of Maharashtra. Alphosos are also grown in Valsad and Navsari in Gujarat, parts of Karnataka, and Goa. Across India, some 2.3 million hectares produced 12.75 million tonnes of mangoes in 2008-09.

Alphonsos won’t be the first mangoes to get a geographical indication. That pride of place belongs to the ‘Malihabadi dusseheri’ mango. Malihabad, just outside Lucknow, is an important mango growing centre in north India, while dussheri is a popular variety in northern India.

GI certification is to protect the sanctity and purity of products grown or made in specific regions. Many countries can produce sparkling wine but only France has the GI-protected right to sell Champagne. In India, GI recognition has been awarded to, among other farm products, Darjeeling tea, Kangra tea, the Nanjanagud banana and Malda’s Fazli mango.

India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes but is behind Mexico, Brazil, and Pakistan when it comes to mango exports, with the bulk of India’s produce being consumed domestically.
An Indian GI for alphonso could affect mango growers in south-eastern

Pakistan, who also claim to grow a type of alphonso.

Summary of Food Safety Modernization Act (Senate debate pending) Food Poison Journal

Summary of Food Safety Modernization Act (Senate debate pending) Food Poison Journal

Not exactly fresh out of committee, but out of committee nonetheless, senate bill 510 (a/k/a the Food Safety Modernization Act) makes its way to the senate floor soon, possibly this week. The full senate debate and subsequent vote is certainly timely, as just today Michael Moss was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his story on Stephanie Smiths E. coli O157:H7 illness and Linda Rivera's long-awaited emergence from a Nevada hospital where she has spent almost a year after also being infected by E. coli O157:H7. Stephanie was sickened by a hamburger made by Cargill, and Linda by contaminated cookie dough made by Nestle.

The Food Safety Modernization Act is truly an important piece of legislation, in that it affects every citizen of this country, and even some abroad, on a daily basis. The bill substantially modifies the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetics Act, and generally gives the Food and Drug Administration better authority and ability to monitor the safety of our food supply, and take quicker and more effective action for food companies that don't adequately protect against foodpoisoning risks.

Among other, more specific, things, the Food Safety Modernization Act:



Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to expand the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to regulate food, including by authorizing the Secretary to suspend the registration of a food facility.

Requires each food facility to evaluate hazards and implement preventive controls.

Directs the Secretary to assess and collect fees related to: (1) food facility reinspection; (2) food recalls; and (3) the voluntary qualified importer program.

Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture to prepare the National Agriculture and Food Defense Strategy.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) identify preventive programs and practices to promote the safety and security of food; (2) promulgate regulations on sanitary food transportation practices; (3) develop a policy to manage the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools and early childhood education programs; (4) allocate inspection resources based on the risk profile of food facilities or food; (5) recognize bodies that accredit food testing laboratories; and (6) improve the capacity of the Secretary to track and trace raw agricultural commodities.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to enhance foodborne illness surveillance systems.

Authorizes the Secretary to order an immediate cessation of distribution, or a recall, of food. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assist state, local, and tribal governments in preparing for, assessing, decontaminating, and recovering from an agriculture or food emergency.

Provides for: (1) foreign supplier verification activities; (2) a voluntary qualified importer program; and (3) the inspection of foreign facilities registered to import food.

Mexico, US agree to working group on trucking Business Week

Mexico, US agree to working group on trucking Business Week

Mexico and the United States have agreed to set up a working group to discuss a cross-border trucking dispute.

The two countries say a solution to the issue of giving Mexican trucks access to U.S. interior states, and vice versa, is "the highest priority."

Mexico's secretary of communications and transport met with his U.S. counterpart in Mexico City on Monday to discuss that and other issues.

In early 2009, Mexico slapped tariffs on 89 U.S. products worth about $2.4 billion in retaliation for a U.S. decision to cancel a cross-border program for Mexican truckers.

The North American Free Trade Agreement required the U.S. to grant Mexican trucks full access by January 2000, but domestic opposition stymied that opening.

Wal-Mart Farms in India

Wal-Mart Farms in India

Wal-Mart is trying to establish an agricultural beachhead in India as part of its global growth strategy. Confronted with saturated markets in the United States and other developed countries, the company needs to establish a bigger presence in emerging markets like India. Farmers harvest cucumbers on a farm in Haider Nagar that supplies Bharti Wal-Mart, a joint venture.

Labour promise ‘level playing field’ for British farmers

Labour promise ‘level playing field’ for British farmers

12 April 2010 | By Jack Davies

THE Labour Party has promised to tackle unfair practices from major retailers and to work hard to ensure British farming is ‘profitable and competitive’ in its election manifesto published today (Monday, April 12).

The manifesto, which sets out the party’s priorities as it tries to woo voters in the General Election, commits to establishing a supermarket ombudsman as well as improving country of origin labelling.

It also commits to wide-ranging CAP reform and a range of green measures including plans to set up a new framework for managing land in the face of environmental pressures.

The commitment to an ombudsman will be welcome, although not entirely unexpected, to farmers and is included as one of 50 promises to the British public should they be elected on May 6 when the country goes to the polls.

The manifesto says: “In order to protect farmers and food suppliers from unfair and uncompetitive practices by major retailers, we will create a Supermarket Ombudsman.

“Consumers have the right to know where food comes from. We are working with the food industry and retailers to ensure proper food labelling, including tougher and clearer ‘country of origin’ information. This will also help to level the playing field for British farmers.”

The manifesto also sets out the Party’s environmental promises, recognising the need for a new way of managing land to safeguard food security while meeting its targets for maintaining the environment and biodiversity.

As well as promising to maintain the area of Green Belt land in the next Parliament, the manifesto also makes a pledge to introduce a framework for land management that will recognise the need to increase food production as well as maintain the natural environment.

It says: “Competing pressures – from greater food production to housing and natural flood defences – are making the management of land resources ever more challenging.

“We will introduce a new framework for managing our land that can more effectively reconcile these pressures.

“We will put forward new areas for protected landscape and habitat status, focusing on green corridors and wildlife networks to link up existing sites. And we will commit to increasing the area covered by forest and woodland.”

The manifesto launch comes the day before The Conservatives are due to launch their election maifesto and farmers will be keen to see what their election promises will be, particularly on Bovine TB after they announced at NFU conference in February they would enact a badger cull should they be elected.

With no mention of the disease in Labour’s manifesto, it could be a key point of difference when farmers go to the polls on May 6.

Savvy shoppers saving - survey - NZ

Savvy shoppers saving - survey - NZ

Christchurch shoppers are wising up to big supermarkets "raking it in", looking for better deals at smaller specialist food stores, a new study says.

A Lincoln University study says while Foodstuffs dominates the Christchurch market, with New World and Pak 'n' Save comprising more than half of all supermarket visits, specialist stores were making inroads on their bigger competitors.

Of the 629 Christchurch households surveyed, 68 per cent said they bought their vegetables and fruit at specialist stores compared with just 15 per cent in a similar study in 1996.

Specialist butchers were also more popular, with 52 per cent of those surveyed saying they bought their meat at butcher shops compared with about 10 per cent in 1996.

Lincoln University Associate Professor Charles Lamb, who heads the business management department, said yesterday the rise of specialist food stores could be considered a direct response to increased profits by New Zealands's supermarket duopoly.

"The big corporates have been raking it in for quite some time, and all of a sudden they've been caught with their pants down," he said.

Of those surveyed, 34 per cent said cheaper food was the main reason for buying vegetables and fruit at a specialist stores, indicating smaller stores were managing to undercut the big supermarkets despite having less buying power, Lamb said.

"These alternative places are having quite an impact."

Asian food markets had also gained ground on conventional supermarkets, he said.

Foodstuffs, which owns Pak 'n' Save and New World, and Progressive Enterprises, which runs Foodtown, Countdown and Woolworths, account for 95 per cent of the market.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) figures released last November show New Zealand's food prices had risen 42.5 per cent since 2000, well above the OECD average of 33 per cent and ahead of Australia, the United States and Britain.

At the time, some commentators blamed Progressive and Foodstuffs' market duopoly for the price rises, an accusation both firms denied.

Yesterday, Foodstuffs chief executive Steve Anderson again dismissed claims a supermarket duopoly was inflating food prices, pointing to Statistics New Zealand figures showing food prices had fallen 1.3 per cent in February.

While the recession had adversely affected fruit and vegetables sales, no evidence existed of an exodus of shoppers to speciality stores, he said.

Metro grocery chain set to launch own loyalty card in Quebec City stores

Metro grocery chain set to launch own loyalty card in Quebec City stores
By Ross Marowits, The Canadian Press

MONTREAL - Metro is launching its own loyalty card program in Quebec City this week - the harbinger of a province-wide program the supermarket chain hopes will give it a leg up in the intensely competitive food business.

Faced with very low inflation, supermarket retailers are constantly looking for new ways to lure consumers into their stores and increase revenue.

"Our objective is to increase the loyalty of our customers, increase the wallet share of their purchases at Metro and hopefully increase our revenue and profitability," Marc Giroux, Metro's vice-president marketing, said in an interview.

The Montreal-based retailer said the Metro&moi (Metro&Me) rewards program will be first available in 26 stores in the provincial capital region starting Thursday. Cards are free.

Unlike the Air Miles program that's used by its Ontario customers, the Quebec program won't require redemptions for accumulated miles.

Instead, customers will get $4 off their bill every three months for every 500 points they accumulate.

One "m" point will be awarded for each dollar spent. Members can also rack up the points by purchasing more than 1,000 promotional products that have special bonus points.

The cards will allow Metro (TSX:MRU.A) to mine consumer shopping patterns and send customized vouchers by mail or email for discounts on the products each card member likes best.

"The idea is not to try to change the consumer behaviour but rather to reward them on the products that they love," Giroux said.

Introduction of Metro's loyalty card comes about five months after it got together with Dunnhumby, a consulting and marketing services agency that has helped supermarket chains in the United States, Britain and France.

Dunnhumby uses sophisticated software to examine every purchase made by customers who swipe a loyalty card.

The information is then dissected. It can be used to guide the chain to alter offerings and product placements to meet the needs of customers in specific stores.

Given the company's track record in helping U.S. giant Kroger and Tesco of Britain to increase their sales, Marc Sischli of Dunnhumby Canada said last fall that the partnership could be game changer for Metro.

Metro has no immediate plans to expand the program outside Quebec. Within the province, Air Miles is exclusively linked with the rival IGA chain.

The Metro program will be rolled out across the province later in 2010, although no dates are being announced for competitive reasons.

After consulting consumers last fall, the new program was designed to be easy to use and to offer rebates.

Giroux called the program an important milestone in the company's history that will help to redefine its relationship with loyal shoppers.

With annual sales exceeding $11 billion, Metro is one of the biggest supermarket chains in Canada, operating nearly 600 stores under the Metro, Metro Plus, GP, Super C and Food Basics banners. It also has more than 250 drugstores.

On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Metro shares closed at $42.16 on Monday, up 37 cents.

Jamie Oliver's approach to a healthy lifestyle: another lesson to learn from - Examiner

Jamie Oliver's approach to a healthy lifestyle: another lesson to learn from - Examiner

After watching the first three episodes of Jaime Oliver’s Food Revolution, his approach to a healthy lifestyle is pretty clear: achieving a sensible balance with food. He focuses on learning to cook, cooking with fresh produce and most importantly, eating in moderation.

Jamie’s approach is definitely one that everyone can learn from and apply to their daily lives. If everyone in America could have a sensible balance, maybe our nation wouldn’t be so overweight or dying from obesity.

How can you apply Jamie’s approach to your life? Below are some simple tips to achieving your sensible balance.

Cooking: If cooking is not one of your strongest suits, have you thought about taking a class? Most specialty grocery stores or Williams-Sonoma offer cooking classes for a minimal fee. Or, on the weekend when you have more time, pick a recipe that sounds good and make it. Think of it as an experiment, if it doesn’t turn out well, you at least learned something a long the way and can always try again, next time. Remember, practice makes perfect, so the more you keep trying to make different recipes, the better cook you will become. Also, watch a couple of shows on the Food Network to pick up some simple techniques and ways of cooking that you can apply in your own kitchen.

Fresh produce: Now that spring has arrived, there is a lot more produce to choose from! When you plan your meals for the week, plan them around your vegetables, instead of your protein. For example, if you would like to cook asparagus one night, think about what protein would go best with it (depending on how you are going to prepare the asparagus), along with a whole grain carbohydrate. Also, try one new vegetable or fruit per week, instead of reaching for your old standbys, to expand your repertoire.

Moderation: Moderation is the key to weight loss and maintenance! If you constantly deprive yourself, saying that you can’t have this or that, your body only craves the food even more. If you want to have a piece of cake for dessert, eat a lighter or smaller dinner to make room for the extra calories. It’s ok to have dessert now and then, but don’t go overboard by having it every night. Also, if you allow yourself to splurge on certain favorite foods every once in a while, you will more likely look forward to them, cherishing each bite, than if you had the foods all the time.

If you haven’t watched an episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, be sure to watch one, as it is not only an eye-opener to how the rest of America eats, but there is a lot to learn from and apply to your daily life.

If you live in the Sacramento area and are interested in learning how to cook, check out a class at the Sacramento Natural Foods Coop.

Diets may determine dementia risk - BBC

Diets may determine dementia risk - BBC


The foods we choose to eat may determine our risk of dementia, mounting evidence suggests.

Latest work in Archives of Neurology shows sticking to a diet rich in nuts, fish and vegetables significantly cuts the chance of developing Alzheimer's.

A "Mediterranean diet" containing plenty of fresh produce and less high-fat dairy and red meat has long been thought to improve general health.

Experts believe it is a combination of nutrients in foods that is important.

But they stressed that diet was not the sole cause or solution where dementia is concerned.

Good combinations

Dr Yian Gu and colleagues at Columbia University Medical Centre in the US studied the diets of 2,148 retirement-age adults living in New York.

Over the four years of the study, 253 of these older adults developed Alzheimer's disease.

When the researchers scrutinised the diets of all of the individuals in the study, a pattern emerged.

Adults whose diets included more salad dressing, nuts, fish, poultry, fruits and green leafy vegetables, and less high-fat dairy, red meat and butter, were far less likely to develop dementia.

But it is the varying levels of specific nutrients that these food combinations offer that is important, say the researchers.

Diets rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamin E and folate but low in saturated fat and vitamin B12 appear to be best.

Experts have long suspected that nutrients might modify dementia risk.

Folate reduces circulating levels of the blood amino acid homocysteine which has been linked to Alzheimer's.

Similarly, vitamin E might be protective via its strong antioxidant effect, while monosaturated and saturated fatty acids could increase dementia risk by encouraging blood clot formation, say the researchers.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "Understanding the connection between diet and dementia risk may help prevent the development of diseases like Alzheimer's for some people.

"Adapting our lifestyles as we get older - by exercising regularly, watching what we eat and maintaining an active social life - can reduce dementia risk.

"Unfortunately, no diet or lifestyle factor can eliminate dementia risk entirely."

With 35 million people worldwide living with dementia, she said it was important to focus efforts on research to develop new treatments.

Sen. Gillibrand Proposes More Fresh Food Stores

Sen. Gillibrand Proposes More Fresh Food Stores

NEW YORK—Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said on Monday she is looking to build 2,100 grocery stores in so-called “food deserts” in New York and throughout the country.

The proposal would use $1 billion in federal grants and loans to provide fresh produce and other food for communities that need it.

Three million New Yorkers live in “food deserts,” and have virtually no access to nutritious and fresh foods, said Gillibrand who was joined by Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) and other elected officials.

In New York City alone, 273 stores would be built within city limits and 350 statewide. The stores would be constructed mainly in low-income areas.

The legislation was authored by Sen. Gillibrand who is coordinating the effort with first lady Michelle Obama, and was also sponsored with Rep. Velazquez and endorsed by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. It will provide some 200,000 new jobs across the United States. New York would get 26,000 extra jobs if the legislation is passed.

“Obesity and diabetes rates are reaching crisis proportions in our country and it is time to take aggressive action,” said Sen. Gillibrand. “Millions of New Yorkers do not have access to fresh, healthy food.”

She added, “By building new grocery stores in underserved areas across the state we can give people the opportunity to live longer, healthier, lives, save billions in health care costs, and create tens of thousands of good paying jobs.”

President Barack Obama has already proposed similar measures, dedicating $345 million for his 2010-2011 budget proposal.

Rep. Velazquez said low-income households face higher obesity and diabetes rates because they “lack access to healthy foods.”

She added that the legislation is capable of “empowering” low-income families by giving them access to better food choices.

Rep. Velazquez is introducing Sen. Gillibrand's legislation, called the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, in the House of Representatives and is being supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, PolicyLink, and City Council Member Margaret Chin.

According to a report released in January by the Food Research and Action Center, several congressional districts within New York City were rated as the hungriest districts.

The 16th Congressional District in the South Bronx was rated the top hungriest district while the 10th Congressional District in Brooklyn ranked No. 6. Seven out of the 13 congressional districts in New York City face food hardships.

The New York City Department of City Planning released a report which noted that 83 percent of Brooklyn residents and 75 percent of Bronx residents have no have access to fresh and healthy food. Queens and Manhattan were at 50 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Sticker shock at the supermarket meat case- LA Times

Sticker shock at the supermarket meat case- LA Times
Cattle, hog and poultry prices are soaring in speculator-influenced commodity markets.


Chicago
With the economy and the weather slowly improving, the barbecue grill beckons. But the pork chops could be out of reach.

Sticker shock is arriving at a supermarket meat case near you, as cattle, hog and poultry prices soar in speculator-influenced commodity markets.

The upturn has put an end to a long downward spiral for livestock producers, who until recently have been losing money on every animal they brought to market.

Given the recent strength in retail sales overall, U.S. consumers may be willing to pay a little more for their animal protein. But that's no sure thing, and some farmers worry about the steeper price tags on tenderloins and spare ribs while the unemployment rate is at 9.7%.

"It is a big concern," said Brent Scholl, a Polo, Ill., pork producer. "We need a product that people are going to want, even if it costs more."

For the last two years, meat prices have sagged, and retail shoppers have enjoyed good deals at the farmer's expense.

Scholl, who heads the Illinois Pork Producers Assn., said he marketed 13,000 hogs at an average loss of $22 apiece during 2008 and 2009.

Now he's making almost that much in profit on every pig he sells, and he is using the futures market to lock in favorable prices for months to come, Scholl said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently forecast sharply higher prices for cattle and hogs through the summer.

Hedge fund managers and other speculators have been buying, attracted by the trading action. Many view commodities as a hedge against inflation, and they account for a sizable share of open contracts.

Two years ago, when gasoline at the pump topped out at more than $4 a gallon, speculators took the blame. So far in the livestock markets, they're "a factor" but not the primary reason for the recent run-up, said Ronald Plain, an agricultural economist at the University of Missouri.

The most important fundamental change came in supply, he said. Producers who were losing a fortune during the downturn cut the size of their herds. The U.S. hog population, for instance, has fallen 6.2% from its peak at the end of 2007, even as the nation's human population kept growing, Plain said.

The same trend has affected "the whole meat complex," he said. "Pigs aren't doing this by themselves. We've downsized cattle. We've downsized chicken. We've downsized the turkey industry."

Rising exports and relief from last year's swine flu scare also gave the market a boost. Yet markets rarely go straight up for long, and some traders expect volatility ahead.

"We've got a lot of premium already built in," said Jason Roose, vice president at the U.S. Commodities Inc. trading firm in Iowa.

Scholl, the pork producer, has simple advice for the consumer: Buy more meat, now. "I'd be buying ahead," he said.

Yet the broader economy, still weak from the recession, could put a damper on any carnivorous shopping sprees before the grilling season, which runs roughly from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with the Fourth of July as its peak.

Ground beef, sausage, hot dogs, chicken thighs -- the cheaper cuts still sell better than steaks and chops, Plain noted.

"High-cost cuts haven't done as well in the recession," he said. "We need economic growth and lower unemployment for the consumers to pay these higher prices."

Roose agreed that economic uncertainty played a role in the meat market.

"Will the consumer buy? That is the big unknown," he said. "If they're hungry enough, they will."

Greg Burns writes for the Chicago Tribune.

Supermarket boss's move upstairs shocks City - Telegraph

Supermarket boss's move upstairs shocks City - Telegraph
Andy Bond's surprise move gets tongues wagging, says James Hall



Only seven weeks ago, Andy Bond was outlining his vision for Asda over the next five years.

Sitting in the plush London offices of the supermarket's financial PR advisers, the retail chief executive outlined "a new chapter for future growth" at Asda. It was an energetic and punchy performance, which was hailed by City analysts as combative yet sensible.



Which is why yesterday's announcement by Asda's US parent company Wal-Mart that it is looking for a replacement for Mr Bond in the chief executive's role came as such a surprise.

After five years at the helm of the UK's second largest supermarket chain, the sporty redhead will step up to become the part-time chairman of Asda's executive committee. The "move upstairs" shocked observers, not least because on Thursday Mr Bond is due to update analysts about Asda's strategy at its head office in Leeds.

"It is a considerable surprise to us. While we may be wrong, it is difficult to see how such change in management was anticipated by Wal-Mart or Asda's executive committee given the proximity of this investor event," said Clive Black, food retail analyst at Shore Capital.

As news of Mr Bond's departure spread, observers looked to Asda's recent history for clues about why he was leaving his job. Based on the evidence, many concluded that he could have been forced out of the role by his Arkansas-based paymasters.

Asda suffered a poor Christmas compared to rivals: sales were sluggish (largely due to snow) and the chain's all-important market share had slipped. It was hit by heavy promoting from Tesco and J Sainsbury, and had also been knocked by a resurgent Wm Morrison. Further, the retailer recently attracted controversy when a City analyst claimed that Asda's management had told suppliers that the chain had become "boring", a charge that Asda denied.

"Asda has not been performing well," said one executive close to the chain.

However speaking yesterday after the announcement, Mr Bond dismissed all the talk, saying that there was nothing sinister about his decision to move on.

"Let's not dance around the handbags. The question you want to ask is have I fallen out with them? Categorically not," he said.

He said that there has "been a discussion over a number of months" about his new role.

"After 16 years at the company and five as chief executive it was the right time to do something else within Asda but also develop ideas outside the company," he said.

As yet he has "no specific" plans as to what he will do externally. "I am 'going plural', in the words of [former Asda chief executive] Allan Leighton," he said, adding that his priority will be to help Asda embed his replacement as chief executive. After that, he will move to a part-time basis at the retailer. He said that he will not take on another chief executive's roll.

"I am going to do a number of things and spend a little time thinking what they are. I have loved my time at Asda and if I wanted to do a big CEO's job I'd continue to do what I am doing," he said.

Mr Bond said that the retail giant would hardly have created the new chairman's role for him if they had had differences of opinion.

However the nature of the relationship between the biggest retailer in the world and its UK outpost has been a constant source of speculation. To the shoppers that throng Asda's aisles, the retailer is British through and through. On the surface, very little has changed since the chain was bought by Wal-Mart, the US giant, for £7bn in the summer of 1999: its prices are still low and its staff are still decked out in lurid green. However observers believe that the relationship can be fraught with its own frustrations, the chief of which are a perceived lack of strategic and financial autonomy. For example, Asda has always been limited in the level of detail that it has been able to disclose in its financial results. And strategic decisions have always had to go through Wal-Mart's HQ in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Mr Bond said that he has "not had to compete" with Wal-Mart's other divisions in India or China for resources. He said that the Wal-Mart mothership has never been anything but supportive: "There has never, ever been a time when I have asked for capital and been refused. Ever."

A former colleague of Mr Bond, who asked not to be named, speculated that the ambitious retail executive could simply be looking for new challenges. He also said that the recent underperformance clouds a strong track record at Asda.

"I am not completely surprised. Andy has done the most superb job of delivering his first five-year plan. He has been there 16 years and he is still in his mid 40s. He had a choice – either he took a deep breath and delivered the next five-year plan, or he concluded that it's time for change."

Last year Mr Bond was connected with the job running Marks & Spencer, a role that eventually went to Marc Bolland, the Morrisons boss. "That might have set him thinking about what he really wants to do," said the former colleague.

Other observers also praised the work that he had done. Mr Black said: "Andy Bond has been a demonstrable success at Asda. His work in charge of the George [clothing] brand and subsequently as overall leader deserves much acclaim; indeed in early 2009 we felt that Asda stores had rarely been in a better groove, exuding confidence."