FFVA JOINS RALLY FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM

As part of the coalition for comprehensive immigration reform and border enforcement, FFVA President Mike Stuart joined hundreds of business, labor and agriculture groups at a rally on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol to call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform similar to what was passed earlier this summer in the United States Senate.

"With each passing month without comprehensive immigration reform, it becomes even more clear how important it is to our country," said Idaho Senator Larry Craig (R-ID), who came to the rally to show his support. "Yes, we need more secure borders, and we are accomplishing that now. However, our borders won't be truly secure until we have a system in place that recognizes the value of the millions of immigrants working in our country by addressing those who are here and by creating a permanent, workable guest worker program in order to avoid the problem in the future."

The rally is centered on the fall meeting of the United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh), which FFVA representatives attended. Its members have traveled to Washington with baskets of freshly picked American produce to demonstrate to Congress what America is in the risk of losing: food independency and security.

MANDARIN ORANGES CUT LIVER CANCER RISK

Japanese researchers say they have found that eating mandarin oranges or drinking their juice could help lower the risk of liver cancer, and possibly heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The two studies leading to the announcement of the findings took place at Kyoto Prefectual University of Medicine and the National Institute of Fruit Tree Science in Japan. The first study found that none of the patients suffering from a type of hepatitis who drank a specially prepared beverage containing mandarin orange juice daily for one year was diagnosed with liver cancer. In comparison, 8.9 percent of 45 other patients who were not assigned the special beverage were diagnosed with liver cancer.

The second study found an association between heavy consumption of mandarin oranges and lower levels of certain chemical markers in the bloodstream that indicate several health problems including liver disease, atherosclerosis and insulin resistance.

More information:
http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060911-111050-8349r

BRONSON APPOINTED TO RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITTEE

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson has been appointed to the Steering Committee of "25x'25," a bipartisan national organization committed to seeing that the nation's agricultural industry produces 25 percent of the country's energy needs by the year 2025.

"I am honored to be selected to help guide this important initiative, which is designed to reduce our nation's dependency on foreign oil and at the same time enable Florida growers and their counterparts across the country to produce fuel crops, which will provide another source of potential income to keep our farms and ranches in business," Bronson said.

The "25x'25" initiative has been embraced by numerous governors and state legislatures across the country, as well as by more than 200 businesses and organizations throughout the United States. It is committed to seeing that farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and related stakeholders work to advance new energy solutions from the nation's working lands.

SUPERMARKET CHAIN OFFERS NUTRITION RATINGS

Hannaford Bros. supermarkets is posting gold star tags to identify the healthiest foods on the shelves. The rating system has begun in 150 stores in upstate New York and New England. Under the “Guiding Stars” program, "healthy" products are given 1 star, better choices get 2 and the best are given 3. Foods with no nutritional value get no stars at all.

Of 27,000 food items in the store that were evaluated, only about a quarter of them earned at least one star. Cooking oils, coffee, water, and some other items were not evaluated.

The percentages of foods with stars, by store section, are as follows:

• 94% of produce
• 55% of cereals
• 43% of seafood
• 24% of meat
• 18% of dairy
• 12% of soups
• 8% of deli
• 5% of bakery

The rankings are based on USDA guidelines.

SECOND GREAT FLORIDA CATTLE DRIVE SCHEDULED

The Florida Agricultural Museum will present the "Great Florida Cattle Drive of Ought 6" December 5-9, 2006. Registration is now under way for the event, which will begin just south of Kissimmee and end at the new Silver Spurs Arena in Kenansville. The first cattle drive event was held in 1995. To learn more about the event, call (352) 429-0100 or visit http://www.floridacattledrive.com.

ORDER CHRISTMAS CARDS NOW TO BENEFIT FARMWORKERS’ CHILDREN

The order deadline for Christmas cards designed by children of the Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) is October 1.

RCMA provides quality child care and early education for children of migrant farm workers and rural, low-income families throughout Florida. For every dollar raised through Christmas card sales, RCMA receives up to $16 in matching funds to provide educational materials, supplies, and services at more than 70 child development centers in 20 counties.

To order, call (888) 445-7415 or order online at www.rcma.org.