Food & Farm News
» October 16, 2007 «
Farm groups welcome veto of 'card-check' bill 
Farm groups say Governor Schwarzenegger preserved democratic rights for farm employees, by vetoing two bills that would have changed the decision process for union elections. The bills would have stripped farm employees of their right to a secret-ballot election and replaced it with a so-called "card check" system, under which employees could have unionized merely by signing cards. A California Farm Bureau spokesman said the governor "did the right thing" by rejecting the bills.
Rice farmers race rain to finish harvest
Rice farmers raced the rain this past weekend, working to harvest as much as possible before predicted storms come later this week. Sacramento Valley farm advisors estimate that about 80 percent of the crop has been harvested, though a government crop report issued yesterday (Monday) puts the estimate at 60 percent. Rain will slow harvest by making fields too muddy for harvest equipment, and hard rain can knock the rice plants down.
Tiny thrips can cause big problems
They're tiny by themselves, but insects called thrips are a big enough problem to dominate three days of meetings at the University of California, Davis. There are thousands of species of thrips, and the winged insects cause billions of dollars in crop damage by sucking nutrients from plants. But some types of thrips can be beneficial. The conference, which began yesterday (Monday), will help agricultural inspectors and other specialists to distinguish among the different types of thrips.
Study shows benefits of antioxidant foods
Here's more evidence of the benefits of a balanced diet: Findings presented at a health symposium last week showed that eating foods high in antioxidants can counteract the impact of consuming other foods at a meal. Nutritionists say antioxidant foods appear to combat the onset of chronic diseases. The California Table Grape Commission spread the word about the study, in part because it highlighted grapes as a key food source of antioxidants.
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