Browse Animal Production Stories - Page 29

Georgia cattle farmers, both large and small scale, will find useful knowledge at the annual University of Georgia Mountain Beef Cattle Field Day April 21 in Blairsville, Ga.

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to eat only American-grown food, mark apple juice, cauliflower, garlic and limes off your grocery list. A University of Georgia food scientist says the majority of these foods are imported from other countries.

Last year, most commodity prices dropped by 10 percent, leaving Georgia farmers facing their first significant decline in farm gate value in a decade. University of Georgia economists say 2010 should be a better year for them.

Nearly 15 percent of the food Americans eat is imported from other countries, mostly from Canada, Mexico and China. This may sound like a small percentage, but it represents 80 percent of seafood and 45 percent of fresh fruit consumed in the U.S. A University of Georgia expert says increased food imports bring new challenges to ensuring a safe U.S. food supply.

A recent University of Georgia report shows that Georgia farmers will need 20 percent more water to grow their crops in the next four decades. They’ll need it to meet increased food demand and to compete globally.

Unpasteurized milk from cows, sheep or goats can carry dangerous bacteria that infect humans. People have contracted salmonella, E. coli, listeria and even rabies from consuming raw milk. It’s a risk people shouldn’t take, says a University of Georgia food specialist.

By studying its body and genetic makeup, a University of Georgia geneticist wants to develop a chicken that converts its food into muscle mass, not fat, or simply one that is more healthful for consumers to eat.

In a year when Georgia’s manufacturing sector is expected to have limited growth and heavy job losses, the food products industry is pulling clean of that trend.