Sludge Watch ==> Calif: USDA denies request to delay almond pasturization rule

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

the problem with salmonella contaminated almonds may come from processing 
almonds that have been grown on sewage sludge ammended soils.  Or soils 
spread with poorly treated manures. Almonds are harvested by shaking the 
trees onto the ground.


The salmonella outbreaks in California have been very frightening.
But the problem needs to rectified in the farm and processing 
practices...not by
subjecting the whole crop to these treatments.

People all over the world want to be able to consume raw California almonds

........................................

CALIFORNIA: USDA denies request to delay almond pasteurization rule
20.aug.07
The Mercury News
Juliana Barbassa Associated Press Writer
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6674058


San Francisco -- Federal agricultural officials were cited as saying that a 
new rule requiring all California almonds to be pasteurized will go into 
effect Sept. 1, despite farmers' requests to postpone the provision for six 
months.


The growers, represented by the California Almond Board, said they needed 
the extra time to get the necessary equipment and processes in place to 
avoid an interruption in the flow of nuts to market.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to implement the rule stemmed 
from salmonella outbreaks in 2001 and 2004 that were traced to raw almonds.

Farmers' worries about being able to meet the rule's requirements, 
particularly when faced with an expected bumper crop of 1.33 billion pounds 
of almonds this year, were taken into consideration, but public health was 
their main concern, federal officials said.

Robert Keeney, deputy administrator of the department's fruit and vegetable 
programs, was quoted as wriitng in a letter to the Almond Board dated 
Thursday, that, "While we understand the Board's concerns, USDA also wants 
to ensure that the quality and safety of almonds and almond products in the 
marketplace continue to improve. These goals require measures to help reduce 
the potential of a third salmonella outbreak linked to almonds."


The story goes on to say that USDA advised the Almond Board that almonds may 
be treated by facilities with pasteurization processes that haven't received 
the board's final approval. This would ease some of the concerns growers had 
about not having adequate facilities to pasteurize the nuts in time to meet 
the deadline, Almond Board officials said.