I enjoy the comments from my readers on the articles in my Free Newsletter. I haven’t received a comment yet that I didn’t enjoy reading. The people who don’t agree with my comments give me a new way to look at the issues. I hope you all are visiting www.agplus.net regularly to read the latest in produce news as well as interesting stories from around the country and world.
By ANDREW BRIDGES
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The government on Tuesday proposed relaxing its rules on labeling irradiated foods and suggested it may allow some products zapped with radiation to be called ''pasteurized. The Food and Drug Administration said the proposed rule would require companies to label irradiated food only when the radiation treatment causes a material change to the product. Examples include changes to the taste, texture, smell or shelf life of a food. The FDA also proposed letting companies use the term ''pasteurized'' to describe irradiated foods. To do so, they would have to show the FDA that the radiation kills germs as well as the pasteurization process does. Pasteurization typically involves heating a product to a high temperature and then cooling it rapidly.
Harold Thinks! It may not seem like much but this is a huge story. I have mentioned in the past how people are changing words around to make them kinder and gentler and hide the stark meaning of the word from the world. We no longer have Welfare in this country they changed the name. When was the last time you saw illegal alien in print, other than in my Newsletter? The term now is illegal immigrant. It sounds nicer doesn’t it? We have had the ability to irradiate food for a long time. The articles I have read about the process indicated that it is a very safe way to provide safer food to the world. You will hear a lot more about this as it gets more press. There will be a major fight over this issue. I have my doubts whether the change will come to pass.
BY RUSSELL RAY THE TAMPA TRIBUNE
The big federal dollars for farm crops have always gone to corn, wheat and soybeans, while fruit and vegetables -- crops Florida produces a lot of -- get zilch.
That may change soon. Under legislation recently introduced, specialty crops such as citrus, strawberries, tomatoes and tree nuts would get a big share of the money allocated by the federal farm bill. Industry officials say it is a major change in farm policy that is long overdue. Specialty crops, which account for half of the nation's farm income, have consistently been pushed aside by the farm bill, receiving little or no funding. The so-called program crops -- corn, wheat, soybeans, rice and cotton -- are used to make products ranging from fabrics to animal feed and get the bulk of federal support. But the farm bill, which expires in September, is being reworked by Congress to stress the importance of fruit and vegetables and healthy eating.
"We're actually getting a seat at the table," said Florida Citrus Mutual Chief Executive Officer Michael Sparks. "In the past, we were not able to participate in the program.”
Harold Thinks! There are many things about this proposal that all of us should like. The biggest one being the increased funding to get more people eating produce. This article was well written, and it goes into the good and bad effects this farm bill would have on our industry. What do you think about this proposed program?
