News
U.S. Horse Slaughter Plant To Open Soon
May 1, 2013 9:30 am | CommentsThe first U.S.-based horse slaughter plant in six years will open soon unless Congress reinstates a ban on the practice, the country's agriculture secretary said Tuesday. Valley Meat Co. has been fighting for more than a year for permission to slaughter horses.
Wining with the Stars
May 1, 2013 9:28 am | by MICHELLE LOCKE,Associated Press | CommentsThe MacMurray Ranch is now owned by the Gallo wine family and open to the public only during the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend in August, but it's one of several California wineries with celebrity connections, including wineries owned by "Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, the late "Davy Crockett" star Fess Parker, and the late "Perry Mason" star Raymond Burr.
Egypt Investigating New Student Food Poisoning Case
May 1, 2013 9:25 am | CommentsA security official says that Egyptian authorities are investigating a new case of food poisoning at Al-Azhar, Cairo's centuries-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning. The official says the investigation opened Tuesday. Some 160 university students fell sick after a tuna meal on Monday, sparking protests by colleagues angry over the quality of basic services in the university hostel, the official said.
Worker Dies in Blender at Ore. Meat Plant
May 1, 2013 9:24 am | CommentsAn Oregon cleaning worker was killed when he fell into a running blender at a meat-processing plant, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said. Deputy Nate Thompson identified the worker as Hugo Avalos-Chanon, 41, of Portland. He worked for DCS Sanitation Management, a cleaning company that has a contract with Interstate Meat Distributors.
Photo of the Day: Hollywood and Vine
May 1, 2013 9:22 am | CommentsIn this photo taken March 15, 2013 Kate MacMurray, daughter of the late actor Fred MacMurray poses with a glass of Pinot Noir by a photograph of her father in a tasting area and gallery of old photographs at the MacMurray Ranch in Healdsburg, Calif. The former cattle ranch, which was purchased in 1941 by the actor in the popular TV series "My Three Sons," now produces wine and is owned by the Gallo wine family.
Resources Improve Sustainability of U.S. Dairy
April 30, 2013 12:37 pm | CommentsThe Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy today announced new science-based resources available for dairy producers, processors, industry partners and stakeholders. The resources help the industry act on the unprecedented scientific research commissioned as part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment — a collective effort of the dairy value chain to measure and improve the sustainability of U.S. dairy from farm to table.
General Mills Reports Global Responsibility Efforts
April 30, 2013 12:33 pm | CommentsToday, General Mills released its 2013 Global Responsibility Report, which outlines the company's progress and commitments in the areas of health, environment, sourcing, workplace and community engagement. The full report can be accessed at www.GeneralMills.com.
AB InBev Sees Falling Volumes in Key Markets
April 30, 2013 12:31 pm | CommentsAnheuser-Busch InBev NV, the world's largest brewer, says that its profits rose in the first quarter in spite of falling sale volumes in important markets. The company behind Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Becks said Tuesday that even though revenues grew by 1.5 percent in the first quarter, volumes declined by 4.1 percent.
Posh Vegas Restaurant Shuttered amid Outbreak
April 30, 2013 12:28 pm | by MICHELLE RINDELS,Associated Press | CommentsA trendy Las Vegas tapas restaurant that's racked up hundreds of rave reviews on the website Yelp is closed after more than three dozen patrons reported food poisoning symptoms. Southern Nevada Health District officials said the flagship Firefly restaurant on Paradise Road was shuttered Friday and will remain closed while they run tests to try to determine the source of the outbreak.
Heinz Shareholders Approve Acquisition
April 30, 2013 12:26 pm | CommentsHeinz is one step closer to going private. The Pittsburgh-based ketchup maker said Tuesday that shareholders overwhelmingly approved its acquisition by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, the investment firm that also owns Burger King.
Consumer Trends: Top 100 Brunch Restaurants
April 30, 2013 12:00 pm | CommentsJust in time for Mother's Day, OpenTable is pleased to announce the 2013 Diners' Choice Award winners for Top 100 Best Brunch Restaurants in the United States. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than 5 million reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 15,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Sumitomo To Set Up Joint Venture in China To Make Sugar
April 30, 2013 9:51 am | CommentsTrading house Sumitomo Corp. said Tuesday it will set up a joint venture in China with Hong Kong and South Korean firms to manufacture and sell sugar from 2014. Sumitomo and TS Corp. of South Korea will hold a 33 percent stake each in the joint venture, while Taikoo Sugar Ltd. of Hong Kong will have a 34 percent stake in the venture to be launched in China's Guangdong Province.
Dairy Co-op Laying Off More Than 100 Workers
April 30, 2013 9:50 am | CommentsA large Wisconsin dairy cooperative plans to close a cheese plant, idle another plant indefinitely and lay off more than 100 employees. Baraboo-based Foremost Farms is closing an Alma Center plant that makes mozzarella cheese for foodservice markets. The co-op is idling a cheddar cheese plant in Waumandee.
Czech Whisky Succeeds in Communist Market
April 30, 2013 9:47 am | by KAREL JANICEK,Associated Press | CommentsDemand for Hammer Head has been solid around the globe, but Vaclav Sitner, a member of the team tasked with creating a premium whisky, would not reveal how much was made and how much is still available. He would only said if the current sales remain at the same level of 10,000 - 15,000 bottles a year, it is expected to be sold out in five to seven years.
Hostess Opening Bakeries in Indiana and Illinois
April 30, 2013 9:44 am | CommentsHostess Brands LLC said Monday that it will open bakeries in Indiana and Illinois, following announcements last week that it will reopen bakeries in Georgia and Kansas in its effort to bring back some of its snack brands. The predecessor to Hostess Brands filed for bankruptcy protection in 2012 after years of turmoil and later decided to go out of business after a nationwide strike crippled its operations.
FDA Investigating Added Caffeine in Foods
April 30, 2013 9:41 am | by MARY CLARE JALONICK,Associated Press | CommentsLooking for a new way to get that jolt of caffeine energy? Food companies are betting snacks like potato chips, jelly beans and gum with a caffeinated kick could be just the answer. The Food and Drug Administration is closely watching the marketing of these foods and wants to know more about their safety.
Photo of the Day: Communist Whisky Rises to Excellence
April 30, 2013 9:38 am | CommentsIn this Monday, April 8, 2013 photo Eva Brozovska labels bottles with single malt "Hammer Head" whisky in a distillery in Pradlo, Czech Republic. The "Hammer Head" whisky made in communist Czechoslovakia matured in oak barrels for more than 20 years to reach surprisingly good quality before hitting the market.
Daily Sound Bite: Saving the Bees
April 30, 2013 8:12 am | CommentsMuch attention has been paid to colony collapse disorder over the past several years as bee populations have plummeted. The pollination provided by bees is crucial to plant growth, and the EU has voted to restrict the use of certain pesticides in an attempt to curb colony collapse.
Mid-Market Execs Anticipate Growth But Cite Gov’t Roadblocks
April 29, 2013 12:46 pm | CommentsAfter sustained economic turmoil, mid-market executives have a stronger footing and are taking the necessary steps to make the sector an engine for growth in the next year. However, while optimistic about their own growth, according to findings in Deloitte's "Mid-market perspectives: 2013 report on America's economic engine," they have lower expectations for U.S. economic growth.
Beer Sales Debate Heats Up in Pa.
April 29, 2013 12:44 pm | by MARC LEVY,Associated Press | CommentsWhere you can buy beer in Pennsylvania will be the subject of debate in the coming weeks in the state Senate, pitting profit-seeking businesses against one another and perhaps even against beer drinkers' wishes. What do beer drinkers want? In Harrisburg, that story line is being told by a variety of businesses in the context of what lines up neatly with their would-be profits.
