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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter
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August 25 ,2015
Vol
5,Issue XIII
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Aug ,2015
Vol 5,Issue XIII
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Daily Global Rice e-Newsletter
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Pakistan, Iran eye US$5b trade
Mubarak Zeb Khan
Dawn
Publication Date : 25-08-2015
Ahead of a high-level technical
delegation from Iran, the Ministry of Commerce on Monday explored various
avenues to enhance bilateral trade to $5 billion in the next five years after
the lifting of international sanctions against Iran.A delegation from Iran will
visit Islamabad on August 25 to 26 to revive the trade links.Pakistan has a
narrow export basket to Iran because 63 per cent of exports comprised of rice
alone.Pakistan’s exports to Iran fell to a low level of $43 million in 2014
from $182 million in 2010.
While Iranian imports fell to $186
million in 2014 from $884 million in 2010.Pakistan signed a preferential trade
agreement (PTA) with Iran in 2006. Iran is not willing to convert PTA into a
free trade agreement.Tariff concessions were granted to Iran on 309 tariff
lines while Pakistan was offered concessions on 338 tariff lines.Major sectors
covered under the PTA were rice, fruits, cotton, cotton yarn, pharmaceutical
products and cutlery.In April 2015, Pakistan and Iran decided to prepare a
five-year plan to enhance bilateral trade to the tune of $5 billion.The
visiting delegation will also discuss expansion of PTA.
Experts predict that payment mechanism
normalisation will pave way for diversification of exports to Iran.The meeting
held on Monday in the commerce ministry was attended by officials from Federal
Board of Revenue, State Bank of Pakistan and Trade Development Authority of
Pakistan.The meeting discussed the trade complementarity with Iran and decided
to actively pursue policies to enhance exports of agricultural products to Iran.
http://www.asianewsnet.net/-Pakistan-Iran-eye-US$5b-trade-79901.html
Farmers eye El Nino forecast
NICK HEYDON
25 Aug, 2015 04:00 AM
Given concerns about El Nino, some growers won't look to plant
dryland cotton
FARMERS are taking into account commodity prices and the season,
with many an eye on the El Nino situation, before making a call about their
2015-16 summer crop plan.McGregor Gourlay senior agronomist Scott Rogers,
Croppa Creek, said the season around Moree was looking promising with a good
moisture profile."There are some areas west of the Newell Highway that
aren't looking quite as good as in other parts of the region," Mr Rogers
said.Yet he said, generally, the area planted to summer crop would probably be
down across the district.
"The summer crop area will probably be back a
little bit, with the area planted to sorghum down given strong chickpea
prices."Mr Rogers said given the high chickpea prices, the area set aside
for a summer crop had instead been planted to chickpeas to take advantage of
the strong market.He said dryland cotton was looking to be a popular choice for
some farmers, particularly those looking to switch to this crop for weed
management, while there should also be some areas planted to mungbeans with
growers choosing a quicker option to try and avoid a dry summer.Generally, he
said summer crop planting was set to kick off from late August.
"The sorghum plant could possibly be a little
bit earlier this year, as a lot of growers are nervous about the long-range
forecast," Mr Rogers said."Given concerns about El Nino, some growers
won't look to plant dryland cotton."As for last year's summer crop, Mr
Rogers said the early planted crops in the district had struggled due to some
dry conditions, whereas the later planted crops were able to take advantage of
some rain.In the state's south, NorAg Consulting agronomist Mark Norvall,
Leeton, said seasonal conditions were pleasing at the moment."The rain has
been really good, and is above average compared to this time last year,"
he said."We are, however, hanging out a little bit for water allocations
to be announced - water allocations are still low at this point in time."
Golden Rice: a shining solution, or an
impending danger?
Beta-carotene enriched Golden Rice is a much touted
humanitarian solution to widespread Vitamin A deficiency in poor countries. But
many argue the golden grains are only meant to improve the image of big
biotechs.
As the planet's population increases and climate change impacts
agricultural production, the big question for many is how to meet global food
demand and ensure that food is nutritious in the future. So far, the solutions
touted - ranging from intensifying farming to genetically modifying crops - are
controversial.In countries such as Brazil and Paraguay, the rise of soybean
monocultures has already caused widespread deforestation and displacement of
indigenous people - sparking protests. But another crop in the form of
genetically-altered rice has been at the center of a raging debate for at least
30 years. It has become a debate over the acceptability of genetically modified
foods in general - and passions run high on both sides.
The Philippines is home to both developers and critics of the
controversial golden grains
Dubbed "golden rice" by its backers, the yellow-colored rice is enriched with
beta-carotene to combat widespread vitamin A deficiency in the developing
world. They say it could improve human health and that preventing production is
immoral."We call it a crime against humanity," said Patrick Moore,
director of Allow Golden Rice Now, a
group advocating for the rice's acceptance. "We take a fairly hard
approach, because you have two million children dying every year."
UNICEF estimates that vitamin A deficiency affects around 250 million children and that it's the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness in over half of all countries, mainly in Africa and South Asia.Still, on the other side, it's detractors say genetically modifying a staple food - consumed by nearly half the world’s population, according to the International Rice Research Institute- could have untold effects on human health and biodiversity.Masipag, the network for Philippine farmers and scientists, say caution is needed.
UNICEF estimates that vitamin A deficiency affects around 250 million children and that it's the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness in over half of all countries, mainly in Africa and South Asia.Still, on the other side, it's detractors say genetically modifying a staple food - consumed by nearly half the world’s population, according to the International Rice Research Institute- could have untold effects on human health and biodiversity.Masipag, the network for Philippine farmers and scientists, say caution is needed.
“Is Golden Rice food, medicine or both? If it is both, then the health department should be doing safety studies,” said Masipag’s director Chito Medina. “So far only feeding studies have been going on, showing that the Vitamin A is absorbed by the body, but there are no safety data showing whether chemicals may have been produced in the process of genetic engineering.”
Philippines: The theater of war
It is unclear what genetically modified rice means for
biodiversity - particularly for the future of other varieties of rice
"On the one hand, they say there hasn't been enough science, enough testing on golden rice and then they trash the science that would show golden rice works," said Moore.To Masipag, however, the test field's destruction made clear that golden rice simply isn't welcome in the Philippines. Medina said the network itself wasn't officially part of the destruction, but some of its members were there in their own capacity. Medina also says that IRRI's logic when it comes to golden rice is faulty.
For IRRI, rice will remain a staple, so what's wrong with making it more nutritious? Masipag and other activists say that's the wrong approach. The safer, more biodiversity-friendly way to combat vitamin deficiency is to provide a more balanced and varied diet, with protein and vegetables. And they say enough beta carotene is found in nature - there’s no need to modify a staple food.
“The orange sweet potato has five times more beta carotene than golden rice. Carrots have twice to three times more,” said Medina. “But vitamin A needs fats in order to be absorbed by the body. That is one of the reasons there is vitamin A deficiency of very poor people - it’s because they can’t afford to buy meat and they don’t have balanced diets.”
Bad for biodiversity?
Just what golden rice may mean for biodiversity, and for the future of native rice varieties is also hotly contested. IRRI says misinformation about the detrimental effects of the genetically-modified grain on existing varieties is contaminating debate."We don't understand, we don’t know where these ideas are coming from. There is no such thing as wiping out the other varieties because rice is a self-pollinating plant," said Bruce Tolentino, IRRI's deputy general. "It's an accusation without scientific basis."
But activists point to an incident in 2006, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture Department said trace amounts of a genetically modified strain of rice known as LibertyLink were found in long-grain rice set for export - apparently after contamination.
"I find it absurd that they use the self-pollination argument, because past experience in China and the US has shown the opposite," said Dirk Zimmermann, a sustainable agriculture campaigner at Greenpeace. "Where they planted the rice in small test fields, it spread wildly onto other production surfaces."Golden rice's cause also isn't helped by the fact that many of the patents for the rice are held by big-name biotechs like Syngenta, Bayer and Monsanto - all of which have been singled out for criticism in the GMO and monoculture debate.
Still, advocates of the rice point out that the biotechs have granted royalty-free access to allow scientists to further develop the rice on a non-profit basis. But many are still worried the introduction of golden rice will end up pushing farmers into industrial monoculture production.
The golden rice debate isn’t going to end anytime soon - partly because the product isn't on the market yet. The IRRI recently reported setbacks on their newest data: right now the rice doesn't produce the same yields as other industrial varieties and can't compete commercially.IRRI’s Tolentino said researchers are working on breeding the rice to address the yield aspect. If they succeed, they will have to apply for a regulatory permit to test the new variety in an open field. Only after that would the seed be registered onto the standard seed regulatory system for the government and private seed growers to use in the market.
“It will take awhile. We’re still only at the breeding stage,” he said. “It can be anywhere from at least two years to five years from today.”But Masipag’s Medina takes little comfort in the wait. He says regulatory approval is likely.“Regulators will tend towards approval, they are in favor of it without really knowing what it is,” he said. “But for us 35,000 MASIPAG farmers, we will be avoiding golden rice consumption. We’ll consume what we grow. It’s sufficient for us.”
http://www.dw.com/en/golden-rice-a-shining-solution-or-an-impending-danger/a-18670353
Heart smart lamb boost
ANDREW
MILLER
25
Aug, 2015 02:52 PM
Victorian and Tasmanian
feedlotters were open to the idea of including oils in sheep feed.Rick Edgar,
who runs a feedlot at West Cuyuac, Merino Stud Nareen, said he had heard about
the trial."I think the eating quality is the big challenge - but I think I
would be interested," Mr Edgar said."Would the cost be that big -
canola oil in the mix with the pellets ?
"I don't think that would be
a major hurdle - five pc is not a massive change, I think it is an easily
achieved option."Georgie Burbury, Eastfield, Cressy (Tas) said a feedlot
would be the place to try supplementary feeding, if there was a market for the
lamb.She said TIA had approached Eastfield, which turned off 4000 lambs a year,
to be part of the trial, but it did not fit into their system at the
time."It comes down to ration cost and the price of the product at the
end."If there is a price for the product, at the other end, then it's a
controlled environment, where you can tinker with the ration," Ms Burbury
said.Professor Malua-Aduli said the research demonstrated meat from sheep fed
polyunsaturated oil supplements contained enough omega-3 to be officially
considered a source of dietary omega-3.The meat contained at least 30mg of
omega-3 per 100g of product.
"Taste tests results have
also been promising with the lamb fed with canola supplements showing superior
eating qualities," Associate Professor Malau-Aduli said.Research team
member, TIA PhD student Aaron Flakemore's said his goal was to see supermarket
lamb with a Heart Foundation Tick sticker."There is quite a bit of diversity
between sheep - some sheep convert the oil to unsaturated fats better than
others," Mr Flakemore said."So there is potential to start selecting
and breeding sheep that are better at making healthy fats."Associate
Professor Malau-Aduli will deliver a free public talk in Hobart as part of the
University of Tasmania's Research Week at 5.30pm on Wednesday, September 2 at
the Brunswick Hotel.
The event will include lamb canapes for guests.
9th
International Rice Festival Names Honorees
CROWLEY, LA-- Honorees at this year's International Rice
Festival have been announced ahead of the September 19 Festival Honoree Social
and Queen's Ball held here.
Schilling
Schilling
Herbert E. Schilling II of
Lafayette, Louisiana has been named Festival Honoree. Schilling is President of
the Schilling Distributing Co., Inc. and has served on the prestigious
Anheuser-Busch Advisory Panel. Anheuser-Busch is the reported largest single
domestic user of U.S. rice. Through Schilling's partnership with Louisiana Rice
Mill, L.L.C. he has established a close association with the rice industry and
has maintained relationships that began under the tutorship of his father with
rice mills in Acadiana.
Sylvester
Jeffery Sylvester of Ville Platte,
Louisiana was named Rice Farmer of the Year. A fourth- generation farmer,
Sylvester partners with his two brothers to farm 5,500 acres of rice, crawfish,
and soybeans. Extremely active in the community and the rice industry,
Sylvester is an alum of the Rice Foundation Leadership Class, a past board
member of the Louisiana Rice Council, the current president of the Evangeline
Parish Rice Growers Association and the Louisiana Rice Growers Association, and
a board member of the Louisiana Rice Political Action Committee. Sylvester was also
instrumental in the formation of the Central Louisiana Rice Growers
Association.
Breaux
The International Rice Festival
announced that Tyler Joseph Breaux of
Iota, Louisiana is the Junior Farmer of the Year. Tyler is 17 years old and the
son of Jarrod Allen Breaux and Kim Sittig Breaux. A fourth-generation rice
farmer, he and his family farm rice, soybeans, and crawfish.
One of Louisiana's largest and
oldest agricultural festivals, the International Rice Festival draws thousands
of attendees who travel far and wide to take part in the festivities. The
four-day celebration highlights the importance of the rice industry and offers
various special events that are rich in tradition. This year's festival will be
held October 15-18th here in Crowley.
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CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
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Scientists Describe Mechanism of Plant Immunity Against
Pathogens
Norwich, UK (Scicasts) — An international team of scientists have described precisely how
a plant can sense a pathogen, bringing an unprecedented level of detail to a
fundamental hypothesis in plant immunity of relevance to tackling disease in
crops.In the mid-20th century, an American scientist named Harold Henry Flor
helped explain how certain varieties of plants can fight off some plant killers
(pathogens), but not others, with a model called the "gene-for-gene"
hypothesis. Seventy years later, an international team of scientists describes
precisely how a plant senses a pathogen, bringing an unprecedented level of
detail to Flor's model."We know that plants have sensors to detect
pathogens but we knew little about how they work," says Professor Banfield
from the John Innes Centre (UK).
In a study published in eLife, the team led by Professor Mark
Banfield, in collaboration with the Iwate Biotechnology Research Centre (Japan)
and The Sainsbury Laboratory (UK), investigated how one sensor protein from
rice called Pik binds with AVR-Pik, a protein from the rice blast pathogen.
This fungus causes the most devastating disease of rice crops. Using X-ray
crystallography facilities at Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire, the team
succeeded in imaging the contact points between the plant and pathogen proteins
at the molecular level - the first time this has been done for a pair of plant
and pathogen proteins that follow the gene-for-gene model.
Dr Abbas Maqbool from the JIC, first author of the study added,
"Harold Flor predicted that plant sensors discriminate between different
pathogen types, but at the time he had no knowledge of the molecules involved.
It is remarkable that his ideas have now crystallized into detailed molecular
models."Dr Maqbool, Professor Banfield and colleagues went on to discover
that the strength at which the Pik sensor binds with the pathogen AVR-Pik
protein correlates with the strength of the plant's response.
This opens up new avenues
for engineering better plant responses against pathogens by building sensors
with increased strength of binding to pathogen proteins, and therefore
conferring enhanced resistance to disease."Once we understand how these
plant sensors detect invading pathogens, we can devise strategies to 'boost'
the plant immune system and help protect rice and other important food crops
from disease," says Professor Banfield.
Article adapted from a John Innes Centre news release.
Publication: Structural basis of
pathogen recognition by an integrated HMA domain in a plant NLR immune
receptor.Maqbool, A et al. eLife (August 25, 2015):
http://www.redorbit.com/media/uploads/2015/08/ThinkstockPhotos-200247942-001.jpg
Scientists turn oil spill dirt into fertile
soil
by Eric Hopton
AUGUST
25, 2015
Major oil spills are dramatic and deadly, and most occur offshore, hitting
hard and understandably grabbing big headlines.But 98 percent of all spills –
that’s more than 25,000 a year – are on land. Clean-up costs exceed $10 billion
annually and the environmental impact of all that contaminated soil is
enormous. What if we could reclaim the poisoned land?
Scientists at Rice University have developed a process known as “pyrolysis” to turn the black
oily dirt into good fertile soil. The technique, in which contaminated soil is
heated in the absence of oxygen, is fast, energy efficient, and much cheaper
than current methods.
The dream becomes reality
The new approach is also much better for the environment than
standard incineration techniques for fast remediation, says Pedro Alvarez,
professor and chair of Rice’s civil and environmental engineering
department.“Our original goal was to speed the response to oil spills, but our
aspiration was to turn contaminated soil into fertile soil,” says Alvarez. The
professor and his team turned that dream into reality.“Pyrolyzing” the
contaminated soil for three hours reduced the amount of petroleum hydrocarbon
pollutants to well below regulatory standards. But, as an unexpected bonus,
pyrolysis also enhanced the soil’s fertility by turning the remaining carbon
into beneficial “char”.“We initially thought we could turn the hydrocarbons
into biochar,” Alvarez says. “We turned out to be partly wrong: We didn’t get
biochar, but a carbonaceous material that we call char and resembles coke.”
“Biochar is a particle that is separate from the soil’s mineral
grains,” says biogeochemist and co-author Caroline Masiello, an associate
professor of Earth science.While biochar is itself a particle, the coke-like
char appears to coat existing soil particles. “It has an internal physical
structure that allows it to hold water and nutrients and provides a home for
microbes, but here, we’re not making any of those things. We’re making an
organic film that coats the minerals,” explained Masiello.
Growing lettuce from the dead land
By removing toxic pollutants and the hydrophobicity that repels
water, as well as retaining some of the carbon and nutrients, Alvarez hoped the
reclaimed soil would enhance plant growth.So the researchers went on to test
their discovery by successfully growing lettuce in reclaimed soil. “There’s no
one plant officially accepted as the standard for testing petroleum toxicity,
but lettuce has been accepted by the community as very sensitive to toxins,
especially petroleum,” said graduate student Julia Vidonish, the paper’s lead
author.
Not just desert sand
“Reclaimed soil may not necessarily be used to grow food, but it
certainly could be used for re-greening: planting grass to minimize erosion and
to restore vegetation,” Alvarez said.The process takes advantage of existing
petroleum chemistry. But the end product is clean. “The Environmental
Protection Agency does not classify petroleum coke as hazardous waste,” said
chemical engineer and co-author Kyriacos Zygourakis, professor of chemical and
biomolecular engineering.“We proved we can remove all the bad actors and all
the contaminants and at the same time have a final product with agricultural
value. We don’t just turn it into desert sand.”
The new paper is published in the journal Environmental
Science and Technology.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113408133/rice-university-scientists-turn-oil-spill-dirt-into-fertile-soil-082515/#TG6MejW9IBmFXUf5.99
PH eyes 6.5 pct rice output growth in 2016,
says may buy more
Reuters
Posted
at 08/25/2015 5:41 PM
MANILA - The Philippines aims to increase rice production by as
much as 6.5 percent next year after an expected fall in this year's output,
with state spending to boost crop yields helping to offset possible losses from
the El Nino dry weather condition, a senior official said on Tuesday.Higher
domestic output, however, does not mean the Philippines, one of the world's
biggest rice importers, will not import the grain any more, with the government
finalizing plans to buy an additional 250,000 tonnes before the year ends,
Francis Pangilinan, the country's food security chief, told a congressional
budget hearing.
The government was reviewing the latest production forecast for
2015 to see if there was a need to buy more before El Nino intensifies further
in the last quarter.Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said at the same
hearing that the target next year is to harvest as much as 20.09 million
tonnes.That compares with the 18.86 million tonnes output that the government
statistics agency has projected for this year, below last year's record harvest
of 18.97 million tonnes.Alcala said the country will still need to import rice
to ensure it has a comfortable buffer stock, especially during the annual lean
harvest season that usually starts in July.
Pangilinan, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the budget
hearing, said the government's Food Security Council, composed of the country's
economic managers, will soon finalize its rice import plans for the rest of the
year.The Southeast Asian country expects to miss its 2015 production target
after dry weather linked to the El Nino phenomenon, expected to intensify in
the last quarter, hurt the first-half harvest.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/08/25/15/ph-eyes-65-pct-rice-output-growth-2016-says-may-buy-more
Pearl Universal Impex invests $100m in rice cultivation
• From left: General Manager, Pearl
Universal Impex Ltd, Mr. Nimit Jain; Director, Pearl Universal Impex Ltd, Mr.
Pranshu Goel; Governor Bello; Mr. Jain; Consultant and Public Relations Officer
to Pearl Universal Impex Ltd, Mr. Jibril Bokani Usman; Agronomist, Mr.
Ramanathan Srinivasan; District Head of Luma, Alhaji Isa M. Damisa during the
visit.
Receiving Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello at the
farms, its Chairman, Mr. Pulkit Jain, said the firm would create 4, 000 direct
jobs and 20, 000 indirect jobs through their out grower scheme.
Jain said the company intends to farm rice three times a year on
the land.
“We have some challenges, such as the bad road here. But we’re
bringing $2 million of our own money to invest in the road, bringing the total
of the entire project to $100 million,” he said.Jain explained that the company
has been a major importer of rice in the country in the past, with imports of
350,000 metric tonnes of rice yearly, but chose to invest in cultivation and
milling of scientifically tested, high yielding varieties of rice in order to
achieve the Federal Government’s target of achieving self-sufficiency in rice
production.
He added that the company is also about to set up integrated rice
mills with parboiling and drying facilities in Borgu and Bida local government
areas of the state, each with paddy processing capacity of 150, 000 tons per
annum.“We will also support the out grower farmers in Niger State by providing
them with technical know-how, improved seeds, fertiliser and pesticides and
subsequently procure high quality paddy from them to feed 100 per cent capacity
of the rice mills,” he announced.Jain said to underline its commitment, the
company last June started a pilot scheme to determine the variety of rice most
suitable to the region on a 500 hectares of land in Saminaka, a community
situated around Swashi Dam in Borgu Local Government Area of the state.
What's new at India Sweet House? Chinese food
The 34-year-old Indian shop now has three new Indo-Chinese
dishes on the menu: fried rice, chili paneer and Manchurian. Shown here are the
fried rice and the Manchurian -- which isn't made with chicken, but is
vegetarian.
(Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times)
India Sweet
House on Pico celebrates its 34th anniversary on Aug. 27.
Chicken Manchurian, in a brown sauce with garlic, ginger and soy
sauce, is a classic. Because its food is vegetarian, India Sweet House makes
Manchurian with vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, carrots and bell
peppers. These are formed into balls held together with flour and cornstarch
and served in a bowl of dark broth seasoned with soy sauce. The mix
includes enough jalapeños to make this one spicy dish. Try it spooned over
the fried rice, which is vegetarian-style, without meat or eggs but with assorted
vegetables. Basmati rice makes it light and flaky.
Chili paneer — cubes of Indian cheese smothered with bell pepper
and onion — is slightly sweet as well as spicy, with ground dried chiles from
India. If you want to torque it up even more, a shaker of hot, red chili
powder is on each table. What you won’t find is a bottle of soy sauce.The
condiment bar holds chopped cilantro, onion, green chiles and tamarind and mint
chutneys, but these are meant to go with Indian food.For a beverage? Hot tea,
of course. And afterward, get a sweet from the display in the counter.
India Sweet House, 5992 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (323)
934-5193.
Daily Dish
Pack to school: What do
professional chefs pack for their kids?
Steve Mellon /Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pack to school: What do
professional chefs pack for their kids?
Steve Mellon /Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Chef Ling Robinson with a summer roll at her restaurant,
Asiatique Thai Bistro.
Posted: Tuesday, August 25,
2015 12:00 pm | Updated: 12:05
pm, Tue Aug 25, 2015.
By Arthi Subramaniam Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Her prep technique: “I make pesto ahead of time and keep it in the
freezer. On Sunday night, I cook a pound of pasta and then add the frozen pesto
to the hot pasta. I keep stirring until the pesto melts completely, coating the
pasta and at the same time cooling it. That way I don’t need to wait for it to
cool to pack it away (waiting isn’t an option anyway since it’s already
midnight by the time I get around to making the school lunch). I can
immediately pack it into individually covered containers and put it in the
fridge, and I’m set for the week.” Frozen walnuts will ensure that the pesto
will be green, she says.What she won’t pack: “No juice boxes and no yogurt
shooters.”From Dinette’s menu: Dinette doesn’t have a lunch menu, and so
sometimes Miles gets a slice of cheese pizza that was made the night before. “A
lot of Miles’ lunches are prepared at Dinette.
”Her school lunch: “I didn’t take lunch from home. I did school
lunch the whole time.”Changes in lunch-box fare: “The convenience foods and
prepackaged foods have gotten worse. There is more sugar, more salt and the
sizes have gotten bigger.”Bill Fuller is the corporate chef at Big Burrito. He
has an 11- and 14-year-old and packs their lunches every day.What he packs:
“Either a sandwich, milk (I pack the milk with a small ice pack together in a
baggie because my kids hate warm milk), fruit and snack (crackers, chips, etc.)
or a thermos of soup or leftovers instead of the sandwich. Occasionally two
slices of leftover pizza in place of the thermos of soup/sandwich. If they are
sweet, I’ll drop a piece of leftover Halloween candy or some cookies in there.”What
he won’t pack: “Nothing that won’t be temperature safe through the course of
the day. Not very many sweets. Never soda.”
From Casbah’s menu: “I always sent leftover pastas from Casbah
(his restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside), especially the Ricotta Cavatelli.
Both my kids devour that.”His school lunch: “We rarely packed lunches but when
we did it was a sandwich, chips/snack, fruit. We usually ate school lunch
because my grandmother cooked in the cafeteria. In those days, they actually
cooked, so it was my grandmother cooking for us every day in grade school.
Also, we got free or reduced lunches throughout school too, and that was hard
to pass up.”His lunch box: “I had an ‘Adam-12’ box when I was a little kid.
Also a Spider-Man one, I think. I remember the ‘Adam-12’ one best
because I hit Eddie Krauch in the face with it once and got in trouble. We were
friends, mostly, but got in a fight that day.”Changes in the lunch-box fare:
“Not much in my world. I guess I can afford fresh fruit and my mother couldn’t.
A lot of kids bring pre-packaged stuff. My older kid likes to take Ramen
noodles occasionally since the middle school cafeteria has a microwave. We
never had a microwave!”Ling Robinson, executive chef and owner of Asiatique
Thai Bistro in Larimer’s Bakery Square, who has four children and two
grandchildren, says it’s important to prepare a different lunch every day for
children as they will remember it. “It’s a gift from childhood that creates
special memories of how much their mother or father loved them,” she says.What
she will pack: Fresh, healthy, non-processed food.
“I always include a protein, fruit and vegetable. I grill chicken
or beef or salmon, steam vegetables, thinly slice apples, cut up some carrots,
and put it all together in one container with a light dressing using olive oil.
For my older boys, who require more calories, I would make a sandwich
containing salmon, beef or chicken.”What she won’t pack: “Chips, soft drinks or
prepackaged meats.”From Asiatique’s menu: “I would pack foods such as our
Summer Roll, which is quick and easy to make, and contains fresh leaf lettuce,
cilantro, mint, avocado, tomato and tapioca skin.” She wraps it with chicken or
salmon and rice noodles.Her school lunch: “Growing up in Thailand, I would take
rice with mixed vegetables and seafood.” She says she was fortunate because her
parents insisted on those foods along with fruit. “All kinds of fruits.
”Her lunch box: “My lunch box was a vertical stack of containers
—the bottom one had rice, the middle one had steamed vegetables and the top
held fresh fruit. I also carried one metal spoon —no plastic spoons. If you had
brothers and sisters at the same school, you also carried their lunches in your
lunch box. You just added more containers to your stack. It was usually the
older child who had to carry it to school.”Changes in the lunch-box fare:
“Back then, our lunch boxes
featured these three different compartments for three food groups. It was easy
to open and was safe and secure. Today, everything is taken in Ziploc bags,
which are sometimes not so easy for the children to open without spilling on
themselves. Also, it’s all about processed fruits and puddings in plastic
containers. I do use the safe plastic box containers that are easier to open.
My boys and grandchildren would have a hard time carrying the stacked lunch
boxes today, so it’s the next best thing.”
FRESH RICOTTA CAVATELLI
WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE,
RAPINI AND TOMATO
You could freeze the Ricotta Cavatelli before adding the sausage
and tomatoes.
2 Ricotta Cavatelli (see recipe below)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus oil for pasta water
2 loose Italian sausages (spicy or mild)
4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 bunch rapini, thinly sliced
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)
3 cups whole Italian canned plum tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cups fresh ricotta (room temperature)
Make Ricotta Cavatelli.
In a 4-quart pot, add salt and oil to water. Bring water to boil
before cooking sausage.
Heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Crumble sausage into oil
and let it brown, breaking up large chunks with a spatula.
When sausage is browned, add garlic and rapini. Add red pepper
flakes, if desired. Stir until rapini is tender.
Roughly crush tomatoes with your hands and add with juice to
rapini-sausage mixture.
Put cavatelli in boiling water. Let cook until it floats and then
just a minute more.
Strain pasta and add to sausage mixture. Add fresh oregano and
toss together. Add seasonings.
Place in a large, shallow pasta bowl. Arrange dabs of ricotta
across the surface.
Serve immediately.
For Ricotta Cavatelli
1 pound Lamagna ricotta
3 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
Combine ricotta and eggs in mixer fitted with dough hook. Mix
well.
Add flour; mix for about 5 minutes. If dough is sticky, add a
little more flour and mix again.
Place dough onto counter. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest at
least 30 minutes.
Roll dough out to 1/2-inch thick. Then cut into 3/4-inch strips.
Roll through cavatelli maker onto lightly floured tray. Freeze extra
pasta.
— Bill Fuller
CHICKEN SUMMER ROLL
It is quick and easy to make.
1 to 2 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/2 ounce olive oil
1 tapioca skin
1 ounce baby spinach
1 ounce brown rice
2 sprigs cilantro
1 ounce shredded carrots
2 slices of cucumber
Thinly slice meat. Wash in salt water; thoroughly rinse.
Pour olive oil in nonstick pan and saute chicken on both sides
until done. Let cool; side slice the meat and keep ready for use in summer
roll.
Wet tapioca skin and lay flat on clean surface.
Spread spinach on top of tapioca skin. Then top with brown rice,
cilantro, carrots, cucumber and sliced chicken.
Tightly roll up tapioca skin.
Slice roll to desired thickness.
Makes approximately 5 pieces.
— Ling Robinson
SIMPLE PESTO
Any pasta will work for this pesto, but the more fanciful the
shape, the better. I recommend having the child pick it out.
1 1/2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 medium cloves garlic
2 1/2 ounces frozen walnuts
6 ounces basil leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound pasta, cooked
In a food processor, pulse cheese, garlic, walnuts, basil, salt
and 1/4 cup olive oil until a little chunky. Scrape down sides.
Then running the processor, drizzle in the rest of the oil.
If making ahead of time, pack into a plastic bag or container and
freeze.
Add pesto to cooked pasta.
Makes approximately 1 cup.
—Sonja Finn
http://www.sentinelsource.com/site/contact/
El Niño event seen worst since
1998 – 25 Aug 2015
Tuesday, August 25th, 2015
The Philippines’s government expects nearly all the
country’s 81 provinces by end-2015 to feel the brunt of a dry spell from the
current El Niño episode that is seen to be the worst since the 1997-1998 event,
the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) said 24 Aug.Philippine
Statistics Authority data show GDP growth slipping from 5.85% y/y in 1996 to
5.19% y/y in 1997 and then worsening to a 0.58% y/y contraction in 1998.Agriculture
Secretary Mr. Alcala told reporters at the sidelines of budget deliberations at
the House of Representatives on 18 Aug that his department has asked for more
than PHP1bn in additional funds to support El Niño mitigating measures. In
his announcement last 20 Aug, DoST assured that the government has been
preparing for the worsening El Niño episode that is expected by PAGASA to last
until May 16.
External Link : http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=el-nio-event-seen-worst-since-1998&id=114141
http://www.centennialasia.com/el-nino-event-seen-worst-since-1998-25-aug-2015/
Rice output up but PH still needs imports —
DA
August 25, 2015
Written by Jester P. Manalastas
EVEN if the country is already
rice sufficient the government still needs to import rice, the Department of
Agriculture (DA) said. During a budget
hearing, Agriculture Secretary Proseso Alcala reported to the Committee on
Appropriations that the country was already 96 percent rice sufficient in 2014,
marking an increase from 82 percent in 2010.
In fact, the Philippines was tagged as the world’s fastest rice producer
with a production growth rate of of 4.02
percent from 2010 to 2014 by the 2015 United States Department of Agriculture
World Production, Markets and Trade report.
Alcala added that in 2014, the Philippines recorded its historical best
production of palay — 18.97 million metric tons. He likewise boasted that the Philippines
bested other countries in production growth rates such as India with 2.97
percent, Vietnam with 2.35 percent, and China with 1.14 percent.“The
Philippines also exceeded the world average of 1.39 percent,” Alcala added.
However, Alcala admitted that the
government still needs to buy imported rice to ensure enough buffer stock,
especially during lean months or no rice production during summer months. Kulang pa tayo sa target natin na 100
percent kaya kailangan pa ding mag-import, para maiwasan natin na pumila ang mga
tao para lang makabili ng bigas,” Alcala told the lawmakers. The DA is also preparing for the adverse
effect of the El Niño phenomenon, which the government is expecting to bring
worse and long dry spell resulting in lesser rice production. For 2016, the DA
proposed a budget of P53.38 billion or a 2 .6 percent increase from this year’s
allocation of P52 billion.
http://www.journal.com.ph/news/nation/rice-output-up-but-ph-still-needs-imports-da
Riverina irrigators raise water access concerns through social
media
Some in the Murray Valley feel government policies are
restricting their access to irrigation water.They want politicians and the
wider public to know about it.The Speak Up campaign, which was launched this
month, invites producers to interact with people by sharing personal stories of
growing food with irrigation water, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Deniliquin
rice farmer and secretary of West Berriquin Irrigators, Shelley Scoullar, is
behind the initiative.She is frustrated at the lack of a water allocation for
general security irrigators in the district, despite Dartmouth Dam holding more
than 70 per cent of its capacity and Hume Dam being 40 per cent full.
"What we really want to be able to do is trade or lease
with the (Commonwealth) Environmental Water Holder the water they've got in
surplus so we can use it for productive use," she said."Let's finish
off these crops."Mrs Scoullar said the response to the online campaign has
been extremely positive.Irrigators involved in the campaign met with the NSW
Member for Murray Adrian Piccoli last week to highlight their concerns.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-25/speak-up-campaign-southern-riverina-2508/6722072
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- Aug 25
Tue Aug 25, 2015 2:29pm IST
Nagpur, Aug 25 Gram prices shot up in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing
Committee (APMC) here on good festival season demand from local traders amid thin arrival from
producing regions. Notable rise on NCDEX, upward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and
enquiries from South-based plants also helped to push up prices, according to sources.
* * * *
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram varieties zoomed up in open market on increased buying support from local
traders amid weak arrival from producing belts.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties continued to go up in open market here on increased demand from
local traders amid thin arrival from producing belts. Weak production in this season
reports, thin overseas arrival and sharp rise in Madhya Pradesh tuar prices also
pushed up this commodities prices.
* Moong varieties, Lakhodi dal and Batri dal too zoomed up in open market here on good
seasonal demand from local traders amid tight supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar - 9,800-910,100, Tuar dal - 13,800-14,200, Udid at 9,400-9,700,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 11,300-11,700, Moong - 7,600-7,800, Moong Mogar
(clean) 9,200-9,800, Gram - 4,500-4,800, Gram Super best bold - 6,000-6,0200
for 100 kg.
* Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in thin trading
activity, according to sources.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,900-5,080 3,900-4,970
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction n.a. 8,000-9,800
Moong Auction n.a. 6,000-6,400
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold 6,500-6,800 6,200-6,500
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,900-6,100 5,600-5,800
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 5,800-5,900 5,400-5,700
Desi gram Raw 4,900-5,000 4,800-4,850
Gram Filter new 6,200-6,400 6,000-6,200
Gram Kabuli 6,400-7,500 6,400-7,500
Gram Pink 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000
Tuar Fataka Best 14,300-14,700 14,000-14,100
Tuar Fataka Medium 13,500-13,900 13,000-13,500
Tuar Dal Best Phod 12,800-13,200 12,500-12,900
Tuar Dal Medium phod 12,000-12,600 11,700-12,200
Tuar Gavarani New 10,300-10,400 9,800-10,000
Tuar Karnataka 10,700-10,700 10,400-10,500
Tuar Black 12,600-12,900 12,400-12,800
Masoor dal best 8,600-8,800 8,600-8,800
Masoor dal medium 8,150-8,450 8,150-8,400
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 9,600-9,900 9,600-9,800
Moong Mogar Medium best 8,200-8,800 8,200-8,800
Moong dal Chilka 8,600-8,800 8,500-8,800
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,400-9,200 8,400-9,000
Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 11,700-12,000 11,700-12,000
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 10,600-11,000 10,600-11,000
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 9,400-9,800 9,400-9,800
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,500 4,800-5,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,800-4,000 3,500-3,600
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,150-3,350 3,150-3,350
Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,200 3,100-3,200
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,900 3,300-3,900
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,500 1,400-1,500
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,350-1,550 1,350-1,550
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,250-2,400 2,250-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,950-2,100 1,950-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,700 3,400-3,700
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,750-2,900 2,750-2,900
Rice BPT New(100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,000 2,800-3,000
Rice BPT (100 INR/KG) 3,050-3,300 3,050-3,300
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,900 1,700-1,900
Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800
Rice HMT new(100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,800 3,400-3,800
Rice HMT (100 INR/KG) 3,900-4,300 3,900-4,300
Rice HMT Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,300-4,500 4,300-4,500
Rice HMT Shriram old (100 INR/KG) 4,600-5,100 4,600-5,100
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,000-10,000 8,000-10,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,900 4,500-4,900
Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,700 5,400-5,700
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,350 2,100-2,350
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 33.4 degree Celsius (92.1 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
22.8 degree Celsius (73.0 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : nil
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night. Maximumand minimum temperature would be around and 34 and 23 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, butincluded in market prices.)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/08/25/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL4N1103CI20150825
Monsoon: Sept, a washout for India, says Korean agency
VINSON KURIAN
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUGUST
25:
A deficient August is likely to be followed by a forgettable
September to round off this year’s South-West monsoon when it retreats fully
from mainland India in another 35 days.October could spring a nasty surprise in
terms of drier than normal weather, according to a long-term forecast issued on
Tuesday by the APEC Climate Centre based in Busan, South Korea.
November relief
But November could make an impression with normal rainfall for
most of the country with excess rain indicated for some of the fringe areas.And
December could turn in a bumper in terms of normal rainfall for the country as
a whole even as the extreme southern and western flanks witness excess showers.
The month-wise break-up of expected rain for the four months of
September, October, November and December projected by the South Korean
forecaster is as follows:
Month-wise outlook
September
Excess – Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh
Normal- Chhattisgarh, East Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Jammu and Kashmir,Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Northeast Rajasthan,
South Tamil Nadu and Kerala
Deficient – rest of Northwest India and South Peninsula and
entire Central India
October
Normal – South Kerala, South Tamil Nadu,East Rajasthan, Punjab,
Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh,
Nagaland-Mizoram-Manipur-Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya
Deficient – East India, Northwest India, Central India and South
Peninsula
November
Excess – Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and extreme
South Peninsula
Normal – Northwest India, West and South Peninsula
Deficient – Tamil Nadu, South Coastal Andhra Pradesh
December
Normal – almost the whole country
Excess – South Tamil Nadu, Kerala, entire West Coast including
Konkan-Goa and adjoining interior Maharashtra, entire Madhya Pradesh and
Vidarbha.
Deficit to stay
The overall rain deficit as a whole was unchanged at
11 per cent on Tuesday but individual figures for the main four geographical
divisions have worsened from overnight.Over South Peninsula, the shortfall has
reverted to being a crippling 20 per cent while that over the Central Peninsula
worsened to 14 per cent.More or less similar is the situation both in
North-West India and East and North-East India where the deficits, though still
in single figures, have gone up to five per cent and seven per cent
respectively.
None of the weather models set great store by a fresh
low-pressure area expected to form over North Bay of Bengal in another two
days.The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts speculates that the
‘low’ would die out without so much as a whimper.
(This article was published on August 25, 2015
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/monsoon-sept-a-washout-for-india-says-korean-agency/article7579217.ece
Arkansas
Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
A comprehensive daily commodity market report for Arkansas
agricultural commodities with cash markets, futures and insightful analysis and
commentary from Arkansas Farm Bureau commodity analysts.Noteworthy benchmark
price levels of interest to farmers and ranchers, as well as long-term
commodity market trends which are developing. Daily fundamental market
influences and technical factors are noted and discussed.
Soybeans
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
909
|
818
|
|
New Crop
|
893
|
829
|
|
|
||
Riceland Foods
|
|
||
|
Cash Bids
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
|
|
New Crop
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
|
|
|
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|
Futures:
|
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Soybean Comment
Soybeans were the lone bright spot in the commodity market, as
prices recovered today following the overall market higher today. In addition
to this support, prices also got a boost from another large export sale for
next marketing year, that more than 11 million bushels over the last 2-days.
While this is great for the near term, sales for 2015/16 technology remain well
below where we would like for them to be. The slow export market will remain a
drag on prices and will likely limit gains as long as the export market remains
an issue.
Wheat
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
465
|
419
|
|
New Crop
|
513
|
488
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Wheat Comment
Wheat prices closed lower today, and fell back below support
near $5. Continued weak demand and improving supply remains a drag on prices.
U.S. wheat exports and domestic demand continue to be disappointing to the
market and preventing wheat from being able to hold gains above $5.
Grain Sorghum
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
373
|
332
|
|
New Crop
|
371
|
306
|
|
|
||
Corn
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
363
|
321
|
|
New Crop
|
390
|
341
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Corn Comment
Corn prices closed lower today. While outside markets
strengthened, corn failed to hold onto yesterday's marginal gains. Last week's
crop tour showed mixed results with some of the last big states coming in above
last years yields. The market needs additional demand support to help maintain
gains, and continue to hold support near $3.63.
Cotton
|
Futures:
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cotton Comment
Cotton futures were sharply lower again today. Growing fears of
a global economic slowdown in light of the recent events in China. Outside
markets sold off hard as well. December futures continued to retrace the gains
charted in reaction to the monthly supply/demand report, completing a 62%
retracement. The next support is at the contract low of 61.25.
Rice
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Long Grain
Cash Bids
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
Long Grain
New Crop
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Rice Comment
Rice futures followed other commodities lower today in reaction
to economic news out of China this weekend. Losses in rice weren't as sharp as
other commodities, as the market found support yesterday's low. Additional
support can be found at the 50% retracement level of the summer's gains at
$11.06.
Cattle
|
Futures:
|
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Live Cattle:
|
|
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Feeders:
|
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Arkansas Prices
Ft. Smith Livestock Auction
Heber Springs Livestock Auction
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City - Feeder Cattle Auction Weighted Average Report
Cattle Comment
Cattle prices weakened again today. While prices tried early on
to close the gap left in yesterday market, they failed to do so leaving open
the downside potential in live cattle market. While beef prices moved higher
again today, they failed to provide enough support to push prices higher as
slow movement in cash markets.
Hogs
|
Futures:
|
|
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Hog Comment
Shell Eggs
National
Turkeys
Delmarva
Broilers
http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/
Download/View
On-Line the above News in pdf format,just click the following link
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