Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Ag Minute and Rep. Roby: Where Are the Jobs?

The Ag Minute: Where Are the Jobs?
At Obama's Regulatory Agencies
WASHINGTON – This week during The Ag Minute, guest host Rep. Martha Roby discusses the disparity between job growth in Obama's regulatory agencies and the private sector. While taxpayers will spend more than $54 billion to support government regulators in 2011, the true cost to our economy is much greater. The American Action Forum estimates that since the beginning of this year, the Obama administration has imposed more than 47.2 million annual paperwork burden hours and $65 billion in compliance costs on businesses across the country. Rep. Roby explains that additional regulatory burdens impact the livelihoods of farmers, ranchers, and smalls businesses in rural America.


"The Obama administration can count one area of job growth as a success: the regulation business is thriving.
"While the national unemployment rate stagnates over 9 percent, employment at regulatory agencies has grown 13 percent.
"This reality isn’t surprising to farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods are threatened by the aggressive regulatory agenda of this administration.
"Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has led a non-stop regulatory assault on rural America attempting to regulate everything from crop protection tools to methane from cows.
"Currently, the EPA has more than 300 regulations under consideration impacting everything from farm dust to carbon dioxide emissions from farms, schools, and hospitals.
"The cost of overregulation is real jobs to grow our economy.
"By 2014, heightened EPA regulations will cost the nation between 476,000 to 1,400,000 jobs and $47 billion to $141 billion in GDP, according to the American Council for Capital Formation.
"If the Obama administration is serious about getting our economy back on track and creating jobs, it should stop the job-destroying overreach of the EPA."
The Ag Minute is Chairman Lucas's weekly radio address that is released from the House Agriculture Committee.

USDA Highlights Assistance to Residents Affected by Hurricane Irene

USDA Highlights Assistance to Residents Affected by Hurricane Irene

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today said USDA is ready to deploy personnel and resources to assist the efforts by federal, state and local authorities in response to Hurricane Irene. Yesterday, the Secretary joined Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for a tour of hurricane-impacted areas in North Carolina and Virginia.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who have suffered losses caused by this massive storm," said Vilsack. "USDA is ready to provide food, emergency assistance and other resources to the affected areas. We continue to closely coordinate with many partners to meet the immediate and plan for the long-term needs of those affected by Hurricane Irene."
USDA encourages farmers, ranchers, producers, landowners and rural communities to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency Service Center to report damages to crops or livestock loss; their local Rural Development office for housing, business or community assistance information and/or their local Natural Resources Conservation Service office for help with debris removal.
Specifically, USDA is offering the following assistance in response to the hurricane:
Food Assistance - Inventories of USDA Foods have been identified within impacted States for use as part of disaster mass feeding. USDA is working closely with State partners to help address the food needs of disaster survivors.
On Aug. 26, USDA approved a request from Puerto Rico to operate a disaster household distribution program for almost 57,000 households in seven regions where families are cut off from other access to food and shelter or retail food markets due to power outages, road closures, flooding or landslides. Approximately 1 million pounds of nonperishable USDA Foods valued at nearly $1.2 million was approved to be provided in disaster food boxes distributed to families through community centers from Aug. 26 – Sept. 2. So far the Puerto Rico Department of the Family distributed USDA foods to 16,615 families in 13 municipalities. Puerto Rico has just implemented a Disaster Nutrition Assistance Program in which they will provide a third of the August 2011 benefits in replacements for certain localities.
Additionally, as damage assessments are completed, USDA is prepared to offer the following assistance as part of the overall federal response efforts:
Housing Assistance – USDA'S Rural Development is encouraging residents affected by the disaster to immediately apply for funding assistance under Rural single family housing loan and grant programs. Funds are available for housing repair, rehabilitation and home purchases. For home financing, USDA will assist with expediting lender approval and approval for access to the Guaranteed Underwriting Services; and offer streamlined loan processing. Individuals needing payment assistance on their existing USDA Rural Development Single and Multi-family loans are encouraged to contact the Centralized Servicing Center at (800) 414-1226.
Community Assistance - Rural communities in Presidentially declared disaster areas may be eligible for funding through Rural Community Facilities programs. Facilities eligible for funding include schools, libraries, childcare centers, hospitals, medical clinics, assisted living facilities, fire and rescue stations, police stations, community centers, public buildings and transportation. These communities can contact USDA Rural Development offices to determine which program is applicable to assist them.
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service state operations are prepared to work with local communities to determine Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) requests in the disaster areas. EWP helps protect lives and property threatened by natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires. The program provides technical and financial assistance to preserve life and property threatened by excessive erosion and flooding. Owners, managers, and users of public, private or tribal lands are eligible for EWP assistance if their watershed area has been damaged by a natural disaster. NRCS can fund immediate actions necessary to address threats to life or property (exigencies). Exigency funds are provided and approved quickly to lessen the threat to lives and property that exists as a result of storms or flooding. For example, exigency funding can be used to remove stream blockages and debris. Debris can include twisted trees and other woody vegetation as well as home construction materials. The removal of stream debris is important because obstructions increase the risk of flooding thus the further risk to life and property. Other conditions where EWP exigency funds can be used include embankment stabilization and erosion control around culverts or bridges of open roads. If these areas are not protected and stabilized after a storm or flooding there is increased threat to life and property.
Business Assistance - Rural businesses in Presidentially declared disaster may be eligible for assistance through the Rural Business Service. Applicants or existing borrowers should contact their State USDA Rural Development office to determine which program is applicable to assist them.
Utility Assistance – Should any existing water, telecommunications or electric program borrowers need to seek assistance from Rural Development, contact your local Rural Development representatives or USDA's National Rural Development office.
Farmer and Rancher Assistance - USDA encourages farmers who have crop and or physical damage, to contact their local Farm Service Agency Service Center as soon as possible.
The affected State and County Emergency Boards, chaired by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), are assisting with the response efforts and quickly assessing agricultural needs and determining the storms impact on crops. Emergency loans are available to agricultural producers through the Farm Service Agency Emergency (EM) Loan Program which provides low-interest EM loans for crop and livestock production and physical losses. The loans are available in counties declared under a Presidential (FEMA) declaration or Secretarial disaster designation. Assistance also might be available through the Farm Service Agency Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) funds, subject to the availability of funds. ECP signup will be held where authorized by FSA State Committees. ECP applications will be processed subject to available funding. And farmers and ranchers may qualify for assistance for any crop or livestock losses if they meet certain eligibility requirements.
Assistance is available through the following FSA assistance programs:
• Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program for crop revenue losses from quantity or quality deficiencies only in those counties and contiguous counties declared disaster areas by the Agriculture Secretary or in cases where a farm's overall production loss exceeds 50 percent;
• Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program for producers and ranchers who previously submitted an application for coverage for noninsured crop losses.
• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm Raised Fish for emergency relief to producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish who suffered losses from disaster such as adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires not adequately covered by any other disaster program;
• Livestock Indemnity Program for assistance to livestock producers for livestock deaths from disaster events, in excess of normal mortality;
• The Tree Assistance Program for partial reimbursement to orchardists and nursery tree growers for replanting, salvage, pruning, debris removal and land preparation if losses due to natural disasters exceed 15 percent and
• Producers who have existing direct loans with FSA in counties declared or contiguous to counties declared as disasters are eligible to be considered for Debt Set Aside (DSA). Under the DSA program, up to one full years payment can be moved to the end of the loan.
Assistance also is available for crop producers who previously purchased crop insurance through programs offered by the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA). RMA is prepared to authorize emergency loss procedures that streamline, on a crop specific basis, certain loss determinations and payments.
Additionally, USDA staff is coordinating closely with agricultural industry representatives to address specific needs as they arise.
In advance of the storm, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) helped consumers prepare for Hurricane Irene by providing critical food safety information. Food safety public service announcements were sent to media outlets along the entire Eastern seaboard to give direction about how to prevent food borne illness once families return to their homes. Additionally, FSIS issued consumer alerts in English and Spanish to media outlets and on the Web to provide consumers with food safety steps to take before and after a power outage as well as flooding.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service provided livestock and pet safety tips.
Additional information about these assistance programs, safety tips and updates about USDA's hurricane relief efforts are posted on the Web at www.usda.gov/disaster. Click on the hurricane relief link. Rural Development state office contact information is available at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/Home.html.
And information about the U.S. Government's hurricane response efforts is available at www.ready.gov.=

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

NRA: 35 Percent of Americans Expected to Be Restaurant Patrons Over Labor Day Weekend


(Washington, D.C.) Food plays a central role in outdoor and vacation activities in the summer time, and new research by the National Restaurant Association (www.restaurant.org) shows that: 

•         35 percent of consumers say they will dine out and/or use restaurant takeout or delivery for a picnic, cookout or outdoor event this Labor Day weekend;
•         One in five consumers (20 percent) ordered restaurant takeout or delivery for an outdoor dining occasion during the summer months; and
•         66 percent went on a summer vacation or trip during which they visited a restaurant.

“The fact that one in five have used restaurant services for their outdoor dining activities, and that two-thirds enjoyed restaurant meals on summer vacations speaks to the essential role the nation’s nearly one million restaurants play in Americans’ lifestyles,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. “The summer months are typically the most popular time of the year to dine out, due to travel and tourism and outdoor dining activities. Restaurants have served millions of guests over the last three months, both in their establishments and with takeout and delivery options for picnics and cookouts in backyards and parks across America.”

“This Labor Day weekend is shaping up to be a busy one for restaurants, as more than one-third of Americans plan to dine out or order takeout. This is especially good news for restaurants located at destinations along the Eastern seaboard that are eager to welcome guests after Hurricane Irene,” Riehle added.

The National Restaurant Association’s new consumer survey also shows that:
•         25 percent of consumers plan to dine at a restaurant over the Labor Day weekend;
•         15 percent plan to order takeout or delivery from a restaurant for a cookout or picnic;
•         5 percent plan to both dine out and order takeout;
•         Men were somewhat more likely than women to use restaurant services for Labor Day weekend; 40 percent versus 30 percent;
•         Middle-aged adults (45 to 54 years of age) are more likely than other age groups to dine at a restaurant to celebrate Labor Day (32 percent)
•         Younger adults (18 to 34 years of age) are more likely to use takeout or delivery for a picnic, cookout or other outdoor dining event for the holiday weekend (21 percent).

The National Restaurant Association’s survey also asked consumers about using takeout or delivery from restaurants for outdoor dining events this summer, such as Memorial Day or Fourth of July. 
•         20 percent said they supplemented their outdoor dining events with restaurant dishes;
•         Individuals in households with children were more likely to do so (26 percent), compared with adults in households without children (16 percent);
•         Younger adults were more likely to use restaurant takeout/delivery for picnics and cookouts; 23 percent of 18-to-34-year olds and 26 percent of 35-to-44-year olds, compared with roughly 15 percent of those 55 and older.

Consumers were also asked about which factor most influenced how they chose a restaurant for summer dining:
•         The majority (57 percent) said they selected an eatery based on food and service, just like at any other time of year;
•         17 percent preferred to dine inside a restaurant to get out of the heat;
•         12 percent sought out restaurants with summer specials and promotions (such as Restaurant Week, beach themes or happy hours)
•         7 percent said they dined outside at restaurants as often as they could during the summer months.

The survey also asked consumers about how they picked restaurants while on vacation. 
•         Sixty-six percent said they took a vacation or trip this summer and ate at restaurants while they traveled.
•         Of those, about one-quarter selected a restaurant that was convenient to where they were staying (24 percent);
•         Roughly one-fifth visited restaurants they hadn’t been to before (22 percent), and an equal percentage selected restaurants that were recommended to them;
•         One in five dined at one of their favorite restaurants (20 percent);
•         12 percent opted for kid-friendly restaurants.

Monday, August 29, 2011

ALG: Is Obama's Justice Department Targeting Right-to-Work Companies?

ALG: Is Obama's Justice Department Targeting Right-to-Work Companies?

August 29th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Gibson Guitar was raided by the U.S. Department of Justice recently for an alleged violation of environmental laws including the Lacey Act.  Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today called on Tennessee Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander to investigate whether the Department is selectively targeting companies for criminal investigations that do business in right-to-work states:

"Tennessee Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander should immediately demand a full explanation from the Obama Administration for their apparent targeting of Gibson Guitar — which makes all of their guitars in the U.S.  Based upon facts available, the only thing that distinguishes Gibson's import of wood and that of its competitors is that Gibson is located in Tennessee, a right-to-work state, and its main competitors are located in non-right-to-work California and Pennsylvania.

"In the wake of Obama's National Labor Relations Board's attempt to prevent Boeing from expanding into right-to-work South Carolina, it is reasonable to question whether the Justice Department raid of Gibson is a gross abuse of power to appease their politically important Big Labor allies.  It is up to Senators Corker and Alexander to get to the truth, no matter how ugly it might be."   

Press release: Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere

Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere announces an unmissable 2011 programme.

The Southern Hemisphere’s leading fresh produce conference event takes place in Lima, Peru, on 9-11 November and promises to be another premier event following on from last year’s edition, which saw over 220 delegates from 21 countries convene in Uruguay.

This year’s conference programme will feature a supplier spotlight on host nation Peru, with speakers set to discuss what the country's rapidly developing fresh produce industry has to offer the Northern Hemisphere market. Leading the discussion will be Fernando Cillóniz from Inform@cción, the Lima-based research and consultancy agency, which provides information on Peru’s agricultural sector.

A delegation of senior-level, international speakers will also offer tips on how to stay ahead in the highly competitive retail sourcing and marketing arena, plus an insight into what the major markets are demanding from growers and exporters when it comes to sustainability, logistics and packaging.

Other hot topics up for discussion will include a look at the opportunities for new growth in certain product categories and market sectors within traditional export destinations like North America and Europe, as well as the potential to supply alternative markets in Asia, Eastern Europe and Russia.

Staying ahead of the game with the most up-to-date and comprehensive knowledge is vital in today’s competitive global market. Long-term business success also comes down to the ability to make the right kind of relationships with the right kind of people.

Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere offers ample networking opportunities to ensure you make lasting contacts with the best fresh produce business professionals in the region and beyond.

Register online before 1 October 2011 and benefit from an exclusive 20 per cent saving on the standard delegate fee.

Keep up to date with speaker, programme and market news at www.eurofruitcongress.com/sh

For all delegate, marketing and press queries, contact:

Hannah Gorvin, Commercial Manager
Eurofruit Congress Southern Hemisphere, 9-11 November 2011
Tel: +44 20 7501 3707, Fax: +44 20 7498 6472
Email: info@eurofruitcongress.com

Friday, August 26, 2011

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012:

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012:

Leading marketplace for the fresh produce
business in Central and Eastern Europe

Berlin, 26 August 2011 - FRUIT LOGISTICA is a bridge between east and west, making it a key trading platform for Central and Eastern European fresh produce business. More than 2,400 exhibitors and over 56,000 trade visitors from 130 countries are expected at the world’s leading international fresh produce trade fair in Berlin from 8 to 10 February 2012. Countries from Central and Eastern Europe continue to build their presence at this event. Next year, more than three thousand high-ranking industry representatives from practically all Central and Eastern European countries and over 130 exhibitors from the region will be coming to Berlin to present their products and services, make trade contacts, set up business transactions and hold talks to build new business relations.

FRUIT LOGISTICA is the leading marketing platform for EU countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary, as well as non-EU nations such as Croatia, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine. The trade fair offers excellent opportunities to meet fresh produce representatives from the key import and export countries across the globe in just three days. High-level discussions focusing on the latest developments ranging from production and distribution, to the point-of-sale offer outstanding added value when it comes to identifying trends, opportunities and prospective joint ventures.

A first-class conference programme presents the latest industry information for all sectors of the international produce trade. A variety of forums, seminars and panel discussions provides food for thought on current issues, problems and trends across the entire industry.

The annual FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) competition is open to exhibitors at the world’s leading international fresh produce trade fair. This award is presented for exceptional innovations in the fresh produce sector and service industry. It honours products and services that clearly help drive the industry forward.

Year after year, the presence of all key decision-makers from the global fresh produce trade and a growing number of exhibitors and visitors highlight the role of FRUIT LOGISTICA as the world’s leading fresh produce trade fair. According to Messe Berlin Chief Operating Officer Dr. Christian Göke: “The outstanding features of this year’s FRUIT LOGISTICA were the international scope of the trade fair, the global market overview in the exhibition area and the high decision-making authority of the trade professionals. More than any other trade event in this sector, FRUIT LOGISTICA essentially brings together all players in the global value chain. This trade fair is an unparalleled marketing platform for the international fresh produce industry.”

FRUIT LOGISTICA 2011 exhibitors and trade visitors praised the excellent contacts to wholesalers and retailers, fruit and vegetable growers, importers and exporters. Although business transactions were not the primary focus of their trade fair presence, many exhibitors signed or planned business deals at FRUIT LOGISTICA.

A new record was set in 2011 with 2,452 exhibitors from 84 different countries presenting the complex logistics that ensure consumers are supplied with top quality fresh produce in all seasons everywhere in the world. Some 90 percent of exhibitors at FRUIT LOGISTICA came from outside Germany. FRESHCONEX 2011, the only European trade fair for fresh produce convenience, was staged in conjunction with FRUIT LOGISTICA for the fourth time. Some 100 exhibitors from 18 different countries presented their products and services at this unique trade event. More than 1,000 media representatives from 50 countries were accredited for the fresh produce summit in Berlin.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Worldwatch: back to school and back to good food

Back to School and Back to Good Food

Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet team emphasizes school food programs as a means of combating obesity and unhealthy food habits
Washington, D.C.-  As summer comes to an end, school is just around the corner for children across the United States. For children enrolled in state schools, this typically means the return of unhealthy lunches that are best described as "fast food": hamburgers, chicken nuggets, fried snacks, and sugary soft drinks. Yet school lunch programs can play a key role in reinforcing healthy eating behaviors by integrating such measures as school gardens, nutrition education, locally sourced organic food, and efforts that affirm the value of mealtimes, according to Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet team ( www.NourishingthePlanet.org).

Childhood obesity is a major problem in North America, where annual obesity rates have seen significant gains in recent decades. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 percent of U.S. children and adolescents aged 2-19 are obese, nearly triple the share in 1980. Many studies document the connection between a school's food environment and dietary behaviors in children. As anyone who grew up in the U.S. public school system can attest, lunches served in the country are highly processed and high in sodium, sugar, and fat.

Initiatives that connect schoolchildren to fresh, healthy foods and that encourage healthy eating habits from a young age are critical to ending the obesity endemic. One example is the U.S.-based 30 Project, which brings together key organizations and activists working on hunger, obesity, and agriculture to talk about their visions for the food system over the next 30 years. The effort is exploring long-term solutions to address obesity and improve the food system by ensuring that everyone has easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables, among other goals.

"Consuming nutrient-packed veggies may be even more important now, considering that obesity has become a nationwide epidemic in the United States and that diabetes is becoming more prevalent across the globe," said Nourishing the Planet project director Danielle Nierenberg. "It's important that we teach kids how to eat well and take care of themselves now, as children, so they can continue to take care of themselves as adults."

With children preparing to begin the school year, Nourishing the Planet offers the following solutions for schools to encourage healthy eating:
 
•     Connect Local Farmers to Schools: Providing locally sourced foods in school cafeterias improves diets and strengthens local economies. The U.S. state of Vermont is a leader in the nationwide Farm to School movement, which integrates food and nutrition education into classroom curricula and serves local foods in school cafeterias. Over the past decade, 60 percent of Vermont schools have joined the effort, forming a statewide network aided by the state's Agency of Agriculture, Department of Health, and Department of Education. Children benefit from farm-fresh foods for breakfast and lunch, and local farmers expand their business into a market worth over $40 million. Urban areas across the United States, from New York to Los Angeles, are also participating in this growing movement.
  
•       Savor Mealtimes: Emphasizing the importance of mealtimes teaches children to appreciate the value and taste of good food. France, which has one of the lowest rates of childhood obesity in Europe, takes lunch very seriously. School lunches are well funded, and every part of the meal is prepared on school grounds in professional-grade kitchens-a stark contrast to the heat-and-serve kitchens in U.S. schools. Kids from preschool to high school are served four- to five-course meals and are encouraged to take time eating and socializing with friends. At some schools, detailed menus even suggest what parents should serve their children for dinner. Soft drink and snack machines are banned from school premises.

•       Implement School Gardens: School gardens provide hands-on opportunities for children to cultivate and prepare organic produce. In the United States, REAL School Gardens creates learning gardens in elementary schools in high-poverty areas of north Texas. The organization has found that the school gardens not only nurture healthy lifestyles and environmental stewardship, but can also improve academic achievement through active participation. REAL School Gardens supports 81 schools, providing daily access to nature for more than 45,000 children and 2,700 educators.

•   Nutrition Education: The city of Chicago's public school district doesn't offer mandatory nutrition education as part of its curriculum. To fill this void, the nonprofit Communities in Schools of Chicago (CISC) connects 170 schools to volunteer professionals who run a broad range of programs that address the social, emotional, health, and enrichment needs of students. Demand for nutrition classes has almost tripled in the past four years. This is due in part to the results of a Personal Health Inventory administered by CISC to more than 5,000 students, which showed that nutrition was the lowest scoring area.

  •  Equal Access to Healthy Foods: Childhood obesity disproportionately affects low-income families that may not be able to afford healthy foods. Schools in Greeley, Colorado, are taking a giant leap forward by cooking every meal from scratch. This is a much healthier alternative to the processed factory-food items that dominate school cafeterias today, and can be more cost effective for poorer school systems that take advantage of U.S. federal reimbursement rules. With 60 percent of the city's students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, Greeley is proving that it isn't only rich school districts that can provide their children with healthy meals.
 
Additional Examples:
•    The Community Alliance with Family Farmers coordinates relationships among school cafeterias and local food producers in California's San Francisco Bay Area, bringing nutritious meals to students who might not otherwise be able to afford them.
•    The Fresh from the Farm program in Chicago conducts classroom activities such as tastings, cooking demonstrations, visits from farmers, helping in school gardens, and field trips to local organic farms.
•    Revolution Foods delivers tasty and healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to schools in Colorado, California, and Washington, D.C. Many of the ingredients are organic and locally sourced, and no artificial flavors, trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, or milk with hormones and antibiotics are used at all.
•    Seeds of Nutrition helps schools in Atlanta, Georgia, start school gardens and teach children how to prepare delicious recipes using the fruits of their labor. The group also collaborates with teachers to create cross-curricular lessons that center on gardens and food.
•    The Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California, is a one-acre organic garden and kitchen classroom where inner-city students at a local Middle School participate in all aspects of growing, harvesting, and preparing seasonal produce.
•    New York City's enormous school district used its market power to pressure vendors to reduce food prices and eliminate unhealthy items, including fried food, artificial ingredients, and trans fats, from its cafeterias. With this welcome change, many children now enjoy fresh fruit, salad bars, whole-grain breads and pasta, and foods made with low-fat and low-sodium recipes.
•    In 2010, Italy adopted a nationwide policy to supply all school cafeterias with locally sourced organic food in an effort to curb childhood obesity and preserve culinary traditions. Seventy percent of all school cafeteria food in Rome is now organic, with ingredients coming from 400 Italian organic farms.
Obesity is an immense problem for children growing up in today's world of processed junk food, but many opportunities exist to reverse this trend. Schools are the most efficient means of transmitting healthy behavioral changes that can last a lifetime to students, families, and communities. It all starts with connecting schools to the best foods available: fresh, organic, and local.

Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet (www.NourishingthePlanet.org) project recently traveled to 25 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, 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 the recently released report State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet.

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Thursday, August 18, 2011

PLF: Bloomberg Businessweek reports on PLF’s Sackett v. EPA case at Supreme Court

Bloomberg Businessweek reports on PLF’s Sackett v. EPA case at Supreme Court



Sacramento, CA; August 18, 2011:  The current issue of Bloomberg Businessweek magazine reports on Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pacific Legal Foundation’s high-profile property rights case that the U.S. Supreme Court has accepted for review in the coming term.



The article, by Bloomberg News Supreme Court reporter Greg Stohr, is titled, “Mike and Chantell Sackett vs. the EPA.”  It notes that the Sacketts’ case has the potential “to bolster the rights of landowners facing costly demands from the federal government.”



The litigation raises a fundamental question:  When EPA declares private property to be “wetlands,” does the owner have the right to meaningful judicial review of the agency’s determination, or may EPA put a freeze on private property without effective court oversight?



Donor-supported PLF is the leading watchdog organization that litigates for limited government, property rights, and a balanced approach to environmental regulations, in courts nationwide.  PLF attorneys represent the Sacketts free of charge, thanks to the generosity of PLF donors.



The Sacketts’ story — and their fight for their right to their day in court



The Sacketts have to live in a rented home, because EPA has blocked them from building a house on their own property in Priest Lake, Idaho.





Their parcel is in a residential area, with sewer and water hookups, and they got the needed permits to build.  But then EPA swooped in, without notice, and announced that the property is “wetlands.”  The Sacketts were ordered to return their land to EPA’s liking on pain of ruinous fines.



The Sacketts were stunned, and they dispute EPA’s claim.  They hired a soil expert and a biologist, and got a certification that their parcel is not a wetland.



But EPA – and the Ninth Circuit – say they can’t challenge the agency in court!  Instead, they would first have to seek a “permit” costing hundreds of thousands of dollars (more than the value of the land!), and bring a legal case when the permit was denied.  Or they could violate EPA’s orders and be crushed with penalties of $37,500-plus per day — and then seek court review.



Either way, the courtroom doors are slammed in their faces — unless they pay massive fees or fines!



So this is the crucial issue as PLF attorneys take the Sacketts’ case to the Supreme Court:  Can EPA regulators take control of people’s property, simply by issuing a “compliance order” declaring it “wetlands,” without having to justify their actions?  Or do Americans still have the right to defend their property rights, in court?



“This case is garnering a lot of attention because it’s a case that could happen to you,” said PLF Senior Staff Attorney Damien M. Schiff, who will argue the Sacketts’ case at the High Court. “The Sacketts are not big developers.  They just wanted a family home.”



In Bloomberg Businessweek, Catholic University law professor Amanda Cohen Leiter is quoted saying something similar.  Even though she is reported to side with EPA in the case, she admits that the Sacketts “feel like the mom and pop who are getting the heavy hand of government brought down on them.”



More information on Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is available at PLF’s website.

Crosman Corp. Increases Support of Progressive Agriculture Safety Day®

Crosman Corp. Increases Support of Progressive Agriculture Safety Day®

One hundred fifty percent increase in support will provide additional firearm
safety resources during farm Safety Days.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 18, 2011 — Crosman Corporation has increased its support of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF) Safety Day® program by 150 percent with a two-year commitment totaling $10,000. The increased support will fund the development of guidelines to assist PAF Safety Day coordinators in using National Shooting Sports Foundation and National Rifle Association firearm safety resources and Crosman's airgun safety information during Safety Days.

As a proud sponsor, Crosman Corporation embraces the Foundation’s mission to keep youth safe through education and training. “Supporting the Foundation provides an opportunity to make a significant difference to a lot of young people,” says Crosman vice president of Marketing Roy Stefanko. “We’re looking forward to working with the Foundation in the development of new airgun safety lessons that will enhance the already impressive list of educational resources available to the volunteer instructors,” he explains. “The stellar efforts of the Foundation’s numerous volunteer coordinators raise awareness and safeguard future generations. Many thanks to them for their continued dedication,” says Stefanko.

Through donations from sponsors such as Crosman, the Progressive Agriculture Foundation is able to further efforts designed to keep rural children safe and healthy. The Foundation provides training and resources to help local community members conduct one-day safety and health programs that explore more than 30 topics. Since the program was founded in 1995, it has grown to become the largest rural safety and health educational program for youth in North America.

Rochester, N.Y.-based Crosman Corporation has long been known for innovation and quality in the shooting sports industry. Crosman is an international designer, manufacturer and marketer of Crosman® and Benjamin® airguns, Crosman Archery products, CenterPoint® Hunting and Outdoors Precision Optics, Game Face™ Airsoft products, and USMC Airsoft. Crosman is the exclusive worldwide licensee for Remington®, Bushmaster®, and Marlin® airguns and airsoft products as well as USMC airsoft products. The company is privately held.

The Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program is the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America and a program of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to provide education and training to make farm, ranch and rural life safer and healthier for children and their communities. In 2008, PAF was awarded the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance National Charity Seal, demonstrating its commitment to accountability and ethical practices. Safety Day applications are due each July 15 for Safety Days that will be conducted the following calendar year.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Worldwatch: Cultivating Knowledge and Crops: Women Are Key to Sustainable Agricultural Development

Cultivating Knowledge and Crops: Women Are Key to Sustainable Agricultural Development  

Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet team emphasizes the power that women hold to solve hunger and poverty globally
Washington, D.C.-  Women account for 75 percent of the agricultural producers in sub-Saharan Africa, but the majority of women farmers are living on only $1.25 per day, according to researchers from the Worldwatch Institute. "The lack of access to information technology and the inability to connect rural enterprises to banks can prevent women from obtaining vital financial services," said Danielle Nierenberg, director of the Institute's Nourishing the Planet project, a two-year evaluation of environmentally sustainable agricultural innovations to alleviate hunger.

Despite the challenging circumstances that women in developing countries face, important innovations in communications and organizing are helping women play a key role in the fight against hunger and poverty. "Access to credit, which provides women farmers with productive inputs and improved technologies, can be an effective tool in improving livelihoods in Africa and beyond," said Worldwatch Institute's executive director Robert Engelman. 

Worldwatch researchers traveled to 25 countries across sub-Saharan Africa to meet with more than 350 farmers groups, NGOs, government agencies, and scientists, highlighting innovations, such as better extension and communication services, that are helping farmers improve their livelihoods. The findings are documented in the recently released report, State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet. 

Nourishing the Planet highlights four innovations that can strengthen women's agricultural capacity: providing microfinance credit, providing access to the global market, providing extension services, and providing organizational support to women's projects.

•      Providing women with microfinance credit. Globally, women fall well short of receiving the same financial benefits and opportunities as men. Only 10 percent of the credit services available in sub-Saharan Africa, including small "microfinance" loans, are extended to women. The New York-based nonprofit Women's World Banking is the only microfinance network focused explicitly on women, providing loans of as little as $100 to help women start businesses. Microfinance institutions from 27 countries provide the loans to women who in many cases have no other way to access credit.
  
•       Providing women access to the global market. In Africa's Western Sahel, the production of shea butter is boosting women's entry into global markets. Women-run cooperatives across the region are tapping into the global demand for fair trade and organic beauty products by selling the skin-care cream they produce from the shea nut crop to cosmetics firms such as Origins and L'Oréal. These "responsible" companies in turn pay fair price for the products and invest in the women's communities.

•       Providing women with extension services. In the United States, outreach programs like Purdue Cooperative Extension Services offer training for women to grow their businesses and increase profitability. And in Uganda, agricultural extension workers have introduced women's groups to "coolbot" technology-solar energy and an inverter-that can be used in traditional reed, mud, and thatch shops to reduce temperatures and prolong the shelf lives of vegetables. "When extension programs invest in women farmers, the payoff can be huge," write Dianne Forte, Royce Gloria Androa, and Marie-Ange Binagwaho in State of the World 2011. "Women receive an education, raise yields, increase their incomes, and improve the nutritional status of family members, contributing to the wellbeing of entire communities."

•   Helping women work together. Around the world, numerous organizations are helping to empower and support women farmers. In the United States, American Agri-Women, a coalition of farm, ranch, and agribusiness women's organizations, works with more than 50 state and commodity affiliates on legislative and regulatory matters as well as on student and consumer education. And the country's National Women in Agriculture Association helps socially disadvantaged women in rural areas obtain resources administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with the mission to "educate, develop, network and create bonds of sisterhood among all women."

With a large percentage of women worldwide still lacking necessary services, it is time that policymakers include women, respect what they know, and stand beside them in pursuing the right to equality for all women. The ideas and technologies for the success of women are available, and development programs have the opportunity to thrive if they embrace the knowledge and skills of women farmers.
 
State of the World 2011 is accompanied by informational materials including briefing documents, summaries, an innovations database, videos, and podcasts, all available at www.NourishingthePlanet.org. The project's findings are being disseminated to a wide range of agricultural stakeholders, including government ministries, agricultural policymakers, and farmer and community networks, as well as to the increasingly influential nongovernmental environmental and development communities. 

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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Lucas: time for clean vote on trade agreements

The Ag Minute: It's Time to Bring Job-Creating Free Trade Agreements to Congress for a Clean Vote
WASHINGTON – This week during The Ag Minute, guest host Rep. Tim Huelskamp calls on President Obama to submit the pending free trade agreements to Congress for a clean vote.  The free trade agreements (FTAs) with Korea, Colombia, and Panama are worth more than $2.5 billion annually in expanded market access for America’s farmers and ranchers.  Agricultural exports create jobs throughout the country—according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), agricultural exports support approximately one million U.S. jobs on-the-farm and off-the-farm, in areas such as trade and transportation services, food processing, and other manufacturing sectors. USDA estimates these supporting industries add another $1.54 to our economy for every dollar in agricultural goods exported.  Opening markets is one of the best jobs initiatives for rural America, and Congress is ready to consider the pending agreements as soon as the President decides to submit them for a vote. 
Click here to listen to The Ag Minute. The transcript is below.
"Last year, President Obama said that ratifying our three pending free trade agreements was one of his top priorities.  Unfortunately, his actions have spoken louder than his words. 
"Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is ready to act.
"Every day that goes by without these trade agreements in place is a missed opportunity.  These FTAs will expand U.S. exports, create jobs, and bring much needed income to communities across rural America.
"Exports support more than 10 million American jobs.  Workers with jobs that depend on trade earn up to 18% more than the national average. 
"And exports are key to growing our economy.  More than 9 out of every 10 people on the planet live outside the U.S.  If you want to bring revenue into our economy, you have to get access to these markets, and the best way to do that is through trade agreements.
"It’s time to stop playing politics with American jobs.  The President needs to submit the free trade agreements to Congress for a clean vote."
The Ag Minute is Chairman Lucas's weekly radio address that is released from the House Agriculture Committee.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Delays in guest worker processing could delay sugarcane harvest

Delays in guest worker processing could delay sugarcane harvest

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said the federal Foreign Labor Certification Data Center is experiencing delays in processing foreign agricultural workers’ applications to work in the United States because of a dispute over prevailing wages in Pennsylvania.
Strain said the processing delays could mean the Louisiana sugarcane harvest will be delayed.
“Sugar factories are trying to get their H-2B guest workers processed and on site ready to work,” Strain said. “Sugar mills are the only market for Louisiana sugarcane growers. If they do not open, then the cane will sit in the field with no place to go.”
Wage rates for H-2B workers will also substantially increase when the prevailing wage issues are settled, Strain said.
“The big issue is, if the sugar mills cannot get the workers in the plants by harvest time, then the entire Louisiana sugar market will be negatively impacted,” Strain said.
Jim Simon, general manager of the American Sugarcane League, said a wide cross section of the Louisiana sugar industry uses guest workers in the H-2A and H-2B programs to plant cane and work in sugar mills as laborers and boilers.
“Sugar boiling is a very specialized skill and many of the experienced sugar boilers are from Central America,” Simon said. “The sugar industry has had trouble getting guest workers into the country for several years and it underscores the need to streamline the process and reform the H-2A and H-2B program.”
Strain called for a reform of the guest worker program and proposed a plan to streamline the application, certification and approval process of foreign workers for H-2A and H-2B visa programs.
“The majority of our guest workers return to the United States and work year after year in our farming and forestry industries, sugar mills, food processing plants and seafood plants,” Strain said. “But their work visas must be processed every year.
“It’s time to implement a pre-processing system that will be good for five years. If guest workers have a work history in the U.S. and have no legal issues in our country or their native country, then our seafood and agricultural employers should be allowed to bring those workers back into the country for unfilled job vacancies to work without costly, unnecessary delays.”
For more information about foreign labor certification, visit the U.S. Department of Labor website at http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/about.cfm.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Lucas: EPA Pursuing Reckless Regulatory Agenda

The Ag Minute: EPA Pursuing Reckless Regulatory Agenda
at Farmers' Expense
WASHINGTON – This week during The Ag Minute, guest host Rep. Bob Goodlatte discusses the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed regulations for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. There are concerns that EPA is not recognizing the contribution producers have made to ensuring a healthy bay. Additionally, there are concerns that EPA is not considering the economic consequences of its Chesapeake Bay cleanup program on the agricultural community.
Click here to listen to The Ag Minute. The transcript is below.
"For too long the Environmental Protection Agency has placed the burden of environmental regulations on our farmers and ranchers without recognizing the contributions our producers make to protect the environment.
"A prime example of this is happening in the mid-Atlantic states, including my state of Virginia, with efforts to preserve and protect the Chesapeake Bay.
"I often hear complaints from farmers and others who live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed that the EPA does not recognize their good faith efforts to restore and protect this natural resource. The EPA Bay model does not account for any voluntary measures that our farmers undertake to control nitrogen and phosphorous, nor does it account for nutrient reductions achieved through USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
"The EPA is ignoring the advances agriculture has made in protecting the environment as it pursues a reckless regulatory agenda that places economic hardships on our agricultural producers.
"The people who call the Bay Watershed home are the ones who are the most concerned about protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, too often these hardworking individuals are cast as villains and placed in a position where restoring the Bay is pitted against the economic livelihoods of their communities. We can restore the Bay while also preventing our producers and rural communities from failing. I remain committed to protecting the Chesapeake Bay for future generations to use and enjoy."
The Ag Minute is Chairman Lucas's weekly radio address that is released from the House Agriculture Committee.

Monday, August 1, 2011

World Vision: Gifts help relieve famine effect


The United Nations recently declared the first famine of the 21st century in the Horn of Africa. As a result, charitable giving may be of interest to your readers.  Below is information about World Vision’s gift catalog items that will directly help those impacted by the devastating famine. The three gifts below represent or come directly from Kenya, Ethiopia and Nairobi, but more importantly the proceeds of these gifts help children and families in need:

-     Coffee from Kenya: For a donation of $50 gift givers will receive a bag of coffee dressed in traditional East African fabrics hand-sewn by local women. It also comes with a hand-carved olivewood scoop made to benefit over 200 orphans of the Kamba tribe.

-     “Rahel” Doll from Ethiopia: Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls represent girls around the world who are working to make a change. For a $125 donation children can cherish Rahel from Ethiopia and learn how their peers in Ethiopia live and contribute to their families, communities and country.       

-     Ornaments from Nairobi: These handmade Zakale (meaning "reuse") wire and bead ornaments are from Nairobi. For a $150 donation the recipient will be given this set, which is made from recycled materials by a group of Kenyan artisans reclaiming their own lives from poverty.   

These life-changing gifts help those in East Africa, and are also unique, meaningful items for the recipients.  In addition to these gifts, items that provide food such as goats, sheep and chickens can be purchased in the name of a loved one. At $75, goats are the most popular because they nourish families with healthy milk, cheese and yogurt.  Additional gifts can be viewed at www.worldvisiongifts.org.