Hi everyone, I’m out in San Diego to attend BIO 2008, the Bio International Convention which runs Tuesday-Friday.  This is the world’s largest biotech conference and more than 20,000 people from around the globe will be here.  The attendees are executives, scientists and researchers who are working, as BIO says, to “feed, fuel and heal” the world.  That’s because biotech applications are used for human health (know anyone who uses insulin?  or is treated for MS?  Those are biotech drugs); used to produce biofuels which will be a hot topic here, and used to modify crops grown for food (corn, soy, cotton, squash, canola to name the most common).

So I’m really excited to be here and learn and mingle.  I was thrilled this morning, when on my way to the gym, I ran into Dr. Florence Wambugu and her associate Daniel Kamanga.  You may recall I’ve written about Florence before.  She’s CEO of Africa Harvest and is based in Nairobi and Johannesburg.  She has a grant from the Gates Foundation to improve the solubility of sorghum which is a food staple in Africa.  Anyway, we had a lovely reunion on the street and will be seeing each other again this week.  Maybe I can even get her to do a guest blog post for us.  In any event, if you have any questions about biotech and agriculture, send them to me and I’ll try to find someone here who can answer them — I mean with 20,000+ experts, it should be easy, right?  I’ll be blogging from here all week — so check back often  to see what’s new.  You can also go to the BIO web site to see the type of programming available in the food and ag track

A Labor of Love: From What’s Fresh. I couldn’t express better myself the philosophy and motivation behind growing and selling local food. Be sure to check out the double chocolate zucchini cake recipe, too.

Jumping on the Healthy Food Bandwagon: from Marketing Profs Daily Fix. Food companies (i.e. Kraft, General Mills, Sara Lee) are answering consumer demands for “Less” everything and the perception of healthier product. Along with this is usually a higher price tag. Is this a good thing?

Ecogeek’s Guide to Saying Thanks to Dad: A green giving guide for Father’s Day. This entry begs the question: Can one buy one’s way to environmental responsibility?

Cloned Meat: A logical next step: From Word of Mouth. An unusually non-emotional discourse on the place of cloning in our selective breeding practices. Here is someone who gets that this is more of a non-issue than one worth “media hand-wringing and deep moral debate about Frankenstein Friesians”.

Food Safety During an Emergency: From Momify. Loss of power during an emergency can endanger the food in your refrigerator or freezer. The USDA has published a Guide that includes tips on what to do in floods, power outages and removing odors from freezers and refrigerators. I wish I had seen that last bit last Thanksgiving, when I forgot to turn my frig back on after cleaning it out and then left for a week out at the ranch!

Safe vs. Organic Personal Care Products:  from BlogHer’s Green and Ecoconscious section.  We touched on this in last week’s Earthlinks.  The author (who also blogs on greenLAgirl) points out there is safety and eco-friendly on both sides of the organic fence in this excellent review.

Celebrating Extinction: From Ethicurean. This is a spoof on bluefin tuna extinction so well written that I took it seriously. After my recent mistaking of the “Obesity Causes Global Warming” for a spoof, I’m convinced that it is hard to tell in today’s world what is outrageous and real and what is outrageous and fictional.

I definitely believe in not taking myself to seriously (except when I am, of course). That’s why the first two sheepI raised for meat were named “Racko” and “Leggo”.

Lest we fall into that trap here, I am adding a new link to our blogroll: the Devil’s Food Dictionary. An unashamed effort on the part of the author to get his book published, here is a hilarious lexicon consisting entirely of lies about food. They are so well written, even science geeks like me get sucked in when he writes an occasional guest essay on the blogs I track.

All of this back and forth on the value of food-based fuel seems to be one of the central issues involved in how the world is handling the crippling food shortages lately. The U.N. held its food crisis summit in Rome and couldn’t make heads or tails of how to resolve this “biofuel debate” in the world community.

The only thing every can agree on is that there’s no future in using biofuels:

A June 9 Editorial from the New York Times said that:

“The International Monetary Fund estimated that biofuels — mainly American corn ethanol — accounted for almost half the growth in worldwide demand for major food crops last year.”

Jeffrey Sachs from Time Magazine was even more direct:

“Much as we need alternative forms of fuel, paying our farmers to fill our gas tanks with their crops is a foolish policy–with catastrophic results for the world.”

And with evidence coming out that biofuls may be bad for the environment anyway, the drawbacks just keep on coming.

So, we either use food to create biofuels and keep our fingers crossed that we don’t cook the earth while we starve millions of people. Or, we use that food to feed the hungry and let the world heat up with all the CO2 we’re pumping in it from fossil fuels.

Swell.

But what other solution do we have? It may be a bad option, but right now it’s the only option, and you’ve got to work with what you’ve got. Or do you?

There’s got to be a viable alternative-fuel out there, right? Any ideas?

My boys love raw tomatoes or “menos” as they were first dubbed by a toddler that would position himself in front of the cherry tomato section of a salad bar and eat until chased down by one of his humiliated parents.

So should they or shouldn’t they (and we) be eating tomatoes these days? Since mid-April, 167 people in 17 states have been infected with a rare strain of bacteria known as Salmonella Saintpaul, which has been linked to several kinds of raw tomatoes. Most of the cases have been in Texas and New Mexico, and 23 of them have required hospitalization.

McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Burger King, Outback Steakhouse and Taco Bell have even voluntarily pulled tomatoes from their offerings.

Perhaps most scary — the FDA has even warned consumers to stop eating raw tomatoes – traditional, round, Roma or plum. Although the FDA website says there haven’t been problems with 19 states and 4 countries, it does say if you don’t know where the tomato came from, you shouldn’t eat it.

Of course, the North American tomato industry is absolutely gut-punched and the Florida tomato growers say the entire system is on the verge of collapse. Number one tomato producer Florida says $40 million worth of tomatoes will rot in the next few days unless the U.S. FDA traces the source of the outbreak and clears the produce.

Pretty scary stuff. My feelings? There will be no more toddler “meno” salad bar attacks in the near future. But, made of rough stuff as I am, I did actually eat all the tomatoes in my salad today. No tummy rumblings yet. I’ll let you know if I make it.

And — minor screed — some people (we like) are bashing the FDA, but I really think Congress is the problem. Since the early 1990s there’s been a strategy afoot to cash starve the agency to limit its ability to “meddle”. First put into place when Kessler started to take on the tobacco companies in the 1990s, this unfortunate but successful strategy is working.

Don’t blame the agency. FULLY AND APPROPRIATELY FUND THE U.S. FDA so they can quickly handle these sorts of matters. My bet is that these tomatoes are coming from abroad, but the poor FDA inspection service is so poorly staffed and funded, how would we know? Yet domestic agriculture is taking the hit.

Other tomato conversations:

Shakesville, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

I guess this places bruschetta and BLT’s on the endangered species list for the time being until the safe tomato population gets its act together.

Alana Kellogg, food editor on BlogHer, It’s Summer Tomato Time — Or Is It?

Are you thinking it’s much ado about nothing, that hey, life is risky and what’s a little tomato compared to stuff like global warming, skyrocketing food prices, $4 a gallon gasoline, healthcare and education issues, childhood obesity, earthquakes in China, floods in the Midwest, who the Bachelorette’s going to knock off this week?

Wine Before Dinner, The Salmonella Tomato Scare

If American establishments would buy tomatoes grown in America, this Salmonella Scare would have never happened. This is nothing against Mexico, it’s hard working people, and their farmers. I just think that produce being shipped from that far away has to go through many hands, trucks, crates, etc. The farther these things travel the better chance they have of becoming contaminated.

Wall Street Fighter, The 2008 Tomato Scare

If some film studio decided to make a major motion picture about ‘Tomato Scare ‘08″, I bet there will be a dramatic scene in there where someone runs into the Tomato factory and screams at the top of their lungs, “Stop the picking and packing machines!” Then he’ll probably slam on some bright red emergency stop button, which should be in the shape of a large cartoon tomato.

Just because you’re a scientist doesn’t mean everything you say is true or makes sense. Take the following quote, which has appeared in numerous recent stories about the advent of commercially available dog cloning.

A cloned dog is “likely to be a totally unknown dog, just as if you went to the pound and adopted another unknown animal”, says Dr Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer at the Massachusetts biotech company Advanced Cell Technology. “If anyone thinks they’re going to get Fluffy back, they’re gravely mistaken.”

Excuse me, isn’t the genetic basis of behavior, size, hair coat, temperament, and many other traits the reason we have different dog breeds in the first place? Sure, just like identical twins are still individuals, a clone (which is similarly a genetic duplicate of the genetic donor) will not be the same animal as the original. But, given that genetics are a huge part of what determines an animal’s characteristics, a clone will be as similar as you can get. Given the laws of genetics for most traits, a clone will be more like the original than even a littermate.

It’s hard enough trying to set straight misinformation perpetuated by reporters and others who may not have the training to know better. Shame on Dr. Lanza (who’s company has had a major stake in this technology) for perpetuating something both idiotic and untrue, when he knows better (or at least ought to).

Eating Safe, Locally: “local” does not equate to safe. Barfblog has some good questions and suggestions about making your local food purchases are safe to eat. “Whether your food comes from down the street or around the globe, you want to verify that producers and processors are actually doing what they are supposed to be doing.”

FDA Warns Consumers in New Mexico and Texas Not to Eat Certain Tomatoes: From Food Poisoning Law Blog. Being a Texan, I had to include the recent warning on Salmonella in tomatoes. Current advice is to avoid large and roma tomatoes unless attached to the vine or homegrown. Rep. Rosa DeLauro is calling for reform.

And, hey, it’s just in time! June 9 through 13 is Food Safety Week! Coincidence?

Natural Cosmetics, what’s in a name? From Enviroblog. 78 percent of women think “natural” personal care products are regulated. Actually, FDA has no authority for pre-market review of cosmetic product formulation and labeling.

Beer for Greenies: From Ecogeek. Just in time for summer, eco-conscious beer. And I thought green beer was only for St. Patrick’s Day. Unfortunately, it’s from the UK, leaving the question of food miles still a big one.

This isn’t food-related, but it’s still eco-conscious: Enviroblog wrote about GreenPrint, a software program that helps your computer print less paper. How cool is that? Any little step is a good step, and there isn’t a person out there that doesn’t waste computer paper once in a while. Another way: Buy recycled paper! There are lots of price and brightness options, so no worries about your beautiful memos.

Vets Uninterested in Pet Food Safety?, via YesBiscuit!: Pets are often considered a part of the family, so should we pay attention to the safety of their food too? A study from Petfood Industry Magazine finds that our vets need better information and to be more interested in the issue, period.

And, in a related story, some pet owners are having trouble feeding themselves and their pets thanks to current food prices and the economy. Having to choose between putting food on the table and keeping Fido? Heartbreaking.

I recently read a news article called “Mom’s Diet Can Boost Baby’s Brain,” about how a mother’s diet affects her baby while in the womb. It quoted Dr. Alan Greene, who encourages organic foods for babies and young children.

In addition to consuming the appropriate amount of nutrients, Greene believes that there are certain organic foods that babies and young children should consume.

This includes milk, soy, baby cereal, fruits and vegetables, and baby food meat.

‘If I were going to pick only one time of life to eat organic, it would be from conception through age three,’ he writes. ‘Our bodies and our brains grow faster during this period than at any later time.’

I recently posted about organic formulas for babies and wondered if “organic” is truly better the better choice. Many say yes; Consumer Reports agrees with Greene’s statements, saying in a 2006 article,

Children may be at risk of higher exposure to the toxins found in nonorganic food because baby food is often made up of condensed fruits or vegetables, potentially concentrating pesticide residues. While at least one company says their nonorganic baby food has pesticide and heavy-metal levels below government-recommended levels, that may be cold comfort for parents wanting the healthiest options for their baby.

But the Mayo Clinic disagrees, kind of:

Organic baby food can limit your baby’s exposure to pesticides and other potential contaminants in foods. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says organic foods are no safer or more nutritious than other foods. Also, organic baby food can be considerably more expensive than traditional baby food.

I suspect there is no “right” answer; it depends on what a mother feels comfortable giving to her baby and spending her money on. But the more knowledge she has about what she and her baby are eating (organic or non), the better.

Sara’s post on labels and farm workers reminded me of a recent article in The New York Times.  Titled, With Migrant Workers in Short Supply, A Farmer Looks to Machines, the reporter tells the story of Jim Bittner, a farmer in upstate New York who cut down 25 acres of cherry trees because he was concerned he wouldn’t have enough workers to harvest the fruit. This caught my attention for two reasons — first, since I live  just outside Washington, DC, I have a special affinity for cherry trees.  Yes, I know that the trees surrounding the tidal basin that spill forth blossoms in frothy splendor each spring aren’t the same kind of tree that Mr. Bittner grows (or should I say grew), but they’re truly gorgeous.  And second, there’s nothing better than fresh-picked cherries eaten straight out of hand.  Yum! 

But Mr. Bittner’s 25 acres of sweet cherry trees (some 30 years old) are now piles of sticks along with 20 acres of peach trees.  No, it’s not a blight of any sort, and he’s not getting out of farming.  He now plans to grow crops such as blueberries and tart cherries (the kind used in pies) for the simple reason that these crops “could be harvested by machine and did not require migrant workers.”  You see, like farmers around the country, the New York region’s growers rely heavily on migrant workers from Latin America to work the fields and pick the crops.  Unfortunately, with government crackdowns on illegal immigrants, and a lack of reformed immigration policies, these folks are in short supply.

You may think, OK, a fruit is a fruit, no big deal.   And maybe you prefer blueberries to cherries or peaches.  But here’s the point — U.S. immigration policies are causing farmers and food producers to rethink what they’re planting and sourcing.  It’s incongruous that at a time when locavores and foodies want to buy foods within 100 miles of home, they may find a shrinking diversity of foods available.  As the Times’ article notes, “the shift from labor-intensive crops would accelerate if the uncertainy over migrant labor and immigration policies remain unresolved.” 

This is an issue that not only affects the northeast, but is one of the top ag issues in states like California, as well.  Yet another NYTimes story, (I admit it, this is one of my favorite news sources) from 2006 reported tons of pears that rotted on the ground because there were no workers to pick them.  This was a $10 million loss for growers in California.  And pear growers don’t receive those “government subsidies” we’ve been hearing so much talk of lately.

These stories have caused my little brain to spin in too many directions.  First, our TVs and newspapers are filled with stories about rising food prices and food shortages.  Yet in these examples we have food rotting, going to waste, or not being grown at all.

Second, we’re fostering a nation of obese children.  The nutrition and medical communities tell us we can address the problem by feeding them more fruits and vegetables.  But oops, our immigration polices make it difficult for farmers to hire the necessary workers to plant, grow, tend and harvest these healthy, unprocessed foods.  Fresh cherries would be a great after school snack, but because they can’t be picked mechanically, Mr. Bittner is switching to growing tart cherries for pies and baking.  Mmm, I love my cherry pie (especially a la mode), but I suspect the more nutritious choice would be the fresh sweet cherries.

And finally, farmers have enough factors outside their control (weather, insects, fluctuating market prices) that the last thing they need to worry about is planting a crop they’ll later see rot in the field.  Isn’t it time our government leaders come up with a coherent immigration policy that faces the reality that whatever system we have is not working?  I’ll put on my Pollyanna bonnet once again and say that it seems simple to me: There are groups of people who want to come to this country, work very hard, pay taxes, send their kids to school, and work in our fields to produce healthy and nutritous foods.  What’s wrong with that?  If we can’t find a solution, we may face a shortage of homegrown veggies and fruits.