BURPEE TAKES TOP HONORS IN PENN STATE TOMATO TRIALS

BURPEE TAKES TOP HONORS IN PENN STATE TOMATO TRIALS

For the third year in a row, W. Atlee Burpee & Co. walked away with top honors in a recently published Tomato Report, based on extensive trials by Penn State University of approximately 50 different varieties.

A total of 15 different tomato varieties sold by Burpee through the company’s famous catalogue and via its website, www.burpee.com, were recommended by Penn State, which has been running tomato trials since 2000 and each year publishes some of the best varieties.

Among the tomato categories included in “The Best of the Penn State Tomato Trials” report were Hybrids, Heirlooms and those that are best for containers.

For the third straight year, Burpee’s ‘Brandy Boy’ took top honors among Slicers. According to the report, “When gardeners ask what single tomato to grow, this (‘Brandy Boy’) is the one.” So far as taste is concerned, Penn State says, ’Brandy Boy’ is easily the top tasting tomato now several years in a row.

In the increasingly popular “Patio or Container” category, Burpee took two of the three top places. Burpee’s ‘Bush Early Girl’ was a clear winner, with the Penn State Trial report noting, “Without a doubt, ‘Bush Early Girl’ is the ‘Top of the Heap,’ amongst slicer tomatoes that you can grow in a container.” Burpee’s ‘Bush Steak’ was also recommended as second choice.

And while the 136 year old Burpee company is well known for its collection of hybrids, the nation’s leading purveyor of vegetables and flowers for home gardeners has greatly expanded its offering of heirloom varieties.

In the Penn State Trials, seven of the Heirloom varieties sold by Burpee were among those recommended. These include ‘Brandywine’, “the tomato against which many others are compared,” as well as ‘Mortgage Lifter’, ‘Arkansas Traveler’, ‘Black Krim’, ‘Cherokee Purple’, ‘Black Cherry’ and ‘Amish Paste’, which is excellent “for canning and making sauces.”

According to George Ball, chairman of Bucks County, PA based Burpee, “We are extremely proud of the rigorous selection process we utilize for both hybrids and heirlooms and are extremely proud of the recognition extended to Burpee by the Penn State Tomato Trials.”

For tomato growing information and tips, please visit www.burpee.com.

Peterson statement: House proposal is waste of time

Opening Statement by Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson

To consider a proposal to satisfy the Committee’s reconciliation instructions required by H. Con. Res. 112

--As Prepared for Delivery--

“Thank you Chairman Lucas and good morning.

“It’s often said that the Agriculture Committee is the least partisan of all the Congressional committees. We have a bipartisan tradition of being reasonable and a commitment to working together in the best interests of our constituents. While I still think that’s true, today is one very unfortunate exception.

“In fact, I would contend this entire process is a waste of time. It doesn’t mean anything. The Senate has not agreed to reconciliation and, as you have said Mr. Chairman, the Senate almost certainly will not touch this bill.

“The proposal before us is not serious. You can’t have a serious conversation about getting our budget under control when you take large items like defense off the table, which is really why we’re here. Taking a meat ax to nutrition programs that feed millions of hard-working families, in an effort to avoid defense cuts, is not a serious way to achieve deficit reduction. No wonder no one likes Congress.

“We have a farm bill to write, Mr. Chairman. We’ve heard from folks representing all titles of the farm bill from farm programs to conservation to nutrition. One thing is clear. They want us to get our work done, and they want us to get it done this year. I stand ready, Mr. Chairman, to work together in a bipartisan and serious manner to set the priorities for farm and food programs for the next five years.

“It won’t be easy. We know that. There are real and legitimate budget pressures. I hope we are all ready to make the difficult decisions we know will be necessary.

“I understand why you need to engage in this political exercise. I just caution that if we continue down the path before us today it will be far more difficult to come together and enact responsible and thoughtful policy for the American people.

“With that Mr. Chairman, I yield back.”