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Global food crisis is not imminent, but food commodities markets need regulation, FAO official says

A global food crisis does not appear to be on the horizon despite recent food price rises, but steps must be taken to regulate volatile food commodities markets, Hafez Ghanem, a top official at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, said on Tuesday, the Associated Press reports.

10 Sep 2010

NIH launches two research studies to examine ways to curtail childhood obesity epidemic

The National Institutes of Health is launching two major research efforts, totaling $72.5 million, to examine ways to curtail the nation's childhood obesity epidemic. One will study long-term approaches to prevent or treat childhood obesity, and the other will examine community efforts to reduce childhood obesity rates.

10 Sep 2010

World Bank report highlights concerns, potential benefits of large-scale farm deals in developing countries

Foreign purchases of agricultural land in developing countries "pose 'significant risks' to the livelihoods of farmers in countries with 'weak land governance,' the World Bank said in a report" (.pdf) on Tuesday, which also noted the potential benefits of these investments, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

9 Sep 2010

World Water Week: Urbanization, irrigation, global food security

"Global efforts to improve access to drinking water have been hampered by rapid urbanisation, with the proportion of people in urban areas with access actually declining, according to U.N. figures presented" at the World Water Week conference in Stockholm, Agence France-Presse reports.

9 Sep 2010

Cellectis acquires assets of Cyto Pulse Sciences

Cellectis, the French genome engineering specialist, has announced today that it has acquired all the assets of Cyto Pulse Sciences Inc., a US-based company specializing in the development, manufacture and commercialization of electroporation technology and equipment.

9 Sep 2010

ProteaBio concludes agreement with George Washington University to commercialize LAESI technology

ProteaBio Europe SAS, a leading developer of new technology, announced today that the company has concluded an exclusive, worldwide license agreement with George Washington University for commercial rights to a new technology that provides rapid identification of a broad range of chemicals and biomolecules.

8 Sep 2010

FAO names 15 experts to new food security advisory body

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has named 15 experts to a committee "to help formulate policies to ensure food security and avoid a repeat of the food crisis of a few years ago," VOA News reports (DeCapua, 9/6).

8 Sep 2010

Researchers develop rapid screening test for mycotoxin detection

After close cooperation with researchers at the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (Bioforsk), Norwegian grain dealers are implementing a newly devised computational model and rapid screening tests to improve control of toxins in Norwegian cereals.

8 Sep 2010

World Water Week kicks off with a focus on pollution, quality

A group of over 2,500 leading water experts from 130 countries gathered in Stockholm on Sunday to kick off World Water Week, where they will focus on "increasing water pollution and dwindling water quality around the globe," Agence France-Presse reports (Larson, 9/5).

7 Sep 2010

Coles supermarkets to stop selling beef containing growth hormones

Come November Coles supermarket chain will no longer accept beef from animals treated with hormone growth promotants, or HGPs. These HGPs are used by grazers and feedlots to boost cattle growth.

7 Sep 2010

Food industry, USDA criticized for recent salmonella outbreak, egg recall

USA Today reports that food safety groups are slamming how well U.S. Department of Agriculture regulated the farms implicated in the salmonella outbreak.

4 Sep 2010

FAO calls for special meeting to address global food price spikes

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization "has called a special meeting on the recent spike in food prices, responding to fears of a repeat of the shortages that led to riots in parts of the world two years ago," the Associated Press reports.

4 Sep 2010

ADA publishes updated position paper on food insecurity in the U.S.

The American Dietetic Association has published an updated position paper on food insecurity in the United States, calling for funding for food and nutrition assistance programs, increased nutrition education and efforts to promote economic self-sufficiency for all households and individuals.

3 Sep 2010

MU helps communities turn healthy ideas into sustainable changes through Healthy Lifestyle Initiative

As the nation becomes more aware of health issues related to nutrition and lifestyle choices, communities are struggling to find ways to make healthy living easier. The University of Missouri is helping communities turn healthy ideas into sustainable changes through the Healthy Lifestyle Initiative. The initiative, underway at 13 sites in 12 Missouri counties, is aimed at changing environments to increase the availability of affordable, locally produced foods and access to safe physical activities.

3 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 3, 2010

Today's headlines contain reports on a new study showing that employers are shifting the increasing costs of premiums onto workers, efforts to get Congress to weigh in on the controversy about federal funding on stem cell research and the difficulty getting uninsured children enrolled in state Medicaid and CHIP programs.

3 Sep 2010

IPS examines agricultural funding in Africa

Inter Press Service examines how some African countries are benefiting from the global agriculture fund the G8 pledged $22 billion to in July 2009. According to the article, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which seeks to increase African spending on agriculture to foster more growth, "has received a major boost as several countries have begun drawing" on the G8 money.

3 Sep 2010

WFP, UNICEF heads appeal for more flood aid for Pakistan

After touring flood-hit areas in Pakistan on Tuesday, the executive directors of UNICEF and the World Food Program appealed for more flood relief aid, VOA News reports (Maroney, 8/31).

2 Sep 2010

Global agricultural experts meet for FANRPAN regional conference

The meeting will "address African priorities on food security and climate change and its impacts on agricultural development, natural resource management and rural livelihoods," according to a FANRPRAN press release.

2 Sep 2010

Media examine floods' impact in Pakistan

News outlets reported on the effects of major flooding in Pakistan and described the situation on the ground.

2 Sep 2010

World Bank calls for more integrated approach to global water management

"We can't properly tackle global priorities of food security, renewable energy, adaptation to climate change, public health and urbanization unless we manage water better," Julia Bucknall, water sector manager for the World Bank, said, according to a World Bank press release.

1 Sep 2010