Lettuce and Apples Top Organics Lists
In 2014, certified and exempt organic farms in the United States sold a total of $5.5 billion in
organic products, according to a report published by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics
Service. The top 10 states accounted for 78% of total US organic sales, with California in
the lead with sales of $2.2 billion. The selection of organic products was diverse and
ranged from dairy to proteins, fruits and vegetables and grains. Lettuce and apples
ranked fourth and fifth in the top five commodities in organic sales with a value of
$264 million and $250 million respectively. They followed behind milk, eggs and broiler
chickens. Almost half of the organic goods were sold within 100 miles of the farm—only
2% were sold internationally. Almost 40% of survey respondents indicated they intend to
increase their organic production within the next five years.
(Source: freshplaza.com)
MAXFACTS
GROWING TIPS, NEWS AND TRIVIA
Saving a Drowning Christmas Cactus
Overwatering is one of the classic Christmas cactus problems, so don’t feel too bad if your plant starts
exhibiting symptoms. Act fast and dump out any standing water, then carefully remove the plant from its
container. Remove any stems that have started to get soft. Rinse the roots to remove any fungus that
might have started to grow and then let them dry out for a day on the counter. Repot the plant the next
morning, ideally in an unglazed pot to encourage evaporation of excess moisture, and let it stay dry for
a day or so before beginning a regular watering routine. If you caught it quickly enough, the plant should
recover. Finally, use your soil meter to prevent any future Christmas cactus problems, as the weakened
plant might not withstand another bout of illness.
(Source: gardeningknowhow.com)
Food Toxin Detectors Go Digital
A new system that incorporates digital cameras to detect pathogens that
cause foodborne illnesses has been developed by USDA scientists. The
high cost of equipment used to identify pathogens restricts widespread
testing of foods for the toxins that cause food poisoning, which sickens
millions of Americans each year. The new system, devised by chemist
Reuven Rasooly and his colleagues in Albany, California, measures toxin
activity as effectively as equipment that costs 100 times more. The new,
inexpensive system can distinguish between active and inactive Shiga
toxins, which are produced by some E. coli strains. It involves a $300 camera
and a light-emitting source to biologically determine active toxins. This type of technology will especially
benefit laboratories in developing countries where the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks is greater. A
fluorometer, which is generally used to detect toxins, costs about $35,000.
(Source: ars.usda.gov)
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Maximum Yield USA | December 2015