Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Friday, May 29, 2015

Census Bureau: Older Americans Month: May 2015



A meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens resulted in President John F. Kennedy designating May 1963 as Senior Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute to older people across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter’s proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public recognition.

44.7 million

The number of people who were 65 and older in the United States on July 1, 2013. This group accounted for 14.1 percent of the total population. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates

98.2 million

Projected population of people 65 and older in 2060. People in this age group would comprise nearly one in four U.S. residents at that time. Of this number, 19.7 million would be 85 or older. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections, Table 3

2.6 million

Projected number of baby boomers in 2060. At that time, the youngest baby boomers would be 96 years old. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections  

2033

The year in which, for the first time, the population 65 and older would outnumber people younger than 18 in the U.S. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections

Income and Poverty
$35,611

The 2013 median income of households with householders 65 and older, up 3.7 percent from the previous year. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2013, Table 1

9.5%

The percent of people 65 and older (4.2 million) who were in poverty in 2013. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States:  2013, Table 3

$170,516

Median net worth for householders 65 and older in 2011. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Net Worth and Asset Ownership of Households: 2011

14.6%

Percent supplemental poverty rate for those 65 and older, equating to 6.5 million people. Excluding Social Security would leave the majority of this population in poverty. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2013

Serving Our Nation

9.3 million

Estimated number of people 65 and older who were veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces in 2013. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey

Jobs
21.5%

Labor force participation rate for men 65 and older in 2013, significantly higher than the rate for women 65 and older at 13.8 percent. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey Table B23001

4.9 million

Number of full-time, year-round workers 65 and older with earnings in 2013, up from 1.5 million in 1993. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Historical Income Tables: People, Table P-32

Education
83.6%

Proportion of people 65 and older in 2014 who had completed high school or higher education. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States: 2014, Table 1 All Races

26.3%

Percentage of the population 65 and older in 2014 who had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States: 2014, Table 1 All Races  

Marital Status and Living Arrangements

58.6%

Percentage of people 65 and older who were married in 2014.Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements, Table A1

24.7%

Percentage of people 65 and older in 2014 who were widowed. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements, Table A1

Computer and Internet Use

71%

The percentage of those 65 and older who reported living in homes with computers in 2013. Additionally, 62.4 percent accessed the Internet through a high-speed Internet connection. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Computer and Internet Use, Table 2

Voting

72.0%

Percentage of citizens 65 and older who reported casting a ballot in the 2012 presidential election. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2012, Table 2

Homeownership
79.5%

Percentage of householders 65 and older who owned their homes as of fourth quarter 2014. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey, Table 7

Services for the Older Population

4,792

Number of continuing care retirement communities in 2012. These businesses employed 426,109 workers and generated $27.7 billion in revenues. In 2007, there were 5,939 such establishments, employing 442,219 people and producing $26.0 billion in revenues. These establishments provide a range of residential and personal care services with on-site nursing care facilities for the elderly and other persons who are unable to fully care for themselves and the elderly and other persons who do not desire to live independently. Individuals live in a variety of residential settings with meals, housekeeping, social, leisure, and other services available to assist residents in daily living. Source: 2012 and 2007 Economic Census Industry Series (NAICS 623311)

25,899

Number of business establishments providing services for the elderly and people with disabilities in 2012. These businesses employed 911,331 workers and generated $34.4 billion in revenues. In 2007, there were 20,433 such establishments, employing 621,545 people and producing $25.3 billion in revenues. Senior citizens centers are among the establishments in this industry. Source: 2012 and 2007 Economic Census Industry Series (NAICS 624120)

On the Map

18.7%

Percentage of Florida’s population that was 65 and older in 2013, followed by Maine (17.7 percent) and West Virginia (17.3 percent). Alaska had the lowest percentage (9 percent), followed by Utah (9.8 percent) and Texas (11.2 percent). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates

51.6%

Percentage of the population in Sumter, Fla., that was 65 and older in 2013 – which led all of the nation’s counties and Chattahoochee, Ga. (3.8 percent) had the lowest percentage. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates

114,350

The estimated July 1, 2014 population of The Villages, Fla., metro area. The Villages, located to the west of the Orlando metro area, was the nation’s fastest-growing metro area between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, with its population increasing by 5.4 percent. The metro area is home to one of the largest age-restricted retirement communities in the world. Source: 2014 metro area population estimates  

Centenarians

53,364

The number of people age 100 and older counted by the 2010 Census. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Centenarians: 2010

20.7

For every 100 centenarian women, the number of centenarian men in 2010. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Centenarians: 2010

43.5%

In 2010, percentage of centenarian men who lived with others in a household, the most common living arrangement for this group. For their female counterparts, the most common living arrangement was residing in a nursing home (35.2 percent). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Centenarians: 2010

3.29

Number of centenarians per 10,000 people in North Dakota in 2010. North Dakota was the only state with more than three centenarians per 10,000 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Centenarians: 2010

Statement by Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard



WASHINGTON, D.C., May 29, 2015 – “Congress was clear in its intent: The United States can and should produce significantly more ethanol for the nation’s cars and trucks than the EPA has proposed. The Renewable Fuel Standard has produced jobs, decreased reliance on imported oil and contributed to cleaner air. For those reasons, we need more ethanol, not less, and living up to Congressional mandates is the place to begin. We look forward to commenting on the rule and working with both Congress and the Administration to take full advantage of this renewable fuel resource.”

Background: The EPA today released targets for the nation’s Renewable Fuel Standard, which determines how much ethanol will be blended into the nation’s gasoline supplies. The new requirements for 2015-2016 are 16.3 billion and 17.4 billion gallons – significantly short of the standard mandated by Congress. The EPA proposal will be open for comment beginning July 27 with a final rule expected by Nov. 30.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Greg Walden: EPA’s expansion of federal water rules threaten farm and ranch jobs in rural Oregon


WASHINGTON, D.C.  — U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to finalize its Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, which would expand the federal government’s authority over waterways within the U.S.
“All across Oregon, farmers, ranchers, and other property owners have been wondering what the EPA would try to unnecessarily regulate next. The Administration’s new proposal would expand federal authority over virtually any water in the United States, including canals, irrigation ditches, and stock ponds. This blatant bureaucratic overreach could drastically increase uncertainty and threaten jobs and livelihoods in rural Oregon,” Walden said.
“The EPA has ignored Congress’ repeated rejection of similar legislative efforts to expand jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act.  Of course, we shouldn’t be that surprised. The agency has tried this before, and they have twice been rebuked by the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, I was proud to support a bipartisan bill passed by the House to stop implementation of this rule and send the agency back to the drawing board. I hope that the Senate will swiftly pass this bill. The economies of rural Oregon and other communities around the country face enough obstacles already. We don’t need agencies in Washington D.C. erecting more hurdles and creating more uncertainty.”
On May 12, the House—with Walden’s strong support—passed the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act (H.R. 1732), which requires the EPA to withdraw the rule.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Farm Bureau asks Congress to Repeal Country of Origin Labeling for Beef, Chicken and Pork



WASHINGTON, D.C., May 27, 2015 – The American Farm Bureau Federation today announced support for efforts in Congress to repeal a law that forces food distributors to label beef, chicken and pork products as to their country of origin. The request comes on the heels of a World Trade Organization ruling that grants Canada and Mexico the right to retaliate against the United States if it fails to stop the program by mid-November.

“While we were hopeful that WTO would have found COOL to be legal, it is now clear that we are far better off with no mandatory labeling for beef, pork and chicken, which should end threats of retaliation by our two closest trading partners,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.

The House Agriculture Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Mike Conaway (R-Texas), last week passed a bill to remove the language from current law. A vote by the full House could happen within days.

“We are pleased the House Agriculture Committee has moved to repeal country of origin labeling for beef, pork and chicken, and we ask the full House to do likewise,” Stallman said. “Whatever benefits labeling brought farmers and ranchers, the WTO ruled that the process of separating the herds was too cumbersome to permit free trade. Canada and Mexico could retaliate with $2 billion in tariffs against U.S. food if we don’t stop the labeling program.”

Protecting Clean Water While Respecting Agriculture


Rule does not create any new permitting requirements, maintains all previous exemptions and exclusions
By Administrator Gina McCarthy and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy
Today, EPA and the Army finalized a rule under the Clean Water Act to protect the streams and wetlands we depend on for our health, our economy, and our way of life.
The Clean Water Act has protected our health for more than 40 years—and helped our nation clean up hundreds of thousands of miles of waterways that were choked by industrial pollution, untreated sewage, and garbage for decades.
But Supreme Court cases in 2001 and 2006 put protection of 60 percent of our nation’s streams and millions of acres of wetlands into question. At the same time, we understand much more today about how waters connect to each other than we did in decades past. Scientists, water quality experts, and local water managers are better able than ever before to pinpoint the waters that impact our health and the environment the most.
Members of Congress, farmers, ranchers, small business owners, hunters, anglers, and the public have called on EPA and the Army to make a rule to clarify where the Clean Water Act applies, and bring it in line with the law and the latest science. Today, we’re answering that call.
Every lake and every river depends on the streams and wetlands that feed it—and we can’t have healthy communities downstream without healthy headwaters upstream. The Clean Water Rule will protect streams and wetlands and provide greater clarity and certainty to farmers, all without creating any new permitting requirements for agriculture and while maintaining all existing exemptions and exclusions.
The agencies did extensive outreach on the Clean Water Rule, hosting more than 400 meetings across the country and receiving more than a million public comments. EPA officials visited farms in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Vermont.
Our nation’s original conservationists—our farmers, ranchers, and foresters—were among the most crucial voices who weighed in during this process.  Farmers have a critical job to do; our nation depends on them for food, fiber, and fuel, and they depend on clean water for their livelihoods.
Normal farming and ranching—including planting, harvesting, and moving livestock—have long been exempt from Clean Water Act regulation, and the Clean Water Rule doesn’t change that. It respects producers’ crucial role in our economy and respects the law. We’d like give a few more specifics on our final rule, starting with what it doesn’t do.
The rule doesn’t add any new permitting requirements for agriculture.

It doesn’t protect new kinds of waters that the Clean Water Act didn’t historically cover. It doesn’t regulate most ditches and excludes groundwater, shallow subsurface flows, and tile drains. And it doesn’t change policy on irrigation or water transfers.

It doesn’t touch land use or private property rights. The Clean Water Rule only deals with the pollution and destruction of waterways.

Again, our rule doesn’t touch long-standing Clean Water Act exemptions and exclusions for agriculture. It specifically recognizes the crucial role farmers play and actually adds exclusions for features like artificial lakes and ponds, water-filled depressions from construction, and grass swales.
What the rule does is simple: it protects clean water, and it provides clarity on which waters are covered by the Clean Water Act so they can be protected from pollution and destruction.
Feedback from the agricultural community led us to define tributaries more clearly. The rule is precise about the streams being protected so that it can’t be interpreted to pick up erosion in a farmer’s field. The rule says a tributary has to show physical features of flowing water to warrant protection.
We also got feedback that our proposed definition of ditches was confusing. We’re only interested in the ones that act like tributaries and could carry pollution downstream—so we changed the definition in the final rule to focus on tributaries. So ditches that are not constructed in streams and that flow only when it rains are not covered.
We’ve also provided certainty in how far safeguards extend to nearby waters—the rule sets physical, measurable limits for the first time. For example, an adjacent water is protected if it’s within the 100-year floodplain and within 1,500 feet of a covered waterway. By setting bright lines, agricultural producers and others will know exactly where the Clean Water Act applies, and where it doesn’t.
Farmers and ranchers work hard every day to feed America and the world. In this final rule, we’ve provided additional certainty that they’ll retain all of their Clean Water Act exemptions and exclusions—so they can continue to do their jobs, and continue to be conservation leaders.
We appreciate everyone’s input as we’ve worked together to finalize a Clean Water Rule that keeps pollution out of our water, while providing the additional clarity our economy needs. Learn more here: http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-05/documents/fact_sheet_agriculture_final_1.pdf



EPA: Clean Water Rule Protects Streams and Wetlands Critical to Public Health, Communities, and Economy


Washington – In an historic step for the protection of clean water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army finalized the Clean Water Rule today to clearly protect from pollution and degradation the streams and wetlands that form the foundation of the nation’s water resources.

The rule ensures that waters protected under the Clean Water Act are more precisely defined and predictably determined, making permitting less costly, easier, and faster for businesses and industry. The rule is grounded in law and the latest science, and is shaped by public input. The rule does not create any new permitting requirements for agriculture and maintains all previous exemptions and exclusions.

“For the water in the rivers and lakes in our communities that flow to our drinking water to be clean, the streams and wetlands that feed them need to be clean too,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Protecting our water sources is a critical component of adapting to climate change impacts like drought, sea level rise, stronger storms, and warmer temperatures – which is why EPA and the Army have finalized the Clean Water Rule to protect these important waters, so we can strengthen our economy and provide certainty to American businesses.”

“Today's rule marks the beginning of a new era in the history of the Clean Water Act,” said Assistant Secretary for the Army (Civil Works) Jo-Ellen Darcy. “This rule responds to the public's demand for greater clarity, consistency, and predictability when making jurisdictional determinations. The result will be better public service nationwide."

People need clean water for their health: About 117 million Americans – one in three people – get drinking water from streams that lacked clear protection before the Clean Water Rule. America’s cherished way of life depends on clean water, as healthy ecosystems provide wildlife habitat and places to fish, paddle, surf, and swim. Clean and reliable water is an economic driver, including for manufacturing, farming, tourism, recreation, and energy production. The health of our rivers, lakes, bays, and coastal waters are impacted by the streams and wetlands where they begin.

Protection for many of the nation’s streams and wetlands has been confusing, complex, and time-consuming as the result of Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006. EPA and the Army are taking this action today to provide clarity on protections under the Clean Water Act after receiving requests for over a decade from members of Congress, state and local officials, industry, agriculture, environmental groups, scientists, and the public for a rulemaking.

In developing the rule, the agencies held more than 400 meetings with stakeholders across the country, reviewed over one million public comments, and listened carefully to perspectives from all sides. EPA and the Army also utilized the latest science, including a report summarizing more than 1,200 peer-reviewed, published scientific studies which showed that small streams and wetlands play an integral role in the health of larger downstream water bodies.

Climate change makes protection of water resources even more essential. Streams and wetlands provide many benefits to communities by trapping floodwaters, recharging groundwater supplies, filtering pollution, and providing habitat for fish and wildlife. Impacts from climate change like drought, sea level rise, stronger storms, and warmer temperatures threaten the quantity and quality of America’s water. Protecting streams and wetlands will improve our nation’s resilience to climate change.

Specifically, the Clean Water Rule:

Clearly defines and protects tributaries that impact the health of downstream waters. The Clean Water Act protects navigable waterways and their tributaries. The rule says that a tributary must show physical features of flowing water – a bed, bank, and ordinary high water mark – to warrant protection. The rule provides protection for headwaters that have these features and science shows can have a significant connection to downstream waters.

Provides certainty in how far safeguards extend to nearby waters. The rule protects waters that are next to rivers and lakes and their tributaries because science shows that they impact downstream waters. The rule sets boundaries on covering nearby waters for the first time that are physical and measurable.
Protects the nation’s regional water treasures. Science shows that specific water features can function like a system and impact the health of downstream waters. The rule protects prairie potholes, Carolina and Delmarva bays, pocosins, western vernal pools in California, and Texas coastal prairie wetlands when they impact downstream waters.
Focuses on streams, not ditches. The rule limits protection to ditches that are constructed out of streams or function like streams and can carry pollution downstream. So ditches that are not constructed in streams and that flow only when it rains are not covered.

Maintains the status of waters within Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems. The rule does not change how those waters are treated and encourages the use of green infrastructure.

Reduces the use of case-specific analysis of waters. Previously, almost any water could be put through a lengthy case-specific analysis, even if it would not be subject to the Clean Water Act. The rule significantly limits the use of case-specific analysis by creating clarity and certainty on protected waters and limiting the number of similarly situated water features.

A Clean Water Act permit is only needed if a water is going to be polluted or destroyed. The Clean Water Rule only protects the types of waters that have historically been covered under the Clean Water Act. It does not regulate most ditches and does not regulate groundwater, shallow subsurface flows, or tile drains. It does not make changes to current policies on irrigation or water transfers or apply to erosion in a field. The Clean Water Rule addresses the pollution and destruction of waterways – not land use or private property rights.

The rule protects clean water necessary for farming, ranching, and forestry and provides greater clarity and certainty to farmers about coverage of the Clean Water Act. Farms across America depend on clean and reliable water for livestock, crops, and irrigation. The final rule specifically recognizes the vital role that U.S. agriculture serves in providing food, fuel, and fiber at home and around the world. The rule does not create any new permitting requirements for America’s farmers. Activities like planting, harvesting, and moving livestock have long been exempt from Clean Water Act regulation, and the Clean Water Rule preserves those exemptions.

The Clean Water Rule will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.

More information: www.epa.gov/cleanwaterrule

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

USDA Seeks Applications for Grants to Help Socially-Disadvantaged Producers



WASHINGTON, May 26, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications to provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural areas.

"These grants will help socially-disadvantaged business owners develop the tools and skills they need to grow their enterprises and succeed at creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities in rural areas," Vilsack said. "American agriculture is becoming increasingly diverse in many ways, with more minorities and women seeking to enter the field, as well as greater diversity in the age of farmers, the size of operations, in production methods, and in the types of crops being grown. All of these forms of diversity help strengthen U.S. agriculture for the future."

Funding will be made available through USDA's Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant Program (formerly the Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant Program), which assists organizations that provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Examples of technical assistance are conducting feasibility studies, developing business and strategic plans, and providing leadership training.

USDA plans to make up to $3 million in grants available. The maximum award under this notice is $175,000. More information on how to apply can be found on page 28937 of the May 20 Federal Register. Applications submitted by mail must be postmarked by July 20, 2015. Electronic applications must be submitted at www.grants.gov no later than midnight Eastern Time July 14, 2015.

Eligible applicants include groups of cooperatives, cooperative development centers and individual cooperatives that serve socially-disadvantaged groups. The cooperatives or centers can be located in any area, but the groups assisted must be located in an eligible rural area. Also, the majority of the governing body of the organization must be compromised of individuals who are members of socially-disadvantaged groups.

USDA Rural Development is encouraging applications for projects in census tracts with poverty rates of 20 percent or higher. All grants are awarded through a national competition.

The program is making a difference in many rural areas. For example, in 2013, the Southern California Focus on Cooperation (SCFC) received a $200,000 Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant to provide technical assistance to help 95 refugee immigrant and minority farmers improve their productive capacity, increase revenue, and strengthen their ability to govern and manage their cooperative businesses.

Many of the farmers benefiting from the project had little or no access to formal schooling and had been persecuted and oppressed for years in their native land. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), in concert with SCFC, developed marketing channels including various farmers markets and restaurants where the refugee farmers could sell their produce. Farmers have learned how to manage these marketing channels themselves, without assistance from IRC, and have gained new clients. They have also increased the level of cooperation among Hispanic, Korean and African farmer groups. These groups are working toward merging their efforts to form a single cooperative. The technical assistance provided by SCFC has enabled these farmers to build skills that have truly been life changing.

President Obama's historic investments in rural America have made our rural communities stronger. Under his leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way - strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities.

Bown expresses concern about Valparaiso

Santiago, April 25, 2015.- The Fruit Exporters Association of Chile AG (Asoex), through its President, Ronald Bown Fernandez has expressed its deep concern at the arrest that Customs conducted, indefinitely, since Wednesday 20 May.
"Whenever there is a standstill in some sectors linked to the export process in the country, our industry is directly affected, paying the consequences of these demonstrations, which is totally unfair. Once again the fruit sector is being affected by not being able to continue with the normal process of loading containers, especially through the port of Valparaiso, which is why we urge government authorities and Customs officials to seek solutions to the conflict urgently, to avoid further damage to the exporting country's economy, "said President of Asoex.
"To prime the dialogue so that the problem is solved it is necessary, and does not harm economic sectors that work with perishables, and therefore, can not wait. Here it is not only in play, once again, the quality and condition of our fruit, but also our image as a reliable and dependable supplier country, "added the leader.
Bown also recalled that customs unemployment adds to the strikes occurred, early this season exports (2014-2015), in the ports of San Antonio and Los Angeles, USA, which caused serious economic damage and image to the field of export fruit. In addition to all this the difficulties faced by producers and exporters in the north, due to a long drought and March rains are added.
"Right now we have exported citrus, especially clementines, oranges, lemons and apples, table grapes, kiwis, avocados and pears. Last season (2013-2014) in the same period exports were registered for a total of 16 million boxes of fresh to different target markets, a figure that certainly can not match or beat without the normalization of fruit exports, "he said.
The situation becomes critical in Ports
"We have been monitoring the situation and we know that they have started to accumulate land, port and air cargo, is in the port of Valparaiso receive operations and freight forwarding are virtually paralyzed, and the situation is made each time more critical, "said the leader.
Bown said that until Friday night just past, the Zeal of Valparaiso over 900 trucks with problems of access to port facilities or times exceeding 30 hours waiting were reported. TPS had more than 1,700 containers without the possibility of release, and there are 3 ships TCVAL without possibility of transfer of horticultural export cargo.
It is worth remembering that the ports of San Antonio and Valparaiso are the most important in terms of volume of shipments of Chilean fresh fruit to international markets. According to figures from Asoex, past the Port of Valparaiso season they came 1,197,464 tons and San Antonio 719 213 ton., A total of 2,350,543 tonnes of fresh fruit exported from Chile to the world.
Bown, said that until Friday night at the Port of Valparaiso ZEAL 500 trucks had no possibility of entering the port. While the most critical situation lived 473 truckloads of container export, of which 73% have a period greater than 32 hours waiting, noting that 59% of these trucks have refrigerated cargo, therefore, they have a limited time to maintain autonomy to maintain the required temperature.
In the case of TPS, the terminal 1, through Friday, a total of 6,125 TEUs of cargo import and export collected remained inside, being judgmental, that to attend to other ships, the office promptly 1,720 corresponding to deferred direct of Ships SANTA ROSA, SEABOARD PACIFIC MSC and NYK LODESTAR and Leanne containers.

IFOAM - Organics International calls for stop to subsidizing unsustainable farming practices on International Biodiversity Day



IFOAM Head Office e.V

(PresseBox) (Bonn, 26.05.2015) The widespread practice of large monocultures and the use of chemicals in agriculture are causing a decline in biodiversity. We therefore call for the adoption and effective implementation of a standalone goal on sustainable agriculture as part of the Sustainable Development Goals to put an end to subsidizing unsustainable agriculture practices.

Biodiversity is crucial to sustainable development and human wellbeing, e.g. more than 70,000 plant species are used in traditional and modern medicine. Intensive agriculture is a root cause of biodiversity loss globally. By not using harmful pesticides and fertilizers, organic farmers are preserving biodiversity and organic farms provide a home to 30% more species and 46-72% more semi-natural habitats than their conventional counterparts.

However, in many countries and regions around the world, agricultural policies still support monocultures and intensive farming based on pesticides and fertilizers to the detriment of both more sustainable forms of agriculture and global food production. According to Gábor Figeczky, Advocacy Manager at IFOAM - Organics International, "It is high time to cease subsidizing unsustainable farming practices that are contributing to climate change, threatening biodiversity and hindering sustainable development."

On this International Day for Biological Diversity, IFOAM - Organics International therefore calls for:

- The adoption and effective implementation of a standalone goal on sustainable agriculture as part of the SDGs;
- A halt to subsidies for unsustainable farming practices;
- The creation of a policy environment conducive to truly sustainable agricultural practices such as organic.

"To grow healthy food, we need biodiversity and the services provided by ecosystems. By endangering them, we are putting our ability to nourish the world at risk," continues Figeczky. Organic Agriculture does not use chemicals that harm biodiversity. Organic farmers work with nature not against it. Supporting Organic Agriculture means supporting and safeguarding the variety of life on earth.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

“The Milk-Bone All-American Doggy Road Trip Ranking”



Summer is the top season for travel — but increasingly, Americans are choosing to hit the open road rather than braving airport delays. This Memorial Day weekend, 37.2 million Americans will pack their bags, and - according to an AAA study - 88 percent of them will travel by car instead of by jet plane.

In the spirit of the great American road trip, Milk-Bone teamed up with other products in the Big Heart Pet Brands family - including Pup-Peroni, Canine Carry Outs and Milo's Kitchen - to present the Milk-Bone Doggy Road Trip Ranking: your guide to the top destinations to treat the whole family... including Fido.

By cross referencing online review sites with data on dog-friendly restaurants and hotels, the brand has compiled the ultimate list of pup-approved parks and landmarks and assigned each spot a “Milk-Bone Biscuit Score.”

*** THE MILK-BONE ALL-AMERICAN DOGGY ROAD TRIP RANKING ***

>> THE TOP 50 DOG FRIENDLY ROAD TRIP DESTINATIONS & MILK-BONE BISCUIT SCORE (biscuit score in parenthesis)

 #1: The Original Dog Beach (San Diego, California) (50)
 #2: SF Golden Gate Park (San Francisco, California) (49)
 #3: Fort Tryon Park (New York City, New York) (48.5)
 #4: Runyon Canyon (Los Angeles, California) (47)
 #5: Acadia National Park (Mt. Desert Island, Maine) (46)
 #6: Pike Place Market (Seattle, Washington) (45)
 #7: Carmel (Carmel-by-the-Sea, California) (44.5)
 #8: The Biltmore Estate (Asheville, North Carolina) (44)
 #9: Central Park (New York City, New York) (43)
 #10: Buckskin Joe Frontier Town (Cañon City, Colorado) (42.5)
 #11: Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (Houston, Texas) (40)
 #12: The Trail System at the US National Whitewater Center (Charlotte, North Carolina) (39)
 #13: Mammoth Mountain (Mammoth Lakes, California) (38)
 #14: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (Atlanta, Georgia) (37)
 #15: Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) (37)
 #16: Yosemite (California) (35)
 #17: Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg, Virginia) (34)
 #18: Nashville (Tennessee) (33)
 #19: Key West Aquarium (Key West, Florida) (33)
 #20: The Cascades at Lake Mohegan (Fairfield, Connecticut) 32
 #21: Broad Ripple (Indianapolis, Indiana) (31)
 #22: Mercury Canine Cruise (Chicago, Illinois) (30)
 #23: National Mall (Washington, D.C.) (29)
 #24: Arlington National Cemetery (Washington, D.C.) (28)
 #25: Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Ohio) (27)
 #26: Point Reyes National Seashore (Point Reyes Station, California) (26)
 #27: Olympic National Park (Port Angeles, Washington) (25)
 #28: Shenandoah National Park (Virginia) (24)
 #29: Bow Wow Beach (Stow, Ohio) (23)
 #30: Royal Gorge Bridge (Cañon City, Colorado) (23)
 #31: Fantastic Caverns (Springfield, Missouri) (23)
 #32: Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, Virginia) (23)
 #33: Old Charleston Ghost Tour (Charleston, South Carolina) (22)
 #34: Crazy Horse Memorial (Crazy Horse, South Dakota) (22)
 #35: Joshua Tree (Joshua Tree National Park, California) (22)
 #36: Hot Springs National Park & Riverboat Tour (Hot Springs, Arkansas) (22)
 #37: Mount Hollywood Trail (Los Angeles, California) (21)
 #38: White Sands National Monument (Alamogordo, New Mexico) (21)
 #39: Washington Crossing Historic Park (Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania) (21)
 #40: Dog Beach at Key Biscayne (Key Biscayne, Florida) (20)
 #41: Tombstone (Tombstone, Arizona) (20)
 #42: Southwest City Dog Park (St. Louis, Missouri) (20)
 #43: Good Hart (Good Hart, Michigan) (20)
 #44: Dinosaur National Monument (Maybell, Utah) (20)
 #45: Mammoth Cave National Park (Mammoth Cave, Kentucky) (20)
 #46: Dallas Heritage Village (Dallas - Ft. Worth, Texas) (20)
 #47: Minute Man National Historic Park (Concord, Massachusetts) (20)
 #48: Veterans Park Lagoon (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) (20)
 #49: Paw Playground & Beach De Soto (St Petersburg, Florida) (20)
 #50: Penn Valley Dog Park (WWI Memorial) (Kansas City, Missouri) (20)

Locations could score up to 50 biscuit points; final scores ranged from 20 to 50 biscuits.

**TOP 3 DOGGIE DO'S***

Milk-Bone's in-house team of behavioral experts are also sharing their 'Top 3 Doggie Do's' to keep your pooch happy while you’re on the go --- so stick to these tips and watch their tail wag:

1. TAKE A JOY RIDE
Was your pup’s last ‘road trip’ a trip to the vet? If so, chances are he’s going to get nervous when he hears your keys jingling. Take him on a short ride to the park to make the car a place where fun things happen, too.

2. MAKE CRATE TIME TREAT TIME
Make your dog's crate a safe and happy place. Do a “test crating” and reward Fido with lots of Milk-Bone, Pup-Peroni, Canine Carry Outs and Milo's Kitchen treats; soon he'll be drooling every time he crawls inside.

3. SPOIL THEM SILLY
Last but not least, reward your pup for good behavior. Treats help to build positive associations with the new sights and sounds of a road trip, and reminds them that you love them and that they are having fun!

Obese Teens’ Brains, Mouths Unusually Susceptible to Food Commercials, Dartmouth Study Finds



HANOVER, N.H. – May 21, 2015 – A Dartmouth study finds that TV food commercials disproportionately stimulate the brains of overweight teen-agers, including the regions that control pleasure, taste and -- most surprisingly -- the mouth, suggesting they mentally simulate unhealthy eating habits.

The findings suggest such habits may make it difficult to lose weight later in life, and that dieting efforts should not only target the initial desire to eat tempting food, but the subsequent thinking about actually tasting and eating it – in other words, you should picture yourself munching a salad rather than a cheeseburger.

The study appears in the journal Cerebral Cortex. A PDF is available on request. The study included researchers from Dartmouth College’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

The prevalence of food advertising and adolescent obesity has increased dramatically over the past 30 years, and research has linked the number of television shows viewed during childhood with greater risk for obesity. In particular, considerable evidence suggests that exposure to food marketing promotes eating habits that contribute to obesity.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the Dartmouth researchers examined brain responses to two dozen fast food commercials and non-food commercials in overweight and healthy-weight adolescents ages 12-16. The commercials were embedded within an age-appropriate show, “The Big Bang Theory,” so the participants were unaware of the study’s purpose.

The results show that in all the adolescents, the brain regions involved in attention and focus (occipital lobe, precuneus, superior temporal gyri and right insula) and in processing rewards (nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex) were more strongly active while viewing food commercials than non-food commercials. Also, adolescents with higher body fat showed greater reward-related activity than healthy weight teens in the orbitofrontal cortex and in regions associated with taste perception. The most surprising finding was that the food commercials also activated the overweight adolescents’ brain region that controls their mouths. This region is part of the larger sensory system that is important for observational learning.

“This finding suggests the intriguing possibility that overweight adolescents mentally simulate eating while watching food commercials,” says lead author Kristina Rapuano, a graduate student in Dartmouth’s Brain Imaging Lab. “These brain responses may demonstrate one factor whereby unhealthy eating behaviors become reinforced and turned into habits that potentially hamper a person’s ability lose weight later in life.”

Although previous studies have shown heightened brain reward responses to viewing appetizing food in general, the Dartmouth study is one of the first to extend this relationship to real world food cues — for example, TV commercials for McDonald’s and Burger King — that adolescents encounter regularly. The brain’s reward circuitry involves the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitter chemicals that give pleasure and may lead to addictive behavior.

Children and adolescents see an average of 13 food commercials per day, so it isn’t surprising they show a strong reward response to food commercials. But the new findings that these heightened reward responses are coupled with bodily movements that indicate simulated eating offer a clue into a potential mechanism on how unhealthy eating habits are developed.

“Unhealthy eating is thought to involve both an initial desire to eat a tempting food, such as a piece of cake, and a motor plan to enact the behavior, or eating it,” Rapuano says. “Diet intervention strategies largely focus on minimizing or inhibiting the desire to eat the tempting food, with the logic being that if one does not desire, then one won’t enact. Our findings suggest a second point of intervention may be the somatomotor simulation of eating behavior that follows from the desire to eat. Interventions that target this system, either to minimize the simulation of unhealthy eating or to promote the simulation of healthy eating, may ultimately prove to be more useful than trying to suppress the desire to eat.”

Ten U.S. Cities Now Have 1 Million People or More; California and Texas Each Have Three of These Places


May 21, 2015 — San Jose, Calif., is now among the 10 U.S. cities with a population of 1 million or more, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

California now has three cities with 1 million or more people (Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose), tying Texas (Houston, San Antonio and Dallas) for the lead among states.

When the 2013 estimates were originally released last year, San Jose stood just shy of the 1 million mark. The 2014 population estimates released today show the city passing the 1 million milestone in the updated 2013 estimate. Each year, the Census Bureau revises its time series of previously released estimates going back to the 2010 Census. The updated years in the time series supersede the previously released estimates to reflect additional data used in the population estimates.

New York remained the nation’s most populous city and gained 52,700 people during the year ending July 1, 2014, which is more than any other U.S. city.

Half of the 10 cities with the largest population gains between 2013 and 2014 were in Texas — Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth. Each added more than 18,000 people. The Lone Star State also had six of the top 13 fastest-growing cities by percentage — San Marcos, Georgetown, Frisco, Conroe, McKinney and New Braunfels.

San Marcos, situated between Austin and San Antonio, was the fastest-growing city for the third consecutive year, with its population climbing 7.9 percent between 2013 and 2014 to reach 58,892.

The West was home to eight cities among the top 15 fastest-growing cities with a population of 50,000 or more. Four were in California. Each of the 15 fastest-growing cities between 2013 and 2014 were in the South or West, as were all but two of top 15 numerical gainers. The lone exception, aside from New York, was Columbus, Ohio, which gained 12,421 people over the period to make it the nation’s 13th largest numerical gainer. Ohio’s capital was the nation’s 15th most populous city in 2014, with 835,957 residents.

The only change in the rank order of the 15 most populous cities between 2013 and 2014 was Jacksonville, Fla., and San Francisco, each moving up one spot to 12th and 13th place, respectively, passing Indianapolis, which fell from 12th to 14th.

The statistics released today cover all local governmental units, including incorporated places (like cities and towns), minor civil divisions (such as townships) and consolidated cities (government units for which the functions of an incorporated place and its parent county have merged).

Other highlights:

·         For the first time since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, New Orleans (384,320) returns to the list of the 50 most-populous cities this year, with Arlington, Texas, dropping off the list.

Irvine was one of four California cities among the 15 largest numerical gainers (Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose were the others). It was also the only city in the U.S. to be among both the 15 largest numerical gainers and the 15 fastest growing. The Orange County municipality grew by 11,420 people, or 4.8 percent, over the period to reach a population of 248,531 in 2014.
Four areas crossed the 50,000-population mark for the first time since the 2010 Census; all of them were in the West. In alphabetical order by state, these areas were: Cerritos, Calif. (50,004), Commerce City, Colo. (51,762), Caldwell, Idaho (50,224) and Burien, Wash. (50,188). One area in the Midwest dropped below the 50,000 mark this year: Saginaw, Mich. (49,844).
Among the 50 largest places in the country, three moved more than one position on the total population ranking list since 2013. In addition to Indianapolis, Memphis, Tenn. (656,861 population in 2014) fell three positions, putting it in 23rd place; and Louisville, Ky. (612,780) dropped two positions to 30th.
Of the 19,509 incorporated places in the United States, around 76 percent (14,819) had fewer than 5,000 people in 2014. Only about 3.8 percent (749) had populations of 50,000 or more.
For more information about the geographic areas for which the Census Bureau produces population estimates, see .

Also released today were July 1, 2014, estimates of the number of housing units for the nation, states and counties. These estimates show that Texas gained more housing units than any other state between 2013 and 2014 (adding 141,625), with North Dakota experiencing the fastest rate of growth in the number of units (3.0 percent). Among counties with at least 5,000 housing units, Williams, N.D., added units at the fastest rate over the period, as the number rose 11.6 percent.

The population clock, one of the most visited features of the Census Bureau website census.gov, displays continuously updated projections of the U.S. population, including the rate of births, deaths and net migration for the United States. The projections are based on a monthly time series of population estimates starting with the April 1, 2010, resident population count derived from the 2010 Census.

Download the U.S. Census Bureau’s dwellr app today to discover the top 25 U.S. cities and towns that best fit your lifestyle. Whether you prefer the bright lights of the big city or wide open spaces, dwellr powers your phone with neighborhood-level statistics on topics such as home values, education, and how people get to work so that you can explore where you want to dwell. Once you’ve found your dream neighborhood, take dwellr with you wherever you go.

-X-

Main Page: http://www.census.gov/popest/

2014 Cities and Towns: http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2014/

2014 Housing Units: http://www.census.gov/popest/data/housing/totals/2014/

Nutrition Advancements Ushering in an Era of Personalized Diets for Health



The latest interview series from FutureFood 2050 highlights innovative new research that will shape healthy eating guidelines in the next few decades.
May 20, 2015

CHICAGO – The days of the one-size-fits-all nutrition guidelines are numbered. Instead, scientists are exploring an array of new approaches to healthy eating that aim to prevent or even treat disease based on each person’s unique profile.

Chronic preventable diseases that can be related to diet, such as cardiovascular illness, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers, are the top cause of death worldwide, accounting for 60 percent of all deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These noncommunicable diseases kill 38 million people annually, nearly three-quarters of them in low- and middle-income countries. Nutrition scientists are working to understand the crucial interactions between food and the human body in order to develop more individualized, targeted dietary guidelines and therapeutic options, according to the latest series of interviews from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) FutureFood 2050 publishing initiative. FutureFood 2050 explores how increasingly sophisticated science and technology will help feed the world’s projected 9 billion-plus people in 2050.

Current dietary guidelines are determined by a “consensus [that] has to do with the average person, who is of average weight and who’s healthy, and is either a man or woman of a particular age,” says Jeffrey Blumberg, who directs the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. “All 30-year-old women do not require, in my view, exactly 75 milligrams of vitamin C a day to meet their vitamin C requirements. Some may need less. Some may need more. How do you know who you are unless you start to apply some newer approaches?”

Nutrition science leaders talked to FutureFood 2050 this month about the innovations they see as most promising for improving our diets and helping to fight disease:

·         Jeffrey Blumberg: Tufts University nutrition scientist who says dietary guidance  targeted to your precise genetic makeup is the wave of the future
·         Mark Heiman: Chief scientific officer of MicroBiome Therapeutics, which is developing health-boosting nutritional therapies that increase the variety of gut microorganisms
·         Dr. Dean Ornish: Creator of a renowned program for reversing cardiac disease, who believes dietary changes will continue to be key to a healthy heart
·         Steven Schwartz: Ohio State University food scientist working on functional food products to help prevent cancer and other illnesses
·         Robert Zeigler: Director general of the International Rice Research Institute, which is coordinating the Golden Rice project designed to raise vitamin A levels in developing nations

FutureFood 2050 is a multi-year program highlighting the people and stories leading the efforts in finding solutions to a healthier, safer and better nourished planet to feed 9 billion-plus people by 2050. Through 2015, the program will release 75 interviews with the world’s most impactful leaders in food and science. The interviews with nutrition innovation leaders are the 14th installment of FutureFood’s interview series, following sustainability, women in food science, food waste, food security and nutrition in Africa, aquaculture, futurists on food, innovative agriculture Parts 1 and 2, kitchens of the future, obesity, alternative proteins, food safety, and climate change.

Early next year, FutureFood 2050 will also debut a documentary film exploring how the science of food will contribute solutions to feeding the world. Here’s a behind-the-scenes interview with the film’s director. http://futurefood2050.com/behind-the-scenes-with-scott-hamilton-kennedy/

States Stand To Save Hundreds of Millions in Health Care Costs with National Sodium Reduction Effort



WASHINGTON—A new analysis of potential health care cost savings to be achieved by reducing sodium in the U.S. diet shows annual savings ranging from $36 million for Wyoming to $2.4 billion for California.

Americans currently consume about 3,500 milligrams per day of sodium—or about a teaspoon and a half of salt a day.  The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee,  echoing the recommendations of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, calls for a reduction to 2,300 mg/day—about one teaspoon of salt.  Excess sodium consumption boosts blood pressure, which is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, accounting for two-thirds of all strokes and half of all cases of heart disease.

The national health care costs for treating these illnesses are enormous, and previous research has estimated national medical savings ranging from $10 billion to $24 billion with a 1,200 mg/day reduction in sodium intake.  Adjusting for inflation and population growth, the Center for Science in the Public Interest calculated state-by-state costs achievable with the recommended sodium reduction, and found that four states stand to save more than $1 billion a year:

$2.4 billion for California
$1.6 billion for Texas
$1.2 billion for Florida
$1.2 billion for New York
Eight other states would potentially save between $500 million and $1 billion a year in reduced health care costs:

$787 million for Illinois
$782 million for Pennsylvania
$709 million for Ohio
$617 million for Georgia
$608 million for North Carolina
$606 million for Michigan
$546 million for New Jersey
$509 million for Virginia

CSPI calculations are rough estimates, because sodium intake presumably varies from state to state, and the vulnerability of a state’s population to develop hypertension varies depending on the state’s ethnic, gender, health and age distributions.  The report’s estimates do not consider those population variables.

“The avoidable health care costs imposed by high-sodium diets in every single state are taking money away from other critical priorities,” said Michael F. Jacobson, CSPI executive director.  “It is long past time for this nation to act on effective public health prevention measures that would save lives and, yes, save money too.”

In 2005, CSPI formally petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to set limits on sodium levels, and a 2010 Institute of Medicine Report again called on the FDA to reduce sodium in the food supply in a gradual manner.  However, the FDA has yet to release mandatory or even voluntary guidelines after more than four years of inaction.

FDA action would also support the public health investments being made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in state-level sodium-reduction efforts, according to CSPI.  CDC has provided funding to the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to provide technical assistance for sodium reduction initiatives to a number of states, including Maine, New York, Oregon, Washington, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Indiana, Massachusetts, Montana, and North Carolina, Connecticut, Iowa and Missouri.

“Vermont is committed to reduce sodium consumption throughout the state, for everyone from children in school to seniors in subsidized housing,” said Vermont Department of Health Commissioner Harry Chen, MD.  “Through CDC funding we are providing resources to gradually change Vermonters’ taste preferences so they can enjoy delicious, lower-sodium foods.  We encourage the FDA to do their part in facilitating a gradual reduction of sodium in processed foods.”

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors has been heavily involved in another CDC-supported effort: the Million Hearts Initiative, aimed at preventing one million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. by 2017.

“NACDD was one of the very first national partners to sign onto Million Hearts and has since remained at the forefront in conducting Million Hearts workshops and promoting the effort,” said John W. Robitscher, MPH, NACDD chief executive officer.  “Sodium reduction is a perfect target for public health and we are proud to have a long history of supporting efforts across every state and U.S. territory.”

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Farm to cart game introduced



WASHINGTON, D.C., May 15, 2015 – “Farm to Cart,” a new game for preschool and early elementary teachers, families, farmers and ranchers hosting agricultural literacy events, was recently launched by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. The game is intended to help learners make the connection that food comes from farms before it reaches the grocery store and ultimately our homes.

Through the game, young learners discover how to describe the general process for the production of an agricultural product and how farmers use land to grow crops. Players will race to be the first player to harvest items from the farm and place them in their grocery carts. To win, a player must have three items that grow on trees, three animal products from the land and three items from the soil.
This game is offered as a free, PDF download on www.agfoundation.org. You will need to provide your own scissors, tape/glue and die.

Agricultural and Agri-Food Producers Call for an Ambitious, Fair, and Comprehensive Agreement through the Trans-Pacific Partnership


Guam, MAY 19, 2015 – As Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) nations meet this week in Guam to continue negotiations, agri-food producer and processor organizations from Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand remain united in their call for a modern trade agreement that includes meaningful and comprehensive market access opportunities for agriculture and agri-food.

The organizations advocating for an ambitious, fair and comprehensive TPP agreement are the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Australian National Farmers’ Federation, and the Federated Farmers of New Zealand. Together, they represent hundreds of thousands of farmers, producers, processors and exporters who, in turn, employ millions of workers across the TPP region.

“Our agricultural sectors and the jobs they provide depend on a thriving network of export markets,” said Brian Innes, president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance.

“By creating stable and open market access, the TPP’s potential to stimulate economic growth is incredible. A comprehensive agreement would encourage regional supply chains with production and processing occurring where competitive advantages exist. However, without a plurilateral agreement, the TPP could actually reduce market access for agri-food exporters. It would be very negative if some TPP countries provide preferential market access to select countries and not others.”

Despite the fact that agriculture is traditionally regarded as a sensitive subject in trade talks, negotiators must uphold a high level of ambition in order to realize the TPP’s broader objectives of opening up trade throughout one of the world’s key economic centers.

“Australian farmers are of the view that this agreement must deliver significant outcomes across the sector and thus across the economy. Agriculture has always been a strong supporter of trade and the benefits it brings across the broader community and the TPP must be seen in that light” National Farmers Federation President Mr. Brent Finlay said.

The TPP region represents 792 million consumers and 40 percent of world trade while also maintaining a coveted status as an integral part of global value chains. In fact, trade among TPP partners equaled over $2 trillion in 2012. While this number is considerable, the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, the Australian National Farmers’ Federation, the American Farm Bureau and the Federated Farmers of New Zealand will continue to call for the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers that currently exist among the member countries in order to increase the value of this trade market through additional sales of agricultural products.

“New Zealand farmers have always strongly supported the benefits of free trade, which include improved market access and reduce trade barriers for our exports,” added Dr. William Rolleston, president of Federated Farmers of New Zealand.

“Our members strongly encourage TPP negotiators to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers in this agreement and eliminate export subsidies and other policies that distort markets. These barriers to exports reduce the ability of countries, including our own, to trade.”

As negotiations proceed, all signs point to an imminent agreement with a broader range of benefits than any before it. However, the importance of a beneficial deal for agriculture and agri-food exporters should not be underestimated. This type of deal can only come through agreed-upon terms that liberalize trade throughout the TPP region and deliver competitive, transparent, plurilateral, non-discriminatory access.

“The TPP will only fulfill its promise of improved and increased trade in the Pacific region when it eliminates any barriers to trade, including tariff and non-tariff trade barriers,” said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “U.S. agriculture has high expectations for the TPP, and we are calling on all countries involved to commit to a better agreement and freer trade worldwide.”

ASTA Stands Ready to Assist White House to Achieve Announced Pollinator Health Steps



May 20: American Seed Trade Association President & CEO Andrew W. LaVigne released the following statement in response to the White House’s announced steps to promote pollinator health.  This comes after a year-long interagency task force:

“The American Seed Trade Association is heartened by the White House’s proactive approach to assisting pollinators that are challenged by many factors impacting their health.  Bees are vital in seed and agriculture production, as well as general ecosystem health, and ensuring their wellbeing is a priority.  We are gratified that the Strategy recognizes the important work ASTA and CropLife America have done to increase education and outreach to the agriculture  community on best management practices for treated seed through the Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship. While the success of the Strategy is important to ASTA, we must ensure science continues to play a primary role in any actions taken.

“The White House stated that increasing the quantity and quality of habitat for pollinators is a major part of this effort.  Practical solutions are needed to increase pollinator forage resources and we are pleased to see the Strategy recognizes the important role of USDA conservation programs to support this effort.  Members of ASTA are eager to collaborate with the USDA’s NRCS and FSA and their state affiliates to provide appropriate seed mixes that cost effectively address multiple conservation goals.

“However, ASTA is concerned that the strategy laid out by the Department of Interior does not fully take into account the expertise and capacity of the native seed industry to provide pollinator friendly native seeds.  Collaboration between the Department of Interior, its agencies and seed suppliers should be initiated as soon as possible to find solutions to build and sustain populations of pollinators on federal lands.

 “The White House has put forth an exciting plan to promote and protect pollinators, which are crucial to our industry. To achieve maximum outcomes, public-private partnerships are essential and ASTA stands ready to play an active role.”

Vaccines developed for H5N1, H7N9 avian influenza strains


MANHATTAN — A recent study with Kansas State University researchers details vaccine development for two new strains of avian influenza that can be transmitted from poultry to humans. The strains have led to the culling of millions of commercial chickens and turkeys as well as the death of hundreds of people.

The new vaccine development method is expected to help researchers make vaccines for emerging strains of avian influenza more quickly. This could reduce the number and intensity of large-scale outbreaks at poultry farms as well as curb human transmission.

It also may lead to new influenza vaccines for pigs, and novel vaccines for sheep and other livestock, said Jürgen Richt, Regents distinguished professor of veterinary medicine and director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases.



Richt and his colleagues focused on the avian influenza virus subtype H5N1, a new strain most active in Indonesia, Egypt and other Southeast Asian and North African countries. H5N1 also has been documented in wild birds in the U.S., though in fewer numbers.



"H5N1 is a zoonotic pathogen, which means that it is transmitted from chickens to humans," Richt said. "So far it has infected more than 700 people worldwide and has killed about 60 percent of them. Unfortunately, it has a pretty high mortality rate."


Researchers developed a vaccine for H5N1 by combining two viruses. A vaccine strain of the Newcastle disease virus, a virus that naturally affects poultry, was cloned and a small section of the H5N1 virus was transplanted into the Newcastle disease virus vaccine, creating a recombinant virus.

Tests showed that the new recombinant virus vaccinated chickens against both Newcastle disease virus and H5N1.

Researchers also looked at the avian flu subtype H7N9, an emerging zoonotic strain that has been circulating in China since 2013. China has reported about 650 cases in humans and Canada has reported two cases in people returning from China. About 230 people have died from H7N9.

"In Southeast Asia there are a lot of markets that sell live birds that people can buy and prepare at home," Richt said. "In contrast to the H5N1 virus that kills the majority of chickens in three to five days, chickens infected with the H7N9 virus do not show clinical signs of sickness. That means you could buy a bird that looks perfectly healthy but could be infected. If an infected bird is prepared for consumption, there is a high chance you could get sick, and about 1 in 3 infected people die."

Using the same method for developing the H5N1 vaccine, researchers inserted a small section of the H7N9 virus into the Newcastle disease virus vaccine. Chickens given this recombinant vaccine were protected against the Newcastle disease virus and H7N9.

"We believe this Newcastle disease virus concept works very well for poultry because you kill two birds with one stone, metaphorically speaking," Richt said. "You use only one vector to vaccinate and protect against a selected virus strain of avian influenza."

Using the Newcastle disease virus for vaccine development may extend beyond poultry to pigs, cattle and sheep, Richt said.

Researchers found they were able to protect pigs against an H3 influenza strain by using the Newcastle disease virus to develop a recombinant virus vaccine. Wenjun Ma, Kansas State University assistant professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, is building on this finding and using the Newcastle disease virus to make a vaccine for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, a disease that has killed an estimated 6 million pigs.

Richt conducted the avian influenza study with Ma, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and several other colleagues. They published their findings in the Journal of Virology study, "Newcastle disease virus-vectored H7 and H5 live vaccines protect chickens from challenge with H7N9 or H5N1 avian influenza viruses." It is the first study to look at an H7N9 vaccine in chickens, the animals the disease originates in.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Science Is Best Hope To Feed The World Safely And Affordably


Roll Call
Rep. Mike Pompeo
May 19, 2015
Science, innovation, safety and affordability. Who could oppose United States food policy based on these core principles? Unfortunately, this idea has become unnecessarily controversial in agriculture. The unmerited fear of genetically modified organism crops threatens scientific advancements in biotechnology needed to meet the growing global demand for safe and affordable food. The Safe and Affordable Food Labeling Act aims to address unnecessary impediments to feeding the world.
GMOs play a central role in meeting the challenge of providing affordable and nutritious food to consumers all over the world. By the year 2050, food production needs to increase by 70 percent as the global population increases to a projected 9.6 billion people. Fulfilling this demand will either require massive new water supplies and acreage, or a better approach to using existing resources. GMOs provide the best hope for the latter to occur.
In my home state of Kansas, agriculture is among the largest drivers of the economy, each year producing products valued at more than $50 billion. Our farmers harvest more than 21 million acres of land and are feeding the world, exporting nearly $4.9 billion in agricultural products in 2012. Biotechnology is ushering in a world of new possibilities for farmers in Kansas and across the country. GMO products are increasing crop yields, and decreasing water and pesticide usage. Adoption of these crops resulted in a reduction of pesticide use by 46.4 million pounds in 2003 alone. And crops that require less irrigation would be welcomed in states such as California that are grappling with drought.
Rep. Mike Pompeo is a Republican from Kansas.

Reward your community through Drive to Thrive contest



Growers and other ag professionals invited to describe how agriculture drives their communities to thrive
Ten finalists will win mini touch-screen tablets; one grand prizewinner will receive $500 gift card and $1,000 donation to favorite local charity
Enter soon because entry deadline is June 1, 2015

GREENSBORO, N.C., USA, May 19, 2015 – Syngenta is giving growers and other agricultural professionals a chance to reward their communities through the second annual Drive to Thrive contest. But act quickly because the deadline for entering is fast-approaching.

The application process, which ends June 1, 2015, is simple:
Click on the easy-to-use online entry form.
Briefly describe how agriculture makes your community thrive.
Then, upload a photograph or video that visually supports your written entry.

Shortly after the entry deadline, a panel of judges will choose 10 finalists, who will each receive a mini touch-screen tablet. Syngenta will then post all finalists’ entries on the Thrive website and ask visitors to help choose the grand prizewinner by voting online. These votes, along with the judges’ scores, will determine the winner. The grand prize is a $500 gift card, plus Syngenta will donate $1,000 to the winner’s favorite local charity or civic organization. Online voting ends Sept. 1, 2015, with Syngenta announcing the grand prizewinner in October.

For more information about the Drive to Thrive contest, visit www.syngentathrive.com. Join the conversation online – connect with us at social.SyngentaUS.com.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Dairy Queen Removes Soda from Kids’ Meals





WASHINGTON—Dairy Queen has agreed to remove sodas from its listing of kids’ meals on menu boards and replace them with milk and water. The announcement makes the Minneapolis-based subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway the latest major fast-food chain to remove soda and other sugary drinks from children’s menus. McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s have each made similar moves this year in response to campaigns waged by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, MomsRising.org, and other groups. Subway, Chipotle, Arby’s, and Panera also do not include soda as the default option with their kids’ meals.
“Dairy Queen deserves credit for being responsive to the concerns of parents, who increasingly want to be able to order off the kids’ menu without having to say ‘no’ to soda,” said CSPI nutrition policy director Margo G. Wootan. “That DQ’s Franchise Advisory Council voted unanimously to adopt this policy shows the depth of the company’s commitment.”

“Parents and families across the country are applauding as one by one, restaurants are listening to parents and public health experts and starting to do their part to help keep kids healthy, but we aren't done yet,” said MomsRising.org senior campaign director Monifa Bandele. “While Dairy Queen is now offering better beverage options, we need more restaurants to do the same because sugar-sweetened beverages uniquely promote heart disease and type 2 diabetes. We hope Dairy Queen and others will also move to further improve kids’ meals by serving whole grain rolls, offering more fruit and vegetable options, and reducing sodium across the menu.”
Dairy Queen will provide the new menu boards to its franchises on September 1, 2015, when the change goes into effect. Restaurant children’s menus are a form of marketing, shaping children’s eating patterns and expectations, according to CSPI. The foods and beverages on children’s menus should be among the healthiest in the restaurant, which is usually not the case; 97 percent of the options on the children’s menus at the top chain restaurants are unhealthy, according to a 2013 analysis.
“We hope chains like Applebee’s and Chili’s will choose to exercise the same kind of corporate responsibility that DQ has,” Wootan said.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Farm Bureau Kicks Off 2015 Photo Contest




WASHINGTON, D.C., May 13, 2015 – The American Farm Bureau Federation, in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, has announced the 2015 Farm Bureau Photo Contest. The contest is open to all state and county Farm Bureau members and staff above 18 years of age at the time of entry, including professional photographers.

Photo submissions will be used to accurately portray today’s agriculture and the safe practices of farmers and ranchers, and also for future publications, promotions and social media by AFBF and related companies. All photos submitted must exemplify safe practices on the farm or ranch.

The contest will run May 15, 2015, through March 31, 2016. Photos may be entered in four categories: Farm Families, Farm Labor, Technology and Consumer Outreach. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the top three placing photos from each category. First place winners will be awarded $150, second place $100 and third place $75.

Judges will also select a “Best in Show” winner for the most dynamic photo entered across all categories as well as two runners-up. The Best in Show winner will receive $400, with first runner-up and second runner-up receiving $300 and $200, respectively.

“The timeframe for this competition opens up vast possibilities for members interested in capturing farm and ranch photos throughout the four seasons,” said Kim Baker, AFBF’s assistant director, creative services. “We look forward to seeing a bumper crop of diverse submissions from photographers around the country for this contest.”

Contest winners will be announced April 15, 2016, on Farm Bureau’s social media platforms and website.

For more information on how to register and to view the contest rules and regulations, visit the 2015 Farm Bureau Photo Contest webpage at http://photocontest.fb.org. Questions about the contest may be sent via email to photocontest@fb.org.

WHAT’S THE BEST BURGER IN THE COUNTRY? RANKER RELEASES RESULTS OF BEST FAST FOOD BURGER POLL BASED ON 42,000 VOTES



In-N-Out Double Double and Five Guys Hamburger Top Poll
Millennials Prefer Wendy’s Baconator
West Coasters More Partial to In-N-Out & Fatburger
Five Guys and Wendy’s Earn 2 Spots Each in Top 10

Los Angeles, CA – May 13, 2015 – When you’re under a time crunch or just hungry, there’s nothing better than a fast food burger. With burger sales in 2014 increasing to nine billion served (NPD Group, 2015), people are consuming one of the most iconic foods in record numbers. In honor of National Burger Month (May), Ranker.com, the #1 online destination for crowdsourced rankings of everything, today released the results of its public poll asking voters to rank The Best Fast Food Burgers to determine which ones are a cut above the rest.

The poll, which closed voting on May 11, included 46 burgers for consumers to rank.
The Top 10 as determined by over to 42,000 votes are as follows:

1. In-N-Out Double Double
2. Five Guys Hamburger
3. Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
4. Whataburger Original Whataburger
5. Burger King Whopper
6. Wendy’s Baconator
7. Fuddruckers The Original Fudds
8. Wendy’s ¼ LB Single
9. Steak ‘n Shake Double ‘n Cheese Steakburger
10. Fatburger Burger

Full Poll Results

While In-N-Out, Five Guys and Wendy’s dominated the Top 10 overall, Ranker’s poll also reveals:

• Men’s top choice is Five Guys Hamburger and also voted the Burger King Whopper in their Top 3.
• Women chose the In-N-Out Double Double as their top choice and also ranked the Wendy’s Baconator in their Top 3.
• Millennials #1 choice was the Wendy’s Baconator. They were the only group to also vote the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese and the McDonald’s Big Mac in their Top 5.
• While the In-N-Out Double Double was #1 for West Coasters, Fatburger’s Burger and Carl’s Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger followed close behind.
• Midwesterners #1 choice was Culvers Butter Burger.
• Southerners top pick was the Whataburger Original.
• Northeasterners voted Five Guys Hamburger #1 and also voted White Castle Sliders in their top 3.

About Ranker:
Ranker.com is a crowdsourced destination where consumers view, rank, and vote on broad opinion-based Rankings ranging from “The Best Board Games” to “The Best Movies of All Time” to “The Best Inexpensive Cars". While lists and opinions are all over the web, Ranker’s technology is based on user engagement, turning these lists into the “best possible rankings” based on the wisdom of crowds.

Ranker, a Quantcast Top 200 site, attracts over 19 million monthly unique visitors, and over half a million people a month vote on various lists on the site. As a result Ranker has one of the world’s largest databases of opinions with more than 100 million votes gathered on 50,000 items. For more information visit www.Ranker.com and follow Ranker on Twitter and Facebook.

Extreme bee losses highlight urgent need to restrict pesticides to protect pollinators



WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Bee Informed Partnership, in collaboration with the Apiary Inspectors of America and the United States Department of Agriculture, released its annual report on honey bee losses in the United States based on a national survey of beekeepers. Most significantly, beekeepers reported losing 42.1 percent of the total number of colonies managed over the last year (total annual loss, between April 2014 and April 2015). This represents the second highest annual loss recorded to date.

Preliminary results indicate that during the winter of 2014-2015 U.S. beekeepers lost 23.1 percent of their hives on average, which is lower than average losses in recent years, but considered too high to be sustainable. U.S. beekeepers lost an average of 27.4 percent of their hives in the summer of 2014 (April-October), which is higher than 2013 summer losses.

A large and growing body of science has attributed alarming bee declines in recent years to several key factors, including exposure to the world’s most widely used class of insecticides, neonicotinoids. In 2013, the European Union banned the three most widely used neonicotinoids based on the weight of scientific evidence indicating that these pesticides can kill bees outright and make them more vulnerable to pests, pathogens and other stressors. However, these pesticides are still widely used in the U.S. despite massive bee losses that threaten vital food crops, from almonds in California to apples in Washington.

Tiffany Finck-Haynes, food futures campaigner with Friends of the Earth, said “These dire honey bee numbers add to the consistent pattern of unsustainable bee losses in recent years that threatens our food system. The science is clear -- we must take action now to protect these essential pollinators from bee-toxic pesticides.”

More than 4 million Americans have signed petitions to the Obama administration demanding immediate restrictions on systemic neonicotinoid pesticides linked to bee declines. The White House Task Force on Pollinator Health is expected to release a plan for bee protection in the near future. This plan is required by a Presidential Memorandum, issued by President Obama in June 2014, which called for a federal strategy to protect pollinators and called on the EPA to assess the effect of pesticides, including neonicotinoids, on bees and other pollinators within 180 days.

On April 2, the EPA announced a moratorium on new or expanded uses of neonicotinoids while it evaluates the risks posed to pollinators. In October, 2014, the Council on Environmental Quality issued guidance for federal facilities and federal lands which included acquiring seeds and plants from nurseries that do not treat these items with systemic insecticides.

In response to a campaign by Friends of the Earth and allies, more than twenty garden stores, nurseries, and landscaping companies, including Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD), the two largest home improvement retailers in the world, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM)  have taken steps to restrict neonicotinoids in their stores.

Last April, Friends of the Earth released a report, “Follow the Honey: 7 ways pesticide companies are spinning the bee crisis to protect profits,” which documents the deceptive PR tactics used by agrochemical companies including Germany-based Bayer (DE: BAYN), Switzerland-based Syngenta (NYSE: SYT) and U.S.-based Monsanto (NYSE: MON), to deflect blame from their products’ contributions to bee declines and delay regulatory action on neonicotinoid pesticides.

“Bayer, Syngenta and Monsanto make billions from bee-killing pesticide products while masquerading as champions of bee health,” Finck-Haynes said. “Are their profits more important than our food supply? Are they more important than the livelihoods of America’s farmers? The Obama administration must act now to restrict neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten America’s bees, farmers and food security.”

A recent study by Newcastle University recommends that reducing pesticide use “may be the only certain” way to halt bee and pollinator decline. A study by Oxford University researchers came to a similar conclusion, documenting that organic agriculture supports 50 percent more pollinator and bee species compared with conventional, pesticide heavy agriculture.

“The solution to the bee crisis is to shift to sustainable agriculture systems that are not dependent on monoculture crops saturated in pesticides. It’s time to reimagine the way we farm in the United States and incentivize organic agriculture practices that are better for bees and for all of us,” Finck-Haynes said.

DeLauro, Slaughter Introduce Legislation to Strengthen USDA’s Power to Protect Public Health



WASHINGTON, DC –Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), two of the leading food safety advocates in Congress, today reintroduced the Pathogen Reduction and Testing Reform Act, which would strengthen the ability of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to keep Americans safe from contaminated meat, poultry, and eggs. Currently, the USDA will only issue a recall if a meat, poultry, or egg product is considered “adulterated,” which is ambiguously defined in current law. Because of that ambiguity, USDA claims they do not have the authority to issue recalls for meat, poultry, or egg products.

Although DeLauro and Slaughter strenuously object to USDA’s interpretation of the law, they are reintroducing their bill to ensure American families are protected. The legislation would require USDA to recall any meat, poultry, or egg product contaminated by pathogens associated with serious illness or death or that are resistant to two or more critically important antibiotics for human medicine.

“The USDA has failed to recall meat contaminated with antibiotic-resistant pathogens because they do not believe they have the legal authority to do so. This bill would ensure there is no confusion,” said DeLauro and Slaughter. “We urge Congress to pass this legislation before more Americans are sickened by contaminated meat, poultry, or egg products. We need federal agencies that will protect public health, not bend to the threats of deep-pocketed food producers seeking to escape regulation, or choose inaction due to the fear of lawsuits.”

DeLauro and Slaughter first introduced their legislation on the heels of an outbreak of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella Heidelberg. The outbreak, which lasted for 10 months and sickened 634 people, was traced back to chicken produced by Foster Farms.

“USDA should ensure that all the food that reaches our plates is safe from harmful pathogens, yet all too often, FSIS is hamstrung because it lacks the statutory authority to protect public health,” said Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “This sad fact was even revealed in a recent Oregonian exposé that revealed that FSIS was unable to take action against a major poultry processor that was eventually implicated in four separate food borne illness outbreaks dating back to 2004 that sickened hundreds of people. This bill will prevent these unacceptable food safety problems from arising in the first place.”

“USDA should take swift action whenever any meat and poultry is contaminated with a dangerous pathogen,” said Chris Waldrop, director of the Food Policy Institute at Consumer Federation of America. “This important legislation provides USDA with clear authority to protect consumers.”

“It’s time to stop treating Salmonella, particularly antibiotic resistant Salmonella, as just a natural part of meat and poultry.  This legislation does away with the outdated notion that it’s okay for food companies to sell us food that’s contaminated with dangerous bacteria,” said David Plunkett, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

DeLauro is a former Chairwoman of the Subcommittee that funds USDA. Slaughter, the only microbiologist in Congress, is the author of the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), which would ban the routine overuse of eight critical classes of antibiotics on healthy food animals.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Health Groups Provide Strong Support for Recommendations of 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee



Guidelines Should Advise Americans to Consume More Fruits and Vegetables, Water, and Whole Grains, and Less Sugar, Salt, and Red and Processed Meat

WASHINGTON—A broad coalition of national and regional health, environmental, and consumer organizations wrote the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services urging support for many of the recommendations made by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.  That group’s recommendations will shape the next version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In comments filed on Friday, the groups stated their strong support for adding to Nutrition Facts labels a line for added sugars expressed in both teaspoons and grams.  Labels should also include a “% Daily Value” based on the committee’s advice to limit added sugars to no more than 10 percent of one’s calories.  The groups also said that the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans should recommend reducing daily sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day for the general population, with lower levels for at-risk subgroups, and urge lowering intake of red and processed meats.  In addition, the groups expressed their support for the sustainability recommendations in the Guidelines, which are needed to ensure that sufficient healthy foods remain available despite environmental challenges.

            The American Diabetes Association, American Institute for Cancer Research, Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins University, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine were among the groups cosigning the document.

            “Much of the obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in the United States is linked to diets deficient in fruits and vegetables and too high in added sugars, salt, red and processed meat, saturated fat, and refined white flour,” said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson.  “But besides providing advice to consumers, the federal government needs to support policies that would actually help Americans take advantage of the advice.”

            In separate comments filed by CSPI, the group urged that the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans maintain the current definition of “moderate drinking” as a maximum of one alcoholic drink for women and two drinks a day for men.  CSPI also told HHS and USDA that the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee did not provide sufficiently protective recommendations on aspartame, methylmercury in fish, caffeine intake for pregnant women, or artificial food dyes.  Leading scientific experts on the safety of aspartame also submitted a letter separately regarding their serious concerns that the Committee inappropriately understated the risks of consuming aspartame.

            An important shortcoming of the DGAC report was its recommendation that cholesterol no longer be considered a “nutrient of concern,” according to CSPI.  In a comment signed by leading experts in nutrition and epidemiology, CSPI said that dietary cholesterol increases LDL cholesterol in the blood, a well-established risk factor for coronary heart disease, and that consumption of whole eggs is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and a higher risk of coronary heart disease in diabetics.  Signatories on that statement include Dean Ornish of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, Frank M. Sacks of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, Scott Grundy of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Jeremiah Stamler, professor emeritus at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

            CSPI also generated supportive comments to the agencies from more than 14,000 citizens.

Friday, May 8, 2015

DeLauro on TPP: Just Don’t Do It Statement on President’s Speech at Nike



WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) released the following statement today in advance of President Obama’s speech at Nike:

“Nike’s announcement today may seem like big news, but even if all the promised jobs are created over the next decade, that would be a drop in the bucket compared to the number of jobs that could leave our country if we fast track the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Nike has made its billions not by creating American jobs, but by outsourcing those jobs to places where labor is cheap and rights are few. The TPP would promote that disastrous business model.

“Nike employs more than one million people worldwide; most of them are contract labor with very few rights or benefits. Almost all Nike products are made in low-wage countries whose abysmal sweatshop conditions have made Nike a byword for labor abuse. Its top production venue is in Vietnam, where independent unions are banned, goods are produced with child and forced labor, and the minimum wage is less than 60 cents an hour.

“This business model is not good for America and has contributed to the single biggest economic issue facing American families today: that too many jobs do not pay enough to live on. The kind of outsourcing and offshoring Nike practices, enabled by successive trade agreements, has been a major contributor to this reality. If it passes, the TPP will encourage this exploitative business model in the largest trade agreement in history. No wonder the Administration has kept the text of TPP classified, and now wants to limit scrutiny and ban amendments by fast-tracking the deal through Congress.

“The Administration needs to understand that American workers and wages have suffered enough. We need policies that keep their jobs here, not make it easier to send them overseas.”


Most Foods and Beverages Advertised to Children Fall Short of Federal Standards for a Healthy Diet, New Study Shows





Companies meet pledges, but fail to improve overall nutritional quality of foods advertised to children

Princeton, N.J. -- Major food and beverage companies are meeting their own pledges to advertise healthier products to children on TV, but three out of four of those products do not meet government guidelines for what constitutes a healthy diet for children, according to a study published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The study found that, in 2013, 25 percent of companies' TV ads to children promoted products the government would count as moderately healthy -- and no ads promoted products in the healthiest food category.The Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) includes 17 major food and beverage companies that have pledged to advertise healthier products to children. This is the first study to examine TV ads before and after the launch of CFBAI to determine whether CFBAI companies were meeting their pledges, and whether those pledges were helping to shift TV food ads to a healthier mix of products. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) funded the study through its national program Healthy Eating Research.

Researchers found that CFBAI companies did follow their pledges. They examined 247 ads aired during children's programming by CFBAI members in the spring of 2013, and found that all of the featured products met the nutrition criteria each company had in place at the time. The researchers then compared the products with nutrition guidelines developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In 2007 (before the launch of CFBAI), 76.4 percent of CFBAI companies' ads were for foods or beverages that qualified as Whoa products under the HHS standards, meaning they were high in added sugar, fat, or calories. In 2013, the frequency of ads for Whoa products remained virtually unchanged, at 75.3 percent. HHS recommends eating Whoa products, such as french fries, chicken nuggets, and sweetened breakfast cereal, "only once in a while or on special occasions."

"CFBAI members followed their pledges in 2013, but those efforts have barely moved the needle in terms of shifting food advertising to children to genuinely healthy products," said Dale Kunkel, professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and lead study author. "The CFBAI companies' standards for what foods are considered healthy are not very high, and almost a third of the ads we measured came from companies that are not CFBAI members, limiting the impact of the program."

To examine the industry's efforts to self-regulate, Kunkel and his team examined ads for foods and beverages aired during children's programming on ABC, Cartoon Network, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, and Nickelodeon. They looked at ads aired between February 1 and April 15, 2007, before CFBAI started, and during the same period in 2013, four years after CFBAI companies' pledges were fully in effect. They then compared the foods and beverages in ads from CFBAI companies, and those from non-participating companies, with the HHS standards. Some key findings include:
CFBAI member companies aired 70 percent of foods ads in 2013; non-participating companies aired 30 percent of ads.
The majority of all foods ads, from CFBAI members and non-members combined, were for Whoa products in 2007 (79.4% of ads) and in 2013 (80.5% of ads).
Non-member companies were significantly more likely to air ads for Whoa foods in 2013 than were CFBAI members (92.5% of non-members' ads, compared with 75.3% of members' ads).
CFBAI members also pledged to use characters from TV shows or movies solely to promote healthier foods, yet 61 percent of ads with these characters promote Whoa products.
On December 31, 2013, after the data for this study were collected, CFBAI rolled out uniform nutrition criteria, so that each member company is now following the same standards. The uniform standards represent an effort by CFBAI to strengthen the criteria for defining a healthy product.

For the purposes of this study, children's programming was defined as "any show with a V-chip rating of TV-Y (all children) or TV-Y7 (children aged at least 7 years), or any show with a Federal Communications Commission rating of E/I (educational/informational) that targets children aged under 12 years."

The current 17 members of CFBAI are:
Burger King Corp.
Campbell Soup Company
ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Ferrero U.S.A, Inc. (joined after this study was conducted, so was not included)
General Mills, Inc.
Kellogg Company
Kraft Foods Group, Inc.
Mars, Incorporated
McDonald's USA, LLC
Mondelēz Global, LLC
Nestlé USA
PepsiCo, Inc.
Post Foods, LLC
The Coca-Cola Company
The Dannon Company
The Hershey Company
Unilever United States