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University consortium melds agro-safety with business continuity
Created by Virginia Tech, UC Davis and others, the Agricultural Vulnerability Assessment Training Program helps farmers defend their crops and make contingency plans; thirty-four courses to be offered nationwide; program funded by $2 million DHS grant
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CA spinach and lettuce industry volunteers itself for regulatory oversight
Worried about flagging consumer confidence, the Western Growers Association asks state health officials to pass tougher food safety rules; proposed penalties could include injunctions against sale and criminal prosecution
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WHO challenges China over new bird flu strain
Government denies emergence of new strain, but WHO and other authorities disagree; information sharing at issue; WHO hopes China will soon agree to upload gene sequences to a public data base
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Listening in on bacteria “conversations” help in efforts to keep deadly infections in check
There may be a debate about the legality of eavesdropping by the NSA on U.S. phone conversation, but few would question listening in on conversations among bacteria – conversations carried out by chemical signals bacteria use to communicate with each other – because these conversations give us knowledge on how to block deadly infections
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The Volunteers launch center to train farmers and food producers to guard against terrorism
As the fear of agroterrorism grows, DHS and other U.S. government agencies fund a University of Tennessee center to educate farmers and communities on how to prepare for and cope with terrorism against the U.S. food supply
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Canada reports botulism cases connected to carrot juice
Food Inspection Agency joins FDA in warning against Bugs Bunny’s favorite drink; a sad story, but an opportunity to take a second look at two companies trying to help stop outbreaks; focus on anthrax makes botulism poisoning a low priority for federal planners
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New record-keeping requirements coming for beef product users
Starting 9 January 2007, food processors and cosmetic manufacturers will have to document that they do not use prohibited beef products such as the small intestine, brain, and spinal cord; new rules a response to mad cow fears; specific documentation practices to be announced soon
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Purdue researchers attack food contamination with lasers and gas
University quickly establishes itself as a go-to center for homeland security technology; Bacteria Rapid Detection Using Optical Scattering Technology can identify bacteria by its scatter pattern; investors show early interest in a chlorine gas approach to produce contamination
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Public health scientists lobby to put children at the head of innoculation line
Officials have long struggled with whether to give vaccines first to the elderly or to infants; new study finds the best way to break chains of transmission is to focus on school-aged children instead
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CDC warning system proves itself during E. coli outbreak
PulseNet allows public health authorities to compare DNA signatures and trace outbreaks; CDC officials took only one day to find similarities between Oregon and Wisconsin strains before they warned the public
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E. coli lawsuits spread faster than infection
Seattle firm Marler Clark takes the lead in bringing spinach companies to court; Natural Selection and Dole head to the dock, but settlement is the name of the game; liabilities range from $25,000 to $15 million
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Authentication technology may help track food contamination
ARmark’s food grade taggants can hold sixteen lines of text and can be sprayed on food or packaged in coatings; “track and trace” data is read with a handheld microscope attached to a computer; one head of lettuce could hold 1000 miniature devices
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Experts look for source of recent outbreak
Possible culprits include contaminated water, unsanitary packaging, and storage in humid conditions
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Contamination of leafy vegetables spurs new research
A U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded study at Ohio State will look at lesions and other problems particular to spinach and lettuce; if beef poisoning is due to undercooking, insufficient cleaning of vegetables may increase risk as well
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Dick Durbin latest congressman to support increasing nation's veterinarian force
Shortage threatens food safety and public health; bill would provide $1.5 billion over ten years to expand veterinary schools
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The long view
U.S. Needs New Drought Assessment Framework as Droughts Become More Severe and Unpredictable
Droughts in the United States are becoming more intense and unpredictable, and the nation needs to develop a new drought assessment framework to better understand and address them. A new framework should be developed which distinguishes between short-term operational needs, such as drought monitoring and emergency response, and long-term planning for water management, infrastructure, and climate adaptation.