AGRIC AND FOOD : View Posts

WASHINGTON – Today, Andy Fabin, cattle producer and farmer from Indiana, Penn., testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, Commerce and Forestry, regarding the impacts of the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ “interpretive rule” on the Normal Farming and Ranching exemptions under Sec. 404 of the Clean Water Act.

“As a farmer, my willingness to implement voluntary conservation practices has been greatly diminished, despite my desire to improve and protect the waters on my farm,” said Fabin, who raises cattle and farms 3,500 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and rye. “If the interpretive rule remains in place, farmers and ranchers across the country will slow their adoption of conservation practices.”

Coupled with the proposed rule expanding the jurisdictional reach of the EPA and the Corps under the Clean Water Act, the interpretive rule will increase liability for farmers and ranchers. For property owners like Fabin, the ephemeral streams, ponds and ditches found across their pastures would fall under the EPA and the Corps’ jurisdiction, and would require permits for any activities taking place on the land.

While the agencies have exempted 56 farming and ranching practices, as long as they meet the specific Natural Resource Conservation Service standards, any deviation from these standards can result in fines of up to $37,500 per day.

“EPA, the Corps and now even the NRCS would have me believe that, despite the expanded definition, all the activities that take place on my farm are exempted,” said Fabin. “This is, at a minimum, a negligent mischaracterization, and more likely, an intentionally deceptive tactic being used to pacify the agricultural community. Not all agricultural activities are exempted under the Clean Water Act, and this proposal would expand the number of farming activities that need permits, requiring many farmers like myself to seek 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits or 404 Dredge and Fill permits.”

According to the EPA, the 56 exempted practices, including prescribed grazing, were chosen because they have the potential to discharge if they are done in a “water of the U.S.” This effectively makes grazing a discharge activity, and cattle producers will now be required to obtain a permit to graze unless they have a NRCS-approved grazing plan.

“NRCS was created to help farmers on a voluntary basis,” said Fabin. “but now, NRCS personnel are going to have to spend their entire time checking compliance of voluntary conservation activities instead of assisting farmers and ranchers in continuing to improve the waters around their properties. The model of voluntary conservation that has been the pinnacle of farmers and ranchers protection of our natural resources is going to be upended.” Not only should the EPA and the Corps withdraw their overreaching definition of “waters of the U.S.,” but they should also immediately withdraw the interpretive rule because, ultimately, the only affect it will have is to decrease beneficial conservation activities. –

See more at: http://www.beefusa.org/newsreleases1.aspx?NewsID=4268#sthash.HpUYncLS.dpuf

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., — Today marks the grand opening of the Kellogg’s® Recharge Bar to educate families about the power of protein and grains found in a serving of Kellogg’s cereal and one cup of skim milk – America’s #1 breakfast. When it comes to nutrition at breakfast, there’s a lot of information out there and a recent survey revealed that when hearing “protein and grains,” only 20 percent1 of Americans think of cereal and milk.

“I’m excited to be a part of the opening of Kellogg’s Recharge Bar to show everyone how easy it is to get a nutritious breakfast with a bowl of cereal and milk,” said Emmy-award nominated physician Dr. Travis Stork. “A bowl of cereal and one cup of milk is a great way to start the day with the right combination of protein and whole grains.”

Located at 1701 Broadway Avenue, on W 54th Street and Broadway, the Kellogg’s Recharge Bar will be open to the public for free June 24-27, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Attendees can enjoy a free breakfast of Kellogg’s new cereal and milk combinations, alongside exciting performances from top celebrities. Seating is limited, so those arriving will be granted access on a first come, first serve basis.

Chef, owner and founder of Milk Bar, Christina Tosi, will unveil her unique and delicious combinations of protein and grains including; The King, Banana Nut, Pistachio Lemon, Cinnamon-Apple, Berry Au-Lait and the Tropical Mermaid. Combinations include Kellogg’s favorites – Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats®, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran®, Special K® Original®, All-Bran Bran-Buds® and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® – combined with extra protein – skim milk, 2% milk, Milk Bar cereal milk™ – and topped off with tasty, innovative flavor boosts such as ground coffee, lemon zest, almond butter and fruit.

While enjoying a Tosi-created protein and grain combination, or mixing their own customizable mix of Kellogg’s cereal and milk, visitors can experience performances from the following celebrities throughout the week:

Tuesday, June 24: Emmy-award nominated physician, Dr. Travis Stork, celebrity chef, Christina Tosi, and Kellogg’s welcome families to the grand opening of Kellogg’s Recharge Bar – serving up tasty protein and grain combinations.
Wednesday, June 25: Grammy award-winning group, The Roots, will energize families in attendance with a one-of-a kind, cereal-and-milk-inspired performance of the Kellogg’s cereal and milk song.
Thursday, June 26: Emmy award-winning choreographer Derek Hough will put his energy into action by revealing and teaching the cereal and milk dance move.
Friday, June 27: Meet and greet with iconic Kellogg’s characters, Cornelius “Corny” Rooster and Tony the Tiger.
Keep up to date with the happenings at the Kellogg’s Recharge Bar on instagram.com/kelloggsus, twitter.com/KelloggsUS, www.youtube.com/user/KelloggsUS and www.facebook.com/Kelloggs.

To learn more about how a serving of cereal and one cup of skim milk offers a tasty combination of protein and grains that helps recharge your body, visit Kelloggs.com/CerealAndMilk.

About Kellogg Company
At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), we are driven to enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter. With 2013 sales of $14.8 billion and more than 1,600 foods, Kellogg is the world’s leading cereal company; second largest producer of cookies, crackers and savory snacks; and a leading North American frozen foods company. Our brands – Kellogg’s®, Keebler®, Special K®, Pringles®, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes®, Pop-Tarts®, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Kashi®, Cheez-It®, Eggo®, Mini-Wheats® and more – nourish families so they can flourish and thrive. Through our Breakfasts for Better Days® initiative, we’re providing 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks – more than half of which are breakfasts – to children and families in need around the world by the end of 2016. To learn more about Kellogg, visit www.kelloggcompany.com or follow us on Twitter @KelloggCompany.

About Dr. Travis Stork
Dr. Travis Stork is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and host of the Emmy® award-winning talk show, The Doctors. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Duke University and earned his M.D. with honors from the University of Virginia. Dr. Stork is Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board for MDLIVE, a leading telehealth provider of online and on-demand healthcare services. He is on the Medical Advisory Board for Men’s Health magazine and is The New York Times bestselling author of The Doctor’s Diet, The Lean Belly Prescription, as well as The Doctor Is In: A 7-Step Prescription for Optimal Wellness.

About Christina Tosi
Christina Tosi is the chef, owner and founder of Milk Bar, called “one of the most exciting bakeries in the country” by Bon Appetit Magazine. As founder of the dessert program at Momofuku, Christina helped Momofuku Ko earn two stars from the Michelin Guide and Momofuku Ssäm jump onto restaurant magazine’s top 100 restaurants in the world list. She is the 2012 recipient of the James Beard Rising Star Chef award and a finalist for the 2014 James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef award. Christina lives in Brooklyn, NY with her three dogs.

About Derek Hough
Emmy Award winning Derek Hough, the only five time champion in franchise history of the hit ABC show Dancing with the Stars, started dancing in his hometown of Salt Lake City, UT, at age 11. A multi-talented entertainer and five-time Emmy nominee for choreography, Hough was recently seen in a starring role for director Duane Adler and producer Robert Cort in Make Your Move which premiered earlier this year. This summer, he has teamed with his sister Julianne for a live stage dance concert MOVE Live On Tour performing in 50 cities around the country.

About The Roots
Formed in 1987, in Philadelphia, PA, the legendary Roots Crew, consists of Black Thought (MC), Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (drums), Kamal Gray (electronic keyboards), F. Knuckles (percussion), Captain Kirk Douglas (electronic guitar), Damon Bryson (sousaphone) and James Poyser (electronic keyboard). Having previously released twelve projects, The Roots have become one of the best known and most respected hip-hop acts in the business, winning four Grammys, including “Best R&B Album” for Wake Up!, “Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance” for “Hang in There” (with John Legend) and “Best Group or Duo R&B Vocal Performance” for “Shine.” The ensemble was most recently nominated for “Best Rap Album” for the 2011 release of undun. This brings the band’s GRAMMY nomination count to twelve. Additionally, The Roots have also become the faces of Philly’s “Fourth of July Jam,” an annual concert held during the Fourth of July with the biggest names in music, and “The Roots Picnic,” a yearly star-studded mix of musicians, that has become a celebrated institution during awards season. Recently The Roots were named one of the greatest live bands around by Rolling Stone and became the official house band on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon where they currently perform every Monday-Friday.

This news is courtesy of www.kellogs.com

WASHINGTON, — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the allocation of $5 million to support 19 projects under the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) funded under the Agriculture Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill). NCPN-funded facilities provide high-quality propagative plant material that is free of plant pathogens and pests that can otherwise cause economic losses to the American specialty crop industry, which includes fruits and vegetables and other crops.

“Invasive pests can endanger our nation’s crops and food security. They cause billions of dollars in damage each year,” said Vilsack. “The funds USDA is making available today will help partners and stakeholders prevent the introduction or spread of plant pests and diseases that threaten America’s agriculture economy.”

The Farm Bill funds provided to the NCPN help maintain the infrastructure necessary for growing disease and pest-free plants, improving diagnostic capabilities and providing therapeutic treatments in specialty crop plants, and establishing foundation stock . The goal is to make sure that disease-free, certified planting materials are available and ensure the global competitiveness of U.S. specialty crop producers. This year, 22 proposals requesting $7.8 million were submitted to NCPN to support developing and propagating pest-free fruit trees, grapes, hops, berries, citrus, roses and sweet potatoes.

The NCPN Governing Board, which is comprised of representatives from USDA APHIS along with representatives from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and members of the National Plant Board, recommended the projects to be funded and the level of funding. The first priority for funding was given to projects that support existing facilities with established capabilities for maintaining and providing nuclear/foundation stock, and for conducting diagnostics and different therapeutic treatments. These facilities develop clean or disease-free plant material to the nursery industry, enabling growers to establish healthy orchards/vineyards/field plantings.

The NCPN’s Governing Board recommended funding 19 of the 22 NCPN proposals in 14 states. NCPN facilities receiving funding this year include $1.58 million for grapes, $1.28 million for citrus, $1 million for fruit and nut trees, $455,000 for berries, and $203,000, for hops. Additionally, APHIS is providing funding for exploratory planning to consider adding roses ($28,750) and sweet potatoes ($19,000) to the Network. Funds will support facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington.

The NCPN’s supported clean plant centers are recognized leaders for enabling the introduction of high quality, regionally adapted, propagative plant materials that are free of targeted plant pathogens and pests. This supports opportunities for international trade, while protecting American nurseries and growers. Through the NCPN, industry, research, extension and regulatory communities collaborate to ensure an abundant supply of healthy specialty crop propagative materials. The economic, environmental and social sustainability of specialty crop industries and the improved economies of the communities that depend on these industries are the ultimate beneficiaries of the NCPN.

Today’s announcement was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

Research and development are growth drivers for PepsiCo, and this week the company officially inaugurated its Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, Mexico Baking Category Innovation Center, which will play a key role developing new product innovations across the company’s brand portfolio.

The center was celebrated this week in Mexico City at a public event hosted by Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto, with PepsiCo’s Chairman and CEO Indra K. Nooyi and PepsiCo Mexico’s President Pedro Padierna.

The new baking facility is equipped with an advanced culinary center and development laboratories focused on creating and tailoring new baked products for distinct consumer benefits and taste preferences in Mexico and in PepsiCo markets around the world, and developing new capabilities that drive sustained growth in the baking goods category.

In addition, the facility will house a pilot manufacturing plant that will allow product developers and engineers to quickly test new ideas and significantly accelerate the pace of new product innovation.

“The new facility is a state-of-the-art research and development center where Mexican and multi-national food experts create new baked options and healthier choices to delight our consumers around the world.” — Carmela Rivero, vice president, Research and Development, PepsiCo Mexico Foods.
The baking center will employ more than 100 people from diverse backgrounds, including chefs, nutritionists, food scientists and baking technology experts.

The center’s mission, according to its director, Alejandra Kamel, is to be a center of excellence for PepsiCo baked products. “Mexico is PepsiCo’s third largest market, and we are sharing the expertise that we have in baking with other PepsiCo markets,” she said.

The center is already partnering on projects with PepsiCo businesses in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. Many of these projects are focused on the development good-for-you products, said Kamel. One example is the Quaker Oat & Yogurt Sandwich Biscuit that was developed for the North American market.

Innovations for markets outside of Mexico include the development of regional flavors, the use of local ingredients and unique product shapes that help differentiate PepsiCo products, said Kamel.

“The investments we’ve made to strengthen our global research and development capabilities are driving successful new innovation across PepsiCo’s global food and beverage portfolio,” Nooyi said.

DID YOU KNOW?

PepsiCo Mexico is one of the largest consumer product companies in the country, with net revenues in Mexico of $4.3 billion (U.S.) in 2013.
“Mexico is an attractive food and beverage market with great potential for future growth,” she said. “Mexico is a cradle of innovation for PepsiCo globally and this new center will fuel a wide range of exciting new PepsiCo products.”

The baking innovation center is part of PepsiCo’s long-term strategy to invest in Mexico. Earlier this year, the company announced a multiyear investment plan that’s expected to generate 4,000 new jobs. The company’s investments are focused on four priority areas: innovation and brand building; infrastructure; agriculture and community.

Additionally, the center was built in line with the criteria established by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the world’s leading green building standard. It uses advanced technologies and processes to conserve natural resources and reduce operating costs.

DID YOU KNOW?
PepsiCo Mexico employs more than 40,000 people throughout the country, and PepsiCo products have been sold in Mexico since 1907. “We are proud of the actions we have taken in Mexico and around the world to position PepsiCo for sustainable long-term growth by conserving our planet’s resources, expanding our product portfolio, building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and acting as a responsible citizen in our communities,” said Nooyi.

“We believe our commitment to delivering Performance with Purpose will drive sustained value for PepsiCo and positively contribute to Mexico’s development well into the future,” she said.

The facility is one of several “centers of excellence” within PepsiCo’s global research-and-development organization. Other facilities include a beverage innovation center in New York, a snacks innovation center in Texas, an oats innovation center in Illinois, a fruit and vegetable innovation center in Germany, and an Asian food and beverage innovation center in China.

This is courtesy of www.pepsico.com

KEYSTONE, CO, – At the Saint Louis Zoo’s Annual Pollinator Dinner last night, The Keystone Center announced the formation of a new Honey Bee Health Coalition. Recognizing that declines in honey bee and pollinator health have put agriculture, healthy ecosystems, and worldwide food security at risk, this diverse coalition was formed to promote collaborative solutions.

Ed Spevak of the Saint Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute Center for Native Pollinator Conservation and the Zoo’s Curator of Invertebrates introduced the Honey Bee Health Coalition, noting that it brings together beekeepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agribusinesses, conservation groups, manufacturers and consumer brands, and other key partners in the U.S. and Canada to improve the health of honey bees and other pollinators, ecosystems, and the security of our food supply. Approximately 80% of flowering plants rely on the honey bee and other native and managed pollinators; these plants include crops like almonds, apples,
blueberries, cherries, cranberries, squashes, tomatoes, and alfalfa among many others.

“We helped found this Coalition because honey bees support approximately $18 billion of United States food production annually,” said Randy Verhoek, President of the American Honey Producers Association. “In the United States, approximately 30% of managed honey bees now die each winter,” he continued, “compared to around 15% that beekeepers consider acceptable. This makes it increasingly difficult for beekeepers to stay in business, hurting not only the beekeepers and their families but also the farmers and agricultural communities that rely on those bees to pollinate crops.”

“If we do not act collaboratively to find solutions that work for all involved, honey bee health, the ability to produce fruits, nuts and vegetables, and the ability to sustain ecosystems and the economy will all be impacted,” said Jerry Hayes, Honey Bee Health Lead for Monsanto. “A healthy bee population is imperative for our industry and for our supply chain, and we need collaboration across stakeholders. This coalition is a great step in this direction.”

“The Coalition has already made important progress in identifying critical areas for collaboration, including bee forage and nutrition, crop pest management, hive management, and outreach, education and communications,” said Richard Joost, Director of Research for the United Soybean Board. “The Coalition will address these critical areas by building consensus on key strategies, creating a platform for collaboration, and funding partnerships, pilots, and programs.”

The idea for the Coalition first took shape as part of a Clinton Global Initiative Commitment in 2013. In a very short period of time the coalition members have turned that idea into a reality.

Coalition members currently include the Agricultural Retailers Association, the Almond Board of California, the American Beekeeping Federation, the American Honey Producers Association, the American Seed Trade Association, Bayer CropScience, Browning Honey Company, the Canadian Honey Council, CropLife America, CropLife Canada, Ducks Unlimited, DuPont, Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association, Land O’Lakes, Inc., Monsanto Company, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Pheasants Forever, Project Apis m.,
the Saint Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute Center for Native Pollinator Conservation, Syngenta, Unilever, United Soybean Board, the University of Maryland’s Department of Entomology, and the U.S. Canola Association. The Coalition also includes ex officio participation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Funding has been provided by the Agricultural Retailers Association, the American Honey Producers Association, Bayer CropScience, CropLife America, DuPont, Eastern Missouri Beekeepers Association, Land O’Lakes, Inc., Monsanto, Syngenta, Unilever, and the United Soybean Board.

About the Honey Bee Health Coalition
The Honey Bee Health Coalition brings together beekeepers, growers, researchers, government agencies, agribusinesses, conservation groups, manufacturers and brands, and other key partners to improve the health of honey bees and other pollinators. Our mission is to collaboratively implement solutions that will help to achieve a healthy population of honey bees while also supporting healthy populations of native and managed pollinators in the context of productive agricultural systems and thriving ecosystems. The Coalition is focusing on accelerating collective impact to improve honey bee health in four key areas: forage and
nutrition, hive management, crop pest management, and communications, outreach and education.

Through its unique network of private and public sector members, the Coalition will foster new partnerships, leverage existing efforts and expertise, and incubate and implement new solutions. The Coalition will bring its diverse resources to bear in promoting communication, coordination, collaboration, and investment to strategically and substantively improve honey bee health in North America.

This news is courtesy of www.keystone.org/

DAVIS, Calif., – U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden today announced the implementation of new Farm Bill measures and other policy changes to improve the financial security of new and beginning farmers and ranchers. Harden also unveiled www.usda.gov/newfarmers, a new website that will provide a centralized, one-stop resource where beginning farmers and ranchers can explore the variety of USDA initiatives designed to help them succeed.

“New and beginning farmers are the future of American agriculture,” said Deputy Secretary Harden. “The average age of an American farmer is 58 and rising, so we must help new farmers get started if America is going to continue feeding the world and maintain a strong agriculture economy. The new policies announced today will help give beginning farmers the financial security they need to succeed. Our new online tool will provide one-stop shopping for beginning farmers to learn more about accessing USDA services that can help their operations thrive.”

USDA’s New Farmers website has in depth information for new farmers and ranchers, including: how to increase access to land and capital; build new market opportunities; participate in conservation opportunities; select and use the right risk management tools; and access USDA education, and technical support programs. These issues have been identified as top priorities by new farmers. The website will also feature instructive case studies about beginning farmers who have successfully utilized USDA resources to start or expand their business operations.

Today’s policy announcements in support of beginning farmers and ranchers include:

Waiving service fees for new and beginning farmers or ranchers to enroll in the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for the 2014 crop year. NAP provides risk management tools to farmers who grow crops for which there is no crop insurance product. Under this waiver, announced via an official notice (PDF, 171KB) to Farm Service Agency offices, farmers and ranchers whom already enrolled in NAP for the 2014 crop year are eligible for a service fee refund.
Eliminating payment reductions under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for new and beginning farmers which will allow routine, prescribed, and emergency grazing outside the primary nesting season on enrolled land consistent with approved conservation plans. Previously, farmers and ranchers grazing on CRP land were subject to a reduction in CRP payments of up to 25 percent. Waiving these reductions for new and beginning farmers will provide extra financial support during times of emergency like drought and other natural disasters.
Increasing payment rates to beginning farmers and ranchers under Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) (PDF, 288KB). Under this provision, beginning and farmers can claim up 90 percent of losses for lost livestock, such as bees, under ELAP. This is a fifty percent increase over previously available payment amounts to new and beginning farmers.
In the near future, USDA will also announce additional crop insurance program changes for beginning farmers and ranchers – including discounted premiums, waiver of administrative fees, and other benefits.

These policy announcements are made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

The Deputy Secretary made these announcements at the inaugural meeting of the reconvened Beginning Farmer and Rancher Advisory Committee held at the University of California Davis, California. This Advisory Committee, composed of 20 members, including Extension agents, lenders, farmers, ranchers and academics will meet through 2015 to learn, discuss, and formulate recommendations to USDA on how to support new and beginning farmers.

A fact sheet outlining significant USDA efforts to support beginning farmers and ranchers, and other Department-wide accomplishments, are available on www.usda.gov/results.

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced today that it will be a founding member of CocoaAction, a new strategy to align the cocoa sustainability efforts of the world’s largest cocoa and chocolate companies. CocoaAction creates a new level of coordination and commitment by the leading global cocoa and chocolate companies and governments to promote cocoa sustainability in West Africa.

Under the auspices of the World Cocoa Foundation, which will act as the convener for the group and facilitate the implementation of the industry-wide strategy, CocoaAction seeks to build a rejuvenated and economically viable cocoa sector for at least 300,000 cocoa farmers – 200,000 in Côte d’Ivoire and 100,000 in Ghana – and the communities where they live by 2020. By voluntarily working together as an industry, the strategy aims to increase of the impact of the cocoa industry’s numerous sustainability programs. Participating companies have committed to providing the necessary means to achieve a transformation of the cocoa sector. The governments of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have formally endorsed CocoaAction as the industry’s aligned effort to support their national cocoa sustainability plans.

“A reliable, sustainable supply of ethically grown cocoa is vital to Hershey and the global chocolate and cocoa industry and is the best way to ensure consumers will enjoy delicious, affordable and sustainable cocoa,” said Terence O’Day, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Hershey. “It’s a major breakthrough for key members of the industry to come together and work as a group to solve the challenges facing cocoa farming in West Africa and achieve our mutual sustainability objectives.”

CocoaAction will initially focus on Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, which together provide about 55 percent of the world’s current cocoa supply and where key Hershey cocoa sustainability programs, including CocoaLink and the Hershey Learn to Grow development farm, are already located.

The CocoaAction strategy is built on four key principles that align with Hershey’s cocoa sustainability goals:

Reinforcing interdependency between productivity-enhancing and community development interventions
Commitment to a holistic approach in the form of a productivity and community development package that reflects where industry believes it can make a unique and significant contribution
Field-level delivery that is customized based on local conditions
Alignment of company programs and interventions within the framework of the national public-private partnership platforms
CocoaAction will focus on increasing productivity through applying good agricultural practices, providing access to improved planting material and fertilizer, correct use of planting materials and fertilizer, and community development. Community efforts include addressing child labor through labor monitoring and remediation, making basic education available, ensuring children go to school, and improving gender parity so that women have a greater influence in their communities’ decision making and development.

In addition to The Hershey Company, the companies that have committed to CocoaAction as of May 20, 2014, are: ADM; Armajaro; Barry Callebaut; Blommer; Cargill; Ecom; Ferrero; Mars, Incorporated; Mondelēz International; Nestlé; and Olam. CocoaAction members will share common objectives and agreed upon measurements to determine progress based on a joint set of indicators.

More details on the CocoaAction strategy are available at the World Cocoa Foundation website.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY), headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks. Hershey has approximately 13,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company, which has more than 80 brands around the world that drive over $7.1 billion in annual revenues, includes such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers. Hershey is focused on growing its presence in key international markets while continuing to build its competitive advantage in North America. Additionally, Hershey is poised to expand its portfolio into categories beyond confectionery, finding new ways to bring goodness to people everywhere.

At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products. For 120 years, Hershey has been committed to good business by operating fairly, ethically and sustainably to make a positive impact on society. This means contributing to a better life for its employees, consumers, communities, and, ultimately, creating a bright future for children in need. This commitment is exemplified by Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company’s founder and administered by Hershey Trust Company. The children who attend the school receive education, housing, and medical care — thriving as direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company’s success.

This is courtesy www.thehersheycompany.com

ST. LOUIS –Throughout the corn-growing season, farmers across the Midwest will battle corn rootworms. Now there is a new tool to help them combat this yield-robbing pest. Genuity® has launched a free application (app) available for iPad® device users that helps farmers assess their risk for corn rootworm pressure and provides field-specific recommendations for the farmer.

This app was designed by Monsanto insect management technical development representatives, product managers and technical agronomists and is the first app to provide users with valuable information related to rootworm risk and active pest management for the current season.

“After watching corn growers battle this damaging pest season after season, we saw a real need for this kind of app to assist farmers in making management decisions in real time,” said Tom Eickhoff, agronomic systems lead for Monsanto. “In addition to proven Genuity trait performance and in-field experts, this free app is another great resource for our farmers.”

The Genuity Rootworm Manager app allows farmers to do a field-by-field assessment that considers several important factors to determine the threat from corn rootworm to the crop. The Genuity Rootworm Manager app uses several crop and corn rootworm metrics to evaluate risk of plant injury from corn rootworm, including field location, pest population and previous crop and pest management history.

“This tool follows proven pest management recommendations for scouting, practicing crop rotation, utilizing dual modes of action when planting and suggesting specific insecticides based on crop type,” says Eickhoff. “Plus this app allows the user to set alerts, take custom notes, access scouting reports and share results via email.”

For more information, visit Genuity.com/RootwormManager or visit the iTunes® App Store to download.

About Monsanto Company
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world’s natural resources, such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.

Individual results may vary and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

Always read and follow grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Genuity® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Monsanto Company.

– See more at: http://news.monsanto.com/press-release/products/genuity-launches-first-its-kind-app-technology-corn-rootworm-risk-assessment#sthash.c8obMQwi.dpuf

WASHINGTON, – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin accepting applications June 16 from energy facilities interested in receiving forest or agricultural residues to generate clean energy. The support comes through the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.

BCAP provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who establish and maintain new crops of energy biomass, or who harvest and deliver forest or agricultural residues to a qualifying energy facility. Of the total $25 million per year authorized for BCAP, the 2014 Farm Bill provides up to 50 percent ($12.5 million) each year for matching payments for the harvest and transportation of biomass residues. BCAP matching payments will resume this summer, while crop incentives will begin in 2015. Some matching payments will support the removal of dead or diseased trees from National Forests and Bureau of Land Management public lands. This will be turned into renewable energy while reducing the risk of forest fire. Agriculture residues, such as corn cobs and stalks, also may qualify as energy-producing feedstock.

“Removing dead or diseased trees from forests to use for biomass production creates clean energy while reducing the threat of forest fires and the spread of harmful insects and disease,” said Vilsack. “Increasing our country’s production of biomass energy also helps grow our economy. Food is made in rural America, but fuel is made in rural America, too. This program is yet another USDA investment in expanding markets for agricultural products made in rural places across the country.”

With the 2014 Farm Bill requiring several regulatory updates to BCAP, the resumption of payments for starting and maintaining new sources of biomass (Project Areas) has been deferred until a later date when the regulatory updates occur.

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers BCAP, will begin accepting applications from biomass conversion facilities beginning June 16, 2014, through July 14, 2014. Information on funding availability can be found in the Federal Register notice at http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2014-13617_PI.pdf. For more details on applications and deadlines on BCAP, visit a local FSA county office or go online to www.fsa.usda.gov/bcap.

BCAP was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

Land O’Lakes, Inc., today announced a realignment of its Eastern Wisconsin milk supply strategy, including a multi-year investment in the milk shed that includes increasing capacity at its Kiel, Wis., plant, known for its award-winning cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese production. The company also announced plans to discontinue manufacturing the semi-soft Italian cheese produced at its Denmark, Wis. plant.

“Wisconsin is a key growth area for Land O’Lakes, and decisions such as this will help us achieve our aggressive growth goals,” said Chris Policinski, president and CEO of Land O’Lakes, Inc. “The investments at our Kiel plant will provide our members with increased opportunities to grow production in this critical region for our company.”

As part of the realignment, the company is making a multi-million dollar investment to increase capacity and expand receiving at its Kiel plant through improvements in plant infrastructure. Among the improvements at the Kiel facility will be new milk silos, new cheese vats, upgraded whey receiving and a new vat room.

The company also announced the difficult decision to discontinue manufacturing the provolone and mozzarella semi-soft Italian cheese products currently produced at the Denmark plant, which had not been profitable in recent years. The plant will cease production and permanently close July 1, 2014. Member milk that was shipped to the Denmark facility will be sold to an unrelated third party beginning July 1.

Today’s announcement follows a long review to determine the best strategy to maximize growth opportunities and expand market access for the company’s member owners and builds on the company’s plans to drive smart, focused growth and strategy to drive overall performance through constant evaluation of all segments of the business.

This news is courtesy of www.landolakes.com

Yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack launched a new era in American conservation efforts with an historic focus on public-private partnership. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program will competitively award funds to conservation projects designed by local partners specifically for their region. With participating partners investing along with the Department, USDA’s $1.2 billion in funding over the life of the five-year program can leverage an additional $1.2 billion from partners for a total of $2.4 billion for conservation. $400 million in USDA funding is available in the first year. Through RCPP, partners propose conservation projects to improve soil health, water quality and water use efficiency, wildlife habitat, and other related natural resources on private lands. For more information on yesterday’s announcement, click here:

Here’s what others are saying about this new approach to conservation:

American Farmland Trust
“The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is a fresh approach to providing funding to help farmers protect and restore the soil, water and the other natural resources they rely on for their livelihoods. By encouraging regional partnerships, RCPP not only focuses attention on areas where these sound conservation practices are needed, it will also leverage funding from other sources, critically important during these times of scarce economic resources.” Andrew McElwaine, President and CEO

American Rivers
“Private landowners are important partners in river conservation and we all benefit when we work together. This program will not only advance innovative river conservation solutions, it will benefit individual farmers and ranchers, as well as local economies and communities in key river basins. Prioritizing investment in key river basins will ensure major benefits for clean water supplies, wildlife habitat, and local economies. American Rivers looks forward to working with NRCS and farmers and ranchers to leverage this program to ensure healthy rivers and sustainable use of our natural resources.” Bob Irvin, President

Ducks Unlimited
“The Critical Conservation Area designation allows USDA to focus its assistance in many areas that overlap with the essential priorities that Ducks Unlimited has already strategically identified as habitats in which we can have the most impact with our conservation work. These regions also reflect where DU has standing partnerships with agriculture farm and ranch stewards, who help implement habitat conservation projects on private lands.” Dale Hall, CEO

Ducks Unlimited
“As a rice farmer, the designations of the Mississippi River Basin and California Bay Delta are particularly exciting to rice agriculture. Opportunities to maximize conservation on working rice lands will also maximize wintering waterfowl habitat in these regions.” George Duncan, President

Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition

“This program is a winner for farmers, communities and the Great Lakes. The program will help bolster Great Lakes restoration efforts at a time when we’re seeing a lot of inspiring results—yet also understand that there’s much more work to do. This program has great potential for building on the many restoration successes that we have seen through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to improve the health of the Lakes. We thank Sen. Stabenow, Secretary Vilsack and the Obama Administration for their commitment to the Lakes and the millions of people who rely on them for the drinking water, jobs, and way of life.” Todd Ambs, Director

Kellogg Company
“This is not just project by project, farm by farm; this is taking a much more holistic approach. That’s where the opportunity is for us as a company to work with critical stakeholders, in government, in our supply chain, in the (non-governmental organization) community like the Nature Conservancy.” Diane Holdorf, Chief Sustainability Officer

Mississippi River Network

“The Mississippi River Network supports the naming of the Mississippi River as a Critical Conservation Area under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Targeting resources to reduce nutrient run off that ultimately ends up in the Gulf of Mexico is a positive move to improve water quality in our nation’s great river.” Meg Kelly, Interim Program Manager

Mississippi River Network’s Steering Committee
“Public-private partnerships, such as the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, provide additional support and assistance to producers and landowners interested in reducing nutrient runoff from their land and, ultimately, improving water quality downstream in the Mississippi River.” Jill Kostel, Co-Chair and Senior Environmental Engineer for the Wetlands Initiative in Chicago

National Association of Conservation Districts
“Conservation districts have always supported a collaborative, locally-led approach to getting conservation implemented on the ground, and this new program falls right in line with this approach. The concept of partnering to accomplish the delivery of conservation is not new. Soil and Water Conservation Districts were established on the state and local level since the 1930s to partner in the delivery of federal funds based on local priorities. The RCPP program expands our opportunities to reach a new level of commitment to conservation delivery on the working landscape in America. The RCPP program will encourage greater investment, leveraging of resources, and participation by the private business sectors, membership organizations, and state and local governments. NACD is encouraged by the accountability built into the RCPP, ensuring that work should be monitored throughout the contract period to accurately document, quantify and account for results.”

“With the baseline of conservation program delivery and a large footprint on the landscape, districts can be the catalyst for driving the concept of expanded partnership to deliver regional conservation. Soil and water conservation districts are valuable partners with a proven ability to work one-on-one with producers and help get conservation put on the ground. Because of their strong local relationships, they can help create valuable connections with other interested parties for potential project collaboration.” Earl Garber, President

The Nature Conservancy
“The RCPP is not business as usual. Its bolder and more comprehensive approach makes the RCPP the most innovative new Farm Bill conservation program. It replaces the old approach sometimes referred to as ‘random acts of conservation’ to instead leverage private sector investment and focus on the critical areas where funding is most needed. This is cost-effective, and will maximize important conservation outcomes such as improved water quality, water conservation, resilience to drought, flood prevention, air quality, soil conservation, soil health and habitat conservation, restoration and enhancement on private lands through voluntary conservation practices.” Sean McMahon, North America Agriculture Program Director

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

“RCPP is unique among conservation programs in its focus on targeted, project-based partnerships. Through RCPP, non-federal partners will bring their vast expertise to the table to help NRCS engage farmers and facilitate project implementation, including outreach, education, monitoring, and reporting. NSAC helped create RCPP and we are delighted to see its timely roll out.”

“This is a major win for farm and sustainable agriculture organizations across the county. These organizations have the expertise and relationships necessary to reach, recruit, and mobilize farmers, provide conservation planning assistance, and conduct monitoring and evaluation of project outcomes; however, they generally lack the financial resources necessary to do such work. The decision to make such funding available through RCPP is a big step forward in making these new partnerships viable.” Greg Fogel, Senior Policy Specialist with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Southwestern Water Conservation District
“We have more and more pressure on the water supply. We’re hoping this will provide incentives for people to implement some conservation practices that will help meet the demands on Colorado River basin. We hope building these partnerships between different interest groups will help everyone use our water wisely in the future.” Bruce Whitehead, Executive Director

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
“One of the outstanding fruits of the 2014 Farm Bill is being harvested today. The RCPP program, combined with the Conservation Reserve Program, will produce huge benefits throughout the agricultural landscape. It is a chance for sportsmen to step up and engage effectively in the new Farm Bill – and in conservation efforts that will directly benefit important fish and wildlife habitat.” Whit Fosburgh, President and CEO

Trout Unlimited

“We commend Secretary Vilsack, NRCS Chief Jason Weller, and the staff who worked so hard to move forward quickly on implementing the RCPP program. These regional programs will harness like never before the incredible power of conservation-minded farmers, ranchers and foresters with the innovation and can-do spirit of partners such as Trout Unlimited, states, conservation districts and others. It’s a great matchup, and America’s hunters, anglers and outdoor recreationists of all stripes will reap the rewards.” Steve Moyer, Vice President for Government Affairs

The World Wildlife Fund’s Northern Great Plains program

“By prioritizing America’s prairie grasslands as a Critical Conservation Area, the USDA is providing a much-needed boost to safeguarding this unique ecosystem and the people, wildlife, and livelihoods it supports. With more than 75% of the land in the Northern Great Plains in private hands, farmers and ranchers will continue to play an especially critical role as stewards of these lands under this program. Rapid change is becoming the new normal in the Northern Great Plains with energy development fragmenting the rangelands of the west and drainage and cultivation impacting the pothole areas of the east. These changes are reshaping the landscape and impacting local communities and livelihoods. This program will foster the kind of transformative partnerships with private landowners needed to sustain agriculture and conserve the prairie and its water, soil, air and wildlife.” Martha Kauffman, Managing Director

USA Rice Federation
“Today marks the start of what our industry believes will be an exciting new chapter in working lands conservation that can benefit rice lands, waterfowl habitat, and water resources, three critical resources throughout the U.S. We greatly appreciate the quick work of USDA officials and staff to move forward with implementation of RCPP in such a timely manner and we look forward to working closely with them as we pursue a partnership opportunity for the U.S. rice industry.” Betsy Ward, President and CEO

Walton Family Foundation
We applaud the USDA’s announcement today that the Colorado and Mississippi River basins will be included as critical conservation areas in the agency’s new Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The new initiative, part of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, is a Farm Bill conservation program that will focus on locally-driven projects that restore rivers, improve water quality and support economies across the country.

The Colorado and Mississippi River basins are priority geographies for WFF’s environmental investments in the U.S. Through this initiative, WFF looks forward to continuing and expanding our partnership with USDA, leveraging our conservation investments with new federal dollars to accelerate conservation efforts on the ground.

This program will open up new opportunities for the foundation to collaborate with USDA and landowners in the Colorado and Mississippi River basins to:

Increase the efficiency of irrigation practices to improve river flows and water quality in the Colorado River basin
Remove invasive plants along rivers to restore native vegetation in the Colorado River basin
Reduce nutrient loss and improve water quality in the Mississippi River basin
Retire frequently flooded farmland to allow for wetlands restoration in the Mississippi River basin
The Walton Family Foundation believes that conservation solutions that make economic sense are the ones that stand the test of time. The goals of the USDA’s new initiative complements the foundation’s goal of pursuing lasting conservation solutions for rivers while also recognizing the role these waters play in the livelihoods of those who live and work nearby. The foundation believes that lasting stewardship of rivers in the Mississippi and Colorado River basins will benefit from an engaged and sustainable agricultural community.

This news is courtesy of www.usda.gov

DECATUR, Ill. and LA JOLLA, Calif., – Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) and Synthetic Genomics, Inc. announced today that the two companies have entered into a long-term agreement to commercialize Omega-3 Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) from algae. As part of the agreement, Omega-3 DHA will be produced and marketed throughout the world by ADM’s Foods & Wellness and Animal Nutrition groups.

DHA is a long-chain Omega-3 fatty acid that has been studied for its role in brain, heart and eye health. While it is typically found in fish and seafood products, extracting DHA directly from algae grown in fermentation tanks yields a highly purified form of DHA, which can then be used as a dietary supplement for humans and in animal feed.

“This partnership is an important example of ADM’s ongoing efforts to enhance returns by strengthening our portfolio of higher-margin products,” said Greg Dodson, general manager, ADM Foods & Wellness. “There is significant demand for Omega-3 DHA products. We are impressed with the leading-edge technologies that SGI uses to quickly turn commercial opportunities into realities, and we look forward to working with them to use those capabilities to further enhance our current portfolio of nutritional ingredients.”

“We are pleased to be working with ADM, a global leader in human and animal health and nutrition,” said J. Craig Venter, Founder and CEO, SGI. “This agreement is a major accomplishment for SGI as it represents commercial validation of our science and technology. We are eager to continue to work with ADM to develop other unique and nutritionally sound food and nutraceutical ingredients.”

“The ADM partnership with SGI will prove beneficial for both companies by capitalizing on the strengths of SGI’s technologies and know how, while using ADM’s significant scale and production capabilities to commercialize important products demanded by our customers,” said Brent Fenton, president, ADM Animal Nutrition. “The end result will be an improved animal nutrition portfolio, which will deliver value both to our customers and our shareholders.”

“We are excited to have this partnership with ADM that will allow them to provide a real alternative to what had been a very short list of plant-derived DHA ingredients,” said Jon Getzinger, senior vice president at SGI. “Having a real choice in the market will provide manufacturers the opportunity for broader inclusion of this essential nutrient in food, beverage, nutraceutical and animal feed applications.”

About Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
SGI, a privately held company founded in 2005, is dedicated to developing and commercializing genomic-driven solutions to address a wide range of global challenges. The company is focused on several key research and business programs including: developing new synthetic DNA products and technologies through its subsidiary, SGI-DNA; algae biofuels; new and improved food and nutritional products; and clean water technology. SGI is also involved in synthetically derived vaccine development through Synthetic Genomic Vaccines Inc. (SGVI), a business unit co-founded with the J. Craig Venter Institute; and in developing sustainable crops such as castor and sweet sorghum and agricultural products through AgraCast, a company co-founded with Plenus S.A. de C.V. For more information, go to www.syntheticgenomics.com.

About ADM Foods & Wellness

ADM’s Foods & Wellness group offers a range of innovative specialty ingredients and products for the beverage, meat, snack, bakery, cereal, wellness and personal care markets. As a global market leader in food-grade proteins, ADM’s Foods & Wellness group also markets numerous health and nutrition products, lecithin, acidulants, hydrocolloids and polyols.

About ADM Animal Nutrition
ADM Animal Nutrition is a leading manufacturing, nutrition and marketing company, which offers a wide range of innovative products for the animal nutrition market. Known as a global leader in amino acids, ADM Animal Nutrition also offers consistent, high-quality feed products, supplements, premixes, custom ingredient blends and specialty feed ingredients designed to provide leading-edge solutions, enabling our customers to meet and optimize animal health and nutrition goals.

About ADM
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve vital needs. Today, 31,000 ADM employees around the globe convert oilseeds, corn, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses. With more than 270 processing plants, 470 crop procurement facilities, and the world’s premier crop transportation network, ADM helps connect the harvest to the home in more than 140 countries. For more information about ADM and its products, visit www.adm.com.

WASHINGTON, – In the face of what is shaping up to be a catastrophic fire season in the Southwest, the U.S. Forest Service is adding four additional aircraft to its next-generation firefighting fleet, bringing the total amount of aircraft to 21 large airtankers (with opportunities to add additional aircraft, if needed) and more than 100 helicopters. The new aircraft will enter service in the coming weeks and support over 10,000 firefighters for the 2014 wildfire season.

“We continue to increase and modernize the fleet of aircraft available for wildland fire suppression activities,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “These new planes will combine with our existing fleet to support to our heroes on the ground fighting wildfires to keep our resources and communities safe.”

The Forest Service is bringing into duty the first time this fire season a second DC10, and three BAe-146s. The DC10 cruises at 430 mph and can carry up to 11,600 gallons of retardant. Both the BAe-146 and a C130 originally brought on last fall cruise at roughly 350 mph and can carry more than 3,000 gallons of retardant. Eight C130s equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) are also now completing their recertification and training for this season. The Forest Service will also bring additional large airtankers in from Canada if needed. Airtankers drop fire retardant that reduces the intensity and rate of spread of wildfires so that firefighters can construct firelines safely.

Climate change, pests and disease, and suburban sprawl have combined to portend more severe wildfire seasons in recent years. Over the last three decades, fire season lengths have increased by 60-80 days and annual acreages burned have more than doubled to over 7 million acres annually. In addition, growing housing development in forests has put more people and houses in harms’ way, also making firefighting efforts more expensive.

Earlier this year, the Forest Service announced that it was projected to exceed its annual firefighting budget in July, two months before the end of the fiscal year. In its 2015 budget proposal, the Obama Administration proposed a special disaster relief cap adjustment for use when costs of fighting fires exceed Forest Service and Department of the Interior budgets. The proposal tracks closely with legislation authored by Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho, and Representatives Mike Simpson of Idaho and Kurt Schrader of Oregon.

This news is courtesy of www.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, May 21, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new risk management option that will be available for fruit and vegetable growers and producers with diversified farms. The policy, called Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, will provide flexible coverage options for specialty crop, organic and diversified crop producers. The program will be implemented in counties across the country and will expand in availability over the next several years.

Whole-Farm insurance allows farmers to insure all crops on their farm at once, rather than insuring commodity by commodity. Traditionally, many fruit and vegetable crops have not had crop insurance programs designed for them—making it less attractive for a farmer that primarily planted a commodity crop like wheat or corn to use another part of his or her land for growing fruits and vegetables or other specialty crops. This allows farmers greater flexibility to make planting decisions on their land.

“Crop insurance has been the linchpin of the farm safety net for years and continues to grow as the single most important factor in protecting producers of all sizes from the effects of unpredictable weather,” said Vilsack. “Providing farmers the option to insure their whole farm at once gives farmers more flexibility, promotes crop diversity, and helps support the production of healthy fruits and vegetables. More flexibility also empowers farmers and ranchers to make a broader range of decisions with their land, helping them succeed and strengthening our agriculture economy.”

The 2014 Farm Bill requires a whole-farm crop insurance policy option, and paves the way for the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to make it broadly available to specialty crop, organic, and diversified growers. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors (FCIC Board) approved the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection pilot policy for RMA to offer it through the federal crop insurance program in 2015.

USDA has taken many steps to provide effective insurance coverage for diversified, organic and specialty crops. The whole-farm crop insurance policy provides flexibility to meet the needs of specialty crop growers, organic producers and those with diversified farms, and who have farm production and revenue history, including five years of historic farm tax records. This policy is also part of USDA’s commitment to small and mid-sized producers managing diversified operations.

USDA has been strengthening crop insurance by providing more risk management options for farmers and ranchers. The policy offers coverage levels from 50 to 85 percent; recognizes farm diversification through qualification for the highest coverage levels along with premium rate discounts for multiple crop diversification. The Market Readiness Feature, as outlined in the Farm Bill, simplifies insurance coverage for producers under the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection pilot policy by allowing the costs such as washing, trimming, and packaging to be left in the insured revenue instead of having to adjust those amounts out of the insured amount.

The new Whole-Farm Revenue Protection policy combines Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) and AGR-Lite along with several improvements to target diversified farms and farms selling two to five commodities, including specialty crops to wholesale markets. The new policy is also designed to meet the risk management needs of diversified crop or livestock producers including those growing specialty crops and/or selling to local and regional markets, farm identity preserved markets, or direct markets.

As part of the pilot, Whole-Farm Revenue Protection will be available where AGR and AGR-Lite are currently offered, and will expand to other counties as data are available for underwriting and actuarial ratemaking. RMA will release information on the policy later this summer when it becomes available. This information will be announced on the RMA website at www.rma.usda.gov.

OMAHA, Neb., – ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) announced the winners of its 2014 Sustainable Development Awards yesterday, an internal awards program that drives and rewards imaginative approaches to sustainability, and produces bottom line business results. The 85 entries received this year collectively:

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 9,500 metric tons
Reduced landfill waste by 10,500 tons
Optimized and improved packaging, while using 7.8 million pounds less material
Conserved more than 820 million gallons of water
Delivering more than $30 million in savings, these projects exhibit the economic value of a company’s commitment to sustainable development. This year’s initiatives amounted to the largest water savings the company has seen to date. Many of these initiatives were driven by the imagination and effort of employees. The awards program recognizes the fact that employees can make a big impact by coming together to do what’s right for both the environment and the business.

ConAgra Foods started its Sustainable Development Awards program in 1992 to encourage and reward employees to find ways to eliminate waste, save water and reduce energy through smart design and execution. Winning teams are awarded a $5,000 grant from the ConAgra Foods Foundation to apply toward a sustainability-focused community service project.

“Each year I continue to be impressed with the ingenuity and imagination of our employees who drive these projects to completion,” said Gail Tavill, vice president of Sustainable Development at ConAgra Foods. “Many of this year’s projects took a no-nonsense, common sense approach to driving better effectiveness and efficiencies in our operations, delivering bigger impacts year over year.”

ConAgra Foods 2014 Sustainable Development Award winning entries include:

Climate Change & Energy Efficiency – ConAgra Foods’ Frozen Food Facility in Russellville, Ark.

Russellville’s third shift maintenance team members stopped wasted energy and water at the source every night by diligently shutting down equipment not scheduled for production.
The project resulted in 16 pieces of equipment per line shutdown, contributing to a 5.8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per pound produced this year.
Water Resources: Conservation & Wastewater Management – ConAgra Foods’ Snack Facility in Lincoln, Neb.

Lincoln challenged weekly wet wash cleaning cycles and validated cleaning results to extend the cleaning cycle.
The project reduced water usage by 650,000 gallons annually, an overall 4.7% water use reduction. The change also improved employee safety and cleaning results.
Solid Waste Reduction & Recycling – ConAgra Foods’ Lamb Weston Potato Facilities in Hermiston, Ore. and American Falls, Idaho

Food oil recovery and reuse is an important part of Lamb Weston’s process. To meet customer specifications, as well as maximize the amount of recovered oil utilized, the Hermiston and American Falls facilities started an exchange program, reducing the amount of fresh oil purchased and saving transportation miles.
The project eliminated 629 tons of waste oil previously sent out as animal feed supplement or fuel production.
Sustainable Business Innovation – ConAgra Foods’ Research, Quality & Innovation Team in Omaha, Neb.

The Packaging and Quality functions collaborated to challenge traditional practices that required keeping high levels of inventory in the plant. The change in thinking allowed for less inventory, which led to a corrugated material reduction and a new, improved display-ready box.
This project reduced over 4.6 million pounds of packaging and improved customer functionality with a more efficient and effective display-ready case.
Award of Excellence – ConAgra Foods’ Lamb Weston Meijer Potato Facilities in Kruiningen and Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands

Lamb Weston Meijer facilities implemented Predictive Control Model which resulted in increased efficiencies, reduced utility usage and improved product consistency and quality, all while freeing up the time previously required for manual process control.
This initiative reduced over 2,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, a 2.1% reduction in overall plant carbon emissions.
About ConAgra Foods
ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America’s largest packaged food companies with branded and private branded food found in 99 percent of America’s households, as well as a strong commercial foods business serving restaurants and foodservice operations globally. Consumers can find recognized brands such as Banquet®, Chef Boyardee®, Egg Beaters®, Healthy Choice®, Hebrew National®, Hunt’s®, Marie Callender’s®, Orville Redenbacher’s®, PAM®, Peter Pan®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®, Snack Pack® and many other ConAgra Foods brands, along with food sold by ConAgra Foods under private brand labels, in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise, club and drug stores. Additionally, ConAgra Foods supplies frozen potato and sweet potato products as well as other vegetable, spice, bakery and grain products to commercial and foodservice customers. ConAgra Foods operates ReadySetEat.com, an interactive recipe website that provides consumers with easy dinner recipes and more. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Walmart, the nation’s largest grocer, announced today it will carry Wild Oats organic food items. Originally introduced in 1987, Wild Oats will relaunch at Walmart starting this month with a new, more affordable price point on quality products covering a broad variety of categories – from salsa and pasta sauce to quinoa and chicken broth. Customers will save 25 percent or more when comparing Wild Oats to national brand organic products.*

Wild Oats, a trusted provider of organic groceries, will feature the following lines at Walmart:

Wild Oats Marketplace Organic™, which adheres to USDA guidelines for organic certification and includes everything from canned vegetables (15 oz) at $.88 to a full range of spices such as paprika, curry powder and ground cinnamon (2 oz) starting at $2.48. Organic items represent nearly 90 percent of the Wild Oats offering.
Wild Oats Marketplace™, which includes products with simple and real ingredients such as ready-to-prepare skillet meals (5.8 oz) at $1.50.
Wild Oats Marketplace Originals™, offering new and uniquely formulated items, will be available later this year.
“We know our customers are interested in purchasing organic products and, traditionally, those customers have had to pay more,” said Jack Sinclair, executive vice president of grocery at Walmart U.S. “We are changing that and creating a new price position for organic groceries that increases access. This is part of our ongoing effort to use our scale to deliver quality, affordable groceries to our customers.”

The Wild Oats brand meets customer demand for more affordable organic foods. In fact, internal research found that 91 percent of Walmart shoppers would consider purchasing products from an affordable organic brand at the retailer.

“By partnering with Walmart, Wild Oats is starting a movement that makes it easier than ever for customers to access affordable organic and natural products,” said Tom Casey, CEO of Wild Oats. “Our availability at Walmart will allow us to finally pass along scalable savings directly to consumers. We are reinvigorating our brand by bringing great tasting Wild Oats products to more customers than ever before.”

With more than 4,000 stores across the nation selling groceries, Walmart offers a broad assortment of fresh produce, dairy, meat and packaged foods. In addition to growing its organic product offering through Wild Oats, the retailer is expanding its assortment in categories including yogurt, produce, deli and bakery.

“At Walmart, we are focused on offering customers choice,” added Sinclair. “We know our customers count on us to provide them with affordable access to all of the groceries they are looking for. Organics are no exception.”

Wild Oats product assortment will vary by store. Walmart.com will also offer Wild Oats later this summer. More information can be found starting today at www.walmart.com/wildoats and www.wildoats.com.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere — in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 245 million customers and members visit our 11,302 stores under 71 banners in 27 countries and ecommerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2014 sales of over $473 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

About Wild Oats

Wild Oats Marketing, LLC was formed by The Yucaipa Companies in December 2011 to bring back the much-loved and trusted Wild Oats brand. Founded in 1987 in Boulder, Colorado, as Wild Oats Markets, the original Wild Oats was a leading operator of natural and organic foods stores and farmers markets in North America, and grew to become the nation’s second-largest natural and organic foods chain.

AUSTIN, Texas, March 31, 2014 – New Frontiers Natural Marketplace and Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ: WFM) announced today that Whole Foods Market will purchase four stores from New Frontiers. The stores average 22,000 square feet in size and are located in Flagstaff, Prescott and Sedona, Ariz., and San Luis Obispo, Calif.

The two companies expect the transaction to be finalized in the next few weeks. The stores will continue to operate under the New Frontiers Natural Marketplace banner until they are re-signed as Whole Foods Market stores.

“Over the years, when I have at times wondered if our stores would someday merge with a larger strategic partner, Whole Foods Market has always been my premier choice,” said Jonathan King, president of New Frontiers. “We are very enthusiastic about their ability to take our stores into a successful future. We know they will provide growth opportunities for our exceptional team members, and continue to bring retail excellence and outstanding service to our local communities.”

“As New Frontiers has done so well, Whole Foods Market also has a long history of supporting the communities we serve. We are excited to expand our presence to new markets in Arizona and Central California, bringing our fresh, delicious and competitively priced products with the highest quality standards in the business to these vibrant communities,” said Patrick Bradley, Whole Foods Market Southern Pacific regional president.

As part of the agreement, Whole Foods Market will offer jobs to the team members at the four acquired locations.

“We want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the wonderful team members in the four locations who have provided extraordinary service to our loyal shoppers for so many years,” said Jonathan King. “We also want to express our gratitude for the customers who have embraced New Frontiers as their trusted grocer. We are confident Patrick and his Whole Foods Market teams will continue to take great care of everyone.”

This news is courtesy of www.wholefoods.com

DEERFIELD, Ill., – Mondelez International today announced a global strategic partnership with Facebook, as the company continues to shift more media spending to digital, especially social and mobile, across the entire consumer journey. The partnership leverages the scale of both businesses to deliver overall competitive advantage via step-change brand-building, ground-breaking innovation and access to research, training and capabilities.

“Our recent campaigns with brands like Cadbury Creme Egg, Milka and Nilla Wafers demonstrated that Facebook can drive business growth, and this made us rethink our media approach,” said Bonin Bough, Vice President of Global Media and Consumer Engagement, Mondelez International. “For the first time, we’ll be able to incorporate Facebook at the core of our media investment plans. This isn’t just about having a social media strategy; it’s about digitizing our entire approach to communications.”

“As an industry, we’re shifting back to a more personal way of marketing, leveraging technology to bring a personal touch to business with the scale and efficiency of mass media,” said Carolyn Everson, VP Global Marketing Solutions, Facebook. “Every day, people spend more of their time on mobile and on Facebook, which is built around people and the things they care about. We’re excited to team up with Mondelez International to make marketing personal again.”

Brokered in conjunction with Aegis Media, the agreement covers 52 countries, including the UK, the United States, France, Brazil, India, Indonesia and the Gulf States. Going beyond a traditional media buy, the partnership also includes a joint commitment to innovation, opportunities to opt into Facebook’s beta-testing programs, access to research and capability building through immersion days in priority markets.

“Social and mobile is now an integral part of the consumer’s journey – before and after making a purchase,” said Gerry D’Angelo, European Media Director, Mondelez International. “Therefore, it makes business sense to partner with Facebook at a global level to leverage their capacity to engage with consumers at these critical points of the consumer journey to accelerate our growth.”

“We offer a proven platform for building brands,” said Will Platt-Higgins, Director Global Partnerships, Facebook. “We’re thrilled to become a business partner with Mondelez International to help increase growth of their iconic brands.”

About Mondelez International
Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is a global snacking powerhouse, with 2013 revenue of $35 billion. Creating delicious moments of joy in 165 countries, Mondelez International is a world leader in chocolate, biscuits, gum, candy, coffee and powdered beverages, with billion-dollar brands such as Cadbury, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate, Jacobs coffee, Oreo, LU and Nabisco biscuits, Tang powdered beverages and Trident gum. Mondelez International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, NASDAQ 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

This news is courtesy of www.mondelezinternational.com

Emeryville, Calif.,– Plum Organics is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of two varieties of its World Baby line of pouch products due to intermittent damage to the plastic spouts during manufacturing.

There is a possibility that small fragments could loosen, detach and present a choking hazard if the product is consumed. These products should not be given to children. Plum has received approximately 14 consumer complaints about damaged spouts. No injuries have been reported to date. Out of an abundance of caution, Plum is removing all affected pouches from the marketplace.

The recalled products include World Baby Italy and World Baby Thailand varieties and can be identified by the following “Best By” dates on the package:
World Baby Italy–Zucchini & Spinach with Pasta Marinara with “Best By” date of 09Sep14 (Sept. 9, 2014).
World Baby Thailand–Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Rice with “Best By” date of 10Sep14 (Sept. 10, 2014).
Approximately 12,000 cases of the recalled products were shipped nationwide to grocery, mass and online retailers in the United States. No other Plum products are affected by this recall.

The company announced the recall after discovering damage to the top rim of the spout in some pouches. The damage should be plainly visible as a depression in the rim, possibly with a fragment of plastic attached to the damaged area.
Consumers who have purchased affected products can contact the Plum Organics Consumer Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 866-535-3774 or send an email to info@plumorganics.com to request reimbursement. For more information visit: www.plumorganics.com/March2014Recall.

This news is courtesy of www.campbellsoupcompany.com

WASHINGTON, – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced new figures today that show the organic industry continues to grow domestically and globally, with over 25,000 certified organic operations in more than 120 different countries around the world.

Through the Agricultural Marketing Service’s National Organic Program, USDA has helped an additional 763 producers become certified organic in just 2013, an increase of 4.2 percent from the previous year. The industry today encompasses a record breaking 18,513 certified organic farms and businesses in the United States alone, representing a 245 percent increase since 2002. The 2013 list of certified USDA organic operations shows an increased rate of domestic growth within the industry, resuming previous trends.

“Consumer demand for organic products has grown exponentially over the past decade. With retail sales valued at $35 billion last year, the organic industry represents a tremendous economic opportunity for farmers, ranchers and rural communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “New support in the 2014 Farm Bill will enhance USDA’s efforts to help producers and small business tap into this market and support organic agriculture as it continues to grow and thrive.”

USDA has a number of new and expanded efforts to connect organic farmers and businesses with resources that will ensure the continued growth of the organic industry domestically and abroad. During this Administration, USDA has signed three major trade agreements on organic products, first with Canada and then with the European Union and Japan. Our trading partners are eager to establish organic equivalency arrangements with the U.S. because they recognize the strength of the National Organic Program and the value of the USDA organic label.

USDA is also helping organic stakeholders access programs that support conservation, provide access to loans and grants, fund organic research and education, and mitigate pest emergencies. Funds are currently available for research projects under the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative to solve critical organic agriculture issues, priorities, or problems. The program also funds research projects to enhance the ability of organic producers and processors to grow and market their products. Additional information is available online, and request for proposals are due by May 8, 2014.

Additionally, the recently-signed 2014 Farm Bill includes provisions that are a greater support to the organic community, including:

$20 million annually for dedicated organic research, agricultural extension programs, and education. The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide, non-credit educational network. Every U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land-grant university and a network of local or regional offices staffed by experts that provide useful, practical, and research-based information.
$5 million to fund data collection on organic agriculture that will give policymakers, organic farmers, and organic businesses data needed to make sound policy, business, and marketing decisions
Expanded options for organic crop insurance to protect farmers
Expanded exemptions for organic producers who are paying into commodity “check off” programs, and authority for USDA to consider an application for the organic sector to establish its own check off
Improved enforcement authority for the National Organic Program to conduct investigations
$5 million for a technology upgrade of the National Organic Program to provide up-to-date information about certified organic operations across the supply chain
$11.5 million annually for certification cost-share assistance, which reimburses the costs of annual certification for organic farmers and livestock producers by covering 75 percent of certification costs, up to $750 per year

This news is courtesy of www.usda.gov