Based on USDA and FDA standards, they're intended to point health-minded shoppers toward the most nutritious products in various categories. SHELF LIFE: Next time you're at Publix, keep an eye out for the small red nutrition-facts labels that have begun appearing on shelf fronts, next to the price labels. NO ESCAPE: Rachael Ray is reaching out from supermarket magazine racks to grocery shelves, her perky visage gracing bottles of EVOO (her pet term for extra-virgin olive oil) Still, we...

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today expanded on the Administration s farm bill nutrition proposals, an area of farm policy which constitutes the largest part of USDA s budget. We recommend increasing program access for the working poor and elderly, moving America toward healthier eating habits, and making more effective use of taxpayer dollars. We also want to improve our administration of the Food Stamp Program, strengthen its integrity, and finally rename it to reflect the changes...

At the same time, we wonder if the price multiples will trigger a response on the part of farmers and induce them to shift more acreage than expected. But we have noticed some recent price trends that have piqued our curiosity and led us to wonder what will happen to soybean and wheat acreage in the coming years. Based on the historic multiples, we would not be surprised to see even more corn acres and fewer soybean and wheat acres than currently expected. Usually we are content to leave...

Due to ongoing concerns about the effectiveness in Canada of the 10 years-old ban on feeding mammalian tissues to cows n the key firewall intended to prevent the spread of BSE, or mad cow disease n NMPF told the USDA that it would be imprudent to allow live animal traffic to resume. Department of Agriculture, is opposing the resumption of cattle exports from Canada for breeding or herd replacement purposes. Due to ongoing concerns about the effectiveness in Canada of the 10 years-old ban...

Rick Weiss Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, March 5, 2007; 12:00 PM The government is on track to approve a new antibiotic to treat a pneumonia-like disease in cattle, despite warnings from health groups and a majority of the agency's own expert advisers that the decision will be dangerous for people. Rick Weiss Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, March 5, 2007; 12:00 PM The government is on track to approve a new antibiotic to treat a pneumonia-like disease in cattle, despite...