 |
 |
3. Area: schools phasing out fat in favor of more
fiber, fruits and vegetables
4. Rodale Press (Kutztown,
PA) & Penn State Host Survey for farmers on Weed management
5. Unfavorable
Ethanol News Lowers U.S. Corn Prices
6. Bean On
Bean Acres More Profitable For Some?
Job Openings
7. BE A PART OF THE SUMMER CREW AT THE STUDENT ORGANIC FARM!
8. Position Available: Seasonal Assistant Farm Manager at the
Michigan State University Student Organic Farm
9. Allen Neighborhood Center 517/367-2468,
ext. 2003 VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Positions
Events
10. Soil Quality and Composting to Enhance Crop
Production March 24 at MSU
11. Michigan
Farmers’ Market Association
Membership Kick-Off and Market-Style Resource
Fair, April 20, 10-2 pm East Lansing, MI
12.
John
Jeavons, known across the world for his GROW BIOINTENSIVE®
March 30-31, Detroit, MI
13. Video IP Conference Opportunity on Insect and Disease Management for
Organic Vegetables, Thursday
April 19, 6:00 to 8:30-East Lansing and Ithaca, MI
Dear Michigan
Organic Farmers,
I want
to thank all of you for contributing to the first (I hope annual) Taste of
Michigan event at the 2007 Michigan Organic Conference. The event took place at
the close of the conference and offered some very yummy foods, drinks and a
chance for everyone to gather before going home.
The food and drink were very much appreciated by all, not
only because it was free but it was from Michigan, local, organic and often
from someone they knew!
The
menu consisted of:
Almar’s
Apple cider (sweet and hard)
Various
Michigan wines
Whetham’s
(coop) Soybean hummus
Hampshire
Farm’s Spelt muffins
Simmons’
Farm Cornbread plain and blueberry muffins
Food
for Thought Jams and Salsas
AppleSchram
apple slices
The
Giving Tree and Student Organic Farm Carrots
Steve-N-Sons
Grassfield cheeses
Thank
you all for your hard work to grow and prepare these delicious foods. I look
forward to next year’s Taste of Michigan!
Sincerely,
Vicki
Morrone
Time
Magazine
Richard Hebron, 41, was
driving along an anonymous stretch of highway near Ann Arbor, Mich., last
October when state cops pulled him over, ordered him to put his hands on the
hood of his mud-splattered truck and seized its contents: 453 gal. of milk.
Yes, milk. Raw,
unpasteurized milk. To supply a small but growing market among health-conscious
city and suburban dwellers for milk taken straight from the udder, Hebron was
dealing the stuff on behalf of a farming cooperative he runs in southwestern
Michigan. An undercover agricultural investigator had infiltrated the co-op as
part of a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of $7,000 worth of
fresh-food items, including 35 lbs. of raw butter, 29 qt. of cream and all
those gallons of the suspicious white liquid. Although Hebron's home office was
searched and his computer seized, no charges have been filed. "When they
tested the milk, they couldn't find any problems with it," says Hebron.
"It seems like they're just looking for some way to shut us down."
People have been
drinking raw milk for a long time, of course — at least since sheep and
goats were domesticated in the 8th or 9th century B.C. Raw milk is rich in
protein and fat, and milk from cows became a staple of the American diet in
colonial times. When milk leaves the animal, however, it can also contain any
number of pathogens, which is why most doctors consider pasteurization —
subjecting milk to a short burst of heat followed by rapid cooling — one
of the great public-health success stories of the 20th century. By eliminating
most of the pathogens that cause disease, including E. coli, salmonella and
listeria, they say, pasteurization has helped lower infectious-disease rates in
the U.S. more than 90% over the past century.
Raw-milk enthusiasts
have a different perspective. They insist that along with the bad pathogens,
heat-treating milk destroys beneficial bacteria, proteins and enzymes that aid
in digestion. Some people with a history of digestive-tract problems, such as
Crohn's disease, swear by the curative powers of unpasteurized milk. Others
praise its nutritional value and its ability to strengthen the immune system.
"I have seen so many of my patients recover their health with raw milk
that I perceive this as one of the most profoundly healthy foods you can consume,"
says Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician and author who rails against
the medical establishment on his website, mercola.com.
You might think raw milk
would be a tough sell after the Taco Bell and bagged-spinach E. coli scares.
After all, even the healthiest grass-fed cows tromp around in mud and fecal
matter and carry all manner of bacteria with them into the milking parlor.
Between 1990 and 2004, U.S. health authorities traced 168 disease outbreaks to
dairy products; nearly a third were linked to unpasteurized items, according to
the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. But in fact, demand
for raw milk seems to be rising faster than cream in an unhomogenized gallon
jug. Hebron's dairy co-op has no shortage of customers willing to pay a premium
for milk that hasn't been processed. A California dairy producer estimates that
100,000 Californians drink raw milk every week.
All of which has created
a simmering problem for health officials. While the U.S. has no laws against
gulping milk straight from cows, the government's stance on controlling the
sale of raw milk is far murkier. The Food and Drug Administration, which
recently determined that it's safe to drink the milk of cloned cows, takes a
tougher stand on unprocessed milk. It banned interstate sales of raw milk 20
years ago but left it up to individual states to decide what to do about
commerce within their borders. The result is a hodgepodge of conflicting rules
and loopholes big enough to drive a milk truck through. While 23 states,
including Michigan, officially prohibit raw-milk sales for human consumption,
the rest allow money to exchange hands under certain conditions. In California,
raw dairy products are available in grocery stores, while Illinois consumers
can buy them directly from farms if they bring their own containers. An
increasingly popular arrangement designed to circumvent state restrictions is a
so-called herd-sharing program, like Hebron's, which requires members to, in
effect, lease a portion of a cow — for $20 a year, in his case —
and sign an agreement opposing "all governmental standards for food,
preparation, storage and safety." The $6.25-per-gal. charge is technically
not a sale but compensation to cover board and transport costs.
Some raw advocates
believe it's the emergence of these cow-sharing schemes in the past few years
that has prompted state agriculture officials to crack down. Columbus, Ohio,
attorney David G. Cox says he has represented six raw-dairy producers over the
past year for alleged illegal sales, some of whom have been in business for
decades without incident. "There seems to be an orchestrated effort to dry
up the supply," he says. "I suspect that conventional dairy producers
are concerned that if [raw milk] were widely available and people got sick, all
milk would get a bad name and the whole industry would suffer."
What raw milk fans most
resent is stepped-up efforts to crack down on a personal choice that wasn't
doing anyone else any harm. "There are 65,000 child-porn websites,"
asks indignant co-op member Nancy Sanders, a pediatric nurse and mother of five
from Des Plaines, Ill. "Why doesn't the government go after those?"
Meanwhile, farmer Hebron
says he won't be spooked by Michigan authorities. Back in business a week after
his goods were seized, he's become a cause celebre of the raw movement. After
an Ann Arbor retailer he worked with was served a cease-and-desist order, a
co-op member offered her nearby home as a new pickup site. Meanwhile, some of
Hebron's clients in Michigan and Illinois have been flooding the fax machines
of state agriculture officials to protest the treatment of the mild-mannered
dairyman. In Feburary, the Amish farmer who supplies Hebron's co-op with raw
milk received a warning letter from the FDA about potential interstate commerce
violations. Hebron met with federal officials in Detroit on March 6th to defend
the legality of herd-sharing arrangements, and is adamant about continuing his
milk runs.
Recently, Hebron parked
his truck in front of a North Side Chicago health-food store and began carrying
crates filled with brown eggs and pasture-raised beef and pork into the shop
for co-op members. He had to distribute the milk, however, out of the back of
his truck — a rule the store's owner, Paula Campanio, reluctantly imposed
after the raid. "I'm trying to be discreet," she says. "When I
see a police car go by, I'm convinced they're coming for me." Demand from
her customers for the milk is strong enough that she's willing to take the
risk, but she's hoping that keeping the stuff out of her premises will make her
a tad less culpable. Got raw milk? Shhhhh.
|
3. Area:
schools phasing out fat in favor of more fiber, fruits and vegetables |
March 21, 2007 –
Having students in
public school districts eat healthy during the course of the school day is a
top priority for local school district food service departments. In an effort
to provide students nutritious foods, officials in some districts, including
Huron Valley, say that their programs actually exceed U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) guidelines.
In 2004, President George W. Bush mandated that all school
districts formulate wellness policies. In local school districts, committees
have been working to draft — and in some cases, already have implemented
— the policies, which involve foods available to students.
"This Wellness Committee is currently looking at all
vending in the district," said Joan Steele, director of food services for
the Huron Valley Schools.
The Oakland Intermediate School District (OISD) offers "a
myriad" of services to local districts' food service programs, according
to Mike Rangos, director of regional services for the OISD.
Mary Claya, an OISD certified trainer in serve-safe
essentials, is available to advise school districts.
"She (advises) districts throughout the county,"
Rangos said. "She teaches a myriad of courses in school food service
basics, sanitation and food safety, principles of food preparation, and a
number of other things."
The only charge to the districts is that of a "very
minimal" reimbursement for materials, according to Rangos.
In addition, Claya provides menu consultation, marketing
techniques on how to provide good nutrition to students, and how to get
students to choose healthy food offerings.
Claya is also the point-person for the countywide purchasing
consortium which allows districts to jointly purchase food products at a
reduced price.
According to Erik Peterson, director of public awareness at
the Child Nutrition and Policy Center for the School Nutrition Association in
Washington D.C., the federal government requires that over the course of a
school week, menus must average 30 percent of calories (which includes sugars)
from fat or less, and 10 percent or less from saturated fat.
"(The guidelines) also establish the standard for school
lunches to provide one-third of the recommended daily allowances of protein,
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories," Peterson said.
"The 30 percent and 10 percent guidelines are averaged over the course of
one week, so over five lunches."
Steele said Huron Valley doesn't have a nutritionist on staff.
However, she has 25 years of training in food service management which helps
the district provide nutritional options for students.
State-mandated nutrition reviews are required, and the
district just completed one, according to Steele.
"We send our menus to be analyzed and broken down by
nutrients, and see if we have too much sodium or too much fat, for
example."
Efforts recently under taken in Huron Valley provide "nutrition
in disguise," Steele said. For example, lots of whole grain foods which
don't necessarily taste like whole grains are served to students.
The Huron Valley district is currently in the middle of a
study and will eventually set guidelines and recommendations for foods sold
through vending machines, school stores and fundraisers, according to Steele.
This school year, the district has provided more nutritional
offerings for students. Now, all of the a la carte items for school lunches are
under 14 grams of fat.
"We have no pop, no Hostess, no Little Debbie's in the
food service program," Steele said. "Our beverages are bottled water,
100-percent juice, and 100-percent fruit slushes. That's what I mean by kind of
'nutrition in disguise.'"
Steele said the Huron Valley district was also the first in
Oakland County to rid its buildings of pop during the school day.
The OISD provides Huron Valley with specialized services
related to developing special menus for students who have food allergies or
physical disabilities, as well as "general analyzing to make sure we are
up to snuff."
For high school students, the district offers more choices in
terms of sandwiches, salads, and vegetarian selections, according to Steele. At
the elementary level, three daily options — including one vegetarian
option — are offered at lunch.
"Our objective is the same (for all three educational
levels)," Steele said. "(It is) to offer nutritious choices."
The district has been the recipient of USDA fresh fruits and
vegetables grants and this year, thanks to $171,000 awarded by the federal
government, Lakeland High School students can eat fresh fruits and vegetables
during third period on the federal government's tab.
Robert Brady, director of food services for the Waterford
School District, said the OISD gives the district nutritional advice. The
district doesn't have a bona fide nutritionist on staff. However, a combined 40
years of experience among administrative staff members helps.
The food service directors of all 28 school districts meet on
a regular basis through the OISD.
"We share input and information there," Brady said.
"Also, as you know, the real resource these days is the Internet. There's
so much good information regarding nutrition, and it's so readily-available.
It's a big help."
Annual internal audits of the Waterford food program are
conducted, and the state of Michigan performs food service reviews every few
years, according to Brady.
Child nutrition guidelines are "pretty consistent"
from kindergarten through the 12th-grade. However, Brady said as students move
up into middle school and high school, portion sizes — especially in
terms of protein — increase substantially. Carbohydrates, fruits and
vegetables, and dairy components remain fairly stable through all three levels.
Last year, the Waterford district's food service department
put together its wellness committee and the Board of Education approved goals.
"That's helping us to keep our eye on goals that we want
to accomplish, in terms of lowering fat, increasing the amounts of fruits and
vegetables that we serve, and also providing time for physical education and
recreation during the day for the kids, as well," Brady said.
The district is currently in the process of eliminating all
trans fats from food offerings. It's working with suppliers and hopes to have
trans fat phased out by August, according to Brady. In addition, by that time
the district also hopes to have menu nutritional information and ingredient
content posted on the district's web site.
"Food allergies are such a challenge for parents and
students, so we are really hopeful that that's going to help them to
participate in the program, and also know what's going on in the
kitchens," Brady said.
Waterford Schools is also analyzing its snack food mixture,
and where appropriate, healthier substitutions such as granola bars and popcorn
can be made. Also, the district is now serving turkey hot dogs instead of
regular hot dogs, and the chicken nuggets are baked instead of fried and have a
higher proportion of white meat, which is lower in fat.
It's also becoming apparent that parents are encouraging their
kids eat healthier, as evidenced by the increase in sales of salads and fresh
fruits, according to Brady.
"Eating habits start at home, and when we see that, we
know there are good things going on there," he said.
Lori Adkins, the nutrition supervisor and food service program
director for West Bloomfield Schools, said the district offers mostly waters
and juices as beverages, but there are some snack machines available after
regular school hours.
"(The machines) have a variety of things based on our
wellness policy," she said. "It has a healthy mix of different kinds
of snacks."
Calling the OISD "an excellent resource" for the
food service department, Adkins said the intermediate school district helps the
department with purchasing by heading up the cooperative program for commodity
and non-commodity food purchases. In addition, it also filters information from
the School Nutrition Association and the federal and state government down to
district staff, according to Adkins.
By state law, Adkins said, the district's food service program
is reviewed every five years by the Michigan Department of Education, with the
next review coming during the next school year. In addition, on site reviews
are also performed.
According to Adkins, the district's food program follows what
is required by the USDA.
From the elementary through high school levels, the number of
calories increases with each educational tier. For elementary school buildings,
the calorie count is about 650 calories per meal; for middle school students,
that figure is "in the 700s," Adkins said; and in high school, it
hovers between the high 700s and low 800s.
"Of course, it's a little bit different for a 17-year-old
than it would be for a 7-year-old," she said.
Many changes involving nutrition have been taking place in the
district. The district is taking an "eagle eye" look at the a la
carte items it offers and has removed anything that had more than 300 calories
per serving. The food service department is also going with a lot of baked
snacks and promoting fresh fruit. Whole grain items are also being promoted,
and next year the district is switching to a chicken patty that has whole grain
breading.
"I think the trend is more fiber, more whole grain, and
offering fresh fruits and vegetables," Adkins said.
The district also stopped serving pop a few years ago. The
only beverages served are juices and teas out of the fountain machines, and
machines in the cafeteria have been switched over to sports drinks, low-calorie
beverages, and water.
Vendors for the West Bloomfield School District have been
"very proactive," Adkins said.
"I know Coke and Pepsi have introduced smaller packaging
sizes for their products," she said. "They backed a lot of their
product offerings down to a 12-ounce product size, which is wonderful, and our
snack vending (company) has done a very proactive job."
Kathy Yesh, food services director for the Walled Lake
Consolidated School District, has worked in the district for 25 years, and her
background is in dietetics and nutrition.
Student evaluations are used to gauge compatibility with the
district's market, especially for new items.
"Our own goals are increasing fiber, fresh fruits, and
vegetables, and reducing fat," Yesh said. "It's been a thing in our
district for 10 years or more to get kids eating healthier. As new things
become available, or new trends become available, we try to incorporate those
into our program."
Like other districts, Walled Lake is attempting to maintain a
core menu of foods which kids enjoy, but making the offerings as healthy as
possible. The district is using turkey pepperoni and skim milk mozzarella
cheese on the pizzas, and serves a reduced-fat chicken nugget with whole wheat
breading. In addition, organic milk is offered.
"The a la carte items that we sell, as well as the snack
items that we put in the vending machines, meet the guidelines established by
Michigan Action for Healthy Kids," Yesh said.
It appears vendors are adhering to the district's focus on
healthier foods.
"When we were in the change-over period, the vendors were
cooperative, and they marked the healthier items at a lower price to kind of
encourage the kids, which I do with our a la carte program, also," Yesh
said.
Keith Elementary School was recently awarded the 2007 School
of Outstanding Achievement for healthy activities, and encompassing all aspects
of creating a healthy school environment, such as nutrition, physical activity,
and healthy fund raising through the Count Your Steps program.
"We always have healthy choices available," said
Keith Elementary Principal Suzanne Cowles.
Kirk
Pinho is a staff writer for the Spinal Column Newsweekly
Vicki Morrone
Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist
Michigan State University
C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems
303 Natural Resources Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-3542
517-282-3557 (cell)
517-353-3834 (fax)
http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/
http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/
