A federal mandate for ethanol production has led to much higher grain prices and hurt the poultry industry, according to Pilgrim’s Pride, the nation’s largest poultry producer. That pain is also felt by area poultry farmers who supply chickens to the company’s processing plants in Athens, Boaz and Guntersville. Matt Arnold, executive director of the Marshall County Economic Development Authority, said poultry is the county’s largest industry, adding that Pilgrim’s Pride employs more than 3,000 people in processing plants in Boaz and Guntersville and at a food preparation plant in Boaz.

Two poultry plants in Albertville - operated by Tyson Foods and Wayne Farms - have 1,000 workers each, he said.

Arnold said more farmers in the county are growing corn because of its higher market price.

“You see a lot more corn plots where there would have been a hay field two years ago,” he said. » Read the rest of the entry..

Prevent disease in free-range birds is obviously more difficult than those raised solely indoors, as they are outside exposed to adverse weather and predators, as well as having access to watercourses and other livestock. So as the number of free-range table birds increases, it’s no surprise that vets are seeing some older diseases that they shouldn’t be seeing, warned Peter Cargill of Wyatt Poultry Veterinary Services at Chicken 2008, held at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
“Old diseases which were are now seeing include pasturella, erysipelas, blackhead, Marek’s, avian leukosis and worms.”
Looking at pasturella, this condition can be acute or chronic and in some cases, 100% of the flock can be affected. The good news is that the bacteria responsible for the disease is easily killed by disinfectants, “but the problem is that you get reservoirs of infection in rodents, cats and possibly pigs and sheep.” » Read the rest of the entry..

Traceback issues and how the produce industry can work more closely in future food safety outbreaks dominated discussion during a Sept. 23 food safety session at the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association’s convention.

Growers heard from the nation’s food safety czar and also recommended that the government use the industry’s knowledge in future outbreaks.

David Acheson, the Food and Drug Administration’s associate commissioner for foods, presented an anatomy of a food outbreak and discussed how health authorities handled the June Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak that blamed tomatoes. Although extensive testing uncovered no link between tomatoes and the outbreak, the FDA maintains that hot peppers could not have been the sole source of the salmonella.

“We need to make changes,” Acheson said. » Read the rest of the entry..

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Tuesday that the Chinese government will go all out to ensure product quality, especially food safety. When answering a question on China’s food safety at a luncheon honoring his visit to the United Nations, Wen said the Chinese government attaches great importance to the quality of the Chinese products, particularly food safety.

Wen arrived here Tuesday morning for a three-day visit. He is scheduled to attend the general debate of the 63rd UN General Assembly Wednesday and a high-level UN meeting for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Thursday.

Speaking of the public health scare caused by contaminated baby milk formula in China, the premier said “as a responsible government, we have taken prompt and resolute steps.” » Read the rest of the entry..

India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) has sought a three month ban on import of dairy products from China, where nearly 53,000 children have fallen ill after consuming milk powder contaminated by the industrial chemical melamine.

The decision to seek a ban on the dairy products from China was taken at a high level meeting of FSSA here Tuesday, which was attended by officials from the ministries of agriculture, commerce and industry, and health and family welfare.

“FSSAI will forward the decision to the ministry of commerce and industry for consideration and execution. We hope an early decision in this regard,” said an agriculture ministry official, who did not wish to be identified. » Read the rest of the entry..

Indian Agriculture is Facing a Policy Paradox. It has been primarily characterised as a means of subsistence, small investments, small return and a source of livelihood for the rural households.

Till recent past element of commerce was limited to a few commercial crops such as jute, sugarcane, cotton etc to provide raw material for particular industries rather than fulfilling the household needs.

Whereas India’s agricultural policy is still rooted in the goal of self-sufficiency in grains, consumption patterns are changing fast towards high value agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables, livestock products and fish. » Read the rest of the entry..

The natural and organic food and beverage market is reshaping the way America shops. With products available in every retail outlet, increasingly health savvy consumers can now easily purchase natural alternatives to processed foods and other mainstream offerings. In the 2nd edition of its report, Natural and Organic Food and Beverage Trends in the U.S., Packaged Facts investigates the trends and demographics fueling this multi-billion dollar industry.
The natural and organic market continues to gain strength in food, drug, and mass outlets riding on the coat tails of the success of stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, which brought natural and organic foods and beverages to mainstream America. Consumers have become a whole lot savvier about what they eat and through increased educational efforts by both manufacturers and retailers they are increasingly buying more organic and natural food and beverage products. Packaged Facts estimates that 2008 sales of natural and organic food and beverages will continue at a double-digit growth rate to reach $32.9 billion. » Read the rest of the entry..

Victor Matioli’s organic pumpkins are plump, his coriander aromatic and his spinach “very soft, sweet, and tasty”. His half-acre farm is a former rubbish dump in the heart of east Africa’s biggest slum.

So arresting is the sight of tall sunflowers growing amid the rust-coloured shacks and dirt paths of Kibera that Matioli and his fellow growers have had to put up a “No photographing” sign to allow them to work in peace. Their reputations - the farmers are all reformed criminals - mean the warning is seldom ignored.

The unlikely story of Kibera’s first “organic” farm - its only farm of any scale - has its roots in the chaos that gripped Kenya at the start of the year. For weeks the sprawling, densely packed slum, home to up to a million people, was gripped by ethnic clashes and street battles between riot police and protesters demonstrating over flawed presidential elections. » Read the rest of the entry..

BANGALORE: Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer, was remembered by hundreds of organic farmers in Bangalore on Saturday and Sunday. Fukuoka, considered the father of organic farming, died of old age last Tuesday in Japan. He was 95 years old. At a consumer meet organized by Era Organic, organic farmers and consumers paid a tribute to him by hosting an exhibition of his photographs.

There are many organic farmers in Karnataka who religiously follow Fukuoka’s style of farming. His method is called ‘no-till grain cultivation ‘ or ‘natural farming’.

“According to Fukuoka, land doesn’t need ploughing at all. Just spread the seeds and the plant germinates on its own. Even weeding is not required for such farming. » Read the rest of the entry..

According to their new research report, “South Korean Food and Drinks Market: Emerging Opportunities”, the South Korean organic food market, including fresh produce, field crops and processed organic foods, has shown strong growth in the past few years, mainly driven by rising per capita income and growing health awareness, and is forecasted to continue to grow in future.

Food consumption trends indicate that South Koreans are moving away from their traditional diet towards a more western style. They are opting for high value and quality food products as they are becoming more health conscious and now prefer food with an organic label on it.

Besides the rising health concerns, the report states, South Korean consumers are willing to pay little extra for good taste. As a result, demand for organic fruits and vegetables have been on a high trajectory growth in the country. Other favorite organic food products include organic jams, pasta, flour, bottled water and even candies. These can now be found on the shelves of almost every supermarket, discount store and department store in the country. » Read the rest of the entry..