Food & Farm News
Real Audio» October 10, 2006 «
FDA commends lettuce processor's prompt action
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration commended a Salinas lettuce processor yesterday (Monday), for voluntarily recalling green leaf lettuce. The company recalled the lettuce because a backup source of irrigation water tested positive for E. coli bacteria. The FDA said it's not known if the bacteria were the type that could cause illness, and noted that no illness had been reported. It said the company acted with appropriate caution in issuing the recall.
Dairy-energy program gains international recognition
A renewable-energy project on California dairy farms earns international recognition this week. Known as the California Dairy Power Production Program, it encourages development of "methane digesters" that convert dairy waste into energy. The program has helped build 10 projects on dairy farms so far. It will be among 20 renewable-energy projects considered for awards at a United Nations conference in China.
Farmers produce more Sierra Gold potatoes
A new potato variety that originated in California is gaining ground in the nation's supermarkets. Harvest has just ended in Tulelake and Bakersfield for the Sierra Gold potato, a cross between a Russet potato and yellow-fleshed varieties. The Sierra Gold was first grown commercially in 2003. Farmers say they harvested 40 million pounds of the new potato variety this season, and hope to produce nearly 300 million pounds within a few years.
Monitoring leaves measures tree health
If they want to know whether their trees are suffering from water stress, farmers should leave it to the leaves. That's the advice from University of California farm advisors, who say that sampling leaves from orchard trees provides accurate information about when they need to be irrigated. Farm advisors say portable pressure chambers can be used to gauge the moisture content of leaves. The information helps farmers irrigate trees in ways that maximize water efficiency.
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