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.

Split decision - better, worse and about the same

The industry is divided on their feelings about the state of the fresh produce business in six months. This week's Fresh Talk poll asks if readers anticipate conditions to be better, worse or about the same as current conditions. The voting, with about a day plus left in the voting, is as follows:
Better 27%
Worse: 33%
About the same: 39%

So far the optimists are hanging in there. I'm also interested in the reader verdicts about the impact of the recession on industry travel.

Here are some headlines snatched from the Web today:

Safeway wants health care reform from Obama administration Everyone should be covered

USDA to get $250M to upgrade computers At least Dell will be happy

Vilsack confirmed as Agriculture Secretary Reauthorization of child nutrition and WIC programs will highlight 2009 work

Campbell's creates mypyramid app Five bowls of soup a day?

Depression survivor's advice She is serious about saving:

Each week she buys a three-pound bag of fresh carrots. "I don't buy baby carrots. They're too expensive." She slices the carrots in strips and stores them in a jar with water in the fridge. She buys a head of cabbage each week. "It makes wonderful cole slaws or sautéed cabbage. We don't have to have expensive lettuce."

Super Bowl brings demand for a variety of foods Can't lose this visual picture

This year, the commission estimates more than 46 million pounds of avocados will be consumed that day. If all that fruit was turned into guacamole and piled onto the football field at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where the game will be played, it would cover the field from end zone to end zone at a depth of nearly 18 feet

Wall Street shares plunge on inauguration day State Streets leads financial institutions lower... ugliest inauguration day ever.. Roubini speaks of systemic banking crisis


Veggie grower makes delivery for inauguration organic grower from Penn. makes big deliveries to DC

Taste trends of 2009
Simplicity, health and comfort top three taste trends

The deflated CPI and other headlines for Jan. 16

The latest Consumer Price Index confirms the economy is looking a little deflated.

Here is the link to today's Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which showed an overall decline in prices in December. The report showed that, on a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI decreased 0.7% in December, which was the third consecutive decline. The index is only 0.1% higher than December2007.

The BLS reported the fruits and vegetable index declined 2.4% in December, the fourth consecutive decrease, with fresh vegetables down 4.4%.

In good news, the transportation index fell 4.4% in December, the fifth consecutive monthly decrease. The index is down 13.% over the past year.

Average price data show that the average price of red delicious apples slipped to $1.18 per pound, down from $1.26 in November but up from $1.12 at the same time last year.

The average price for navel oranges was 93 cents per pound, off from $1.06 in November but up slightly from 91 cents per pound in December 2007.

The average retail price for bananas was reported at 63 cents per pound, down from 64 cents per pound in November but up from 53 cents per pound the same time last year.

Tomatoes registered average retail prices of $1.73 per pound in December, up a penny from November but down from $2.15 per pound in December 2007.


Here are other headlines snatched from the Web this snowy morning in KC:

Sow the seeds program offering grants grants to help farmer education in extending fruit and vegetable season in Wisc., Minn., and Iowa.

Retailers must adapt, Wal-Mart official says
Some suppliers may go bankrupt, says W-M exec. Also notes rise in use of multiples (two for one, etc) and coupon use

Eating low fat doesn't have to be high cost Very positive article about fruit and veg affordability, with one nutritionist saying fresh produce provides great "bang for buck." Top low fat foods that are kind on the budget include: eggs, apples and other fruit, canned vegetables and beans.

North America's demand for fruits, vegetables expected to grow News release about Rabobank report; no link provided to actual report, tho.

Community growth through food Report about CSAs in northwest Ohio

Disagreements likely to flare up again over COOL Will Congress close loopholes?

Pestered over pesticide use A sharp British retort to EU regulation:

People have been consuming conventionally-grown fruit and vegetables for many decades, yet when is the last time someone dropped dead from pesticide poisoning? (Unless it was a desperate farmer driven to suicide by ceaseless meddling from EU bureaucrats).


Trucking restrictioins eased in Florida because of cold snap

Sales of organic mushrooms remain strong From The Packer

Weak pound to hike banana prices in England

U.S. food makers ask Obama to increase FDA funding
GMA asks for $900 million in food related spending at the FDA by fiscal year 2012, up from $510 million in fiscal year 2008, also request authority to put in place mandatory recall and standards for f/v producers.

Vilsack not the right choice for ag secretary From the Progressive...

Obama could have picked someone who was knowledgeable about organic farming and local and regional food systems. Someone who knew the difference between growing food and growing commodity crops.Someone who felt more at ease mending a fence or thinning carrots than sitting in a corporate boardroom.

TK: Right!

Napolitano outlines immigration policy she expects demand side and supply side responses

Mexico's same store sales fall 1.7% in 2008


Roubini: Bank bailout $1 trillion short

Major drug bust in Fresno

Roubini: brace yourself

Deflationary pressures still at work. I liken Roubini's view of U.S. economy to Jim Prevor's view of Fresh & Easy.. an uphill climb, no doubt...

Dec. 18 - Read 'em and weep and other headlines

"Read 'em and weep" was the message in an email that Steve Lutz of The Perishables Group sent me yesterday about the retail performance of some produce categories in October. More on that sobering report later...

As sleet and a winter storm prepare to descend on Kansas City, here are some top headlines snatched from the Web this morning (minus the news story about the latest fad among urban hipsters: pillow fighting):


Women double fruit, veggie intake with switch to Mediterranean diet

Costa Rica measures banana footprint Jorge Sauma says carbon footprint will be calculated within 18 to 24 months, with efforts to be carbon neutral by 2012.

Two Minnesota groups express concern over Vilsack Organic Consumers Association actually wants to block his nomination...right...

South Carolina immigrant law to take effect next month Phased in over 18 months, the law called the toughest in nation and requires employers to check legal status by requiring either a South Carolina driver's license or an identification card from another state. Companies also can use the U.S. Homeland Security's E-verify online database.

UK Retail maket brief Another well done USDA FAS report: From the summary:

In the UK the retail grocery market is concentrated with seventy-five percent market share in the hands of just four supermarket chains. The remainder is scattered over hundreds of outlets. This report overviews the characteristics of UK retail outlets and how best to place US products in the UK market.

Capital One charge offs increase to 7% in November Americans need plastic surgery, as in surgically removing credit cards from their wallets

Median home price in California drops below $300,000

Obama inherits legal battle over no match rule

Roubini: has global stagflation arrived? Roubini says governments will become spenders of first and only resort, leading to deficits in years ahead. Pick your poison?

California passes 38 million residents Babies and immigrants - and babies of immigrants - fuel the growth

Obesity increases gasoline consumption 1 billion gallons of fuel consumption can be attributed to obesity in the U.S.

Does obesity tax work?

Oklahoma state budget to take a hit from a recession

Even with Fed rate cuts, fears persist of extended recession

Dec. 17 - Coming soon and top headlines

Speaking on background, one source told me that the target date for a news release concerning the long awaited sustainability/stewardship index was Dec. 18 - subject to change, of course. Still some drama to be played out between the USDA and the Leonardo Academy relative to their sustainability standard setting effort.....

More headlines for today....

FDA chief to resign at end of Bush term Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach will resign..successor not named yet

A cautious farm and food pick From The Nation, the liberal take:


As governor of Iowa, Vilsack had to engage with farm issues. But that embrace was anything but inspired. Family farm activists, fair-trade campaigners and advocates for organic foods were regularly disappointed by the stands he took. The Organic Consumers Association was blunt, declaring: "Vilsack has a glowing reputation as being a shill for agribusiness biotech giants like Monsanto."

Natural and organic consumers not giving up The spin from this study by an organic and natural foods marketers is positive for the sector, though it acknowledges that 18% of consumers are planning significant adjustments to their natural and organic buying patterns.

Kenya embraces biotechnology USDA FAS report

Nanotechnology may be used for food safety

Reopening NAFTA would have consequences USDA FAS report translate a story in the Mexican press stating officials there believe renegotiation of NAFTA could hurt progress of tomatoes, avocados and other horticultural commodities in the U.S. market.



Food poverty soars in NYC About 3.5 million New Yorkers concerned about needing food assistance in the next year


Obesity tax stirs anger Proposed tax on sugared soda angers American Beverage Association, among others

Obama calls for broad strategy to fight recession

Housing starts drop 18.9% Slowest pace in the post WWII era

To have and have not: income inequality grows in U.S. Center for Budget and Policy Priorities reports that the incomes of the country's highest income families has climbed substantially since the late 1980s, while middle and lower income families have only seen modest increases. The trend accelerated in the late 1990s to mid-2000s, the study says.


Southwest border fence hits 500 mile mark 600 miles to be complete by Jan. 20, DHS says

McCain unsure of Obama immigration priority

New employment, labor and discrimination laws passed in 2008 Summary of new labor related laws that will go into effect Jan. 1

Healthy diet can keep breast cancer away More coverage of the research in the news from UC-Davis

Cheap is the new chic: generic brands grow Cheaper store brands expand influence

U.S. retail tracker raises holiday expectations for Wal-Mart Over a recent weekend, Wal-Mart had as many shoppers as Target, J.C. Penney, Toys R US and Sears - combined! Two thirds of Americans visited Wal-Mart over the weekend.

Canada's working poor increasing need food banks


Roubini: recession to continue in 2009 Dr. Doom doesn't disappoint; another scary forecast:

Things are going to be awful for everyday people. U.S. GDP growth is going to be negative through the end of 2009. And the recovery in 2010 and 2011, if there is one, is going to be so weak - with a growth rate of 1% to 1.5% - that it's going to feel like a recession. I see the unemployment rate peaking at around 9% by 2010. The value of homes has already fallen 25%. In my view, home prices are going to fall by another 15% before bottoming out in 2010.

Dec. 11 - Top headlines

I spent some of last night compiling some shipment numbers of fresh produce commodities from the first week of September to the first week of December. Hopefully, I can complete that work later today and post them.

Meanwhile, here are some top headlines snatched from the Web.

New climate treaty being negotiated Greenhouse gases rise by 70% since 1970, story says. U.N. treaty may be done in a year. But 650 scientists dissent.

Coverage of Great Lakes Fruits and Vegetables Show

Farmer's Best stays with Chep

Tomato industry recovering from salmonella scare but high costs, falling prices challenge growers
Story mentions plan by Florida Tomato Exchange to expand retail sales of field grown tomatoes that have given up space to greenhouse product. Despite supplies that are called 20% lower than a year ago, prices still lag.

Four quarters of declining GDP UCLA forecast says 2 million jobs lost in the next 12 months while deficit estimate is $1.5 trillion. Economist Roubini is quoted "The Fed and the Treasury are taking a massive amount of credit risk, endangering the long-term solvency of the U.S. government."


South Carolina's new immigration regs and Nebraska looking at tougher immigration rules and bad economy causes immigrants to head home.

On obesity: Gene may cause kids to crave junk food and one in three adults in the UK will be obese by 2012.

New Year's Resolutions are coming, such as heading to health club and eating better. But can we afford them? Here are some tips to get it done from American Diabetes Association. And Mother Earth News offers the 33 best foods for healthy living.

FBI probes Central Valley firm for racketeering SK Foods investigation for bribery of buyers of processed tomato products.

On organic: Organic to go reports results and organic demand wilts as economy suffers.

Local food banks feel economic strain..

Brands under pressure from cheaper options Mention of P&G Website to sell direct to consumers.

Packaged food trends in Convenience Store News, including some fresh produce items.

States cut funding to combat disease outbreaks Just what we need...


Cattlemen provide vigorous defense of COOL

Dec. 10 - Top headlines

Still haven't seen the third quarter retail numbers from United Fresh and the Perishables Group, but a discussion with Gary Lucier of USDA ERS makes me think we could see some volume declines in fresh produce movement in the third quarter and into the fourth. Of course Gary is a vegetable specialist, but one might think that fruit shipments may also be inhibited in the current economic climate. More on that later.

Also, I was browing the Foodsafe discussion group list and saw this item:

EggSell, the UK based egg marketing Co-operative has introduced an insurance scheme for producers. The policy is designed to protect producers against the loss incurred by salmonella infections and the threat of Avian Influenza. The policy has been prepared by a leading insurance business and any producer who is interested in protecting their business from these commercially damaging threats can contact the team at EggSell to arrange
an assessment and quote.

A follow on comment wondered if the insurer is requiring any preventive measures from policy holders and when a policy like this will come to the U.S......

Meanwhile, here are some headlines snatched from the Web...

Organic farming may be best route to global food security Story based on this Rodale Institute report, "The Organic Green Revolution."
This news release touts the organic agenda. From the story:

An Organic Green Revolution, using integrated farming practices such as cover crops, organic no-till and composting, not only substantially improves yields but it also protects and restores soil and environmental health."Yield data just by itself makes the case for a focused and persistent move to organic farming systems," explains Dr. Tim LaSalle, co-author of the report and CEO of the Rodale Institute, a 60-year-old research and education nonprofit.

NRA Menu Trends News release covering highlights of NRA Food Trends survey.

FreshDirect producing fail-safe method for choosing the best fruits and vegetables Story details rating system that give online buyers more direction. From 5 star- never better, to 4 - great, delicious, 3 - good, reliably decent, 2- average inconsistent quality, generally OK, 1 - below average, expect wide inconsistency in quality, probably out of season. I like this concept, but really, I wonder how many consumers will buy "1 star" produce and how often FreshDirect will slap that label on a luckless carton of produce?

UK retail market share: the latest numbers

Dole agrees to pay EU fine in installments Expected to pay EU banana price fixing fine in installments by April; deadline had been January.



Banana prices up AP story says banana prices in October and November rose 35% in North America on generally flat volume. Revenue from Fresh Express salads rose 8% year over year in October November and volume fell 1%.

Recession prompts some couples to delay having kids LA Times does a good job with this piece, and quotes upset and anxious parents who struggle to pay bills and don't want to think of another mouth to feed.

Worst of recession is upon us Two forecasters believe the worst part of the recession is here. Should that make us feel better for 2009?

U.S. recession to span 2009 OECD says housing finance needs to be reformed. High income countries will contract by 0.1% next year; developing countries will grow 4.5%.

Britain a worse credit risk than McDonald's In Big Mac we trust. From the story in The Independent: The cost of buying insurance against default on UK five-year government debt became more expensive than the equivalent cover for the US burger chain

U.S. economy may trump Obama immigration pledge Rising unemployment could make the issue dicey, though some believe the Obama Administration will make a hard run at the issue at the end of next year. Ag gets ignored in this SF Chronicle article, amazingly.

Krogers warns of decline in fourth quarter profit One of better performing retailers forecasts growth next year from 3 percent to 5 percent, down from earlier projections of 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent.

Roubini and the liquidity trap Deflationary expectations have caused investors to accept zero returns on T-bills, being satisfied with merely getting their money back. He write the government's TARP program has been ineffective: Nevertheless, banks continue to hoard all the liquidity the central bank is injecting directly instead of lending it out (i.e. Fed is 'pushing on a string').

Housing market will roar back in 2009 So says one research report...

Regulators scratch head over housing crisis On the other hand....

Australian market open again to NZ tomatoes, peppers

Dec. 9 - Top headlines

Snatched from the Web this morning...another morning edition Fresh Talk headlines...

EU scientists lobby against pesticide law Scientists say a diversity of active ingredients needed to sustain productivity as Europe more to hazards rather than risk based approach.

The five least healthful value menu items According to the Cancer Project If you are interested....The Jack in the Box value burger, the MacDouble, the cheesy burrito from Taco Bell, the BK breakfast sausage biscuit and Wendy's bacon cheeseburger. More fruit/vegetable items on the dollar menu, please.

NYC eatery charges surcharge for food you waste From Drudge, a story about Japanese restaurant that tacks on 3% surcharge if "your eyes are bigger than your stomach." Story says 27% of food is wasted.

E-Verify drop in ruffles feathers NPR is in the news become some groups don't want NPR to run a credit to DHS and E-Verify when they list groups that underwrite their efforts. This is a classic case of giving DHS more publicity by protesting a 10-second mention.

California's obesity rate doubles United Health Foundation study shows the state's obesity rate jumped to 23.2% in 2008, compared with 9.8% n 1990. For the U.S., the obesity rate is now 26.3%. Cali ranks 24 in overall health, survey says, while Vermont was numero uno and Louisiana was last. Find America's Health Rankings here.

Inflation fighting in Mexico to take back seat to stimulating economy A weak peso since October and persistent inflation have limited options, but Mexico's central bank expected to cut rates in 2009.

Roubini believes Fed will have to "go crazy" You can't go lower than zero, but then what. Stimulus programs that may increase interest rates on public debt, weaken the dollar and increase the concerns of foreign investors.

Japan's recession deepens Export driven economy, second biggest in the world, will struggle at least until the first quarter of next year.

Amber waves swaying again in the Northeast Grain crops sprout again in the Northeast. Local food movement in the Northeast. Chicago Tribune reports.

Mortgage delinquencies rise for seventh straight quarter Florida and Nevada lead with 7% plus 60 days late, overall U.S. average is 3.96%.

Dec. 6 Top Headlines

My oldest is 25 years old today. Happy Birthday Ben - it was amazing to bring a new life into this world and it surely can't be that a quarter century has already passed...

Some top headlines of Dec. 6, circa 2008.


Proposed fee on smelly cows, hogs angers farmers EPA is sending a trial balloon up on taxing greenhouse gases on livestock. Bad idea.

How bad is economy going to get? Deflation is so worrisome that some are suggesting moderate inflation is needed and now. "Creating inflation is not rocket science. Keep printing money."

Monthly loss of jobs is worst in 34 years Unemployment 6.7% now, 9% by end of next year, says Goldmans.

More people show interest in eating organic Coverage of organic farms in Florida; no recent survey attached to this local angle

Yellow light flashes for green, organic Brandweek coverage reports that Nielsen started reported declining organic sales in June, when gas prices were soaring and single digit growth for the organic category is predicted for 2009.

Are conflict issues ahead for Attorney General nominee Story about Eric Holder and his ties to Chiquita's defense relating to payments to guerrilla groups in Colombia.

Obama inheriting fight over immigration tactic U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer denies the Bush Administration request for expedited implementation of no match rule. Arguments on the case will continue through February.

Credit card issues cut back on credit lines Credit card balances rise; fees and rates go up


10% of Americans in arrears or foreclosure 7.3% of homes in Florida were in foreclosure at end of September..ugg, this is depressing...

Wal Mart bright spot in retailers' deep slide Most retailers do not have a month to remember in November, and Wal-Mart's better than expected performance shares headlines with the death of one the company's workers on Black Friday.


Del Monte's new CMO raises bar on fruit Del Monte Foods, not Fresh Del Monte.. but still an interesting read.

Canada seeking WTO consultations on COOL law Canadian cattlemen say the law is costing them hundreds of millions per year because some U.S. meatpacking plants won't accept Canadian cattle because of extra labeling costs associated with the animals.


Recession will be long, deep Yawn. We've heard this before.


Web site accuses companies of hiring illegal immigrants www.wehirealiens.com. Some food companies in the mix.

Kroger brings supersized store to market A Kroger Marketplace in Rosenberg, Texas. 125,000 square feet of one stop shopping. A Wal-Mart killer? Just kidding...

Roubini brings no fresh ideas Article criticizes economist Roubini for not providing the silver bullet to recover from recession. Must Roubini diagnose the economy and fix it too?

Why buying local organic is still a good plan Better for you, the environment and so on. Plus if it cost more we might waste less.

Tesco's challenge from Aldi in the UK could temper U.S. expansion Interesting read how Aldi stores in the UK and Trader Joe markets in the U.S. West (also owned by Aldi) are challenging Tesco. Trader Joe's is seen as the principle rival for Fresh and Easy, and wresting customers away from Trader Joe's is not easy or cheap.


Nova Scotia to back local food infrastructure Several millions dollars over three years to make it easier and more convenient to buy local foods.

EU, Latin America look to WTO for banana deal Uptdate on long running Latin American banana saga in Europe

Surprise: kids like fruits and vegetables 4 and 5 years old say they prefer fruits and veggies over candy. If wishes and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry merry Christmas.

Top Ten Stories of Dec. 5

The top ten stories of Dec. 5, more or less

Safeway to cut costs, prices in 09

Safeway Inc. told investors Thursday that it will aggressively cut costs, lower prices and focus on improving its financial position in 2009.

"We are a very strong player in a very weak economy, and we think that creates a very strong opportunity to take (market share)," Steve Burd, the national grocery chain's chairman and chief executive officer, said during the company's annual investor meeting Thursday.

WIC program allows moms to choose fruits and vegetables

Traditionally, the mothers got nutrition counseling along with their food items, and they were advised to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

But until now, the program didn't cover those purchases, except for breastfeeding women -- who were allowed to buy carrots.

After Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, the U.S. Department of Agriculture was required to revise its list of allowed foods for the first time in 30 years.

According to documents the USDA supplied, the act attempted to comprehensively address food programs for kids ranging from school lunches to WIC. It pushed the programs to make the food healthier and more in line with current nutritional guidelines.

In December 2007, the USDA published a new provision for fresh foods that will trickle down to Michigan WIC users next fall.

"That is the best decision they could make. Not only offering fresh produce, but organic, is even better, especially with those families and children that need it most," said Jean Shepherd of Muskegon, 35 and pregnant.

Fresh Produce Consortium tackles salmonella risk in herbs

The FPC would update guidance and host a technical presentation, said communications manager Sian Thomas. Food poisoning outbreaks linked to ready-to-eat herbs were extremely rare in the UK, said researchers who found 0.5% of samples contained salmonella bacteria. The study was by the Health Protection Agency and the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services, LACORS. The Fresh Produce Consortium responded that good...

Organic farms threatened by last minute Bush rulemaking

Many media outlets, from the New York Times to the blogosphere, have tracked what's been dubbed the "corporate takeover" of organic farming. One of the hottest controversies in this rapidly growing $20 billion industry has been giant factory farms milking thousands of cows each in feedlots and masquerading as organic.

Since the organic community first appealed to the USDA for better clarification and enforcement of regulations requiring organic dairy producers to graze their cattle, nearly 9 years ago, the number of giant industrial dairy operations, with as many as 10,000 cows, has grown from two to approximately 15. Finally the USDA has responded with a proposed rule that they said would crack down on abuses.

Today's economic crisis in historical perspective

The superlatives of the global economic meltdown of 2008 are, well, superlative. Professor Noriel Roubini of New York University says the current crisis is "the largest leveraged asset bubble and credit bubble in history." The International Monetary Fund says, "In advanced economies, output is forecast to contract on a full-year basis in 2009, the first such fall in the post-war period.

Third quarter mortgage delinquencies up

The percentage of people who are two months behind on their mortgages shot up in the third quarter from the same period last year, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion LLC.

For the quarter ended Sept. 30, 3.96 percent of people holding a mortgage were at least 60 days behind in payments, compared to 2.56 percent in the 2007 third quarter.

"It's nothing short of staggering," said Ezra Becker, principal consultant in TransUnion's financial services group. Becker noted the rate had hovered at about 2 percent for years, until the second quarter 2007, when it started climbing.

Moreover, the climb is not likely going to slow, he said.

"Our projections are that it's not only going to be increasing but it's increasing at a faster pace," he said.

Schumer wants local farms' produce in school cafeterias

Today, Schumer's staff will meet to explore how locally grown food can be cost-effective for farmers and school districts. School food directors from Bay Shore, Riverhead and Southampton will attend, along with representatives from the Long Island Farm Bureau, food broker companies and Stony Brook University Medical Center.

White House urges new immigrant crackdown rule

In papers filed this week in U.S. District Court, the Department of Homeland Security argued for an accelerated schedule that could allow a regulation known as the no-match rule to take effect by mid-January.

The rule, which the department first proposed in August 2007, would threaten businesses with prosecution unless they fired employees whose Social Security numbers differed from their listings in the Social Security database.

The rule has been held up by a lawsuit filed by the AFL-CIO, other unions and business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Administration lawyers said in their filing that most issues in the case have been resolved and that further delays are unwarranted.

At a hearing Friday, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer will consider whether to expedite the case or follow a more conventional schedule, under which a ruling would not come until at least March.

President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office Jan. 20, has not taken a position on the no-match rule. But Ana Avendano, director of the AFL-CIO's immigrant worker program, said Wednesday she is hopeful his approach will differ from Bush's.

Experts predict immigration focus at DHS

From Federal Times:

Immigration would be one of Napolitano’s top priorities at DHS, and sources who know her say it’s also one of her areas of expertise. Napolitano signed a tough immigration law that revokes the business licenses of companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. And she opposes the Homeland Security Department’s plans to build hundreds of miles of new fencing along the Mexican border.

“You show me a 50-foot wall, and I’ll show you a 51-foot ladder,” she has repeatedly said.

Napolitano has criticized roundups of illegal immigrants by federal and state law enforcement, calling them “troublesome.”

But whether she could bring about big changes at the federal level is up for debate. Obama will face vocal opposition from Republicans, who want a more punitive approach to immigration.

Fast food ban may trim obesity, prof says

The number of overweight children in the U.S. could be reduced by up to 18 percent through a fast food television ad ban, according to a paper by a Lehigh professor and a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

An article on the study, published in the Journal of Law and Economics, was written by Professor Shin-Yi Chou of the College of Business and Economics in collaboration with Professor Inas Rashad of Georgia State University and Professor Michael Grossman of the City University of New York Graduate Center.

The 18 percent refers to children ages 3 to 11 and obesity in children ages 12 to 18 could be reduced by 14 percent, according to the article. There is a higher risk in males than females, according to the article.

The researchers' goal is to try to completely ban fast food from all children's television programming, according to the article.

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Top Ten Stories - Dec. 3

Here are the top ten headlines snatched from the Web this morning....

1. FDA cites progress in food safety
The agency cited several examples progress in the area of prevention, including the opening of offices in five regions that export food and other FDA-regulated products to the U.S.: China, India, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The FDA has already hired staff for its offices in China and India.

2. Salinas haz-mat team at forefront of anti-terror efforts Let's hope not...

A bi-partisan commission formed to study the threat of a terrorist attack says the country can expect one to happen by the year 2013. The Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism is set to release it's findings Wednesday.

Among other things, it concluded: "Our margin of safety is shrinking, not growing."

The study adds the threat is likely to be either biological or nuclear. As an integral point of the U.S. food supply, it's believed the Salinas Valley agricultural industry could be a point for a bio-terror attack.

"A biological attack on our agriculutral center could make the demand for that crop go down, make people suspicious of all agriculture in Monterey County," says Fred Wehling, associate professor of at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. "It would be very difficult to recover from that."

3.U.S. Auto sales plunge 37% in November

U.S. auto sales plunged 37 percent in November to the lowest annual rate in 26 years as the recession and Detroit automakers’ aid pleas kept buyers out of showrooms.

4. Your recession survival guide

After spikes in the prices of milk, eggs, and other staples earlier this year, shoppers may be in for some relief in 2009. The price increases were partly caused by the high price of gasoline, which is used to transport much of our food. Now gas prices are dropping, leading some analysts to expect lower supermarket prices. But it won't happen overnight, because the cost of diesel is still high, and farmers need to recover from the high input costs they faced over the summer.

5. Democrats should face the challenge

As the likely next secretary of homeland security, Ms. Napolitano will need a similarly deft touch if she elects to push for broad reform of the nation's failed immigration system in an administration preoccupied with war abroad and an economic crisis at home. She should. Even in a sharp recession, the United States will continue to depend on millions of undocumented workers. Unless they address the plight of these workers and forge an enforcement regime that works, the Democrat-controlled Congress and the new administration will allow a sore to fester.

6. Unauthorized immigration declining, but why?

Flows of unauthorized immigrants to the United States have declined significantly according to a new report by the Pew Hispanic Center. The report estimates that between 2005 and 2008, approximately 500,000 unauthorized immigrants entered the United States each year — 300,000 fewer than the 800,000 unauthorized immigrants Pew estimated for each year between 2000 and 2004.

7.Media exposure linked to obesity

The study, "Media and Child and Adolescent Health: A Systematic Review," was done by the Yale University School of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, and California Pacific Medical Center and published by Common Sense Media.

It looked at the best studies on media and health from the last 28 years, a total of 173 in all, and found that 80 percent of them showed that greater media exposure led to negative health effects in children and adolescents

8.Mortgage delinquencies up in third quarter

A credit reporting agency says the percentage of people who are two months behind on their mortgages was up in the third quarter from the same period last year.

TransUnion LLC says nearly 4 percent of the people holding a mortgage were at least 60 days behind in payments for the quarter ending in September. That compares with 2.56 percent last year. Experts say the climb likely won`t slow down.

The highest delinquency rates are in Florida, at 7.8 percent, Nevada, at 7.7 percent, and California, at 5.8 percent. The states with the lowest delinquency rates are North Dakota, at 1.4 percent, followed by South Dakota at 1.6 percent and Montana at 1.7 percent.

The figures are from TransUnion Trend Data, which consists of 27 million consumer records randomly sampled each month. Trans Union also reports that the percentage of people who were delinquent on their credit card payments rose in the third quarter, while average debt per borrower jumped 7.7 percent.

Third-quarter delinquency was highest in Nevada, at 1.79 percent, followed by Florida, at 1.45 percent. The two states are among the hardest hit by the housing and mortgage crisis. The lowest credit card delinquency rates were found in Vermont and North Dakota, at 0.70 percent.

9.Wal Mart assailed on death

Police say Jdimytai Damour, a 34-year-old temporary maintenance worker, was pushed to the ground and asphyxiated when an estimated 2,000 shoppers broke through the glass doors at a Wal-Mart store on Long Island, N.Y., as they raced to buy a limited assortment of sharply discounted television sets, computers and other gifts in the predawn hours early Friday.

10.What's next?

Nouriel Roubini, the foremost economist to predict the crash, believes that growth won't return until at least 2010, as the years of excess expansion on the back of a debt bubble will take time to unwind. This would put back a global market bottom to mid-2009.

Other headlines.....

Delinquent mortgages to double in 2009

Childhood obesity a heavy burden in China

County supes to decide on plan for Stonegate water shortage

Illegal workers skirt Arizona law

Rhode Island holds hearing on e-verify

Where to find deals on healthful food