Hang up and hives?: A new hypothesis suggests that mobile phones may be behind colony collapse disorder, the mysterious bee plague. A limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Independent (UK)

Another raw deal: The USDA wants all almonds grown in California to be sterilized with various pasteurization techniques in response to previous salmonella outbreaks — meaning raw almonds will either be fumigated with a possible carcinogen or in the case of organic, heated (which makes them not raw). The Organic Consumers Association is petitioning the USDA to reopen its comments period. (MSNBC.com) This week’s Full Belly CSA newsletter has more, including a link to a petition that requests that fumigated almonds be labeled as such.

What a meat market: Chefs and farmers are very busy people and frequently live far apart. But a close relationship can benefit both — the chef gets fresher and potentially more interesting ingredients, the farmer makes a sale. Started by Ecotrust and the Portland, Oregon, chapter of the Chefs Collaborative, farmer-chef meetups have also happened in Ashland, Eugene, and Southeast Wisconsin, with one planned for the San Francisco Bay Area. A recent Portland event included a networking session based on the principles of speed dating. See Farmer-Chef Connection for more details. The New Farm

Is something fishy in the seafood department?: A new report from the Congressional Research Service reviews recent incidences of fraud in the seafood marketing such as mislabeling cheaper fishes with more expensive names, treating the fish with tripolyphosphate to increase water retention, and more. Open CRS

Second-life farmers: Plenty of Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers nationwide are getting dirt under their fingernails, going back to the land for a second career raising sheep or llamas and grow vegetables. It’s more about the lifestyle than the income. San Francisco Chronicle

Coming soon, DNA barcodes: A Georgia company has petitioned the FDA to approve its technology that uses a laser to etch indelible but edible labels onto the skins of fruits and vegetables, instead of pesky, gluey labels. The FDA is expediting its safety review, since the technology could improve the agency’s ability to track and trace produce in disease outbreaks. Chicago Tribune (via AP)

Milk monopolies: Iowa, that well known dairy state, is at the forefront, of a dispute over whether corporate dairy processors should be allowed to buy milk under contracts that would pay farmers less than the minimum prices set by the federal milk marketing system. Why would a farmer want to do that? The contract allows farmers to lock in the price of their milk, making getting a loan easier. But with higher prices, wouldn’t loans be less necessary? Des Moines Register

Rep. Peterson, the big picture is calling you: Rep. Colin Peterson (D-MN), the chair of the House Agriculture Committee, visited Davis, California, to talk about the Farm Bill. He was not enthusiastic about providing more support for fruit and vegetable growers or conservation programs, and said “I have no objections to spending more on fruits and vegetables if it’s going to get us more economic activity…That’s why my interest right now is in renewable fuels; I think that’s the most likely to pay off. If we’re going to spend the money, I want to see some benefit.” Huh? Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption will probably lead to healthier citizens, a lower incidence of diabetes and heart disease, and a more diversified farm economy. Are these not “benefits”? Davis Enterprise (via Ag Observatory)

Surfers too?: California wildlife regulators adopted a sweeping ocean protection plan to establish a network of underwater refuges where fishing and other human activities would be limited or banned. New York Times

Berry my heart: Even as a festival celebrates strawberries in Louisiana, the state’s small berry farmers are disappearing, facing competition from major growing states like California and Florida. San Francisco Chronicle (via AP)

Port authority: Cargill has been allowed to reopen its deep-water Amazon River port while it keeps fighting environmentalists who say the port encourages destruction of the rain forest. BusinessWeek

Russian eau de vie: Funny op-ed over the EU’s proposed definition of vodka simply as diluted ethyl alcohol. New York Times