Boulder’s Black Cat Farm gets county OK on its meat processing

Eric Skokan, chef and owner of the Black Cat Restaurant and the Black Cat Farm, cuts away part of a corn cob for his pigs in October 2014. Boulder County officials have issued a clean bill of health to Boulder's Black Cat Farm, which provides farm-to-table produce and meat to two popular Boulder restaurants, following a brief investigation prompted by a tip that raised questions about its meat processing.

Wholesale market meeting rekindles partnership with USDA

From local food to food safety regulations, a lot of ground was covered in a meeting that brought together federal officials and wholesale market leaders. The Jan. 25 meeting at the U.S. Department of Agriculture offices in Washington, D.C., was organized by the National Association of Produce Market Managers and the United Fresh Produce Association.

Beloved Organic Brands Make Unprecedented Protest: Stop Attacking Organic

WASHINGTON: The nation's organic food movement, representing dozens of brands, thousands of organic farmers and millions of organic consumers, as well as retailers, certifiers, and organizations, published an open letter in the Washington Post. The cosigners are demanding that the USDA stop interfering with the public process that has created clear standards for animal welfare in organic food production.

Regional Grape Program welcomes new specialist to its staff

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County's Lake Erie Regional Grape Program is pleased to announce the addition of Jackie Dresser as the viticulture extension specialist. Dresser is the newest member of a four-person extension team, which assists area grape growers with the implementation of research-based information, in the areas of Integrated Pest Management , Business Management and Viticultural Production Practices in their vineyard operations.

North/East metro news briefs: Washington County officials begin review of Valley library

A new and improved Washington County library is coming to residents in Lakeland and the Lower St. Croix Valley east of Woodbury, but its size and location will be explored throughout the spring. When the findings are ready in June, county officials will decide whether to remodel the current library or move to a larger building.

Ag Broadband Coalition Hails Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act

AG BROADBAND COALITION HAILS PRECISION AGRICULTURE CONNECTIVITY ACT Jan. 26, 2018 Source: Agricultural Broadband Coalition news release The Agricultural Broadband Coalition applauded bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate for introducing the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018 on Thursday, a milestone piece of legislation that will help to revolutionize farming across the United States.

Perdue Foods LLC Recalls Chicken Products due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

WASHINGTON, January 23, 2018 Perdue Foods LLC, a Monterey, Tenn. establishment, is recalling approximately 530 pounds of chicken products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

Congressmen take USDA to task for delaying organic industry animal welfare rule

Members of Congress chastise the US Department of Agriculture in a Jan. 17 letter for threatening to withdraw a widely popular final rule passed in the 11th hour of the Obama Administration that would heighten animal welfare standards for organic producers. USDA announced in December that it intended to withdraw the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule, which outlined sweeping changes in how organic animals are housed, transported and slaughtered, because the department claimed the rule exceeds the statutory authority of the National Organic Program.

JustFoodForDogs Voluntarily Recalls Three Daily Diets because of…

JustFoodForDogs of Los Alamitos, CA, is voluntarily recalling its Beef & Russet Potato, Fish & Sweet Potato and Turducken dog food meals in all sizes. JFFD uses 100% USDA and other restaurant grade ingredients in of its pet food, and because the green beans used in these meals may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes , the companyis alerting the public.

US government proposes new rules for hog slaughter

Federal government regulators proposed changes Friday in the way most hogs slaughtered for meat in the United States are processed in a series of new rules that officials say improve industry practices but critics say could imperil food safety. The new rules would allow hog slaughter plants to voluntarily join a new proposed inspection system that would put plant employees in charge of removing animals unfit for slaughter before they're processed.

Government watchdog: Illinois fudged jobs data to get federal OK to…

A government accountability group says the state of Illinois is fudging employment data in order to allow more healthy Illinoisans to receive taxpayer-funded food stamps without having to work. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved an Illinois Department of Human Services waiver request in October for the entire 2018 calendar year.

Interagency Task Force report addresses opioid abuse

USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture in November awarded $2.8 million in grants to support rural health. Of the nine awards funded by NIFA's Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grant Program, six were designed specifically to prevent and reduce opioid abuse.

Lawsuit Says Wal-Mart Mislabeled Organic Eggs

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. misled U.S. shoppers by selling organic eggs laid by hens raised in enclosed structures under package labels that said the birds had access to the outdoors, a federal lawsuit alleged on Monday. The suit highlights uncertainty among consumers about production practices in the $500 million organic egg industry, farmers said, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture last month shelved plans to spell out for the first time what it means for birds to have access to the outdoors.