Plan B & Fresh Posts Gains

Plan B & Fresh Posts Gains plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

We hear a lot of conflicting reports out of Washington DC regarding the farm bill. Some say there is movement while others feel it is dead in the water. But what happens if there is no new farm bill? How soon would USDA be ready to implement permanent underlying farm policies? Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack

VILSACK: I'm not going to commit to a specific timetable today. I just think right now our focus is on trying to get the bill done. The staff at USDA is working on how we would go about implementing the provisions of permanent law. Our hope and belief is that's not necessary and our hope and belief is it won't have to occur if Congress finishes its work but we will be prepared if and when Congress fails to act to do what the law requires us to do.

Fruits and vegetables posted gains in dollar sales this quarter compared to last year's figures. The majority of fruit and vegetable categories also maintained or increased volume compared to Q3 2012, despite increases in average retail price. Organic fruits and vegetables also showed positive growth in dollar sales and volume this quarter, according to FreshFacts® on Retail, the quarterly report from the United Fresh Produce Association which tracks retail produce sales and performance.

Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray.

It's tough in the research world. It can be even tougher and nastier when the research involves genetically modified foods. So perhaps it comes as no surprise that sometimes the science is helped along a little, as in the case of the anti-gmo report published in the the Food and Chemical Toxicology Journal in September of 2012. The study by a French researcher suggested that genetically modified corn caused tumors in rats. It has since then been retracted by the Journal; due to the huge number of scientists around the world who questioned the study's research methodology, citing the small sample size, the use of cancer prone rats, and the lack of any real definitive conclusions. Basically, the study did not meet acceptable scientific standards. In its retraction the Journal said that "the retraction comes after a thorough and time consuming analysis of the published article and the data it reports, along with investigation into the peer review behind the article". Seralini, the author of the study, and the founding director of the Committee for Research and Independent Information on Genetic Engineering, says he is considering suing the Journal over the retraction to require financial compensation for the damage done to his groups' reputation.

Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.