News
Legislation To Stabilize Dairy Industry
July 13, 2010 5:23 am | CommentsSOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Forty years ago there were 40 dairy farms in the small town of Rochester, Vt. Now there's just one. "We are the last one left in our valley. We want to stay there," said Beth Kennett, who milks 100 cows with her husband and two sons. Newly introduced legislation aimed at stabilizing milk prices is giving them hope that they will survive, she said Monday.
Less Milk Consumption In Schools
July 13, 2010 5:19 am | CommentsDALLAS-- (BUSINESS WIRE) — Eliminating chocolate and other flavored milks from school cafeteria menus resulted in a dramatic drop in milk consumption along with a substantial reduction in nutrients - which are not easy or affordable to replace, according to a new study presented today at the School Nutrition Association's Annual National Conference.
Drink Your Veggies
July 13, 2010 5:11 am | CommentsCAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — The Campbell Soup Co. is introducing still more beverages aimed at getting people who don't like vegetables to eat them anyway. The maker of V8 V-Fusion juices, as well as more traditional canned soup and other snacks, told analysts Monday that its new line of V8 V-Fusion teas will hit stores next month.
First Lady Takes On Childhood Obesity
July 13, 2010 5:07 am | CommentsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A child obesity epidemic fed by fast food, sugary drinks and too much television threatens to create the first generation of American youths who live shorter lives than their parents, Michelle Obama said Monday. The first lady was keynote speaker at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's national convention in Kansas City.
Premium Mixers Stir Interest
July 13, 2010 4:55 am | CommentsBERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Spirits have gone premium. Bartenders have turned artisan. Even ice has become a little cooler. So, it only makes sense that mixers are getting a makeover with upscale versions promising to bring chic cocktails to a fridge near you. "Consumers just seem to get it immediately," says Jordan Silbert, founder of Q Tonic, an all-natural product introduced a few years ago.
Salsa And Guacamole Carry Foodborne Illness
July 13, 2010 4:42 am | CommentsNearly 1 out of every 25 restaurant-associated foodborne outbreaks with identified food sources between 1998 and 2008 can be traced back to contaminated salsa or guacamole, more than double the rate during the previous decade, according to research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases .
Food Safety: There's An App For That
July 12, 2010 5:19 am | CommentsWASHINGTON – Popular technology will now help Americans verify what they eat is safe. The U.S. Government's Products Recall app for the Android smartphone is now available at the revamped USA.gov website, and the apps for Blackberry and iPhone are soon to follow.
China-New Zealand Negotiate Beef Trade Deal
July 12, 2010 5:11 am | CommentsWASHINGTON – President Obama has announced progress on his pledge to double U.S. exports over the next five years, including the development of a new presidential advisory council on exports. The announcement comes amid reports of a multimillion dollar trade deal to facilitate New Zealand beef exports into China as a result of a recent bilateral trade agreement.
New Egg Safety Rules Go Into Effect
July 12, 2010 5:03 am | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says egg safety rules that just took effect could prevent thousands of cases of salmonella poisoning each year. The new rules were announced by the Obama administration last year and went into effect Friday. The FDA says they could reduce the number of salmonella illnesses by nearly 60 percent.
California Aims To Cut Down Organic Fraud
July 12, 2010 4:58 am | CommentsSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — It's been barely a year since Luis Miranda began selling organic produce at farmers markets near his home in California's Central Valley, but he's already seen every trick in the book. Scanning the stands recently at a market in downtown Sacramento, Miranda pointed out a half-dozen examples of misleading signs and labels.
More Tainted Milk Found In China
July 12, 2010 4:45 am | CommentsBEIJING (AP) — Chinese officials have found 76 tons of milk powder and dairy products laced with a deadly industrial chemical in at least three provinces that was apparently left over from a milk scandal in 2008 that killed six babies and sickened hundreds of thousands. The discovery shows that toxic milk remains a danger in China despite a crackdown in which dozens of people were arrested and two — a dairy farmer and a milk salesmen — were executed for producing or selling toxic milk.
Consumers Crave "Better Burgers"
July 12, 2010 4:39 am | CommentsFALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — With a drive-through seemingly on every corner, you might think the market for burgers long ago reached saturation. But the fastest-growing restaurant chain in America last year was Five Guys, which specializes in double-pattied behemoths the size of a softball.
FDA Invites Food Industry To Comment On New Nutrition Labeling Law
July 8, 2010 9:21 am | CommentsSILVER SPRING, Md. /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it is inviting the public to submit comments and information to help the agency implement a new federal law that requires the posting of calorie content and other nutrition information on menu items at certain chain restaurants and similar retail food operations and vending machines.
Border Violence Threatens Ranchers And Farmers
July 8, 2010 9:11 am | CommentsLAREDO, Texas (AP) — Mexican rancher Isidro Gutierrez watched with disgust as federal inspectors here chalked a long stripe on his steer's hindquarter. The animal could not be imported because its breed can be vulnerable to disease. If inspections were still being done across the Rio Grande in Mexico, routine rejections like that would be just an inconvenience.
Walmart Stops Using Products From Indonesian Firm Over Deforestation
July 8, 2010 9:04 am | CommentsJAKARTA, July 8 (Kyodo) — U.S. retail giant Walmart is following other major companies in stopping buying products from Indonesian agribusiness giant Sinar Mas Group over charges by environmental group Greenpeace the company continues to destroy Indonesia's rainforests. "Walmart does not support deforestation and, as Greenpeace's report shows, our largest markets do not source product from APP, and in the remaining markets that do, we have taken the steps to stop development on private brand products with APP and are looking at what measures can be taken regarding branded products," Walmart said in a press statement, referring to Sinar Mas Group's pulp and paper arm Asia Pulp and Paper.
Nation's First Wine Vending Machines
July 8, 2010 8:52 am | CommentsHARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (AP) — Swipe your driver's license, look into the camera, blow into the breath sensor and — voila! — you have permission to buy a bottle of wine from a vending machine. Pennsylvania, which has some of the most Byzantine liquor laws in the U.S.
Cott Purchases Cliffstar For $514 Million
July 8, 2010 8:47 am | CommentsTORONTO — Canada's biggest soft-drink maker, Cott Corp. (TSX:BCB), is hoping that the acquisition of a privately-held U.S. juice giant will give it a major boost on store shelves. Chief executive Jerry Fowden told analysts in a conference call Thursday that the purchase of Cliffstar Corp.
Produce Company Recalls 702 Cases Of Spinach
July 8, 2010 8:35 am | CommentsIRWINDALE, Calif. (AP) — Ready Pac Foods Inc. announced that it is recalling of 702 cases of bagged spinach salad after federal investigators confirmed the presence of E. coli in a random sample test. The Irwindale-based company said in its announcement Wednesday that no illnesses have been reported in connection with the Spinach Temptations line of six-ounce bagged salads it is recalling.
NCBA Gears Up For Summer Conference
July 7, 2010 5:37 am | CommentsWASHINGTON, DC (NCBA) — Members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the largest organization dedicated solely to representing the interests of U.S. beef producers, are gearing up for their Summer Conference in Denver, Colo., July 28 through Aug. 1, 2010. According to NCBA President and Illinois cattle producer Steve Foglesong, the Summer Conference is “where the rubber meets the road” regarding industry priorities.
FDA: The State Of The Gulf Coast Seafood Industry
July 7, 2010 5:31 am | by Q: Is seafood harvested in the Gulf Coast area safe? | CommentsWASHINGTON, DC (FDA) — For up-to-date information regarding the Gulf Coast seafood industry, visit the FDA's Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill Update page. A: Fish and shellfish harvested from areas unaffected by the closures are considered safe to eat. NOAA is closely monitoring the surface and subsurface movement of petroleum and is expanding the closed area as needed.
