Washington Post: The food industry pays ‘influencer’ dietitians to shape your eating habits

Washington Post: The food industry pays ‘influencer’ dietitians to shape your eating habits. “The trade group paid an undisclosed amount to 10 registered dietitians, as well as a physician and a fitness influencer, to use their social media accounts to help blunt the WHO’s claims that aspartame, a mainstay of Diet Coke and other sodas, is ineffective for weight loss and ‘possibly carcinogenic.’ The campaign, which the beverage group acknowledged organizing, highlighted a little-known tactic the multibillion-dollar food and beverage industry is using to sway consumers faced with often-contradictory health messages about popular products.”

Global Coffee Report: WCR releases Arabica genetic fingerprint database

Global Coffee Report: WCR releases Arabica genetic fingerprint database. “Verification of coffee varieties ensures quality control of plant material is available to farmers worldwide. WCR is making the database openly accessible to the scientific community so that it can be used by public and private labs for variety verification.”

US Department of Agriculture: USDA introduces geospatial data product to show crop rotation patterns

US Department of Agriculture: USDA introduces geospatial data product to show crop rotation patterns. “[Crop Sequence Boundaries] is a cutting-edge map of agricultural fields that provides crop acreage estimates and historical planting decisions across the contiguous United States. The open-source product uses satellite imagery and other public data to allow users to analyze planted U.S. commodities, enhancing not only agricultural science and research, but providing producers an innovative resource to help make farming decisions.”

North Carolina State University: New Online Tool Maps ‘Beans Gone Wild’

North Carolina State University: New Online Tool Maps ‘Beans Gone Wild’. “Recently, NC State Extension released an online tracking tool called Beans Gone Wild to capture and share in-season crop problems and recommendations. The new visual mapping tool, funded by the NC Soybeans Producers Association and the NC Agricultural Foundation, uses crowd-sourced field data from public and private partners to document soybean problems (and recommended actions) across the state.”

ERR: Estonia’s strawberry database helps fight crime

ERR: Estonia’s strawberry database helps fight crime. “A reference database cataloging varieties of Estonian strawberries will help prevent fraud and will be able to test if fruit advertised as locally grown really did originate in Estonia. Knowing the geographical origin of strawberries is important because it helps protect the Estonian market and supports farmers and strawberry growers. Until now it has not been possible to do so thoroughly.”

Agriland: New website to show effect of farm practices on environment

Agriland: New website to show effect of farm practices on environment. “The website was created by the EU Science Hub and EU Agriculture, and displays content gathered from the collection of published scientific evidence on the impacts of farming practices on the environment, climate and agricultural productivity.”

The Lane Report: New Kentucky Proud website helps consumers find Kentucky farm products

The Lane Report: New Kentucky Proud website helps consumers find Kentucky farm products. “Consumers can search for members by business and product categories or by a list of specific products. A variety of filter and sort options provides consumers with additional ways to tailor their searches and locate a wide range of local businesses and products.”

KOLO (Nevada): Nevada launches website for kids to learn about zoonotic diseases

KOLO (Nevada): Nevada launches website for kids to learn about zoonotic diseases. “One Health Nevada is an interactive website for kids to learn about how diseases spread between animals and humans and what people can do to keep themselves and animals healthy. The site is geared towards kids involved in 4-H, or those who own pets, livestock, enjoy hunting, fishing or being outdoors. They can also find health tips, activities and educational resources.”

USDA: USDA Climate Hubs Go Global

USDA: USDA Climate Hubs Go Global. “The new hub builds on the experience with 10 regional Climate Hubs throughout the United States and the Caribbean to compile, share and significantly expand knowledge, understanding, and implementation of climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices in the United States.”

Farmers Weekly: Waste not want not in database project

Farmers Weekly (New Zealand): Waste not want not in database project. “A Plant & Food Research effort to match up food processors grappling with waste byproducts with innovators seeking animal feed solutions will help keep thousands of tonnes out of landfills in coming years. The research agency is using the Canterbury region as the test bed for a database to match up processors with potential end users, with a view to eventually rolling out the project nationally.”

The Star: Farmers reap big from social media

The Star (Kenya): Farmers reap big from social media. “Francis Muiruri, a 31-year-old Kenyan farmer, has found a new income stream on social media: selling information. As a digital consultant, he advises other farmers on successful service delivery on the farm…. Despite living with disability, the Thika-based, mixed-crop farmer appreciates the platform’s role in commercialising his farming business.”

University of Wollongong: Pacific Food Trade Database supports food system sustainability

University of Wollongong: Pacific Food Trade Database supports food system sustainability. “Researchers from the University of Wollongong (UOW) based Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), led by food systems senior research fellow Dr Tom Brewer, have developed the Pacific Food Trade Database to assist regional analysis and decision making…. The database, which is open access and free to use, includes tonnage of imports and exports from 1995-2018 for 18 Pacific islands and territories.”

Bleeping Computer: Dole discloses employee data breach after ransomware attack

Bleeping Computer: Dole discloses employee data breach after ransomware attack. “Fresh produce giant Dole Food Company has confirmed threat actors behind a February ransomware attack have accessed the information of an undisclosed number of employees. Dole employs around 38,000 people worldwide, providing fresh fruits and vegetables to customers in more than 75 countries.”

USDA: USDA to host Data Users’ Meeting to gather public input on statistical programs

USDA: USDA to host Data Users’ Meeting to gather public input on statistical programs. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will hold its biannual Data Users’ Meeting April 18 from 1-4:30 p.m. CT at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City – Omaha Branch. A virtual attendance option will also be available. The meeting is free and open to the public.”

EU Science Hub: A new tool maps the state of soil health across Europe

EU Science Hub: A new tool maps the state of soil health across Europe. “EU-wide harmonised soil datasets and a novel methodology are among the main features of the soil health dashboard, a new tool of the EU Soil Observatory (EUSO), developed and run by the JRC. The dashboard supports the forthcoming European Commission proposal for a soil health law and indicators proposed by the Soil Mission of EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon Europe.”