Jennifer Wilkins

Multistate research affects #FarmersMarkets in many ways. Research teams are assessing consumer preferences, helping farmers label products, ensuring food safety, developing farmers markets for low-income areas and food deserts, and more. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/drhdKTJ This project is supported in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors #FarmersMarketWeek

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Here's what needs to happen: the USDA could help combat the situation by checking IDs at the door, instead the Meat Institute’s campaign against child labor is a 7-page “best practices” document focused on “Workforce Age Verification" is their advice given to the meat industry. #childlabor #meatindistry #jbs #usda

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What's the best way to discourage consumers from eating unhealthy ingredients in processed foods? A new University of Massachusetts Amherst economics study, using microwave popcorn as a test case, found that a 35% tax on partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) and a complete ban of the ingredient (which is the source of added trans fat in foods) yield similar results in reducing trans fat consumption to near zero. However, both policies produce an estimated reduction in overall consumer welfare by 24-26%, in the form of higher prices and smaller product selection. By comparison, a 10% tax on PHO can produce meaningful health benefits while cushioning the effects on prices and consumer choice. The research indicates this approach would cut trans fat consumption by 48% with only an 11% decline in consumer welfare. “We chose to study microwaveable popcorn because it is ubiquitous and can easily be produced with or without PHO, but our model can be used to assess policies to reduce unhealthy ingredients in a range of products—from trans fat in other processed foods to sugar in soft drinks,” said Debi Prasad Mohapatra, assistant professor of resource economics at UMass Amherst and a co-author of the paper. Learn more about this research: https://bit.ly/3LjNYyE #UMassAmherst #UMassAmherstResearch #ConsumerResearch #EconomicsResearch #MicrowavePopcorn

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Creating a focus on childhood nutrition is key for our educational system! Kids who eat breakfast and lunch are proven to be our most focused, effective learners. Team Nutrition Training grants help educate professionals on the implementation of USDA nutrition programs, and Abt Global's conclusive E-STAR report displays the effectiveness of these initiatives. #TeamNutrition #ESTAR #AbtGlobal

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Shambles. USDA -- I hope you get on-farm oversight authority. It is central to any progress on the climate-front. I can't believe how brazenly Tyson Foods is getting away with this without publishing any proof. "“Because Congress did not provide USDA with on-farm oversight authority that would enable it to verify these types of labeling claims, companies must use third-party certifying organizations to substantiate these claims,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, directing Inside Climate News to the third-party verifier or Tyson for more information." "“They’re being incredibly obstinate about sharing anything right now,” said Matthew Hayek, a researcher with New York University who studies the environmental and climate impacts of the food system. “Speaking as a scientist, it’s not transparent and it’s a scandal in its own right that the government can’t provide this information.”" "This lack of transparency from the agency worries environmental and legal advocacy groups, especially now that billions of dollars in taxpayer funds are available for agricultural practices deemed to have benefits for the climate. The Biden administration’s signature climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, appropriated nearly $20 billion for these practices; another $3.1 billion is available through a Biden-era program called the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities. “This is an important test case for USDA,” Faber said. “If they can’t say no to a clearly misleading climate claim like ‘climate friendly’ beef, why should they be trusted to say no to other misleading climate claims? There’s a lot of money at stake.”" "Last year, the Center for Biological Diversity submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the USDA, asking for details about funding to support “low carbon” beef. The agency’s response was heavily redacted and the Center is now appealing." ^^^What??? "Silvia Secchi, a natural resource economist at the University of Iowa and outspoken critic of U.S. agricultural policy, said the environmental groups, universities and corporations taking money from the USDA for climate-focused efforts should all be subject to the same rules. “USDA should have a transparent methodology that’s applicable to everyone—the outsourcing, the monitoring, the verification—for all these groups that have incentives to make things look better than they are,” Secchi said. “There’s no transparency. How are they actually going to verify that farmers are reducing nitrogen? Are they getting GPS coordinates for tractors every day of the year? I think it’s complete bullshit. They’re only looking at select indicators, not the whole system.”" https://lnkd.in/eQkuHEUE

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Are plant-based meat products healthier than the real thing? David Julian McClements, a distinguished professor of food science at UMass Food Science, conducts research focused on plant-based foods. In an interview with Fortune Well, McClements commented: “People think that if it’s plant-based, it’s healthy or healthier, and that certainly can be, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. It really depends on [if] the company [is] designing it correctly.” The more closely meat alternatives mimic real meat, the more processed they likely are. That's where issues start to arise... 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g8zuTDhs #plantbased #vegetarian #foodscience #umass #umassamherst

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If you are a #dietitian or nutrition professional you need to care about this! The latest data from the USDA shows that 1 in 8 households in America are living with food insecurity (which is statistically significantly worse than the year before). The SNAP program is a vital resource to help these families obtain enough food for an active healthy life. Proposed changes to the Farm Bill could reduce SNAP benefits by $30 billion over the next decade. Use the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Action Alert linked below to quickly and easily send your legislators a message to help protect the Farm Bill that promotes food and nutrition security. #foodsecurity #nutritionsecurity https://lnkd.in/gnpJqEYk

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Dairy Farmers of America's strategy emphasizes efficiency, partnerships, and innovation. Initiatives around member services, milk marketing, investments, and sustainability strengthen its position. Collaborations with brands like Pizza Hut and major acquisitions of companies like Dean Foods expand its distribution and capabilities. As the landscape evolves, DFA's multifaceted approach keeps it competitively positioned. However, rivals must closely track DFA's plans to identify opportunities. #dairy #businessstrategy #efficiency #partnerships #innovation #greyb #greybservices #patents Read more: https://lnkd.in/gWbhqVbe

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