UNITED STATES - Bill Gates spoke to the Verge on GMOs and what he thinks their contribution will be to the state of world hunger.
Depending on who you ask, genetically modified organisms or GMOs, are either the solution to malnutrition and hunger in the developing world or a threat to food sovereignty. For example, on average, Ugandans eat a pound of bananas daily — more than any other population. But this important resource has been threatened by a bacterial wilt disease, turning the banana plant’s sap into ooze, wilting the leaves, rotting the fruit, and eventually destroying the crop.
Banana wilt was first seen in Uganda in 2001, and neither pesticides nor chemicals have stopped it, according to The Verge. Farmers tried to control the wilt’s spread by burning infected plants and disinfecting tools, but the disease cut Ugandan banana yields by as much as half from 2001 to 2004. In the country’s central region, wilt hit 80% of plants, and sometimes knocked out whole fields, according to a report from The Guardian.
So scientists at Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), a recipient of funding from the Gates Foundation, created a genetically modified banana by inserting a green pepper gene into the banana’s genome. Evidence shows the new gene triggers a process that kills infected cells, saving the plant. NARO wants to give the seeds away for free, but no regulation exists around GMOs in Uganda, and 2000’s Cartagena protocol ensures Uganda is obligated to take a cautionary approach to GMO technology. According to The Verge, the Ugandan government is looking to passing a law that would allow the introduction of GMOs, including the bacteria-resistant banana. However, some food scientists worry it may open the door to corporate exploitation by multinational companies.
Watch this video by The Verge below for Bill Gates' take on the issue.
This year, the Gates Foundation’s annual letter points to innovations in farming as a revolution that will transform the lives of the poor over the next 15 years, particularly in Africa. The UN’s World Food Programme estimates over 800 million individuals, or one in nine people on the planet, struggle to eat enough food on a regular basis. In places like Sub-Saharan Africa, hunger is a tremendous problem. Ironically, 70 percent of the population in the region are farmers. But the prevalence of hunger there is among the highest in the world, with one in five people being undernourished.
Bill Gates suggests that a new generation of highly productive crops are part of the solution to address global hunger. Seeds that are drought-resistant, disease-resistant, productive, and nutritious could be a huge benefit to farmers, according to The Verge. Some of the crops can be bred through traditional methods, but Gates thinks many African countries will adopt GMOs.
GMOs have been widely publicized as a means to end hunger and malnutrition. Engineering for specific traits, like the wilt-resistant banana in Uganda, could make farmers less vulnerable to crop loss. "GMO-derived seeds will provide far better productivity, better drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, and if the safety is proven, then the African countries will be among the biggest beneficiaries," Bill Gates told The Verge.
The Gates Foundation suggests that by using better fertilizer and more productive crops such as GMOs, African farmers could "theoretically double their yields." (The average yield per acre in Africa is one-fifth of that in the US.) "With the right investments," the Gates letter continues, it may be possible for farmers on the continent to "increase productivity by 50% overall.”
Uganda’s wilt-resistant banana is the best possible scenario for GMO adoption, in some respects. The strain was created by local scientists and because it’s being distributed for free, won’t lead to capital from farmers flowing out of the country, according to The Verge. But some activists are concerned that the banana GMO will open the door to other crops with destructive consequences. "Farmers have been told that the GMOs are almost the same as non-GMOs," Ellady Muyambi, an Environmental Scientist at the Uganda Network on Toxic Free Malaria, told NPR. "But they would have to go to a company to buy the seeds. Many farmers can’t afford expensive seeds. They would have no rights."
Hunger in Uganda is a bigger issue than the impact of one GMO law. Evidence suggests that improving farmer education programs and infrastructure investment can have a bigger impact than increasing productivity alone. Without infrastructure and policy changes, more food won’t eliminate hunger. And while GMOs like the wilt-resistant banana may save critical crops, it’s not clear if they can ensure food security in these hungry communities.
UNITED STATES – The polar vortex has sent temperatures plunging and set hundreds of daily record lows and at least three all-time record lows this week.
According to the National Weather Service, an eddy of the polar vortex is leading to the coldest weather that has hit the eastern half of the country.
The Weather Channel is reporting the Lynchburg, Virginia plummeted to 11 below zero this morning for an all-time record low. Flint, Michigan and Erie, Pennsylvania both tied their record lows of 25 below zero and 18 below zero, respectively.
Record lows for the day were also set in at least 72 cities, including New York, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Miami.
NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center is reporting that from Sunday through Wednesday of this week, 453 record lows were tied or broken. That number is expected to increase exponentially when the data for yesterday and today are published.
The south was not exempt from the cold. Florida saw record lows for the date in Miami (42, tie), Fort Lauderdale (40, tie), West Palm Beach (38), Naples (36), Fort Myers (35), Orlando (33, tie) and Jacksonville (24). Parts of the Florida Panhandle dipped down to 19 degrees this morning. As we previously reported, Florida growers were concerned about the incoming cold front's duration and possible effect on crops.
According to NBC News, this latest winter system has killed at least 15 people, including 11 in Tennessee, where more than half of the deaths were because of hypothermia.
Unfortunately, the next winter storm is already on its way. The Weather Channel reports that 27 million people are under winter storm advisories, watches or warnings.
Sleet and freezing rain is being forecasted for Friday night in Arkansas, then to Tennessee and Kentucky on Saturday, and to Virginia and West Virginia late Saturday night.
As for snow, the system is expected to drop 3 to 6 inches across Pennsylvania, New York and New England, and parts of West Virginia and Virginia could get a foot or more.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track these record-breaking winter systems.
SALINAS, CA - The Agricultural Personnel Management Association (APMA) just hosted its 35th Annual Forum, with a record number of over 250 Human Resource and Safety professionals in attendance.
The APMA has been serving its members in agriculture since 1981 when it was founded by some rather recognizable names in the industry including Limoneira, Ocean Mist, Bonita/Betteravia, and Paramount Citrus*.
“One of the main objectives for APMA is to promote networking among members and encourage them to share resources and information to succeed in their jobs,” Julia Belliard, Executive Director of APMA, said.
The Forum presents the opportunity for HR and safety professionals, company representatives, attorneys and others who work in the agricultural industry to come together over the course of a few days and talk about regulations, industry challenges, and potential solutions.
This year’s event was held at the Monterey Plaza in Monterey, CA, from the 28th through the 30th of January. The nonprofit organization is the founder of the first human resources certification course that is specific to agriculture, which was a focal highlight of the conference.
“This year, we will honor the fifth graduating class of Human Resource Professionals in Agriculture (HRPA™) at the Annual Dinner,” Joseph Mallobox, President of APMA and Corporate HR Director for Taylor Fresh Foods, said in his opening speech. “It is also our largest group to date of graduates. Our Board of Directors works diligently throughout the year to expand the scope of this program and to bring to our attendees a wide variety of speakers and topics. Coinciding with the educational experience is an opportunity to network with colleagues, which in and of itself is a valuable asset toward developing professionally and enhancing one’s knowledge.”
The idea for the program was born eight years ago, with the first class of five students graduating in 2011. This year the nonprofit celebrates the graduation of 60 students, its largest class to date.
“I was already part of the board when the certification program started, so I had an opportunity to be a part of it,” Julio Sanchez, APMA Vice President and General Manager for RAMCO Enterprises, said. “Today my involvement continues as an instructor for one of its modules. It’s great to spend some class time with human resource individuals who are starting their careers, or people who have been in the business for years but never had the unique opportunity to be certified from an agricultural aspect.”
The latest perk of attendance is that APMA now offers a human resource certification course while at the forum as a bonus, as well as 23 other educational sessions. “This course allows participants to experience and learn more about the HRPA program, in addition to remaining through the full three days of the Forum,” Sanchez said.
Other key highlights of the forum included an opening by James Houston, Undersecretary for California Department of Food and Agriculture on Outlook for Agriculture for 2015, a luncheon presentation by Philip Taluban, CFO of Ocean Mist on the work they’ve done with Human Resources, and a closing note by Lourdes Gonzalez, HR Director for Gowan Company on Globalization of Agriculture.
Kathleen Thompson, HR Director for Limoneira, and Lourdes Gonzalez also received the first two Visionary Leadership Awards in recognition of their efforts to the development of the Human Resource Professional Program, providing an opportunity for the unique needs of the agricultural industry within Human Resources.
“I just want people to know we are a resource,” Belliard said. “We are a vehicle for agriculture education and information.”
Mallobox personally thanked the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) for Health & Safety track, Deason Law and Littler for the Global track in his presentation recognizing the Forum’s very first specific track sponsors, making the quality of the occasion possible.
*Full list of APMA Founders:
UC Ag Extension and several regional Grower-Shipper Associations
JG Boswell Company
Borba Agribusiness
PLEASANTON, CA - The Fresh Produce and Floral Council hosted a membership luncheon at the Castlewood Country Club yesterday, providing an opportunity for industry members and growers to mingle, sample, and share in some of what’s in store for 2015. Key sponsors and speakers included California Avocado Commission, Earthbound Farm, Naturipe, Mastronardi Produce, and the Oppenheimer Group.
The event’s guest speaker Scott Farrell, President of Global Corporate Communications at GolinHarris, introduced new ideas and strategies for businesses in the food industry to combat the panic being incensed by the Food Activist Movement, which employs a shock and fear approach to call attention to the corporate flaws of food and produce.
In a segment entitled Food [React]ivism, Farrell suggested tips such as welcoming an emotional approach when delivering facts to the public, more transparency and willingness to share with consumers in the media, and meeting with activists in an attempt to find common ground.
Several tables offered samples of new products and refreshments before the main event began in the welcoming atmosphere of the Castlewood dining room. A raffle including gift card, rewards, and a football signed by Joe Montana, were awarded by each of the speakers.
Connie Stukenberg, Retail Marketing Director for the California Avocado Commission, emphasized the success of the first avocado commercial to appear during the Super Bowl which is helping the company significantly in reaching its projected 327 million pounds of projected sales. Showing the video available below, Stukenberg also highlighted studies showing over 60 percent of consumers would change labels if it meant access to locally-grown produce.
Brittany Larkin, Territory Business Development Manager for Earthbound Farm shared the company’s plans to make 2015 the “Year of Flavor,” by introducing several new salads for the advancing pallets of consumers. New releases include Kale Caesar, Sun-Washed Mediterranean Salad, and Garden Party Salad as well as new premium all-organic kits launching in March of this year.
Kyla Oberman, Marketing Manager for Naturipe, spoke about the company's ready-to-eat fresh fruit snacks. As well as speaking, she was available with Marketing Coordinator Jesse Curtis to provide samples of the travel-ready fresh produce.
Garland Perkins, Business Development for Oppy, spoke of a new state-of-the-art SunSelect greenhouse being built in California. TOVs, red bell peppers, and cocktail and specialty tomatoes will be grown in the new greenhouse. Oppy saw a 139 percent increase in volume last year with major growth in Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit and are now focusing on late season Lepe and Aguas Blancas Chilean grapes.
AndNowUKnow would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to attend an event in which members and attendees enjoyed the opportunity to mingle and share a comfortable atmosphere.
JACKSONVILLE, FL - Crowley Accord Management Pvt. Ltd. has added another 5 tankers to its fleet of international management, now bringing the company’s total line to more than 70 ships, and they are not done. According to a press release, the company plans to award full technical management to three more in the coming weeks.
“The Crowley Accord partnership continues to be a successful one and this latest onboarding of additional vessels is testament to that,” Mike Golonka, Vice President of Crowley’s Ship Management, said in the release. “Vessel owners are seeking us out because we provide honesty and transparency in our operations and adaptable, safe, and professional solutions for all of our customers.”
Four of the new additions, the MT Dawn Haridwar, MT Dawn Mansarovar, MT Dawn Mathura and MT Dawn Madurai, are owned by Arya Tankers and will operate along the Indian Coast. The fifth new tanker, MT Portland Pearl, is owned by Union Maritime Limited and will operate in the Europe-to-Nigeria trade. All together they represent over 130,000 gross tons in the market.
“Crowley Accord draws on its pool of experienced resources, which are at its disposal both ashore and afloat,” Sanjay Shesh, Managing Director for Crowley Accord, said. “We utilize proven systems based on internationally recognized quality management principles and have the flexibility to meet all owners' needs for periodic technical and accounting reports – all things our new customers indicated were of importance to them.”
Crowley is one of the few U.S. companies that provides third-party international crewing and technical ship management. These latest additions come just short of the anniversary of the company’s acquisition, which took place in April of 2014, that allowed them to expand in the international ship management market.
NEWARK, DE - The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has released its new recommendations for food consumption. It is the first time the advisory committee, which updates its recommendations in a report every five years, has considered the environmental impact of food choices.
Also for the first time, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee singled out "added sugars" — those not naturally found in foods such as fruit and encouraging Americans to sharply cut back, according to USA today.
Rather than focus on the effects of individual ingredients, the report urges Americans to think about healthy dietary patterns, with more fruits, nuts, legumes, vegetables and whole grains, and less red or processed meat. This type of diet is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the USDA’s report. Plant-based diets also use fewer resources, such as land, water and energy, and produce fewer greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change and are less likely than livestock to pollute the land, according to the report.
Cathy Burns, President of Produce Marketing Association (PMA) said in a statement, “PMA commends the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for their emphasis on fruit and vegetable consumption throughout the report. Key findings detailed in the report reinforce what we already know to be true; fruits and vegetables are integral parts to a healthy diet. Notably, the committee found that the consumption of fruits has remained low, but stable, for the U.S. population. Vegetable intake has declined, particularly among children and adolescents. Findings like this reinforce the need for marketing initiatives that make a connection to our healthy foods for young consumers – like the eat brighter!™ movement.”
Registered Dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix tells USA Today it makes sense to move meat from a "starring role" as the main dish to side dish or "accent."
"It's not only healthier, but it's more economical," says Taub-Dix.
According to USA Today, the committee's scientific report will be used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services to write the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, scheduled to be released by the end of the year.
The federal government uses those guidelines to plan menus for the National School Lunch Program and when developing nutrition programs for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which provides food vouchers for low-income families.
Government food policies are important because diseases such as obesity and diabetes disproportionately affect poor people, says committee member Lucile Adams-Campbell, Associate Director for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington.
The report notes that 49 million Americans, including 9 million children, live with "food insecurity," meaning they don't have a stable source of nutritious, affordable food.
Poor nutrition is a critical concern for Americans of all incomes, the report says.
“We thank the committee for their efforts and acknowledge their thoughtful recommendations for a healthful, nutritious diet,” Burns continued. “As part of our work in Issues Leadership – bringing our expertise and leadership to issues that affect members most – we’ll be submitting comments on behalf of the produce industry that support the commitment to fresh, affordable and nutritious options that are available to consumers of all demographics.”
The advisory committee also recommended that Americans get less than 10% of their daily calories from added sugar. According to the Food and Drug Administration, Americans today get about 16% of their daily calories from added sugars.
The new guidelines state that people following a 2,000-calorie diet should consume no more than 50 grams of added sugar a day. In response, the FDA has proposed changing food labels to list added sugars. The current label lists total sugar, a combination of added and natural sugar.
The report calls on the nation to shift toward preventing health problems rather than treating them after they develop, says committee member Barbara Millen, Registered Dietitian with Millennium Prevention in Massachusetts.
About half of American adults have one or more health problems linked to poor diet and lack of exercise, such as heart disease, obesity, cancer or type 2 diabetes, according to the report. About two-thirds of adults and nearly one-third of children are obese.
With any luck, these new guidelines will build even greater support for fresh and nutritious food options.
JAPAN - Step aside Apple Watch, another fruit has hit the accessory line for fitness and fashion.
Dole Japan has married produce, exercise, and technology with its new wearable Smart Banana, which will be unveiled at the annual Tokyo Marathon.
Check it out for yourself in the video below:
With sensors that are able to measure the runner’s heart rate and race time, all the company needs to do is slip the technology under the peel to give the runners something a bit unique to run with. And LED lights of course, because fashion is just as important as function.
The technology is, however, slightly cannibalistic, advising runners to eat bananas at each rest stop along the race. But if you can’t beat them, join them! The runners can eat the bananas as soon as they’ve crossed the finish line, though the jury is still out on if sensors and lights affect the taste.
HOUSTON, TX – The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the $8.2 billion Sysco/US Foods merger.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the FTC voted 3-2 in favor of the lawsuit, saying that the merger would create a dominant national company that could raise prices and reduce service.
Sysco and US Foods are the only U.S. food distributors with the geographic reach to offer nationwide contracts to deliver food and other supplies to hotel chains, hospitals and fast food restaurants.
“Consumers across the country, and the businesses that serve them, benefit from the healthy competition between Sysco and US Foods, whether they eat at a restaurant, hotel or a hospital,” Debbie Feinstein, head of the FTC’s bureau of competition, said in a statement.
Though Sysco has been in talks with the FTC to circumvent an antitrust lawsuit, Reuters is reporting that the company already secured law firm O’Melveny & Meyers LLP as counsel to fight the potential lawsuit.
Sysco Chief Executive Bill DeLaney said in a statement, “The facts are strongly in our favor, and we look forward to making our case in court. Those of us who work in the industry every day know it is fiercely competitive.”
Before yesterday’s FTC decision, Sysco and US Foods offered to sell 11 distribution centers with $5 billion in sales. The centers would have been sold to Performance Food Group in an attempt to make it a national competitor.
As we have previously reported, the merger has been delayed more than once since the official offer made in December of 2013.
The FTC is planning to try the merger case through its own administrative litigation system and set a trial date of July 21, according to the Wall Street Journal. The commission is also planning on asking a Washington, D.C. federal court to issue a preliminary injunction to block the deal while the case proceeds.
The merger agreement is set to expire in September, but it could be extended if the litigation is not finished by then.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for the latest on this developing story.
UNITED STATES – The West Coast port slowdowns are taking a toll on Chilean fruit being imported into the United States.
Both FEDEFRUTA and the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) are reporting that the damages have reached approximately $50 million, which is higher than previously anticipated.
According to ASOEX, the slowdown has delayed the unloading of ships from a two-day average to 7 days and expects that to increase even further to 12 days.
U.S. Ambassador to Chile, Michael A. Hammer, met with FEDEFRUTA President, Juan Carolus Brown, and Director of the Federation, Cristián Allendes Marin, to discuss this problem.
“Ambassador Hammer understood our situation and told us that he has communicated the concerns of Chilean growers through the American diplomatic channels,” Brown said in a press release.
He continued, “It became clear that the American state is doing its best to mediate and bring the parties in conflict, so that the dispute comes to an end.”
As we previously reported, U.S. Secretary of Labor, Thomas Perez, is in California this week to work with the ILWU and the PMA to help end the 9-month long contract dispute.
Currently, there are approximately 1.8 million boxes of fruit from Chile at the ports. If the disputes are not resolved soon, the situation could become dramatically worse. ASOEX says that in mid-March, 5 ships will reach the ports with a combined total of 2.5 million boxes of fruit.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for continued updates on this developing story.
BENTONVILLE, AR - Wal-Mart has said 500,000 full-time and part-time associates, nearly half of its workforce at Wal-Mart U.S. stores and Sam's Clubs, will receive pay raises in April to at least $9 an hour. This raise will top the federal minimum wage by 24% and take a bite out of the company’s profit this year.
By next February 1, their pay will go to at least $10 an hour, according to CNN. The company said workers will also have more control over their schedules, but it declined to give details of those changes. Wal-Mart also said it would invest more in training to give entry-level workers greater chance for promotion.
The wage scale and other improvements in work conditions will cost the company about $1 billion in this fiscal year, CNN writes. Wal-Mart's pay and employment policies have been the focus of protest by some workers and outside labor groups seeking to organize Wal-Mart employees. Black Friday protesters last year were demanding a $15 an hour pay minimum across the company.
Currently, only about 6,000 Wal-Mart employees out of more than 1.2 million nationwide are paid at the $7.25 an hour federal minimum wage, according to the company. It employs more U.S. workers than any other business.
Once the company's starting pay rises to $9 an hour in April, the average pay for full-time retail workers there will be about $13 an hour, according to CNN. Wal-Mart has previously said that the average wage already stands at $12.94 an hour.
The decision comes as the vast gap between the richest Americans and the rest of the country has become a key political issue for both parties, writes The Wall Street Journal. Wal-Mart, with its low wages and scheduling policies that critics say make it hard for part-time employees to predict their hours, has long been a flash point for that debate.
President Obama has proposed raising the federal minimum to $10.10 an hour, but Republicans in Congress have so far blocked those efforts. Many states have taken matters into their own hands and raised their own state minimum wage rates, either by action of the legislature or voter initiative.
"We're not taking a position on what the government does,"Carol Schumacher, Vice President of Investor Relations for Wal-Mart told CNN. "But anytime any company, whether it's us or someone else, raises wages, it's a help for the economy.”
The improved labor market, with employers hiring at the strongest rate since the 1990s, is giving workers a boost. The average wage nationwide climbed by 2.2% over the previous year, according to the Labor Department.
Chief Executive of Wal-Mart, Doug McMillon, has for months said the company would soon detach itself from the official minimum wage, joining retailers like Gap Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp. that have committed to paying workers more than federal law requires. Aetna Inc. also said last month that it would boost the wages of its lowest-paid workers by as much as a third, to $16 an hour, to draw better prospects and reduce turnover, The Wall Street Journal reports.
OUR Wal-Mart, the union-backed group organizing protests at Wal-Mart, took credit for the company's announcement.
"We are so proud that by standing together we won raises for 500,000 Wal-Mart workers, whose families desperately need better pay and regular hours from the company," said Emily Wells, a leader of OUR Wal-Mart group.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow for continuing updates on this story.