Kacie Warner's blog

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Farms May Be Exempted From Emission Rules.
When they say farms, we're not talking small-scale family farms, we're talking about the massive concentrated-animal-feeding-operations (CAFOs) that are eating up rural lands, especially in the Midwest.

The reform measure would have closed loopholes and capped direct payments at $250,000 while reinvesting the savings in nutrition programs, conservation, and rural development initiatives. However, the amendment failed on the floor of the Senate. It received 56 votes, which would have been enough to pass under normal circumstances, but because of obstruction from Senator Lincoln (D-AR), the amendment was forced to get a supermajority of 60 votes to pass.

The House and Senate versions of the bill have roughly the same funding increases for anti-hunger programs in the nutrition title. However, due to the different measures that were used to pay for these increases in both bills, the House funds the programs for ten years while the Senate version only funds them through 2012. If the Senate funding prevails in conference, benefit levels would return to current law after 2012, effectively reducing the benefits of 10 million people.

This ruling flies in the face of public opinion, as consumers, advocacy groups, animal welfare groups, international organizations, and even our own Congress have voiced serious concern.

A popular two-term governor in Nebraska, Johanns plans to run for the Senate seat vacated by the retirement of fellow Republican Chuck Hagel. Deputy Secretary Chuck Conners took over the reigns, and Farm Bill negotations, upon Johann's exit. However, in late October, President Bush surprised some by nominating Ed Schafer, not Conners, to become the next Secretary of Agriculture. As a governor in North Dakota, Schafer was known for his business experience, as he worked to expand trade with China and stimulate growth in North Dakota's biofuels industry.

As a joint project between the USDA and the Chinese Academy of Forestry, the Chinese government would provide all of the structures and art, along with the price to ship them, while the U.S. would provide the land and funds for construction and maintenance. Former Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said, "The new garden will deepen the American people's understanding of garden culture and provide research opportunities to study Chinese plants and flowers."

So I was surprised when I was reading reports on the doings of the congressional committees and came across a piece about carbon monoxide and meat packaging. I think I got a C in high school chemistry, so I looked it up. Apparently, the carbon monoxide combines with myoglobin to form carbomyoglobin (?), which produces a bright red cherry pigment. This coloring is applied to meat as it is being packaged, giving it the appearance of looking fresh off the bone. The USDA and FDA gave this practice a "generally recognized as safe" status in 2002.