USDA

Analysts are attributing recent drops in wholesale beef prices to the controversy over so-called pink slime, but no one can forecast what the long term effects will be, if any.

USDA food price analyst, Ricky Volpe, says there are a number of issues

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This Sunday, April 8th, is Easter and for some it means eggs and bunnies.

According to Ann Effland, historical expert at the U.S. Department of Agriculture,  the egg goes  back to  early pre-Christian spring celebrations as a symbol of fertility

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A ruling by the World Trade Organization last November on a challenge to the U.S. Country Of Origin Labeling Policy said the U.S., in labeling, was not treating meat imports equally and so the practice could be construed as a trade violation

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Natrona County School District's Food Service Manager says until this past week he was unaware that USDA beef supplied to schools may contain by-product treated with ammonia.

Food Service Manager, Mike Pyska says the beef labeling does not indicate the presence of fillers only the 80/20 fat ratio designation

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Officially its called "boneless lean beef trimmings" and now its known as 'pink slime', a low cost filler made from fatty bits of beef and treated with ammonia. Its used in some hamburger meats and locally, major grocers indicate they've either discontinued selling ground beef that includes the product or they offer a slime free option

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The latest government report on inflation has some good news for food shoppers.

Over the next decade agriculture analysts predict food price inflation will tag just behind the general inflation rate

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$40 million federal dollars will go toward 20 different forest and water shed restoration projects.

USDA officials say the goal is to improve forest health, protect water and wildlife and provide jobs in rural communities

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Leptospirosis can be a highly contagious disease in cattle and researchers are testing a vaccine developed years ago to judge its immunity response. David Alt at the USDA's National Animal Disease Center says they hope by studying the existing vaccine they can develop something better

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Wyoming's cattle inventory is up 5 percent over last year but the rest of the country is down by 2 percent. All this spells out prices that are some 13 percent higher than they were this time last year

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Super Bowl party hosts and their guests should take a defensive strategy against food-borne illness by following some basic rules.

Donna Carlson of the USDA's food safety and inspections service says everyone should know the four key steps to food safety; clean, separate, cook and chill, and she suggests using pig-skin terminology and think of food safety violations in football terms

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