Setting the Record Straight

This is a correction to an item, “Easing the Lame Cattle Ban,” posted on Extension Daily, April 13.

We erroneously reported that the society had joined an informal alliance of groups pushing for a reconsideration of the federal ban on lame or “downer” cattle.

The Humane Society adamantly opposes legislation that would ease the ban on the slaughter of downed cattle, according to Rachel Querry, the society’s deputy director for media relations.

In opposing the legislation, the Society joins 18 other organizations, collectively speaking for 13 million supporters, who represent "consumers, sustainable agriculture and animal welfare concerns," she said.

“Everywhere the Blood Flows”

Cigarette smoking harms more than just lungs. It appears to threaten almost every major organ in the body and has been linked to a wide range of diseases, including leukemia, cataracts, pneumonia and cancers of the kidney, cervix, pancreas and stomach.

"We've known for decades that smoking is bad for your health, but this report shows that it's even worse," said Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona. "The toxins from cigarette smoke go to everywhere the blood flows."

Carmona said the message is clear: “The only way to avoid the health hazards of smoking is to quit completely or never start smoking.”

USDA Withdraws Interpretation of Organic Standards

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has rescinded an interpretation of organic rules that ignited a firestorm of criticism last month from organic farmers.

Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman announced Wednesday her department would appeal the interpretation that effectively would have allowed antibiotics in dairy cows, certain chemical pesticides and the presence of non-organic fish meal in livestock feed.

“There has been a tremendous amount of interest in this, of concern about what it does,” Veneman said. “This is an issue that has come up in the media over the past couple of days…We are taking action to rescind what the AMS (Agricultural Marketing Service) had done.”

Expert Panel to Americans: Eat More Fish, Fewer Refined Grains

One of the changes expected in the federal government’s new dietary guidelines is a greater emphasis on fish, less on refined grains such as white bread.

Federal advisers say the suggested amount of salmon and other fish containing heart-healthy omega-three fatty acids should be doubled to two servings a week of six- to-eight ounces each.

Exotic Fruits Going Mainstream

Meet the cherimoya, a cross between vanilla custard and pineapple.

It’s one of several exotic fruits that may take American markets by storm within the next few years, even though it costs $6 dollars a pop.

Demand for exotic produce is growing by leaps and bounds.

Last year, consumers spent 68 percent more on passion fruit than the previous year, 32 percent more on lychees, 31 percent more on star fruit and 13 percent more on kumquats, according to a survey of more than 3,000 grocery store chains nationwide.

One factor behind this growing fascination for exotic fruit is the willingness of Americans to pay more for products perceived as healthy.

Eat a Wide Variety of Foods and Exercise More, Panel Advises

Downplaying the value of high-protein diets, a panel of experts advises Americans to “eat a wide variety of foods” and to get at least some exercise.

The 13-member panel was commissioned to update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans --- the government’s healthy eating manifesto.

Part of the wide variety envisioned by the panel would include fruits, vegetables, grains, milk products and meat and other proteins.

Under the panel’s current draft, the 10 guidelines would be shortened to seven, with more emphasis placed on eating fruits and vegetables and balancing food consumption with exercise.

The final draft of the new dietary guidelines is expected to be released in January.

Daschle Introduces Country-of -Origin Labeling Bill

U.S Sen. Tom Daschle (Dem., South Dakota) has introduced legislation that would implement country-of-origin labeling by the original Sept. 30, 2004 deadline.

Daschle’s actions follow media reports indicating that the U.S. Department of Agriculture allowed imports of processed beef from Canada despite an earlier pledge by U.S. Secretary Ann Veneman that this would not be permitted.

Daschle’s action drew praise from National Farmers Union President Dave Frederickson, who said country-of-origin labeling has become more urgent following reports that agricultural officials evaded the ban on Canadian processed beef.

Companies currently have the right under federal law to include voluntary country-of-origin labeling until mandatory labeling is implemented. Daschle's proposal would reinstate the implementation date for mandatory country-of-labeling origin as soon as possible.

Greatest Year Ever for U.S. Ag Exports?

In a revised forecast, the U.S. Department of Agriculture now expects U.S. agricultural exports will total $61.5 billion, an increase of $5.3 billion over the previous year. If this volume of sales is realized, it will be the highest ever for U.S. agricultural exports.

Exports to China represent an especially bright spot for U.S. agriculture, said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman.

Cotton forecasts are expected to increase $1.5 billion over last year to $4.2 billion. Cotton producers are benefiting both from strong prices and high global demand.

Veneman: Expect More U.S. Cases of BSE

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman says more cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, so-called mad cow disease, are likely to turn up in the United States now that meat inspection systems have been improved.

And she says she can’t predict how Japanese and other foreign buyers will react.

"We anticipate that we may find a few additional cows and we are prepared for that.

"Certainly, we've discussed this with our trading partners, in terms of a very robust system that we are implementing --- in terms of surveillance in this country," she said.

Moldy Buildings May Be Culprit behind Many Diseases, Experts Fear

Already reasonably certain that damp, moldy buildings are tied to asthma and other breathing problems, experts with the National Academy of Sciences are also questioning whether these structures may contribute to other serious illnesses.

Whatever the case, nothing should be left to chance, they say. They advise people to remove any mold they find as soon as possible. They also recommend stepping up research efforts to determine possible links to other health problems and to find ways to build drier structures.

Part of the problem can be traced back to the energy crisis of the 1970s. As people strove to build tighter, more energy efficient buildings, they were inadvertently creating ideal conditions for the growth of mold, bacteria, dust mites and other organisms associated with allergies and other health problems.

A Test for Human Version of BSE?

A British medical technology company claims it’s developed the first test to detect abnormal prions in the blood that may cause the human version of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, so-called mad cow disease.

Microsens Biotechnology says it was able to find prions --- protein particles --- in the blood of a patient with variant Cruetzfeldt Jakob disease. Variant CJD is believed to be the human form of BSE. The test, however, isn’t ready for human use, the company said.

Until now, the disease could be diagnosed only after death. No accurate tests exist for live subjects because blood levels of prions are quite low.

Legitimate Concern or Senseless Starvation?

While bioengineered foods may seem like the obvious solution to world hunger, leaders in many developing countries, particularly in Africa, aren’t buying it --- or, for that matter, even accepting donations of genetically modified foods.

In the midst of severe famine that killed millions, Zambia and Zimbabwe in 2002 turned away corn donated by the United Nations because it contained bioengineered seeds. Zambia still bans biotech foods. Sudan, Mozambique, Angola and Zimbabwe accept only milled products that can’t be planted and intermingled with native crops.

While no serious illnesses have been connected with these foods, critics contend bioengineered foods have the potential of spreading allergens and toxins. Some of the more determined foes of the technology have vowed to destroy fields where transgenic crops are grown.

Weakened Organic Standards?

Some of the nation’s organic farmers are hopping mad over new U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines that are perceived as weakening the federal organic label. USDA officials, on the other hand, still wonder what all the fuss is about.

The guidelines, released last month, were in response to questions from government certifiers who oversee certification of organic labeling.

Barbara Robinson, deputy administrator of the USDA’s National Organic Program, said the guidelines were merely an attempt to ensure the standards were applied consistently. However, Jim Riddle of Winona, Minn., vice chairman of the 15-member National Organic Standards Board that advises USDA about organic standards, says the new guidelines “are contrary to the regulations as written…”

Are Check-Off Programs Constitutional?

The Supreme Court will decide whether the federal government can require cattle ranchers and farmers to pay for an industry marketing program distinguished for it’s “Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner,” theme.

However, much more is at issue besides the beef check-off program. The case will decide the fate of all check-off programs in which producers pay a small portion of their income to support commodity promotion and similar goals --- a practice previously ruled unconstitutional by a U.S. appeals court.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture runs many such check-off programs on behalf of the beef, pork, egg and milk industry.

A Global Strategy to Combat Animal Diseases

Concerned that transboundary animal diseases are on the rise, the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations are calling for global action to combat this threat.

In a joint statement released Monday, May 24, the organizations vowed to set up a global information and early warning system on highly contagious transboundary animal diseases.

Energy Prices Offset High Crop Prices

Rising fuel and fertilizer costs are rain on what otherwise would be a picnic for U.S. farmers.

The costs are driving up operating expenses during a period of some of the highest crop prices in years. Indeed, experts predict the rise in diesel fuel could take a billion-dollar bite out of farm incomes.

Farm state leaders are especially worried that the costs could have serious consequences for farm-sector growth.

“I think we’re headed for some real problems in rural America,” said Rep. Bob Etheridge, a North Carolina Democrat.

More or Less Biodiversity with Global Warming?

Will climate change help or hinder biodiversity? That’s a good question, scientists say.

Researchers are exploring the warp and woof of global warming within the the past few centuries to answer this question.

Warmer temperatures, some contend, could wipe out a quarter of all species of plants and animals by 2050. Others argue a warmer, greener world that likely will follow these changes ultimately could mean more biodiversity.

More on Agritourism

Faced with a dwindling customer base, a growing number of farmers have determined not to give up without a struggle.

They’re finding creative, even unique ways to market their products to an increasingly urbanized and affluent consumer population. It’s part of a growing phenomenon known as agricultural tourism --- agritourism, for short, but also known as entertainment farming.

It's a niche, albeit a profitable one, that many are just now beginning to explore.

Homeland Security Reaches Farms

Another good piece on how the struggle against global terrorism has extended to the nation's farms...

The Commonwealth of Kentucky has given away 40,000 signs to farmers with tips for securing their operations against potential terrorism risks and numbers to call in the event of an emergency.

Terrorists have previously used diseases and poisons in this country as weapons, mostly notably 20 years ago in Oregon when members of a cult sickened 750 people by tainting a salad bar with salmonella.

Because the heart of the nation's food supply is in rural areas, a growing number of federal lawmakers are demanding more money to secure farms from these potential risks.

"They don't grow many beef cattle in New York City, and they don't grow much corn in downtown Houston," said Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's homeland security subcommittee. "The rural areas are where the food supply comes from. That's ... a big reason to be sure so-called rural areas keep getting some (homeland security) funds."

Mea Culpa

The U.S. Department of Agriculture admits that it violated its own ban by importing processed beef from Canada. However, it contends that none of the beef --- ground or cubed --- poses a public health hazard.

Some fear the admission of guilt will undermine foreign confidence in U.S. beef at a critical time as USDA negotiators try to reopen trade with Japan and other key overseas buyers.

National Campaign to Ban Trans-Fats

A nationwide campaign is being launched to ban trans-fatty acids in cakes, snacks and fast foods.

Manufactured by pumping hydrogen into vegetable oils to create partially hydrogenated oils and solid margarines, the method is highly popular among food processors because it extends the shelf life of foods.

Nutritional guidelines have long advocated cutting back on saturated fatty acids found in meat and dairy products. Instead, they recommend boosting unsaturated fats abundant in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, based in Washington DC, hopes that its TransFreeAmerica campaign will raise awareness of the health concerns. It is urging food manufacturers to eliminate trans-fats and advising consumers to boycott foods containing them. It is also calling on the US Food and Drug Administration to outlaw partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Sea Water Crops?

Crops irrigated with sea water and grown in hostile environments such as deserts? It’s no longer as strange as it seems.

Scientists from the universities of Purdue, Arizona and Illinois claim they have developed prototype tomato and rice plants able to thrive in salt-rich soils and hibernate in conditions of extreme cold or drought.

The scientists argue their work represents a new approach. Instead of introducing new genes, they study how the plants protect themselves from environmental stresses and then enhance the plant’s natural defense by amplifying the relevant genes.

"Our aim is to get more production on less land, which means that less land is used for agriculture. Any ecologist will tell you that conventional agriculture has a larger negative impact on the world than anything else," said Purdue University scientist Dr. Dr Ray Bressan.

A third of the world's irrigated land is effectively useless because it contains too much salt. When soil is irrigated, especially in hot countries, the water evaporates, leaving salts behind. One solution is to flush the area with more water but when water is at a premium this is not an option.

Optimism Prevails in Tokyo

U.S. and Japanese officials are optimistic that lingering disputes over U.S. BSE prevention efforts can be resolved by the end of the summer.

Chikao Kawai, chief economic official at the Japanese embassy, said he is confident the two countries can reach an agreement quickly and amicably.

The point of contention has centered around the scope of BSE testing. Japan has previously stated in will resume American beef imports only after the U.S. begins testing all cattle for BSE. However, the U.S. has maintained this is unnecessary and expensive. The two countries began the first round of bilateral talks this week in Tokyo to resolve the issue.

Academic Freedom or Treason?

University of California economist Dr. Dan Sumner says the research he presented last year to help resolve a World Trade Organization dispute “was quite conventional.”

Like any good economist, Sumner maintains, he merely used economic models to show that U.S. cotton production would fall and world prices rise if the U.S. removed its cotton subsidies.

A simple case of an American professor exercising his academic freedom? Yes. Still, that hasn’t prevented firestorm of criticism among U.S. farm groups claiming that Sumner’s efforts are tantamount to treason.

WHO’s Anti-Obesity Plan Carries The Day

The World Health Organization’s plan to fight global obesity has won the backing of the U.S. government and American and European food industries despite determined opposition by the sugar industry.

Health representatives from 192 member states, meeting this week in Geneva, will be asked to approve the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, which advises consumers to limit intake of fat, salt and sugar and exercise more.

The new guidelines won the backing of the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the European Union on Monday.

“It’s a sea change from two years ago, when they were very reluctant to come to grips with the problem at all,” said WHO spokesman David Porter.

The sugar industry, however, still staunchly opposes the new measures.

``It wasn't based on a preponderance of science,'' Andrew Briscoe, president of the Sugar Association in Washington, said by telephone. The WHO offered ``no evidence that sugar causes obesity,'' said Richard Cottrell, the head of the World Sugar Research Organization in Reading, England.

Veterinarians Enlisted to Fight Bioterrorism

An example of how all sectors of agriculture are being enlisted in the war on global terrorism…

Michigan veterinarians have volunteered to help state and federal agencies provide services to residents and animals during a large-scale emergency.

"This training helps us handle the issue of knowing we are vulnerable after 9-11," said Nancy Frank, assistant state veterinarian for the Michigan Department of Agriculture. "With people doing a lot of traveling, there is a chance of bringing back diseases."

Beef Imports Despite the Ban

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is under withering fire from critics for allowing American meat packers to resume imports of ground and other processed beef from Canada last fall, even though weeks earlier it had reaffirmed its ban on these products following the detection of mad cow disease in Canadian cattle.

As a result, more than 33 million pounds of Canadian processed beef entered the United States under a series of undisclosed permits.

This amount, while substantial, represents only a tiny fraction of the beef consumed by Americans. Last year, more than 3 billion pounds of beef were imported.

Chilean Scientists Warn of Cloning-Related Risks

Researchers from the University of Chile are warning the world scientific community of a risk associated with cloning. They contend a certain compound used to stimulate DNA in a cloned cell should not be used with human embryos.

"From our results, it can be concluded there exists a high probability of mutation during the cloning process using this compound," said Chilean scientist Ruby Valdivia.

Valdivia and Japanese professor Motoe Kato issued the alert after bacteria cloned in a university laboratory with the chemical 6-DMAP (6-dimethylaminopurine) was found to have mutated.

Dead Weight or Deadly Weight?

Not too long ago, most Americans viewed body fat merely as dead weight. As it turns out, deadly weight would be a more apt description.

Research into body fat is turning up some surprising and disturbing facts about excessive weight. True, extra pounds place a deadly strain on the heart and other organs, but this is mild compared to what else fat may be doing to the body. Fat tissue is now recognized as body’s biggest endocrine organ, secreting substances in the body that may contribute to a variety of life-threatening diseases.

Exotic Meat Carves a Niche

American attitudes toward exotic meats have broadened “from sustenance to pleasure,” says South Australian native Will Ford, a specialist in Australian cuisine who is introducing kangaroo and other Aussie delicacies to the American palate.

Kangaroo is one of many exotic meats increasingly featured in American restaurant menus --- a fact, experts say, can be partly attributed to lingering concerns about BSE, so-called mad cow disease. Low-carb mania also is factor, though part of the reason, they say, is that Americans simply are becoming more adventurous with what they eat.

Availability, affordability and dual income household income are also factors. While the old standbys of beef, poultry, pork and veal are still the market leaders, specialty game are beginning to carve out their share of the market.

Another Grant for Crop Vigilance

North Carolina State University is the latest university to receive a grant to sponsor training aimed at keeping U.S. field crops safe from bioterrorism.

Dr. Gerald Homes, associate professor of plant pathology, and Dr. Ron Stinner, professor of entomology and biomathematics, received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Research Initiative homeland security program to develop a national training program for first detectors --- those in the forefront of working with U.S. food crops.

Other project directors include faculty at Kansas State University and the University of Florida.

“We want to talk to people in frequent contact with agriculture, including growers,” Holmes said. “Cooperative Extension agents across the country will train growers and others in direct contact with crops.”

The Southeast is especially vulnerable to bioterrorism because of its agricultural diversity --- an ideal environment for pests and diseases to thrive --- and because cropland is located near ports where exotic pests can enter the ecosystem, he said.

States Scrutinizing Biotech

The implications of biotech are now within the radar of many state legislatures.

State legislatures are increasingly debating a whole range of issues associated with biotech, such as using the technology in agriculture, funding research at state universities and determining what effect bio-engineered products may have on organic crops.

The number of bills and resolutions introduced by state legislatures relating to biotechnology and farming rose 7 percent from 121 in 2001 to 130 in 2003, according to a study by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology.

The Shape of Food to Come

If you doubt food technology will change radically within the next few years, try these on for size:

High pressure processing that blasts orange juice and other beverages with up to 150,000 pounds per square inch to prevent bacteria from reproducing but without compromising the products’ taste or food texture;

Smart packaging -- food packages that not only signal when food no longer is edible but are even self-correcting when microorganisms reach a certain number;

Nanotechnological foods --- foods assembled from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms present in the air as water and carbon dioxide; and

The ultimate functional food --- nanobots present in foods that can circulate through the blood system, ridding our bodies of harmful fat deposits and pathogens.

Needless to say, all of these foods have drawn their share of critics.

Pat Mooney, executive director of ETC Group, a Canadian watchdog group, is especially concerned about the damage nanoparticles pose to humans and the environment.

Trade Talk Rebound

What appeared exceedingly grim several months ago now has a decent chance of succeeding.

Talks aimed at expanding global trade may soon culminate in a framework agreement in July, setting the final state for negotiations on agriculture, industrial goods and other issues following the November U.S. presidential election.

The talks were jumpstarted recently by a European Union proposal calling for a phase-out of farm export subsidies.

Putting Names with Nanotech

The fruits of nanotech are enough to boggle the human mind --- and that’s what worries many scientists. Unfavorable nanotech portrayals in best-selling novels such as Michael Crichton’s “Prey” have the potential of sparking widespread public misperceptions of the emerging technology among the general public.

Likewise, federal regulators and insurers need to know what nanotech substances are toxic and should be restricted.

Small wonder why a growing number of scientists want to develop a systematic method for naming their creations.

Red, White and Blue Cattle

Brought to its knees roughly a year ago following the first detection of so-called mad cow disease, Canada’s cattle industry is hoping for a rebound. But the price may be an increasingly American-dominated industry.

Tens of thousands of Canadian cattle have been sold to U.S. interests following the mad cow detection and the subsequent ban on Canadian beef exports by more than 30 countries.

“They’re doing what they have to do to survive. They really don’t have any other choice,” said Ron Axelson of the Alberta Cattle Feeders.

The economic turmoil following the detection of mad cow disease has cost Canada’s industry more than $2 billion in exports alone. The effect on rural communities and Canada’s agricultural sector is expected to costs billions more.

Feeding the World with Transgenic Crops

With the world’s population set to increase by two billion within the next 30 years, genetically modified crops may be part of the answer to feeding the hungry, according to a United Nations report.

Genetically modified crops, the report contends, could help farmers in developing countries by increasing the amount and quality of the crop grown, partly by targeting specific problems and needs of developing countries. Equally significant, crops such as rice and vegetables could be genetically enhanced to carry more nutrients, enabling consumers in developing countries to get a bigger bang for their buck.

Even so, the report warns that biotechnology is no panacea and must focus on the needs of developing countries.

Critics of the report contend that global hunger is best solved through greater investment in distribution networks and a fairer system of international trade.

Not So Ancient After All

A very good introductory article to no-till basics…

In ancient times, when humans lacked even rudimentary tilling equipment, no-till farming was the rule rather than the exception.

What seemed to be ancient idea only a few years ago seems almost revolutionary in the 21st century. No-till, which, as the name implies, involves very little tilling of the soil, was practiced on about 52 million acres in the United States in 2000.

The practice increased dramatically between 1990 and 1995, though it has leveled off in the past decade.

Breeding a Mite-Resistant Queen Bee

A husband-and-wife team from Alabama A&M University are at the forefront of a nationwide effort to breed a queen bee resistant to the devastating varroa mite.

Accidentally imported from Asia roughly two decades ago, the mite has devastated bee colonies throughout the United States.

While pesticides have been largely effective against the mites, there is some indication the mites are developing resistance --- one reason why Drs. Ken and Rufina Ward at Alabama A&M are stepping up efforts to produce resistant queens.

This spring, the Wards gave 10 Alabama beekeepers queens from a strain of Russian honeybees that appear to have developed resistance to the mites. The Wards hope enough worker hives will be produced next year from the queens to determine if the offspring are resistant to the mites.

Cotton Update

Good rainfall throughout most of the state aided the state’s cotton crop, according to Dr. Dale Monks, Alabama Cooperative Extension System crop physiologist. However, while central and southern Alabama cotton is growing well, so are the weeds.

Producers are a still dealing with small numbers of acres that may have to be replanted on crust-prone soil.

Reports also indicate that thrips pressure is very high. Producers also should be aware of the potential for grasshopper and cutworm damage.

In the meantime, Monks hopes the weather pattern will continue giving producers a break between rains so that they can keep the crop clean and get rapid growth and development.

For more crop information and Extension’s monthly Picksack newsletter, visit www.alabamacotton.com. For insect information, call 1-800-458-3738.

Ten Percent of World’s Schoolchildren Too Heavy

More depressing news on the childhood obesity front…

One in ten of the world’s school children is too heavy, and roughly 45 million of them face an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses before they complete their teens, according to the first global assessment of the obesity epidemic.

Putting this into even more stark terms, it’s estimated at least 155 million of kids between the ages of 5 and 17 are too heavy.

The data were compiled by the International Obesity Task force.

Breast-Feeding Helps Cholesterol, Study Reveals

Breast feeding advocates just got a major boost from new research supporting the theory that rapid growth in infancy enhanced by enriched infant formulas may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke later in life.

The study, reported this week in The Lancet medical journal, found that the cholesterol profile was 14 percent better among adolescents who had breast fed as infants compared with those fed formulas.

"These findings considerably strengthen the view that nutrition in the womb and in newborn children has a substantial influence on the risk of coronary heart disease later in life," said Dr. Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation, which was not connected with the research.

The Hardest Nut

Tariffs are turning out to be the hardest nut to crack in ongoing negotiations aimed at reducing trade barriers.

Brazil’s foreign minister, Celso Amorim, for example, claims nations largely have agreed on plans to change two highly contentious agricultural issues that have stalled agricultural talks. Even so, one remaining issue defies resolution --tariffs.

Amorim, leader of the G20 developing nation trade bloc, said his group utterly opposes U.S. and European Union plans to reduce their tariffs. Moreover, he plans no counterproposal on behalf of G20 at an upcoming meeting of 30 trade ministers, though he held out hope that some proposal will be made at a similar meeting in Brazil in June.

Catastrophe in the Making?

“And darkness fell upon the face of the earth…”

This passage from Genesis carries new meaning among a group of scientists alarmed by instrument readings recording a drop in sunshine reaching the earth. Sunshine, they fear, has dropped as much as 10 percent from the late 1950s to the earlier 1990s --- roughly 2 to 3 percent a decade.

Dismissed a decade ago as unbelievable, the change has sparked wide attention.

"There could be a big gorilla sitting on the dining table and we didn't know about it," said Veerabhadran Ramanathan, a professor of climate and atmospheric sciences at the University of California at San Diego. "There are many, many issues that it raises."

In Praise of B Vitamins

More reason to take your vitamins, especially B vitamins: Researchers have discovered that folate and other B vitamins already known to prevent severe birth defects and heart attacks may also safeguard against broken bones associated with osteoporosis.

B vitamins already have been shown to reduce levels of homocysteine, linked at high levels with heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Now research reveals a link between homocysteine and at least a doubled risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.

Scientists, however, caution that they’re not yet sure how elevated homocysteine levels affect fractures.

High Hopes for a Trade Breakthrough

A key member of the G20 trade bloc says the European Union’s offer to phase out farm export subsidies may be just what’s needed to jumpstart world trade negotiations.

Luis Ernesto Derbez, Mexico’s foreign minister, believes it may even lead to a breakthrough in the current trade impasse. He’s calling on ministers from Brazil and India, two other key G20 nations, to the annual meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a trading group comprised of 35 member nations, to explore the proposal.

Like Brazil and India, Mexico is a vital player in the G20 developing nations, which will be expected to make their own concessions in response to the EU’s recent proposal. However, the G90, comprised of the world’s poorest nations, is not expected to make any concessions in response to the EU plan.

Asia’s Agricultural Tiger

From the perspective of U.S. agricutlure, a sobering sign of things to come: China hopes to double its agricultural exports in a decade to meet its economic needs and increase farm incomes.

Agriculture has been identified as one of the key sectors fueling both domestic and foreign trade within the next few years, the People’s Daily Online reports.

China exported more than $21 billion worth of agricultural products last year, primarily marine, garden and animal and grain products --- up almost 18 percent from the previous year. Major buyers include Japan, the United States and the European Union.

Technical trade barriers in the form of environmental protection and health requirements are hindering agricultural exports – one reason why a top priority in the future will be improving the quality of Chinese exports.

Extension’s Black Belt Obesity Study in the News

Alabama Cooperative Extension System Food Scientist Jean Weese’s study of childhood obesity in three Alabama Black Belt counties was featured in the Birmingham News.

Weese and other researchers have tracked the weights and heights and the eating and activity habits of more than 400 fourth- and fifth-grade students for the past couple of years in Bullock, Macon and Wilcox counties. What they’ve found does not bode well for the health of many of these children.

Twenty-eight percent were so seriously overweight that they would be labeled obese as adult. Another 15 percent weighed too much for their ages and heights.

“It’s almost a lost cause for some of them,” Weese observed.

The ongoing study is one of the first attempts to weigh and measure Black Belt children.

CSP a Subsidy Alternative?

There’s a solution to the recent World Trade Organization ruling on U.S. cotton subsidies right under our very noses in the 2002 Farm Bill, says The Capital Times columnist Margaret Krome.

The Conservation Security Program outlined in the bill is widely viewed by many federal policymakers as an alternative to conventional subsidies --- an accurate view, says Krome. Equally important, she stresses, it that isn’t considered trade distorting and would pass muster in future agricultural trade negotiations.

“The Conservation Security Program does not pay farmers and ranchers for the crops they grow,” she says. “Rather, it uses taxpayer money to pay farmers and ranchers for their stewardship in protecting resources important to society, including the soil, water, air and wildlife affected by production agriculture.”

The Most Hated Man in U.S. Agriculture?

Daniel Sumner, an agricultural economist University of California at Davis, is on a black list --- at the very top of the list, according to some.

Serving as a paid consultant for Brazil, Sumner played a key role in one of the most significant defeats ever sustained by the United States in terms of international trade --- one that ultimately could mean the phase-out of U.S. cotton subsidies as they’re currently known.

Some farm groups are vowing to retaliate for the damage he’s done by cutting off some of his research funding.

In his defense, Sumner says the success of the World Trade Organization is vital to the future of world trade. However, WTO requires accurate knowledge to resolve trade disputes.

"I think the WTO is incredibly important, for the world as a whole and for agriculture," he said. "I think it helped the decision-making to have someone familiar with U.S. farm programs, and who had analyzed them for a while, to be involved in the case." The only way to do that, he added, was to work for one side or the other, and though he would have gladly given the same information to the U.S. Agriculture Department or trade representative's office, "I suspect they wouldn't have wanted it used."

Pecan Management Short Course

A pecan short course aimed at both new and established growers will be held Thursday, May 27 at the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Covington County office in Andalusia.

New growers will receive basic information about growing pecans, while long-time growers will be provided with information about current pecan production practices. The half-day course will also cover a wide range of other topics including: pecan cultivars and orchard establishment; fertilization; pecan irrigation; harvesting handling and marketing; and budding and grafting. Control of pecan pests, including insects, diseases and weeds also will be discussed.

The course will also cover crop insurance eligibility that soon will be available in all of the state’s major pecan producing counties.

Speakers include Alabama Cooperative Extension System specialists Bill Goff, Mike Patterson, Ted Tyson and John McVay. Other speakers will include Monte Nesbitt and Cathy Browne of the Auburn University Department of Horticulture. Hilton Segler, pecan grower from Valdosta, Georgia, will discuss crop insurance. The program will begin at 8 a.m. and will conclude with a sponsored lunch at 12 noon.

The Covington County extension office is on Highway 55 South in Andalusia, a mile east of the US 55 and US 29 intersection. Contact Covington County Extension Coordinator Chuck Simon, short course coordinator, at 334-222-1125 directions and details.

Alabama Cotton Update

Thanks to good planting conditions, Alabama cotton producers have made steady progress getting their crop into the ground, says Dr. Dale Monks, Extension crop physiologist. According to most of the reports he has received from around the state, adequate moisture for planting and germination has been available in most regions of Alabama with the exception of a few areas in west Alabama with Black Belt soils.

Following recent heavy rainfall, some fields in central and southern regions of the state have had trouble emerging. Problems also have been detected in soils prone to crusting. However, most of the varieties that have been observed appear to be germinating and emerging well, Monks says.

Nevertheless, Monks cautions growers to monitor for thrips damage, grasshopper feeding and cutworm damage. For more information, visit the Alabama cotton Web site. For insect information from Dr. Ron Smith, Alabama Cooperative Extension entomologist, call 1-800-458-3738.

Not The Only Bad Guy

America is often blamed for leading the world down the primrose path to obesity through cheap, subsidized fast food. While it's true some of the problem can be attributed to American cultural influence, experts say there is plenty of blame to go around.

"America has been a contributing cause in what is a very complex disease," said Jim Mann, an expert on global obesity and nutrition professor at New Zealand's University of Otago. "But it is not the cause. Nothing is as simple as that."

"What we're looking at is not solely an American phenomenon, but a transnational corporation phenomenon," said Neville Rigby, policy director for the International Obesity Task Force. "Of course, there are multinational corporations on both sides of the Atlantic."

Tit for Tat

The European Union is willing to put all of Europe’s export subsidies on the table --- but only if the United States and other wealthy nations follow its lead and the end result is a balanced trade deal.

EU's expressed willingness to eliminate these subsidies is part of a strategy aimed at jumpstarting the Doha Round of trade talks, launched at a World Trade Organization meeting in 2001 with the goal of cutting tariffs and reducing other government interference in trade among the WTO’s 147 member nations.

U.S. officials also warmly welcomed the EU announcement. "It is a demonstration of the potential of all to contribute to the success of the Doha Development Agenda," U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick said in a statement. "I hope this will provide a shot in the arm to the overall negotiations." He already has expressed a willingness to eliminate all forms of U.S. export subsidies.

Sparks: Farms Must Be Saved

Alabama must find a way to stop the loss of its family farms, says Ron Sparks, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.

Speaking at a Cullman Lions Club last Monday, Sparks pointed out that the state had 250,000 farms in 1960, compared with only 45,000 today.

Profound demographic shifts that will occur within the next 10 years will only contribute to that trend, resulting in the largest property transfer in U.S. history. Sparks wants to find a way to keep the land tied up in agriculture rather than allowing it to become subdivisions and shopping centers.

Domesticated Trees?

Can trees be domesticated just like corn was eons ago? Purdue University researchers are convinced that they can. In fact, they believe domesticated trees represent the future of the forestry industry.

"Our goal in gene discovery is to domesticate trees, just like we have domesticated corn over the past 5,000 years," said Richard Meilan, an associate professor of molecular physiology with Purdue’s Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center who has demonstrated a way to rapidly identify genes in poplar trees and determine their function. "If we can produce trees for specific purposes, like making furniture or plywood, and intensively manage those trees like agricultural row crops, we can make more efficient use of our limited land resources without treading on wilderness areas."

Mammoth ID Plan Closer to Implementation

The USDA is drawing ever closer to the implementation of a national animal identification system that ultimately may cost as much as a half billion dollars during the next five years.

Through the system, officials hope to trace the herd mates of any animal suspected of harboring disease.

While the federal government will be a partner in the system, it may only pay only about one third of the total cost.

Low-Carb Mania Takes Bite Out of Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme donuts, one of the South’s most successful cultural exports, apparently has fallen victim to low-carb mania.

The Winston-Salem-based doughnut maker said Friday that it is cutting its profit projection for this year by 10 percent because of lower demand for its high-calorie treats --- which the company attributes in part to the low-carb diet phenomenon.

Mysterious Enemy of the Fire Ant

If fire ants dream, it would be their worst nightmare --- a protozoa more frightening, perhaps, than the dreaded phorid fly, introduced into United States several years ago to reduce ant populations.

Texas A&M University System entomologists have completed a survey that detected a protozoa in fire ant colonies in approximately 120 of the 157 Texas counties where they have been found.

Once a colony is infected, the protozoa debilitates the queen, the workers and the larvae. The result is shortened life spans and higher mortality levels of sexual females.

The obvious question is where did the protozoans come from?

Scientists are well aware that one of the ant’s natural enemies in South America is Thelohania solenopsae, a microscopic organism related to the amoeba.

"It infects about 25 percent of the ants down there. It is one of the natural pathogens, but the degree of its importance is hard to access," Mitchell said.

Texas A&M researchers think this protozoan occurred naturally. However, they’re still not comfortable with helping the protozoan propagate.

If Not This Proposal, What?

A joint U.S. and European Union plan to reduce farm import tariffs as part of a grand compromise on world trade has been rejected by the G/20, an informal trade alliance of developing countries.

They declined to offer a counterproposal, however, while attributing the stalemate to Western intransigence.

EU spokeswoman Arancha Gonzalez still believes the joint proposal represents the best chance for ironing out trade differences between the West and developing countries.

There are two basic approaches to reducing import tariffs --- reducing all duties to an average level or reducing all existing duties by an average proportion. The United States and major agricultural exporters prefer the former because this would result in bigger overall reductions in duties. The European Union and its allies, on the other hand, prefer the latter approach because it would let them maintain very high duties on a few sensitive products such as rice imports to Japan.

Still Awaiting Final Rules

U.S. cattle producers are still awaiting the final draft of Food and Drug Administration rules that prohibit cattle blood and poultry litter from cattle feed as a precaution against bovine spongiform encephalopathy, so-called mad cow disease.

Soybean and soybean futures rose in response to a rumor that FDA also plans to tighten limits on feeding meat and bone meal to livestock --- a move that almost inevitably would result in more soymeal use.

Meatless Mondays to Fight Obesity

A Johns Hopkins University physician thinks “meatless Mondays” may be an effective way to combat the rising tide of U.S. obesity.

Dr. Robert Lawrence says Monday is an especially good day because it marks the end of the weekend and a time to start anew. He’s recommending Americans limit meat consumption to between 3 and 4 ounces a day --- by no means a vegetarian diet, just an attempt to cut back on saturated fats.

An ambitious goal? Yes. Too ambitious? Perhaps. Nevertheless, Lawrence is in powerful company. In 1997, Roman Catholic bishops voted to reinstate the requirement that the faithful cosume only fish on Fridays --- part of a church tradition that predated the Second Vatican Council of 1965.

To Sue or Not to Sue

Lawsuits may be the only way to force U.S. food processors to do the right thing --- producing healthier foods and curbing ads that lure adolescents into unhealthy food purchases, said several speakers at a recent Consumer Federation of America conference dealing with obesity.

"Trial lawyers and (state) attorneys general can be extremely helpful," said Michael Jacobson, head of the consumer group Center for Science in the Public Interest, by "filing innovative suits" that prompt foodmakers to produce healthier foods.

Others disagreed.

Michael Mudd, Kraft executive vice president for global corporate affairs, criticized "senseless finger-pointing" that "portrayed (obesity) as a morality play."

Food processors pointed out that 78 percent of meals are eaten at home. However, consumer groups countered that argument, stressing that about a third of calories are eaten outside the home.

Defending Biotech

Biotech proponents Henry Miller and Gregory Conko raise an interesting point about biotech in a recent column published in Tech Central Station.

They argue that anti-biotech activists who play up the risks of transgenic technology intentionally avoid weighing these hazards against those of older, conventional techniques of genetic modification.

“…activists' relentlessly yet subtly alarmist reports and forums invariably emphasize the things that might go wrong, while studiously avoiding the essential context. They conveniently ignore vast amounts of data, including literally millennia of experience with pre-gene-splicing genetic modification, and they continue to deny the well-established scientific consensus that no unique risks attend the use of gene-splicing techniques. And they carefully nourish the myth that "genetic modification" -- by which they mean only gene-splicing -- is a distinct category that is somehow fundamentally different from other, earlier methods of genetic improvement.”

They contend, every “hypothetical risk” associated with transgenic organisms also exists with older, conventional forms of genetic modification. Indeed, the risks associated with conventional techniques are actually greater precisely because they are “older and less precise.”

Flight of the Formosans

The beating of tiny wings will return to the skies of New Orleans during the next seven weeks,” writes Times-Picayune reporter Mark Scheifstein.

While this will present a fascinating opportunity for scientists, it’s a very unnerving prospect to homeowners. These tiny, beating wings, after all, belong to swarming Formosan termites that are chewing away on houses throughout the New Orleans metro area.

Science is fighting back, though. Louisiana State University researchers have enlisted homeowners near the French Quarter and elsewhere in the city to trap termites.

The bad news is that previous trapping has shown the numbers of termites growing exponentially throughout the city within the last 20 years. However, in the French Quarter, where the buildings within a 30-block area have been carefully treated, the number of swarming termites has dropped by almost two-thirds.

Where Are the Bees?

If you noticed the paltry number of bees pollinating this spring, you’re not alone. Scientists have, too --- a serious problem they attribute to a number of factors, most notably a devastating parasite known as the varroa or “vampire mite.”

Since the introduction of this mite into the United States, bee populations have undergone steep declines. Pesticides and predatory birds also are cited as factors.

Agriculture is reeling, too. Producers of roughly 90 crops depend on bees for pollination, but there are so few left to do the job.

“For the first time in our history [pollination] is a limiting factor in crop production," says Keith Delaplane, professor of entomology at the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "For a long time ... it was one of those things that just took care of self."

The Source of Famine

The unintentional introduction of plant diseases from foreign shores was a problem even as far back as 150 years --- a fact underscored by a group of scientists who believe they have uncovered the culprit behind the Irish potato famine.

The mystery began unraveling three years ago when researchers first settled on a strain of the pathogen Phytophthora infestans known as Ib haplotype. P. infestans is a pathogen that causes a plant disease known as late blight.

Now, the team, led by North Carolina State University researcher Jean Ristaino, believes it was a different strain of P. infestans, the Ia haplotype, that caused the famine.

While they are not quite certain, they think the potato blight originated in South America --- ironically the place from which Ireland obtained the once lucrative crop and staple food --- and traveled to European and North America via exports of potato seed on steamships.

(Above, Right: Irish survivors of the potato famine. Potatoes were both a staple crop and food commodity prior the the blight.)

Case Closed on Texas Downer Cow?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has tracked down all of the rendered remains of a Texas cow that should have been tested last week for BSE after a federal veterinarian noticed it staggering to slaughter.

In a news release, the FDA said that the animal had been processed into meat and bone meal for animal feed. The agency stressed, however, the material can be used either as swine feed or destroyed --- a fact emphasized by the FDA in a letter to the firm that rendered the cow's remains into feed. Research has shown pigs are not susceptible to BSE.

If the firm opts to use the material for swine feed, FDA will tack the material all the way through the food supply chain to ensure it is only used with swine.

U.S. Reinstates Ban on Canadian Beef Products

Persistence has paid off for a group of determined cattle producers opposed to a controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture decision concerning Canadian beef products.

In an abrupt turnaround prompted by a federal court ruling, the U.S. Department of Agriculture rescinded its decision to allow the sale of hamburger and beef products from Canada. The reversal came 10 days after a federal judge in Montana rebuked the agency for disregarding its own regulatory requirements in making the change without soliciting public comment.

The suit was brought by the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, an association representing producers in 46 states.

"They (USDA) didn't have any scientific justification for their actions," said Bill Bullard, chief executive of the producer’s group.

The producers group argued that a Harvard University study sponsored by the Agriculture Department failed to assess risks that imports of cattle and beef could expose U.S. cattle to mad cow, a brain-wasting disease.

Invasive Species a Genuine Terrorist Threat, Military Expert Warns

Most Americans once thought of warfare as the use of tanks, planes and ballistic missiles. That was before the 9/11 tragedy.

Col. Robert J. Pratt, one of the contributors to the U.S. Army’s Professional Writing Collection, argues that the low-cost attack associated with 9/11 will inspire future terrorists to employ similar “asymmetric” methods aimed at threatening and weakening the U.S. infrastructure. One form of “asymmetric” warfare may involve invasive species intentionally introduced to destroy crops or even threaten humans.

“To attack the United States directly in a symmetric manner would defy logic and result in the rapid destruction of a weaker adversary,” Pratt writes. “Additionally, the United States is increasing its dominance through constant incorporation of state-of-the-art technology and advanced information systems. Few adversaries will be able and willing to commit the resources necessary to build a force that is a symmetric peer competitor of the United States. An asymmetric attack, however, could delay the United States’ transformation of military forces and continued buildup of military and national power.”

(Above, Right: The Asian longhorned beetle, one of many harmful invasive species unintentionally introduced into the United States within the past few decades.)

Blood Pressure of U.S. Children on the Rise

Medical researchers note an alarming rise in blood pressure levels among U.S. children since the late 1980s and point to obesity as the chief culprit.

Weight gain doesn’t solely explain the rise. Sedentary lifestyles, which are closely associated with obesity, are also cited as a factor.

Researchers tracked more than 5,500 children in two surveys, one in 1988, followed by a second in 1999-2000. The surveys revealed that the voluntary participants underwent an average rise of 1.4 points in systolic pressure, while diastolic pressure was up 3.3 points.

Medical investigators find this especially alarming because hypertension is considered a major factor in heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans and the chief risk of stroke. Moreover, individuals who are overweight and have high blood pressure are also at increased risk for adult-onset diabetes, cardiovascular disease and sleep apnea.

Another Headache for the U.S. Beef Industry

Just as it appeared the Bush Administration was making progress reopening foreign markets to U.S. beef, a suspicious cow has turned up in Texas. Complicating matters is that inspectors failed to perform required BSE testing on the animal. The cow, identified at a Lone Star Beef plant in San Angelo, Texas, was condemned on April 27 after a federal veterinarian observed it staggering and falling.

The carcass was sent to rendering, preventing regulators from determining if the animal was suffering from BSE. Meat from the animal, however, did not enter the human food chain, according to USDA.

USDA officials stress that the presence of a staggering animal in a rendering plant is not unusual and isn’t necessarily an indication of BSE. The erratic behavior could be from broken bones or some other illness.

Nevertheless, a spokesman for the Denver-based U.S. Meat Export Federation says the incident “adds a new wrinkle” in efforts to jumpstart trade negotiations with Japan, a key importer of U.S. beef.

USDA Limits Green Payments

Exercising fiscal restraint in especially lean times, the U.S. government has decided to limit its green payments to between 3,000 and 5,000 farmers located in several river drainage areas and identified as practicing sound environmental stewardship.

The Conservation Security Program was created by the 2002 farm bill to preserve 1.5 million square miles of the nation's "working" fields, ranges and woodlands. Most of the USDA's other conservation programs pay farmers to take environmentally fragile land out of production.

The decision has drawn fire from environmental groups, who contend the program should be opened immediately to all producers.

"The administration is now declaring its intent to deny the country's best conservation farmers the opportunity to participate ... unless they are lucky enough to live in a selected watershed," said Ferd Hoefner of the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, an activist group. "Their exclusionary approach is at odds with the law."

However, with only $41 million available this fiscal year, USDA says this is the best it can do.

Food Safety as an Economic Weapon

Cotton subsidies aren’t the only point of contention between developing countries and the West.

Professor Bhanupong Nidhiprabha, a member of a team studying safety standards in the food trade, says wealthy countries are using exacting food safety standards as a means of arbitrarily banning imports from developing nations.

One example, claims Saknarong Utsahakul, director of planning and research at the Food Institute of Thailand, is the use of super-sensitive technology to detect contaminants in food imports from developing countries.

"Our food industry is facing a critical situation,” he told the UK’s Financial Times. “Food is now tested for chemical parts per billion - we're getting to the point where they'll find something undesirable in everything if they want to.”

The Rise of Community Supported Farms

As gravely threatened as agriculture often seems, one can always count on that committed handful of people who understand the need to preserve it --- often employing a variety creative methods.

A growing trend in American farming, for example, is community supported agriculture that involves partnerships between farmers and their consumers.

It’s the brainchild of a group of Japanese women who were concerned about rising food costs and the decrease in local farms. Thirty years ago, they forged an arrangement with local farmers through which they provided seed, fertilizer and equipment in return for part of the harvest. The idea has spread to every corner of the globe.

Though CSA operations vary, they typically are governed by an underlying principle: a core group of members – typically known as “shareholders” --- pay money at the beginning of the growing season in return for a weekly share of the harvest.

So far, there are roughly 1,500 CSA farms in the country.

The Rise of Community Supported Farms

As gravely threatened as agriculture often seems, one can always count on that committed handful of people who understand the need to preserve it --- often employing a variety creative methods.

A growing trend in American farming, for example, is community supported agriculture that involves partnerships between farmers and their consumers.

It’s the brainchild of a group of Japanese women who were concerned about rising food costs and the decrease in local farms. Thirty years ago, they forged an arrangement with local farmers through which they provided seed, fertilizer and equipment in return for part of the harvest. The idea has spread to every corner of the globe.

Though CSA operations vary, there is an underlying principle: a core group of members – typically known as “shareholders” --- pay money at the beginning of the growing season in return for a weekly share of the harvest.

So far, there are roughly 1,500 CSA farms in the country.

Boxed in Farming

Like most farmers, Illinois farmer Steve Berning has his work cut out for him. But in his case, the challenge is even greater. Berning is one of a growing number of producers in predominantly suburban areas farming land boxed in by shopping malls and sprawling subdivisions.

“Getting his corn crop into the ground will require navigating a tractor through suburban traffic, steering around trees and keeping pesticides off neighboring flower beds,” says Susan Stevens, a staff writer for the Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago newspaper.

Virtually all of the cropland in the county where Berning farms is owned by developers who ultimately plan to covert into commercial use. In the meantime, renting the land to farmers is in their best interest: It not only generates income but limits weed growth.

Glimpsing a Consumer Phenomenon

In an extract from her new book, Not on the Label, featured recently by Guardian Unlimited, British health investigator Felicity Lawrence explores the European salad industry --- a multinational business that, she claims, exploits workers, overuses pesticides and plunders water resources.

One especially interesting point Lawrence raises in her new book --- the fact that packaged salads, a ubiquitous site on dinner tables throughout western world, have only been around since 1992. Two-thirds of British households buy them, and the value of the market has grown 90 percent between 1992 and 2002. Advances in global sourcing and packaging technology have played a major role in this explosive consumer trend.

“Thanks to the global sourcing and advances in packaging technology,” Lawrence writes, “we have got used to the idea of eating a variety of salads all year round. Modified atmosphere packaging (Map) can increase the shelf life of prepared salad by over 50 percent, making it possible for supermarkets to sell washed and bagged salad from around the world.

Kudos to Food Processors

The American Meat Institute says much of the credit for the sharp declines in food-borne illness in recent years can be attributed to strategies adopted by the food industry --- strategies that likely will improve even more now that food processors are sharing data and jointly developing new prevention technologies.

In 2001, AMI member companies declared food safety a noncompetitive issue and began sharing data, technologies and ideas with one another as part of an industry-wide strategy to enhance prevention efforts.

At Auburn University, Dr. Jean Weese, Alabama Cooperative Extension System food scientist and Auburn University associate professor of nutrition and foods, says the roots of this achievement stretch back to the 1990’s, when “processing plants began implementing a space-age food technology that requires plant operations to account for every point along the food production chain.”

By 1998, the U.S. Department of Agriculture required most of the nation’s meat and poultry processing plants to adopt these procedures, known by the acronym HACCP, as an integral part of their processing operations.

Green (Manufacturing) Revolution

Winston Churchill was thinking of Ford’s Rouge plant and similar facilities when he described America as the “arsenal of democracy” in World War II. It was, by every measure, a technological revolution in the making --- but also an environmentally costly one.

Following its recent reopening, however, the “new Rouge has also broken the mold on industrial architecture,” writes William McDonough, the Virginia-based architect and industrial systems engineer who led the design of the new facility.

“The new Rouge has also broken the mold on industrial architecture. The storm water management system -- composed of the world's largest green roof (a matrix of vegetation that absorbs water and provides thermal insulation), porous parking lots that draw water into underground retention beds, and an industrial-scale working landscape of water-filtering trenches full of native plants -- has set a new standard for functional effectiveness, while saving Ford millions of dollars.”

Ford, McDonough said, is the first of many companies implementing green-based manufacturing strategies.

How the Cow Jumped over the Barrier?

Critics of USDA Secretary Ann Venemen’s strategy for preventing mad cow disease say the root of the problem stems from placing too much faith in the forecasting of a Harvard study.

In crafting her strategy, writes Newhouse columnist Jim Barrett, “Veneman turned her attention away from prevention of a potential threat, critics say, while banking on odds that if mad cow disease were to infect U.s. herds, its spread could be halted in a few years.”

A Study in Contrasts

Statements by U.S. and Brazilian cotton farmers not only underscore what is at stake following the World Trade Organization ruling on U.S. cotton subsidies but also the deep chasm between the American and Brazilian sides of the debate.

Texas farmer Brad Heffington, for example, says he’ll be looking for a new line of work if the WTO ruling stands.

“We’re barely squeezing out profits right now,” Skeffington said. “It’s scary because we can’t stay in business without a fair price.

Brazilian producers, on the other hand, view the effects of the ruling quite differently.

Producers farming near the small Brazilian city of Leme remember when their fields gleamed white with cotton bolls before sagging commodity prices --- a fact they blame on the effects of U.S. cotton subsidies --- compelled many of them to abandon cotton for more lucrative crops.

Now, following the ruling, the producers believe they will be able to double their production to 2.4 million metric tons.

U.S. cotton subsidies, however, aren’t the only obstacle to increased Brazilian production. Producers also concede that Brazilian 20-percent interest rates prohibit farmers from taking out loans for new equipment purchases.

That fact raises another issue from the standpoint of U.S. farmers: Open trade, they argue is as much a matter of foreign governments getting their own fiscal houses in order.

“Farmers in many developing nations will only prosper when repressive regimes are toppled, when corruption in their governments and marketing systems has been halted, when they have been given access to modern transportation and marketing infrastructures, when they have been able to fully implement modern agricultural practices and when they have access to newer tools and machinery,” said Bob Stallman, a rice and cattle producer from Texas, is president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.