Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

July 4th Cookout Costs Less This Year, Still Under $6 Per Person



WASHINGTON, D.C., June 30, 2015–A Fourth of July cookout of Americans’ favorite foods including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk will cost slightly less this year and still comes in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost for a summer cookout for 10 is $55.84, or $5.58 per person. That’s about a 3-percent decrease compared to a year ago.
“Based on our survey, food prices overall appear to be fairly stable. Prices for beef have continued to increase this year, but prices for other meats are generally declining. Dairy product prices are also quite a bit lower,” said John Anderson, deputy chief economist at AFBF.
“Meat production is starting to increase substantially. Beef prices have started to stabilize but have not declined yet. On the other hand, retail pork prices have been declining all year,” Anderson said.
“Fuel and other energy prices have also generally been lower so far this year compared to last year,” Anderson said. “This helps keep prices down on the more processed items in the basket. Energy is an important component of the final price for these products.
“As a nation, we continue to enjoy a consistent, high-quality supply of meats and poultry at prices that are remarkably affordable for most consumers,” he said.
AFBF’s summer cookout menu for 10 consists of hot dogs and buns, cheeseburgers and buns, pork spare ribs, deli potato salad, baked beans, corn chips, lemonade, chocolate milk, watermelon for dessert, and ketchup and mustard.
A total of 88 Farm Bureau members (volunteer shoppers) in 30 states checked retail prices for summer cookout foods at their local grocery stores for this informal survey.
The summer cookout survey is part of the Farm Bureau marketbasket series which also includes the popular annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey and two “everyday” marketbasket surveys on common food staples Americans use to prepare meals at home. A squad of Farm Bureau members across the nation checks retail prices at local grocery stores for the marketbasket surveys. AFBF published its first marketbasket survey in 1986.
AFBF is the nation’s largest general farm organization with member families in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Learn more at http://facebook.com/AmericanFarmBureau or follow @FarmBureau on Twitter.

Monday, June 22, 2015

PROFILE AMERICA FACTS FOR FEATURES: CB15-FF.11 Father’s Day: June 21, 2015

Friday, June 19, 2015

THE DAIRY QUEEN® SYSTEM LAUNCHES NEW DQ BAKES!™MENU



Addition of innovative hot desserts, sandwiches and snack melts
is the biggest menu introduction in the brand's 75-year history
MINNEAPOLIS - In what is the largest new menu rollout in its 75-year history, the Dairy Queen® system, a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A and BRK.B) company, today announced the roll-out of the new DQ Bakes!™ menu with nine innovative products across three categories: Hot Desserts à la Mode, Artisan-style Sandwiches and Snack Melts. The announcement comes on the brand's actual 75th anniversary, which is June 22nd.
"This is a game changer for our system. The DQ® system has introduced ovens into our locations - DQ Bakes! ovens. DQ Bakes! are hot, delicious, made-to-order sandwiches, snacks and desserts, available any time of day. DQ Bakes! reflect the high quality and value our Fans have come to expect from us," said Barry Westrum, Executive Vice President of Marketing for American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ). "The artisan-style sandwiches, snack melts and hot desserts give us a tremendous competitive advantage. We are turning the quick-service restaurant industry upside down with the addition of new and different food and treat menu items that will redefine the category. We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our actual 75th anniversary with our Fans, as well as set us up for the next 75 years."
           Hot Desserts à la Mode combine hot and cold for a satisfying treat:
Triple Chocolate Brownie: A warm, chocolate brownie made with a blend of milk, semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate, drizzled with Cocoa Fudge™ and choco chunks, served hot from the oven with cold, creamy DQ vanilla soft serve
Apple Tart: A flaky dessert crust topped with Granny Smith apples, rolled oats, butter and brown sugar, and drizzled with caramel, served hot from the oven with cold, creamy DQ vanilla soft serve
Fudge Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie: A warm, decadent chocolate chip cookie made with semi-sweet chocolate chips, a dark fudge center and drizzled with Cocoa Fudge, served hot from the oven with cold, creamy DQ vanilla soft serve
The Artisan-style Sandwiches are served hot using both ciabatta and basil-cheese focaccia breads:
Chicken Bacon Ranch: All white meat marinated grilled chicken, aged Swiss cheese and hickory-smoked bacon, topped with creamy ranch, fresh tomato and lettuce, served hot from the oven on an artisan-style ciabatta roll
Chicken Mozzarella: Signature all white meat crispy chicken strips, mozzarella cheese and rich marinara sauce, served hot from the oven on an artisan-style basil cheese focaccia roll
Turkey BLT: Oven-roasted turkey breast, aged Swiss cheese and hickory-smoked bacon topped with mayo, fresh tomato and lettuce, served hot from the oven on an artisan-style ciabatta roll
Snack Melts beat boring snack wraps - giving Fans a whole new way to snack with hot snack melts that feature premium ingredients:
Buffalo Chicken: Filled with all white meat marinated grilled chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing and real cheddar cheese, then toasted to perfection
Chicken Bacon BBQ: Filled with all white meat marinated grilled chicken, smoky BBQ sauce, hickory-smoked bacon and real cheddar cheese, then toasted to perfection
Chicken Quesadilla: Filled with all white meat marinated grilled chicken, fresh tomatoes and onions, ripe California olives and real cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, then toasted to perfection
         The brand is celebrating the launch of DQBakes! and its 75th anniversary (June 22nd) at the Dairy Queen restaurant in Manhattan today with a special guest appearance by multi-talented country singer, songwriter and fashion designer Jessie James Decker, who will be on hand to serve the new DQBakes! specialties to Fans. Decker was chosen for the launch because she is genuine, family oriented and a food enthusiast with loyal, engaged fans.
"We believe all of our Fans win with DQ Bakes!," said Westrum. "There's nothing like that hot-from-the-oven taste. We're excited about DQ Bakes! and know that our Fans will be too."
For more information about the Dairy Queen system, visit DairyQueen.com. Connect with the DQ system on Twitter using #LOVEmyDQ and follow the system at twitter.com/dairyqueen.Visit the DQ Facebook fan page, which has more than 9.8 million friends and become a friend at facebook.com/dairyqueen.


Wednesday, June 17, 2015

USDA To Host 6th Annual Pollinator Festival during June 19 Farmers Market



New Display in USDA Headquarters People's Garden Encourages Visitors to Promote Pollinator Habitat and "Plant a Window Box for Pollinators"
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is celebrating National Pollinator Week, June 15-21, 2015, by hosting the 6th Annual Pollinator Festival from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, June 19, 2015, in conjunction with the weekly USDA Farmers Market. Festival visitors will be able to talk with pollinator experts, watch live bees and bats, and learn more about what they can do in their own backyard to help pollinators. More than 14 USDA agencies, federal departments and other partners are participating in the outdoor festival located next to USDA's Jamie L. Whitten Building at 12th and Independence Avenue, S.W., in Washington, D.C.
"Pollinators, such as bees, birds and other insects are essential partners for farmers and ranchers and help produce much of our food supply. More than three-fourths of the world's flowering plants rely on pollinators to reproduce, meaning pollinators help produce one out of every three bites of food Americans eat," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The upcoming Pollinator Festival is an opportunity to interact with USDA experts and partners to learn more about these important creatures and ways we can all work together to support their declining populations."
USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) oversees the Department's national People's Garden Initiative (PGI), which supports the Department's efforts as a member of the USDA Pollinator Working Group and the White House Pollinator Task Force. There are 2,115 registered People's Gardens across the country, including the USDA Headquarters People's Garden which is landscaped to include several pollinator gardens that support two beehives on the Whitten Building's roof. Viewers can watch activity in the beehives on a "bee cam" (www.usda.gov/beewatch).
This year, a new display that encourages individuals to join the national "Plant a Window Box for Pollinators" effort has been added to the USDA Headquarters People's Garden.
"It's so easy to help pollinators, and we need to act now," said AMS Administrator Anne Alonzo. "Even a small garden, like a window box filled with native plants that bloom during the spring, summer, and fall, will make a difference for bees and other pollinators."
During the growing season, the USDA Headquarters People's Garden and the adjacent USDA Farmers Market together help educate patrons about the wide variety of fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products available in the Chesapeake Bay region. Visitors can walk through the garden and see pollinator-friendly plantings, as well as crops such as blueberries, asparagus and okra that are pollinated by bees, and then stroll through the adjacent USDA Farmers Market to purchase these fruits and vegetables.
More information about how to "Plant a Window Box for Pollinators," as well as other resources, including pollinator-friendly garden blogs and videos, is available at www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden.
Details about the USDA Farmers Market are at: www.usda.gov/FarmersMarket.
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Tuesday, June 16, 2015

FDA: Artificial Trans Fat Not Safe for Use in Food


In Huge Advance for Public Health, Food Industry Given Deadline to Remove Partially Hydrogenated Oil from Food Supply
WASHINGTON—The Food and Drug Administration has finalized its determination that artificial trans fat is no longer generally recognized as safe for use in food.  The long-expected move was praised by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest as a public health victory which will result in a decreased incidence of heart disease.

About 85 percent of artificial trans fat has already been eliminated, thanks to a sustained public health campaign that has included disclosing trans fat on Nutrition Facts labels, litigation, and city, county, and state prohibitions on the use of partially hydrogenated oil in restaurants.  New York City’s move to phase artificial trans fat out of restaurant meals was a major milestone that demonstrated to the industry and federal regulators that it was relatively easy to replace partially hydrogenated oils for frying, baking, and for other applications, according to CSPI.
“The eventual elimination of artificial trans fat from the food supply will mean a healthier food supply, fewer heart attacks and heart disease deaths, and a major victory for public health,” said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson.  “The final determination made today by the Food and Drug Administration gives companies more than enough time to eliminate the last of the partially hydrogenated oil that is still used in foods like microwave popcorn, biscuits, baked goods, frostings, and margarines.”
Artificial trans fat promotes heart disease by raising LDL, or bad cholesterol, and lowering HDL, or good cholesterol, and perhaps in other ways, according to CSPI.
 “Like most public health measures, at first the phasing out of artificial trans fats was controversial,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013.  “But as soon as New Yorkers understood that taking trans fats out of a dish didn't impact the way their favorite foods tasted, and restaurant owners understood that the ban didn't hurt business, the measure was widely accepted. In fact, the trans fat ban became a point of pride for many restaurants.  When the FDA finishes the work that we started in New York City, tens of thousands of lives will be saved each year by this sensible public health measure.”
The packaged food industry has signaled that it will file a food additive petition asking the FDA to preserve its ability to use small amounts of artificial trans fat for certain uses.  Preventing coloring from leaching out of sprinkles and onto frosting was one such use reported by Politico.  The food additive petition process would require the industry to demonstrate that the uses would be safe at the levels intended.
“The FDA should continue to minimize Americans’ exposure to artificial trans fat and subject the industry’s petition to a rigorous and skeptical test,” Jacobson said.  “If FDA approves it for use as a food additive, it must do so only in the tiniest of amounts.”

Thursday, June 4, 2015

K-State Survey Indicates Lower Farmland Prices, More Non-Performing Loans in the Short-Term Outlook



Released: June 4, 2015



MANHATTAN, Kan. – Agricultural lenders are reporting decreased farmland values and increases in non-performing farm loans. According to the results of an Agricultural Lender Survey conducted by the Kansas State University Department of Agricultural Economics in March, this is a continuation of a trend witnessed in the end-of-year survey conducted in 2014.



“For the first time since we began this survey, the majority of respondents thought land values declined,” said Allen Featherstone, professor and department head of the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics. Additionally, he mentioned that the long-term expectation also pointed to declines in land values.



Researchers pointed to uncertainty in the markets regarding interest rates and competition amongst the lenders as some of the long-term factors in the results, which still showed a strong credit market for producers. Lenders cited lower commodity prices, rising operating costs and the softening of cash rents. Combining these with a decrease in farmland prices created concern in the long-term financial health of the farming sector.



However, in reference to the increase in non-performing loans, Featherstone said he believes the market is just cycling back to a normal state. The study indicated a stronger market of loan availability in the agricultural market, which would benefit producers in the future. Research shows that bankers are still interested in agricultural investments, but experts say the farmers are going to have to show a strong investment plan.



“Producers are going to encounter cautious lenders,” Featherstone said. “Farmers will have to be well-prepared and document plans going forward to continue to access credit at good rates.”



The Agricultural Lender Survey included 39 lending institution responses. Lenders in the survey considered five key areas: farm loan interest rates, spread over cost of funds, farm loan volumes, non-performing loan volumes and agricultural land values.



Various K-State Department of Agricultural Economics researchers developed and conducted the survey, including Brady Brewer, recent doctoral graduate; Brian Briggeman, associate professor and director of the Arthur Capper Cooperative Center; Allen Featherstone; and Christine Wilson, professor.



For more information about the outlook for agricultural credit conditions and commentary on areas of concern within agriculture, go to the K-State Agricultural Lender Survey http://www.ageconomics.k-state.edu/research/ag-lender-survey/index.html.

Organic Allentown Farmers' Markets Announced Rodale Institute to Increase Access to Organic Foods




June 3, 2015 (Allentown)  Rodale Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach, announced the June grand opening of two Organic Allentown farmers’ markets. The 'all organic' markets are part of the Organic Allentown initiative, a partnership of the City of Allentown and Rodale Institute to create a city-wide culture around urban organic agriculture. Allentown mayor, Ed Pawlowski, will officiate two ribbon-cutting ceremonies to commemorate the grand opening of the markets.
The first market, called 'Rodale Institute Organic Market at the Y' will open on Saturday, June 6th and run from 9 am – 1 pm in the parking lot of the YMCA/YWCA building  located at 425 S. 15th Street. The second market is called 'Rodale Institute Organic Market on 7th' and will open Saturday, June 13th, running from 10 am – 2 pm in the parking lot of St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church located at 417 N. 7th Street. Both markets will run every Saturday up through October 31st. Two ribbon-cutting ceremonies will be held, one at each market, with both ceremonies beginning at 10 am.

These farmers’ markets were developed to provide low-income community members improved access to a safer and more nutrient-rich diet through USDA certified organic foods which are grown without synthetic chemicals. To promote this mission, both farmers’ markets will accept payment via SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. In April of this year, the USDA awarded Rodale Institute a grant to reduce prices for SNAP users through a dollar-for-dollar match. For example, SNAP users who buy $10 worth of organic produce at the farmers’ markets pay only $5 from their SNAP accounts, with the other $5 matched by the USDA grant. Local, organic produce is half-off for SNAP users with this unique deal.

The following is a list of vendors confirmed for each market.

Rodale Institute Organic Farmers’ Market at the Y:

Real Gardens Farm Stand – www.realgardensfarmstand.com
Amurie – www.amurie.com
Hermosa Soap Co. – www.hermosasoaps.com
Monocacy Coffee Co. – www.monocacycoffee.com
Made By Lino – www.madebylino.com
Saxman Breads – www.saxmanbreads.com
Rodale Institute Produce Stand – www.rodaleinstitute.org
Rodale Institute Organic Farmers’ Market on 7th:

V-lish Vegan Soup Co. – www.facebook.com/v-lishvegansoupcompany
Amurie – www.amurie.com
Hermosa Soap Co. – www.hermosasoaps.com
Saxman Breads – www.saxmanbreads.com
Rodale Institute Produce Stand – www.rodaleinstitute.org
“Our main goal is to increase organic food access and choices for the residents of Allentown,” said Jesse Barrett, Organic Allentown Program Manager. According to the USDA, some areas of Allentown are considered “food deserts,” where low-income residents have low access to fresh, healthy foods and are long distances from supermarkets or large grocery stores. Often times, even the closest grocery stores are not likely to carry fresh organic produce at affordable prices.

To make organic food more accessible, Rodale Institute staff will provide cooking demonstrations, easy-to-follow recipes, and nutritional guides for market-goers. Rodale Institute is also partnering with Allentown YMCA/YWCA, led by the organization’s CEO Jim Finchum, to conduct an organic-eating initiative for children. A friendly “Healthy Eating Nutrition Competition” will be held over the course of the season, where kids win when they eat their veggies.

Apply Now for Farm Bureau Women’s Communications Boot Camp




WASHINGTON, D.C. June 4, 2015 – The American Farm Bureau Federation is now accepting applications for the 2015 Women’s Communications Boot Camp, set for Oct. 13-16 in Washington, D.C.

The intensive training is open to all women who are Farm Bureau members. The program focuses on enhancing communication and leadership skills within the agriculture industry, and includes targeted training in the areas of public speaking, media relations, messaging and advocacy.

Sherry Saylor, an Arizona row crop farmer who chairs the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, said participants gain tremendous confidence in using communication tools to address agricultural topics.

“It is so important for those of us in agriculture to be transparent about what we do to produce food,” Saylor said. “The women who participate in boot camp become confident and powerful voices for rural communities across the nation, allowing our positive message about the agriculture industry to expand.”

Saylor said women are important representatives of agriculture, particularly in speaking with the public and reaching out through social media. The Women’s Communications Boot Camp is vital for producing powerful advocates for the agriculture industry, Saylor said.

Fifteen women will be selected to participate in this year’s program, which is sponsored by the AFBWLC. Applications are available online through state Farm Bureaus. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, June 30. All applicants will be notified of their status by July 31.

The American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership program provides women with the training and education they need to encourage positive change in their communities and within agriculture. For more information, visit fb.org.

DeLauro, Sánchez Introduce Legislation to Stop Five-Year Olds from Falling Into the Nutrition Gap



WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Linda Sánchez (D-CA) today introduced the Wise Investment in our Children (WIC) Act. The bill would increase the age limit for children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for one additional year, from five to six.

“WIC currently provides nutrition services for children only up to a child’s fifth birthday, when it is assumed that they will enroll in kindergarten and be eligible for school meals,” DeLauro said. “However many children do not enter school until well after their fifth birthday. By expanding WIC to age six we close that gap and ensure children have a strong health and nutrition foundation. No child should be placed at a nutritional disadvantage simply because of when their birthdate falls.”

“By extending the age limit of children participating in WIC by one year, we ensure they receive the nutritional services needed until they’re actually eligible for school meals,” said Sánchez. “This is common sense legislation, and further improves an already effective program. In my state of California alone, 84 WIC agencies provide services to over 1.45 million participants each month at over 650 sites. I know this success is shared across the country. By passing this bill, we close a critical gap in support, and make certain that our families can continue to rely on the services they need.”

The legislation is supported by Witnesses to Hunger, Children’s HealthWatch and the National WIC Association.

“The nutrition gap between WIC and school shouldn’t put America’s children at nutrition, health, or learning risks because of their birth dates and local rules. Continuing WIC nutrition services for children up to age six assures that all children are protected by WIC’s essential nutrition safety net until they enter school. The Wise Investment in our Children Act does just that,” said Rev. Douglas A. Greenaway, President & CEO of the National WIC Association.

Dr. Evelyn F. Crayton, RDN, LDN, FAND, a registered dietitian nutritionist and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2015-2016 President said: “The WIC program recently celebrated 40 years of success in providing healthy beginnings to millions of children and families. Investing in mother and their children’s health and nutrition is critical to a strong future for our country. Allowing children to stay with the WIC program up to the age of six will ensure they are ready to learn when they enroll in kindergarten.”

Dr. Diana Becker Cutts, MD, pediatrician at Hennepin County Medical Center and Principal Investigator with Children’s HealthWatch, said: “WIC hits a research-based, cost-effective, proven homerun for my youngest patients.  At first base, it begins with enhancing prenatal nutrition before birth, at second base it increases access to healthy nutrition for infants and kids, at third base is WIC's on-going nutrition education and guidance for parents.  Ensuring that young children receive these essential supports until age 6 without a gap, as the Wise Investment in our Children Act would do, would help bring kids into home base with the healthy start in life they need and deserve.”

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Additional Criteria Must Be Met Before Emergency Use of Vaccine for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Can Be Approved


USDA Will Review Vaccination Options As They Become Available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to work closely with state and local partners and poultry producers who have been impacted by an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). To date, USDA has deployed nearly 400 employees and contracted more than 2,100 personnel to work around the clock in states impacted by the outbreak. USDA has also identified more than $160 million in indemnity payments to date for producers whose flocks have been affected by HPAI, and we will continue to ensure adequate resources remain available to support a robust response.

As part of USDA’s ongoing response, the Department evaluated the efficacy of current vaccine options for HPAI in addition to economic impacts of vaccination and has determined that, as it currently stands, additional criteria must be met before a vaccine can be approved for emergency use. Vaccines currently available are not well matched and do not meet a suitable level of efficacy. USDA also wants to be sure that the vaccine industry is in a position to produce enough doses to create an effective control measure. Finally, additional outreach with trading partners will be required to avoid significant market disruptions

In the weeks and months ahead, USDA will continue to support efforts to develop a more effective vaccine, assist poultry producers with strong biosecurity measures, indemnify producers for losses, and take aggressive action to maintain open markets for U.S. poultry based on international standards.

USDA will continue to encourage development of vaccines for HPAI and will approve vaccines as they are developed and evaluated. Currently, there is lack of a well matched, effective vaccine for HPAI from the public and private sectors. The vaccine currently available offers just 60 percent effectiveness in chickens, leaving 4 in 10 birds unprotected.  The vaccine’s effectiveness in turkeys is still being studied. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will reevaluate its vaccination decision as more effective vaccines are developed and ready for use, carefully considering both the efficacy of the vaccine and the potential trade impacts. If used, vaccines will be targeted in the states and poultry sectors where they can be most effective. Areas where quarantine, depopulation, and enhanced biosecurity cannot stop the spread of HPAI would be prioritized.

During this outbreak, USDA has preserved open markets to countries that account for approximately 84 percent of the value of U.S. poultry and poultry products (including eggs) in 2014.  However, some significant trading partners have indicated that, if we began vaccinating, they would ban all U.S. exports of poultry and eggs until they could complete a risk assessment. Risk assessments are a common method of evaluating these types of requests, and often require a significant amount of time.  The loss of these markets could potentially cost U.S. poultry producers billions in lost export sales that would need to be diverted to other export and domestic markets, with no clear timeline for reopening closed markets. USDA will continue to work closely with stakeholders and trading partners throughout the response.

The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world so that the food supply and our people remain safe. No human infections with these viruses have been detected, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to the general public to be minimal. America’s food supply is safe. Properly prepared and cooked poultry and eggs are safe to eat.

As we continue to respond to this current outbreak, USDA and its partners continue to stress the importance of biosecurity measures for backyard and commercial poultry owners, underscoring five basic steps for responding quickly and decisively:
·        Quarantine
·        Eradicate
·        Monitor region
·        Disinfect
·        Test

Additional information about HPAI can be found at www.usda.gov/avianinfluenza.

PrecisionHawk Launches the Algorithm Marketplace; the First Data Analysis App Store for the Drone Industry





Over 40 university and corporate partners including Texas A&M and Mississippi State University are providing analysis products for the marketplace. Additionally, PrecisionHawk's acquisition of satellite data provider TerraServer will allow marketplace users to link satellite and drone data to observe change over time.

RALEIGH, N.C., June 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Algorithm Marketplace, launched today in BETA, provides automated analysis of aerial data acquired by UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). Using sophisticated algorithms, drone operators no longer need a background in geographic information system (GIS) or remote sensing to interpret their aerial data, instead, the marketplace provides an action-based report to improve management of assets. This launch includes initial algorithms in agriculture, but users can expect solutions to be deployed in the areas of environmental monitoring, energy, insurance and infrastructure assessment.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150601/219815
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150601/219814

"We spent the past 18 months aggregating more than 100 aerial analysis algorithms from leading research partners in North America and Europe," said Dr. Ally Ferguson, PrecisionHawk Director of Geospatial. "While several are deployed now, we are testing many of our internal and partner solutions in real world environments throughout the summer of 2015."

The patent pending marketplace is a part of DataMapper.com, PrecisionHawk's drone data platform (Video: https://youtu.be/zLeUU3_Dr5E)

"As we deploy additional automation and verification tools over the next few months, users can expect many of the analysis algorithms to process in as little as a few minutes, empowering a wide variety of industries," said Andrew Slater, PrecisionHawk VP of Software. "Automation benefits companies who not only need answers quickly, but also those who need to control costs when they need to analyze large volumes of aerial data."

The market is open to companies, universities and students to post and monetize their analysis tools at no cost. A share of the revenue generated from every algorithm sale goes back to the partner. In addition, the algorithm tools can be set to private so companies can extract information without sharing IP.

"The Algorithm Marketplace opens up the remote sensing community and allows institutions, like Texas A&M, to see its research solve tangible real world problems for non-technical users," said Michael Bishop, founding director of the Center for Geospatial Sciences, Applications and Technology at Texas A&M University.

Algorithms are being developed to help companies better evaluate change in conditions over time. To support these tools, PrecisionHawk recently acquired TerraServer (www.terraserver.com), a leading online satellite imagery provider. The 18-year old business has 1.6 million visitors annually.

"We kept finding that we needed satellite data to create software solutions for the drone industry," said Stefan Lataille, PrecisionHawk GIS Scientist. "Drone platforms need to understand their environment and TerraServer, with its access to historical and current satellite data, provides the building blocks to create better analysis tools for drone users to identify how the world changes over time."

TODAY: Fast Track Opposition to Release Over 2 Million Signatures Urging Administration and Congress to Put the Brakes on Fast Track


WASHINGTON, DC—Members of Congress and advocacy groups opposed to fast-tracking the Trans-Pacific Partnership will hold a press conferencetoday at noon to release over two million signatures of Americans urging Congress to put the brakes on fast track.

WHO:        Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro
                    Senator Bernie Sanders
                    Congressman David Cicilline
                    Congressman Keith Ellison
                    Congressman Ruben Gallego
                    Congressman Alan Grayson
                    Congressman Raúl Grijalva
                    Congresswoman Barbara Lee
                    Congressman Mark Pocan
                    Congressman Tim Ryan
                    Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez
                    Congressman Brad Sherman
                    Congresswoman Louise Slaughter
                    Congresswoman Nydia Velázaquez
                    AFL-CIO
                    Alliance for Retired Americans
CREDO
DailyKos
Demand Progress
Democracy for America
Friends of the Earth
MoveOn.org Civic Action
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
PCCC
Public Citizen
Sierra Club
Social Security Works
SumOfUs
350.org
                   
WHAT:      Press Conference Unveiling Over Two Million Signatures Urging Administration and Congress to Put the Brakes on Fast Track

WHEN:      Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at Noon

WHERE:   House Triangle
                    East Front of the U.S. Capitol


Red Lobster, The Cheesecake Factory, Sonic Top 2015 Xtreme Eating Awards



One Red Lobster Meal, Plus Cocktail, Hits 3,600 Calories

WASHINGTON—Imagine chowing down on an eight-piece bucket of KFC Original Recipe fried chicken, four sides of mashed potatoes with gravy, four pieces of corn on the cob, and eight packets of buttery spread—all by yourself.

It takes a lot to shock the nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest who compile the annual Xtreme Eating Awards.  But this year they found a single restaurant meal that’s the nutritional equivalent of that KFC binge.  Red Lobster’s “Create Your Own Combination” delivers 2,710 calories, and four days’ worth of sodium (6,530 milligrams), if you choose the Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp, Walt’s Favorite Shrimp, and Shrimp Linguine Alfredo to go with the Caesar salad, French fries, and one Cheddar Bay Biscuit.  But wait, there’s more!

 
For our Create Your Own Combination at Red Lobster, we picked three shrimp dishes (Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut, Walt’s Favorite, and Linguine Alfredo). With french fries as our side, Caesar as our salad, and just one Cheddar Bay Biscuit, our total came to 2,710 calories and 6,530 mg (a four-day supply) of sodium.
Wash down that combo with the Lobsterita—the chain’s trademarked 890-calorie, 24-ounce margarita—and the meal reaches 3,600 calories, enough calories for today and most of tomorrow.  It’s the highest-calorie meal among the 2015 Xtreme Eating “dishonorees,” as CSPI calls them.

“This nutritional shipwreck from Red Lobster exemplifies the kind of gargantuan restaurant meal that promotes obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases,” said CSPI registered dietitian Paige Einstein.  “If this meal were unusual, that would be one thing, but America’s chain restaurants are serving up 2,000-calorie breakfasts, 2,000-calorie lunches, 2,000-calorie dinners, and 2,000-calorie desserts left and right.  Abnormal is the new normal.”

The full list of “winners” was published today in the June issue of CSPI’s flagship publication, Nutrition Action Healthletter.  Some of them include:

IHOP’s Chorizo Fiesta Omelette.  On its own, the omelette, “loaded with spicy chorizo sausage, roasted peppers, onions & pepper jack cheese, then topped with a citrus chili sauce & sour cream and served with a fresh grilled serrano pepper,” has 1,300 calories.  But it comes with three buttermilk pancakes (or hash browns, toast, or fruit).  With pancakes and four tablespoons of syrup, this breakfast has a day’s worth of calories (1,990) and two days’ worth of saturated fat (42 grams).
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit’s 3 Meat Plate.  CSPI chose Polish sausage, pork ribs, and beef brisket and sides of fried Onion Tanglers and mac and cheese, plus the free roll, pickles, onions, and a 32-ounce (the only size offered) sweet tea.  This chain invites diners to consume as much free soft-serve ice cream as they want.  With just one half-cup of ice cream in a cone, this 2,500-calorie meal has 49 grams of saturated fat, 4,700 mg of sodium (two and a half to three days’ worth of each), plus 29 teaspoons of sugar.  CSPI says it’s like eating three Big Macs with five Vanilla Cones.
Louisiana Chicken Pasta from The Cheesecake Factory is “parmesan crusted chicken served over pasta with mushrooms, peppers, and onions in a spicy New Orleans sauce.”  At 1½ pounds, this plate from the Xtreme Eating mainstay has 2,370 calories (more than a day’s worth), 80 grams of saturated fat (a four-day supply), and 2,370 mg of sodium.  It’s the equivalent of two orders of Fettuccine Alfredo plus two breadsticks at Olive Garden.
A large Pineapple Upside Down Master Blast from Sonic is a 32-ounce cup filled with vanilla ice cream, pineapple, and “salted caramel & pie crust pieces” and topped with several inches of whipped cream.  It has 2,020 calories, 61 grams of saturated fat (three days’ worth), 4½ grams of trans fat (over two days’ worth), and about 29 teaspoons of added sugar.  It has the calories of roughly four Dairy Queen Banana Splits.
Steak ‘n Shake’s 7x7 Steakburger ‘n Fries is only available from midnight to 6:00 a.m. on the chain’s “Up All Night” menu.  The burger’s seven beef patties and seven slices of cheese, plus a side of fries, totals 1,570 calories and  more than two days’ worth of saturated fat.  With a 960-calorie Chocolate Fudge Brownie Milkshake, the grand total comes to 2,530 calories, 68 grams of saturated fat, more than 5,000 mg of sodium, and 26 teaspoons of added sugar.  It’s like sitting down to four 9-ounce Outback Steakhouse sirloin steaks, each topped with two half-cup scoops of Breyers Chocolate Ice Cream.
“It’s not enough to have one or two patties on a burger, or one or two slices of cheese; now we’re seeing seven patties and seven slices of cheese on a burger,” said Einstein.  “With our burgers getting bigger and bigger, it’s no surprise that many of our waistlines are, too.”

Rules finalized by the Food and Drug Administration requiring calories to be listed on chain-restaurant menus are scheduled to take effect in December.  Until then, CSPI suggests avoiding extreme entrées by ordering from “light” menus, where available, such as the Simple & Fit menu at IHOP or the SkinnyLicious menu at The Cheesecake Factory.  With about 600 calories, those meals aren’t exactly Lean Cuisine, but they are far better than what you’d find on the rest of the menu.  To cut calories, CSPI recommends ordering a thin crust pizza over hand-tossed or pan; a small filet or sirloin over a New York Strip, ribeye, or sirloin; broiled, steamed, baked, or grilled seafood over fried seafood.

Nutrition Action Healthletter is published 10 times a year.  Print and digital subscriptions, as well as a free daily tips email, are available at NutritionAction.com.

CHIPOTLE TESTS CHORIZO IN ALL KANSAS CITY RESTAURANTS




Kansas City residents get first taste of new offering from Chipotle

DENVER, June 2, 2015 – Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced that it is testing Chorizo in all of its Kansas City restaurants. Chipotle’s Chorizo is madewith a blend of chicken and pork and is seasoned with paprika, toasted cumin and chipotle peppers, and then charred to perfection on the grill before it is served tocustomers in their choice of a burrito, bowl, salad or tacos.

“Since we opened the first Chipotle restaurant 22 years ago, our menu has changed very little, and our focus has been on constantly improving the quality of everyingredient we use,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle. “While we have never been opposed to adding to our menu, we will only do so when wethink there’s an opportunity to add something that is really unique within our overall menu, and where we can find ingredients that meet our high standards.”

For years Chipotle has been a leader in providing what the company calls Food With Integrity: fresh ingredients grown and raised with respect for famers, animals andthe environment, all brought together using classic cooking techniques. Through this quest, Chipotle has achieved a number of milestones, including its use ofResponsibly Raised meat, local and organically grown produce, pasture-raised dairy, and non-GMO ingredients for all of its food.

Chorizo is available in all Kansas City Chipotle restaurants starting Tuesday, June 2. The company has no immediate plans for expanding the test to other cities, but willconsider expansion based on customer response to this new offering.

For more information about Chorizo, please visit Chipotle.com/chorizo.

Grants Foster ‘Our Food Link’ Activities



WASHINGTON, D.C., June 3, 2015 – Four county Farm Bureaus were selected from a competitive pool of applicants to each receive a $1,500 grant from the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee to help fund “Our Food Link” activities.

Grant-winning programs demonstrate a strong connection between the food system and agriculture, while creatively engaging consumers in a way that encourages them to learn more about food and agricultural products.

“It is extremely important to share agriculture’s message with the general public, since many Americans are several generations removed from the family farm,” said Sherry Saylor, an Arizona row crop farmer who chairs the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. “These grants will be used to help consumers learn about agriculture.”

The Farm Bureaus selected to receive the grants are highlighted below.

McLean County (Illinois) plans to develop “Our Food Link” learning kits to encourage agricultural literacy among grade-school students in the county.

McLean County (North Dakota) will host a “Harvest Hike” 5K run and walk. At various stations along the run/walk route participants and other attendees will learn about the major crops and livestock produced in North Dakota.

Tuscarawas County (Ohio) is developing an interactive video lesson plan that will allow students and teachers to virtually visit a farm and learn about agriculture.

York County (South Carolina) is set to host a 5K “Run for Agriculture.” Farmers in the county will speak with participants about common misunderstandings related to agriculture.

Our Food Link is a year-round program that county and state Farm Bureaus can use to effectively reach consumers of all ages and backgrounds with information about today’s agriculture. This outreach is more important than ever because the average American is now at least three generations removed from the farm.

Program activities are flexible and creative, including not only the grant-winning projects but also outreach at supermarkets or farmers’ markets, interactive booths at community events, speaking with lawmakers and neighbors about food, visiting classrooms to help students understand agricultural topics and much more.

“Our Food Link” activities may also include the collection of food and monetary donations for Ronald McDonald House Charities or other charities.

The launch of the program was spearheaded in 2014 by the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee, although all Farm Bureau members are encouraged to participate in “Our Food Link” activities.

Assessment Recommends Improvements to National Beginning Farmer & Rancher Grants Program


Popular federal program serves public, beginning farmers
Contact: Megan Buckingham, Land Stewardship Project, 612-722-6377; Ferd Hoefner, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, 202-547-5754

Minneapolis, Minn., June 3, 2015 — The nation’s leading public training program for assisting beginning farmers and ranchers is more popular than ever, and with some key adjustments could better fulfill Congress’s intent to target public funding to community-based organizations that conduct beginning farmer education and training.  Those are two conclusions of an assessment of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP), which was released today by the Land Stewardship Project (LSP).

The assessment, published by LSP in collaboration with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), is intended to help policy makers and public officials better understand how BFRDP funding, provided through the federal farm bill, is distributed and to evaluate its administrative and programmatic strengths and weaknesses.  LSP’s 2014 BFRDP Progress Report analyzes the most recent round of project grants in the context of trends in recent years. LSP and NSAC have collaborated on an assessment of BFRDP each year that the program has awarded grants.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, BFRDP is a competitive grants program that funds community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, state cooperative extension, and producer groups to provide training and support to beginning farmers and ranchers.

Since the program was launched in 2009, BFRDP has awarded more than $90 million to 184 projects across the nation, and is a key publicly supported effort to ensure the success of the next generation of American family farmers.

In 2014, USDA awarded $18.9 million in BFRDP grants to 39 projects across 28 states. Interest in the program increased in this most recent funding round, in which 157 applicants competed for funding, compared with 109 in 2012, the last year the grants were offered.

As in other years, the 2014 report pays particular attention to the Congressional intent to prioritize community-based organizations when it comes to BFRDP funding, and to set aside funding for projects that serve socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.  In 2014, for the first time since 2009, less than 50 percent of the funding was awarded to projects led by community-based or nonprofit organizations. Instead, the majority of the funding was directed to projects led by land grant universities and other academic institutions.

LSP, NSAC and the groups’ allies are urging USDA to assure that the majority of BFRDP funding is allocated to projects led by community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations over the next four years, as it had been in the three previous funding cycles.

Overall, eight recommendations are made in the report, including one to continue to award no less than 25 percent of BFRDP funding to projects that primarily target socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

The full report and recommendations are available on LSP’s website at: http://landstewardshipproject.org/repository/1/1543/bfrdp_report_2014.pdf.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Investing in Infrastructure Critical to Advancing Food Security in Zambia



Business making strategic investments to increase farmer productivity and profitability in Zambia



LUSAKA, Zambia, June 2, 2015 - DuPont Pioneer, one of the world’s leading agricultural businesses, today opened a new seed warehouse and office facility in Zambia that will increase maize storage capacity and meet farmer demand for both local and export markets to Kenya, Tanzania and other markets in Africa.



“Zambia could emerge as the breadbasket for southern Africa provided an enabling agricultural environment is fostered,” said Worede Woldemariam, East and South Central Africa senior business manager of DuPont Pioneer “Our aim is to improve farmer productivity and profitability while providing a foundation for farming as a sustainable livelihood that meets the needs of people today and future generations.”



The country currently has an average maize yield of about 2.4 metric tons per hectare, which is slightly above the average 2 metric tons per hectare of maize yields in Africa and 10 tons per hectare in the U.S. Zambia produces excellent seed quality, and the new facility will ensure world class quality standards are maintained in the region.

The latest investment is part of ongoing efforts by DuPont Pioneer to invest in resources and infrastructure in Africa.



“The warehouse will allow DuPont Pioneer to develop and produce more seed locally as well as enhance the global competitiveness of the maize industry. Better quality seeds and more advanced farming practices can improve nutrition, the standard of living, and overall agricultural productivity,” says Woldemariam.



Dignitaries in attendance at the grand opening, including local government officials, the US ambassador and partners participated in a ribbon-cutting and plaque unveiling ceremony. DuPont Pioneer’s administrative office and seed production facilities will move into the facility with immediate effect.



In March 2015, DuPont Pioneer in partnership with the Earth Institute at Columbia University launched the SoilDoc to promote efficient use of fertilizer, good soil quality management, increase productivity, and soil resilience.



The 2015 Global Food security Index, an annual measure of food security across 109 countries, produced by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by DuPont recently identified favourable policies and investments in agricultural infrastructure as the major drivers of food-security improvements in Sub-Saharan Africa.

DuPont Pioneer has been working for decades in Africa to help farmers significantly increase agricultural productivity and food production through improved crop yields. In 2014, DuPont expanded its research facility at Delmas, South Africa, that will serve as the core of the DuPont Africa regional technology centre.  Delmas is the central hub of the regional technology centre, which is comprised of a network of existing DuPont Pioneer and PANNAR research facilities and testing locations throughout Africa. The technology centre is designed to help advance ongoing efforts by DuPont to accelerate seed product development for Africa’s farmers and help them better manage key agronomic challenges, including pest and disease pressure, climate volatility and nutrient-depleted soils.  The new facility will increase capacity to get new products into the market.

WIKILEAKS ISSUES CALL FOR $100,000 BOUNTY ON MONSTER TRADE TREATY





Today, WikiLeaks has launched a campaign to crowd-source a $100,000 reward for America's Most Wanted Secret: the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

Over the last two years, WikiLeaks has published three chapters of this super-secret global deal, despite unprecedented efforts by negotiating governments to keep it under wraps. US Senator Elizabeth Warren has said, "[They] can’t make this deal public because if the American people saw what was in it, they would be opposed to it." The remaining 26 chapters of the deal are closely held by negotiators and the big corporations that have been given privilleged access. Today, WikiLeaks is taking steps to bring about the public's rightful access to the missing chapters of this monster trade pact.

The TPP is the largest agreement of its kind in history: a multi-trillion dollar international treaty being negotiated in secret by the US and 11 Pacific Rim countries. The treaty aims to create a new international legal regime that will allow transnational corporations to bypass domestic courts, evade environmental protections, police the internet on behalf of the content industry, limit the availability of affordable generic medicines, and drastically curtail each country's legislative sovereignty.

The TPP bounty also heralds the launch of WikiLeaks' new competition system, which allows the public to pledge prizes towards each of the world's most wanted leaks. Members of the public can now go to wikileaks.org/tpp-reward to pledge on the missing chapters of the TPP.

WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange said, "The transparency clock has run out on the TPP. No more secrecy. No more excuses. Let's open the TPP once and for all."

Monday, June 1, 2015

Crystal Kasper takes home John Deere Green Fever prize package of more than $35,000




OLATHE, Kansas (June 1, 2015) – Crystal Kasper of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., is receiving $25,000 to use for a landscape makeover for her yard, plus a John Deere Gator™ 625i, for being the grand prize winner of the 2015 John Deere Green Fever Sweepstakes. Kasper, who completed the online sweepstakes entry form during the four-month program that kicked off the company’s annual product sales promotion, says she has big landscaping plans for her property.

“I have one side of my yard that I have not used in three years and always wanted to create this amazing outdoor retreat area,” Kasper explains. ““I think I’ll put down pavers, add some nice shrubbery along the edges, put in a waterfall and get some neat outdoor furniture paired with nice lighting. It’ll make it a nice, quiet place to read and relax.”

In addition to the $25,000 cash prize for the landscape makeover, Kasper also selected a new John Deere Gator as part of the grand prize package that included the winner’s choice of Ztrack™ mower, 1 Family Tractor, or Signature Series RLE.  “I look forward to having a lot of fun with it this summer and for years to come,” she says.

This Green Fever Giveaway Sweepstakes was part of the annual Green Fever sales period held November through February. For this year’s Green Fever Giveaway Sweepstakes, participants received coupons for free John Deere merchandise, redeemable at their local dealership, when they entered the giveaway. In addition to the Green Fever Giveaway grand prize package, monthly winners were also selected from those who entered the contest.

During the sales period, customers received major discounts and financing incentives on select models of equipment.  These include special retail discounts and financing incentives on select equipment and models.

For more information on the current John Deere Green Tag promotion featuring a variety of John Deere equipment for the farm, ranch, lawn and garden, visit
www.JohnDeere.com/GreenFever.