CONCEPT OF HALAL FOOD WITH REFRENCE TO QURAN AND AHAADITH

Introduction:

Quran and Ahaadith permit to consume some food and to completely forbid others.  Muslim can avoid foods like meat from non Halal source, beverage (like alcoholic) based upon their teaching as Muslims, but it is very difficult to determine the status of processed food as Halal. Due to advancements in food technology, presently shelves of shops and super markets are stocked with packaged and process food. Surprisingly, the original sources of ingredients and the details of their processing are not being shared with consumers; further additives are generally declared on a product label while processing aids are not mentioned. Some additives can be legally grouped into generic categories (such as spices, emulsifier) thus it is difficult for consumers to determine what exactly is in the products they buy and how these products have been processed.

Purpose of this article will report on  the findings  as per Sharia rules (Quranic & Sunnah) to judge the status of unprocessed foods like meat, sea food, drinks and plant materials but will not cover Halalness of processed food (with various ingredients, processing aids, processing techniques)

Food Status According to Sharia:

In Islamic sharia there are following categories of food

a)      Halal (allowed), any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in.

b)     Makruh (disliked), The Arabic word 'Makruh' means disliked. In the terminology of Shari`ah, it refers to something which we need to avoid. It has two categories

makrooh karahat tanzih: which means that it is better for us to avoid it, but not sinful to do it.

Makrooh karahat tahreem, which means that it is anticipated to be haram, but not certain.

c)      Haram:As for the Arabic word 'Haram', it means forbidden. In the terminology of Shariah, it refers to something that we have not to do.

d)     Musbooh or doubtful: depend upon the source of food. Food ingredient might be obtained either from animal or plant. If from animal, it should be from Halal animal which would be slaughtered as per Islamic sharia.

Halal food as per Quran:

In Surah Baqarah Verse 172, Allah Said, “O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that we have provided you with, and be grateful to Allah, If it is indeed he whom you worship”

Cattles: Surah Maidah Verse 1, Allah Said, “O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations. Lawful to you (for food) are all the cattle except that which will be announced to you (herein).”

Again in Surah An-Nahl Verse 5, Allah explained about cattle in this way, “And the cattle, He has created them for you; in them there is warmth, and numerous benefits, and of them you eat.”

Animals and birds of prey: Surah Maidah Verse 4, Allah Explained, “They ask you (O Mohammad Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) what is lawful for them (as food). Say: lawful unto you all kinds of Halal (lawful) Foods. And those beasts and birds of prey which you trained as hounds, training and teaching them (to catch) in the manner as directed to you by Allah;so eat of what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allahover it, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Swift in recokoning.”

Food of Scripture ( Jews & Christian): Surah Maidah Verse 5, Allah Said, “Made lawful to you this day, are Al-Tayyibat (lawful-good food). The food of the people of the Scripture (Jews & Christian) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them.”

Plant Food (Fruits): In Surah Inam Verse 141, Allah explained to us about plant food “And it is He who produces gardens trellised and untrellised, and date palms, and crops of different shapes and taste and olives, and pomegreanates, similar (in kind) and different (in taste). Eat of their fruit when they ripen, but pay the due thereof(its Zakat) on the day of its harvest, and waste not by extravagance.”

In Surah Al-Mu’uminun  Verse 20, Allah Said, “And a tree (olive) that springs forthfrom mountain Sinai, that grows (produces) oil, and (it is a) relish for eaters.”

Rain Water “(Fresh Water): In Surah An-Nahl Verse 10, Allah Explained “He it is Who sends down water (rain) form the sky; from it you drink and from it (grows) the vegetation on which you send your cattle to pasture.”

Sea Food: Surah An-Nahl Verse 14, Allah Said “And He it is Who has subjected the sea (to you), that you eat therof fresh tender meat (fish)…,”

Milk of Cattles: Surah An-Nahl Verse 66, Allah Explained to us, “And Verily, In the cattle, there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretions and blood, pure milk; palatable to the drinkers.”

Again in Surah Al-Mu’uminun  Verse 21, Allah explained to us that “And verily, in the cattle there is indeed a lesson for you. We giving you to drink (milk) of that which is in their bellies. And there are, in them, numerous (other) benefits for you, and of them you eat.”

Strong Drinks (Processed Food from fruits): In Surah An-Nahl Verse 67, Allah Said “And from the fruit of date palm and grapes, you derive strong drinks and goodly provision. Verily, therein is indeed a sign for people who have wisdom.”

Honey: Surah An-Nahl Verse 69, Allah Said “….There comes forth from their bellies (i.e. bees), a drink (i.e. honey) of varying color wherein is healing for people. Verily, in this indeed a sign for people who think.”

Halal Food as Per Ahaadith:

Milk:

Abu Bakr Siddiq reported; As we went along with Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) from Mecca to Medina, we passed by a shepherd and Allah's Messenger was feeling thirsty. He (Abu Bakr Siddiq) said: I milked for him a small quantity of milk (from his goat) and brought it to him (the Holy Prophet), and he drank it and I was very happy. (Muslim, Book 23, Hadith 4983)

Dead Fish:

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported; Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) sent us (on an expedition). We were three hundred riders and our chief (leader) was 'Ubaida b. al-Jarrah. We were on the lookout for a caravan of the Quraish. So we stayed on the coast for half a month, and were so much afflicted by extreme hunger that we (were obliged) to eat leaves. That is why it was called the Detachment of the Leaves. The ocean cast out for us an animal which was called al-'Anbar (whale). We ate of that for half of the month and rubbed its fat on our (bodies) until our bodies became stout. Abu 'Ubaida caught hold of one of its ribs and fixed that up. He then cast a glance at the tallest man of the army and the highest of the camels and then made him ride over that, and that-tnan passed beneath it (the rib), and many a man could sit in its eye-socket, and we extracted many pitchers of fat from the cavity of its eye. We had small bags containing dates with us (before finding the whale). 'Ubaida gave every person amongst us a handful of dates (and when the provision ran short), he then gave each one of us one date. And when that (stock) was exhausted, we felt its loss.(Muslim, book 21, Hadith 4757)

Horse Meat:

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) prohibited eating of the flesh of domestic asses on the Day of Khaibar, and permitted the cooking of the flesh of horses.( Muslim, book 21, Hadith 4779)

Asma' reported: We slaughtered a horse and ate it during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) .( Muslim, book 21, Hadith 4781)

Locusts are permitted:

Ibn Abu Aufa reported: We went on seven expeditions with Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) and ate locusts.( Muslim, book 21, Hadith 4801)

Rabbits are permitted:

Anas b. Malik reported, We chased a hare at Marr az-Zahrin (a valley near Mecca). They (my companions) ran, but felt exhausted; I also tried until I caught hold of it. I brought it to Abu Talha. He slaughtered it and sent its haunch and two hind legs to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) through me; and he accepted them. ( Muslim, book 21, Hadith 4804)

Haram Food  as per Quran:

The Qur’an instructs that only permitted foods may be eaten, (Al-Baqarah:168,172-173, An-Nahl:114-115) though forbidden foods may be consumed out of necessity (Al-Baqarah:173, Al-Ma'idah:3, Al-An'am:119 &145, Muslim 8:3261).

It is explicitly stated in the Qur’an that only following types of foods can be prohibited.

Pork, Blood and Dead Animal:  Allah in surah Bararah Verse 173 explained that, “He has forbidden you only the Maitah (Dead Animal), and blood, and flesh of swine and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah. But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him.”

And again in Surah Maidah Ayath 3 Allah Said, “forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (Dead animal), blood, the flesh of swine…..,”

Animals killed incorrectly and/or without Allah's name being pronounced in their killing.

In Surah Maidah Verse Number 03 Allah Explained this with these words“…. and that on which Allah’s name has not been mentioned while slaughtering and that which has been killed by strangling, or violent blow, or by headlong fall, or by the goring of horns- and that which has been (partly) eaten by wild animal-unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death)-and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusab (stone Altars). (Forbidden) also is to use arrows seeking luck or decision, (all) that is Gunnah (disobedience of Allah and Sin). This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion, so fear them not, but fear me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But as for him who is forced by sever hunger, with no inclination to sin (such can eat these above mentioned meats), then surely Allah is forgiving and most Merciful.”

In Surah Inam Verse 121 Allah said, “eat not (o Belivers) of that (meat) on which Allah’s name has not been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering), for sure it is sin. And certainly, the shayatin do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them, then you would indeed be mushrikun.

Animals slaughtered in the name of anyone but "Allah". In Surah An-Nahl Verse 115, Allah Said

“He has forbidden you only Al-Maitah (meat of dead animal), blood, the flesh of swine and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah. But if one is forced be necessity, without willful disobedience and not transgressing, then Allah if forgiving and most merciful.”

Intoxicants and alcoholic beverages:  In Surat Al-Mā'idah Verse 90, Allah Said “O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks/Drugs), gambling, Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaitan's (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful”.

It is forbidden to add to the above prohibitions and Muslims should not deny themselves foods that Allah has made lawful (Al-Ma'idah:87‑88, Al-An'am:143‑145, Yunus:59, An-Nahl:114‑116). One hadith implies that a Muslim cannot be a vegetarian because Muhammad consumed meat and it is not forbidden to do so. (Muslim 8:3236)

There is no blame on those who ate forbidden foods before the prohibition of that food was announced by Muhammad. (Al-Ma'idah:93, Bukhari 3:43:644, Bukhari 6:60:144, Muslim 31:6016, Muslim 23:4882). This is specifically true for those who drank wine (Bukhari 3:43:644, Muslim 23:4882) which was explicitly permitted before it was banned.

The food prohibitions of Jews do not apply in Islam, so Muslims should eat what is permitted to Muslims (Hud:137‑142. Additional food prohibitions were imposed upon the Jews by Allah because of their wrongdoing (Al-An'am:146).

Food that Are Haram as per Ahaadith:

Abu Tha'laba al-Khushani reported Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon Him) having prohibited the eating of all fanged beasts of prey. (Muslim,book 21, Hadith 4750)

Ibn 'Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (Peac be upon him) prohibited the eating of all fanged beasts of prey, and all the birds having talons. (Muslim, book 21, Hadith 4752)

Permitted Foods Not Liked or Eaten by Prophet

While all of the forbidden foods have already been discussed, there are some permitted foods that Prophet didn’t eat.

One of these is called “mastigure” in the English translation of the hadith collection of al-Bukhari and is translated as “lizard” in the collection of Muslim. It is explicitly permitted to eat this meat even though Prophet did not eat it. (Bukhari 3:47:749, Bukhari 7:65:301). One explanation given as to why Prophet did not eat lizard (or mastigure), is that he didn’t like it, (Bukhari 3:47:749, Bukhari 7:65:301) which is, in turn, explained in some Ahaadiths by saying that it is not found in Prophet’s native land.(Bukhari 7:65:303, Bukhari 7:65:312) Another reason given for Prophet’s not eating lizard is that he says that a lizard may be one of the people of the distant past, (Muslim 21:4797) or Bani Isra’il (Jews),( Muslim 21:4799) whose form was distorted by Allah (God).

It is also said that Prophet didn’t like eating garlic (Bukhari 1:12:814) and that he disliked its odor. (Muslim 4:1149) Nevertheless garlic is permitted for consumption, though Prophet says that those who eat it should stay away from the mosque, (Bukhari 1:12:812 Muslim 4:1141, Muslim 4:1142, Muslim 4:1144) keep away from others and not pray with the group (Bukhari 1:12:815, Muslim 4:1143) and stay at home (Muslim 4:1146).

Some Muslim misunderstand and think that there was a prohibition against eating garlic, causing Prophet to explain that he did not prohibit it because he cannot prohibit what Allah made lawful (Muslim 4:1149) (meaning what is not prohibited in the Qur’an). 

 Similarly, onions are permitted, but those who eat them should stay at home and keep away from others (Bukhari 1:12:814, Muslim 4:1146) and, specifically, stay away from the mosque ((Bukhari 1:12:814, Muslim 4:1146). The hadith collection of Muslim reports that Prophet prohibited the eating of both onions and leek, and when his followers ate them he told them to keep away from the mosque because the angels are harmed by the same things as people.(Muslim 4:1145, Muslim 4:1147)

Summary:

Though we need to understand the Halalness of every type of food, but present article put light only on   unprocessed food. Whatever is permitted in Quran and Ahaadith is Halal for Muslims, like meat from Halal Animals, vegetable and fruits from plants (if these are not poisonous), honey, milk, water and Seafood. In case if source is not clear for any food especially for meat , then this is Musbooh (doubtful), and Muslims try to avoid such food until its source is clear.. Qur’an instructs us  only to eat permitted foods. (Al-Baqarah: 168,172-173, An-Nahl: 114-115) though forbidden foods may be consumed out of necessity (Al-Baqarah: 173, Al-Ma'idah:3, Al-An'am:119 &145, Muslim 8:3261).

Allah even prohibited Muslims to consider anything (food, deeds, believes) haram which Allah has made lawful (Surah Maidah Verse 87),  “

Prophet (may peace he upon him)  did not like to eat garlic but even though he did not prohibit to  eat garlic and explain that he did not prohibit it because he cannot prohibit what Allah made lawful (Muslim 4:1149) (meaning what is not prohibited in the Qur’an). 

From above Ahaadith, it is clear, that no one can prohibit any thing which Quran has permitted. In Surah An-Nahl Verse 116 Allah said, “And say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely, this is lawful and this is forbidden, so as to invent lie against Allah, verily those who invent lies against Allah will never prosper.”

If someone avoids any food due to his personal disliking or any medical reason that is permitted as Allah is forgiving and most Merciful.

With drought the new normal, food producers find they have to change

Ask Northern California sheep rancher Dan Macon what this drought is doing to his pocketbook and he'll break it down for you real quick.

"It's like if you woke up one morning and lost 40 percent of the equity in your house," he says. "Our primary investment in our ranch is in these sheep and we just sold 40 percent of our stock."

Macon had to sell off almost half his herd at an auction for cheap. There wasn't enough feed to go around. This has also forced him to take an off-farm job — a first since he started ranching in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Auburn, Calif., two decades ago.

"So in addition to taking care of the sheep, I [also] work 30 to 40 hours a week," Macon says.

Three years of severe drought in California is making a lot of farmers and ranchers like Macon make some tough choices, and in some cases rethink everything about their business. If the conditions persist – and many forecasters predict they will – this could have far-reaching impacts on our food system. By some estimates, California produces more than half of all the fresh food we eat in the U.S.

Yet producers in California are finding some opportunity in these tough times.

Rancher Dan Macon, for instance, says he has had little choice but to experiment and take a few chances. That "off-farm" job he took is with the local University of California, Davis extension office, where he learned about new varieties of experimental rye and wheat grasses that he's decided to try and seed his pastures with.

"This is part of our drought strategy to find some grass species that we can introduce that'll do better in drier conditions," Macon says.

Bleating sheep clamber around the pickup that is parked on a baked-brown pasture. The sheep don't know it, but they're also helping trample thousands of the experimental seeds into the soil. The hope is that if the big storms don't hit this region for a fourth straight winter, maybe these new grasses will help this pasture hold through another hot, dry summer.

Another strategy, says Macon, is to make better use of technology from right here at his pickup.

"I've got things on my cellphone that allow me to monitor our forage use and to map the areas that we're grazing that I didn't have five years ago," Macon says. "That all adds to our capability to manage through the dry period."

How to manage in a future with less and less water is something you're starting to hear a lot from ranchers and farmers across California. This is an industry that has long been criticized for being reluctant to change. Agriculture still uses 80 percent of all the water in California.

But talk to long-time farmers like Kirk Schmidt, who's also an attorney and former Farm Bureau president in Santa Cruz County, and it's clear there's more to the story than that.

"Agriculture is an industry and industrial research is always led by the demand of the industry," he says. "There was no need for research in water conservation because there was no demand by the farmers."

But with droughts becoming the new normal, Schmidt says farmers have to change. Traditionally, research focused on maximizing yields and profits regardless of water. Now it's starting to move the other way: How do you squeeze more out of less water yet still turn a profit?

A good analogy may be to compare agriculture with the auto industry, which historically resisted tougher fuel efficiency standards. But today, new cars get better mileage than ever.

"Much like the auto industry, the problem is, it's one thing to know this and it's another thing to have the knowledge of how to do this," Schmidt says. "And that's where the delay is going to be."

Sometimes it takes a crisis to act. This is what happened recently in Schmidt's own backyard in the fertile Pajaro Valley along California's central coastline. Much of the nation's cut flowers and berries come from here – this is where fruit giant Driscoll is headquartered.

Farmers long relied on pumping groundwater to irrigate their crops, until the day when those wells got so depleted that the only thing they could get out of them was contaminated sea water.

"That was a big eye opener for us that we could have something go bad that quickly," says Stuart Kitayama, whose family has farmed here since the 1970s.

After extensive negotiations, Kitayama and other farmers banded together with the local water agency to build a new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant. It used to be that all the wastewater from cities and towns here was treated and drained into the ocean. But at the plant it's now intercepted, treated, but pumped back to the local farm fields.

Kitayama says farmers were skeptical at first, but they came around. He says they had no other choice.

"Unless we solve this together with fairly expensive projects we're going to get left out on our own," he says.

This fall, with California in the grips of one of its worst droughts on record, the state finally took notice. The water agency and farmers here celebrated a sizable new grant coming from a state drought relief bill that will help expand the plant and ground water monitoring.

Local leaders gathered outside the plant, which sits just a couple miles from the coast, to celebrate. In a year where barely three inches of rain fell on Watsonville, they said a little creativity had brought some opportunity in these tough times.

Copyright 2014 NPR.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF EIGHT OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS

If images of homeless polar bears don’t move you to act on climate change, consider this: climate change is killing our favorite foods, and it will only get worse. Exponentially increasing temperatures and CO2 levels mean that several food systems are being threatened and very soon we may have to cut back on some of our favorite foods, or live without them entirely. The Guardian’s Twilight Greenaway (also managing editor of Civil Eats) provided a handy list of eight of the most popular foods currently threatened by climate change: corn, coffee, chocolate, seafood, maple syrup, beans, cherries, and wine grapes. 

No offense to the polar bears; I care deeply for them and other animals dying or losing habitats as a result of increasing temperatures. This, however, hits home. It hits home hard. Could news of the negative consequences of climate change on food production awaken the deniers who are hesitant to act on climate change — those who may rely on a morning cup of coffee or glass of wine? For those of us in the countries that are most responsible for climate change — the U.S.A., China and the European Union — perhaps a tangible loss will shock us into action. 

 

President Obama has just struck a historical climate change deal with China that requires the United States to decrease climate pollution by 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025. This will require substantial work on climate change policy by his successor. A variety of polls show that most Americans have come around to the idea that climate change is occurring, and support candidates for public office who will support green policies. Republicans like Senator Mitch McConnell have expressed concern that the deal will cause job losses and criticized the president for leaving the work of the sweeping deal to the next president, regardless of party. Senator McConnell, I ask you this: Do you drink coffee during those long hours? Do you enjoy a good corn on the cob at family BBQs? Do you partake in a chocolate bar to reward your hard work from time to time? Well sir, take a long hard look in the mirror. We know that President Obama would really miss coffee. 

 

As is often the case, it is lower income people who would disproportionately suffer these losses, not the wealthy (and most elected officials are doing okay financially). Most of the losses would increase prices to buy the same luxury products. The research and data are compelling, and Greenaway succinctly connects climate change to an increase in price of some of our favorite foods, or at least to limited access to them. Wine grapes, for example, will likely become more expensive and difficult for growers to maintain. Australian grapes appear to be in the gravest danger, with 73 percent of land becoming unsuitable for growing by 2050. Similarly, California’s loss will be around 70 percent. Cacao beans, the main ingredient in chocolate, will also suffer in increasing temperatures. Higher temperatures and diminished water supply will hit big growing countries like Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire (and of course reduce income of the farmers who grow them). Andrew Jarvis, Leader of the Decision and Policy Analysis Program at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture says that wine items like wine, chocolate, and coffee are not crucial for survival, they measuring impact of climate change by their loss makes sense, and helps people understand long-term effects. 

Source 

Urban Agriculture: A New Kind of Fast Food

Written by Tara Campbell Co-authored with Emily Rodgers

For many of us, we fly through our jam-packed days with hardly any time for breaks - let alone healthy meal planning. So, it's no wonder fast food becomes an option when it otherwise wouldn't be. A considerable amount of planning is required in order to feed ourselves healthy food regularly. Thankfully, technology is providing us with a new kind of fast food in the form of growing your own - and the options are endless.

Gardening technology has brought us automated soilless growing methods such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics. Systems like the Tower Garden or edible wall units offer you a way to grow your food, in your own home, at anytime of year. There are even indoor gardening services that will set systems up for you in your home or office.

An increasing number of individuals and families are insisting on knowing where their food is coming from. Several years ago, a lack of awareness and information had many of us buying into the stories about how our food was being produced and where is was coming from. Now, there is a new kind of movement: the right to know how your food is being produced.

Fast Food Grown in Indoor Urban Gardens

1. Indoor Garden Plants
There are several plants that grow indoors using hydroponics. Growing these plants gives you the ability to eat well by harvesting your own lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and even your kale, all year.

2. Microgreens
Growing microgreens in your kitchen can be fun, decorative, good for your air quality and rewarding. Not to mention it's a great way to improve your health. Growing your own microgreens gives you instant access to fast, healthy food choices.
It's easy to grow your own microgreens using grow trays or all-in-one start up systems. You can even try growing them vertically on your wall!

3. Herbs
Herbs can be grown anywhere and take up very little space. Consumer demand for herb gardens is so high that there are now several self-contained units that make it easy and mess free. Once you've started growing these herbs hydroponically, it will only take 10-20 days to regenerate the plants.

Did you know that many restaurants grow their own microgreens and herbs or have them sourced locally?

Food Grows Faster In Controlled Environments
Fast food seems to still be a concern for many individuals as our days get busier and busier. Having healthy fast food at our fingertips is needed for our fast-paced lifestyles. Soil-less growing provides solutions for controlling your options, even when you are rushed and don't have much time. In fact, soil-less agriculture using hydroponic technology is making the goal of healthy fast food choices a reality.

Hydroponic technology has developed systems that are controlled to optimize growing times, reduce pests, and remain impervious to weather conditions. There are even automated systems available which can be controlled from your smartphone! A hydroponic system makes a lot easier to maintain an ideal gardening environment.

Urban Agriculture Feeds High-Paced Cities
There are certainly benefits to both traditional agriculture and urban agriculture. As a matter of fact we need both. Indoor gardening in the city makes our food more accessible, while cutting down on transportation costs and pollution. Many of the harmful effects that agriculture has on the environment is mitigated by hydroponically-grown produce. This is because crops grow faster and deliver higher yields than through soil.

Hydroponics has the potential to produce maximum yields. For example, cayenne chilies grown hydroponically can be ready in 55 days, while when grown in soil it can take 90 days. It has been proven that urban agriculture through hydroponic methods results in growth rates of up to 20-30% faster with up to a 50% larger crops*.

*Results may vary depending on controlled conditions.

Source

Food and agriculture: Research associations lauded for their role

Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (Parc) Chairman Dr Iftikhar Ahmad said on Friday that research associations in scientific institutions have been playing an important role in promoting scientific research and development activities to help bring social and economic prosperity in the Pakistani society.

Parc is an autonomous body that promotes agricultural research in the country at both the provincial and the federal level, to provide solutions for agricultural development.

Dr Ahmad was addressing the oath-taking ceremony of Pakistan Agriculture Research Scientists Association here. He called upon agricultural scientists to prepare a work plan based on long-, medium- and short-term strategies to move forward for agricultural development in the country. He stressed the need for ensuring collection of quality information for conducting research and influencing policies.

Published in The Express Tribune,

Budget 2013: Stimulus required for agriculture warehousing & cold chain infrastructure

Most knowledgeable experts recognize that it is unrealistic to expect a fundamental change in the agricultural and food landscape in the country through the announcement of FDI in multi-brand retail. At best this serves a signal to potential investors. Much more is required to actually translate signals into concrete projects in this sector that can attract potential domestic and foreign investors. UPA Government and the Finance Minister needs to give the right signals to investors in the warehousing and cold chain infrastructure space through an integrated package of measures to be announced in the Budget.

The major constraint in such infrastructure projects is the lengthy payback period. The industry has been asking for a special window to finance such projects at a concessional rate of interest with a loan repayment period that should stretch to at least 15 years. The Finance Minister had in the 2012 Budget announced a Rs. 5000 crore allocation exclusively for creation of warehousing facilities using RIDF funds.

Following the Budget speech NABARD also announced an interest subvention and re-finance scheme through Banks that lend to such warehouse infrastructure projects. Unfortunately, for reasons not known, RBI objected and the scheme stands scrapped. It is hoped that the Finance Minister will bring clarity on this issue in his Budget speech.

A large part of the food grain stocking is currently being managed by the FCI and other Government agencies. Inefficient and unscientific storage practices lead to unnecessary wastage and deterioration and put a large burden on the exchequer. Outsourcing storage and preservation services to the private sector has been recommended by the Planning Commission technical groups. Such outsourcing if taken up by the private sector can reduce the food subsidy burden annually by at least Rs. 2500 crore and simultaneously improve the upkeep and preservation of the stocks.

Cold chain infrastructure will require Government support in a big way to make it commercially viable. Existing subsidies for stand-alone cold stores are inadequate and do not lead to an integrated cold chain across the value chain. Of the 32 million MT cold store capacity that has been created 65% is for potatoes alone. Less than 3% of the 250 million MT of fruits and vegetables have any cold chain infrastructure leading to a 15-25% wastage. Well designed and large-scale PPP projects need to be launched on a viability-gap funding basis to modernize the country's food chain.

Warehousing services provide value to the farm community. There is a clear case for service tax exemption for all warehousing and associated services. Similarly, all warehouse receipt financing of agriculture produce needs to be classified as "priority sector" lending. In the recent guidelines issued by RBI only agricultural produce belonging to small and marginal famers, limited to Rs 25 lakh, can be classified as priority sector. If agriculture is to flourish, the entire sector and all stakeholders including food processing units need to be supported and this narrow definition of priority sector lending needs to be broadened to cover participants across the value chain.

There is also an urgent need to support the modernization of wholesale markets and the food processing infrastructure. Terminal Markets and Food Parks need additional funding to make them viable. These will bring the much needed value addition in agriculture and require large infrastructure. Existing budgets for such initiatives are tiny given the scale of the problem and Budgets need to increase manifold.

Original Article Here

Agriculture Canada launches review of XL Foods beef recall

OTTAWA -- The federal government has launched a review of the E. coli outbreak last fall that sickened 18 people and led to the largest beef recall in Canadian history.

The review is to focus on what contributed to the outbreak of the potentially deadly bacteria at the XL Foods Inc. plant in Brooks, Alta.

It will also look at how well the Canadian Food Inspection Agency performed, including why tainted meat was distributed to retailers and sold to consumers.

Agriculture Canada said the review will be conducted by an independent panel of experts who are to hand in a report with recommendations to improve food safety.

"We take the safety of Canada's food supply very seriously and we remain committed to the continuous improvement of Canada's strong food safety systems," Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said in a news release Friday evening.

At the time of the E. coli outbreak the XL Foods plant was the largest Canadian-owned beef slaughter facility in the country.

It is now owned and operated by JBS Food Canada, a subsidiary of JBS South America.

The federal government said the review panel includes recognized scientific, public health and meat industry experts.

They include Ronald Lewis, former chief veterinary officer for British Columbia; Dr. Andre Corriveau, chief public health officer for the Northwest Territories; and Ronald Usborne, a former executive with Caravelle Foods.

The review is to look at the design, implementation and oversight of food safety controls at the plant, including CFIA inspection policies, and how well testing information was shared by the company, inspectors and U.S. regulators.

The panel is to review the effectiveness of E. coli prevention protocols, including the ability to detect problems, recall beef products and how well the agency conducted followup investigations.

Federal documents have shown that CFIA inspectors issues six warnings to XL Foods about conditions in the plant between January 2012 and when the plant was temporarily shut down in September.

Some of the problems noted included improper sanitization of equipment, condensation dripping onto beef carcasses and containers overflowing with unsanitary water.

The agency said all of the problems cited were dealt with before the first cases of E. coli were found in beef produced at the plant.

The recall involved millions of tonnes of beef packaged in more than 2,000 different products across Canada and in many U.S. states.

The CFIA restored the plant's operating licence on Oct. 23 and it was allowed to resume exports of beef products to the United States in December.

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Agriculture ministry alarmed at quality of fish imported from Vietnam

Ukraine is alarmed at the quality of fish imported from Vietnam and cases of the non-observation of quality and safety requirements, First Deputy Agricultural Policy and Food Minister of Ukraine Ivan Bisiuk has said.

According to a press release of the Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry, Bisiuk informed Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Ho Dac Minh Nguyet of this at a meeting in Kyiv on Thursday.

Ukraine said fish supplied from Vietnam is in great demand on the market. However, last year the State Veterinary and Biosecurity Service of Ukraine found 12 cases of the non-observation of quality and safety requirements in Vietnamese fish and seafood. Ukraine banned imports of products made by two Vietnamese companies.

The report says that at the initiative of Agricultural Policy and Food Minister of Ukraine Mykola Prysiazhniuk a working group has been created. The group will visit Vietnam in March to study the problematic issuers and resolve them.

Bisiuk also said that Ukraine is interested in expanding its trade with Vietnam. In particular, this concerns supplies of Ukrainian grain crops, sugar, sunflower oil, meat and dairy products to the Vietnamese market.

According to the ministry's information, in 2012 goods turnover with agricultural products between Ukraine and Vietnam came to $98.9 million, which is $30.3 million up on 2011.

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New federal rules aim to aim to make all foods in schools healthful, get rid of junk food

By Associated Press,

WASHINGTON — Most candy, high-calorie drinks and greasy meals could soon be on a food blacklist in the nation’s schools.

For the first time, the government is proposing broad new standards to make sure all foods sold in schools are more healthful.

Under the new rules the Agriculture Department proposed Friday, foods like fatty chips, snack cakes, nachos and mozzarella sticks would be taken out of lunch lines and vending machines. In their place would be foods like baked chips, trail mix, diet sodas, lower-calorie sports drinks and low-fat hamburgers.

The rules, required under a child nutrition law passed by Congress in 2010, are part of the government’s effort to combat childhood obesity. While many schools already have improved their lunch menus and vending machine choices, others still are selling high-fat, high-calorie foods.

Under the proposal, the Agriculture Department would set fat, calorie, sugar and sodium limits on almost all foods sold in schools. Current standards already regulate the nutritional content of school breakfasts and lunches that are subsidized by the federal government, but most lunchrooms also have “a la carte” lines that sell other foods. Food sold through vending machines and in other ways outside the lunchroom has never before been federally regulated.

“Parents and teachers work hard to instill healthy eating habits in our kids, and these efforts should be supported when kids walk through the schoolhouse door,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

Most snacks sold in school would have to have less than 200 calories. Elementary and middle schools could sell only water, low-fat milk or 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice. High schools could sell some sports drinks, diet sodas and iced teas, but the calories would be limited. Drinks would be limited to 12-ounce portions in middle schools and to 8-ounce portions in elementary schools.

The standards will cover vending machines, the “a la carte” lunch lines, snack bars and any other foods regularly sold around school. They would not apply to in-school fundraisers or bake sales, though states have the power to regulate them. The new guidelines also would not apply to after-school concessions at school games or theater events, goodies brought from home for classroom celebrations, or anything students bring for their own personal consumption.

The new rules are the latest in a long list of changes designed to make foods served in schools more healthful and accessible. Nutritional guidelines for the subsidized lunches were revised last year and put in place last fall. The 2010 child nutrition law also provided more money for schools to serve free and reduced-cost lunches and required more meals to be served to hungry kids.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has been working for two decades to take junk foods out of schools. He calls the availability of unhealthful foods around campus a “loophole” that undermines the taxpayer money that helps pay for the healthier subsidized lunches.

“USDA’s proposed nutrition standards are a critical step in closing that loophole and in ensuring that our schools are places that nurture not just the minds of American children but their bodies as well,” Harkin said.

Costa Rican scientists trial aquatic agriculture to boost food security

[CARTAGO, COSTA RICA] Costa Rican researchers are pioneering 'aquatic agriculture'— the method of growing crops on freshwater lakes and reservoirs — to boost food security in the developing world.

The technique involves creating floating rafts on which vegetables, grains and flowers can be grown. Terrestrial crops such as grains and vegetables have their roots directly in the water or can be potted, with water being drawn up into their soil from the lake by capillary wicks, Ricardo Radulovich, a professor at the University of Costa Rica's Department of Agricultural Engineering, explains. Aquatic crops are grown directly on the water.
The idea was developed by Radulovich and colleagues over several years. Last November, theyreceived a CAD$100,000 (around US$100,000) grant from Grand Challenges Canada, a global health innovation agency funded by the Canadian government, to further their work.

Radulovich and his colleagues are currently carrying out prototype projects on Lake Arenal in Costa Rica and in Nicaragua.

"Seventy per cent of the world's available water is used for irrigation," Radulovich tells SciDev.Net. He says there are fears that water supplies will run out because of rising demand. In addition, climate change is increasing uncertainty over rainy seasons and higher temperatures mean that crops need more water, he says.

Using lake water can avoid the wastage that results from traditional irrigation, Radulovich says.

Sustainable use of all the world's freshwater resources could double the current capacity of food production without requiring more irrigation water, he says.

Radulovich says the technique could be effective in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Philippines and other nations with large lakes, whether they are natural or artificial ones that form behind hydroelectric dams.

Researchers in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda have shown interest in developing aquatic agriculture projects in their countries, Radulovich says.

Lakes could also be used for animal aquaculture, especially to farm herbivorous fish and shrimps, further increasing their role in food production, he adds.

Mario Zúñiga Chaves from the School of Agricultural Engineering at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC), says that aquatic farming could solve many families' economic problems in regions with a dry tropical climate.

One option, he says, is to build reservoirs to capture water in the rainy season and then use them to farm fish. "Similarly, these reservoirs can be used in the dry season to supply the water needs of crops and animals,"Zúñiga says.
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Pryor to chair Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2013 - Senator Mark Pryor, D-Ark., announced Wednesday that he will chair the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.

As Chairman, Pryor will be responsible for funding federal programs that benefit farmers, producers, and rural communities. In addition to funding the USDA, Pryor’s subcommittee will also be responsible for funding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Whether it’s rice, cotton, or poultry, there’s no question that agriculture is critical to our state’s economy,” Pryor said. “As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations, I’ll fight to ensure that Arkansas receives its fair share of federal dollars so we can keep our agricultural sector strong.”

According to the University of Arkansas, agriculture is Arkansas’s largest industry, contributing an estimated $17 billion to the state’s economy each year. The agricultural sector also supports over 275,000 jobs, $10.7 billion in labor income, and more than $3 billion in exports annually.

“We are pleased to see Senator Pryor receive this appointment, and given agriculture's significance to the Arkansas economy, we feel this is very appropriate,” said Randy Veach, President of the Arkansas Farm Bureau. “Having Senator Pryor to lead the agricultural appropriation subcommittee will further strengthen Arkansas agriculture, and we congratulate him on this important appointment.”

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Op−Ed | Urban agriculture nurtures community action in Philadelphia: Why we should care?

Food system issues have been receiving a growing amount of attention on Tufts’ campus, with a new Food Systems and the Environment track projected to join the revised Environmental Studies program. Student groups such as Food for Thought and Tom Thumb’s Student Garden offer more recent additions to campus organizations.

Beyond the Hill, there was a recent victory in Philadelphia of a garden−and−farm zoning campaign demonstrating the importance of agriculture within cities.

Urban agriculture has been emerging in recent years as an important feature in cities across the United States, and many places have been working to support and legitimize it.

This September, Somerville became the first city in Massachusetts to pass an ordinance on urban agriculture, outlining rules for growing and cultivating vegetables, bees and chickens to help promote best practices (see “Somerville officials approve first urban agriculture ordinance,” Nov. 8).

Philadelphia stands as a national model and leader in urban agriculture, due to the growing number of gardens and farms it supports. It has ample opportunity for this field, with over 42,000 vacant lots standing as a reminder of departed industry and urban decay.

A new zoning code introduced in Philadelphia in August recognized urban agriculture as its own land−use type and, for the first time gave gardens and farms the opportunity to apply for an urban agriculture permit.

Just months after the city’s new zoning code went into practice, city council leader Brian O’Neill introduced a bill adding significant barriers for garden groups, along with restrictions for a number of other land−use types.

O’Neill’s bill would have restricted urban agriculture on commercial mixed−use areas—affecting about 20 percent of gardens in Philadelphia.

The bill was in effect since Dec. 12 by “pending ordinance,” having been passed by the Committee on Rules. It was scheduled for a full vote in city council this Thursday, Jan. 24.

Since the bill was first introduced, gardens and interested groups in Philadelphia organized under the “Campaign for Healthier Food and Greener Spaces: Make Your Voice Heard Against Bill 120917,” lead by Amy Laura Cahn at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia. A total of 29 organizations joined this campaign, as well as countless individuals who called council members and planned to turn up to the vote on Thursday.

Due to their efforts, O’Neill released a statement on Wednesday saying he would amend his bill to remove the restrictions on gardens and market farms. He postponed the vote on the remainder of the bill for at least another week.

O’Neill’s decision pays tribute to the many voices that spoke up in support of gardens and farms in the city, and I commend him for listening. Farms foster communal action by necessity, requiring a considerable amount of labor. In cities, they nurture civic action and democratic participation.

Gardens and farms matter to communities because, along with increasing access to healthy food and the environmental benefits, they build ties between people, and help make neighborhoods vital, productive and safe.

My own bias and experiences come from working at a nonprofit in West Philadelphia, Urban Tree Connection, that helps maintain a series of gardens and farms, as well as a sliding−scale Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), in a low−income neighborhood.

Nine of these gardens exist on formerly vacant land, and each represents a story. Several are on the sites of former crack houses, or chop shops, and were created upon neighbors’ requests. A large children’s garden and orchard stands next to a housing project, and a 3/4 acre farm occupies the inside of one city block on a formerly abandoned construction company site. The CSA produces over 8,000 pounds of food a year, and a Saturday market stand is overseen by a founders group of five neighbors.

This past summer, I coordinated a program for 25 Philadelphia high school teens to work at the gardens, markets and farm. On the final Saturday, the students worked with neighbors to throw a summer festival for community members and family. The party took place in the larger Memorial Garden—a garden created eleven years ago by the neighbors’ request, after seven children lost their lives to gun violence nearby during the previous year.

On this Saturday, people of all ages came out to celebrate the summer. Neighbors barbequed, the teens hosted a talent show and open−mic session, and a neighbor from across the street performed with his reggae band for the first time late into the night. Gardens create a powerful space.

Most of Urban Tree Connection’s gardens are on vacant lots they do not own, which is common of many gardens and farms in Philadelphia. I admire the attitude behind guerilla gardening, but the lack of land ownership can be seriously limiting. Even after decade−long use, many community gardens face the threat of a developer returning and kicking a group out, or building on the land.

The new zoning code in effect since August is not perfect—but it is a vast improvement over the convoluted and bulky one in use for the past 50 years. It is a step in the right direction for legitimizing and supporting urban agriculture in Philadelphia, setting a precedent for the rest of America. It represents four years of democratic deliberation, reflecting the voices of many community members and council members.

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