Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Fw: RESTAURATEURS CALLED TO LEAD FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD OBESITY

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From: Crystal Hedrick <pressrelease@foodchannel.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:22:04 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
ReplyTo: Crystal Hedrick <crystal.hedrick@foodchannel.com>
Subject: RESTAURATEURS CALLED TO LEAD FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD OBESITY

CONTACT

John Scroggins, (800) 545-4087, ext. 5118/(417) 861-1895 cell

john.scroggins@noble.net

 

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RESTAURATEURS CALLED TO LEAD FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD OBESITY

First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the National Restaurant Association in Washington

 

CHICAGO (Sept. 16)¾ First lady Michelle Obama encouraged the restaurant industry to lead the effort against childhood obesity in remarks made to the National Restaurant Association's board of directors Monday. Mrs. Obama met with industry leaders to praise them for the work already done and to stress that the fight is far from over. Full editorial, photo and video coverage of the First Lady's remarks is available on foodchannelpro.com.

 

"Research shows that kids consume more saturated fat and less fiber and calcium when they eat out, and the meals in restaurants have twice as many calories as the meals they eat at home," said Mrs. Obama. She added that restaurants are responsible for one-third of the calories kids consume and that the decisions restaurateurs make can have a real impact on the way America's children eat.

 

"What I do know is that, in the restaurant industry, creativity is your life blood," Mrs. Obama said, adding, "It's what sets you apart from the competition and keeps customers coming back for more. And today I am asking you to use that creativity to rethink the food you offer–especially dishes aimed at young people. And to help us make a healthier choice, the easier choice."

 

Speaking at the Capital Hyatt, the first lady said restaurants should offer smaller portion sizes, and more fruit and vegetable offerings, as well as more whole-grain foods. She also took aim at some of the marketing tactics that target children. "Your role in helping address childhood obesity isn't limited to what you put on your menus and how you label them for parents. It's also about how you market those products to our kids. Our kids don't learn about the latest fast food creations on their own. They hear about them on television advertisements and the Internet and video games. And as any parent knows, this marketing is highly effective."

 

In March of 2010 the first lady launched her "Let's Move" campaign to knock out childhood obesity within a generation. Many observers have called Mrs. Obama's goal highly ambitious, as one out of three children in the U.S. are obese.

 

Mrs. Obama lauded the NRA for some of its initiatives. "Here at the NRA, you have developed the Food and Healthy Living Initiative to give restaurants a strong foundation for making healthy changes. You've launched a website, HealthyDiningFinder.com, to help consumers identify healthy menu items in their area," she said.

 

The first lady also made it clear that she knew the task at hand was a difficult one. "Believe me, I know this is easier said than done." Mrs. Obama added, "We as humans are programmed to crave sugary, fatty, salty foods. But here's the catch: feeding those cravings doesn't just respond to those people's natural desires, it actually helps shape them." The first lady stressed that the good news is that it can work the other way just as easily. "With a little persistence and creativity, we can also turn them on to higher quality, healthy foods."

 

Since launching her campaign, Mrs. Obama has made numerous appearances to groups who play a role in feeding America's children. Her campaign seeks to raise the nutritional level of school meals and to improve the access to healthier food in all neighborhoods. The Let's Move campaign also seeks to increase the levels of exercise that children get. The first lady has enlisted the help of sports celebrities, entertainers and politicians in her antiobesity efforts, which often are aimed at parents and teachers.

 

The NRA has been proactive on healthy initiatives and has worked closely with the U.S Congress for more than two years on the menu-labeling portion of the recently enacted healthcare legislation. The NRA also is a founding partner of Healthy Dining Finder , a search engine for consumers that offers nutritional information from restaurants across the country. More than 70,000 restaurant locations already are signed up. In addition, the NRA is working with the Produce Marketing Association and IFMA on the Foodservice 2020 Initiative, an effort to double the amount of produce used in foodservice within 10 years.

 

"It is clear that more American consumers are demanding healthy options," said Dawn Sweeney, president and chief executive officer for the NRA. "The restaurant industry is responding to consumers' preferences by providing options for their tastes and dietary needs. Offering more menu choices, cooking with healthier ingredients, and providing nutrition information for guests are just a few of the ways restaurants are answering consumers' interest in more healthful food options."

 

Following her speech, Mrs. Obama took time to meet with ProStart students from Maryland as well as several of the NRA's board members. To view the first lady's entire address to the National Restaurant Association, visit FoodChannelPRO.com.

 

About Food Channel PRO®

Food Channel PRO ( www.foodchannelpro.com) is the premier foodservice industry site using video as a primary communication medium. The site connects manufacturers, foodservice operators and consumers through food insights, trends, information, and education and entertainment. The first video series, Leaders with Guts, features in-depth interviews with some of the industry's gutsiest decision-makers. Other regular features include PRO Chat, showcasing foodservice leaders talking about today's important issues, trends and insights powered by CultureWaves® ( www.culturewav.es), and a variety of written features on trends and issues of importance to foodservice. Follow Food Channel PRO on Twitter @foodchannelpro or Facebook at www.facebook.com/FoodChannelPRO.

#  #  #

 

Note to Media: To post the FoodChannelPRO video of Michelle Obama's address to the National Restaurant Association on your site, use the embed codes below. Contact editor@foodchannelpro.com for additional information.

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Part 2 - <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Km7ENME-68k?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Km7ENME-68k?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

 

Fw: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Growers for ESA Transparency File Petitionwith EPA to improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act

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From: Heather Hansen <heather@wafriends.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:21:12 -0500
To: Heather Hansen<heather@wafriends.org>
Subject: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Growers for ESA Transparency File Petition with EPA to improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

September 16, 2010

 

Contact:


Heather Hansen

Executive Director

Washington Friends of Farms & Forests

Olympia, WA

Office: 360-705-2040

Cell: 360-480-5567

heather@wafriends.org

 

 


Growers for ESA Transparency File Petition with EPA to improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act

 

Growers for ESA Transparency ("GET") filed a petition today requesting EPA take immediate action to establish clear procedures for EPA's pesticide effects determinations and subsequent actions consistent with Section 1010 of the 1988 amendments to the Endangered Species Act.  Failure to correct a process resulting in unnecessary restrictions without any indication that salmon will benefit puts producers along the west coast at a competitive disadvantage.  The magnitude of the damage could be severe enough to drive fruit, berry, citrus and vegetable growers to foreign countries, costing both jobs and exports.

 

 "The Endangered Species consultation process is broken," said Heather Hansen of GET. "EPA and the National Marine Fisheries Service have been required by the court to consult regarding how the pesticide registration process may affect salmon.  The current process is not based on the "best available data." It takes too long, excludes input from affected stakeholders, and results in unneeded restrictions on pesticide use which will be harmful to food production while failing to help salmon."  In Washington State, monitoring data shows that salmon are already being protected by current labeling.

 

Congress recognized the need to include agricultural producers in the implementation of the Endangered Species Act when it wrote Section 1010 in the 1988 Amendments to the Endangered Species Act. [Pub. L. No. 100-478, 102 Stat. 2306, Section 1010 (1988); codified as a note to 7 U.S.C.].

 

The intent of Section 1010 is to minimize harm to agricultural producers.  The Conference Report states:

 

Agriculture is a major part of the U.S. economy and provides nutritional sustenance for our population and exports abroad….   The Conferees, therefore, anticipate that… [the Federal agencies shall] implement the Endangered Species Act in a way that protects endangered and threatened species while minimizing, where possible, impacts on production of agricultural foods and fiber commodities.  [Conference Rpt. at 23-24 (Sept. 16, 1988).] 

               

In 2005, when EPA announced changes to the Endangered Species Protection Program [ESPP; 70 Fed. Reg. 66392, 66400 (Nov. 2, 2005)], it acknowledged that Section 1010 "provided a clear sense that Congress desires that EPA should fulfill its obligation to conserve listed species, while at the same time considering the needs of agriculture and other pesticide users."

 

EPA committed at that time to provide an opportunity for input at three points in an ESA assessment:

o   Prior to making a "may affect" determination

o   In identifying potential mitigation options, if necessary; and

o   Prior to issuance of a Biological Opinion to EPA by the Services. 

              

"Despite a 20 year old statute and a 2005 commitment by EPA to include agricultural producers, pesticide applicators, and other end users in the effects determination and consultation processes, EPA has yet to establish procedures to do so. Our petition seeks to correct this situation," said Terry Witt of GET.

 

About GET:  GET is a coalition of grower organizations from across the west including Washington Friends of Farms & forests, Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Western Growers Association, California Strawberry Commission, California Citrus Mutual and many others committed to improving the transparency of implementation of the Endangered Species Act.

 

Additional contacts:

 

Terry Witt

Executive Director

Oregonians for Food & Shelter

Salem, OR

Office: 503-370-8092

Cell: 503-569-3300

terry@ofsonline.org

 

Joel Nelsen

President

California Citrus Mutual

Exeter, CA 93221-1200

Cell: 559-799-7736

jnelsen@cacitrusmutual.com

 

Hank Giclas

Senior Vice President

Western Growers Association

Newport Beach, CA

Office: 949-885-2205
Cell: 949-500-2890

hgiclas@wga.com

 

------------------------------
Heather Hansen
Executive Director
PO Box 7644
Olympia, WA  98507
Office:  360-705-2040
Cell:      360-480-5567
E-mail:  heather@wafriends.org
 

WFFF new logoWashington Friends of Farms & Forests educates the public and decision makers about the science and technology necessary to produce safe, abundant, economical food, fiber and landscaping and to maintain a healthy, productive and safe environment for our agricultural and urban communities.

 

Fw: Child nutrition must pass by September 30th

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From: News from CSPI <cspinews@cspinet.org>
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:31:34 -0500
To: News from CSPI<cspinews@cspinet.org>
Subject: Child nutrition must pass by September 30th




For Release: Thursday, September 16, 2010
Contact:  Jeff Cronin, 202-777-8370, or Stacey Greene, 202-777-8316

To:        Health, Congressional and Editorial writers

Fr:        Margo Wootan, CSPI

Re:        Child nutrition must pass by September 30th

Unlike many other bills, child nutrition is one that has passed the Senate and is waiting for House action.  In contrast, there are almost 350 bills passed by the House that are now awaiting Senate action. The House of Representatives has the chance to take immediate action on an issue impacting more than 30 million kids.

Before heading out for the August recess, the Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation (S. 3307) to reauthorize the child nutrition programs.  The House Education and Labor Committee approved their own bill (HR 5504), which now must be brought to the House floor.  A final bill must be sent to the President to be signed into law before the child nutrition programs expire on September 30.

The core provisions in the House and Senate child nutrition bills are similar; both make historic improvements to programs to address childhood hunger and obesity.  Some of the key nutrition provisions in the bills include:

  • Getting junk food and sugary drinks out of schools – advocates have been working for a decade to update the national school nutrition standards, which now even the food and beverage industry support
  • Increased meal reimbursement rates – while schools could use additional funds, this is the largest increase since the inception of the school lunch program
  • Technical assistance, improved meal financing, and increased accountability to improve school meal quality
  • Strengthened school wellness policies – to help schools improve nutrition and physical activity for their students
  • Establish nutrition requirements for childcare and provide guidance and technical assistance to help childcare providers improve nutrition and physical activity for young children through the Child and Adult Care Food program
  • Investments in farm-to-school programs, to help bring more healthy, local produce to schools
The House bill includes additional provisions to promote child health that are not in the Senate bill, including:
  • Nutrition promotion/education – to help address child nutrition and obesity by educating kids about the importance of healthy eating and enhancing the effectiveness of other child nutrition programs and policies in the bill, such as providing training to schools to meet stronger school meal standards, helping schools identify healthier options for vending machines, and technical assistance to schools to use U.S. Department of Agriculture commodities more healthfully
  • Wellness policy technical assistance – to help schools implement strong local nutrition and physical activity policies
  • An accountability study – provides funds for USDA to develop and test a new way to assess if schools are meeting school nutrition standards.  Current assessments are only of the lunches served in one school per school district every five years and are laborious for schools.  A simplified, less burdensome and more effective approach would lead to healthier school meals.
The child nutrition reauthorization must be finished by September 30th.  Renewal of the child nutrition programs already has been delayed for more than a year.  Children shouldn't have to wait any longer.  With almost one-third of children and adolescents in this country overweight or obese and $150 billion spent every year in the U.S. to treat obesity-related conditions, the health and economic risks of failing to pass this bill are too great.

# # #


The Center for Science in the Public Interest is a nonprofit health advocacy group based in Washington, DC, that focuses on nutrition, food safety, and pro-health alcohol policies.  CSPI is supported by the 900,000 U.S. and Canadian subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletter and by foundation grants.  

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Fw: PRESS RELEASE: FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 almost fully booked

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From: "Schwetasch, Corinna" <Schwetasch@messe-berlin.de>
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:10:41 -0500
To: Tom Karst<TKarst@vancepublishing.com>
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 almost fully booked

FRUIT LOGISTICA Berlin – 9-11 February 2011

The World of Fresh Produce

International Trade Fair for Fruit and Vegetable Marketing, Berlin

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 almost fully booked

 

2,300 exhibitors from around the globe expected

 

Berlin, 16 September 2010 – Six months before the start of FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011, the leading international trade fair for the fresh produce trade is almost fully booked. Some 2,300 exhibitors from all over the world will be presenting a complete range of products and services from all levels of the fruit and vegetable marketing sector on 9-11 February 2011. Once again next year, exhibiting companies will be introducing their best innovations to compete for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award. More than 50,000 trade visitors from some 125 countries are expected to attend the leading fresh produce trade event taking place at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. FRUIT LOGISTICA offers fruit and vegetable wholesalers, retailers, importers, exporters and growers excellent business contact opportunities along with a comprehensive overview of the global market. European nations exhibiting at FRUIT LOGISTICA include Italy, Spain, Germany, France and the Netherlands. A strong showing is also expected from other Mediterranean countries as well as from across North and South America.

 

The 30th Fresh Produce Forum takes place at the ICC Berlin on 8 February, one day before the trade fair opens. It will focus on "The true value of food in the discount era". The official FRUIT LOGISTICA reception will take place immediately after the Fresh Produce Forum. The opening reception offers exhibitors and top-level industry decision-makers an exclusive business and networking platform before the start of the trade fair.

 

FRESHCONEX 2011, the International Trade Fair for Fresh Produce Convenience, will take place parallel to FRUIT LOGISTICA in Halls 7.2a, 7.2b and 7.2c.

 

The application forms, which are available in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish, can be filled in and submitted online (www.fruitlogistica.com / Exhibitor Service / Stand Registration). The FRUIT LOGISTICA project team in Berlin and the worldwide network of Messe Berlin representatives serving 140 countries are available to answer all questions and provide further details (www.fruitlogistica.com / Contact).

 

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 (CEO),
Dr. Christian Göke

Supervisory Board Chairman:
Hans-Joachim Kamp Commercial Registry:

Charlottenburg Admin. Court, entry no. HRB 5484 B

 

 

Additional information:

www.fruitlogistica.com

www.messe-berlin.com