11/7/06 Nutrient Calculator & Bird Flu Update

Nutrient Calculator & Moving forward on Bird Flu. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. A new ground beef nutrient calculator is designed to help both consumers and the beef industry. Dr. Juliet Howe of USDA-ARS explains how a new on line program will help consumers determine nutrition content in ground beef products. HOWE: We looked at the different nutrients such as one of the minerals and said, if I go from a product that is 95% lean, 5% fat to a product that is 70% lean, 30% fat; how does let's say calcium change in that product? And is there an equation, a mathematical equation that can explain that change? There was the development of these equations and then it was prepared as a program module to put on the internet for people to use where they could select the amount of fat or lean and get the nutrients that are in that food product. Chinese scientists have identified a gene in the H5N1 bird flu virus which they say is responsible for its virulence in poultry, opening the way for new vaccines. The Chinese researchers zeroed in on the virulent gene after analyzing two closely related strains of the H5N1 obtained from infected geese in southern Guangdong province in 1996 -- one highly pathogenic in chickens and the other harmless. H5N1 remains largely a disease in birds although it has killed over 150 people, mostly in Asia, since 2003. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. I constantly hear that people have lost connection to the farm; in fact a guest on a recent Rush Limbaugh program left the host speechless over the comment, "We don't need farmers, when we have Safeway! Yet there is a whole group of consumers that have almost a myopic fascination with farming and at their urging new animal compassionate labeling is being touted by retailers like Whole Foods, Chipotle Mexican Grill and groups like the American Humane Society and the Farm Animal Care. Purchasing free-range chicken no longer is the admission ticket to show consumer empathy towards farm animals. Today shoppers can select from labeling that lets allows them draw the line on farm animal treatment. For those who oppose all castration in sheep, there is now the Animal Compassionate label marketed by Whole Foods grocery stores. If castrating a lamb during its first week of life isn't a hot button there is meat labeled Free Farmed. The Animal Compassionate, Certified Humane, Free Farmed and Animal Welfare Institute's new labeling while confusing in the end ends up labeling the consumer and in add fashion connects them to back the farm and farmer. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.