25 things about me and other top news

I have been "tagged" by a couple of friends on facebook to write "25 things about me," a "tagged you're it" exercise in self revelation I might have to work myself up to. Here is number one: The Fresh Talk blog has published 3,335 posts since its inception in 2006. One down, 24 to go.

Other big news of the day:

Tom Daschle's tax problems were related to taxes he had not previously paid for a car and driver provided by a big Democratic donor, a fact - as Jay Leno pointed out tonight - that seems especially ironic because of this early campaign ad from Daschle.





More headlines snatched from the Web:

Businesses fare better in Senate stimulus plan

Foreclosures dominate home sales More than half in California

Kroger calling customers who bought recalled foods

Supermarket groups urged to notify customers in event of recalls

Global firms buy out seed companies From The Monterey Herald
This week, GeneFresh Technologies, the company he founded in 2002, was acquired by Harris Moran, the Modesto-based arm of global seed giant Vilmorin & Cie, a French company which calls itself the world's largest independently owned seed company.

USDA tightens farm payments
In hopes of making it possible to enforce the law, Congress is expected to consider a bill to allow the USDA to access farmer's tax statements from the IRS.

Tesco's market share erodes slightly in UK

Potatoes, America's favorite vegetable From Idaho Potato Commission...
When asked to select their favorite vegetable, consumers picked potatoes (26%), corn (19%) and broccoli (17%).

Research: kids may not need vitamins

Sign up for pilot program begins Allows for program crop growers to plant veggies

Boxer vows cap and trade bill this year

On dining: let's be honest about local-organic-sustainable From Seattle PI
Please don't preach the local-organic-sustainable sermon, then turn around and sell duck from California, strawberries in the dead of winter or the ubiquitous mixed greens grown in Mexico. Most menus have an asterisk by those lofty claims, stating, "We'll serve local-organic-sustainable whenever it's possible" (and/or cost-efficient).

I think there's going to be a sea change as far as the whole local-organic-sustainable movement at restaurants is concerned. At least, I hope that change is coming. Chefs can be more upfront about their desire to put quality first, maybe calling their efforts "best practices fare."

Economist sees more dead banks walking Banks should be nationalized, say some

Federal officials to help with Salinas gang problem


Local or organic, which is more important From Washington Post, an opinion piece

Cold weather again in Florida

Sasha's peanut butter other top headlines

The widening peanut butter recall continues to grab headlines, and the scope of it has caught the attention of President Obama. Look for more news today about what one consumer group wants retailers to do in the context of the recall.....

Obama: FDA too slow in tracking tainted food From AP

Concerned about a salmonella outbreak involving peanut products that has sickened 550 people and is blamed for at least eight deaths, Obama says he wants to review how the Food and Drug Administration operates."I think that the FDA has not been able to catch some of these things as quickly as I expect them to," Obama said in an interview aired Monday on NBC's "Today" show.The president said Americans should be able to rely on the government to keep children safe when they eat peanut butter and that includes his 7-year-old daughter Sasha."That's what Sasha eats for lunch probably three times a week. And you know, I don't want to have to worry about whether she's going to get sick as a consequence to having her lunch," Obama said.

Firm tied to salmonella ran unlicensed Texas plant From AP
Once inspectors learned about the Texas plant, they found no sign of salmonella there. But new details about that plant — including how it could have operated unlicensed for nearly four years — raise questions about the adequacy of government efforts to keep the nation's food supply safe. Texas is among states where the FDA relies on state inspectors to oversee food safety.

EU consumers and traffic light labeling on food USDA FAS report
A Pan-European consumer study reveals that color-coded nutrition labeling schemes (also known as traffic light schemes) have the tendency to be misleading. Particularly red signals are often misunderstood as "Avoid eating the product". The German food processing industry strongly opposes color coded labeling schemes.

Rise of generation O From Australiaand The Canberra Times

The Federal Government's Obesity Working Group, which is due to report its recommendations to the National Preventative Health Taskforce in June, admits no country has yet been successful in reversing the trend of rising levels of overweight and obese people.

Buying local isn't always better for the environment From Science Daily

Shopping locally may not be as good for the environment as having food delivered, according to new research by the University of Exeter.Published in the journal Food Policy, the study shows that, on average, lower carbon emissions result from delivering a vegetable box than making a trip to a local farm shop.

Organic growers call for more fertilizer oversight From Mercury News
William H. Bent, a USDA compliance officer, wrote in a July 2007 letter to CDFA organic program manager Ray Green that the USDA had received complaints that Green's program had long-standing knowledge that California Liquid's product contained ingredients that couldn't be used on organic farms "but failed to act appropriately to enforce the organic rules and penalize the cheaters."


House bill would boost FDA power From Pork

As introduced, the legislation would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stronger investigative powers. The bill, H.R. 758, is called the FDA Globalization Act and was introduced to the House last week. It would require that foreign factories producing drugs and medical devices be inspected at least every two years, which is the standard for companies producing such goods in the United States.

New fees on imports would help pay for the enhanced inspection requirements. The bill also would allow FDA officials to impose larger fines on companies for faulty imported and domestic products.

Judge cancels Whole Foods hearing Denver Post

Whole Foods Market Inc. and the Federal Trade Commission were granted a joint request to cancel hearings set for this month on possible antitrust remedies to the grocer's $565 million acquisition of Wild Oats Markets Inc., which was based in Boulder.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman in Washington, D.C., vacated the hearings set for Feb. 17 and Feb. 18 at the request of both parties. No reason or other details were provided.

Growers on notice in NJ From Press of Atlantic City:relating to pesticide fines

Immigration effect?: gangs responsible for up to 80% of crimes USA Today

Davidson County, Tenn., Sheriff Daron Hall, whose jurisdiction includes Nashville, says MS-13 started growing there about five years ago, corresponding with an influx of immigrant labor.

Last April, county officials began checking the immigration status of all arrestees. "We know we have removed about 100 gang members, including MS-13," to U.S. authorities for deportation, Hall says.

China announces principles for halting unrest Washington Post

There are now nearly 20 million unemployed migrant workers, or 15.3 percent of the total 130 million migrant worker population, Chen said. They are competing with the 6 million who enter the migrant worker job market each year, according to figures from a Ministry of Agriculture survey of 150 villages in 15 provinces conducted before the Lunar New Year last week, when most migrant workers return home from cities for the holiday.

Dole: Results for 2008

The bugs of war - ecoterrorism and other top headlines

The Times of London splashes with a Drudge-featured article this morning about the bugs of war, and potential use of pests in agro-terror. From the piece, by Jeffrey A. Lockwood is the author of Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War (OUP). Educated as an entomologist, he is a professor of philosophy and creative writing at the University of Wyoming:

The terrorists' letter arrived at the Mayor of Los Angeles's office on November 30, 1989. A group calling itself “the Breeders” claimed to have released the Mediterranean fruit fly in Los Angeles and Orange counties, and threatened to expand their attack to the San Joaquin Valley, an important centre of Californian agriculture.

With perverse logic, they said that unless the Government stopped using pesticides they would assure a cataclysmic infestation that would lead to the quarantining of California produce, costing 132,000 jobs and $13.4 billion in lost trade.

The infestation was real enough. It was ended by heavy spraying. It is still not known if ecoterrorists were behind it, but the panic it engendered shows that “the Breeders” were flirting with a powerful weapon.

The history and future of insects as weapons are explored in my new book, Six-Legged Soldiers. As an entomologist, I was initially interested in how human beings have conscripted insects and twisted science for use in war, terrorism and torture. It soon became apparent that the weaponisation of insects was not some quirky military footnote but a recurring theme in human strife, and quite possibly the next chapter in modern conflicts.

Insects are one of the cheapest and most destructive weapons available to terrorists today, and one of the most widely ignored: they are easy to sneak across borders, reproduce quickly and can spread disease and destroy crops with devastating speed.

A great strategic lesson of 9/11 has been overlooked. Terrorists need only a little ingenuity, not sophisticated weapons, to cause enormous damage. Armed only with box-cutters, terrorists hijacked aircraft and brought down the World Trade Centre. Insects are the box-cutters of biological warfare - cheap, simple and wickedly effective.

Am I being an alarmist? I wish I knew.

TK: Conventional pest challenges are scary enough without layering in the threat of terrorism. May diligence and our plant health defense prevail...

Other headlines snatched from the Web:

On the trail of tainted food From Newsday and Caroline Smith Dewaal

The company ignored 12 positive test results in a two-year period showing the presence of salmonella. Instead of stopping production and thoroughly cleaning, Peanut Corp. continued to ship its products to market when retests did not confirm the findings. The Food and Drug Administration hadn't inspected the plant in eight years. It's particularly troubling that the FDA didn't seek either the company's records or the Georgia inspection reports - information that might have prevented the outbreak from occurring - even after it found that some of the products had been rejected by a firm in Canada.

Putnam to run for Florida agriculture commissioner From the AP

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, who quickly rose to power in Congress after being elected as a 26-year-old, said Sunday he will run for Florida agriculture commissioner.

Putnam will file paperwork to officially enter the race on Monday, he told The Associated Press. Putnam will serve out his final two years in Congress.

"Agriculture is in my DNA," Putnam said. "It's my professional background, it's my academic background, it's what my family is involved in to this day."

Downturn diet Consumer Reports chimes in on the food budget. A couple of their misguided missives:

Buy in season:
That means no strawberries in December in Maine, when you'll pay for shipping from some far-off warm place. Seasonal picks include cherries, melon, peaches, tomatoes, and peppers in summer; snow peas, spinach, and strawberries in spring; and carrots, cauliflower, citrus fruits, and cranberries in fall. For a list, click on "Save at the Supermarket" from the August/September 2008 issue of our ShopSmart magazine, free at www.ShopSmartMag.org.

For produce, go frozen
Frozen fruits and vegetables, often flash-frozen soon after picking, can be more nutritious than "fresh" items that have sat on store shelves for a while. And you don't have to worry about the frozen variety spoiling before it's eaten.


TK: It is always in season somewhere, and the idea that consumers should "shop in-season" is one the great farces perpetrated on the American consumer. If consumers see Chilean grapes on sale for $1.18 per pound, they should by all means purchase the grapes. Also, there is not a love for Wal-Mart or hard discounters like Aldi in these stretch your budget stories; instead it is advice urging consumers to shop local and support CSAs. Come now, there may be reasons to shop local and join a CSA, but to foist this advice as a "downturn diet" is a disservice to the downtrodden.

Beetle could post threat to Florida avocado industry
The redbay ambrosia beetle, which was first detected in Georgia in 2002 and has been moving its way southward to Florida, could be a threat to Florida’s avocado industry, and to homeowners who have the trees in their yards.

Super Bowl success: Mexican avocados

Australia and climate change Is heat wave evidence of pending implosion?

Dole to sell 1,000 acres in California Coverage from The Packer

GM potatoes will be used by Scottish farmers within 10 years Biotechnology needed to help control blight since Europe is removing some pesticide options

APEAM's marketing surge pays off big Coverage from The Packer


Child protection services should be called in for some obesity cases, say some
"What we are saying is that we need to start having some options because we get to a stage where our options are running out and we are not able to help these families for whatever reasons - either the parents are unable or unwilling to follow the advice from the weight management program."

Bird flu in China claims another victim

Climate change may shuffle Western weeds

UK COOL nightmare and other top headlines

The UK is dealing with a new impetus for country of origin labeling, but food manufacturers there, like here, dread the thought of origin labeling for multi-ingredient prepared foods. From the link.

"In this instance, most consumers don't expect country of origin labelling, unless its absence would mislead them. Creating different labels to reflect the changing origin of ingredients would add further, unnecessary costs to our sector at a difficult time for food producers," she said.

More headlines snatched from the Web:

Most produce recession proof Coverage from The Packer

A recent poll commissioned by the Newark, Del.-based Produce Marketing Association finds that over the past six months, consumers have at least maintained consumption levels of 14 out of 15 leading fresh fruits and vegetables.


Organic sector weighs option in fertilizer matter Coverage from The Packer


Europe suspends plan to censure Kenyan produce

Water: California's new gold rush The Sacramento Union. It's never been more grim.
The giants of California agribusiness are the biggest economic engine in the valley, which produces every cantaloupe on store shelves in summer months, and the bulk of the nation’s lettuce crop each spring and fall.

This year, officials in Fresno County predict farmers will only grow about 6,000 acres of lettuce, roughly half the acreage devoted to greens in 2005.

Later.....

Richard Howitt, a professor of agriculture economics at the University of California, Davis, estimates that $1.6 billion in agriculture-related wages, and as many as 60,000 jobs across the valley will be lost in the coming months due to dwindling water.

Analysts haven’t yet provided any estimates of crop losses this year. But Bill Diedrich, an almond grower on the valley’s parched western edge, said he’s already worried he may lose some of his nut trees in the drought.

What's the Obama agenda for Bush era regulations? From OMB Watch

A Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulation that sets requirements for country-of-origin labeling on meat and other perishable food items. Although consumers support country-of-origin labeling, critics say the regulation has loopholes. USDA used an overly broad definition of "processed" foods that can be exempt from labeling requirements. USDA published the regulation Jan. 15, and it is scheduled to go into effect March 16.


School officials worry about less fresh food for student lunches From the LA Times. This sounds significant and not welcome news for the industry.

Cafeteria workers may have to rev up those can openers: That's the warning from a slew of school and elected officials who are worried that California will run short of the money it gives school districts to supplement school breakfasts and lunches.

State schools chief Jack O'Connell has been warning since December that the money could run out this spring, and this month Assembly Bill 95 was introduced -- which would provide $19.5 million to make up for the shortfall. The state pays 22 cents for each meal a student gets for free; the federal government provides the bulk of the funding -- $2.17 to $2.57 per every free or reduced-price meal served.

Healthy and cheap Another stretch your budget feature, this published by The Tulsa World. Lots of produce centered advice here.


Nutrient-rich, inexpensive vegetables, legumes and grains are better options than most cheap convenience food, said Sharon Stroud, a certified nutritionist at Whole Foods Market, 1401 E. 41st St. Stroud leads regular tours through the market to show shoppers how to get more nutrition for their money.

"I have people tell me all the time they can't afford to eat healthy," Stroud said.

But the long-term medical expense of eating unhealthy foods is something people should also consider, she said. Many inexpensive convenience foods are loaded with salt, sugar and trans fats that offer little nutritional value and lots of empty calories.

Nutritional guidelines recommend at least nine servings of fruits or vegetables per day, and if you're eating all nine, you're not going to have as much room in your diet for junk food, Stroud said.


Why I love the sneaky chef From NJ.com

The whole concept of her book is to puree fruits and vegetables and add them to foods your kids already love. The hope is that they won't even notice they're eating them.

Valley GOP leaders target pesticide rules California's state Republicans seek relief from Calif. central valley farmers



Farm to table in Hawaii A look at CSAs in the 50th state

NJ Tomato grower faces nearly $1M fine From Newsday

A corporate tomato grower has been fined almost $1 million for pesticide violations that could have affected the health of its workers, state environmental officials said Thursday.

The Department of Environmental Protection cited hundreds of violations by Ag-Mart Produce, including denying inspectors access to facilities, losing track of a highly toxic insecticide, careless record keeping and using forbidden mixtures of pesticides.

John F. O'Riordan, a lawyer for Ag-Mart Produce, said it was "stunned by the fine and more stunned by the DEP's comments. We will vigorously challenge this, and I believe we will be vindicated and the fine will be dismissed."

Emergency aid to food banks in Obama stimulus bill

The Obama Stimulus Bill in the Senate includes emergency aid to food banks.$150 million worth. Each local pantry could see up to $100,000 in relief.

I say potatoes, you say vodka From SF Examiner

All of the Karlsson vodkas are made from a variety of new potatoes harvested from the Bjare Cape in Sweden where the product is created. This region is to potatoes what France’s Bordeaux region is to wine. Surprisingly (or at least it was to this wine drinker) most vodkas these days are made from grains, not potatoes. Karlsson’s wanted to bring back the old world flavors that tubers impart to the vodka.

Web site promotes concept of "White House farmer"

Dole announces asset sale transactions

First, Dole has closed the first phase of the previously announced sale of its flowers division. With the closing of the first phase, Dole has now completed the sale of its flowers business and retains only certain real estate of the former flowers division to be sold in the subsequent phases of the transaction. Second, Dole has closed on the sale of certain banana properties in Latin America. Third, Dole has signed a definitive purchase and sale agreement to sell certain property in North America. When the North American property sale closes, towards the end of the first quarter of 2009, Dole will have received net cash proceeds of approximately $84 million from these three transactions.

E-verify: a nightmare for workers

For all of the promise that the stimulus plan passed by the House will help create jobs, a provision tucked into the package could actually push workers into unemployment.

That amendment calls for requiring that any contractors that receive federal dollars must participate in a program known as E-verify. A joint and voluntary program of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA), E-verify is used to verify employment eligibility.


China looks to jump queue in apple exports to Australia Prepare to be disappointed, China

The world's biggest apple-growing nation, China, may win entry to the potentially lucrative Australian market before New Zealand apples arrive there.

A draft plan on Chinese apples, released last week by Biosecurity Australia, says they could be imported as long as risks from 18 pests of concern were a "very low level", the Weekly Times newspaper reported.

The pests include mites, oriental fruit fly, mealybugs, Japanese apple rust, apple brown rot, European canker, apple scab, apple and sooty blotch and flyspeck complex - but biosecurity officials said they were satisfied China does not have fireblight.

A spokesman for Australian orchardists - who lobbied against entry of New Zealand apples on the grounds that they might carry fireblight - expressed doubt.

"We're ... yet to be convinced that China is free of fire blight," said the growers quarantine expert, John Corboy.

Great recession of '09

Fresh & Easy produce packs

Jobless numbers rise, durable goods orders fall

Apple juice helps with Alzheimer's?

The ugly math of foreclosures

“What we need is a moratorium on foreclosure while we get a plan in place. We could have five to eight million more foreclosures in the U.S. if we don’t do something about this. Banks have already written down these mortgages.”

Organic outrage and other top headlines for Jan. 29

Luis of the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group links to this UK story about air-freighted produce and the organic lobby. From the piece:

The Soil Association proposed last year to ban suppliers and retailers from putting its certification label on fruit and vegetables that arrived in Britain by air, arguing that air-freighting produce generated 177 times more greenhouse gas than sending the same produce by sea. But the association has retreated after being lobbied by supermarket chains including Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose and Asda, which want to continue selling air-freighted organic food. The decision to approve air freight, which the association posted discreetly on its website, will provoke uproar in the wider organic movement.

TK: The Soil Association is right. There is no justification for this higher standard for air-shipped organic produce.

China turning to the humble potato
China is the largest producer of potato in the world; they produce over 70 million tons of potato. And the Chinese government is looking to increase that to 120 million tons in the next five years to be able to feed their growing population. So yes consumption is increasing in China.

How green is my wallet? Organic food growth slows From Reuters

Typical growth rates of 20 to 30 percent for organic food sales in the United States eased in the second half of 2008 as middle- and upper-income families felt the strain of layoffs and declining investment portfolios, said Tom Pirovano, director of industry insights at market research firm The Nielsen Co.

Sales in December were up 5.6 percent, year on year, against a 25.6 percent rise a year earlier.

Even though growth is slowing, Pirovano noted that most people who purchased organic foods were very committed.

"I'm not convinced that we are going to see big declines in organics any time soon," he said.

Spinach the cure for citrus greening? From The Palm Beach Post

Gore urges action on economy, global warming

Save money at the grocery story Another in the long line of similar stories
Buy fresh produce in season -- citrus fruits in winter, asparagus in spring, tomatoes in summer and apples in fall. While we're fortunate to have access to most fruits and vegetables year-round, in-season produce is typically less expensive and more flavorful.

Choose canned or frozen fruits and vegetables when fresh is too expensive or unavailable. Just be sure to select those without added sugar and salt.

Trimming fat from the food and budget

14 day shelf life for fresh cut fruits and vegetables Hefestus Ltd. to unveil system at Fruit Logistica

Why more matters? Coverage from Great Falls, Montana

Where does agriculture stand in the stimulus package? Good breakdown of funding, based on Congressional Research Service report

2008 Annual Summary - Vegetables USDA NASS report
Fresh market vegetable and melon production for the 24 selected crops estimated in 2008 totaled 449 million hundredweight, down 2 percent from last year. Harvested area covered 1.73 million acres, down 3 percent from 2007. Value of the 2008 crop is estimated at 10.4 billion dollars, up 4 percent from a year ago. The three largest crops, in terms of production, are onions, head lettuce, and watermelons, which combined to account for 37 percent of the total production. Tomatoes, head lettuce, and onions claim the highest values, accounting for 32 percent of the total value when combined. For the 24 selected vegetables and melons estimated in 2008, California continues to be the leading fresh market State, accounting for 44 percent of the harvested area, 49 percent of production, and 50 percent of the value.

USDA nears decision on food safety chief Marler apparently not in the mix

Update on Taiwan's organic regulations USDA FAS report

UN chief warns of food shortages in poor countries
Sheeran said that more people are going hungry as remittances to poor countries fall and exports from developing nations slow because importers are buying less. Credit, which is vital to small farmers for buying seeds and fertilizer at the beginning of the season, has become inaccessible for many, she said.

Retail banana price wars bad for workers Coverage from the UK

Avocado commission to meet in Fallbrook
The California Avocado Commission is to meet in Fallbrook Thursday, its first meeting since a state audit uncovered questionable spending practices by staffers and commissioners.

Commission members are likely to get an earful from local growers angry about a California Department of Food and Agriculture report released earlier this month that outlined more than $1.5 million spent on clothes, ball games, home improvements and other dubious expenses.

236,000 foreclosures in Cali last year
In California, the areas that have been hardest hit by foreclosures include the Inland Empire, the Antelope Valley and the Central Valley, where many first-time homeowners flocked to buy new homes.

Feds again push back E-verify deadline
The federal government has agreed to postpone implementing the E-Verify regulation for federal contractors until May 21, 2009 at the earliest, a business group said today. The regulation requires contractors to check with the E-Verify system to ascertain whether workers are legally eligible to work in the United States.

Federal officials agreed to a request by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to postpone enforcement of the regulation so that the rule can be reviewed by the Barack Obama administration, the organization said in a news release.

Activists keep heat on Obama over immigration
Opponents say Obama is unlikely to tackle comprehensive reform until the second or third year of his term. Advocates say he could raise the issue as early as September if a stimulus package currently before Congress succeeds in stemming the economic slide, and if progress meeting other policy goals such as healthcare reform is made.

U.S. consumers will help determine future world growth
Economists say the fiscal-stimulus packages from Washington to Beijing will cushion the downturn but fall short of preventing a world-wide recession. And global growth, when it comes, will still be powered in part by U.S. consumers -- though they'll spend far less than they did in the debt-fueled years of the recent boom.

New global climate change deal urged Which is it - global warming or climate change?

"This is almost certainly our last chance to get climate change under control before it passes the point of no return,” said EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas, who noted that President Obama’s early statements on climate change were “tremendously encouraging”.

Mr Dimas was speaking at the launch of the EU’s draft negotiating position, which the commission has prepared for this year’s Copenhagen climate summit, where countries will gather under the auspices of the UN to agree a successor to Kyoto.

The EU proposal, which must still be approved by EU leaders, calls for the creation of an OECD-wide emissions trading system to enable world powers to trade carbon permits by 2015. “It appears Obama prefers cap and trade,” said Mr Dimas, who added that many states, such as New Zealand, Australia and Japan, were already moving in that direction.

Kroger and Cellfire use of digital coupons expands


The food industry made us fat Review of the book "Stuffed" A fast food nation-esque book about food manufacturers

Loving Wal-Mart and other top news for Jan. 26

I was in Wal-Mart today with my wife, picking up an order of photos and I struck up a conversation with a sales floor clerk. (I kept my high profile blogging status on the down low) She had much good to say about Wal-Mart ("It's the best kept secret," she told me. "It pays better than any other retail.") She told how well heeled suburbanites who formerly turned up their nose at Wal-Mart are now shopping at the store ("Where have they been for the past ten years?"). And she noted that Wal-Mart will match any advertised special, even in the produce department."Aldi has lower prices for avocados," she allowed, but she noted no other grocery retailer she visits honors the ad prices of competitors. She was such a great PR rep for Wal-Mart ("We get a bonus based on how the store does," she confided.) that I almost wanted to sign on right there on the spot. There is no more important customer to please than your own employee, and Wal-Mart has apparently accomplished that and more with Sue in Olathe.

Other top news for today:

Vilsack withdraws proposed $3 million cut to fruit and vegetable program From the USDA:
Vilsack also announced that the Department does not plan to implement a proposal developed by the previous Administration that would have cut more than $3 million from the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, a popular program that promotes the growth of healthy fruits and vegetables.

Tough times for tators Coverage from Washington state and KEPRTV.com
Suddenly, growers and processors scrambled to scale back. Dozens of orders had to be re-arranged. And too few acres of potatoes were now too many.

"There's a lot of uncertainty because people don't know what commodity prices going to bring," Clay Allen said, a sales representative for Double L.

Then last week, processors quietly announced they were immediately cutting the amount of potato contracts. French fry demand was way down. They blamed increased costs, a weak economy and changes in fast-food menus.

The big three processors, Lamb Weston (the potato- processing division of Con-Agra Foods), J.R. Simplot and McCain Foods could cut back as much as 20 percent.

Local food plea to supermarkets (UK) From The Press in York

That is the plea from the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber (RFG) It argues that while the recession is affecting people’s shopping habits, buying local food “can bring significant benefits to regions’ economies”.

Jonathan Knight, chief executive of the RFG, listing the benefits, said: “First and foremost local food production creates jobs in the local community, which in turn will have a positive impact on future investment and opportunities in the area.

Future food items may be a challenge to copywriters From Ad Age
We want our food to come with compelling stories, says the Guru of New, aka Sarah Browne. A perfect example, she says, is Dole organic bananas, each one branded with a number you can enter on the company's website and be transported, via Google Earth, to where it was picked -- and discover by whom. The cooler your story (ancient herbs! Long-lost tribes! Rare harvest!), the better.

A seed in time Brief history and appreciation of the apple

Organic options From the story, on "why organic"?

"Basically I see it as premium fuel," Krieger said. "It's better for you. It's better for the Earth, and it's better for the animals that are involved." Studies on the impact of organic foods in the diet have been small and are not yet long-term enough to be a good gage, but the impact on the environment seems to be more immediate.

EU's false insecticide fears post threat to Africa

You might assume that the EU could demonstrate some threat to humans or the environment, that it had found viable alternatives to the banned pesticides and that it had assessed the consequences of this ban to farming, to food prices and to the poor whose only defence against disease is pesticides. But you would be wrong on all counts.

Farmer's market to fight obesity, diabetes From the UPI in Brownsville, Texas:
A voucher system, funded by a grant by the Texas Department of State Health Services, allows low-income families to receive $10 in vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.The vouchers can go a long way at the market.

Citrus workers imperiled by carbon monoxide forklift apparently left running was the cause.

Obama promises to lead the world on climate change yet some say some damage from climate change is irreversible. Will that fact make more or less eager to sacrifice our lifestyles for lower CO2 emissions?

New Rio Queen citrus packing shed to open soon in south Texas

Two grocery stores label with nutritional information

Markets solve the immigration problem Sort of.

Vilsack promises to tackle food safety


More cheery news here: California controller discusses budget deficit.


Chile retail sales tumble 9% in December

Roubini: the worst is not over

Retail sales figures just published, Roubini reckons, demonstrate that the debt-burdened U.S. consumer is now panicking as job losses, income losses, declines in home wealth, and a severe credit crunch take a severe toll on their ability to spend.

"The reduction in spending and deleveraging of the U.S. consumer will take years to rebuild," said Roubini.

Direct farmer to consumer stores flourish in Japan

Fresh Produce flourishes as food safety rots is a link passed on by Doug Powell of the Food Safety Network. We see again the golden halo of locally grown produce is a phenomenon that goes beyond borders. Look for both common threads and unique attributes to the local food movement in this story, dateline Japan.

With public trust in food, packaging and labeling crumbling across the nation, consumers are taking a healthy interest in vegetables and other locally made produce.

In Kawasaki, where about 1 million people reside, a local farmers' cooperative opened its own store, Farmers' Market Ceres, in April last year to sell fresh food by direct sales.

At 9:30 a.m. one random weekday, customers started lining up in front of the store. By 9:55 a.m. it had grown to 50 people, just five minutes before opening time.

"Everybody comes here first thing in the morning because there are fresh products here," said a woman who said she was a regular customer.

Later...

The vegetables and fruits are not necessarily cheap compared with supermarket prices, but people are apparently buying them because they feel safer eating products made by farmers who aren't afraid to be identified.

According to JA General Research Institute, there are about 5,000 direct-sales stores nationwide. Of them, about 2,000 are run by farmers' cooperatives and 3,000 by third-sector companies and other farmer groups.

The stores rake in ¥80 million to ¥100 million a year on average, it said.

The larger of the stores first started opening outlets in the late 1970s, when pollution surfaced as a problem nationwide. The trend quickly spread in the 1990s after the bubble economy collapsed.

"Many of the consumers started having doubts about mass production and the mass retail system" at that time, said Masayuki Yamamoto, a researcher at the JA General Research Institute.

The stores also caused farmers to change their way of thinking. Many stores installed computer systems that allowed them to send daily sales data to each of the farmers so they could see what consumers were buying.

"I started thinking more seriously about how I can sell my products," said a farmer who supplies the Kawasaki store.

Selling products at direct-sales stores allows farmers to decide their own prices. This forces them to compete with supermarkets on price as well as quality and variety, such as by supplying vegetables not sold in regular stores.

TK: Increasing sophistication among growers, yes, but also the recognition that the halo could be toppled with an unfortunate incident or two. The story concludes:

But there are other hurdles that need to be overcome.

An official at the Kawasaki store said that agricultural knowledge varies among the farmers and that it needs to keep an eye on what kind of chemicals they are using to ensure the products they are selling are safe.

Economic stimulus and contraceptives - the weekend update

The idea that stimulus package pushed by the Democrats has hundreds of millions for contraceptives and family planning is astounding. How does this create jobs? How does this get the economy moving? Aren't people our greatest resource? From Drudge today, this exchange:

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi boldly defended a move to add birth control funding to the new economic "stimulus" package, claiming "contraception will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government."

Pelosi, the mother of 5 children and 6 grandchildren, who once said, "Nothing in my life will ever, ever compare to being a mom," seemed to imply babies are somehow a burden on the treasury.

The revelation came during an exchange Sunday morning on ABC's THIS WEEK.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand family planning services. How is that stimulus?

PELOSI: Well, the family planning services reduce cost. They reduce cost. The states are in terrible fiscal budget crises now and part of what we do for children's health, education and some of those elements are to help the states meet their financial needs. One of those - one of the initiatives you mentioned, the contraception, will reduce costs to the states and to the federal government.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So no apologies for that?

PELOSI: No apologies. No. we have to deal with the consequences of the downturn in our economy.


TK. Can't buy Pelosi's argument. This has got to go if the stimulus package advances, IMHO.

More headlines snatched from the Web over the weekend:

Florida citrus faces tax war From The Ledger: It appears the industry is on the horns of a dilemma, a Hobson's choice that may leave it no alternative but to leave the idea of an import tax alone.

Florida Department of Citrus officials have been warned a proposed new tax on orange juice imports faces a certain legal challenge, but foreign importers have threatened a much bigger fight against the federal tariff on OJ imports if the Florida Legislature approves the new tax.
Later...

Citrus Department officials have asked Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, to sponsor the new imports tax bill, but he told The Ledger he is reluctant because of a threat to the federal tariff on OJ imports.

"I'm concerned if the efforts to collect the tax could jeopardize the federal tariff," he said. "I'm trying to understand where everybody is and the relative risk."

The federal government collects a tariff equal to almost 30 cents a gallon on OJ imports to the U.S.

Without the tariff, Florida citrus growers say, Brazilian juice processors could undercut the price of orange juice from Florida and drive them out of business.

Green light specials, now at Wal-Mart From the NYT: Good story taking the measure of Wal-Mart's sustainability efforts in recent years, and reference to the irresistible low hanging fruit. From the story:

While environmentalists give Wal-Mart kudos for the changes it has made, they say that much of what it has achieved so far amounts to collecting low-hanging fruit. The company sells tens of thousands of products, and has demanded the overhaul of only a handful, they say. “

Seven Houston pallet firm officials face immigration charges From The Houston Chronicle

Seven executives and managers at IFCO, a Houston-based pallet company, were charged Friday with conspiring between 2003 and 2006 to harbor illegal immigrants.

Honey bees could be in short supply Calif. almonds at risk?

Mapping out pesticide use Maine considers a controversial proposal to allow public to search an online database to see where and when farmers applied pesticides.

Asian psyllid threatens Calif. citrus From the LA Times
The psyllid alone won't hurt California orange groves. The threat comes when the bug lands on a tree already infected with the bacterium that causes the greening disease, also known as huanglongbing or yellow dragon disease. It will feed on the diseased tree and then carry the pathogen to nearby trees. The psyllid will reproduce -- like aphids, they are asexual and don't need to find a mate -- creating whole colonies of citrus greening carriers.

State and local inspectors are tracking the bug, hoping that it doesn't find a citrus tree already infected with the disease, which has no cure.

Citrus pest moving closer to Yuma County From The Yuma Sun
Found in Tijuana last summer, the psyllid soon was also found across the border in San Diego County. It since has been found in Mexicali and in Imperial County in Ocotillo, Calexico, Seeley and Westmorland. So far, the disease it can carry has not been found in this region.

WIC food lists changing to help with health From the Louisville Courier Journal
Kentucky is among the first states working through the federal approval process, which gives states a say in how the changes are made. New York and Delaware have already made the changes; all states must roll them out by October.

California farmers idle crops; veggie prices may rise From AP: Where are those homegrown deals when you need them?

This year, officials in Fresno County predict farmers will only grow about 6,000 acres of lettuce, roughly half the acreage devoted to greens in 2005.

That alone could cause a slight bump in consumer prices, unless lettuce companies can make up for the shortage by growing in areas with an abundant water supply, or the cost of cooling, packaging and shipping the crop suddenly goes down, experts say.

Rain not enough to fix water woes From The Mercury
With salmon disappearing, water managers and regulators must discuss how to balance salmon's cold-water needs with deliveries for cities and farms, according to court documents filed Wednesday.


Forget green! Purple is color of new superfoods From ABC15.com

Fruit / Antioxidant rating
1. Maqui berry Chile (juice) / 820
2. Acai berry S. America / 160 - 300
3. Blueberry N. America / 61
4. Raspberry N. America / 21
5. Grapes N. America / 14

It's possible: eating healthy, cheaply From Midwest Ag Net, another story about eating well and cheaply. Some of the ideas: buy potatoes instead prepackaged mashed potatoes. Buy a head of lettuce instead of a bag of lettuce. Whole carrots instead of baby carrots.

Penny pinching consumers boost German chain From German news site. From the story:

Aldi accounts for only about one percent of the entire $900 billion food-retailing sector, according to Jim Hertel, managing partner of Willard Bishop Consulting.

But the global slowdown is slowly but surely changing American retail attitudes, other analysts point out, making consumers previously wary about no-name private grocers adopt a more open attitude toward low-price shopping options.

“Private labels used to have a reputation of being cheap, but of poor quality. Now the quality and perception of quality have improved to Aldi's benefit. Then add factors like inflation in the last year and the recession. The convergence of all these factors are opening up peoples' minds to Aldi,” Hertel said.

Will big chill wreak havoc on Lake citrus crop? From the Orlando Sentinel


Our sustainable diet: how to start greening your diet The Wenatchee World


Meeting of the minds to solve Salinas gang issue



Which came first - the egg or the gourmet egg? From the AP

COOL under review and other top headlines for Jan. 23

This story from the NYT The Obama Administration may seek to tighten up labeling rules in the COOL rule, recently put under review by the new president.

President Obama has frozen an Agriculture Department rule set forth by the Bush administration requiring country-of-origin labeling on meat and other perishables. Opponents of the rule say that by allowing meat produced in domestic facilities that also process animals from abroad to carry a "multicountry" designation, it will blur the distinctions between U.S. and imported meats. It is expected that the new administration will seek to tighten the measure.

Here are some other headlines snatched from the Web today:

Citrus commission okays its own stimulus
The Florida Citrus Commission has agreed to spend nearly $7 million on advertising programs to increase sales of orange and grapefruit juices this year.

California stands to gain most from stimulus
In its current form, the plan would give California $4.46 billion for investment in water, roads, public transportation, highways and bridges, according to the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Fitch downgrades Dole From the story:

The downgrade is due to growing uncertainty surrounding Dole's string of significant near-term maturities, the company's negative free cash flow and the absence of a concrete plan to repay or refinance its obligations.

California farmers slash acreage to deal with drought Some Central Valley growers have credit frozen until they can show banks they have water. Processing tomato acreage to be cut, plus lettuce and melons. From the San Jose Mercury News:

Computer models of the state's parched reservoirs and this year's patchy snowfall showed shortages so extreme that federal officials could slash supplies down to zero, managers at the Westlands Water District told their members in an emergency conference call.

Costa Rica backs Ecuador in battle against EU From the Tico Times:

Ecuador and Costa Rica, the world's second- and third-largest banana exporters respectively, after Philippines, have condemned the EU's preferential treatment toward former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific in allowing duty-free, quota-free access into the European market, while maintaining tariffs for Latin American countries.

Last year, countries in this region signed an agreement with the EU that says Europe would reduce its tax on bananas imported from Latin America from €176 ($229) to €114 ($148) a ton from 2009 to 2014.

The tariff was supposed to drop to €148 ($193) on Jan. 1, but the EU argued that the agreement was no longer binding as it was reached during a Doha round that broke down. Ruiz said the issue will be key during a meeting between Central American trade officials and the European Commission representative Catherine Ashton set for Monday in Brussels, Belgium.

Public yawns at climate change Just as I suspected. From The New Republic:
Andy Revkin passes along a new Pew report showing that very few people seem to care much about global warming—just 30 percent of respondents listed it as a "top priority," down from 38 percent two years ago.


Even good borrowers may face foreclosure soon From The Dallas Morning News

During the next couple of years, loans on billions of dollars in local commercial properties will expire, and the owners will have to find new financing.Unless the lenders change their approach, they can expect to foreclose on hundreds of local commercial properties.

A stimulus package for the world Economic crisis has already pushed 100 million into poverty, NYT says.

Wal-Mart completes takeover of Chilean grocer its biggest acquisition in Latin America

Wal-Mart's green store prototypes

Massachusetts f/v snack program feature

"Our students were thrilled to learn about the fruit and vegetable grant. The student response was very positive," Butts said. "We hope by introducing fresh fruit and vegetable snacks, our students will develop healthier eating habits and an interest in trying healthy new foods. With concerns about obesity and junk food consumption, this program has the potential to be a very positive move toward better health."

Fresh & Easy lets patrons shop for schools

Japan launches greenhouse gas rocket

In praise of pesticides Truth about Trade and Technology

There is still time to reconsider the EU’s ill-thought out new pesticide rules. Unless more people learn not to pillory pesticides but to praise them - or at least to acknowledge the good they do - there will be a big price to pay. The currency of that price will be higher European food costs and soaring death rates in developing countries.


FDA crackdown cuts back availability of Asian food for new year celebration

Exporters face new Canadian requirements Coverage from The Packer

Paying the price of obesity

Recent research by Adam Drewnowski, director of the Nutritional Science Program at the UW, has linked rising obesity rates in the United States with economic factors. The rise comes not from the amount of fats or sugars consumed, but is in conjunction with income level.

Drewnowski’s research found that obesity levels tend to increase as income levels and education decrease. Racial and ethnic minorities and areas of high poverty are also associated with higher obesity rates.

According to the study, the reason for the link between income and obesity is attributed to the fact that high-energy foods simply cost less to produce compared to healthier options such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Victory gardens to bloom again? More on the unlikely popularity of vegetable gardening. From the story:

During World War II, "victory gardens" planted at the behest of the federal government helped Americans cope with food shortages. (In World War I, they were called "liberty gardens.") By 1943, Americans had planted more than 20 million victory gardens and reportedly produced 8 million tons of food that one old film called "America's hid den weapon."

Now, in a fractured economic climate, a new victory-garden movement has captured the attention of people who want to lessen their reliance on mass-produced or imported food, reduce their carbon footprint, foster a sense of community or save on grocery bills.

United, food groups to Congress: "Quickly enact food safety reforms"

What the food industry wants from food safety reform is coming into tighter focus. This letter was sent yesterday by United Fresh, the NRA, FMI, GMA and others. No signature on this letter from PMA, FFVA or Western Growers on this letter, however. Open question -why not?


January 22, 2009
The Honorable Henry Waxman
The Honorable Joe Barton
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
U.S. House of Representatives
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC, 20515
Dear Chairman Waxman and Ranking Member Barton:
Our organizations urge you to quickly enact food safety reforms. Americans continue to enjoy the
safest food supplies in the world but rising food imports and changing consumer preferences pose new challenges that require Congress and the Administration to modernize our food safety net.
In particular, we urge you to:
• Require Food Safety Plans. Congress should require every food company manufacturing food for the US market to conduct an evaluation of food safety risks that identifies potential sources of
contamination, identifies appropriate food safety controls, and documents those controls in a food safety plan available for FDA review.
• Require Foreign Supplier Safety Plans and Build Foreign Capacity. Congress should build the
capacity of foreign governments to regulate food safety and to require every food importer to
police their foreign suppliers. In particular, Congress should require that food importers document the food safety measures and controls being implemented by their foreign suppliers, and to requirefood importers to make a foreign supplier food safety plan available for FDA review.
• Ensure the Safety of Fruits and Vegetables. Congress should give FDA the power to establish safety standards for certain fruits and vegetables – when risk and science demonstrate that standards are needed. FDA should be permitted to work with states and others to tailor standards to meet local growing conditions and to ensure that standards are being met.
• Adopt a Risk-Based Approach to Inspections. Congress should increase food safety inspection
and should focus domestic and foreign inspections on facilities that pose the greatest risk of
contamination that could result in foodborne illness or injury.
• Authorize Mandatory Recalls. Congress should give FDA the authority to order a mandatory recall when a company has refused to conduct a voluntary recall and there is a significant risk to public health. Specifically, where the responsible party refuses to voluntarily recall a product for which there is a reasonable probability that the food will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, the Secretary should be permitted to order the company to conduct a recall. Our organizations support efforts to continually improve the safety of America’s food supplies andurge Congress to continue to make the prevention of contamination the foundation of our nation’s food safety strategies. We urge Congress to quickly enact food safety reforms that w ill give FDA newpowers to reduce the risk of food-borne illness.


Sincerely,
American Frozen Food Institute
Food Marketing Institute
Grocery Manufacturers Association
International Bottled Water Association
International Dairy Foods Association
National Fisheries Institute
National Restaurant Association
Retail Industry Leaders Association
Snack Food Association
United Fresh

BASF eco efficiency analysis and other top news for Jan. 20

Luis of the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group uncovers another gem this morning, a report about the BASF eco-efficiency analysis. From the post, the description of what this eco-efficiency analysis is all about:

Is it ecologically responsible to buy an apple from overseas? Shouldn’t people as a rule choose fruit from national or local producers? Such questions play an every greater role in consumers’ buying decisions. Yet our gut feelings can be misleading. Approaches, such as BASF’s eco-efficiency analysis, make it possible to carry out an objective assessment.

TK: There may be more than one way to carry out an "objective assessment" but this BASF method show that environmental assumptions don't always sync with reality. Check out the post on the FPIDG for the full tale of the tape.

Other headlines snatched from the Web today

Apple crop shrinks a little Washington's record crop drops from 112.7 to 111.8 million boxes. Small fruit diverted to processing and trend may continue.

Betting on bananas at the inauguration A Swedish company has a betting line on what words President Obama will say at inaguration; "bananas" is 1,000 to 1.

EU pesticide legislation approved USDA FAS report on EU developments

Crude oil falls below $35 as recession deepens Stockpiles grow but OPEC cuts could hike prices in second half of 2009

Europe takes two steps backward in food safety Coverage from Kenya on Europe's new approach to pesticide regulation

Initial assessments of earlier versions of this legislation concluded that up to 85 per cent of chemicals under review could be banned. The Swedish Government now estimates that 23 chemicals will be de-listed. But uncertainty prevails, as no rigorous, EU-wide assessment of the legislation has been undertaken.

Even a conservative implementation of the new rules would increase the prevalence of food-borne pests and cause the food supply to decrease.

A British environmental consultancy estimates it would cause a drop in overall EU food production of at least 25 per cent, raising food prices and putting an enormous burden on low-income Europeans.

More pesticides banned; farmers fear food crisis More European coverage of pesticide issue

Obesity and the addiction to food The theme: foodaholics anon

Can we believe in change at USDA? Chuck Hassebrook touted by Grist for high level USDA job

Salinas leaders frustrated over violence

USDA rebuffed and other top news for Jan. 19

Here is the link to the Jan. 13 decision by the American National Standards Institute that reaffirms the Leonardo Academy as the developer of the national standard for agriculture sustainability. In rejecting the USDA's appeal, the ANSI Executive Council apparently found that Leonardo has done a credible job in reaching out to various stakeholders so far. ANSI has urged Leonardo to seek broad consensus before submitting a standard. While there is no deadline for Leonardo, I expect the standard setting process will take some time. Other news snatched from the Web this morning....

Economic factors, Contamination fears and locavore movement fuel backyard growing Chicago Trib article. From the piece:
Why the growth in enthusiasm for growing food? The economy surely has a role. An increase in seed sales is "typical when we see an economic downturn," according to Stephanie Turner, director of seed product at Park Seed Co., another venerable catalog house in Greenwood, S.C. (parkseed.com). "People are trying to stay home and beautify what they have and grow their own food."

Lost colonies The demise of honeybees and what's behind it. Review of book by Rowan Jacobsen's "Fruitless Fall: The collapse of the honeybee and the coming agricultural crisis."

Agriculture must be seen as profitable and sexy to thrive Story about declining farm population in Canada

Struggle over climate change on the horizon FT feature about what's ahead under Obama for climate change legislation

The most serious struggle will be over climate change, or the regulation of carbon emissions. You can forget all the chit chat about finding a consensus on this one: the coal people and the enviros are in this match until one side is carried out.


Bananas are dying From the story

Soon -- in five, 10 or 30 years -- the yellow creamy fruit as we know it will not exist.

TK: Which is it? 5 or 30 years?

Is water the next artificial shortage? Dilbert creator realist(cynic) Scott Adams asked readers of his blog to answer the question "Who will screw us next?" The answer: water.

The plausible explanation for the worldwide shortage is that the population is growing faster than the supply of clean water. Add global warming to the mix and you have plausible explanations for worldwide droughts. That's the cover story. It's true enough to mask the artificial shortages that will be caused by the speculators and hedge funds.

What happens if Mexico's government falls apart? Columnist argues for legalization of drugs in U.S. because of Mexican drug cartels

Mexico's narco juniors kill rivals Drug violence starts early in border towns

Lettuce cargo sprouts 18 immigrants in UK

Detox diets attract fans and critics

Old keys unlock one answer to food shortages Good story about Key for Hope charity that uses proceeds from donated keys to fund food bank donations

Obama to push bankers to resume lending Republicans object to lack of input in Obama's stimulus plan

FDA trying to crack salmonella outbreak What did Yoda say ? "Do or do not: there is no try."

Product of Canada, eh? Changes to Canada's food labeling laws