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☆ How America fell out of love with ice cream
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Ice cream is “the ultimate comfort food.”Drinkers swapped a pint for a scoop, and for ice cream makers, Prohibition was a boon. “In fact they say that the ice cream business is bound to increase in volume from year to year as more people are using ice cream since the coming in of nation-wide prohibition and the going out of the saloon.”The interest in ice cream continued in World War II, buoyed by the government’s use of the frozen dessert to help boost morale. Margaret Bourke-White/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock“We built pop-up ice cream factories on the front lines, delivered individual ice cream cartons to foxholes and spent more than a million dollars on a floating ice cream barge that patrolled the Pacific delivering ice cream,” Siegel said. Scoops of Falooda ice cream are placed on top Blueberry Lavender ice cream at Pints of Joy in Sunnyvale, California. Today, she teaches aspiring ice cream entrepreneurs how to make ice cream.

Persons: Earl Leaf, Michael Ochs, Baskin Robbins, —, Matt Siegel, ” Siegel, Yuengling, ”, Margaret Bourke, “, Siegel, John Robbins, Robbins, Burt Baskin, Robbins ’, ” Robbins, Robbins “, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Lucas Fuess, Richard B, Levine, Levine Roberts, Fuess, John Crawford, “ There’s, Circana, Aric Crabb, Talenti, Earl Grey, ” Crawford, Bryan Olin Dozier, Deborah Lee Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Department of Agriculture, Michael Ochs Archives, Food, Anheuser, Busch, Manufacturers, Cream, Baskin, New York Times, Rabobank, MediaNews, East Bay Times Locations: New York, NY, American, USS Maryland, Chicago , Illinois, Circana, Joy, Sunnyvale , California, Van Leeuwen, North Carolina

Over the last decade, U.S. corn yield in August was lower than in July four times, including the past two years. The recent years with higher August corn yields versus July have featured some sizable moves. The government's corn and soybean yields will rely heavily on survey data next month and field observations will be added in September. Last month was the Midwest’s driest June since 1988, though USDA left U.S. soybean yield untouched from the 52-bpa trendline. August soybean yield has come in lower than in July only twice in the past 10 years (2013, 2021).

Persons: Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, USDA

It is always risky when all analysts are leaning the same way, though recent weather and the already-lofty nature of the corn yield seem to validate this thinking. However, lower yields may not be printed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s report on Wednesday. All 25 analysts polled between Reuters and Bloomberg believe this month’s corn yield will come in below USDA’s trend-line of 181.5 bushels per acre. Eight of 25 analysts expect the 52 bpa to stand on Wednesday, though soy yield may be more likely than corn to come in lower this month. That leaves room for corn yield losses on the balance sheet but keeps bean supplies tight either way.

Persons: U.S . Midwest Karen Braun, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department of, Reuters, Bloomberg, U.S . Midwest, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Illinois, Indiana

As of July 3, CBOT December corn futures had plunged nearly 22% off their June 21 high as much-needed rain for U.S. crops started falling and also appeared in forecasts. December corn fell 12% in the four-day week ended July 3, and money managers flipped to a net short in CBOT corn futures and options of 18,209 contracts. Managed money net position in CBOT corn futures and optionsU.S. soybean plantings on June 30 came in well below all trade guesses, causing a surge in November soybeans . CBOT wheat rose more than 1% over the last three sessions on a slower U.S. winter harvest and possible drought concerns for U.S. and Canadian spring wheat. However, open interest in CBOT wheat futures and options is at the lowest mid-year levels since 2005.

Persons: soyoil, Karen Braun, Leslie Adler Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, Minnesota, Iowa , Wisconsin, North Dakota, U.S

☆ Cultivated chicken debuts in San Francisco restaurant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Chicken made from cultivated cells is officially on the menu at Bar Crenn in San Francisco. On Saturday, cultivated chicken tempura will be on Bar Crenn’s menu, served with a burnt chili aioli and garnished with greens and edible flowers. Ujpside Foods' cultivated chicken is on the menu at Bar Crenn. UPSIDE FoodsAfter Saturday, there will be other opportunities to try cultivated chicken at Bar Crenn, but not right away. Cultivated meat at scale could use far less land and water than conventional agriculture, experts say.

Persons: hasn’t, José Andrés, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Department of Agriculture, Foods, Innovation, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Service Locations: New York, San Francisco, Washington, China

Soybeans were pegged at 87.67 million acres, up from 87.5 million in March. The soybean range of 1.5 million acres is the smallest since 2005 and below the 2.75-million average. In the last four years, corn acres also ended up out-of-range in the two years where trade guesses varied the most (2020, 2019). This year’s corn planting pace was near the longer-term average, but heavy rains were problematic in North Dakota for a second consecutive year. Analysts’ corn numbers were too high in 2021 and 2020, but they were too low in the four prior years.

Persons: Rains, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, Analysts, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, USDA’s, North Dakota

That caused some offsetting of Crop Watch conditions in the latest week, though a small decline was observed overall. Crop Watch conditions are intended as more of a visual assessment than a yield indicator. Crop Watch condition averages are not weighted due to the sample size, though USDA’s conditions are weighted by acreage estimates. Photos of the Crop Watch fields can be tracked on my Twitter feed using handle @kannbwx. Crop Watch Conditions: June 25, 2023Karen Braun is a market analyst for Reuters.

Persons: Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Crop Watch, U.S . Department of, South Dakota, Nebraska, Crop, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Nebraska, Illinois, South Dakota, Iowa, North Dakota, South, Kansas, Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, Kingsbury , South Dakota, Freeborn , Minnesota, Burt , Nebraska, Rice , Kansas, Audubon , Iowa, Cedar , Iowa, Warren , Illinois, Crawford , Illinois, Tippecanoe , Indiana, Fairfield , Ohio, The North Dakota, Griggs County, Stutsman County

☆ Lab-grown meat is coming. Here’s everything you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —Soon, Americans are going to able to try chicken that comes directly from chicken cells rather than, well, a chicken. On Wednesday, the USDA gave Upside Foods and Good Meat the green light to start producing and selling their lab-grown, or cultivated, chicken products in the United States. In a nutshell, lab-grown meat — or cultivated or cell-based meat — is meat that is developed from animal cells and grown, with the help of nutrients like amino acids, in massive bioreactors. Meat eaters who are concerned about those types of risks might prefer cultivated meat. Eat Just Inc's Good Meat cultivated chicken.

Persons: New York CNN —, It’s, don’t, Andrew Noyes, Noyes, ”, Bruce Friedrich, Friedrich, Julia Horowitz, ” Noyes, José Andrés, Ivy Farm, That’s, Noyes didn’t, Matthew Walker, Walker, won’t, “, — CNN’s Kristen Rogers Organizations: New, New York CNN, USDA, Inc, Good Food Institute, Impossible Foods, CNN, Ivy Farm Technologies, Service, FDA, British, Ivy, Companies, Foods Locations: New York, United States, Agriculture, British, Italian, Singapore, Washington, San Francisco

☆ Lab-grown meat is cleared for sale in the United States
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown meat, has been cleared for sale in the United States. Good Meat, which is owned by plant-based egg substitute maker Eat Just, said that production is starting immediately. Good Meat, which has been selling its products in Singapore, advertises its product as “meat without slaughter,” a more humane approach to eating meat. Wednesday’s move follows a series of previous approvals which have paved the way for sales of cultivated meat in the US. That letter states that the administration is satisfied that the product is safe to sell in the United States.

Persons: ”, José Andrés, we’re, Josh Tetrick, Wednesday’s, —, Katie Hunt Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Department of Agriculture, Inspection, Food and Drug Administration, FDA Locations: New York, United States, Singapore, Washington

SUPPLY AND DEMANDLast month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s initial stab at 2023-24 U.S. corn supply and demand got people talking. U.S. corn demand has been lousy lately and has struggled to compete with plentiful Brazilian supplies. But USDA’s 2023-24 corn demand assumptions are actually conservative by comparison. Year-on-year changes in U.S. corn supply and useCROP COMPARISONSThe corn harvest was record-large in 2013, and 2023 is expected to feature another high. U.S. corn conditions week 23 versus yieldKaren Braun is a market analyst for Reuters.

Persons: Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: U.S . Department, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Chicago, Iowa, Illinois

The Kansas wheat tour and its findings always prompt these questions: How does the tour yield compare with USDA’s May forecast? Since 2005 and including 2023, USDA’s May estimate for Kansas winter wheat yield was lower than the tour yield in all but three years: 2010, 2018 and 2019. USDA's May Kansas wheat yield vs tour yieldBefore 2021, the tour was always held before USDA’s May report, but it now takes place after. Compared with final Kansas winter wheat yields, the tour yields have been streaky. Kansas winter wheat yield: tour versus finalFinal Kansas wheat yield has come in higher than USDA’s May forecast in 11 of the last 15 years.

☆ Exclusive: Staff at top U.S. farm research center file complaint alleging unsafe work conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Leah Douglas | Thomson Reuters | Washington-Based Award-Winning Journalist Covering Agriculture | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) near Washington D.C. is the largest research facility owned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and has long been the flagship of U.S. farm research. “Our employees’ health and well-being is our top priority," a spokesperson at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which oversees BARC, told Reuters. STAFF CUTSFounded in 1910, the BARC facility spans nearly 7,000 acres in Prince George’s County, Maryland, near the nation’s capital. The unreliable conditions are affecting research outcomes, making it at times impossible to complete experiments or replicate their findings, said two research employees. On February 22, several BARC employees met with Thomas Shanower, the director of USDA’s Northeast Area, a division that oversees 15 research centers, including BARC.

Plenty of uncertainty around global wheat production and trade remains, especially in the Black Sea, since 2023-24 grain crops are far from settled. Wheat SU among major exporters in May 2022 was pegged at a 15-year low of 13.5% for 2022-23, expanding to 13.75% by February 2023. This SU trend in major wheat exporting countries is not exclusive to 2022-23. USDA has 2023-24 Ukraine wheat production at 16.5 million tonnes with exports at 10 million, down from 20.9 million and 15 million in 2022-23, respectively. OTHER HOTSPOTSIn top exporter Russia, USDA shows 2023-24 wheat production down 11% from last year's record, though exports are seen edging up 2% to a new high.

New-crop soybeans last printed a January high in 1999, one of three such instances in the last half-century. The last time new-crop corn and soybeans both made their year-of-expiration highs in January was in 1985, though on different days. In the last two decades, June and November have been the most common months for new-crop soybeans’ high, at five apiece. In a highly unusual twist, soybeans also made their yearly low in August 2013.CBOT November soybeans: month of highSOYBEANS VERSUS CORN? However, that phenomenon has not yet been seen for Brazil’s upcoming bumper corn harvest, which will be collected most heavily during June and July.

☆ US government is testing avian flu vaccines for birds, but ending the historic outbreak isn’t that simple
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Eradication and vaccinationAs of April 26, the CDC says, nearly 58.8 million poultry have been affected by avian flu since January 2022. The virus has been detected in at least 6,737 wild birds, and the number is likely to be much higher. Vaccinated birds would be protected, but with this highly infectious disease, they still could shed some virus that could infect unprotected birds. Partial protection means more birds will be spreading the virus,” Gallardo said. The US has the largest poultry industry in the world, with 294,000 poultry farms.

The membership of the panel at Musk’s company, Neuralink, raises questions about potential violations of conflict-of-interest regulations aimed at protecting research integrity, a dozen animal-research and bioethics experts told Reuters. Autumn Sorrells has chaired an oversight board approving animal experiments by Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, Neuralink, and also run the company’s animal care program. Reuters couldn’t determine the compensation terms of the Neuralink IACUC members who are also company employees. The independence of such boards, Nicolelis said, is critical to protecting the integrity of animal research that could impact humans in future clinical trials. These institutions generally prohibit people with direct financial interests from serving on IACUCs or voting on animal experiments.

☆ Salmonella in Breaded Raw Chicken Is Target of USDA Crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Kristina Peterson | Patrick Thomas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The USDA’s move is part of a broader effort to contain salmonella, a cause of foodborne disease. Photo: NIH/Universal Images Group/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—The Agriculture Department proposed new rules Tuesday aimed at minimizing salmonella outbreaks from some breaded chicken products, a move the industry said could significantly affect availability and price. Part of a broader effort to contain salmonella, the new proposal takes aim at breaded, stuffed raw chicken products, such as frozen chicken cordon bleu. Because these products are often prebrowned, consumers might mistakenly think they are cooked, leading to consumption of undercooked chicken, the USDA said.

NAPERVILLE, Illinois, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. corn yield possibilities for this summer are still wide open, though industry participants might disagree over what represents a “normal” yield due to some recent trends. This question was discussed during USDA’s data users’ meeting on Tuesday, where the agency’s unofficial 2023 U.S. corn trend yield of 181.5 bushels per acre was challenged as potentially too high. Setting state yields at a straight five-year average produces 173.0 bpa, and an Olympic five-year average, dropping high and low, yields 174.5. However, most analysts probably support a national corn trend higher than these numbers, which are in the vicinity of what USDA was using for trend in 2018. U.S. corn yield: trend versus finalKaren Braun is a market analyst for Reuters.

However, the trade’s recent track record with March corn acres suggests the possibility of a big miss on corn should stay on the table. On average, analysts peg 2023 U.S. corn plantings at 90.88 million acres and soybeans at 88.24 million acres, up 2.6% and 0.9%, respectively, from last year. The five-year average range is 4.5 million acres, including 6.2 million last year and 5.5 million in 2021. USDA’s Outlook Forum last month tentatively pegged 2023 U.S. corn and soy acres at 91 million and 87.5 million, respectively, combining for 178.5 million. USDA’s wheat area would be a seven-year high and up more than 8% from last year, the biggest year-on-year rise in wheat plantings since 1996.

☆ Dirty Dozen list: Which fruits and vegetables could contain pesticides
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Each year, a rotating list of produce is tested by USDA staffers who wash, peel or scrub fruits and vegetables as consumers would before the food is examined for 251 different pesticides. Kale, collard and mustard greens contained the largest number of different pesticides — 103 types — followed by hot and bell peppers at 101. Concerned consumers can consider choosing conventionally grown vegetables and fruits from the EWG’s Clean 15, a list of crops that tested lowest in pesticides, the report said. When last tested in 2014, blueberries contained over 50 different pesticides. Testing in 2020 and 2021 found 54 different pesticides — about the same amount.

Persons: nutritionists, Kale, collard, ”, Jane Houlihan, Houlihan, Ian Berry, Alexis Temkin, ” Temkin, we’re, ” Chris Novak, ” Novak, Bryan Hitchcock, Temkin, “, “ Steer Organizations: CNN, Environmental, Produce, US Department of Agriculture, USDA, Environmental Protection Agency, Healthy, American Academy of Pediatrics, Futures, EPA, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, CropLife, Food Technologists, US Food and Drug Administration Locations: CropLife America

Strong U.S. soy shipments to China continued in February, and exports to all destinations last month may have soared 30% above normal. Separately, corn was a 10-year low and soy exports were a five-year low. Corn to Colombia was down 89%, and those two countries normally combine for about a quarter of annual U.S. corn exports. Brazil’s January corn exports were 39% above the month’s prior high and more than double the volumes of the previous three Januarys. Thursday’s export sales report showed last week’s corn shipments were the highest of the marketing year so far.

The agency slashed Argentina’s 2022-23 soybean crop to 33 million tonnes from 41 million last month, well below the average trade guess of 36.65 million. USDA's Argentina soybean productionUSDA chopped Argentina’s corn harvest to 40 million tonnes from 47 million last month, below the trade guess of 43.4 million. As of now, USDA’s Argentina soy crop estimate is 35% below the agency’s original peg of 51 million tonnes. USDA’s Argentina corn number is down 27% from its initial forecast, compared with initial-final losses of 34% in 2009 and 20% in 2018. In the past five marketing years, global corn SU averaged 23.9% and soybean SU 19.9%.

The Justice Department’s decision to subpoena government witnesses who would normally testify voluntarily to help build the government’s criminal case was highly unusual, according to a half-dozen legal and animal welfare experts. The inspectors wanted APHIS to take a tougher stance against the company for the mistreatment of the beagles. Yet, this did not happen with any of the agency's inspections of Envigo, public records show. TENSIONS RISETensions between Gibbens and Miller escalated shortly after Envigo appealed some of the findings from the October inspection, emails show. Gibbens told Envigo APHIS would strike the citation because the company ultimately provided the requested information.

Oct. 7, 2021 - APHIS director Robert Gibbens declines the request, citing “optics” and the risks of COVID-19 exposure. Oct. 25, 2021 – Three APHIS inspectors find 13 violations at Envigo, seven of which are “direct" or "critical." Nov. 16-19, 2021 - APHIS inspects Envigo and finds 26 violations, 14 of which are "direct" or "critical." Feb. 16, 2022 - Miller informs her staff that Goldentyer has removed her from working on any more Envigo inspections. March 8, 2022 - APHIS employees inspect Envigo and find five violations, two of which are “direct.”May 3, 2022 - APHIS inspects Envigo and only cite the company for failing to fix the dangerous flooring.

U.S. corn export sales for 2022-23, which ends on Aug. 31, totaled 29.2 million tonnes (1.15 billion bushels) through Feb. 23. Through Feb. 23, China had booked about six U.S. corn cargoes since late January for delivery in the current marketing year. Since July, Brazil has shipped over 45 million tonnes of corn, well above the prior record of 36.4 million set three years ago. Preliminarily, Brazil shipped 2.3 million tonnes of corn last month, down sharply from January’s 6.2 million and the lowest monthly volume since June. USDA’s latest predictions show Japan’s 2022-23 corn imports flat on the year around 15 million tonnes, which suggests Japanese buyers still have substantial corn needs to cover.

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