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World Food Prize president hopes to draw in wrestling fans

March 22, 2013 By
Norman Borlaug

Norman Borlaug

The home of the World Food Prize in Des Moines is open extended hours Saturday in hopes people from around the country in town the for the college wrestling tournament will stop in.

 World Food Prize president, Kenneth Quinn, says Cresco native and 1970 Noebel Peace Prize winner, Norman Borlaug, had the idea for the World Food Prize. But Borlaug was a wrestler before he became a famous scientist.

“I want everybody who is here for the N-C-two-A championships to know that Dr. Norman E. Borlaug is the NCAA wrestler who saved a billion lives,” Quinn say. Borlaug wrestled at the University of Minnesota and earned degrees in forestry, and later a doctorate in plant pathology.

Borlaug won the Nobel Peace prize for developing a strain of wheat that saved so many from starvation. “I would argue, that of all the athletes who have every played a collegiate sport — at all levels ever since the first sporting event was held — Dr. Borlaug is probably the person who has the greatest achievement in his life,” Quinn says.

The Hall of Laureates which is home to the World Food Prize, will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday for tours of the building.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Environment & Conservation, Human Interest, News Tagged With: ,

Testing for aflatoxin in milk ends

March 4, 2013 By

The Iowa Department of Agriculture has lifted it requirement that milk in the state be tested for the aflatoxin mold that can be found in corn during times of drought. The aflatoxin can get into milk through contaminated corn eaten by dairy cows.

State Ag Secretary Bill Northey says they began requiring milk testing shortly after this year’s harvest — with only four loads of milk testing positive. “We’ve tested almost 90-million gallons of milk since we’ve had a positive in milk, so we’ve gone many, many months now. Folks are handling the corn the right way,” Northey says.

“We’ll probably see some of the companies still doing testing, but we know that our milk is safe without us requiring testing.” Aflatoxin can be a problem for humans. “It can cause illness, usually probably not at the low levels that we found out in milk, we just don’t want any at all in the milk, and folks have handled it very well,” Northey says.

The Iowa-based Hy-Vee supermarket chain recalled some dog food because of a test that found aflatoxin in it. Northey says that was likely due to corn in the dog food that came from Missouri. “Missouri actually has some more problems with aflatoxin than we have, so it can show up in other products, certainly corn is in many products,” Northey says.

He says there is zero tolerance for aflatoxin in food products. On the feed side, he says animals raised for meat can handle small amounts of aflatoxin in their feed and it is not a problem. The Ag Department has a corn-blending program where clean corn can be mixed with corn that contains aflatoxin to be used in feed for non-dairy animals.

Northey says the grain buyers keep a good track of aflatoxin. “Generally where there was a problem, or if folks are buying corn from an area where there was a problem, most of the folks that are buying corn are testing it, and so they want to know how that corn can be used,” Northey explains.

“The know if it tests low amount it can’t be used for diary cattle. If it tests for a higher amount, it may or may not be used for animal feed, it can’t be used for human feed, so they want to know what that is.” The last positive test for aflatoxin in milk was on November seventh of last year.

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Higher cost driven by the drought expected to bring down meat consumption

March 1, 2013 By

A new federal food forecast contains foul news for Iowa cattle producers, but encouragement for those who raise pork and poultry. The U.S.D.A. predicts Americans will eat much less meat in 2013 due to skyrocketing costs. Shale Shagam, an agency livestock analyst, says the average person will eat just over 200 pounds of red meat and poultry in the year ahead.

“We look at beef to be the big decline, down about 1.3 pounds to about 56.1 pounds per capita,” Shagam says. “Pork will be up about 0.3 of a pound to about 46.1 pounds, while broilers will be up about a half a pound to about 80.9 pounds per capita during 2013.”

That’s the lowest expected meat consumption rate since 1991. The extended drought in Iowa and across much of the country last year is now translating to much higher prices in grocery store meat cases.

Shagam says, “We can expect to see records in terms of our retail prices for choice beef, again, a record for our broiler price and probably about a similar price on the pork side.” The federal report predicts a boost in beef imports this year, while about 11-percent less U.S. beef will be exported.

“We expect imports to increase about 16% to 2.6 billion pounds,” Shagam says. “A lot of that is tied to the strong demand for processing grade beef in the United States.” Iowa is the nation’s number-one pork producer. The state’s top commodity is corn, followed by pork, soybeans and cattle.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, News Tagged With: ,

Iowans say trade mission to Vietnam has gone well

February 28, 2013 By

A delegation of about 20 Iowans representing government, business and agriculture is in the Philippines now, after almost a week in Vietnam. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds is leading the trade mission and spoke with Iowa reporters this morning via teleconference.

“We’ve had a very productive trip,” Reynolds says. “The mission has really been to strengthen relationships and existing partnerships and look for economic opportunities between the state of Iowa and what we consider are two growing countries in Asia, and that’s Vietnam and the Philippines.”

Iowa pork is exported to 34 nations, but trade with the Philippines alone rose last year by 16-percent. Reynolds says about 75-percent of the diet of Vietnamese people revolves around pork products, so she sees great opportunities in both nations.

“The trade mission really has been dual-track, it’s had two components,” Reynolds says, “one that’s been centered on the promotion of Iowa pork and agricultural exports and the other has been centered on Iowa businesses that are seeking to expand trade and sales in these two growing countries.”

Among the ag industry leaders on the trip, Greg Lear is president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association. In response to a question about the Vietnam War decades ago, Lear says they’ve encountered only smiles and no hostility.

“We’ve been welcomed with open arms,” Lear says. “It doesn’t matter if we’re in Vietnam in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City or here in the Philippines, we are welcomed and we haven’t run into anybody that we haven’t been able to communicate with. It’s interesting what Iowa has to offer both to Vietnam and the Philippines.”

Lear says most people they encountered in Vietnam don’t even remember the war, which they refer to as the American War. He says the average age in Vietnam is 27 to 28, while 55-percent of that nation’s population is under the age of 40.

Lear says there are markets in Asia that place high value on parts of the pig that are largely ignored by American consumers, including the feet, snouts, tails and ears. In particular, he says the pig’s ear drum is a delicacy there.

“It sure appears that this is our opportunity to start laying the foundation for long-term relationships,” Lear says. “We look forward to seeing what is built on top of this exciting opportunity that we had to come to the Philippines and Vietnam and see what is going on in these countries.”

The delegation left Des Moines last Thursday and is due to return on Saturday night.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, News Tagged With: , ,

Ladies and gentlemen, start your burgers

February 23, 2013 By
2012 best burger winner.

2012 best burger winner.

Nominations are now being accepted for the title of “Iowa’s Best Burger.” The award is handed out each year to one restaurant by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.

Iowa Beef Council spokesperson Michelle Baumhover  says judging from past winners, the key may be keeping the burger basic.

“I know when we’ve reviewed the judges’ comments, that’s what comes to the top…when it’s a really high quality burger, you don’t need a lot of additives,” Baumhover said.

The Coon Bowl, a diner and bowling alley in Coon Rapids, won last year’s competition. Co-owner Cindy Heydon noted they don’t mix anything into the half-pound burger, not even salt.

Nominations for this year’s contest will be accepted through March 10. The top 10 restaurants that receive the most nominations will be announced on March 25.

“Then we turn the contest over to an anonymous panel of judges who will go out and try the burgers,” Heydon said. “They will select a burger based on presentation, appearance, taste and safety – making sure it’s at that ‘medium’ 160 degrees.” The 2013 winner of Iowa’s Best Burger contest will be announced on May 2.

In addition to The Coon Bowl last year, previous winners of the award were The Rusty Duck in Dexter (2011) and the Sac County Cattle Company in Sac City (2010). More information about the contest rules and how to submit a nomination is available at: www.iabeef.org

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DMACC culinary students gain experience cooking tons of bacon

February 8, 2013 By

Students at the Des Moines Area Community College’s Iowa Culinary Institute are getting some big time experience today. 

Audio: Dar Danielson’s report on bacon. 1:12.

The DMACC students will cook almost three tons of bacon that’ll be served up at the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival on the grounds of the Iowa State Fair. Iowa Culinary Institute executive chef Robert Anderson says they were asked to cook about two tons of bacon for the festival last year and this year they’ll prepare around three tons. It’s a little more complicated than just bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan. Forty students will use 26 ovens.

“Which holds about 144 pans of bacon, so every 16 minutes we can pull out 144 pans and put in the next 144 pans,” Anderson says. “And we’ll be cooking bacon from eight in the morning until we get done, and last year we got done about eight o’clock at night.”

Anderson says they have to do constant testing to find the right way to prepare a variety of the pork products from around the U.S. and the world as each has its own characteristics. Anderson says it’s great experience for the students.

“All of them love to work with bacon, so working with different types of bacon. It’s just camaraderie, working in the kitchen, seeing some large quantity of food being prepared and seeing how it is stored and kept,” Anderson says. There’s also a lesson in planning that goes along with the preparation of the bacon.

“I have to assign certain instructors and students to certain ovens, and they have to do a lot of timing and management in turning around pans,” Anderson explains. The culinary program at DMACC (D-mack) has around 225 students. Anderson says the two-year program gives them skills to work in a variety of areas.

“They go to very nice clubs, very nice white tablecloth restaurants, they go to the newer and upscale assisted living places around Iowa and some in hospitals. So there’s a need for trained food service people who know a little about cooking and then can move up,” Anderson says. He says program currently has a two-year waiting list.

You can find out more about the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival at: www.blueribbonbaconfestival.com.

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Proposal would replace chips and soda with “healthier” snacks in schools

February 8, 2013 By

Iowa kids wouldn’t be able to snack on corn chips and a Coke from their school vending machine under a new federal proposal. “Smart Snacks in School” would change the types of food sold in schools nationwide, according to Kevin Concannon, a former Iowan and the USDA’s Undersecretary for Food and Nutrition Services.

Concannon says, “It makes sure that American kids that go to school for the snacks that they may purchase, whether they’re from vending machines or on counters during the school day, are healthier than they currently have available in many places.” All foods sold in schools would have to meet certain guidelines, Concannon says, to make them more nutritious.

Chips, candy and soda would be replaced with bagged fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk. “The snacks will have to have less sodium, less sugar,” Concannon says.

“They’re more likely to have a granola bar than a typical sugar-doused candy bar.” The proposals can be found on the Federal Register. Iowans have 60 days to comment on proposed changes and if they become policy, Iowa schools would have one year to comply. Concannon, who served as the director of the Iowa Department of Human Services from 2003 to 2008, says this change is for common sense and better health.

“Let’s have more foods that we should encourage to children,” he says. “Let’s have fewer foods that we would like to discourage kids from consuming.” Snacks brought from home would still be allowed under the proposal, as well as items from school bake sales.

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