News
Seafood Processor to Expand in Virginia
May 22, 2013 8:16 am | CommentsA Canadian seafood processing company will spend about $6.6 million to upgrade a facility it owns in Newport News. The project by High Liner Foods is expected to create nearly 60 new jobs. Gov. Bob McDonnell's office made the announcement on Tuesday.
Aloha Beer Bid Disrupts Hawaii Nui Bankruptcy Case
May 22, 2013 8:06 am | CommentsAn unexpected bid for a bankrupt Big Island brewery has postponed a court auction and set up a possible bidding war for the microbrewery. Aloha Beer Co. offered to buy Hawaii Nui Brewing for $325,000, but did so outside the court-approved bidding process.
Rice Contamination Reported in China
May 21, 2013 12:10 pm | CommentsAuthorities are investigating rice mills in southern China following tests that found almost half of the staple grain in one of the country's largest cities was contaminated with a toxic metal. Reports say the mills had been operating legally and sourced their rice from local farmers.
Calling All Grill Masters: Is It Done Yet?
May 21, 2013 12:04 pm | by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics | CommentsAs part of their award-winning Home Food Safety program, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods encourage all grill masters to equip themselves for the job with a food thermometer — the only way to determine if foods are fully cooked and safe to eat.
Consumer Trends: Gluten-Free Market Skyrocketing
May 21, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsThe increasing number of celiac patients, gluten intolerants and health conscious people has increased the demand for gluten-free products. The gluten-free products market is experiencing a double-digit growth. The most important factor behind buying more gluten-free food products is that they are considered healthier than conventional products.
White House Pushes for More Farm Subsidy Cuts
May 21, 2013 11:51 am | by MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press | CommentsThe Obama administration said Monday it wants to see more cuts to agriculture subsidies in a massive farm bill moving through the Senate this week. The bill would cost almost $100 billion a year over five years and would set policy for farm programs and food aid.
Daily Sound Bite: From Golf Course to Farmland
May 21, 2013 11:40 am | CommentsPart of a wave of Midwestern farmers snapping up land to cash in on steadily rising commodity prices, Illinois farmer Clark Kelly has purchased the Hend-Co-Hills Golf Course near Biggsville with plans to turn the course into a cornfield.
Report Advises on Food Security Stragety
May 21, 2013 11:31 am | CommentsA new report from The Chicago Council on Global Affairs urges the U.S. government to focus its global food security strategy on prioritizing science, increasing trade flows for agriculture and food, and incentivizing greater business activity in low-income countries.
Hershey Tapping into Chinese 'Milk Candy' Market
May 21, 2013 11:23 am | CommentsHershey is looking to expand in China by tapping into the country's taste for "milk candy," a product that accounts for a quarter of the total candy market in the country. Hershey's new Lancaster brand will debut in three Chinese cities next month.
General Mills Says 'No' to GMO Labeling
May 21, 2013 10:27 am | by CNN Money | CommentsIn the face of growing consumer interest in labeling packaged foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), General Mills CEO Kendall Powell explains why his company opposes GMO labeling, saying that GMOs are safe and don't need to be specifically identified.
Hormel Named Top Employer for Vets, Recent Grads
May 21, 2013 9:42 am | CommentsHormel Foods Corporation Tuesday announced it has been recognized with two top employer accolades, including Military Times EDGE magazine’s Best for Vets Employers list, and Experience’s Best Places to Work for Recent Grads list.
Hershey to Launch New Brand in China
May 21, 2013 9:37 am | CommentsThe Hershey Company announced Tuesday it is launching a new candy brand in China called Lancaster™. The new products will initially launch in three cities — Wuhan, Hangzhou and Chengdu — in June, followed by a wider distribution in 2014.
Drought Accelerates Use of Drugs to Beef Up Cattle
May 21, 2013 9:27 am | by ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press | CommentsCattle feeders in the U.S. are coping with reduced herds and high corn costs in part by increasing their use of growth-inducing drugs designed to bulk up animals, get more pounds of beef from each carcass and circumvent the drought's withering effects on the food cycle.
Special K Churns Out Products in Brand Evolution
May 21, 2013 9:25 am | by CANDICE CHOI, AP Food Industry Writer | CommentsKellogg Co. is building on its biggest moneymaker with a "hot cereal" called Special K Nourish that's made with quinoa and other grains. The new line, which promises to fill people up with 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, reflects Special K's push to move in step with evolving trends.
High Crop Prices Entice Farms to Expand Planting
May 21, 2013 8:30 am | by DAVID PITT, Associated Press | CommentsAcross the Midwest, farmers are planting crops on almost any scrap of available land to take advantage of consistently high corn and soybean prices. Growers are knocking down old barns, tearing out fencerows and digging up land that had once been preserved for wildlife. Some are even suspected of tearing into pioneer cemeteries.
Photo of the Day: Shelf Stable Freezer Bars
May 21, 2013 8:00 am | CommentsBaskin-Robbins, the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, announced the launch of a new line of shelf stable sherbet flavored freezer bars which are rolling out at major national retailers this spring. Baskin-Robbins' Sherbet Flavored Freezer Bars are the first freezer bar treat from Baskin-Robbins that guests can conveniently purchase at participating supermarkets and drug stores nationwide.
Portland Revisits Issue of Water Fluoridation
May 20, 2013 12:31 pm | by STEVEN DUBOIS, Associated Press | CommentsBoth supporters and opponents of public fluoridation in Portland have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars ahead of a Tuesday ballot measure that has drawn heavy attention from the city's mainstream and alternative newspapers. Campaign signs have sprouted alongside roses on lawns across the city, as have reports of people stealing them.
National Pork Board Addresses Pork Virus
May 20, 2013 12:19 pm | CommentsThe USDA has confirmed that porcine epidemic diarrhea virus has been identified in the United States for the first time through testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory. Producers will need to work with their herd veterinarian if any TGE-like symptoms appear and, as always, maintain strict biosecurity protocols.
USA Today Ad Tells Dasani Bottler to "Take a Hike"
May 20, 2013 12:06 pm | CommentsCorporate Accountability International took out a quarter-page ad Monday in a special national parks supplement to USA Today, calling on Coca-Cola's bottled water brand Dasani to stop interfering in efforts by national parks to go bottled water free.
Safe Food for Canadians Action Plan Unveiled
May 20, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsThe Safe Food for Canadians Action Plan aims to further improve Canada's food safety system by strengthening food safety rules, implementing more effective inspection and pledging a renewed commitment to service and more information for consumers.
