Checking up on PP and other headlines

I saw that PP published again after a healthy holiday break (Dec. 25 to Jan. 7) . In the spirit of an industry cohort and friendly rival, I commend Jim for his thoughts on keeping things in perspective for 2009. Jim's sentiments on the blessings we have - apart from 401ks and cash cushions - were dead on.

Here are some headlines to account for the in the world of produce and the world at large:

Agriculture's next big challenge opinion piece by Marshall Matz and George McGovern
While critics attack Obama's Ag Secretary pick, a defense of conventional agriculture... From the piece:

We do not yet see the yields with organic agriculture that would feed a hungry planet of almost 7 billion people. During the recent presidential campaign, Obama, to his credit, often talked of supporting American agriculture, from the small sustainable farms that market to the community to the large commercial farms that feed the world. He was exactly correct. The Department of Agriculture should be supporting research into organic and sustainable agriculture. Clearly, we must be more sensitive to the relationship between agriculture and the environment. But to criticize someone for supporting all sectors of agriculture seems shortsighted.

Big organic behind Vilsack? Gristmill examines street cred of Vilsack

10 hot food trends for 2009 Cooking at home is #1, followed by good nutrition replacing fad diets. Fantastical, I know.....

Moody sees rising defaults Asset backed commercial paper market "in doubt" ; high yield corporate default rates to climb to between 10% to 12%

Kroger uses loyalty cards to target consumer coupons

Food Web site to link farmers to consumers in NY

Grow Montana a profile of efforts for a more local and sustainable model

New York governor speaks on epidemic of childhood obesity From the NYT

Mr. Paterson said he would seek to ban junk food sales in public schools and to lend state money to green markets willing to open in poor communities. The governor has already unveiled a plan to impose an 18 percent tax on sugary sodas.

Sam's Club exec to lead W-M Int.

Doug McMillon, head of its Sam's Club division, will become president and CEO of Wal-Mart International next month as the world's largest retailer increasingly looks overseas to fuel expansion.

Grocers, vendors brace for battle on lower prices From Dow Jones:
SuperValu CEO says the first 6 months of 2009 will be battleground as retailers ask for price rollbacks from food manufacturers. Same store sales decline at SVU.

Chile suffers big trade deficit Falling copper exports caused $684 million surplus in November to fall to a $224 million deficit in December.

SC employers advised to use federal database

Border patrol ready for anticipated illegal immigration surge

Price optimization software for HEB in Mexico Just like the U.S.

Mexico to grow 1% or show no growth in 2009

Over a half million foreclosures in Cali

Don't stimulate me, bro Peter Schiff not a fan of government intervention

Cup of cheer and other headlines

If turning the page to a new year can't make us optimistic, nothing will. Don't look for a pick me up in the following headlines, though....


2009: the year the economy changed your life And you thought 2008 was bad... this piece is not a cup of cheer we need for the new year.... by end of 2009, real unemployment rate predicted near the all time 1930s Depression high of 25% says one gloomy economist


Local food supplants organics and what's ahead for 2009 From the piece:

That fast food may not offer the best nutrition. But, sadly, some will ignore nutrition in favor of calories as money gets tighter.

I wouldn’t be surprised if a setback in healthy eating becomes the top food story of 2009.

Produce supplier saw recession coming From the Des Moines Register, some coverage of Brendan Comito, 41, chief operating officer of Capital City Fruit.

Two more stand trial in China milk scandal
At least six babies in China died this year and 294,000 fell ill after drinking milk laced with melamine, which is normally used to make plastic.

Colorado must plan for its water future East slope v. west slope

Mexico's economic troubles grow

Is sustainability the worst example of official jargon? From coverage of the Centre for Policy Studies report on "newspeak"

Few words have become more heavily used or abused in government or corporate affairs than "sustainable". It now occupies a lofty position in the towering hierarchy of buzzwords. It is commonplace today to stick the word "sustainable" in front of almost anything, to talk of "sustainable development", "sustainable transport", "sustainable housing", "sustainable communities" and so on.

And more...

Companies now devote large sections of their ever-expanding annual reports to voluminous
jargon-ridden environmental reports and updates with impressive sounding statistics and targets. Annual reports ballooned to a colossal size as the credit crisis approached. But now shareholders and even ‘stake-holders’ may be thinking that perhaps it would have been better if more effort had been put into ensuring a business model that worked than that the canteen coffee cups were made from fibres from sustainable forests.

Five tips to help families eat right on a budget in 2009
Fresh vs. frozen rekindled.."Don't assume fresh is best." ?!??!

Agricultural Prices - USDA's December report

October home prices fall 18% in 20 metro areas
The 20-city index is down 23 percent from its 2006 peak. Fourteen of the 20 metropolitan areas showed record declines in the year ended in October.

Parents accused of killing with kindness New UK program aims to reach parents and modify their behavior so they scare their kids skinny. Graphic examples of children dying early from diabetes, heart disease and cancer will be publicized, say report.

Earthbound Farm to verify liquid organic fertilizer

Chile threatens to sue disappeared tricksters

Nebraska illegal immigration bill to include E-verify

Economy seen behind lagging behind immigration renewals Cost of renewals seen as factor

Britain's cut the fat plan

Nine towns and cities have been designated "healthy towns" in Britain to combat the obesity epidemic. Here is coverage from the BBC in this youtube clip and below is coverage from The Christian Science Monitor. The article talks about "electronic tracking tags" that log how far consumers run or walk in a day, with the longer distances being rewarded with points that could give consumers points toward purchasing sports equipment, health club dues or accumulate toward a "healthy day" off. Consumers are also given extra points for eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.

I think the idea is worth exploring here in the states. For example, why can't the U.S. implement a system that rewards consumers for purchases of fruits and vegetables with "food stamp" dollars? For every fresh produce purchase, the consumer would receive a 15% discount or some other incentive scheme. Obesity isn't going away, and the U.S. government isn't trying hard enough to be creative in the ways the problem is confronted.

Why not establish a voluntary government program that would reward consumers who measure a healthy body mass index with a bonus or tax credit of $200? Why not provide a government credit for the cost of health insurance if taxpayers maintain a healthy lifestyle?

More pilot programs to fight fat - such as Britain's recent foray - must be attempted by government and by private industry. The obesity epidemic is spreading because we fail to exercise enough and continually make poor decisions about food. It is that tacit public acceptance of obesity that public health officials must try to derail with extreme prejudice.

Healthy Kids II - Parents need help

Parents say retailers aren't doing enough to help them find healthy foods. I suggest parents should start looking in the produce department; it's not that tough to find something healthy...
From a news release about a new study from Information Resources Inc.



IRI information gathered from multiple sources, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that 21 percent of U.S. children aged 6 to 17 are currently identified as overweight. By 2020, that number is projected to jump to nearly one-third of all U.S. kids. In the report, IRI highlights the following three factors as the root of childhood obesity:
-- Less activity -- Only one-third of U.S. high school students currently meet recommended levels; participation in school physical education programs dropped 14 percentage points between 1991 and 2003.
-- Mass marketing of food-related messaging -- The average 8-12 year-old sees 7,600 TV ads per year promoting various food items, such as candy, snacks, and fast food. Only one in 50 is deemed to be for healthy products.
-- More entertainment -- Currently, 61 percent of kids ages 9-15 play video games on a daily basis; children ages 8-18 spend an average of 44.5 hours in front of a computer, TV or gaming screen -- more than any other single waking activity.
IRI findings show that parents are increasingly looking to outside influences, such as schools, government agencies, and, particularly, grocery retailers, to support them in making healthier meal choices for their children. According to the study, 75 percent of parents confirm that they are making a conscious effort to purchase healthy foods, yet just 35 percent believe that retailers are doing a good job of helping them find healthy selections for their families. For retailers, this gap offers an open opportunity to meet the challenge of better in-store communication and a more informative health-focused shopping experience for parents, translating into a sizeable revenue growth potential for responsive retailers.
The report urges retailers to commit to a strong family wellness program as part of their overall customer service and store communications plan. Tapping into the emerging market of health-focused parents, IRI recommends the following action steps by retailers to meet this new shopper-focused demand:

1. Implement new "better-for-you" standards across product categories to clearly segment better-for-you products from mainstream products
2. Collaborate with manufacturers to optimize availability of healthy assortments
3. Develop in-store shopper education and navigation initiatives


According to IRI's Seitzinger, a focused effort on the part of CPG retailers and manufacturers will benefit kids, parents and retailers alike.

Obesity - fat tax and other notes

Alabama, one of the fattest states in the Union, is thinking about a fat tax. Speaking safely from Kansas, I say go for it.....

Alabama plans fat tax:

Beginning in 2010, Alabama, which has the second highest obesity rate in the country, will start charging all of its employees an extra $25 per month for health insurance. (Currently, single workers pay nothing; family plans cost $180 a month.)

But there's a way to avoid the fee: Get a check-up at an in-office "wellness center," where nurses will check for diabetes and hypertension and measure blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels and Body Mass Index (BMI).

The idea is to encourage employees to act responsibly, lose weight and lower their health care needs. But critics say it will humiliate and stigmatize obese employees and amounts to nothing short of a "fat tax."

New York begins tracking obesity in schools From the AP:

Legislation passed in 2007 goes into effect this month, requiring public schools outside of New York City to collect and report a summary of students' weights and body mass indexes as part of an effort to combat childhood obesity.

"Whatever you can measure, you can improve," said Dr. Richard Daines, the state health commissioner. "By requiring the measurement of body mass index, I think we'll see some improvement."

Doctors will now be required to test students when they come in for a student health certificate _ which is mandatory for attendance at New York schools. The information will be reported to schools, creating a set of data that will allow health officials to evaluate obesity levels based on geography.


Other headlines:

Down Under: Limiting advertising will cut obesity

Wide world of produce - Sept. 2 headlines

Got a message from Gary Fleming about the time line for the Produce Industry Traceability Initiative..developing. Meanwhile, what's on the Web this morning related to produce?

Apple moth quarantine expands

Small farms chafe under big demands

USDA FAS: Mexico ag news

USDA FAS: India's almond imports

USDA FAS: US food safety Web site in China

USDA FAS: Canada Ag Biotech report

Outbreak ends, mystery remains

Landec Corp. conference call

Excess tomatoes

Keep children healthy with fruits, veggies

Wal-Mart rolls on

Recent salmonella outbreak shows benefits of irradiation

About gleaning

UK: more forecasts predict recession for next 18 months

Arizona called ground zero in immigration fight

NYT: End immigration incentives

Obesity society hails Republican platform

UK: Schools should lead obesity fight

UK: Aldi enjoys sales boom

Your wages are working harder

Growing produce to save cash

Wal-Mart delays Md. DCs

State food banks face staggering needs

Meijer, Marsh answer questions on local food

Hydroponics offers sustainability

Apple festival in NC

Wednesday headline roundup - Aug. 27

Headlines snatched from the Web and the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group this morning:


2 plead guilty in Hunts Point gambling ring - Big Apple From the post:

Two men with reputed ties to organized crime pleaded guilty on Tuesday to participating in an illegal gambling ring run out of a wholesale produce market at Hunts Point in the Bronx.

Systems approach for Chilean grape imports - Big Apple Pretty big news here in a FR proposed rule. From the post:

We are proposing to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow fresh table grapes from Chile to be imported into the continental United States under a systems approach. Currently, as condition of entry, all table grapes from Chile must be fumigated with methyl bromide as a risk-mitigation measure for Brevipalpus chilensis. Under this proposal, we would allow a combination of risk-mitigation measures, or systems approach, to be employed in lieu of methyl bromide fumigation.

Hundreds of workers held in immigration raid NYT reports:

In another large-scale workplace immigration crackdown, federal officials raided a factory here on Monday, detaining at least 350 workers they said were in the country illegally

Cell phones seen as emerging payment device at grocery stores

,

Supermarkets may be the next target market for near field communication phones, at least according to presentations during the recent IT Leadership Summit of the National Retail Federation.

One of the presenters, an executive for supermarket chain Cincinnati-based Kroger says NFC phones are a good fit for supermarkets because of their time-saving potential. “Nobody stands in a grocery line because it’s a pleasure. We are looking to shave more than seconds off that line,” he said. He was one of several panelists discussing “Mobility and Near-field Communication - The New Era of Ubiquitous Retailing.”

Chiquita signs deal for China venture From the story:

Under the agreement, which is subject to regulatory approval, Chiquita and Haitong will form Zhejiang Chiquita-Haitong Food Co. Ltd. The venture will operate a food-processing facility in Cixi, China, where it will produce packaged salads, fresh-cut fruits and vegetables and fresh chilled beverages, according to a news release.


Cafeteria trays disappear in bid to fight obesity

Grocers fight to hold on to customers

Survey says shoppers won't compromise on food quality The no-spin zone? Not exactly... a release from Whole Foods:

Whole Foods, the leading natural and organic foods supermarket, today announced results from a recent survey that found, despite rising food prices, nearly 80 percent of U.S. adults (79 percent) say they do not want to compromise on the quality of the food they buy and the majority (70 percent) are continuing to buy the same amount of natural and/or organic foods as they always have.

Immigration: too hot for DNC

Economy making us greener?

Housing recession builds

U.S. Economy: between zero growth and recession

Dole considers investment in Angola

Children Emulate Healthy Eating Patterns of Parents

WIC to offer fresh fruits and vegetables

Wal-Mart Canada expects bigger market share

FDA pursues jalapeno at root of salmonella investigation

Headline roundup - Rabobank on U.S. traceback and a new salmonella outbreak?

If you are a regular reader, you know I update my headline links periodically at the bottom of the blog. Here is a roundup of headlines I snatched from the Web today. Plenty of interesting items, including the meeting of chemists to explore phytochemicals in f/v, a Rabobank report piling on about the slow U.S. traceback system, coverage of a new salmonella outbreak in New Mexico, an L.A. Times piece about how foodborne illness outbreaks have convinced retailers to toe the line on food safety because of the risk of consumer lawsuits and more.

Consortium formed to expand recycling options for bioplastics

Destructive fruit fly found in SGV

National chemistry meeting looks at f/v phytochemicals

Rabobank: U.S. traceback system "slow, inaccurate and difficult"

Brambles declines with growth concerns

New Salmonella outbreak in Sante Fe

Questions remain about salmonella outbreak

Sold on food safety

US in recession has housing figures plunge

Risk of recession has stimulus fades

Obesity continues to rise in most states

Food costs weigh on schools

Organics growing despite downturn

Five financial costs of obesity

Tuesday headline roundup - Top headlines

Here are a few headlines of note for Aug. 12...

Junk bond defaults rise as economy slows From Investors Business Daily:

U.S. corporate bond defaults are already on the rise. Moody's on Aug. 7 reported a sharp rise in July defaults and now expects the global default rate to climb over 6% over the next year. That's up from less than 1% in late 2007.
Standard & Poor's predicts that 4.9% of all speculative grade borrowers will default over the next 12 months. And there is a chance — estimated at 20% — that things could get much worse, with over 8% defaulting. Default, of course, sets the stage for bankruptcy court. "Default typically precedes Chapter 11," said Diane Vazza, head of global fixed income at Standard & Poor's.

Critics blast Wal-Mart for lobbying against carbon offset guidelines From U.S. News

Wal-Mart is one of the largest consumers of electricity in the United States and presides over one of the largest truck fleets in the world. And for these reasons, even the little steps the company takes to go greener—such as selling sustainable products or local produce—make a big difference, and the company has been commended for them.
Despite this, critics from Wal-Mart Watch, a group that tracks the company's growth and influence, re
port that the company is lobbying against defining and standardizing carbon offsets for proposed cap-and-trade programs—a move some deem hypocritical in light of the company's public campaign to cut its footprint.


U.S. may not be in recession, but 170 metro areas could be From The Modesto Bee;


Using June data, Moody's estimates that 170 metro areas are in recession. Together they make up about 43 percent of metropolitan employment nationwide. That's up from 142 metropolitan areas in May.
Moody's research suggests that 116 metro areas are at risk of recession, about 25 percent of metropolitan employment nationwide. That leaves roughly 32 percent of the nation's biggest metro areas, 94 of them, with expanding economies. In May, 106 metropolitan communities were expanding.
The biggest losers include industrial Midwestern states such as Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. Deep problems in auto manufacturing, exacerbated by bad bets on SUV production as gasoline prices rose, have hurt those states. The housing crunch has made a bad situation worse.
"Michigan is either the weakest or second weakest economy, mostly due to the misfortunes of the auto industry," said Mark Vitner, senior economist for Wachovia, the big national bank based in Charlotte, N.C. "Aside from Michigan, the rest of the Midwest is generally struggling with weakness in the auto sector and other consumer durable goods."
Other obvious losers include Florida, Nevada and Arizona, states that are experiencing the biggest collapse in home prices after the biggest run-up in prices during the boom of 2001 to 2005. Their turnarounds will depend largely on when the housing freefall bottoms out.

GOP hits Dems on access to power

Obesity may be contagious

Nebraska group aims for immigration policy

Wal-Mart, retailers may gain on reports

Sunday headline roundup

Find my full complement of Aug. 3 headlines at the bottom of the blog. A couple of note:

Whole Foods tries for fresh image A NYT piece on the struggles of repositioning "Whole Paycheck." From the story:

Whole Foods Market is on a mission to revise its gold-plated image as consumers pull back on discretionary spending in a troubled economy. The company was once a Wall Street darling, but its sales growth was cooling even before the economy turned. Since peaking at the beginning of 2006, its stock has dropped more than 70 percent.
Now, in a sign of the times, the company is offering deeper discounts, adding lower-priced store brands and emphasizing value in its advertising. It is even inviting customers to show up for budget-focused store tours like those led by Mr. Hebb, a Whole Foods employee.



Study predicts obesity doomsday by 2030 Statistically speaking, there is every reason to believe that everyone in the U.S. will be overweight or obese in 40 years. It could be crisis-mongering, but it is also true. From the story:

The study, released this week in the journal Obesity, suggests that by the year 2030, nearly every American will be overweight or obese.
Currently, figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put the prevalence of obesity in adults at about 66 percent. But lead study author Dr. Youfa Wang of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore says that if current overweight and obesity trends continue, 86 percent of Americans could be overweight or obese by the year 2030.

Later.....

Dr. Jana Klauer, a New York City-based physician and author of "How the Rich Get Thin," agrees.
"As a nation we have become too fat," she says. "The reasons are complex but can easily be summarized by: too much food and too little exercise. Highly palatable, cheap foods are abundant. ... The focus on exercise is absent in most Americans' lives. Yes, I think the predictions will come to pass."

Fresh produce Monday headline roundup

Here is a collection of headlines gleaned from the Web. The first links to the Food Safe discussion group, which questions the food industry's role in watering down traceability provisions in the 2002 bioterrorism law. There is also a report on the WTO talks and the link to banana tariffs in the European Union, reports of some design changes to Fresh & Easy, and New York's financial downturn. Plus, coverage from Hawaii reveals the continuing decline of the Hawaiian pineapple industry.

From the Honolulu Advertiser:

ML&P's pineapple production will drop by half, from about 2,000 acres to around 1,000 acres. Of the 274 jobs being cut, 204 are in the company's pineapple division of 441 employees.
And if the drastic reduction doesn't turn around the money-losing operation, then what's left of pineapple production in Hawai'i could disappear.

Traceability and a strong FDA: Is the industry listening?

Tomato farmers see prime crop go to waste

Safe to eat?

Change to tariffs on bananas splits the EU

New York concerned recession is coming

Tesco to freshen its stores for Fresh & Easy

Country of origin labels coming for food

After Iowa raid, immigrants fuel labor inquiries

Aldi wins converts

Pineapple could vanish from Hawaii

Obesity risk: being chained to your desk

Illegal immigration trashing southern Arizona desert?

National School Lunch: Background and issues

An ERS report on the national school lunch program can be found here. From the summary page:


One of the main goals of NSLP as identified by Congress is to promote the health and well-being of the Nation's children. In recent years, questions have been raised about the program’s ability to meet this goal, especially as the main nutrition problem has shifted from undernutrition to overweigh and obesity. Public concern for the program has focused on whether it is contributing to the growing problem of childhood obesity and on the quality of foods available to schoolchildren. In response, many States and localities have imposed stricter nutritional requirements on both NSLP meals and “competitive foods” (other foods and beverages available in the school). School meal providers have wrestled with meeting these restrictions and other program requirements while covering rising costs and encouraging student participation. Meanwhile, issues at the Federal level include how to help school meal providers improve the nutritional quality of foods served as well as how to balance program access and integrity, particularly in regard to ensuring that ineligible students do not receive free or reduced-price lunches.

What Did the Study Find?
Most issues related to the NSLP touch upon, in one way or another, two, if not all three, components of a school meal “trilemma” involving the meal’s nutrition, program cost, and student participation in the program. This trilemma applies to competitive foods as well because revenues from these foods can be important to the budgets of both the cafeteria and the school as a whole. A change to one component of the trilemma can have unintentional effects on either or both of the other components.
Nutritional quality of foods. Results are inconclusive from the best designed studies comparing the weight gain of NSLP participants with that of nonparticipants. One study shows no effect of program participation on children’s obesity, and another study shows a small effect. The most rigorous study of nutrient intake shows similar calorie intakes for participants and nonparticipants but higher fat and sodium intakes for participants.


TK: here is a telling graph:

Improving the nutritional quality of school meals and competitive foods may, in principle, be a goal of many NSLP stakeholders, including schools, parents, the nutrition community, FNS, and Congress. But meeting this goal may raise program costs for parents, localities, or the Federal Government. Moreover, even if more nutritious foods are provided, that does not guarantee that students will eat them.


TK: It's no guarantee that they won't eat them, either. Finding creative ways to comply with Dietary Guidance is the only path that can and should be pursued.

Traceability and salmonella hearings loom large

Luis of the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group notes that the anticipated traceability hearing in the House Agriculture Committee, subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture has been scheduled for 1 pm on July 30 at the Longworth House Office Building.

The topic: To review legal and technological capacity for full traceability in fresh produce.


Meanwhile, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, subcommittee on oversight and investigations has scheduled a hearing July 31. From the House Web Site:


The Recent Salmonella Outbreak: Lessons Learned and Consequences to Industry and Public Health Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Hearing10:00 a.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building



On the Senate side, there is a hearing July 23 on childhood obesity. From the Senate Health Education Committee, subcommittee on Children and Families


Title: Childhood Obesity: The Declining Health of America’s Next Generation – Part II
Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2:30 p.m.
Place: SD-430


TK: The traceability and salmonella hearings will be very important for the fresh produce trade. No list of witnesses yet, but whoever takes a turn on a panel for those two subcommittees will be asked some tough questions and be provided ample opportunity to make a defense of the industry.

Gas at $40/gal = Slim Jim

The more gas prices rise, the less obese we will become. The silver lining has been there all the time, but our double chin obstructed the view. Here's the scoop: Rising Gas Prices Could Cure Obesity. From the story:


Courtemanche says a $1 increase in the price of gasoline could cut the obesity rate by 10 percent, saving 16,000 lives and $17 billion in health care costs each year. He makes the case in "A Silver Lining? The Connection Between Gasoline Prices and Obesity," his doctoral dissertation in health economics. The paper, currently being peer-reviewed, can be summed up in the simple idea that people walk more, bike more and dine out less when gas prices rise.
Evidence suggests he's on to something.
Courtemanche compared 20 year's worth of government health surveys to fuel prices. The percentage of American adults considered obese doubled to nearly one-third between 1979 and 2004, and Courtemache says 8 percent of the increase can be attributed to low fuel prices. "Cheaper gas during that period made us fat," he told Wired.com. "Presumably, the opposite would be true."

TK: He's right, of course. The classic good news/bad news bit... gas is $14 per gallon but you are finally losing weight. Where would we be without American optimism?

Fruits & Veggies More Matters - Topping 1,000

I think the Produce for Better Health Foundation's Fruits & Veggies More Matters campaign is a remarkable PR generating machine. It seems that not a day goes by that I don't see a story - captured by Google news alerts scanning for f/v news - about the benefits of eating a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables or some other facet of the More Matters campaign. Kudos to the staff at PBH whose work is sometimes taken for granted by produce traders distracted by less happy news.

This morning I saw another example of the steady drumbeat of coverage PBH generates, published on Market Watch online. A sampling:


WILMINGTON, Del., July 14, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Logo Helps Moms Make Healthy, Informed Purchases
WILMINGTON, Del., July 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Moms shopping for healthy options can now find the Fruits & Veggies--More Matters(R) logo on over 1,000 different food labels in stores nationwide. To carry the Fruits & Veggies--More Matters logo, food products must meet strict nutrition guidelines for total fat, saturated fat, trans-fat, added sugar, fiber, and sodium content. Consumers can look for the logo when shopping as a designation that a product is nutritious and to remind them to eat more fruits and vegetables for better health. Healthful habits, like eating fruits and vegetables, may help lower the risk of obesity and other related diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
Retailers, growers, packers and manufacturers across the country support the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption by including the Fruits & Veggies--More Matters logo prominently on both nationally marketed, brand name products, like those from Green Giant, Sunkist, Welch's, and others, as well as on the private label products of several grocery chains. A&P is the latest grocery retailer to have some of their private label frozen and canned fruits and vegetables approved to include the Fruits & Veggies--More Matters logo on their packaging. Other retailers featuring the logo on a number of select items from their private label line include: Bi-Lo, Kroger, Meijer, Publix, Safeway, Schnuck's, SuperValu, Ukrop's, Wal-Mart, and Weis.
"When you see the Fruits & Veggies--More Matters logo on a package of frozen, canned, 100 percent juice, dried, or fresh-cut fruit or vegetables, you know we've already done the label reading for you. It makes purchasing decisions easier," said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of PBH, the nonprofit entity who, together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is behind the Fruits & Veggies--More Matters health initiative.

Europe working to expand free f/v distribution to kids

Lars Hoelgaard, Deputy Director General for Agriculture, European Commission, Brussel, is joined by Saida Barnat, Aprifel in France, Robert Pederson, Danish Cancer Society, and Lorelei DiSogra, United Fresh Produce Association.

Photo: United Fresh Produce Association.

----------------------

Lorelei DiSogra's participation in the May 27 to May 30 Fruit and Vegetable Summit in Paris was an example of international "cross-fertilization" of good nutrition policy. Both the U.S. and the European Union are expanding programs to give away free fruits and vegetables to school children. Lorelei passed on this EU news item in a recent email:

July 8 - The European Commission today proposed to establish a European Union-wide scheme to provide free fruit and vegetables to school children. European funds worth €90 million every year would pay for the purchase and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables to schools, and this money would be matched by national funds in those Member States which chose to make use of the programme. This is the latest stage in the Commission's efforts to improve health and nutrition, as set out in the 'Strategy for Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity and related health issues'. The School Fruit Scheme aims to encourage good eating habits in young people, which studies show tend to be carried on into later life. Besides providing free fruit and vegetables, the scheme would require participating Member States to set up national strategies including educational and awareness-raising initiatives and the sharing of best practice. An estimated 22 million children in the EU are overweight. More than 5 million these are obese and this figure is expected to rise by 400,000 every year. Improved nutrition can play an important part in combating this problem. The proposal will now be sent to the Council and European Parliament.

TK: Policy changes of this magnitude don't just happen, The U.S. fruit and vegetable program and now the European initiative can be credited to a lot of work by many committed individuals and associations - and politicians and policy makers willing to consider a new way.

Obesity map, updated

Sorry about that Miss. and W. Va - trying mixing in more f/v. We've all seen the obesity map. Now the 2008 version has arrived. From Calorie Labs.

West Virginia passed Alabama to become the second fattest state in 2008. The four states of Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, and Louisiana have obese populations that exceed 30 percent over a three-year average and two-thirds of the citizens of Mississippi and West Virginia were either overweight or obese by CDC standards in 2007.

Also not faring well this year was Delaware, which rose eight places to tie with North Dakota as the 21st fattest state, from last year’s 29th placing. Delaware’s 3-year obesity rate rose 2.4 percent.

Thinnest States

Colorado repeats as the slimmest state, despite a slight increase in obesity of 0.8 percent over three years. Last year Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado told CalorieLab, “[W]e’re not spared from the national obesity epidemic, and we must remain vigilant in order to guard against it. We’re doing all we can to encourage Coloradans — especially our kids — to take advantage of the natural resources our state offers in order to stay fit, healthy and happy.”

Healthy Watermelon news

A Packer staffer, who shall remain nameless, suggested we "get this up" as soon as we can.

USA Today writes that watermelons have Viagra-like properties in relaxing the blood vessels to treat erectile dysfunction. I recall George Costanza finding similar properties in mangoes in a classic (is there any other kind?) Seinfeld episode.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/07/watermelon-can.html

Watermelon's status as an Independence Day staple, combined with new research on the food's Viagra-like effects, may link the melon and fireworks in a whole new way, Science Daily reports. A compound in watermelon relaxes blood vessels "the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction," says Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center.
It's also helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes, he says.
Watermelon also contains the anti-oxidant lycopene, which protects the heart, prostate and skin health, Science Daily reports.
Patil tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that they're having trouble securing money for in-depth research."If this was a drug, pharmaceutical companies would spend a lot for studies," Patil says. "But since it's watermelon they won't - unless it's to test for interaction with their drugs."
If they do invest in watermelon research, it won't be long before we start seeing the small-print safety warnings in the produce section.

Safeway's new Eating Right Kids

From Variety comes news of a new marketing campaign by Safeway and WB. No specific mention of fruits and vegetables, but I'm can't believe they would launch a campaign without f/v in the portfolio. Developing....
From Variety:


Consumer watchdog groups have long criticized Hollywood for allowing its characters to market junk food to children. But the studios may soon start to gain some inroads with critics: In the latest move to appease concerns, Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes empire is gearing up to embrace healthy eating.
The studio has paired with Safeway, the nation's fourth-largest supermarket chain, to promote its Eating Right Kids line of food and beverages, rolling out on store shelves this summer.
As part of the deal, Warner Bros. said it will no longer feature its Looney Tunes characters on unhealthy food packaging, other than certain ice cream products or birthday cakes.
"We've cleared the market of anything that might be considered unhealthy," said Brad Globe, prexy of Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. "Our Looney Tunes characters are our crown jewels. We said, 'Hey, we need to figure out how we can be part of some kind of solution and use our characters in a positive way that will improve the issues related to childhood obesity.'"
As part of a licensing deal with Warner's consumer products unit, Safeway's Eating Right Kids packaging will exclusively feature such characters as Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Taz, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote, Roadrunner, Marvin the Martian and Daffy Duck.
Financial terms of the licensing deal were not disclosed.
Overall product line covers more than 100 items across 30 categories including breakfast foods, portable meals, dairy, snacks and beverages. Products are formulated based on the most recent dietary recommendations from several federal and state agencies, including the Dept. of Health and Human Services, the Dept. of Agriculture, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, as well as California's school nutrition guidelines.

Obesity plateau?

The rate of childhood obesity may have plateaued, says this article citing research from the Journal of the American Medical Association. From the Bloomberg report:

About 32 percent of children ages 2 to 19 were at risk for being overweight or obese from 2003 to 2006, little changed from 1999, according to data in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association. Of those, 16 percent were overweight or obese and 11 percent were considered the heaviest kids.

TK: Health advocates are worried that this story - offering only a modest hope that obesity has hit its peak - could even so decrease the will to come up with a comprehensive and effective public policy to combat obesity in kids.