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8. Possible Changes to allow cottage food industries produce food without inspection in Michigan. Hi All This is Patty Cantrell of the Michigan Land Use Institute writing with some news and some questions. The news is that Michigan Rep. Terry Brown http://084.housedems.com/ <http://084.housedems.com/> has introduced House Bill 4568 http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/billintroduced/House/p df/2007-HIB-4568.pdf <http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2007-2008/billintroduced/House/ pdf/2007-HIB-4568.pdf> , which would, under certain conditions, exempt products made in home kitchens from state food licensing and inspections. My questions have to do with what you, as producers/buyers/others etc., think of it. Below is a short list of the conditions involved. How useful is this? Too restrictive? Too lax? Just right? I look forward to hearing from you. You can email me direct at [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> . Best, Patty DETAILS HB 4568 would provide for a new the "cottage food operation" category in Michigan's food law. Cottage food operations would be exempt from state licensing and inspections if they: * PACKAGE NON-POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOOD IN A KITCHEN OF THAT PERSON'S PRIMARY DOMESTIC RESIDENCE. * Label their products as "MADE IN A HOME KITCHEN THAT HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE." * Restrict sales to farmers markets, farm stands etc. (can't sell at stores, on Internet or other venues that are more retail-like) * Gross sales of the cottage food operation's "potentially non-hazardous food" are less than $15,000 annually. Patty Cantrell Program Director Michigan Land Use Institute 148 E. Front St., 3rd Floor Traverse City, MI 49684-5725 231-941-6584 x24, [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> www.mlui.org <http://www.mlui.org/> , www.LocalDifference.org <http://www.localdifference.org/> 9. North Central US States join together to promote biofuels From Biofuel Review: May 1, 2007 http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/942/ <http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/942/> Posted by Giles Clark, London Monday, 30 April 2007 Last week (20th April) Rod Nilsestuen, Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, announced the formation of the North Central Bio- economy Consortium (NCBEC), a 12-state collaborative effort between the directors of the State Departments of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Services and University Agricultural Experiment Stations. Secretary Nilsestuen, the newly elected President of NCBEC, will make this announcement at an Earth Day event at the University of Wisconsin - Nelson Institute titled "Sustaining the Wisconsin Landscape. Biofuels Challenges and Opportunities." Together the institutions from the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin will help guide the transition to greater use of bio-based fuels and products. These states already lead the nation in the production of biofuels, and they have the potential to lead the nation in producing feedstocks for the next generation of cellulosic biofuels and bioenergy - materials such as switchgrass, crop residues, woody crops, mill residues and wood residues. This casts the region into the national spotlight as the US congress considers federal farm policy that will help shift our energy reliance from the Middle East to the Midwest. NCBEC has also recently agreed to collaborate with the Midwest Governor's Association on policy review and development for a proposed Energy Summit to be held later this year. "We are committed to making sure the North Central region leads the way in renewable energy while protecting our natural resources and boosting our rural economies," said Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. "Today the North Central region is the leader in ethanol production and for our future we will lead in the transition to cellulosic biofuels from perennial bioenergy crops and other biomass sources." The 12-state consortium met for the first time February 10th of this year in Washington D.C. to develop a memorandum of understanding for the three participating organizations. A strategic partnership has been formed with the Great Plains Institute of Minneapolis, MN to assist in coordination, facilitation and implementation of the 12- state consortium agenda. The NCBEC recently received a $100,000 grant from the Energy Foundation of San Francisco to coordinate regional public policy development and research for a renewable energy future. "We will use collaborative research programs through our Midwest universities to make sure that our valuable working lands of agriculture and forestry are used in a sustainable manner for future generations," said Forrest Chumley, Associate Director of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station at Kansas State University. "The long history of University Extension offices in working with local communities, producers, and business leaders to make sure state-of-the-art research goes to work in our farms, forests and local businesses helps guarantee that bioeconomy growth will benefit all," said Dennis Campion, Associate Dean of Illinois Cooperative Extension. 2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 230 Minneapolis, MN 55407 612 278-7150 www.gpisd.net The NCBEC recently submitted summary work to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) documenting the 12-state North Central region's achievements and potential in leading the transition to greater use of bioenergy, biofuels, and bioproducts. "These are exciting times for the North Central Region and the United States as we move toward greater use of renewable energy and fuels," said Sara Bergan, executive director of the Great Plains Institute. "This consortium provides our region the opportunity to develop the next generation of biofuel feedstocks and energy technologies while also providing the research and policy tools necessary to ensure long-term sustainability and economic vitality." ************************************************* 10. Monsanto having a cow in milk label dispute 'Hormone free' tag unfair, company says http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-070415monsanto-story,0,741034 8.story?coll=chi-bizfront-hed <http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-070415monsanto-story,0,74103 48.story?coll=chi-bizfront-hed> By Stephen J. Hedges Chicago Tribune staff reporter Published April 15, 2007 WASHINGTON -- Agribusiness giant Monsanto Co. is challenging a growing trend among dairies to label their milk "hormone free," saying those claims mislead consumers into believing that the cow growth hormone Monsanto makes is unsafe. In an action that could send ripples through the food industry, St. Louis-based Monsanto is moving aggressively against a group of dairies to halt the use of "hormone free." It said that such labels suggest that there is something unhealthy about its synthetic hormone drug. In letters filed recently with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission, Monsanto protests that milk labels touting the fact that cows did not receive the hormone-known as rGBH, rBST or Posilac-have unfairly damaged its business, as well as that of dairy farmers who use the drug on their cows. The FDA has found no difference in the milk produced by cows that received rBST and those that did not, Monsanto says. The hormone increases milk production by about 10 percent. Monsanto's action reflects a shift in the food industry in recent years, as consumers demand more natural and organic foods and seek labeling that explains just what went into their production. Cartons of eggs, for example, increasingly boast that the chickens that produced them were "cage-free." Beef is marketed as "grass-fed." Dairies began tagging milk as "hormone free" soon after Monsanto won FDA approval for its growth hormone in 1993. The food producers who use such labels say consumers have the right to know what is in their food and that they are responding to buyers' desires. "Our customers tell us this is what they want," said Stanley Bennett, president of Oakhurst Dairy in Portland, Maine, which sells no-hormone milk. "They ask us for this." Monsanto's latest claims renew a fight the company started several years ago when it sued Oakhurst, which is owned by Bennett's family. The case was settled in 2003 when Oakhurst agreed to include language on its labels that explains that the FDA has found no significant difference between milk from cows that were given rGBH, and those that did not get the hormone. Dairy pushes pledge Bennett and Oakhurst, though, have hardly shied away from using the no-hormones pitch in selling dairy products. The dairy pays farmers not to use the hormone. "Oakhurst knows that consumers want a choice," its Web site says. "So Oakhurst will continue working only with local farmers who pledge not to use artificial growth hormone." Monsanto contends that its hormone does not affect the cows' health or their milk's taste. An FDA review of the drug during its approval process found no difference between milk from cows that did or did not receive the growth hormone. "False and deceptive advertising regarding milk and (rBST) has mislead consumers for years," Monsanto states in its complaint to the FTC. "These practices are clear violations of the Federal Trade Commission Act and result in higher milk price for consumers and less choice for dairy farmers." While Monsanto won't release sales figures for its hormone, company spokesman Andrew Burchett said that "about a third of the dairy cows in the U.S. are in herds where farmers choose to use Posilac." Posilac is the company's trademark name for the hormone. In Illinois, the state Department of Public Health reached a settlement with three dairy producers in 1997 that resolved a federal lawsuit over "hormone free" claims on labels. Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, Organic Valley Farms, a producer of diary and other items, and Stonyfield Farms, whose main product is yogurt, sued the state after it declined their request to use the "hormone free" language. The Illinois settlement allows milk producers to use labels that read: "We oppose rBGH. The family farmers who supply our milk pledge not to treat their cows with rBGH." Those labels must also include language that the FDA has not found a difference between milk produced from rBGH cows and those cows not given the hormone. That's what is on milk labels sold at Whole Food Markets in Illinois and elsewhere. "Our customers are very interested in it," said Will Betts, the Midwest region grocery coordinator for Whole Foods Market Inc. "They are concerned with a lot of factors. They're concerned with what they put in their bodies. While it's true that the studies haven't proven any difference [between milk from rBGH cows and those not given rBGH], they still want the most natural product they can get. The other issue is that they're concerned about the land and the animals." Monsanto answers critics In that regard, Whole Foods notes that "recent studies have supported earlier conclusions regarding the negative effects of rBGH/rBST on dairy cows. A report by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association on rBGH/rBST in November 1998 indicates that there are quantifiable reductions in the health of the cows treated with rBGH/rBST." Monsanto's Burchett disputed those findings. In an e-mail, he said the Canadian study "was not as comprehensive in its review of the scientific literature on rBST as the U.S. FDA pre- and post-approval review of Posilac." He also said the study "included data based on the use of different product formulations, dose levels and application practices of prototype products from more than one company that were never approved for commercial use." "Farmers depend on the health and well-being of their herds and will not choose to use products that are not beneficial," Burchett said. "A large number of dairy producers have used Posilac with great success since the product was introduced 13 years ago." An FDA spokeswoman said the agency would have no immediate response to Monsanto's most recent complaint, which was submitted April 3. But in a statement, the agency said: "This drug was only approved after FDA established that it is effective and safe. Effectiveness means that Posilac does what the company claims (increases milk production). Safety covers three main areas: safety of the food products to humans, safety to the target animal (the cow) and safety to the environment." Monsanto's complaint includes examples of labels and advertisement from 13 dairies. For instance, milk from HP Hood, a diary operator based in Chelsea, Mass., carried a label that had "No Artificial Growth Hormones" on the package, along with an attached note that read "To Satisfy Our Customers." Dutch-Way Dairy in Pennsylvania sells milk with labels touting, "No Added BST The way it's meant to be!" That marketing logic, Monsanto complains, distorts the research on Posilac and the FDA's conclusions. The "claim that milk from non-supplemented cow is healthier for children is patently false," Monsanto writes. "There is no evidence to suggest that milk from rBST-supplemented cows has any adverse developmental effect on children." [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> Copyright (c) 2007, Chicago Tribune <http://www.chicagotribune.com/> 11. Home Grown By: Kelli B. Kavanaugh, 5/3/2007 Local food is more than a rage (hopefully...) Metromode May 4, 2007 http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/FarmersMarket0017.aspx Farmers markets have been around as long as there have been people living in groups. In North America, while large urban centers like Los Angeles, New York and Toronto have always supported-and been supported by-markets, they haven't always been a prioritized part of small- or medium-sized town life-goodbye, Farmer Jack and hello Farmer Jack's <http://www.farmerjack.com/locations.asp?display=pharmacyfarmerjack.com/ > ! That is all changing-nationally, statewide and locally. Across the country, thanks to visionaries like Alice Waters <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Waters> and successful grocers like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's people are starting to think locally and seasonally about their food. Plus, admit it, is that tomato you slice up in February even all that good? If you are fooled in to thinking so, when you finally taste one in June, you probably say, "Ahhh...tomato! This is what they are supposed to taste like!" Best-selling author Barbara Kingsolver <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Kingsolver> tackles the of-the-moment issue in her latest book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life," in which she and her family live one year from food produced near their southwest Virginia farm. In a recent interview <http://salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/04/30/kingsolver_food/> with Salon.com, she sums up what many people are talking about. "Food is the one consumer choice we have to make every day. We can use that buying power in a transaction that burns excessive fossil fuels, erodes topsoil, supports multinationals that pay their workers just a few bucks a day -- or the same money could strengthen neighborhood food economies, keep green spaces alive around our towns, and compensate farmers for applying humane values. Every purchase weighs in on one side or the other." Up in northern Michigan, the fine folks at the Michigan Land Use Institute <http://www.mlui.org/> are spearheading a campaign called Taste the Local Difference <http://www.localdifference.org/> that connects individuals, restaurants and institutions to locally-grown food. Their reasoning is economic as well as anti-sprawl: strengthening Michigan farms in turn strengthens urban areas. Kind of like "the enemy of your enemy is your friend" line of reasoning... In Southeastern Michigan, the Food System Economic Partnership <http://www.fsepmichigan.org/> is doing much the same thing-linking local community-supported agriculture farms like Maple Creek Farm <http://metromodemedia.com/innovationnews/Locally-grownproduce07.aspx> to institutions like The Henry Ford. So what about the average Joe or Jolene who wants to stock their shelves and fridges with goodies that are shipped over less mileage, support the local economy and frankly, taste a hell of a lot better than your average supermarket mango? This area offers a wide range of farmers markets, from those serving just a neighborhood up through smaller suburbs and cities to those serving a region. A bountiful harvest Southeastern Michigan's two largest cities are well-served by markets. Ann Arbor's <http://www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us/CommunityServices/Parks/Farmers%20Market/ farmers_main.html> , located in quaint Kerrytown, is open year-round on Saturdays and adds Wednesdays beginning in May. It boasts over 150 stalls with not just locally-grown fruits and vegetables, but plants and bulbs and baked goods and homemade jams, salsas, honey, and the like. The market is a "third place" of sorts for Ann Arborites-a place in the community, for the community, open to all. Detroit's Eastern Market <http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/www.detroiteasternmarket.com%20> is truly one of the gems of the state. It has operated since 1891 in its current location, anchored by several historic sheds and surrounded by specialty shops, tasty restaurants and produce wholesalers. Increasingly a mixed-use district, Eastern Market is a sure bet not just for an aspiring Naked Chef <http://www.jamieoliver.com/> , but for any resident of Michigan who wants to show a guest just how much we really do have going on around here. Over 40,000 people visit Eastern Market on a peak Saturday from all over Michigan, Ohio and Ontario. Locally-grown delicacies like morels and organic spinach and crisp Michigan apples are sold just stalls away from exotic vegetables that may require an American native to reference a cook book or dictionary for identification. The outdoor market stalls are surrounded by lofts, art galleries, antique shops, restaurants and specialty markets with amazing cheese, spice, olive and wine selections, to name just a few. Eastern Market is a market that acts symbiotically with the neighborhood around it-more than a market, it is a micro-economy that runs 24 hours, from slaughterhouse operations that begin in the wee hours of the morning to omelets with spicy bloody Marys to fat corned beef sandwiches or spicy Thai noodles to late-night art gallery dance parties that wrap up well, in the wee hours of the morning. For detailed information on Eastern Market's special events, shops and other amenities, check out Model D's Visit Guide <http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/emvisit.aspx> . Little cities big on vegetables Many of Southeastern Michigan's more vibrant small cities and towns offer their residents a seasonal downtown farmers market. Most function only through warmer months, so are thus open at least from May through October. They tend to carry not just produce, but locally-produced goods like honey, maple syrup and jams. These smaller-scale farmers markets can be found in: * Farmington <http://www.downtownfarmington.org/AboutTheDowntown/FarmersMarket.html> at the Walter E. Sundquist Pavilion in Riley Park; * Northville <http://www.northville.org/Events_Calendar/Content/Farmers_Market/> at 7 Mile & Sheldon; * Plymouth <http://www.ci.plymouth.mi.us/index.asp?NID=242> right next-door to the Penn Theatre; * Mt. Clemens <http://www.downtownmountclemens.com/Market.cfm> just east of downtown on N. River Road; * Grosse Pointe <http://www.grossepointepark.org/Market/index.htm> Park's West Park Farmer's Market is on Kercheval between Lakepointe and Beaconsfield; * Downtown Rochester's Farmers Market <http://www.downtownrochestermi.com/market.html> is at E. Third and Water Street; * Birmingham <http://www.michigan.org/travel/events/events.asp?cid=459888F8-21E0-4A8A -B238-71775B353F79&city=G2829&m=3;1> 's doesn't get up and running until July; and * Ypsilanti's is located at the Freighthouse Plaza <http://cityofypsilanti.com/services/recreation/recfh> on both Wednesdays and Saturdays. Perhaps not even qualifying as "little," Royal Oak's Farmers Market <http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/farmersmkt/> is open year-round on Saturdays and houses a complementary flea market on Sundays. It's been around for over 80 years, and is one of the few markets at which Maple Creek Farm's organic produce is available. Urban farming and neighborhood markets Some local farmers markets exist for reasons much more basic than as a place to shop for white asparagus and bouquets of flowers. The Garden Resource Program Collaborative <http://www.detroitagriculture.org/garden_resource_program.htm> -a joint project of Greening of Detroit, Detroit Agriculture Network, Earth Works Urban Garden <http://www.earth-works.org/> and Michigan State University Extension-works to promote urban farming and community gardening in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck. Their motivation? Food security, both for individuals and the community-at-large. One has only to look at last year's E. coli-laden spinach scare to witness the effects of mass contamination. As their network of urban gardeners expands and grows ever more sophisticated, GRP has formed a Market Workgroup that teaches marketing, packing and other skills to families looking to take in some extra income in exchange for their extra produce. GRP runs markets in Highland Park and Detroit neighborhoods Corktown and Rosedale Park. Wayne State University urban planning professor Kami Pothukucki has logged years of research around the concept of food security in urban areas, particularly Detroit. She explains what is so important about the concept, and why farmers markets are one way of meeting that mark. "From a food security perspective, food needs to be fresh and healthy and these food needs are to be met in ways that are affordable, convenient and in ways that meet cultural preferences. Farmers can provide that readily and from the other side, small farmers, small growers can make cash. People who grow in cities, in city lots, can produce enough produce to sell, which can be a fairly substantial supplement to your income if you are willing to put in the labor." Another benefit to locally-grown produce is the distance, or lack thereof, that food travels to reach its end consumer. Pothukuchi says, "This is a very important aspect because it brings food not transported over long distances, it reduces the amount food has to travel and allows consumers to see how it is grown. There's income support, then there's this whole aspect of people knowing where their food comes from. It's hard to care very much when we don't know where it comes from." Economic benefits are another farmers market positive that Pothukcuchi has studied. "Farmers markets are important as they are for the market environment they create and the buzz they create for places. They are tools for much larger objectives, regional objectives in terms of economic benefits." She cites a study that shows that money spent at markets stays in the community. "Ten dollars spent in the market can result in $20 worth of business in the surrounding area." ________________________________ Kelli B. Kavanaugh is metromode's innovation news editor and Model D's <http://modeldmedia.com/> development news editor. Her last article for metromode was From Rust Belt To Green Belt <http://metromodemedia.com/features/sustainability06.aspx> . 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/ If you would like to access previous postings to the Mich-Organic listserv you can copy and paste the following URL into your browser address bar http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html