"City Farming" system from the Netherlands wins FLIA 2013

"City Farming" system from the Netherlands wins FLIA 2013 Berlin, 8 February 2013 – The FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award 2013 (FLIA) goes to the "City Farming" system from the Staay Food Group, the Netherlands. Custom greenhouses with specialised LED lighting allow seeds to be cultivated into young plants within 35 days independently of their natural season. Optimum growing conditions make pesticides completely unnecessary. Temperature, irrigation and fertilizing are controlled automatically. City Farming offers a sustainable, environmentally-friendly method of producing healthy food for a rapidly growing global population. "We are very proud of our FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award 2013. The development of the City Farming system wouldn't have been possible without our partners. I would like to thank the jury for their appreciation of our work," said Hans de Groot of the Staay Food Group at the award ceremony. Trade visitors at the world's leading fresh produce trade fair voted "Apfel-Schiffchen®" into second place. These ship-shaped apple slices were developed by Elbe-Obst Vertriebs GmbH, Germany. A new drying technique guarantees crispness and prevents browning. Third place went to Tozer Seeds Ltd., of the UK for "Flower Sprout TM", a cross between Brussels sprouts and kale with green and purple leaves. FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) The FLIA is awarded for outstanding innovations in the fruit and vegetable sector. It honours new products and services that have set new trends in the marketplace. A panel of experts selected ten outstanding innovations introduced over the past year. The FLIA nominations were prominently displayed in a special exhibit at FRUIT LOGISTICA. Trade visitors had two days in which to select their favourites. Previous FLIA winners include "Salanova" lettuce from Rijk Zwaan (2006), "Vitamini's" vegetable snack from FresQ/Rainbow Growers Group (2007), "Intense" beef tomato from Nunhems Netherlands BV (2008), "Sweet Green Pepper" from Enza Zaden (2009), the "Arils Removal Tool" (ART) from Mehadrin Tnuport Export (2010), "Limeburst Fingerlimes" from Australia (2011), and "Angelo" baby sweet peppers from Syngenta Seeds B.V. (2012).

USDA Official: Crop Insurance Benefits All Americans

USDA Official: Crop Insurance Benefits All Americans (Indian Wells, California) – “An investment in crop insurance is an investment in America’s economy,” Brandon Willis, the acting administrator to the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, said today at the 2013 crop insurance industry conference. He challenged the group of crop insurers and farm leaders to take that message to the general public, which he said, “benefits greatly from the crop insurance program.” For example, Willis explained that agriculture is key to our nation’s future and that crop insurance underpins its success. “If having a food supply is in our nation’s interest…we need the best and brightest to be engaged in agriculture, providing that food for us,” he explained. “Without crop insurance we will not get the best and brightest back on our farms.” The reason, he told the group, is because of the high risk and intensive capital involved in farming. Willis also noted that, thanks to agriculture, “American families pay less for food at the grocery store than people in any other nation.” And the sector is also a major employer, with more than 1 million U.S. jobs tied to agricultural exports alone. In addition, Willis believes that crop insurance’s success during the historic drought of 2012 should be touted. “The lack of calls for disaster assistance speaks volumes to the effectiveness of the crop insurance program,” he said, noting that prior to crop insurance’s rise in popularity taxpayers were footing the bill for billions in costly ad hoc disaster programs. Since the last major drought in 1988, Willis said the amount of insurable farm acreage covered by insurance has risen from 25 percent to 85 percent for corn, soybeans and wheat, 80 percent for rice, and 90 percent for cotton. Since just 1998, 100 million more acres are enrolled in crop insurance and it protects 30 additional crops.

FDA and JIFSAN Announce Online Training for Aquaculture Producers and Importers

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Constituent Update FDA and JIFSAN Announce Online Training for Aquaculture Producers and Importers February 11, 2013 The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it has partnered with the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) at the University of Maryland to offer a training module for aquaculture producers to help them comply with FDA regulations for importing seafood. JIFSAN houses the online training on its website and provides certificates of completion to those who take it. The United States imports approximately 90 percent of its seafood. The training course is designed for foreign producers who export their products to the U.S., and may also be useful for foreign regulators. FDA receives numerous inquiries each year from importers and producers of seafood, particularly about the chemicals or drugs they are using or would like to use. The new module is designed to clarify how FDA regulates drugs for aquaculture, and provides information to help identify what drugs may be used and how they should be used to prevent unacceptable residues. The course also includes a section on the judicious use of antimicrobials. For more information: • Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) • JIFSAN Portal for Aquaculture Drugs and US Regulations Training Module for International Producers # This Constituent Update can be found at http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm339190.htm Additional Constituent Updates can be found at http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/default.htm