World food reserve

This was actually a new thought to me. I didn't realize that we tracked our carryover food supply. The media keeps harping on the need for increased food production, and cases like Russia's recent sufferings are obviously a key example right now. If you haven't read enough, or if you're curious about the carryover numbers, read on. On the flip side, we're expecting record production here in the US so it looks to be a good year for most farmers. Good luck out there as you start into the harvest this fall.

Reading this, I didn't realize that we hadn't already required HACCPs in food processing. It's getting to be an older concept by now and you would think everyone should have adopted it. I know we talk about it in class the last couple years as if its just another thing from a different decade.

Finally today for my nutrition-minded readers, this is a interesting read summarizing the Four-state Dairy Management and Nutrition Conference.

Corn harvesting?

It does seem a bit early doesn't it? However, John in his blog says that they started out his direction this weekend. I hope that turns out to be a good thing, but I can't imagine this heat's a good thing. And then just read the first line of this article and pretend to be surprised. What, you didn't expect to hear that?



Meanwhile, we've signed a new deal to collaborate with Israel to research food production. Frankly, I can't think of a better place to working with to research food production. They're exporting out a desert, anyone else think they might know a few things about growing excess food to feed people with limited resources? And let's face it, we're all going to have limited resources eventually. Even Michigan... sorry guys, but you know it's true. I would link you to the release about the agreement, or to the article discussing the linkage between Zinc deficiency and pneumonia, but the ARS website just doesn't seem to be working tonight. You'll have to look for those yourself.

Anyhow, I'm off for the night and back to work tomorrow after finally having to concede a sick day on Friday.