Category Archives: Grocery

A Little Intro… A Little Business

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This is my first post on AgWired and Cindy asked that I write a little about myself.

Here are some of the facts:  I’m the daughter of a fourth generation family farmer.  I think I have the greatest job in the world. I get to tell the story of American Agriculture.  Whether it is educating the consumer about the real facts of agriculture or talking to the farmer about new and exciting things related to their industry every day seems to be an adventure.  I am the Agri-Business Director for WMBD and WIRL located in the heart of corn country (Peoria, Ill.).  And the fun stuff… I like to think I’m eccentric.  A little artsy.  I like funky music, even funkier jewelry and creating art from behind the lens of camera. That’s me in the photo with my friend and fellow NAFBer Rick Coyle with Northern Ag Network.

One of the great things about my job – I constantly hear about “new and innovative things”.

While Farmer’s Markets may not be “new and innovative” they are certainly a “hot” topic all year long.  John Aikman became a statistic of the recession.  After Aikman lost his job he says his idle time and over active mind came up with the concept of “Home Grown Cow”.  So what is it?  He’s created a virtual meat market of sorts with a goal or pairing farmers with eaters (what a concept, huh?!) with  some networking along the way.

Often times when I hear ideas like this and it is aimed at promoting organic farming practices only.  What caught my attention with John’s site and business venture – it supports all types of farming practices.  Traditional or organic.  Beef, chicken or lamb. Bulk or cuts.  You decide.  Find a farmer that suits your eating needs.  Aikman says his goal is to make farmers the price makers instead of price takers.

Aikman’s vision will soon become a reality.  While they aren’t quite ready to take orders yet – they are signing up farmers and hope to be fully operational soon.

You can check them out at Home Grown Cow and listen to John’s story here: John's Story

Can the Local Food Movement Feed the World?

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I think that one, living in California, and two, living on a ranch, is causing me to obsess about food. Or maybe it is because publishers keep sending me books about food to review (come back next week for one of those very reviews). Regardless of the reason, I was in Whole Foods last week and the last few times I was there, I noticed that they are labeling all of their fruit and produce by country, and sometimes, city of origin (also known as food labeling a separate topic for discussion). The idea is to support local farmers first, and then to support American farmers second.

There are several driving factors for this change at Whole Foods one of which is that many people believe that as much as possible, they should eat local food. While the definition of local food varies, basically it is food that was produced within 250 miles of where you live. Second, people believe our food supply is not safe and knowing the country of origin of spinach will give them some sort of piece of mind, i.e. American food is safer.

Oftentimes, these same people are promoting that the local food movement will feed the world (and save Africa, yet another discussion you can read about here) but there are some serious problems with this way of thinking. Many people in our country do not live in areas that can even begin to produce food within 250 miles….Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada are just three states that could never produce enough food to feed their populations because they don’t have enough water and they would have to put land into production.

People are criticizing agriculture for the amount of land they use when in reality, farmers are producing MORE each year using LESS land. Hey enviros – are you prepared to put millions of acres of land back into production to ensure your local food supply?

People are also criticizing agriculture for the amount of irrigation needed to grow your food. Do you realize that the local food you eat is irrigated? No food grows without water. That being said, there are companies dedicated to creating hybrids that require less water but still have high yields. There I go again, it’s that less is more thing ag’s got going on.

Don’t get me wrong, I say this all the time and will continue to say it, I’m all for local food production and the support of small, family owned farms – I live on one. But we can not feed the world with local food production. However, production farmers can and will feed the world in a sustainable manner all while producing more from less. Now that’s something we need to get behind.

Survey Finds Support For Corn Ethanol

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corn Despite the movies such as Food, Inc. and King Corn that discredit the corn industry and blame the obesity epidemic on corn-based products, a recent study shows that the general public supports corn for food and fuel. Check out the details below…

A nationwide survey conducted for the National Corn Growers Association found broad public support for corn as a food sweetener and for corn-based ethanol as an alternative fuel.

The survey found 67 percent of respondents supported the use of corn as a sweetener and 65 percent supported using corn to make ethanol. Of those who supported corn for ethanol, 34 percent mentioned reduced dependence on foreign oil, 19 percent cited its potential to create new jobs and 16 percent said they liked its environmental benefits.

Ninety-five percent of the 1,000 U.S. voters surveyed said they supported corn for food for people and 93 percent said they supported its use as animal feed.

The survey was conducted in mid-September by David Binder Research and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. For more information, visit www.ncga.com.

Consumers Trust Farmers, Still Hold High Expectations

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Food-Safety Consumers still trust farmers; they just need their confidence restored in some aspects of the food system. Those were some of the conclusions from a “consumer trust” survey commissioned by the Center for Food Intregity. Highlights from the survey were presented last week at the 4th Annual 2009 Food System Summit in Kansas City. Geni Wren summed up the conclusions of the study in an article titled, “Consumers Trust Farmers, But Also Hold Them Responsible,” published in Dairy Herd Management. Here is an excerpt from the study…

-Consumers hold farmers/producers, themselves and food companies primarily responsible for food safety.
-Consumers continue to trust themselves and those who prepare food in their homes more than any others.
-Consumers place a high amount of trust in farmers and food companies for food safety.
-Consumers hold farmers primarily responsible for humane treatment of farm animals.
-Consumers lack confidence in any food system segment for ensuring the humane treatment of farm animals.
-Consumers hold farmers primarily responsible for sustainability.
-Consumers lack confidence and trust in any food system segment for ensuring sustainability.
-Consumers hold themselves, farmers and food companies primarily responsible for nutrition.
-Consumers lack confidence and trust in any food system segment for ensuring nutrition.

Funny Video to Perk Up Your Tuesday, Or Not…

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Remember this video? With 1.5 million views and counting, this popular video on YouTube has received comments both hilarious and depressing about the nation’s views on agriculture. Is it funny that people think that wool comes from cows, or is it just sad? How do we reach out to the folks in big cities who have never been exposed to agriculture issues? Let me take that back. They HAVE been exposed to farm animals in Disney movies, and that’s the problem, isn’t it?

Anyway, regardless of the very sad and disturbing truth that there are many people out there that have absolutely no clue where their food comes from, I hope this video gives you a laugh this afternoon!

“GOOD FOOD GARDEN” at Southeast Washington, DC School

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usda Having planted my own garden for the first time this year, I can relate to the promise this “GOOD FOOD GARDEN” has in the eyes of Washington D.C. students. This press release was provided by USDA. Here’s a feel good story for your Wednesday morning…

At a “ribbon planting” ceremony today, Share Our Strength(r), the leading national organization working to end childhood hunger in America, Food Network and Comcast, were joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to create and unveil an edible “Good Food Garden” that will bring healthy, fresh and nutritious food to children from underserved communities in the nation’s capital. The self-contained garden was planted at The SEED School in southeast Washington, DC (4300 C Street SE) and will remain there permanently as a working garden for the school children who will integrate the garden into the 7th grade civics and life science curricula.

Secretary Vilsack stated, “The USDA is committed to making healthy food accessible to children in need, and to improving the dietary habits of today’s youth. This garden stands as an example of what the USDA would like to see across the country. We believe children in underserved communities deserve a hands-on experience growing delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables.”

Monsanto Talks Sustainability

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Michael Doane, Monsanto's Sustainability Team LeadThe recent surge in profitability within the agriculture sector is giving farmers and ag companies a bit of room to breath. But, Monsanto says, just a bit. Michael Doane, Monsanto’s Sustainability Team Lead says that with profitability comes responsibility: a responsibility for the agricultural climate of the future. There are big questions, Michael says, that begged to be asked, and, hopefully, answered. How do we meet the growing demand? How do farmers fit into the growing needs of the recent future? What will the world look like for our children? Will it be a world, Michael asked, that has a lot of pressure on its resource base?

“We’re going to have to produce more food on the same acres between now and 2050 then we’ve produced in the last 10,000 years combined,” Michael said. “That’s pretty substantial. That’s going to get us to twice the level of annual food production in 2050 versus today.”

Michael says responding to such demands is a responsibility that must be shared throughout the ag sector. But, he says, Monsanto is eagerly doing it’s part to help.

“This conversation about sustainability kind of hit us right between the eyes,” Michael said. “We went out and started talking to a lot of people about agriculture; and what doing more with less would look like; what would be important there.”

Ultimately, Michael says, Monsanto’s goal is to make farmers more productive and, consequently, more financially successful.

“Our goal is to make every farmer we serve better off the next year than they were the previous year,” Michael said.

And, Michael says, that goal is meant to benefit farmers all over the world.

“In developing countries we think we also need to do that,” Michael said. “So, we’ve committed to helping 5 million resource-poor farmers, who are simply trying to feed their families, do that.”

But, as much as Monsanto recognizes its role in securing the future of farming and the future of feeding the world, the Michael says finding long-term, sustainable solutions will be a team effort.

“It’s going to be the ‘we’ collectively that does this,” Michael said.

You can download and listen to Michael Doane’s entire speech at the 2008 Farm Progress Show in Boone, IA here:

Listen to

You can also download the speech with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

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Big and Juicy Franks

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Oscar Mayer says hot dog enthusiasts have more reason to love the summer grilling season. That’s because Broadway Actor Mario Lopez is introducing the new Oscar Mayer Premium Beef Franks. Lopez will be firing up the grill on June 10 in Times Square to give New Yorkers a sample of the new beefier, juicier hot dogs. Both the WIENERMOBILE and the New mini WIENERMOBILE will be around for the fun.

The new Oscar Mayer Premium Beef Franks are made with high quality cuts of beef and a flavorful blend of unique spices for a taste the whole family will love. They also have no artificial flavors, colors, fillers or by-products and are packaged in the same easy-to-use re-sealable package to lock-in freshness.

In honor of the brand’s 125th anniversary year, Oscar Mayer is beefing up the New York barbecue by spreading the love of lunch to America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network with a $100,000 donation. But the philanthropy does not stop when the New York lunch crowd slows down. The Oscar Mayer WIENERMOBILE vehicle is hitting the road this summer with opportunities to sample the new franks and collect even more donations to benefit local America’s Second Harvest members in the communities it visits coast-to-coast.

Food For Game Day

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Sam’s ClubFootball fans looking for the perfect game day eats are in luck. Sam’s Club and the Food Network Kitchens are teaming up to offer football enthusiasts some tips for festive party treats and more.

Sam’s Club kicks off the playoffs by helping football fans meet their food and party needs this season with the Big Game Playbook showcasing great and easy tips to help even the newest rookie plan a great party for “any given Sunday,” playoff match or the big game.

Restaurateurs and cookbook authors Jamie & Bobby Deen, sons of Food Network celebrity Paula Deen, are included in the playbook along with a special pizza recipe for Sam’s Club that brings a new twist to a game day tradition.

The Playbook highlights everything a party-planner needs to know, from how to prep, get guests engaged and clean up. Sam’s Club is offering the playbook free to members and guests in club or at samsclub.com/biggame. *A service fee of 10 percent may apply to non-member purchases in club, and membership is required to purchase items online. Annual membership starts at $35.

The playbook even offers football terminology, touchdown trivia and games for halftime.

Organic Scandal

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The Cornicopia InstituteA handful of the nation’s largest grocery retailers have been accused of organic fraud. Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, Safeway, and Wild Oats have been accused of selling organic milk that might not be so “organic.”

The legal filings in federal courts in Seattle, Denver, and in Minneapolis, against the retailers, come on the heels of class action lawsuits against Aurora Dairy Corporation, based in Boulder, Colorado. The suits against Aurora and the grocery chains allege consumer fraud, negligence, and unjust enrichment concerning the sale of organic milk. This past April, Aurora officials received a notice from the USDA detailing multiple and “willful” violations of federal organic law that were found by federal investigators.

“This is the largest scandal in the history of the organic industry,” said Mark Kastel of The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group. Cornucopia’s own investigations in 2005 first alerted USDA of Aurora’s improprieties.

Five lawsuits against the retailers have been filed so far. And law firms based in Seattle, St. Louis, New York and other cities have filed at least eight lawsuits against Aurora, representing plaintiffs in over 30 states.

Aurora, with $100 million in annual sales, provides milk that is sold as organic and packaged as store-brand products for many of the nation’s biggest chains. Besides Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, and Safeway, Aurora serves as supplier to 15 other national and regional chains. Continue reading →

Corn Refiners Clear Up Myths About High Fructose Corn Syrup

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The Corn Refiners AssociationApparently, the public doesn’t have it straight when it comes to high fructose corn syrup. The Corn Refiners Association has released a list of its “Top Published Myths about High Fructose Corn Syrup.”

Myth: High fructose corn syrup is solely to blame for obesity and diabetes.

Reality: There is no scientific evidence to suggest that high fructose corn syrup is uniquely responsible for people becoming obese. As noted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1996, “the saccharide composition (glucose to fructose ratio) of HFCS is approximately the same as that of honey, invert sugar and the disaccharide sucrose (or table sugar).”The leading causes of diabetes are obesity, advancing age and heredity. All caloric sweeteners trigger an insulin response in the body. In fact, table sugar, honey and high fructose corn syrup trigger about the same insulin release because they contain nearly equal amount of fructose and glucose.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted high fructose corn syrup “Generally Recognized as Safe” status for use in food, and reaffirmed that ruling in 1996 after thorough review.

Myth: High fructose corn syrup is high in fructose.

Reality: Contrary to its name, high fructose corn syrup is not high in fructose. In fact, the composition of high fructose corn syrup is similar to sugar. Sugar is composed of 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose and high fructose corn syrup has either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose, with the remaining sugars being primarily glucose. Continue reading →

“Orchard Perfect” Fruit Finding Way to Grocer’s Freezer

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Stop & shopWe’ve all seen that Florida’s Natural commercial where the juice company promises “to bring the grove to you.” Now, a new company is promising to bring “Orchard Perfect” fruit to your grocer’s freezer.

Warm weather creates the optimum time to grow tasty fruit and vegetables but Stop & Shop is combining a special handling process with fresh fruit growers to introduce Orchard Perfect fruit in all of the company’s 389 stores.

Orchard Perfect is a specialty line of summer fruit that has been carefully ripened under the warm Californian summer sun and hand picked at the peak of perfection. Once the fruit is picked it’s gently layered by hand into single layer cartons to prevent bruising. This process assures that the fruit is immediately ready for consumption once it arrives in the stores. Orchard Perfect fruit is exclusive to Stop & Shop and includes peaches, nectarines, plums, white flesh peaches and white flesh nectarines.

The Orchard Perfect program uses the latest farming practices including packing and shipping systems to provide consumers with the sweetest, juiciest, tastiest fruit available today. Orchard Perfect peaches and nectarines are pre-conditioned with a special “temperature management” process that enhances ripening prior to shipping making these summer fruits taste as if they were just picked.

“This unique ripening process allows us to offer consumers fruit that is juicier, consistent and much more flavorful,” said Andrea Astrachan, Vice President of Consumer Affairs for Stop & Shop. “Pre-ripening also protects the fruit from internal breakdown, such as discoloration, browning and mealiness. This all-natural process gives our consumers the ultimate eating experience.”

About Stop and Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, based in Quincy, Massachusetts, employs more than 59,000 associates and operates 389 stores throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, New York and New Jersey.

A Yogurt Smoothie For Your Teeth

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I thought this was just too weird to be true until I saw the story in USA Today. Have you ever considered brushing your teeth with yogurt? Me either. But you can. With some fancy toothpaste from Breath Palette. Try the Smoothie Toothpaste Kit which comes in these flavors: Fresh Yogurt, Monkey Banana, Kiwi Fruit, Strawberry, Blueberry

See this story – “Yogurt cultivating unprecedented popularity.” The story also points to a bunch of other products containing yogurt from cereals to makeup.

Me, I think I’ll stick to some more traditional uses of yogurt for now. Besides, Cindy would think it weird if I started using yogurt makeup.

Bongo Microwavable Donuts

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Bongo DonutsThis is a story you can sink your sweet teeth into. Microwavable donuts. Very good idea. Goes good with coffee.

SkylarHaley, a leading Food and Beverage marketing company announced today that it will enter the $3.6 Billion Dollar Donut Market and $30 Billon Dollar US Frozen Food Market with the introduction of its latest innovate product, Bongo Donuts, the worlds only microwavable donut.

If I find some I’ll write a review. I like the language they’re using with this product: “The challenges that go in to creating the perfect microwavable donut are enormous. It’s not just about making a great donut but bringing the experience of the local donut shop in to each consumers home.”

I miss the donut shop we used to have here on Missouri Blvd. in Jefferson City. Back when I drank decaf (what was I thinking?) I would order a couple donuts and a cup of coffee. This took a while since they had to make decaf while I waited. At least it was fresh.