GLobal Harvest INitiative PUBLISHES Policy Issue Brief addressing the need for action on Global Hunger, Food Security

GLobal Harvest INitiative PUBLISHES Policy Issue Brief addressing the need for action on Global Hunger, Food Security



Washington D.C./April 20, 2011 – The Global Harvest Initiative (GHI) today released the first of five policy issue briefs bringing a global focus to meeting the agricultural needs of a rapidly growing global population by increasing the rate of agricultural productivity; a recent GHI report suggests that the rate of agricultural productivity must increase at a minimum of 25 percent per year to meet future demand and double output over the next 40 years.



The policy issue brief, “Improving Agricultural Research Funding, Structure and Collaboration,” describes the notable returns on agricultural research and the role of research as a primary source of the innovation and productivity gains necessary to sustainably grow more and better food, help alleviate global poverty and hunger, and address food security issues.



The issue brief also highlights key research areas such as more efficient water use and the reduction of post-harvest losses, and notes that public sector research investments must be on par with private sector research to achieve significant increases in the rate of production worldwide.



“If we are to feed the nine billion people that will share this planet by 2050, we will need to produce as much food in the next 40 years as we have in the last 8,000, and research will be critical,” said Dr. Jason Clay, World Wildlife Fund Senior Vice President of Market Transformation. “Research is a first step in acquiring data to measure our real impact and identify alternatives. Half of the world's farmers are producing below average results and cannot even feed their own families. Learning how to leverage research and data is critical to stimulate innovation, identify new ideas and improve productivity.”  World Wildlife Fund is one of several consultative partners that share GHI’s goal of sustainably closing the global agricultural productivity gap.

“With a surging global population and new demands on food crops, the inadequate and declining support for basic food and agricultural research must be addressed quickly, as the research process takes a minimum of ten years from laboratory to field. We must also find the means to enhance research and fund the organizations that facilitate research. By focusing on agricultural research and other key policies we can begin to address hunger and food security issues by sustainably increasing the rate of agricultural productivity without the use of more land, water or other inputs,” said Dr. William G. Lesher, Global Harvest Initiative Executive Director.



Subsequent GHI issue briefs will address trade, development assistance, science-based technologies, and private investment. The issue brief released today and more information about GHI can be found at http://www.globalharvestinitiative.org.

California LGMA Introduces New Blog

California LGMA Introduces New Blog



Sacramento, CA – The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) announced today it will enter the “blogosphere” with a regular blog posting feature on its website that provides insights and information about on-farm leafy greens food safety.



“I am proud to be the first to post on the LGMA’s new blog,” said LGMA Chairman Jamie Strachan as part of the inaugural blog entry released by the LGMA last week.  “Our hope for this blog is that the LGMA becomes a valued source of information for farmers, industry members, buyers, government regulators and consumers of leafy greens.”



The blog can be accessed through the LGMA’s website at www.lgma.ca.gov. Interested users may sign up to receive notice of new postings via e-mal. The blog also allows users to submit comments and for the LGMA to respond with additional information. In the group’s first post, LGMA Chairman Strachan encouraged people to “join the LGMA in this new dialog.”

“Over the course of the coming months, the LGMA blog will feature a range of topics concerning leafy greens safety from members, experts and friends,” continued Strachan.  “We hope you will join us in this new dialog.”  

To date, the LGMA has issued two blog postings including the initial one from Strachan and a second post authored by LGMA Chief Executive Officer Scott Horsfall who addresses the issue of the new federal food safety legislation’s impact on the leafy greens industry.   The LGMA expects to post at least twice a month.

LGMA blog posts can be accessed from the home page of the LGMA website, or go directly to blog section at www.lgma.ca.gov/blog/.

The School Food Revolution:

The School Food Revolution:

More schools cooking from scratch and serving healthier pre-prepared foods, but limited equipment, funds and staff resources are a persistent challenge.



National Harbor, MD (April 20, 2011) – School nutrition programs across the country are preparing more school meals from scratch or serving healthier pre-prepared entrees and sides.



·         Thanks to Jefferson County Public Schools’ (Ky.) central kitchen facility, students can dine on homemade soups, chili, tacos, chicken potpies, turkey roasts and other entrees, as well as fresh, whole grain dinner rolls and other breads, some prepared with locally produced flour and cornmeal.

·         Thomas County’s (Ga.) school nutrition professionals are known for their fresh whole grain French bread and sweet potato rolls. They also prep fresh vegetable soup, lasagna and a special treat called “Wacky Cake” - plum puree is the secret ingredient.

·         In Gooding, Idaho’s school cafeterias, many entrees are prepared from scratch, and students get in on the fun too, creating their own masterpieces with locally-grown potatoes and toppings from the potato bar, including low-fat cheese, fat-free sour cream, salsa, olives, chopped broccoli, home-made chili, ground turkey and beef.

·         Other districts are using student-raised or locally grown foods in their recipes, or are working with chefs in their communities to help train school cooks to prepare healthy new meals.



However, school nutrition programs face enormous hurdles in their efforts to scratch cook.  In the early years of the National School Lunch Program, schools received financial assistance to help cover the cost of expensive commercial grade equipment purchases.  But the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 eliminated that assistance and slashed other support for school meals.



Since then, as food prices have climbed, many school nutrition programs have struggled to break even, let alone invest in new equipment, hire the additional staff necessary to scratch-prep meals and train cooks on proper handling techniques for raw meat in accordance with strict school food safety standards.



As a result, school nutrition programs must have access to healthy, pre-prepared foods that meet the nutrition requirements for school meals.  Food companies are meeting this critical need, and have made tremendous progress in improving their foods using healthier preparation methods, leaner meats, whole grain ingredients and less sodium and sugar.



Many of these companies have made noteworthy commitments to provide healthier products, including the multi-industry agreement with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to help schools serve healthier meals at more affordable prices and The Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation’s pledge to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign to reduce calories by 1.5 trillion a year. Food industry efforts in schools and in the commercial market where families and restaurants rely on pre-prepared foods will be critical to helping America's families improve their diets.

###

Discovery Identifies Elaborate G-protein Network in Plants

Discovery Identifies Elaborate G-protein Network in Plants

Key finding has the potential to improve crops’ response to drought, disease and other stresses



ST. LOUIS, MO, April 20, 2011— The most elaborate heterotrimeric G-protein network known to date in the plant kingdom has been identified by Dr. Sona Pandey, principal investigator at the Danforth Plant Science Center.  The results of this research are published in the recent article, "An elaborate heterotirmeric G-protein family from soybean expands the diversity of G-protein networks," in the New Phytologist.



G-proteins are signaling proteins that direct a plant’s response to various environmental signals including abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought and disease resistance.   Prior to Dr. Pandey’s discovery, it was assumed that plants had only one Ga protein based on previous research using Arabidopsis and rice, in contrast to 23 Ga proteins present in humans.   Using soybean, Dr. Pandey’s group was able to identify four Ga proteins.  In addition, they demonstrated that two of these proteins can react faster than was previously assumed.



Mammals have many G-proteins.  These proteins bind GTP (small molecules) and hydrolyze it to GDP.  The G-proteins are active only when GTP bound.   Binding is a key process because that is when the signaling can occur.  Mammals’ G-proteins are very quick to hydrolyze bound GTP and thus cycle fast between the GDP bound and GTP bound states.  The sole Ga protein of the model plant Arabidopsis is very slow to hydrolyze bound GTP.  In this research Dr. Pandey’s group also demonstrated that soybean has two types of G-proteins, two that hydrolyze GTP slowly and two that work more quickly similar to those found in mammals.



“The next step will be to try and engineer plants to express altered amounts of these G-proteins to see how they affect their overall growth and can enable them to better respond to stresses that may be involved in limiting crop yield,” Pandey said.



Signaling mechanism of Heterotrimeric G-protein



About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research at the Danforth Center will feed the hungry and improve human health, preserve and renew the environment, and enhance the St. Louis region and Missouri as a world center for plant science. The Center’s work is funded through competitive grants and contract revenue from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center invites you to visit its new website, www.danforthcenter.org, featuring interactive information on the Center's scientists, news, public education outreach, RSS feeds and the brand-new “Roots & Shoots” blog help keep visitors up to date with Center’s current operations and areas of research.

USDA Awards Grant to the University of Hawaii to Help Prevent Childhood Obesity in Minority Populations

USDA Awards Grant to the University of Hawaii to Help Prevent Childhood Obesity in Minority Populations


WASHINGTON, April 20, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a $25 million grant to the University of Hawaii to develop obesity prevention strategies among native populations in the Pacific Region, continuing USDA's commitment to meet the rising challenge of obesity in the United States, especially in American youth.

"We know that in order to win the future, we have to win the race to educate our children. That means that our kids must be healthy so they can learn and thrive," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Improving childhood nutrition remains a key priority of the Obama Administration as we work to ensure our kids are ready to out-compete in an increasingly globalized world."

The five-year research project will use a community-based participatory research approach that engages communities to prioritize obesity prevention strategies. Researchers will work with communities to develop community needs assessments and establish sustainable nutrition and health-promoting programs. Specifically, the team will identify specific environmental factors leading to childhood obesity in selected schools and daycare facilities. Intervention strategies will be attuned to culturally-specific needs and goals, and focus on physical activity, nutritional intake and the amount of sleep children get each night.

The project will train 22 specialists in food, nutrition and public health and develop research and evaluation methods that will help young children maintain healthy weight and prevent obesity. Dr. Rachel Novotny at the University of Hawaii will lead the project team, which includes scientists from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks; the University of Alaska, Anchorage; Northern Marianas College; the University of Guam; American Samoa Community College; the College of Micronesia; Windward Community College, Kaneohe, Hawaii; and the University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College.

The grants are awarded through USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and administered through USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. AFRI's childhood obesity prevention supports single-function research, education and extension projects and multi-function integrated research, education and extension projects. AFRI is USDA's flagship competitive grant program and was established under the 2008 Farm Bill. AFRI supports work in six priority areas: plant health and production and plant products; animal health and production and animal products; food safety, nutrition and health; renewable energy, natural resources and environment; agriculture systems and technology; and agriculture economics and rural communities.

Improving child nutrition is a focal point of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that was signed by President Obama in December 2010. This legislation reauthorizes USDA's child nutrition programs, including the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program, which serves nearly 32 million children each day. It will allow USDA, for the first time in over 30 years, the chance to make real reforms to the school lunch and breakfast programs by improving the critical nutrition and hunger safety net for millions of children. Investigating science-based interventions and studying obesity in children can also strengthen these programs. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is the legislative centerpiece of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative. To learn more, visit www.LetsMove.gov.

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. More information is available at: www.nifa.usda.gov.

How to Make Your Dreams Come True

How to Make Your Dreams Come True

Sailor Who Circumnavigated The Globe Reveals



Phineas Fogg’s goal was speed when the character in Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days attempted to circumnavigate the globe. Larry Jacobson was going more for quality when he set sail for his trip, taking more than six years to live out an adventure he dreamed of as a child.



“When I was 13, I shattered both bones in my right leg while skiing, and was laid up for more than three months in a complete hip-to-toe cast,” remembered Jacobson, author of The Boy Behind The Gate (www.larryjacobson.com), his chronicle of his 2,070 days on the open sea. “My mother tried to keep me occupied, and I read every magazine my mom would bring home – from Popular Mechanics to Boy’s Life -- as I watched my friends play outside. When I was finally free of the cast, I remember hobbling around as my brother brought home an eight-foot Styrofoam Sea Snark dinghy he had rescued from a garbage pile.

Most people would have seen trash, but I saw a super yacht. We repaired it and I painted it yellow, and began dreaming that one day I’d sail around the world.”

For most people, a childhood dream that grand would have remained just that – a childhood dream. Not for Jacobson, however. He began sailing as a teenager, against the wishes of his father who would have preferred he had taken up golf instead. By the time he was in high school, he began racing sailboats competitively, and was well on his way to making his dream come true. After getting his education and owning a travel business, he saw an opening to act on his dreams when his business was sold.



“As I analyzed the money I’d get for my share of the business, I realized I might have enough money to make my dream trip happen, with just a bit left over when I got back,” he added. “In reality, I spent just about every dime I had and then some, but I can’t think of any better use for money than making your life’s dream come true. The truth is, I feel like the luckiest man alive, because I don’t have to wonder ‘what if.’  I lived my dream, and had adventure enough to last three lifetimes. My only lament is that more people don’t seize their opportunities to fulfill their dreams. If I have any mission in life right now, it’s to let people know that we all have strength deep inside to live our dreams. We just don’t know it’s there until we need it”



Jacobson’s advice for others who feel their childhood – or professional or even current -- dreams have passed them by, include:



    * Write it down – There is something about writing down your life’s ambitions and even your day-to-day goals on paper that just makes them more real. After all, if you can’t articulate your dreams to yourself, how will you ever come close to making them come true?

    * Overcome the Fear - When I made my choice, I was basically leaving a good business, good friends and a good life to venture into the biggest unknown there is. The main reason why many people never get to live their dreams is because they never take the plunge. They are so tethered to their daily lives that they cannot imagine how to live beyond that framework or the identity they have created for themselves. Ignore your fear of the unknown and embrace the adventure of something new. Letting go makes everything possible.  Be willing to take a risk.

    * Persevere – Dig deep for strength. When we had to stay up for 36 hours and hand steer our way to Australia after losing the autopilot and nearly losing the mast, we dug deep and found strength we didn’t know we had.

“I know it sounds like an infomercial, but the truth is that if you can dream it, you can do it,” he added. “We all have to choose how we live our lives, but the sad part is so many of us never realize that the choice is ultimately ours to make. We’re not forced into anything. We choose, on one level or another. We can live our dreams, or we can just live. What choice are you going to make?”

Honeywell Wind Turbine by WindTronics Now Available for Purchase

Honeywell Wind Turbine by WindTronics Now Available for Purchase

Wind is Nature’s Energy-Savings Generator



Muskegon, Mich. – April 21, 2011 – WindTronics announced today the launch of its much-anticipated Honeywell Wind Turbine, which is now available through authorized dealers, retailers and partners. Best noted for always turning and generating power in as little as two miles per hour (mph), the Honeywell Wind Turbine’s small size, light weight and negligible noise, ensures everyone with wind has the ability to generate renewable wind energy for their home or business.



“Our vision is to make renewable wind power truly distributed and widely available,” said Reg Adams, president of WindTronics. “The ability to generate onsite power will help communities around the world convert the wind - bringing renewable energy technology into the mainstream.”



The Honeywell Wind Turbine is now available for purchase around the world through WindTronics’ authorized dealer network. For a complete list of dealers, please visit www.wheretobuyone.com. This ever-expanding network of distributors, partners and retailers, includes the following companies:

·         WindTronics Full Sales, Service & Warranty Dealers

·         Honeywell Resellers

·         Ace Hardware

·         True Value

·         WESCO Distribution, Inc.

·         Mid-States Distributing Co.



Weighing less than 185 pounds and measuring only six feet in diameter, the Honeywell Wind Turbine produces up to 1500kWh annually depending on height and location. This gearless wind turbine features an innovative Blade Tip Power System™ that utilizes a system of magnets and stators surrounding its outer ring to capture power at the blade tips where speed is greatest, practically eliminating mechanical resistance and drag. This enables the Honeywell Wind Turbine to start turning at 0.5 mph and generating energy in two mph of wind.

“The design of the Honeywell Wind Turbine is unlike anything I have seen before,” said Kyle Biedermann, CEO of WindBucks Energy, a distributor of Honeywell Wind Turbine in Texas. “This product, which lives harmoniously in almost any setting, is beneficial anywhere there is wind and is a viable option for sustainable energy.”



Designed to be flexible, the Honeywell Wind Turbine gives customers the choice to have the turbine mounted directly on a rooftop or use a pole. Additionally, customers can choose to connect the power directly to the building, to the grid, or to batteries using one of three connector options:

·         Grid-tie – using the Power One Aurora® Grid Tie Inverter to feed renewable power to any utility worldwide

·         Non-Grid Tie – using the WindTronics battery power management system called the SmartBox that converts wind power into electricity for the building

·         Direct DC – an option which captures the power directly into 12, 24, or 48 volt batteries for storage in remote areas


Depending upon which connector option is chosen, the cost of the Honeywell Wind Turbine ranges starting at $5,795 (plus installation). Similar to installing an electric generator, the Honeywell Wind Turbine was designed to be installed by a licensed electrical contractor. WindTronics offers a list of authorized installers to help customers properly install the Honeywell Wind Turbine.



Authorized full-service WindTronics’ dealers will work closely with potential customers to oversee the entire purchase process, which includes:

·         appropriate site selection for the turbine

·         mounting possibilities

·         local incentive and rebate programs

·         connection with a local certified installer

·         service and warranty questions



Resources

Before purchasing a wind turbine, WindTronics recommends customers research local wind speeds, incentives, rebate and grant programs, zoning and permitting requirements, homeowner’s association regulations and onsite placement for the turbine. To help customers navigate these areas and answer key questions, the WindTronics team has developed a series of resources:

·         www.windknowledge.com – Wind Knowledge is an online tool developed to calculate local wind speeds, local utility prices and local rebate programs to help customers understand estimated output and return on investment.

·          www.everyoneswind.com  – This animated online presentation provides a detailed introduction to the Honeywell Wind Turbine. It outlines U.S. wind patterns, explains how the turbine works and discusses what should be considered before installation.

·         www.wheretobuyone.com – This is a resource that lists all the retailers, dealers and partners who sell the wind turbine worldwide.

·         www.todayswindenergy.com – This auto load brochure provides more technical details about the Honeywell Wind Turbine, including connecting options and mounts.

NRA: Tips to be a greener restaurant guest

4 Tips to Be a Greener Restaurant Guest

(Washington, D.C.)  Restaurants nationwide are “going greener,” and consumers are increasingly looking for ways to do the same when dining out.  With 150 million meals served in nearly one million restaurants throughout the nation each day, even simple measures to conserve natural resources can make a big difference. This Earth Day – as well as on any day throughout the year – there are ways in which guests can contribute to reducing a restaurant’s carbon footprint. The National Restaurant Association offers these tips for being an eco-conscious restaurant guest:

1. Pass on the water. If you plan to order a beverage with your meal and not drink the complimentary glass of water that is commonly offered when seated in a restaurant, simply let your server know. If one out of four restaurant patrons declined that glass of water, it would help conserve more than 25 million gallons of water in a year, according to the U.S. EPA.

2. Skip the straws and utensils. If you don’t need a straw to enjoy your beverage, pass on it. According to BeStrawFree.org, more than 500 million disposable straws are used in the United States every day – enough to fill 9,300 school buses! And, when getting takeout or delivery that you plan to eat at home, tell restaurant staff that you don’t need disposable silverware included with your order. By declining single-use utensils when possible, you will help divert waste from landfills.

3. Bring your own. Use your own reusable tote bag for takeout orders rather than plastic or paper bags, and bring a travel mug for that morning cup of coffee – some restaurants will even give you a discount for it! 

4. Consider alternative transportation. Car-pool, walk, ride a bike, or take public transportation to your favorite restaurant. According to CNN Money, each vehicle in America uses an average of more than 600 gallons of gasoline per year, which translates into a lot of emissions. And with rising gas prices, these modes of transportation also double as budget-friendly alternatives.

Welch letter to staff and members on debt ceiling

Dear Staff of my Colleagues:



I hope you are enjoying a well-deserved rest during this recess. 



As you well know, when Congress returns in May, we will have our work cut out for us with the fiscal year 2012 budget.  So, enjoy the rituals of recess while you can -- wearing jeans, 8 hour days, and some quality time to think and plan ahead.



But if you do nothing else during this break, I hope you will carefully read the attached analysis by JP Morgan (“The Domino Effect of a US Treasury Technical Default”) of what will happen to America’s economy if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling, or even threatens not to raise the debt ceiling.  It is a chilling account of the consequences of a failure to act on America’s obligation to pay its bills.



If you find yourself too busy with recess distractions, here are just two of JP Morgan’s important conclusions:



“Our analysis suggests that any delay in making a coupon or principal payment by the Treasury – even for a very short period of time – would almost certainly have large systemic effects with long-term adverse consequences for Treasury finances and the US economy.”



And:



“Finally, we emphasize that even if the debt ceiling is ultimately raised before a technical default occurs, the delay in raising the debt ceiling is likely to negatively impact markets, as investors undertake risk-management actions in preparation for a potential Treasury default.”



Perhaps this report explains the recent comment by JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon that:



“If the United States actually defaults on our debt it would be catastrophic… and unpredictable. If anyone wants to push that button… they’re crazy.” (Jamie Dimon, at a US Chamber of Commerce event, March 30, 2011)



I hope you will also share this report with your boss as soon as possible.



Sincerely,





Peter Welch

MEMBER OF CONGRESS