OSHA Drops Case & New Food Labels

OSHA Drops Case & New Food Labels plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Those labels on foods that we check for calories and fat are about the get an upgrade. It's been more than two decades since the labels on packaged foods have been updated. The Food and Drug Administration is proposing changes that would take effect in the next couple of years according to FDA Commissioner, Dr. Margaret Hamburg.

HAMBURG: Today people are eating differently. Many current serving sizes and the amount of calories and nutrients that go with them are out of date. The FDA is proposing to update serving size requirements so that they reflect what people today actually eat and drink. The new proposed label also features a fresh design and drives consumers attention to calories, serving sizes and percent daily value.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has decided to drop its case against a Nebraska farm. The small farm was facing 132-thousand dollars in fines. Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns calls the decision to drop the case an important step in bringing the agency back in line with the law. According to Johanns - OSHA had no business regulating the family farm to begin with and that producers shouldn't have to worry about the government placing undue and illegal burdens on their operations. Johanns says the law clearly exempts small farms from OSHA regulations.

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

The Commodity Classic, held in San Antonio last week is, and I quote, "America's largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show". Soybean, corn, wheat and sorghum farmers and ag leaders from around the nation get together for this once a year event to discuss the past, present, and most importantly the future of agriculture. Once again it was a record year for attendance. Big data was a predominant topic of discussion at the event, with growers considering what they want to protect, what they're willing to allow, and whether grower associations should divulge data for free or expect compensation. And of course GMOs also held their fair share of the discussion floor, with the general consensus being that incorporating biotechnology into crops is necessary, if we want to feed a growing world population. As for the Commodity Classic in general, all who attend agree that it provides growers a chance to develop new friendships, renew old ones, learn about the latest in ag technology, and develop future policy.

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