Responding to study | Consumer Reports says it finds bacteria in chicken
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) — U.S. poultry producers have dramatically reduced the presence of harmful bacteria in poultry meat, a trade group said while defending the industry’s food safety record. “The numbers tell us we’re making tremendous progress,” the National Chicken Council said in a statement that described poultry as overwhelmingly safe to eat. It pointed […] Read moreNews
U.S. ‘select’ beef price hits record as storms slow shipments
CHICAGO, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Prices for select-grade U.S. wholesale beef hit a record-high on Wednesday for the fourth straight day, as shipments of the meat slowed after a historic winter storm in the United States prompted a surge in live cattle prices, analysts said. Higher-quality “choice” beef prices also climbed, rising to the loftiest […] Read more
Danone to sue New Zealand’s Fonterra over baby formula recall
PARIS, Jan 8 (Reuters) – French food group Danone said in a statement it will start legal action against New Zealand dairy exporter Fonterra following a false alert that sparked the recall of infant formula. Danone said it is initiating proceedings in the New Zealand High Court, as well as arbitration proceedings in Singapore to […] Read more
Monsanto says biotech wheat moves closer to market
(Reuters) — Monsanto Co., the world’s largest seed company, said Wednesday it was making good progress on the development of a herbicide-tolerant wheat, pushing what would be the world’s first biotech wheat a step closer to market. Monsanto, a leading developer of biotech corn, soybeans and other crops, has long tried to bring to market […] Read more
U.S. funds research to reduce use of pesticides harmful to bees
(Reuters) — The United States said it will fund more than $450,000 in research projects to reduce the use of pesticides that may harm honey bees, crucial in the pollination of many key U.S. crops. A total of $459,264 will be divided among Louisiana State University, Penn State University and the University of Vermont to […] Read more
Kraft warns of possible cheese shortage
(Reuters) — Kraft Foods is warning it may run short of its Velveeta cheese product, right at a time of high seasonal U.S. demand for the orangey-yellow foodstuff. “It is possible consumers may not be able to find some Velveeta products on store shelves over the next couple of weeks,” Kraft spokeswoman Jody Moore said […] Read more
China’s 2013-14 corn imports estimate cut by 30 percent: analyst
BEIJING (Reuters) — China’s corn imports in the year to September are expected to fall 30 percent short of a prior estimate, following Beijing’s rejection of U.S. cargoes over the presence of an unapproved genetically modified strain, a leading industry analyst said. Lower overseas purchases by the world’s second largest consumer of the grain could […] Read more
China relaxes GMO checks on U.S. distiller grain imports
BEIJING (Reuters) — Chinese quarantine authorities have sped up testing on imports of distiller’s dried grains, suggesting they have relaxed checks on the corn by-product since rejecting some U.S. cargoes for being tainted with an unapproved GMO strain, traders said. China had turned away about 2,000 tonnes of U.S. DDGs by late December and about […] Read more
Rising U.S. gasoline demand offers EPA room to revise ethanol mandate
NEW YORK (Reuters) — The U.S. Energy Information Administration revised up its 2014 gasoline demand forecast for a fourth straight month on Tuesday, opening the possibility that a controversial cut in ethanol blending mandates could be eased. In its latest monthly report, the EIA again boosted its forecast, saying it now expects gasoline demand to […] Read more
Monsanto profit beats expectations, shares jump
(Reuters) — Monsanto Co., the world’s largest seed company, reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings on Wednesday as higher herbicide sales offset a decline in its corn business. Analysts lauded the company’s performance, saying it had a good balance of the high-margin herbicide business and advancements in its seed business. “The ag productivity segment carried the day […] Read more
