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April 28, 2011
· Food hubs emerging as viable business model
· USDA proposing National Leafy Green deal
· Ag products help boost Bayer AG profits
· Veggie compounds to prevent skin cancer
· Collard greens a state veggie? Only in …
Food hubs emerging as viable business model
(USDA) DETROIT - Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan recently released the results of a nationwide analysis of food hubs and provided highlights of how Michigan can tap into USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative, which promotes local and regional food systems by stimulating community economic development and facilitating efforts to expand access to affordable fresh and local food.
Merrigan released the analysis at the Making Good Food Work conference and highlighted the economic opportunities of food hubs, an emerging business model that offers aggregation and distribution services for small and midsize producers across the country.
“We have a historic opportunity to help win the future by laying a new foundation for economic growth, creating jobs and building and revitalizing critical infrastructure here in Michigan and in rural communities across America through supporting and establishing local and regional food systems as an economic development strategy to keep wealth in local communities,” said Merrigan. “This new data clearly demonstrates that small and midsize farmers can work with a variety of players to overcome the infrastructure challenges they face, while creating effective economic opportunities for their communities at the same time.”
In partnership with the National Association of Produce Market Managers, the Wallace Center at Winrock International, and the Project for Public Spaces, the USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Subcommittee on Food Hubs has identified over 100 operational food hubs in the country and has conducted in depth analysis of over 70 operational food hubs. Preliminary survey results of this research indicate:
Over 100 food hubs
are in operation around the country, with large clusters of food hubs in the
Average food hub sales are nearly $1 million annually.
On average, each food hub creates 13 jobs.
The median number of small and midsize suppliers served by an individual food hub is 40.
Almost all food hubs offer fresh produce and the majority offer dairy and protein products as well.
Nearly 40 percent of food hubs surveyed were started by entrepreneurial producers, nonprofits, volunteer organizations, producer groups, or other organizations looking to build a strong distribution and aggregation infrastructure for small and midsize producers.
Over 40 percent of existing food hubs are specifically working in “food deserts” to increase access to fresh, healthful and local products in communities underserved by full-service food retail outlets.
This latest research on food hubs was released at Making Good Food Work, a conference in Detroit, Mich., sponsored by the CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin Extension, the Wallace Center at Winrock International, Detroit’s Eastern Market, the Food Systems Economic Partnership and the Detroit Food Policy Council. Additional support was provided by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The meeting focused on developing effective distribution and aggregation strategies for regional food systems.
USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. The effort builds on the 2008 Farm Bill, which provides for increases and flexibility for USDA programs in an effort to revitalize rural economies by supporting local and regional food systems. 'Know Your Farmer, Know
Your Food' is helping to break down barriers that keep local
food systems from thriving, create new opportunities for farmers, ranchers,
consumers and rural communities, and expand access to healthy food throughout
the country. USDA expects consumer demand for locally grown food in the
One example of how farmers can get involved is to participate in local farm to school programs that enable schools to feature healthy, locally-sourced products in their cafeterias. USDA sent teams out to various school districts working on farm to school and the information gathered during these site visits is being used to develop and/or reissue appropriate resource materials, guidance, and technical assistance for both schools and farmers. Some of the programs visited also incorporate nutrition-based studies, as well as food-learning opportunities such as farm visits, gardening, cooking, and composting activities.
More information about USDA’s work on food hubs can be found at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5090409.
The 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' website, at www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer, features social media tools to help focus the public conversation about farming and food, while engaging American agriculture and linking producers to customers.
USDA proposing National Leafy Green deal
(USDA-AMS) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting comment on the creation of a voluntary National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement (NLGMA) that would assist all segments of the leafy green industry in meeting commercial food quality and safety requirements.
To reflect the different climates, production practices and markets handling leafy green produce, USDA is proposing that there be eight regional zones represented on the Board. Representatives from these zones, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, would form a Board to manage the Agreement. The Board would include 26 representatives ¡V 12 handlers, 10 farmers (at least two of which must be small farmers), one importer, one retailer, one food service representative and one member of the public.
"This proposed agreement and governance structure provides an opportunity for farmers, handlers and retailers of all sizes to work together and develop a practical program,¡¨ said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. ¡§We are striving to create a voluntary program so that all types of farmers and handlers can more effectively comply with quality and food safety requirements.
¨
The Secretary would also appoint a Technical Review Committee to assist the Board in the development of technical requirements commonly referred to as Good Agricultural Practices, Good Handling Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices. The Committee members will be one producer, one handler and one food safety expert from each of the eight zones. At least one of the eight producers must be a small farmer and one must be a certified organic farmer. In addition to these 24 members, the Secretary will appoint a representative from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and may also appoint members from other USDA agencies such
as the National Organic Program and other federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. All technical requirements developed by the Technical Review Committee for the Board would be made available for public comment, be consistent with FDA regulatory requirements and approved by the Secretary prior to implementation.
"We are asking for extensive public participation with input from farmers and handlers as well as the public to develop a comprehensive, voluntary agreement that will meet the needs of everyone,¡¨ said AMS Administrator Rayne Pegg. ¡§This agreement is a proposal at this point and we encourage your comments over the next 90 days. We will analyze the comments and decide how or whether to proceed with an agreement."
The NLGMA was proposed to AMS in June 2009 by a group of 14 different organizations representing a cross-section of producer and handler representatives from the fresh produce industry.
USDA conducted seven public hearings across the country and received hundreds of letters and comments on the initial proposal. Adjustments have been made to the agreement and its structure to better reflect concerns that were raised during the hearings.
You can visit the AMS website at www.ams.usda.gov for more information on this proposal and how to comment on the proposed National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.
Ag products help boost Bayer AG profits
(AP via Yahoo! Finance) FRANKFURT, Germany -- Chemical and drug company Bayer AG said Thursday that net profit rose 8.4 percent to euro684 million ($1.0 billion) in the first quarter, thanks to rising demand from farmers for chemicals and seeds and from the auto and construction industries for high-tech materials.
Buoyed by the figures, the company raised its earnings outlook for the year.
It also said it was setting aside euro194 million ($285 million) for a settlement program aimed at resolving lawsuits from U.S. farmers in Arkansas and other states who said they suffered losses when Bayer's genetically modified rice was found in the rice supply.
The company, which is based in
Sales rose 13.2 percent to euro9.4 billion, and the company raised its forecast for both sales and earnings. It now expected to have sales of euro36-euro37 billion this year, up from the previous euro35-36 billion estimate, while earnings before financial items and one-time expenses should exceed euro7.5 billion, where the previous estimate said the figure would grow "toward" euro7.5 billion.
Stronger demand from the construction and automotive industries boosted sales of the company's materials science division, which grew 21 percent to euro2.7 billion. The division's products include high-performance polycarbonate plastics, polyurethane foam materials, coatings and adhesives.
Earnings were sapped by euro442 million in one-time charges
to pay for restructuring measures in its farm and health care businesses. That
figure also includes the money set aside to settle litigation over genetically
modified rice in the
CEO Marijn Dekkers said the step should let the company put the issue substantially behind it. "We hope this subject is now dealt with to a large extent," he said.
Bayer was sued after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said
in 2006 that Bayer's experimental Liberty Link rice had been found in the
The European Union blocked imports of any rice showing
traces of genetically modified organisms, and farmers said they suffered
economic losses that they blamed on Bayer. Last month, a jury in
Though earnings per share of euro1.45 beat analyst estimates of euro1.37, the shares rose only modestly to traded up 0.16 percent at euro57.70.
Veggie compounds to prevent skin cancer
(KTVU.com)
Despite a billion dollars a year in sunscreen sales, skin cancer is on the rise.
"My wife and I are aware of it and use sunscreen every
time we come to the beach,"
Additional risks are posed by a genetic disposition to be susceptible to melanoma.
"My mother has had numerous precancerous things
removed," said
"I always try to put on the highest sunscreen that I can," said Leboa’s 14-year-old son Christopher.
But sunscreen does nothing to treat precancerous spots that can become melanoma.
Researchers Tuesday told KTVU that the naturally occurring anti-cancer molecule in broccoli is just too weak to be used as chemotherapy. But by tinkering with the molecule, they were able to create a new dramatically effective anti-melanoma compound.
"They might be an additional thing to add to sunscreens and body lotions that would add an additional melanoma protective," said UCSF cancer researcher Prof. Martin McMahon.
Still, McMahon insisted that despite the breakthrough, nothing is better than prevention when it comes to skin cancer.
"Minimizing exposure in the first place," said McMahon. "And I think if you can do that, that would further prevent the prevalence of melanoma."
Collard greens a state veggie? Only in …
(The
Associated Press) –
The Senate on Wednesday made the lowly collard green the official state vegetable. The voice vote sends the measure to the House.
If the House approves, the tough, bitter and leafy plant that slaves made a staple on Southern tables will stand tall over everything from arugula to zucchini.
It joins a long list of "official" things the
state recognizes: the
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