Food & Farm News

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Go for the Gold campaign commentsfrom Olympic gold medallist Shaun White

Weather, feed prices affect cattle markets

Dried-out pastures and high feed prices encourage cattle ranchers to send animals to market sooner than they might otherwise. A government report issued this week says ranchers across the country are sending beef cattle to market at lighter weights than they did a year ago. The report says that's because, in many parts of the country, there's not as much grass available to sustain cattle, and feed prices have been high for months. Retail beef prices remain about where they were a year ago.

Farmers sell fennel as herb and vegetable

It's grown as both an herb and a vegetable, and this is the time of year when demand typically is strongest for California-grown fennel. Also known as anise, the fern of the fennel plant provides the herb. Farmers who grow it as a vegetable harvest the bulb, which one grower describes as looking like a giant onion that tastes and smells like black licorice. Fennel thrives mainly along the Central Coast. Farmers there say the January freeze caused a "slight shortage" in their year-round harvest.

Study shows benefits of flavonoid-rich foods

A study among older women identified apples, pears and red wine as three foods that appear to cut the risk of both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Researchers tracked women who ate those and other foods that are rich in compounds known as flavonoids. Several flavonoid-rich foods reduced risk of one form or heart disease or the other, but the study indicated that apples, pears and red wine appeared to cut both.

Educational campaign features California foods

Elementary school students are being encouraged to "Go for the Gold," as part of an educational campaign about California-grown foods. Sponsored by the California Grown program and the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, the campaign provides teachers with classroom activities that teach students about foods grown in the state. Olympic champion snowboarder Shaun White serves as spokesman for the Go for the Gold campaign.

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