State officials have announced a new program that they hope will better assist organic producers or handlers.

Officials with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture say they are now accepting applications for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Programto help reduce organic certification costs.

The program, which is run bythe United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), would allow each qualified producer or handler of organic food products to be eligible for reimbursement of up to 75 percent of its costs of certification, andcan not exceed $750.

Officials hope the new program will better promote Garden State-grown and marketed organic food products.

To qualify for reimbursement, producers or handlers must have been certified between Saturday, October 1st,2016 and Saturday, September 30th,2017.

Applications are due no later than Friday,November 17thof this year.

For an application or for more information visit: nj.gov/agriculture

Recommended: Just Peachy - Sweeney Tours 'Jersey Fresh' Program at Historic Larchmont Farms

SNJ Today is a Southern New Jersey news and information source that is dedicated to providing current stories related specifically to South Jersey.

Do you have community news or events? Email news@snjtoday.com, text SNJNews to 313131, or call 856.825.NEWS (6397).

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USDA Program to Help Organic Food Producers, Handlers in Garden State - SNJ Today

Organic food has a reputation for being healthier than conventional, and there's some evidence for that. But when it comes to organic wine, the health benefits are much less clear, experts say. And they won't help you avoid a hangover.

Organic wines still make up just a tiny fraction of the U.S. wine market, but when they are sold here, they must be approved by the USDA, just like fruits and vegetables. The USDA has three levels of organic certification that can appear on wine bottles: 100% organic, organic and made with organic grapes. Each of these have standards for the amount of organic ingredients that must be in the wine (100% organic ingredients, at least 95% and at least 70%, respectively). There are also other categorieslike biodynamic, which has its own private regulatory bodies and treats the whole vineyard as a living ecosystem, even taking into account astrological influences.

But the main difference between all these categories, according to wine experts, is the amount of sulfites.

Sulfitespreservatives added to wine to prevent it from spoiling, oxidizing and aging too quicklyare perhaps the most controversial ingredients in the wine world. They have long been a key feature of winemaking, because yeast naturally produces low levels of them during fermentation. Organic and 100% organic wine must have no added sulfites and can only contain them up to 10 parts per million (ppm). Wine made with organic grapes and biodynamic wine can have sulfites up to 100 ppm, and conventional processed wine can have sulfites up to 350 ppm.

MORE: Here's What Happens When You Drink Red Wine Every Night

So the fewer sulfites, the betterright? Not necessarily. Without sulfites, its difficult to make wine that smells, looks or tastes like what most shoppers are used to drinking, says Ryan Elias, a food chemist at Penn State University. A very small percentage of people are allergic to sulfites, which is why winemakers must list them on their labels. But unlike food packages, wine bottles are not required to list many other ingredients, which can make sulfites stand out. On a wine bottle theres a disclosure that says contains sulfites, Elias says. That concerns a lot of consumers, because they think if theres disclosure on the label, it must be something bad.

While people often blame sulfites for causing hangovers, experts say evidence does not support this. Some studies have shown that sulfites can cause asthmatic reactions in a small number of people, but when it comes to avoiding a pounding headache, research suggests that other wine components like histamines and tanninsor even alcohol itselfare more likely to be involved.

In fact, most people are already used to sulfites. Amino acids in the human body naturally produce them as part of their efforts to break down alcohol toxins. Sulfites are also used in plenty of other foods; they keep dried fruit from browning. If you can eat dried apricots and not get a headache, then you can you drink wine and not get a headache because of sulfites," Elias says. "Youre getting a headache from something else."

Beyond sulfites, winemakers can use many other additives to change the finished productsome even with an organic certification. Additives can range from Mega Purple, a grape concentrate used for color and sweetness, to oak chips for flavor, to animal products such as gelatin, egg whites, milk products, fish bladders and even clays like bentonite, for fining and clarifying the wine. As long as these ingredients are made organically or don't contain anything banned on the national list of allowed and prohibited substances, they can be used when making organic wine.

MORE: Drinking Wine Is Linked to a Lower Risk of Diabetes

Some advocates are pushing for more ingredient labeling on wine bottles, but thats still pretty far off in the future, says Magali Delmas, an environmental economist at UCLAs Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. And because wine is treated as a luxury in the U.S., there is very limited research into potential health effects of organic wine, which Delmas says leaves customers to make a lot of assumptions. Eco-labels are supposed to reduce the information asymmetry, says Delmas. But right now you need to be in the know to appreciate the [organic] certification.

Some may choose organic wine to sidestep pesticidesanother big issue when it comes to growing wine grapes. However, while some chemicals are banned from use in organic wines, others are still allowed, and wine labels dont have to include them.

Seeking out information about growers pesticide and farming practices is the best thing consumers can do if they want to drink healthier wine, says Amanda Stewart, assistant professor of food science and technology at Virginia Tech. Some regions have local certification programs that guide winemakers in sustainable practices tailored to the climates theyre working in, and vineyards often offer more information about their processes to customers who visit.

Its not as simple as having a program like organic, where they say you can do all these things and its applied all over the country, Stewart says. Id rather somebody look at the whole picture than just go to the grocery store and say okay, this wine was made without sulfites.

Original post:

Drinking Organic Wine Won't Prevent a Hangover - TIME

Dear Dr. Roach: Do you think there's much benefit to buying organic foods, now that my husband and I are in our 60s? I'll gladly purchase organic fruits and veggies when we host our children and grandchildren, and our garden is chemical-free, but I can't imagine that the added expense of buying organic will provide much benefit to senior citizens (on a fixed income, no less) whose bodies already have 50 or more years of exposure to pesticides and herbicides. Is there any solid evidence either way? D.B.

Dear D.B.: The data are not entirely conclusive, but the preponderance of the evidence is that organic food does not provide significant health benefits, compared with conventionally grown foods. In my opinion, organically produced foods are not worth the extra expense just because they are organic.

Both organically grown and conventionally grown foods contain residues of pesticides, but organic food has lower amounts of conventional pesticides (however, nearly all are far below the Environmental Protection Agency standards). Organic foods have a more restricted list of pesticides that can be used, and some of these are poisonous to humans. Take, for example, copper sulfate, a chemical commonly used in organic farming (in the U.S., but banned in some European countries) to kill fungus and bacteria. It is many times more deadly, at least in rats, than glyphosate (Roundup), a commonly used conventional herbicide. It also is carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in animals. However, by the time foods arrive in a grocer's market, these chemicals are present at such small amounts (in both organic and conventional produce) that they are very unlikely to cause any symptoms or disease.

Most data show that organic food does not have more nutrients than conventionally grown foods. There may be an argument that organic farms are friendlier to the environment; however, I have had conventional farmers write to me to dispute that as well.

Growing your own food is getting it as fresh as possible, but local farmers markets are another good way to buy local. In my opinion, food that is locally produced (whether conventionally or organically) is likely to be fresher and more nutritious than food shipped in from far away. Washing the produce under running water and rubbing gently with hands or a vegetable brush gets rid of most of the residual pesticides, dirt and bacteria.

Bacterial infections are increasingly a problem with organically produced foods, with over half of recent foodborne illness attributable to organic foods. All produce needs to be rinsed: Danger from bacterial contamination is probably greater than the risk from pesticides.

There is a great deal of further information about this, but I found much that was biased (both pro-organic and pro-conventional), even from organizations I have respected. I found good and unbiased information from the national pesticide information center at npic.orst.edu.

Dear Dr. Roach: After a bout of arm pain due to inflammation in the C-7 disk in my neck was resolved using a prescription anti-inflammatory, I asked my orthopedist if there were supplements that could help. He suggested tart cherry juice as a scientifically proven anti-inflammatory. I have tried it and feel a definite improvement with respect to the arm and other arthritic ''hot spots'' I have. Real or the placebo effect? J.V.S.

Dear J.V.S.: Tart (Montmorency) cherries have anti-inflammatory properties, and preliminary studies have shown that they help people recover from exercise faster, improve strength and reduce inflammation after intense exertion. Larger, well-designed trials are needed to confirm these results, but the results so far are encouraging. Most studies used cherry juice concentrate twice a day, of an amount equivalent to the juice of 45 cherries.

It's always impossible in an individual to separate ''real'' or placebo, but there are data supporting tart cherries for relief of inflammation.

Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

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Is there really a difference between organic and conventional ... - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

WASHINGTON Do you choose organic produce because its healthier and locally grown?

Think again.

A new report on how the U.S. Department of Agriculture actually markets the organic label without any standard of certification, doesnt do any field-testing and, through its bureaucracy grew exponentially during the Obama administration, is driving up imports from China, Turkey and other countries with disastrous safety records.

And thats not the worst of it, says the report by the Capital Research Center.

Here are some shockers about how the organic foods phenomenon is costing you more, making foods less safe and costing real American organic farmers marketing share:

1. So-called organic food in America tests positive for synthetic pesticides four times out of 10.

2. Up to 80 percent of food labeled organic in American stores is imported. This increase has coincided with incidents of organic food-borne illness.

3. The USDA tripled its organic foods budget over the last eight years without requiring any field-testing of either domestically grown produce or imported.

4. During that time, tens of millions of dollars in subsidies were given to preserve the 0.7 percent of American farmland devoted to growing organic food.

5. The USDA has increased spending to $9.1 million on the organic bureaucracy, yet none of its 43 staffers are responsible for finding fraud, field-testing for safety, recalling unsafe food or encouraging domestic farming.

6. About 43 percent of the organic food sold in America tested positive for prohibited pesticide residue, according to two separate studies by two separate divisions of the USDA, conducted in 2010-2011 and 2015.

7. Organic groceries accounted for 7 percent of all food sales in America last year, but the U.S. government contracts out organic inspections to a total of 160 private individuals for the entire country. There are only 264 organic inspectors worldwide.

8. The USDAs National Organic Program tests only finished product and only 5 percent of the time covering only pesticides, never looking for dangerous pathogens from manure. Yet synthetic pesticides show up 50 percent of the time. It took until 2010 before any field-testing at all was required by the USDA.

9. The USDA certified label for organic food is not based on any objective, scientific process that ensure authentic or safe produce. In fact, the program is regulated by the USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service and not connected to the departments food safety, research, inspection, nutrition or risk management services.

10. Many natural pesticides approved for organic use are more toxic than the synthetic ones used by conventional farmers.

11. Though the USDA insists on an annual onsite inspection of every organic farm and facility it certifies, the inspector (regardless of country) needs permission from the farmer or processor whose facilities he or she intends to inspect, and he or she makes an appointment weeks in advance. Individual inspectors can be refused contracts to perform inspections by any USDA-certified organic entity, with no reason required.

12. Many of the 79 certifying agencies that grant USDA organic certification to farmers and processors receive 1.5 to 3 percent of gross revenue from their clients this royalty from an industry worth roughly $40 billion a year. As noted, certifiers collect these royalties only on shipments they approve.

13. Many farmers make use of manure, but usually not on crops for human consumption. Only in the organic industry is manure routinely applied to fields growing crops for humans, a practice which can be detrimental to human health even deadly, especially when manure is not fully composted. Even so, the USDA does not require field testing for possible fecal contaminants on the organic crops it certifies, even though such testing costs less than $25 per episode.

Like the reporting you see here? Sign up for free news alerts from WND.com, Americas independent news network.

As long as consumers believe organic food is worth more (that it is wholesome, natural, and authentic, so certified by the USDA) no one making money in the organic sector will be obligated to prove organic food is worth the extra cost. Meanwhile, the interests of non-organic consumers, conventional and biotech farmers, processors, and wholesalers recede as the organic movement, with its knee-jerk opposition to modern farming, dominates the debate and sets the rules.

The original report from which this story was adapted was prepared by Mischa Popoff, a former inspector of organic farms under contract with the USDA and author of Is It Organic?

The rest is here:

13 facts about 'organic' foods that will shock you - WND.com

Use local sweet corn and zucchini to create a savory sandwich and add a bowl of 'Lighter New England Clam Chowder' for a complete New England meal.

Goose Pond Farm in West Kingston takes pride in its organic fruits, vegetables, local honey and maple syrup, and fresh eggs, as well as baked goods such as cookies and muffins, and annual flowers.

Owner Nancy Moultrop Barusso believes in organic, local produce to protect future generations, save energy and reduce human dependence on fossil fuels, and build soil fertility. Barusso grew up on a farm and returned to her roots in 2009 to establish Goose Pond Farm.

All of Barussos vegetable gardens show her commitment to growing healthy produce. Her husband, George Barusso, tills the soil and maintains the farms infrastructure to assist Nancy in her determination to produce organic food.

Goose Pond Farm is especially known for its large variety of vegetables, which are harvested from late April to November and include corn, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, Chinese broccoli, arugula, pac choi (also called bok choy), kale, carrots, beets, green beans, radishes, green onions, garlic, snap peas, snow peas, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, broccoli, eggplant and cabbage.

The farms mascots are the Barussos two female chocolate Labrador retrievers, Ms. Charley and Ms. Bailey. The two make sure to greet each visitor to the farm and provide security for the fruits and vegetables.

Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, the small farm is located next to a small pond, which is home to a family of geese after which it was named. Find it at 545 Waites Corner Rd., West Kingston, (401) 783-4946.

For a true New England meal, enjoy these two recipes, one made with local sweet corn.

Anessa Petteruti blogs about food and shares recipes atfoodfinessa.com. She lives in East Greenwich.

Oven-Fried Zucchini and Oregano Corn Sandwich

Oven-Fried Zucchini:

medium zucchini, sliced -inch thick lengthwise

1 large egg, beaten

cup Italian breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon olive oil

Oregano Corn:

1 corn cob, kernels removed

cup fresh oregano

Sandwich:

cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

teaspoon dried parsley

teaspoon dried tarragon

teaspoon dried basil

avocado, mashed

1 ciabatta or French roll

cucumber, julienned

carrot, julienned

fresh basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip each zucchini slice into beaten egg and then into Italian breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet, and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until zucchini is crispy. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, saut corn kernels with fresh oregano. Set aside once corn is lightly cooked but still has a slight crunch.

In a small bowl, toss halved cherry tomatoes with tablespoon of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, parsley, tarragon and basil. Set aside.

To assemble sandwich, spread mashed avocado on both side of roll. Place oven-fried zucchini on roll, and top with oregano corn, marinated cherry tomatoes, julienned cucumbers and carrots, and fresh basil. Drizzle with tablespoon of olive oil. Close sandwich.

Lighter New England Clam Chowder

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups 2% milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 ounces clam juice

1 pounds russet potatoes, chopped into cubes

1 bay leaf

16 ounces shelled clams, chopped

3 tablespoons chives, chopped

cup oyster crackers

Add olive oil and white onion to a large pot over medium heat. Saut onion for 2 minutes, until fragrant and translucent. Add flour and stir well until onions are coated. Add milk, salt, pepper, clam juice, potatoes and bay leaf. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are almost cooked. Add clams, and cook for another 7-10 minutes until clams and potatoes are fully cooked.

Serve chowder warm with chopped chives and oyster crackers.

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Organic produce abounds at West Kingston farm - The Providence Journal

DEAR DR. ROACH: Do you think theres much benefit to buying organic foods, now that my husband and I are in our 60s? Ill gladly purchase organic fruits and veggies when we host our children and grandchildren, and our garden is chemical-free, but I cant imagine that the added expense of buying organic will provide much benefit to senior citizens (on a fixed income, no less) whose bodies already have 50 or more years of exposure to pesticides and herbicides. Is there any solid evidence either way? D.B.

ANSWER: The data are not entirely conclusive, but the preponderance of the evidence is that organic food does not provide significant health benefits, compared with conventionally grown foods. In my opinion, organically produced foods are not worth the extra expense just because they are organic.

Both organically grown and conventionally grown foods contain residues of pesticides, but organic food has lower amounts of conventional pesticides (however, nearly all are far below the Environmental Protection Agency standards). Organic foods have a more restricted list of pesticides that can be used, and some of these are poisonous to humans. Take, for example, copper sulfate, a chemical commonly used in organic farming (in the U.S., but banned in some European countries) to kill fungus and bacteria. It is many times more deadly, at least in rats, than glyphosate (Roundup), a commonly used conventional herbicide. It also is carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in animals. However, by the time foods arrive in a grocers market, these chemicals are present at such small amounts (in both organic and conventional produce) that they are very unlikely to cause any symptoms or disease.

Most data show that organic food does not have more nutrients than conventionally grown foods. There may be an argument that organic farms are friendlier to the environment; however, I have had conventional farmers write to me to dispute that as well.

Growing your own food is getting it as fresh as possible, but local farmers markets are another good way to buy local. In my opinion, food that is locally produced (whether conventionally or organically) is likely to be fresher and more nutritious than food shipped in from far away. Washing the produce under running water and rubbing gently with hands or a vegetable brush gets rid of most of the residual pesticides, dirt and bacteria.

Bacterial infections are increasingly a problem with organically produced foods, with over half of recent foodborne illness attributable to organic foods. All produce needs to be rinsed: Danger from bacterial contamination is probably greater than the risk from pesticides.

There is a great deal of further information about this, but I found much that was biased (both pro-organic and pro-conventional), even from organizations I have respected. I found good and unbiased information from the national pesticide information center at npic.orst.edu.

Excerpt from:

Organic vs. conventional produce - The Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Of course, you may have your own way of throwing your leg on the other side of the bed or of swinging your arms open in a Titanic pose while you sleep, still your zodiac sign can tell a lot about your sleep habits.

Of the 85,000 liver failure patients who join the country's wait list annually, less than 3% get an organ. Of the two lakh fresh annual registrations for kidneys, 8,000 manage a transplant.

The next time you blow out the candles on your birthday cake, make a wish for your good health as well because scientists have found that the popular tradition causes bacteria on the icing to increase by 1,400%.

Ban in the works after panel concludes it's addictive and potentially lethal

In 2015, crime in India was at an 11-year high! From 2014 to 2015, human trafficking increased by over 40 per cent, forgery by over 23 per cent, kidnapping and road rage by over 7 per cent!

Social media can get you inspired in no time. Be it to fix a healthy meal or to try new workouts, with millions sharing their stories everyday, staying motivated is not an issue anymore.

A diabetic normally spends his entire day trying to minimize sugar content from his diet. All his energy is spent on maintaining the sugar levels in his body.

It has been found that only 30 per cent of women experience 'happy endings' during sex. But heres help. We have listed a few types of orgasm; how good they are and what you can do to achieve them frequently

Inspired by celebrities on television, Sumangal accepted the challenge in his own zeal. Read on to find out how Sumangal lost 27 kilos!

All fruits have their own benefits but some stand out due to the unique health benefits they provide. Here is a list of healthiest fruits on earth on the basis of their nutrient component.

The Mercedes India head said that nearly 65% of electricity in the country is produced using sources such as gas, oil, and coal. ... those power plants do not have any cleansing filters or whatever.

"Packaged food is the reality of the day but so is the growing burden of disorders like obesity, diabetes and heart ailments."

Ever wondered what is so special about the way yogis eat? Heres revealing some of the top secrets of yogis that can help attain a balance between the mind, body and soul

Your mother always told you to stop it. Your teacher said its bad manners. Your co-workers roll their eyes when you do it. Even as new health research says that fidgeting may be your ticket to a long life and better health, one must tread with caution.

Dance to the tunes of Kalbelia to tone your calves, Garba to strengthen your core and Bhangra to train your gluteus maximus...

No matter where we look, most people agree morning rituals can help create a happy life.

British disease experts suggested on Thursday doing away with the incorrect advice to always finish a course of antibiotics, saying the approach was fueling the spread of drug resistance.

Uncontrolled blood sugar is the dangerously sweet highway to developing heart disease. Stay off this highway to live a better quality, fit and healthy life!

Protein deficiency is an epidemic that is gripping us Indians faster than we know. Unlike calcium or iron deficiency, protein deficiency isnt taken seriously by most in both adults and kids alike.

It is unbelievable but this woman can really eat calories worth five days in one sitting! Nela Zisser is a professional competitive eater and even watching her hog on her food can satiate you, if not make repugnant, for next three meals.

Scientists are also trying to personalize medicine by fine-tuning drug-delivery processes, and have now developed a smart drug that can be driven directly to the liver to suck up the fat from its cells.

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Health and Fitness, Health Tips, Exercises & Workout Tips ...

What we're now starting to see is that there's a squeezed middle between these two magnetic poles. Health pros who do not yet have a following are competing on price and forcing one another out of the industry.

It's becoming harder for consumers to find quality personal training options without paying top dollar.

Group fitness classes have evolved markedly in recent years symptomatic, perhaps, of the difficulty of finding good personal trainers at a reasonable price.

It used to be that group classes amounted to legs, bums and tums at your local, municipal leisure complex. Now, you can get a range of different classes, whether they're at a specialist centre or simply in a meeting room at work.

HIIT, movement, yoga, pilates,cross training, spinning: there should be something for everyone. And, importantly, because these classes are devised byinfluential experts in the industry and delivered via partnerships with large gym chains, they work from good, thoughtfulsyllabuses.

A great way to get in shape.

Wearable technology is on the up and up, allowing us to track our hours of sleep, daily steps, calories burned and a myriad other metrics related to performance and workout tracking.

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The seven big fitness trends of 2017 so far - Telegraph.co.uk

POPSUGAR

Celebrate the End of Summer With Our August Must Haves POPSUGAR Best Health and Fitness Gear | August 2017. Celebrate the End of Summer With Our August Must Haves. August 1, 2017 by Jenny Sugar. 15 Shares. Chat with us on Facebook Messenger. Learn what's trending across POPSUGAR.

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Celebrate the End of Summer With Our August Must Haves - POPSUGAR

One great joy of my job as a family medicine physician is taking care of pregnant women from the moment their pregnancy test is positive through infancy and beyond. In pursuing good health for mother and baby, we sometimes enter difficult territory.

Pregnancy can feel restricting to mothers, including rules on avoiding smoking, alcohol and illicit drug use. After giving birth, mothers are often tempted to resume old habits. But illicit substances, such as marijuana and other illegal drugs, should be avoided in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Many prescription medications are safe while breastfeeding, but it is best to discuss them with your primary care provider.

Marijuana, one of the most common illegal drugs, is the most common source of the chemical compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is typically smoked or added to food. Some women even carry a medical marijuana card to use marijuana for a medical condition and a few states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Montana still recognizes the drug as an illicit substance, largely due to its hallucinogenic properties that render a user high.

THC is stored in fat cells, which means it can be stored in the body for several weeks. Fat storage also means that it enters breast milk and is ingested by a breastfeeding infant. The potential for harm makes it challenging to study drug use in pregnancy and breastfeeding. So we do not have ideal evidence on the potential risks. Given the lack of acceptable data, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend avoiding marijuana use while breastfeeding.

Although we have not studied the effects of marijuana use in breastfeeding enough to be certain of its effects, there are plenty of potential risks. Many are supported in small studies and anecdotally. These include:

These potential risks apply to other illegal drugs as well. While breast milk offers the best nutrition for babies, formula may be a better option for women who want to continue using marijuana. Extreme cases of drug abuse during or after pregnancy may trigger the involvement of Child Protective Services in deciding the safest place for the baby.

Here is the bottom line: Marijuana and other illicit drugs pose dangerous risks for your babys health and may compromise good parenting. Using them is simply not worth those risks. Future research may shed light on how babies are affected by a mothers marijuana use during breastfeeding. Until then, I advocate protecting young ones the best way we know how. Enjoy your pregnancy and breastfeeding phase to the fullest while you abstain from illegal drug use.

Dr. J. Abi Ashcraft, a resident physician with the Montana Family Medicine Residency at RiverStone Health, may be reached at 247-3306.

View post:
Drug use can harm pregnancy, baby care - Billings Gazette