Safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving
Mother Jones reports on mercury in HFCS
Mother Jones magazine gives readers another reason to avoid high fructose corn syrup. Besides increasing the risk for obesity and diabetes, the sweetener has been found to be contaminated with mercury, according to an article in the July/August 2009 issue.The story said an FDA researcher stumbled upon an obscure report about mercury emissions from chemical plants making lye. She wondered if lye - a component in HFCS production - was tainted with the heavy metal.
A national lab and a UC Davis lab found mercury in most HFCS samples. The FDA said the mercury is elemental, the least likely form to cause health problems in humans. But the lab that analyzed the samples believes there's a good chance the mercury is the readily absorbable organic form, the story said.
The analysts "said in so many words, 'It doesn't look like inorganic,'" the article quoted UC Davis research engineer Peter Green. "They would even say it's more likely not the regular elemental mercury."
corn
Sun shines on Colusa Master Gardeners
A story in the Colusa County Sun-Herald does such a great job chronicling the local UC Master Gardener program, I'm sure we couldn't have written a finer account ourselves.Reporter Susan Meeker does make one common mischaracterization, calling it the "University of California Davis, Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program," but she goes on to capture the most important aspects of UC's volunteer garden information extension organization in a 400-word article published yesterday.
"We're not experts," the story quoted program coordinator Gerry Hernandez, "but we have the university and all of its research behind us."
The article details the Master Gardener training and activities and notes that all of the volunteers' efforts have an emphasis on sustainability and protecting the environment.
Ventura front page features two 4-H stories
The Ventura County 4-H program made a splash over the weekend with two front page feature stories in the Ventura County Star.
The article opened as almost a profile of UC Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development advisor Susan Gloeckler. It said Gloeckler teaches children, young adults and other teachers about the importance of farming and technological advances in the field.
“Farmers are scientists and businessmen, and like other fields, they also have to keep up with technology,” Gloeckler was quoted. “We also want children to have an appreciation for animals and understand how important it is to preserve and protect our land.”
The second story focused on a 4-H gardening workshop held at Port Hueneme Youth Center at Naval Base Ventura County, part of an initiative to create 4-H programs at U.S. military bases across the world.
“The whole idea to put 4-H in the military bases is so that when parents get transferred to another base, there will be another program the children can feel at home with,” Gloeckler was quoted.
These highly visible news stories are a testament to persistence in media relations. Ventura County Director Rose Hayden-Smith said the stories were the result of a month's work with reporter Marjorie Hernandez.
"The initial story was a somewhat negative take on the budget," Hayden-Smith said. "We were able to pitch these other things and mitigate the negative budget info. Susan did a superb job of explaining the diversity of the program, getting military 4-H and SET in, ag literacy, Master Gardeners, ag programs, etc. The Farm Bureau jumped in to talk about the importance of CE."
Is it mean to point out a glaring error in the first paragraph of the military feature? Alas, the editor in me cannot resist. The story says, "Randall Smalls smiled as he carefully cut slits in a small packet of potable soil and inserted a handful of seeds."
Of course, the writer must have meant "potting" soil, as "potable" means drinkable.
Federal regulations intensify drought
An article in USA Today yesterday pinned 30 percent of the blame for California's drought on the federal government. The other 70 percent is assigned to Mother Nature.
Court and regulatory rulings protecting endangered fish have cut water allocations to irrigated agriculture, compounding a natural dry spell, the story said."This is a regulatory drought, is what it is," the story quoted Firebaugh farmer Todd Alen. "It just doesn't seem fair."
UC Davis ag economist Richard Howitt told the reporter that federal regulations hit particularly hard in the Valley because complicated water-rights laws put farmers at the end of the line in water distribution.
"Howitt says his studies suggest that the restrictions could put as much as 45 percent of irrigated acreage in the Fresno area out of production — jacking up prices for melons, broccoli, tomatoes and other produce. The area also is a big producer of almonds, pistachios, lettuce and wheat," wrote reporter William Welch.
Potential solutions - such as more dams or a canal to bypass the delta and bring water to users - are being smothered by the state's budget woes.
Editor's note: I'll be away on vacation for a few days, but will bring you up to date on ANR News when I return next Tuesday.
Corpulent coverage continues on Dr. Regina Benjamin
UC Berkeley nutritionist emeritus Joanne Ikeda drew some attention from the media when she was quoted referring to President Obama's pick for Surgeon General, Regina Benjamin, as "fat." Later, she regretted using a term many consider pejorative, but her frankness - a trait much appreciated in the news media - supplied other opportunities to make her point.
For example, Ikeda was quoted extensively by the Washington bureau reporter of the Alabama Press Register, a newspaper in Benjamin's home state.
She said any debate about Benjamin's appointment should focus on her qualifications for the job.
"I think it's a shame that here we have someone who has a strong value system in terms of helping people ... and instead we're focusing on something as silly as her weight," Ikeda told the Press-Register.
The reporter asked Ikeda if she believes Benjamin would be taking criticism if she were a man. Ikeda pointed to former Vice President Dick Cheney, who remained portly throughout his eight-year tenure despite having previously suffered several heart attacks, the article said.
"Did anyone ever make a comment about Dick Cheney?" Ikeda was quoted. "Largeness in men is equated with power and strength."
(In this article, more dignified euphemisms for fat - "overweight" and "above her ideal body size" - were used to describe the Surgeon General-designate, and the terms "portly" and "largeness" in the part about Cheney.)
Joanne Ikeda