Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Thursday, December 22, 2011

One Billion Holiday Wishes

One Billion Holiday Wishes
Washington, D.C.----The holidays are a time for putting others before ourselves. And with the recent news that the world's population has surpassed 7 billion, there are a lot more "others" to consider this year. Nearly 1 billion people in the world are hungry, for example, while almost the same number are illiterate, making it hard for them to earn a living or move out of poverty. And 1 billion people----many of them children----have micronutrient deficiencies, decreasing their ability to learn and to live productive lives.

"As our global community continues to grow, so does the need to consider----and act on----the challenges we all face," says Robert Engelman, President of the Worldwatch Institute. "Far too many women, children and men are living with less than they need and deserve."

Fortunately, there are thousands of organizations working tirelessly in communities at home and abroad to fix these problems.

One Billion Hungry

"Although the number of undernourished people worldwide has decreased since 2009, nearly 1 billion people go to bed hungry each night, a number that is unacceptably high," according to Danielle Nierenberg, director of Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet project (www.NourishingthePlanet.org). Malnutrition contributes to the death of 500 million children under the age of five every year, and in Africa, a child dies every six seconds from hunger.

But more and more organizations, such as the United Nations' World Food Programme, are using homegrown school feeding (HGSF) initiatives to alleviate hunger and poverty. HGSF programs in Brazil, India, Thailand, Kenya, and elsewhere work to connect local producers with schools, helping to provide children with nutritious and fresh food while providing farmers with a stable source of income.

One Billion Tons of Food Wasted

Roughly 1.3 billion tons of food----a third of the total food produced for human consumption----is lost or wasted each year. Within the United States, food retailers, food services, and households waste approximately 40 million tons of food each year----about the same amount needed to feed the estimated 1 billion hungry people worldwide.

Organizations around the world are working to educate people on the importance of conserving food. In New York City, City Harvest collects surplus food from food providers and distributes it to more than 600 shelters and other agencies. And in West Africa, farmers are using the power of the sun to dehydrate fruits such as mangos and bananas. Experts estimate that, with nearly all of their moisture removed, the fruits' nutrients are retained for up to six months, allowing farmers to save the 100,000 tons of mangos that go to waste each year.

One Billion Micronutrient Deficient

Nearly 1 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, including a lack of vitamin A, iron, and iodine. Each year, between 250 million and 500 million children with vitamin A deficiencies become blind, and half of these children die within 12 months of losing their sight.

These problems could be alleviated by improving access to nutritious foods. In sub-Saharan Africa, AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center works to expand vegetable farming across the region, boosting access to nutrient-rich crops. And Uganda's Developing Innovations in School Cultivation (Project DISC) educates youth about the importance of agriculture and nutritious diets. Students learn about vegetables and fruits indigenous to their communities, as well as how to process and prepare these foods for consumption. "If a person doesn't know how to cook or prepare food, they don't know how to eat," says Project DISC co-founder Edward Mukiibi.

One Billion Overweight

Lack of access to healthy food doesn't result only in hunger. More than 1 billion people around the world are overweight, and nearly half of this population is obese. Nearly 43 million children under the age of five were considered overweight in 2010. Surging international rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis are being attributed to unhealthy diets, and 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of overweight or obesity.

The UN's Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter, has urged countries around the world to make firm commitments to improving their food systems. In Mexico, where 19 million people are food insecure yet 70 percent of the country is overweight or obese, De Schutter has called for a "state of emergency" to tackle the problem. He attributes the hunger-obesity combination to the country's focus on individual crops and export-led agriculture, and argues that a change to agricultural policies could tackle these two problems simultaneously.

Nearly One Billion Illiterate

Over three-quarters of a billion people worldwide----793 million adults----are illiterate. Although the number of people unable to read has decreased from 1 billion in 1990, illiteracy continues to prevent millions of people from moving out of poverty. For farmers in particular, being illiterate can limit access to information such as market prices, weather predictions, and trainings to improve their production.

New communications technologies are providing part of the solution. A team of researchers known as Scientific Animations Without Borders is helping illiterate farmers around the world learn how to create natural pesticides or prevent crop damage using solar treatments, by producing short animated videos accessible on mobile phones. In India, farmers can receive daily updates via text or voicemail on weather and crop prices through subscription services set up by major telephone companies. Kheti, a system operated by the U.K.'s Sheffield Hallam University, even allows farmers to take pictures of problems they are having with their crops and to send them in for advice. With more than 4.6 billion mobile phone subscriptions globally, projects such as these have the potential to reach and improve the lives of many around the world.

As we gather together this holiday season to reflect on the things most important to us, let us also take the time to remember the billions of others who share our planet. Too many of the world's neediest people will start the new year without sufficient food, nutrition, or education. But by acknowledging and supporting those organizations around the world that are finding ways to nourish both people and the planet, we can all make a difference.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Vance Publishing announces Midwest Produce Conference and Expo

Vance Publishing’s The Packer, the business news source for the fresh produce industry,
announced today the launch of a new trade event for the produce industry. The Midwest Produce
Conference & Expo will be held August 13-15, 2012 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.
“We listened to the market, followed up with independent research, and identified the need for a
dedicated Midwest event,” stated Shannon Shuman, The Packer’s publisher. “We will bring
together our expertise and industry partnerships to create a professional conference and
exposition to serve the Midwest produce industry.”
Midwest Produce will provide a variety of networking and educational opportunities over three
days in Chicago. The general sessions will feature industry-leading authorities, exclusive
research, and a panel of consumers giving insights into today’s shopping trends. A golf outing
and optional tours, including the world class Chicago International Produce Market, will give
attendees an opportunity to experience summertime in Chicago.
“This event is a natural fit with what The Packer does on a day-to-day basis – work with leading
suppliers, wholesalers and retailers to keep the industry informed on issues and topics that affect
their markets,” added Greg Johnson, editor of The Packer. “Our goal is to create a cost-effective,
face-to-face event that allows for an open exchange of ideas among all participants.”
A steering committee of nearly a dozen Midwest-based retailers, wholesalers and other produce
executives is helping guide the events and topics. Midwest Produce information is available on
the web at www.MidwestProduceExpo.com .
For exhibiting, advertising, sponsorship or registration information, contact Hall-Erickson
Exposition Management at 866-671-6789.
Vance Publishing Corporation is a leading B2B integrated media company serving the
agriculture, beauty and professional woodworking markets. The company produces 15
magazines, more than 100 newsletters, over 30 websites, several trade shows and events, a
subscription-based data product set, and custom media products. Founded in 1937, Vance
Publishing is headquartered in Lincolnshire, IL, with additional offices in Lenexa, KS and St.
Louis, MO.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Rating Innovation award nominees for Fruit Logistica 2012

Rating Innovation award nominees for Fruit Logistica 2012

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

NASS to Reinstate Several Agricultural Estimates Programs

NASS to Reinstate Several Agricultural Estimates Programs

Issued December 9, 2011 by the Agricultural Statistics Board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). For more information, contact Sue duPont, 202-690-8122.

NASS leadership recently concluded a deliberate review of all programs against mission- and user-based criteria, aimed at finding cost savings and forward-thinking business efficiencies so that timely, accurate and useful data remains available in service to agriculture. In 2011, NASS made several enhancements within its programs and operations to deliver improved results for the American people, including opening a new national operations center in St. Louis that will centralize data collection and service to people who provide and use NASS products and services. These efforts and more over the last year have allowed NASS leadership the flexibility within its budget to retain and reinstate several key reports.

The reinstated programs are:
       Annual Reports on Farm Numbers, Land in Farms Reports and Farm Income
       Catfish and Trout Reports (data collection begins Dec. 9; report released Dec. 20)
       Annual Floriculture Report
       January Sheep and Goat Report (data collection begins Dec. 23; report date is Jan. 27)
       July Cattle Report
       Annual Bee and Honey Report (data collection begins Jan. 23; report date is March 30)
       Annual Hops Production Report (data collection begins Dec. 9; report date is Dec. 21)
       Annual Mink Report
       Fruit and Vegetable in season forecast and estimates
       Rice Stocks June Report

Recognizing the importance of NASS's data products and services to U.S. agriculture, NASS will make available any data that falls outside of the scope of the agricultural estimates programs in the 5-year Census of Agriculture. The next census will be conducted beginning January 2013 to reflect activities in the 2012 calendar year.
NASS will publish Federal Register notices reflecting these program changes in the near future.

ALG: Internet Censorship Bill 'un-American'


ALG: Internet Censorship Bill 'un-American'

Dec. 14, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today urged members of the House Judiciary Committee to reject HR 3261, warning the legislation would "take the mind of throwing the book at alleged offenders, shutting down their websites, cutting off their revenue streams, locking them up and asking questions later."

Wilson warned in his letter, "It is un-American to set up a situation where people are guilty until proven innocent."

The letter points to existing provisions of Copyright Law, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and Fair Use doctrine, wherein "Internet users can receive a cease-and-desist takedown notice prior to civil action being taken by an [intellectual property] holder."

Wilson called these protections "adequate" for intellectual property (IP) holders, and said the new law would undermine "safe harbor provisions that allow users to be notified of any instances of infringement to provide an opportunity to have them removed without penalty."

Wilson said the legislation "completely averts that process," warning the first notification a webmaster could receive would be the website being shut down, getting served with a massive fine, or "being arrested under criminal charges for having anything infringing up on the web for longer than 180 days, even if (s)he was unaware of any violation of IP."

"Such outcomes appear to be rather draconian, and will most certainly have a chilling effect on what is in effect cyber speech: on uploading, posting and sharing files.  Existing laws protect copyright and protect innocent users of the Internet," Wilson explained.

The letter urged members to consider how the new law would affect millions of their constituents: "In the digital age, with the ease of sharing files, images, videos and music, nobody should be served with criminal or civil action for copyright infringement without first being notified of that infringement, and being provided an opportunity to correct it."

HR 3261 is scheduled for markup in the House Judiciary Committee on Dec. 15. 

Attachments:








"Guilty until proven innocent," By ALG Communications Director Rick Manning, Nov. 16, 2011 at http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-a-budget/193901-guilty-until-proven-innocent.

Restaurants to Serve 100 Million Americans this New Year’s Weekend, According to the National Restaurant Association

Restaurants to Serve 100 Million Americans this New Year’s Weekend, According to the National Restaurant Association

(Washington, D.C.) The National Restaurant Association estimates that 100 million Americans plan to celebrate the New Year by going out to a restaurant or bar, or order restaurant takeout or delivery. The Association’s new research also shows that half of American adults plan to dine out with family or friends over the next few weeks to celebrate the holidays.

“New Year’s is traditionally one of the most popular times of the year to dine out,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. “This year, we expect to see a welcomed bump in customer traffic both on- and off-premises as we ring in the new year.”

The survey shows that one in five consumers (20 percent) plan to go out to a restaurant or bar on New Year’s Eve, and 22 percent say they plan to order restaurant takeout or delivery on that day. On New Year’s Day, 12 percent plan to dine out and 16 percent say they plan to order takeout or delivery from a restaurant.

In addition, 10 percent of consumers say they plan to dine out on Christmas Eve, 8 percent plan to dine out on Christmas Day, and 4 percent plan to do so on the start of Hanukkah (Dec. 20). Fifty percent say they plan to share a special meal with family or friends at a restaurant during the holidays.

The National Restaurant Association surveyed 1,006 American adults on December 8-11 about their dining and restaurant gift card plans for the upcoming holiday season. Projections for the number of Americans who will visit restaurants or order takeout are based on economic analysis and research conducted over the last two decades by the National Restaurant Association.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012: Online tools optimise trade fair preparation

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012



Online tools optimise trade fair preparation



Virtual Market Place® for appointment scheduling – Interactive site plan now available



Berlin, 13 December 2011 – More than 2,400 exhibitors from 80 countries and over 56,000 high-profile trade visitors from 130 nations are expected in Berlin for FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 (8-10 Feb.), the world's leading fresh produce industry event. Exhibition organiser Messe Berlin offers event visitors a variety of online tools to optimise their trade fair preparation.



The FRUIT LOGISTICA Virtual Market Place at www.fruitlogistica.com / Exhibitor Search features a targeted user interface with a broad range of functions and a variety of search options. For example, visitors can select a specific region, such as "Mediterranean Countries", or segment, "Machinery", to see a list of exhibitors. It also includes comprehensive company and product information of FRESHCONEX exhibitors.



The Virtual Market Place offers trade fair visitors advance information about exhibitors and their products, with almost all FRUIT LOGISTICA exhibitors already listed on the website. Visitors can choose the information they want to include in an individualised trade fair planner tool, which can be used to set up an exhibition itinerary and print out site plans and hall maps. An interactive site plan is also available, showing which exhibitors are present in the respective halls. Importantly, the web platform can be used to schedule appointments with exhibitors prior to the trade event. Contact forms are available for quick and easy contact with exhibitors.



FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 takes place from 8 to 10 February at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds along with FRESHCONEX 2012, the international trade fair for fresh produce convenience.

Monday, December 12, 2011

pening Statement by Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson Examination of MF Global Bankruptcy

Opening Statement by Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson
Examination of MF Global Bankruptcy

--As Prepared for Delivery--

“Good morning and thank you Chairman Lucas.

“As the Chairman said, today’s hearing is to review the bankruptcy of MF Global, potentially the eighth largest bankruptcy in history. Given that futures customers, particularly those in agriculture, were affected by MF Global’s collapse it is necessary that we hear directly from all those involved and find out who knew what, and when they knew it.

“I want to thank Chairman Lucas for granting my request to have this hearing. The Committee has held plenty of hearings about problems that may or may not occur regarding the implementation of Dodd-Frank. Given the serious problem that currently exists for the thousands of futures customers of MF Global, I think it is appropriate that we refocus our attention.

“After the bankruptcies of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, the subsequent financial collapse in 2008, and the passage of historic financial reform legislation, it is pretty amazing that we’re in this situation. It appears to me that no one has learned a thing; that Wall Street is operating as if 2008 never happened. From all accounts, MF Global was leveraged as much as 40 to 1, far higher than either Bear Stearns or Lehman Brothers when they folded. Ironically, it is very possible that there is nothing in Dodd-Frank that would have prevented MF Global’s financial collapse. That’s why I think we should tread very cautiously before rolling back Dodd-Frank’s protections. Given what happened here we should probably be talking about strengthening Dodd-Frank, not weakening it. Three big financial firm bankruptcies over a three year period is not a track record that should be extended.

“During the 2008 financial crisis, futures markets continued to function smoothly. When Refco and Lehman failed, their regulated commodity customer accounts were transferred to other futures commission merchants with no disruption. Wall Street, apparently not content to sully its own reputation, has now stained our well-run futures markets by apparently violating the supreme law – protection of customer funds.

“The futures industry helps farmers, manufacturers, energy companies, and a host of other industries mitigate risk so they can go about growing, producing, generating, and making the things that make this country run. We need to get to the bottom of what happened with MF Global as quickly as possible in order to restore a confidence that has been greatly shaken. We cannot let one company succeed in undermining an industry that has operated safely for customers for decades.

“Unfortunately, some of my friends on the other side of the Capitol seem hell-bent and ready to assign blame for MF Global to the CFTC for what they perceive as failing to do their jobs. Do we blame the police officer the day after our house gets broken into? Of course not. The futures world operates with a self-regulatory system of oversight because the CFTC cannot afford to put a watchdog into every futures commission merchant. And, if these Members had their way, the Commission would get even less funds than they do now. This blind rush to judgment fails to take into account how the self-regulatory system works, and in my view, undermines it.

“On a personal note, I find the press accounts expressing surprise that the Agriculture Committee could approve something as serious as a Congressional subpoena, unanimously on a bipartisan basis, quite amusing. The Committee’s oversight of the futures and derivatives markets is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. On these issues, the Committee– more often than not – will work across party lines because when it comes to matters affecting the financial health and stability of our country, partisan games have no place. I know that’s not something the press is used to seeing from Congress, but it’s how we do things on the Ag Committee.

“Here at the House Agriculture Committee, we are focused on the facts. It is the facts that will tell us what happened, who knew about it, and consequently, who was responsible. Only by uncovering the facts, can we prepare ourselves for policy responses that are necessary to address what has happened. That is what this hearing is all about.

“Again, I thank the Chair for holding today’s hearing and am hopeful that today’s witnesses will shed some light on what exactly was happening at MF Global.”

Friday, December 9, 2011

GMA Applauds President Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for Beyond the Border Initiative

Bilateral Agreement to Streamline Cross Border Trade between U.S. and Canada



(Washington, DC) – The Grocery Manufacturers Association praised President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for moving forward on implementation of the Beyond the Border initiative, a bilateral trade and security agreement designed to streamline cross border trade between the two countries through better harmonization of regulatory requirements and inspection protocols.



“We applaud President Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for signing this framework agreement to implement the Beyond the Border initiative,” said Pamela G. Bailey, president & CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. “By reducing duplicative inspection protocols and harmonizing the respective regulatory requirements of each trading partner, this initiative will help to streamline cross border trade between the U.S. and Canada. As always, our commitment to food safety is our number one priority. The changes this initiative will institute will simply make the process of moving goods and services between our two countries more efficient and cost effective for both government and industry.”



“The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry exports $50 billion worth of goods to 215 countries around the globe, generating a $10 billion trade surplus. By streamlining cross border trade between the U.S. and Canada, Beyond the Border will help to build on that record of success. GMA and its members look forward to working with the regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Canada as they begin to implement this important initiative,” concluded Ms. Bailey.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Roberts Issue Statement Following Committee Vote to Subpoena Corzine

Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Roberts Issue Statement Following Committee Vote to Subpoena Corzine

Washington, DC – Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and Senator Pat Roberts, the Committee’s Ranking Member, today issued the below statement following a unanimous voice vote of the full Committee in support of subpoenaing former MF Global CEO Jon Corzine, to testify at a Dec. 13 hearing on the collapse of MF Global and the whereabouts of the estimated $1.2 billion in missing customer funds. The financial firm’s collapse is the 8th largest bankruptcy in U.S. history.

“It’s important that citizens come forward and testify when asked by our committee, especially in a matter this serious. The committee’s bipartisan actions today demonstrate our commitment to understanding what happened to cause the extraordinary collapse of MF Global. We will continue to work to see that the futures market remains a valuable tool for investors, farmers, ranchers and small businesses and to see that the missing funds are returned to their rightful owners."

Chairwoman Stabenow: We Need to Get a Farm Bill Done Next Year

Chairwoman Stabenow: We Need to Get a Farm Bill Done Next Year
Senate Ag Chairwoman Highlights Priorities and Challenges for the 2012 Farm Bill at the Farm Journal Forum

Washington, DC – Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said Congress must complete a Farm Bill next year before the current Farm Bill expires. Stabenow said passing a new Farm Bill is necessary to provide certainty for farmers and small businesses. Her comments came during an address at the Farm Journal Forum in Washington.

“We will resume holding hearings when Congress returns in January,” Chairwoman Stabenow said. “The goal is for the committee to complete an initial product in the spring to provide plenty of time for Congress to complete its work.”

Chairwoman Stabenow said the twelve public hearings held in 2011 and the bipartisan framework developed by the House and Senate Agriculture Committees this year will serve as a strong foundation moving forward.

“The Senate Agriculture Committee held twelve public hearings and accepted over 5,000 public comments. These hearings, and the bipartisan, bicameral effort to provide recommendations to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction have helped us identify ways to streamline and strengthen programs to reduce the deficit and create agriculture jobs,” Chairwoman Stabenow said. “These responsible recommendations provide a strong framework on which we can continue to build.”

Chairwoman Stabenow said she will continue focusing on principles, not programs, as the Committee continues its work with Members on both sides of the aisle to develop a sound Farm Bill proposal. She said her focus is continuing to meet and discuss with farmers and other agriculture stakeholders what’s working and what isn’t to develop policies that strengthens American agriculture and ensures an abundant and safe food supply while continuing to offer proposals to increase accountability and reduce the deficit.

More information about the Committee’s hearings, as well as archived webcasts of past hearings, can be accessed on the Senate Agriculture Committee website at http://ag.senate.gov.

AFBF Urges House to Bite the Dust

AFBF Urges House to Bite the Dust

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 6, 2011 – The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging congressional members to pass H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, when it comes before the full House later this week. In a letter to House members, AFBF said the legislation would limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate naturally occurring dust, or “nuisance dust.”

“Naturally occurring dust is a fact of life in rural areas,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “It is raised by such normal activities as driving on unpaved roads and is composed of soil and organic material. The amount of dust in the air depends on wind and rainfall, two conditions that EPA cannot regulate.”

AFBF went further to say that EPA has admitted that it cannot conclusively establish a link between “nuisance dust” and adverse human health effects.

“EPA admits there are limitations to the studies it cites, which casts doubt on its validity to support additional regulation,” said Stallman. “Should such a link be established, the bill would allow EPA to regulate.”

While EPA has said it does not intend to propose stricter regulations on dust, AFBF said that still does not provide much needed assurance for farmers and ranchers, especially when final rules often differ from proposed rules and lawsuits are a dime a dozen.

“Legislation is the best way to provide certainty to farmers, ranchers and rural America that their activities will not be unduly regulated by conditions beyond their control and for substances for which adverse health effects cannot be truly established,” said Stallman.

Noem Dust Bill Heads to the House Floor on Thursday

Noem Dust Bill Heads to the House Floor on Thursday

Momentum Continues as Democrat Sen. McCaskill Introduces Companion Legislation



WASHINGTON, DC– According to U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) on Thursday the House will take up a bill sponsored by Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) to prohibit any further regulation of rural dust by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The bipartisan bill, H.R. 1633, was approved by the House Energy & Commerce Committee last week.



“Farmers and ranchers, like most businesses, desperately want more certainty when it comes to regulation and taxation. It’s nearly impossible to make business decisions a couple years out when you don’t know if the EPA, or some other Washington bureaucracy, will regulate away your profit margin with a single, ridiculous new regulation. That’s why there is a growing consensus behind this common sense bill,” said Noem. “This bipartisan bill reins in a regulator that too many farmers and ranchers fear will go wild without additional constraints.”



Noem’s bill, which is expected to pass the House, would exclude farm dust that is regulated at the state or local level from federal standards. If there are no state or local regulations in place, the EPA can step in if they find that there are adverse health effects associated with rural dust and that the economic benefits outweigh the cost in the local communities. There is nothing on the books today that would prohibit the EPA from further regulating farm dust at some point in the future.



If the House approves the measure, it will then head to the Senate where Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) recently introduced a companion bill.



For more information, read Rep. Noem’s testimony on the bill before the House Energy & Commerce Committee here.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

NAS Recognition of the Consumer “Right to Know” is a Victory for Food Safety

NAS Recognition of the Consumer “Right to Know” is a Victory for Food Safety
Statement of CSPI Food Safety Director Caroline Smith DeWaal
Today's announcement by the National Academy of Science that USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service should dramatically increase the amount of testing and sampling data available for consumers on the Internet is a major step forward in the quest for a truly transparent food system. CSPI has used FSIS data in the past to give consumers advice on which plants produced turkeys with the lowest rates of Salmonella, but in subsequent years found it impossible to access usable data from FSIS to update its recommendations. Now, the NAS has concluded decisively that access to this data could lead to valuable public health benefits, and should be shared without undue delay.
Importantly, the committee formally recognized the consumers' fundamental "right to know" as an important reason that information should be publicly accessible. Additionally, access to plant specific information provides opportunities for companies to understand how their food safety programs stack up compared to others in the industry, providing incentives for improvements that would favorably affect public health. CSPI has long advocated the release of food safety data for both these reasons, and urges FSIS to move rapidly to implement the NAS' recommendations.

National Restaurant Association Voices Support for “Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act”

National Restaurant Association Voices Support for “Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act”

Calls on Members of House of Representatives to support “key vote” H.R. 3094

(Washington, D.C.) The National Restaurant Association today voiced strong support for H.R. 3094, “The Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act,” which aims to ensure fairness for employers in the face of recent anti-business actions by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The Association is considering a vote on the bill to be a “key vote,” and sent a key vote letter to all members of the House of Representatives today.

“The restaurant industry is the nation’s second-largest private-sector employer, providing jobs to nearly one in every 10 workers,” said Scott DeFife, Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “With the right policies, America’s restaurants will be able to create even more jobs and provide greater opportunities to more Americans.”

H.R. 3094 blocks the NLRB from moving forward with its ambush election proposal allowing union representation elections to be held in as few as 10 days after the filing of a union petition. This move would shorten the period between petition to elections to such a degree that it would deny employees the time and information needed to make an informed decision on union representation.

The bill also would reverse the NLRB’s recent decision in the Specialty Healthcare case, which opens the door to micro-unions. The Specialty Healthcare decision would allow the creation of mini-unions, making it easier for unions to organize by allowing them to form small groups of workers who support the union without allowing other workers who oppose the union an opportunity to vote. Job creators would then be in the unworkable situation of bargaining with multiple unions for similarly situated employees.

CONSUMER REPORTS INVESTIGATION: VARYING ARSENIC AND LEAD LEVELS IN JUICE RAISES CONCERN; GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET STANDARDS

CONSUMER REPORTS INVESTIGATION: VARYING ARSENIC AND LEAD LEVELS IN JUICE RAISES CONCERN; GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET STANDARDS

Analysis shows that children can be at unnecessary risk; Test results of 88 juice samples show strict limit is possible to achieve

YONKERS, N.Y. – Amid growing concerns over arsenic, Consumer Reports conducted a broad investigation of arsenic and lead in juices. While federal standards exist for arsenic and lead levels allowed in bottled and drinking water, there are no limits defined for fruit juices, a mainstay of many children’s diets, putting them at unnecessary risk for serious health problems, including several forms of cancer.

Consumer Reports tested 88 samples of locally-purchased apple juice and grape juice and found that 10 percent of the samples had total arsenic levels that exceeded federal drinking-water standards of 10 parts per billion (ppb) and 25 percent of the samples had lead levels higher than the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) bottled-water limit of 5 ppb. Most of the arsenic detected in Consumer Reports’ tests was a type known as inorganic, a human carcinogen.

The FDA announced in a November 21st letter to consumer advocacy groups Food & Water Watch and Empire State Consumer Project that it is seriously considering setting guidance for permissible levels of inorganic arsenic in apple juice and that it is gathering data to determine what an appropriate level would be. The agency also discussed its previously undisclosed test results of eight apple juice samples analyzed around 2008 through 2011 that showed levels of total arsenic of up to 45 ppb. These samples had not been reported when the FDA stated in September 2011 amid public controversy that apple juice consumption poses little or no risk. Of the 160 samples reported on by the FDA Toxic Elements Food and Foodware Program, which include the eight samples previously undisclosed, 5 percent had total arsenic levels that exceeded 23 ppb. This is the threshold that the FDA has previously used for further investigation.

Consumer Reports also analyzed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data on total urinary arsenic of participants who reported their food and drink consumption for 24 hours the day before being tested. To ensure the most accurate analysis, Consumer Reports excluded people who regularly ate seafood, since seafood is a major source of a form of arsenic that is generally considered to be nontoxic. The analysis showed that people who reported drinking apple or grape juice had, on average, about 20 percent higher levels of total urinary arsenic than those subjects who did not.

As a result of this testing and analysis, Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, believes that the federal government should establish a standard of 3 ppb for total arsenic and 5 ppb for lead in juice. In fact, 41 percent of the samples Consumer Reports tested met both thresholds.

The complete report is featured in the January 2012 issue of Consumer Reports magazine and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

“Our test findings of arsenic and lead in apple juice are in line with existing data from the Food and Drug Administration,” said Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., Director of Safety & Sustainability at Consumer Reports. “In fact, the agency has found higher levels of arsenic and lead in apple juice. We’re concerned about the potential risks of exposure to these toxins especially for children who are particularly vulnerable because of their small body size and the amount of juice they regularly consume.”

What Parents Can Do Now

Parents should limit their child’s juice consumption. A Consumer Reports poll conducted as part of this investigation shows that children drink a lot of juice – 35 percent of children age five and younger drink juices exceeding pediatricians’ recommendations. The American Academy of Pediatrics has set up juice-consumption guidelines for children to help cut the risks of obesity and tooth decay; Consumer Reports believes the guidelines below should also be followed for reducing arsenic exposure:

• Avoid giving infants under six months any type of juice.

• Children up to six years old should consume no more than four to six ounces per day. Consumer Reports’ poll also found that 26 percent of toddlers two and younger and 45 percent of children ages three to five drink seven or more ounces of juice a day

• Older children should drink no more than eight to 12 ounces a day.

Diluting juice with distilled or purified water can help parents achieve these goals. Additionally, Consumer Reports recommends that consumers check the water in their homes for arsenic and lead and consider using a water filter that removes these metals if elevated levels are found.

What the Government Should Do

Because the more harmful type of arsenic – inorganic – has been detected in other foods at high levels, more must be done to reduce overall dietary exposure.

• Federal officials should set a total arsenic standard of 3 ppb in juice and at least a 5 ppb limit for lead. Such standards appear to be achievable, and would better protect children who are most vulnerable to the effects of arsenic and lead.

• Eliminate use of arsenicals in animal feed.

• Ban all uses of organic arsenical pesticides.

• Prohibit use of arsenic-laden fertilizers in agriculture.

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should lower the 10 ppb drinking-water limit for arsenic.

Consumers Union’s proposed juice standard of 3 ppb total arsenic would better ensure that a child who follows the American Academy of Pediatrics juice limit recommendations would not exceed his or her daily exposure limit for arsenic based on lung and bladder cancer risks.

“Our proposed limit of 3 ppb total arsenic accepts a lenient risk tolerance of one excess cancer for every 1,000 people. Safety limits based on a risk tolerance of one in a million people to no more than one in 10,000 are considered to be ideally protective of cancer risk. Three ppb total arsenic is a reasonable and practical limit that appears to be achievable at this time based on our findings,” said Dr. Rangan.

Consumer Reports Tests and Findings

Consumer Reports purchased 28 apple juices and three grape juices from various locations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. A total of 88 samples tested were from ready-to-drink bottles, juice boxes, and cans of concentrate. To assess variability, samples were bought from three different lot numbers of most juices; for others, Consumer Reports bought samples from one or two lots because it was unable to find three. Findings showed that most of the total arsenic in the samples was inorganic, which is thought to be more harmful than organic arsenic.

• Five samples of apple juice and four samples of grape juice had total arsenic levels exceeding the 10 ppb federal limit for bottled and drinking water. In apple juice, arsenic levels ranged from 1.1 to 13.9 ppb; grape-juice levels were even higher, 5.9 to 24.7 ppb.

• In Consumer Reports’ tests, the following brands had at least one sample of apple juice that exceeded 10 ppb: Apple & Eve, Great Value (Walmart), and Mott’s. For grape juice, at least one sample from both Walgreens and Welch’s exceeded that threshold.

The apple and grape juice samples were also tested for lead.

• About one-fourth of all juice samples had levels at or above the 5 ppb federal limit for bottled water. The top lead level for apple juice was 13.6 ppb and 15.9 ppb for grape juice.

• In Consumer Reports’ tests, some brands had one or more samples of apple juice that exceeded 5 ppb for lead: America’s Choice (A&P), Gerber, Gold Emblem (CVS), Great Value, Joe’s Kids (Trader Joe’s), Minute Maid, Seneca, and Walgreens. Grape juice from Gold Emblem, Walgreens, and Welch’s each had at least one sample that contained lead levels in excess of 5 ppb.

A full chart that identifies total arsenic levels, including levels of inorganic and organic species, and lead levels for each tested sample can be found on www.ConsumerReports.org/juicebox.

Consumer Reports’ findings provide a spot check of a number of local juice aisles, but cannot be used to draw general conclusions about arsenic or lead levels in any particular juice brand or type. Even within a single tested brand, levels of arsenic and lead sometimes varied widely.

A much bigger test would be needed to establish a link between elevated arsenic or lead levels and the juice concentrate’s country of origin. Samples tested by Consumer Reports included some made from concentrate from multiple countries including Argentina, China, New Zealand, South Africa, and Turkey; others came from a single country including the U.S.

Why Arsenic is a Concern

Consumer Reports focused on arsenic levels primarily in apple juice due to the frequency and quantity that children typically drink. Arsenic is a naturally-occurring element that can contaminate groundwater used for drinking and irrigation in areas where it’s abundant, such as parts of New England, the Midwest, and the Southwest. Although lead-arsenate insecticides were banned in the U.S. in the 1980s, their residue in soil can still contaminate crops. There are still allowed uses of organic arsenical pesticides.

When it binds to elements such as sulfur, oxygen, and chlorine, arsenic is referred to as inorganic, a known carcinogen linked to bladder, lung and, skin cancer and which may also increase risks of cardiovascular disease, immunodeficiencies, and type 2 diabetes. Arsenic also takes an organic form when it binds to molecules containing carbon. Fish can contain an organic form of arsenic called arsenobetaine, generally considered non-toxic to humans. But questions have been raised about the human health effects of other types of organic arsenic in food, including juice.

Arsenic’s cancer potency has been grossly underestimated, previously only based on skin cancer risk and now based on combined lung and bladder cancer risk. The latest EPA draft report regarding inorganic arsenic carcinogenicity proposed that the number used to calculate the cancer risk from ingestion be increased 17-fold.

For more on the arsenic in juice report and other consumer topics, please visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere returns to Cape Town, South Africa in 2012!

Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere returns to Cape Town, South Africa in 2012!

When the event arrives on 17-19 October 2012, it will be the fourth time the Southern Hemisphere’s leading fresh produce conference has been hosted by the vibrant South African city.

Held at the NH Lord Charles hotel in Somerset West, the event promises to be a comprehensive market update for the vital South African market and the region as a whole.

Join expert speakers and panellists in discussing the latest trends and key developments and network with some 300 top decision-makers from leading fresh produce companies in the Southern Hemisphere and beyond.

This key supplier market grows in importance every year. Come to Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere and take advantage of the plentiful business opportunities this crucial market offers.

Stay up to date with market news and programme information at www.eurofruitcongress.com/sh

Follow us on twitter at our new handle @eurofruitSH for up to the minute live updates.

For all delegate, marketing and press queries, contact:

Hannah Gorvin, Commercial Manager
Tel: +44 20 7501 3707, Fax: +44 20 7498 6472
Email: info@eurofruitcongress.com

Strategies for new market opportunities

Strategies for new market opportunities

Berlin, 29 November 2011 – FRESHCONEX 2012, Europe's only international meeting place for the fresh produce convenience sector, takes place in Berlin from 8 to 10 February 2012 and offers a comprehensive overview of the products and services in this dynamic growth market. Fully integrated into the trade fair programme, the FRESHCONEX Business Forum is a first-class information and discussion platform focusing on current industry trends. With sessions scheduled on all three days of the trade fair, the Forum offers excellent opportunities to share in-depth information and exchange ideas with guest speakers and international industry representatives.

"New opportunities in marketing for fresh produce convenience" is the key theme on the first day of the trade fair (8.2.). In a series of half-hour presentations, international industry representatives focus on the market opportunities resulting from special marketing strategies in the fresh convenience sector.

In many European countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands, fresh convenience products have become integrated into daily eating habits. In his presentation, Tony Walsh, Category Manager at Florette, talks about which markets still offer potential for the development of fresh produce convenience fresh products (11-11.30: New markets for fresh produce convenience products).

The Nordic markets are characterized by specific demands on fresh convenience product suppliers. International experts discuss what buyers in these countries expect and what consumers want (12.00-12.30: Market solutions for fresh produce convenience in Nordic markets).

Private label products play an important role for European food retailers. Peter Hostens, Managing Director at UNIVEG, shows how sales can be increased through the development of private label brands in the convenience category (14.00-14.30: Opportunities for developing the convenience category at retail).

A growing number of fresh convenience brands are being sold through non-traditional sales channels. In his presentation, Hans Liekens, Out-of-Home Business Development Director at Chiquita Brands International, talks about the size of the potential gains in these new markets, the success stories taking place at the traditional retail level as a result of these new opportunities, and how consumers perceive and respond to the new purchasing options (15.00-15.30: Beyond retail: building your brand for a total consumer experience).

Other key topics at the FRESHCONEX 2012 Business Forum include "Food Safety" on 9 February and "Technology and new product development" on 10 February.

The FRESHCONEX Business Forum is staged in Hall 7.2b. It is fully integrated into the exhibition area and included in the FRESHCONEX admission price. Business Forum presentations will be simultaneously translated into German and English.

FRESHCONEX is organised by Messe Berlin GmbH. The Business Forum is presented by Fresh Convenience Magazine (London) and the United Fresh Produce Association (USA). Information updates for the FRESHCONEX Business Forum are available online: www.freshconex.com / Events.


This press release is also available on the Internet: www.freshconex.com / Press Service / Press Releases.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Mothers, Acting As ‘Agents,’ To Defy FDA Warning

Mothers, Acting As ‘Agents,’ To Defy FDA Warning
Against FDA Prohibitions, Freedom Riders Will Publicly
Distribute over 100 gallons Raw Milk to Waiting Mothers

Chicago, IL—On December 8, a group of mothers and others will defy the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ban on “distributing” fresh milk across state lines by transporting 100 gallons of raw milk from Wisconsin to Chicago’s Independence Park and distributing it to customers waiting at the park. Rally time is 11:30am - 2:00pm.

Federal law 21 CFR § 1240.61 prohibits interstate movement and distribution of raw milk for human consumption. The FDA regulation applies to individuals, or “agents” acting on their behalf.

Over the past year, the FDA and state authorities have conducted undercover sting operations on, raided and prosecuted farmers, buying clubs, and individuals who help distribute raw milk and other farm fresh foods. Over a dozen people and businesses currently face charges, orders, and other enforcement actions; some are under “federal criminal investigation” and face possible indictment by a grand jury. Several small cheese producing dairies with no history of making anyone sick have been put out of business by the FDA’s actions.

“It is a God-given, inalienable right to engage in direct, private transactions with our food producers,” says Max Kane, director of a Chicago area local-food-buying club. “Americans deserve to know that the FDA is using their tax dollars to target and prosecute independent, peaceful, farmers and their customers.”

Mothers from around the country, determined to protect their families’ food supply, launched the Raw Milk Freedom Riders with an inaugural ride on November 1 when they transported raw milk from Pennsylvania to the FDA’s headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, and distributed the milk to crowds gathered for a protest. In response the FDA issued a statement saying it does not “intend” to take “enforcement action against an individual who purchased and transported raw milk across state lines solely for his or her own personal consumption.”

The Freedom Riders say that the FDA’s statement leaves the door open for FDA to pursue farmers, buying clubs and individuals acting as “distribution agents.” The Wisconsin to Chicago Raw Milk Freedom ride will challenge the FDA’s use of force against raw milk distribution.

Media are invited to ride along as embedded reporters to witness the FDA’s reaction to the Freedom Riders’ standing up for their rights.

Info about farm raids www.FarmFoodFreedomCoalition.com For additional information on raw milk www.westonaprice.org

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

USDA: Bringing the Comforts of Home to Our Troops

As we gather with family and friends for Thanksgiving, USDA would like to thank our troops for their dedication to protecting our country and for the sacrifices they make to preserve our freedom.



Here at USDA, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) military food inspection program has a special way of thanking our troops—by doing our part to bring the comforts of home, including Thanksgiving dinner, to the men and women out in the field.



At food processing plants across the country and at headquarters in Washington, D.C., our award-winning inspectors and staff are inspecting foods used in Department of Defense combat rations. The troops depend on these rations for nourishment as they serve our country. Our inspectors perform a number of services including taste testing products and inspecting product packaging to ensure that only quality foods meeting the military’s strict requirements enter this program. Through a close relationship with the Department of Defense, we know what is required for the rations and inspect and certify that products headed to the front lines meet military requirements and will meet the troops’ expectations.



Of course we aren’t doing this work alone. We work closely with the Natick Soldier Systems Command, the Research and Development Associates for Military Food and Packaging Systems and other groups involved in the rations program. Our joint contributions help make sure that the items on the menu meet changing soldier preferences, account for regional favorites and, when possible, bring some home-style favorites to their meals. There are currently 24 different menus for the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) program, offering soldiers individual portions they can eat when in combat areas. These menus include a variety of foods like spaghetti with meat sauce and chicken fajitas. Soldiers can heat their MREs with a self-contained ration heater, giving them the ability to have a hot meal anytime, anywhere.



For Thanksgiving the tradition of breaking bread together and sharing a meal is just as important as the foods on the menu. With unitized group rations, several soldiers can share a meal together with traditional foods like turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. One option for these rations comes in a self-heating format that can provide a group of soldiers with a hot meal in remote areas where dining facilities can’t be set up.



We take great pride in making sure that our soldiers can enjoy eating quality foods regardless of their surroundings. Our goal is to make sure that the products we inspect and certify meet the military’s requirements and allow the troops to enjoy some of the comforts of home and the option to share family-style meals whenever possible.



We hope that the holiday meals we help deliver provide our troops with a little taste of home and help them enjoy a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Poll Finds 60% of Americans Spend Between 1-6 Hours a Day Watching Electronic Devices

Poll Finds 60% of Americans Spend Between 1-6 Hours a Day Watching Electronic Devices

Atlanta, Ga. – November 22, 2011 – There are a growing number of electronic devices competing for your eyeballs, time and attention.

A Poll Position national scientific telephone survey asked, ‘how many hours a day do you spend looking at either a TV, computer screen, e-reader, PDA or cellphone?’

When combining totals, more than 60% spend between 1-6 hours a day watching electronic devices. Also combining results, 34% tell us they are spending between 7-10 hours, or more watching.

Below are the results of the survey:

Daily Time Spent on Electronic Screens

1-3 hours: 31%
4-6 hours: 30%
7-9 hours: 22%
10 hours or more: 12%
Spend no time: 2%

See a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation in crosstabs for this poll at http://media.pollposition.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Poll-Position-Crosstabs-Time-on-electronic-screens.pdf.

Poll Position’s scientific telephone survey of 1,220 registered voters nationwide was conducted November 19, 2011 and has a margin of error of ±3%. Poll results are weighted to be a representative sampling of all American adults.

What do you think? On an average day, how many hours a day do you look at electronic screens, including TVs, computers, e-readers, PDAs and cell phones? Vote in our online companion poll and comment at http://pollposition.com/2011/11/22/electronic-screen-overdose/.

The online companion poll in which you can vote provides unscientific results, meaning it’s a tally of participating Poll Position users, not a nationally representative sampling.

Poll Position is committed to transparency and upholding the highest professional standards in its polling, explaining why we provide you with the crosstabs of our scientific polls. Crosstabs provide a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation.

Learn more about Poll Position’s polling methodology at http://pollposition.com/2011/09/26/our-polling-methodology/.

About Poll Position
Poll Position is a unique non-partisan news, polling, and social media company founded and lead by two award-winning CNN news and polling veterans. The company’s goals are to engage, enlighten, and entertain millions of people with exclusive news-making, buzz-generating public opinion polls and giving people everywhere an opportunity to vote and comment on hot topics, while learning the views of others.

For more news updates and research findings, follow Poll Position on Twitter @PollPosition and become a Facebook fan at http://www.facebook.com/PollPosition. Become a registered user at http://pollposition.com/members-area/.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Worldwatch: Reducing Food Waste During the Holiday Season

Reducing Food Waste During the Holiday Season

10 simple steps we all can take to help make this season
less wasteful and more plentiful
Washington, D.C.----The holiday season is a time for gifts, decorations, and lots and lots of food. As a result, it's also a time of spectacular amounts of waste. In the United States, we generate an extra 5 million tons of household waste each year between Thanksgiving and New Year's, including three times as much food waste as at other times of the year. When our total food waste adds up to 34 million tons each year, that equals a lot of food. With the holidays now upon us, the Worldwatch Institute offers 10 simple steps we all can take to help make this season less wasteful and more plentiful.

"Family, community, love and gratitude are all unlimited resources," says Worldwatch President Robert Engelman. "Unfortunately, food and the energy, water and other natural resources that go into producing food are not. The logical strategy is to let ourselves go in enjoying the unlimited conviviality and communion of the holidays, but to avoid wasting the limited resources. Even simple shifts toward sustainability----and reducing food waste is an easy one----can have major impacts when multiplied by millions of people."

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption----approximately 1.3 billion tons----is lost or wasted each year. Consumers in developed countries such as the United States are responsible for 222 million tons of this waste, or nearly the same quantity of food as is produced in all of sub-Saharan Africa.

"With nearly a billion people going hungry in the world, including 17.2 million households within the United States, reducing the amount of food being wasted is incredibly important," says Danielle Nierenberg, director of Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet project. "We need to start focusing on diverting food from going into our trashcans and landfills and instead getting it into the hands of those who need it most."

The Nourishing the Planet (www.NourishingthePlanet.org) team recently traveled to 25 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, and soon will be traveling to Latin America, shining a spotlight on communities that serve as models for a more sustainable future. The project is unearthing innovations in agriculture that can help alleviate hunger and poverty while also protecting the environment. These innovations are elaborated in Worldwatch's annual flagship report, State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet.

As Americans prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, here are 10 tips to help reduce the amount of food we waste:

Before the meal: Plan your menu and exactly how much food you'll need.

1. Be realistic: The fear of not providing enough to eat often causes hosts to cook too much. Instead, plan out how much food you and your guests will realistically need, and stock up accordingly. The Love Food Hate Waste organization, which focuses on sharing convenient tips for reducing food waste, provides a handy "Perfect portions" planner to calculate meal sizes for parties as well as everyday meals.

2. Plan ahead: Create a shopping list before heading to the farmers' market or grocery store. Sticking to this list will reduce the risk of impulse buys or buying unnecessary quantities, particularly since stores typically use holiday sales to entice buyers into spending more.

During the meal: Control the amount on your plate to reduce the amount in the garbage.

3. Go small: The season of indulgence often promotes plates piled high with more food than can be eaten. Simple tricks of using smaller serving utensils or plates can encourage smaller portions, reducing the amount left on plates. Guests can always take second (or third!) servings if still hungry, and it is much easier (and hygienic) to use leftovers from serving platters for future meals.

4. Encourage self-serve: Allow guests to serve themselves, choosing what, and how much, they would like to eat. This helps to make meals feel more familiar and also reduces the amount of unwanted food left on guests' plates.

After the meal: Make the most out of leftovers.

5. Store leftovers safely: Properly storing our leftovers will preserve them safely for future meals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that hot foods be left out for no more than two hours. Store leftovers in smaller, individually sized containers, making them more convenient to grab for a quick meal rather than being passed over and eventually wasted.

6. Compost food scraps: Instead of throwing out the vegetable peels, eggshells, and other food scraps from making your meal, consider composting them. Individual composting systems can be relatively easy and inexpensive, and provide quality inputs for garden soils. In 2010, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to pass legislation encouraging city-wide composting, and similar broader-scale food composting approaches have been spreading since.

7. Create new meals: If composting is not an option for you, check out Love Food Hate Waste's creative recipes to see if your food scraps can be used for new meals. Vegetable scraps and turkey carcasses can be easily boiled down for stock and soups, and bread crusts and ends can be used to make tasty homemade croutons.

8. Donate excess: Food banks and shelters gladly welcome donations of canned and dried foods, especially during the holiday season and colder months. The charity group Feeding America partners with over 200 local food banks across the United States, supplying food to more than 37 million people each year. To find a food bank near you, visit the organization's Food Bank Locator.

9. Support food-recovery programs: In some cases, food-recovery systems will come to you to collect your excess. In New York City, City Harvest, the world's first food-rescue organization, collects approximately 28 million pounds of food each year that would otherwise go to waste, providing groceries and meals for over 300,000 people.

Throughout the holiday season: Consider what you're giving.

10. Give gifts with thought: When giving food as a gift, avoid highly perishable items and make an effort to select foods that you know the recipient will enjoy rather than waste. The Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit, works with farmers and producers in tropical areas to ensure they are practicing environmentally sustainable and socially just methods. The group's certified chocolates, coffee, and teas are great gifts that have with long shelf-lives, and buying them helps support businesses and individuals across the world.

As we sit down this week to give thanks for the people and things around us, we must also recognize those who may not be so fortunate. The food wasted in the United States each year is enough to satisfy the hunger of the approximately 1 billion malnourished people worldwide, according to Tristram Stuart, a food waste expert and contributing author to State of the World 2011. As we prepare for upcoming holiday celebrations, the simple changes we make, such as using food responsibly and donating excess to the hungry, can help make the holiday season more plentiful and hunger-free for all.

Friday, November 18, 2011

PEW SCHOOL FOODS PROJECT STATEMENT ON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FUNDING BILL

PEW SCHOOL FOODS PROJECT STATEMENT ON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FUNDING BILL
WASHINGTON – The following is a statement from Jessica Donze Black, project director for the Pew Health Group’s School Foods Project:

“We are disappointed that the final Agriculture Appropriations bill now includes provisions that could undermine the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to establish science-based nutrition standards for school meals. This move could undermine children’s health by setting policies based on considerations other than the best available data on nutrition from the highly regarded and nonpartisan Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences. This sets a troubling precedent.

“Science tells us that kids who eat well aren’t just healthier; they also perform better at school. Ultimately, that affects all of us, benefitting our economy while reducing healthcare costs.

“More than a thousand schools across the country are proving every day they can serve healthy meals that kids will eat, at an affordable price that fits within tightened school budgets. Unfortunately, many more have yet to take comparable actions, and USDA’s proposal would lay out a plan for them to achieve similar success. Despite Congress’ action, we hope the agency will move forward with a final standard for school meals based on science.

“We also urge all schools and food companies to support parents’ efforts to encourage healthy eating by ensuring children are offered nutritious options at school. Nearly one in three children in the United States today is overweight or obese. They are increasingly suffering from diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, and they are at risk for other chronic illnesses. Reversing this trend will not be easy, but given that many children consume more than half of their daily calories while at school, making sure that all of the foods served in schools are healthy is an appropriate place to start.”

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Animal Ag Alliance: Myths Promoted at "End Factory Farming" Conference

November 17, 2011 – About 300 activists representing the animal rights, environmental, and public health movements converged in Arlington, VA on October 27-29 for the first-ever “Conference to End Factory Farming”. More than 25 speakers attempted to gain the attention of decision makers in Washington, D.C. with sessions titled “The Hidden Costs of Factory Farming”, “Inside the Industry”, and “Building Coalitions for Change”. The goal of the event? To create synergy between competing activist campaigns and frame their extreme goal of eliminating today’s animal agriculture industry as a mainstream effort.

The event was co-hosted by Farm Sanctuary and the ASPCA and sponsored by a wide variety of extremist organizations and companies including the Humane Society of the United States, Mercy for Animals, Compassion Over Killing, A Well Fed World, Compassion in World Farming, E: The Environmental Magazine, Discovery’s TreeHugger, and Whole Foods Market.

Many speakers revealed just how out of step with American values during their presentations. For example, Holly Cheever, of HSUS’ Veterinary Medical Association Leadership Council said that “slaughterhouses are a kind of Auschwitz”. This equating of human suffering with agricultural practices not only diminishes the horrors inflicted on the victims of the Holocaust, but is a sentiment commonly expressed by PETA and other extremist groups. Jonathan Balcome, author of Pleasurable Kingdom and a former HSUS and PETA employee, referred to the the push for animal rights as comparable to “African colonialism, slavery, women’s rights, and the civil rights movement”. Many of the extremists seemed to realize that while their beliefs are not mainstream, they could still seek to influence the public through emotional appeals. As speaker Nick Cooney of The Humane League put it: “revolution is not a question of virtue, but of effectiveness.”

Notably, the single presenter who suggested compromise to target large-scale producers rather than eliminating animal agriculture in entirety, Dr. John Ikerd of the University of Missouri, was met with ridicule from the audience and fellow presenters. HSUS Senior Director of Farm Animal Protection Paul Shapiro responded to Ikerd by saying that “combating factory farming and promoting veganism are not exclusive concepts”.

Promoting veganism – and as speaker Mark Bekoff claimed, sharing the idea that meat is a “who” rather than a “what” – was a main goal of the meeting. Farm Sanctuary President Gene Baur elaborated on this ambition during a pre-conference media interview, saying: “But at the end of the day, it’s not necessary to eat any animal products. We’ll continue to hold up the vegan ideal, but we will also support and encourage any steps that move away from the industrial factory-farming model.”

The activists discussed tactics to intimidate farmers and ranchers using litigation and legislation while promoting the “factory farm” stereotype to the public. Nathan Runkle, Director of Mercy for Animals, indicated that undercover videos represent the “lifeblood” of the organization. Speaker David Wolfson, a partner with the Milbank Tweed law firm and professor at NYU’s school of law, said that providing pro bono work to activist groups is one of the most important things lawyers can do to help the movement. He also elaborated on the legal strategy used during California’s Proposition 2 campaign, saying that “if a farmer came out in criticism of the ballot initiative, they would be subject to undercover investigation and sued”.



“For modern animal agriculture, the less the consumer knows, the better.”
– Dr. Michael Greger (HSUS)

“Slaughterhouses are a kind of Auschwitz.”
– Dr. Holly Cheever (HSUS)

“The lifeblood of Mercy For Animals is our undercover investigations of animal agriculture.”
– Nathan Runkle (Mercy for Animals)

“In California, if a farmer came out in criticism of the ballot initiative, they would be subject to undercover investigation and sued.”
– David Wolfson (Milbank Tweed)

“Meat consumption shouldn’t be normal.”
– Gene Baur (Farm Sanctuary)

“Everyone can agree that cutting down on animal consumption is better for the public.”
– Paul Shapiro (HSUS)

“We need the poultry industry not to exist.”
– Wenonah Hauter (Food and Water Watch)

“Agribusiness… they’re the radicals!”
– U.S. Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA)

“Let’s hear about veganism as an alternative. Taking on meat should be the real war.”
– Dr. James McWilliams (The Atlantic)
________________________________________

The Alliance provides a full 12-page report on the conference on the Members section of its website. Everyone involved in food production should be made aware of the goals and tactics discussed at this first conference dedicated to ending animal agriculture. While vegetarians and vegans represent just a tiny fraction of society – about 97 percent of Americans include meat, milk, and eggs in their diet – they are beginning to have a disproportionately loud voice. It is critical that all stakeholders correct the misinformation presented by these extremist groups. The Alliance will continue to work to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers to show that while today’s agriculture industry has evolved to meet the needs of society, combining technology with tradition, the same commitments to the animals, the land, and food safety remain.

The full text of the Alliance's report on the “Conference to End Factory Farming” is available on the Members section of its website. For more information, contact Communications Director Sarah Hubbart at shubbart@animalagalliance.org.