Food For Thought

Opinion: Beware shrinking federal agriculture research and development expenditures

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Wonk (noun) : Definition of wonk: a person preoccupied with arcane details or procedures in a specialized field broadly: nerd – a policy wonk or a computer wonk  – Merrian-WebsterOkay.  I’m wonkish.  It’s my responsibility to sweat the small stuff agriculturally speaking that might someday become a thing. (Although I won’t admit to the British take on wonk which ironically is far less flattering. While I am wonkish , I am not wonky.All that being said there’s a trend I’ve been aware of for the past few years that’s a little disturbing.What if I told you that the federal government over the next decade might might become less effective in helping to reduce:• Water and fertilizer use;

• The need for fungicides and pesticides in plant and food production;

• The incidence of foodborne illnesses.Not to mention an inability to increase the availability of new plant varieties and animal products to deliver food with enhanced nutrient content.

Food For Thought

Opinion: Time to end the Standard Time insanity

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If I could I’d hop into Mr. Peabody’s Wayback (WABAC “patent pending”) Machine. “Sherman set the WABAC for the turn of the 20th century.  There are two guys I’d like to slap with a wet lasagna noodle”

One of the guys is New Zealander George Hudson, who liked to spend his spare time playing golf. The other guy is Englishman William Willet, who’s fun time passion was collecting bugs.  By now you got to be wondering what’s my beef with these two guys and what could they possibly have in common.

Food For Thought

Opinion: The NCBA needs to lighten up when it comes to cell-based technology

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Enter the National Cattlemen’s Beef
Association and the highly anticipated joint agreement between the Food and Drug Administration and United States Agriculture Department over oversight of
cell-based meat technology.

The deal – released last month – calls for FDA and USDA to each do what they do best. FDA will regulate cell collection, cell banks, and differentiation.