Guilty on all counts: Some fascinating market data in this little article about the 2007 National Grassfed Beef Conference in Pennsylvania. The majority of consumers purchasing grassfed beef are women who are younger, highly educated and more affluent. “The consumer is looking for more than cheap products, they are looking for attributes or an experience or something like that” — we want meat with “a story” attached, apparently. Lancaster Farming
Facing up to meat: A food writer visits an abattoir, and is shaken — even though he doesn’t witness any actual slaughter. The Age
Non, non, non!!!!: A French cheesemaker cooperative is considering pasteurizing the milk it uses to make camembert. Associated Press
Be careful with our drugs: The Gray Lady weighs in on the FDA’s possible approval of cefquinome, a strong antibiotic, for use in treating cows. New York Times
GM rice CSI: Reporter/author and new Chews Wise contributor Dan Charles explores how the latest incidence of rice contamination from an unauthorized genetically modified strain could have happened — most likely at a university research station in Louisiana. Chews Wise
Predator vs. Herbivore: An Indian calf is snarfing up chickens. Scotsman
Demand fallout: Why Costco getting into the cage-free egg business is good and bad. Culinate
Mercury rising: So much mercury has accumulated in fish that there should be a worldwide public warning about eating seafood contaminated by the dangerous heavy metal, especially albacore tuna, says a new report. Globe and Mail Contrary to this press release from the Mercury Policy Project, Canada’s Food Inspection Agency has not banned sales of albacore tuna, although it is testing it more rigorously; we do agree with the MPP that perhaps the FDA might want to follow suit and increase testing.
Sweetheart deal: Cuba and Venezuela are planning to move forward together on producing biofuels from sugarcane. IPS News
Trans-fat transference: Michelle Simon opines that trans fat bans, while good, miss the larger point — that most of the foods prepared with them are junk in the first place. She argues that health departments and legislatures should begin educating the public about the dangers of meat and dairy products, or of processed food in general. Salt Lake Tribune
Fessing up about farm workers: In the United States, illegal immigrants are not treated like the entrepreneurs they are but like slave labor, and the industries that depend on them (agriculture in particular) should recognize their value and reward them accordingly. Utne Reader
But what will the bag ladies do?: San Francisco is considering banning plastic grocery bags. Sacramento Bee
Somehow this is not comforting: The spinach industry is getting help from the beef industry to stop further E. coli outbreaks. CNN
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