U.N. sends food shipments to Baghdad
United Nations officials Thursday began their first direct shipments to Baghdad, noting that a food aid convoy left Jordan headed for the capital city of Iraq.
Fifty trucks loaded with 1,400 metric tons of wheat flour crossed the border into Iraq on Thursday morning, and were expected to be in Baghdad by day's end.
Officials with the U.N. World Food Program already had been sending food as part of relief efforts into Iraq, providing aid 4,260 tons of food relief to northern Iraq through Turkey.
Aqaba in Jordan is expected to become a key port of entry for food being shipped to Baghdad, then to central and southern parts of Iraq.
Food program Director James Morris said their efforts, "to get aid into Iraq are picking up momentum just in time. Most of the population could start running out of food in a couple of weeks."
Thus far, U.N. officials have heard no reports of extreme food shortages in the war-torn country. But U.N. officials say they expect the bulk of the population will use up its food reserves by early May.
U.N. officials have previously said they expect to have to feed virtually the entire population during the summer months, hoping to have relief cut down to just the most vulnerable cases (involving women, children and hospital patients) by autumn.
The food program's Iraq emergency operation is trying to re-establish the Public distribution system, a network of mills, silos, warehouses and other food agents, which had delivered food aid to people in Iraq under U.N.'s Oil for Food Program.
Food program officials said they will need to ship about 480,000 tons of food commodities each month into Iraq in order to meet the needs of the people.
The agency plans to use 9,300 trucks operating along corridors out of Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon and Iran.
"Our goal is to make sure that the Iraqi population, 60 percent of whom are entirely dependent on monthly food handouts, will get their regular rations as of May," Morris said.
U.N. officials say the relief effort, if done properly, will cost $1.3 billion. Donations have been received from many countries, including the United States, but the U.N. is about $1 billion short of being fully funded.
Activists trying to pressure Kraft
Consumer activists wish Kraft Foods Inc. would treat the United States the same as Europe, where the company has removed food products that include ingredients coming from genetically modified crops.
Public Interest Research Group and As You Sow officials released a study Thursday claiming that public uncertainty over what they believe is the unsafe nature of Kraft products is hurting the company's bottom line.
Activists note that Kraft already has removed genetically modified ingredients from products, including Frito-Lay, Gerber and the supermarket chain Trader Joe's to meet with the European hesitation to accept genetic foods.
Kraft officials believe the activists are stirring up confusion about genetically modified crops and trying to create a scare. They say their foods for sale in the United States don't pose health risks.
Salmonella incidence on the decline
The Agriculture Department's food safety and inspection service said instances of salmonella food poisoning from raw meat and poultry are on the decline.
The service noted it took 58,085 Salmonella samples last year, compared with 45,941 in 2001. But the percentage of those that tested positive during 2002 came in at 4.3 percent, down from 5 percent the year before.
Very small broiler plants showed the largest decline going from 37.2 percent positive in 2001 to 8.4 percent the following year.
Farmers want House to amend fuel standard
The National Farmers Union said it wants changes made to a renewable fuels standard approved recently by the House of Representatives.
The Washington-based lobbyist group does not like that the standard does not ban methyl tertiary butyl ether, which it says is a known water pollutant. It wants MTBE phased out; it also wants increases in the level of ethanol manufactured to be tripled by 2012.
The group notes the Senate previously approved a fuel standard that meets its needs, and it would like the House to ultimately accept that plan.
Feds increase public health officers
The Agriculture Department is working with the Health and Human Services Department to increase the number of health officers assigned to the Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The officers are trained health experts who add support to food safety inspections. Agriculture Department officials said their presence boosts the ability to reduce foodborne illnesses.
An agreement between the agencies could add up to 30 officers across the country to help the inspection service.
Grains on rise at CBOT
Grain futures were higher at the close of activity Thursday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Wheat and corn futures both increased on solid export figures from the Agriculture Department. There was also an absence of negative news that could have caused prices to decline.
Wheat futures were slightly higher due to the influence of soybean price gains and traders trying to position themselves prior to the three-day Easter holiday weekend.
Oats futures rose.
The prices:
Soybeans: May 6.22 up 12 3/4, Jul 6.22 1/4 up 13 1/4, Aug 6.09 1/2 up 14, Nov 5.38 1/2 up 5 3/4.
Corn: May 2.40 3/4 up 1 1/2, Jul 2.41 1/2 up 1 3/4, Sep 2.40 up 1 1/2, Dec 2.40 1/2 up 1 3/4.
Wheat: May 2.86 up 4 1/4, Jul 2.89 3/4 up 4, Sep 2.96 1/2 up 5 3/4, Dec 3.06 1/2 up 5 1/4.
Oats: May 1.84 1/2 up 3/4, Jul 1.60 up 2 1/2, Sep 1.50 up 3 3/4, Dec 1.48 up 1 3/4.
