Agro Perspectiva - News

Agrarians Jan milk/dairy products sales up 4.2%, to 129,816 MT

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:30:44 +0200

��

As of Jan, agrarians slowed vegetables sale rates by 17.7%, down to 9,872 MT

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:11:30 +0200

��

Within Jan agrarians raised eggs sales up 11.2%, to 710.202 mn

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:21:54 +0200

��

New USDA Data Offers In-Depth Look at Organic Farming

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:58:06 +0200

The nation‘s organic farms and ranches have higher average sales and higher average production expenses than U.S. farms overall, according to results of the 2008�Organic Production Survey released today by the U.�S.�Department of Agriculture‘s National Agricultural Statistics Service. "This was USDA‘s first wide-scale survey of organic producers, and it was undertaken in direct response to the growing interest in organics among consumers, farmers, businesses, policymakers and others," said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. "The information being released today will be an important building block for future program and policy development." The survey counted 14,540�U.S. farms and ranches that were either USDA certified organic or were exempt from certification because their sales totaled less than $5,000. These operations comprised 4.1�million acres of land, of which 1.6�million acres were harvested cropland and 1.8�million acres were pasture or rangeland. While there were organic farms or ranches in all 50�states, nearly 20�percent of the operations were in California. California also led the nation in organic sales, with $1.15�billion�- or 36�percent of all U.S. sales. Nationwide, 2008�organic sales totaled $3.16�billion, including $1.94�billion in crops sales and $1.22�billion in sales of livestock, poultry and their products. The nation‘s certified and exempt organic farms had average sales and production expenses that were higher than those of U.S. farms overall. Organic operations had an average of $217,675�in sales, compared with $134,807�for all farms as reported in the 2007�Census of Agriculture. Production expenditures averaged $171,978�per organic farm, compared with the nationwide average of $109,359�for all farms. Most�U.�S. organic producers sold their products locally, with 44�percent of sales taking place less than 100�miles from the farm. Nearly 83�percent of organic sales were to wholesale channels, including processors, millers and packers. Just over 10�percent of sales were direct to retail operations, including supermarkets. Only 7�percent of sales were direct to consumers, via farm stands, farmers‘ markets, community supported agriculture and other arrangements. Survey respondents indicated that they face various challenges, including regulatory, production, management and marketing issues. Despite these challenges, more than 78�percent indicated that they plan to maintain or increase their organic production over the next five years.

Agrarians Jan potatoes sales up 45.1%, to 10,233 MT

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:07:26 +0200

��

ConAgra Foods Named for the First Time to List of 100 Best Corporate Citizens

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:33:42 +0200

ConAgra Foods announced today that for the first time, CRO Magazine (formerly Corporate Responsibility Magazine) has named the company to its 11th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List. This list is known as one of the world’s top corporate responsibility rankings based on publicly-available information and recognized by PR Week as one of America’s top three most-important business rankings. "We are honored to receive this recognition," said Chris Kircher, ConAgra Foods’ vice president of corporate affairs. "It reflects our deep-seated, ongoing commitment to corporate responsibility, and it validates our decision last year to provide an increased level of transparency on our efforts through the publication of our first corporate responsibility report." The 100 Best Corporate Citizens List is based on more than 360 data points of publicly available information in seven categories. The seven categories include: Environment, Climate Change, Human Rights, Philanthropy, Employee Relations, Financial Performance and Governance. The 100 Best Corporate Citizens are selected from among the large-cap Russell 1000 companies, based on data provided by leading ESG investor data firm IW Financial. The 100 Best Corporate Citizens List’s open and transparent methodology is governed by a Methodology Committee of the Corporate Responsibility Officers Association. The 100 Best List’s methodology is published in the 100 Best Corporate Citizens List issue of Corporate Responsibility Magazine, mailed to 20,000 subscribers March 9 and available now online at www.thecro.com. ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America’s leading food companies, with brands in 97 percent of America’s households. Consumers find Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt’s, Marie Callender’s, Orville Redenbacher’s, PAM, Peter Pan, Reddi-wip and many ConAgra Foods brands in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise and club stores. ConAgra Foods also has a strong business-to-business presence, supplying potato, other vegetable, spice and grain products to a variety of well-known restaurants, foodservice operators and commercial customers.

Mars Chocolate North America Introduces goodnessKnows� Luscious Snacksquares Brand to Boulder, Colo. Market

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:45:09 +0200

Mars Chocolate North America announced today the premiere of goodnessKnows� luscious snacksquares in Boulder, Colo. "This area is world-famous for its emphasis on and appreciation of − healthy living," said Suzanne Stites, cocoa flavanol platform leader, Mars Chocolate, North America. "If we can get a stamp of approval from Colorado‘s discerning, health-conscious consumers, then consumers everywhere should embrace this new snack!" goodnessKnows� luscious snacksquares get their goodness from slow-roasted whole almonds, tangy fruits and toasted whole grains, and contain no artificial ingredients, colors or flavors. Each serving of goodnessKnows� is nestled in an extraordinary deep chocolate a special Mars recipe that delivers 200�mg of bio-available cocoa flavanols, phytonutrients that have been shown to help support healthy circulation, which aids the free flow of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. These naturally nutritious snacks come in three flavors: Very Cranberry, Almonds & Berries, and Roasted Nuts & Grains, all available now exclusively in Boulder, Colo., and expanding to Denver in April 2010. These snacks will be available in the nut and fruit aisle or healthy bar aisle of select grocery stores, with single serving packets near the checkout counter in some stores. Each four-square serving has 150�calories and delivers 2-3�grams of fiber, 3�grams of protein, 200�mg of cocoa flavanols and only 20-35�mg of sodium. goodnessKnows� luscious snacksquares are available in single servings and multi-packs and sell for a suggested retail price of $1.59�and $4.99�respectively.

Gold Peak� Tea with real brewed taste shills out nationwide and becomes more picnic-friendly

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:10:00 +0200

Gold Peak� has gone from cool to cold nationwide in family size, and is now more picnic-friendly with new plastic bottles. Gold Peak, the premium ready-to-drink (RTD) tea from Coca-Cola North America, and recipient of the prestigious ChefsBest� Award, has launched new multi-serve chilled Gold Peak Tea nationally. And the familiar single-serve Gold Peak glass bottles have been replaced by handsome new premium 18.5 fl. oz. plastic bottles - great for summer picnics and poolside parties. Gold Peak Chilled Tea in the stylish 59-oz. carafe is offered in the brand’s popular sweetened, unsweetened, diet and lemon varieties and available in grocery refrigerated sections. Gold Peak single serve in plastic bottles is available nationally in supermarkets, convenience stores and other retailers in sweetened, unsweetened, diet, lemon and green tea varieties. "Gold Peak’s new offerings provide classic iced tea pleasure any place, any time of the year," said Mark Pitts, Vice President and General Manager, Coffee and Tea for Coca-Cola North America. "Gold Peak’s real brewed premium flavor really comes through in this new chilled version, and the new plastic bottles make the single-serve Gold Peak even more portable."

Agrarians Jan sunoil sales down 51%, to 548 MT

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:52:10 +0200

��

As of Jan, agrarians reduced sunseeds sales by 37.4%, down to 97,544 MT

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:08:13 +0200

��