The diseased animal “at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health,” the USDA says. Officials discovered the animal at a rendering facility in central California, which they have not chosen to name. During a briefing in Washington, USDA chief veterinarian John Clifford assured reporters that the meat did not enter the food chain and the carcass will be destroyed safely. The first mad cow case in 2003, a cow from Canada shipped to the U.S., caused an extreme dip in beef exports — and some nations to restrict American beef to this day. (hat tip to Breaking News) source
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It seems the department still considers the potato a second-class vegetable.A spokesman for the National Potato Council, irked that — despite a failed USDA attempt to limit potato use in new school lunch guidelines — potatoes are still passed over in favor of greener, leafier vegetables. (via bencrair)
For fans of math: They got fined $270,000 for numerous instances between 2007 and 2011. The maximum the USDA can fine a group for violations of the Animal Welfare Act is $10,000 per instance. So … in other words, a lot of violations.
Pizza can continue to be the meal of choice: In a bit of a setback for the Obama administration, the USDA’s efforts to push for schools to provide healthier lunches ran into a wall of starchy special interests after members of Congress, in coordination with the food industry, added an unhealthy amendment to a spending bill. The amendment limits how much the government can regulate starchy vegetables like potatoes, as well as tomato paste (the fundamental ingredient of pizza), in school lunches. Why? Congress says it’ll be more expensive, due in part to vegetable prices. If the spending bill passes, we can blame kids’ unhealthy lunches on Congress. We love pizza too, but really now. (photo via USDA’s Flickr page) source
Remember when that confusing food pyramid went away, and a plate replaced it? That incredibly informative plate tells you that half your diet at least should consist of fruits and veggies — but a new study might make you think otherwise. The Environmental Working Group has compiled a list called the “Dirty Dozen” that includes the twelve fruits and vegetables laden with the most pesticides. While the report suggest eating anything from the “Dirty Dozen” might be harmful, other experts say the pesticide levels on those fruits aren’t dangerous. “So far, there’s not a lot of research to support these claims,” said Holly Herrington, a dietitian at Northwestern University. And we’re pretty sure an apple is healthier than a candy bar any day, too. source
Meet the worst graphic ever created. You may have heard about this thing. It’s called the MyPyramid. There’s some random dude running up it to remind people to exercise, which it’s honestly never done for us. But there aren’t any numbers, no good explanation, and few details to explain what people should eat. It’s one of the greatest travesties the USDA has ever created. It’s as terrible as the 2012 Olympics logo, except worse, because it’s meant actually teach people how to eat healthier; that hasn’t happened. And it might finally get replaced by a completely different shape. Finally. About time. A little history:
» Why this is a good idea: Simply put, the basic idea behind this graphic needs to be as simple as possible, and while the original graphic wasn’t terrible, its replacement was. What we’d like to see is a shape that looks like a cafeteria tray, with compartments for each piece. However, the independently-produced Power Plate (which notably doesn’t include meat products at all) is also a worthy option, too. Let’s hope they don’t screw it up.
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