Diamond Pet Food Withdraws Products in Response to American Nutrition Inc. Pet Food Recall Contact: Diamond Pet Food Media Hotline (888) 207-6208 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Meta, MO -- April 26, 2007 -- Because of the canned pet food recall initiated today by American Nutrition Inc., Diamond Pet Foods has announced it is withdrawing a limited number of canned products manufactured by American Nutrition. This action is limited to three specific canned products: Diamond Lamb & Rice Formula for Dogs 13 oz. cans, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Kitten Formula 5.5 oz. cans, and Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul Puppy Formula 13 oz. cans. ........................................................ Chenango Valley Pet Foods Issues Voluntarily Nationwide Recall of Certain Pet Foods Contact: Dennis J. Bobita (610) 821-0608 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- April 26, 2007 -- Chenango Valley Pet Foods is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and voluntarily recalling pet foods manufactured with a certain shipment of rice protein concentrate. The company was informed by Wilbur-Ellis that the rice protein concentrate shipped to Chenango Valley Pet Foods may be contaminated with melamine, and instructed Chenango Valley Pet Foods to recall any pet foods manufactured with the rice protein concentrate. Melamine is an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers that may lead to illness or fatalities in animals if consumed. The pet foods were sold to customers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, who further sold the products to their customers through catalog mail-orders or retail outlets. Only the following dry pet foods are involved in the recall: DOCTORS FOSTER & SMITH CHICKEN & BROWN RICE FORMULA ADULT LITE DOG FOOD, NET WT. 5 LBS., 12.5 LBS, and 25 LBS; Code dates: Best Used By Jan 24, 09; Best Used By Feb 8, 09; Best Used By Feb 26, 09; Best Used By April 10, 09; Best Used By April 17, 09; DOCTORS FOSTER & SMITH CHICKEN & BROWN RICE FORMULA ADULT LITE CAT FOOD, NET WT. 3 LBS. and 7 LBS.; Code date: Best Used By March 13, 09; LICK YOUR CHOPS LAMB MEAL, RICE & EGG CAT FOOD, 4 LBS. packages, Code date: Best Used By April 29, 08; Bulk CHICKEN & BROWN RICE FORMULA ADULT LITE DOG FOOD sold to one consignee (SmartPak) in a 2000 lbs. tote, Ship date: Feb 9, 2007. .................................................... Joint News Release: FDA and USDA Determine Swine Fed Adulterated Product USDA to Compensate for Depopulation The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today notified State authorities that swine fed adulterated product will not be approved to enter the food supply. Based on information currently available, FDA and USDA believe the likelihood of illness after eating pork from swine fed the adulterated product would be very low; however, the agencies believe it is prudent to take this measure. FDA determined that a shipment of rice protein imported from China was contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds. The product was imported during the week of April 2, 2007 by Wilbur-Ellis, an importer and distributor of agricultural products. The rice protein was used in the production of pet food and a byproduct was used to produce animal feed. The contaminants in question include melamine and melamine-related compounds, including cyanuric acid, the combination of which is a potential source of concern in relation to human and animal health. Scientific research indicates that melamine alone, at detected levels, is not a human health concern. However, no scientific data exist to ascertain the effects of combining melamine and melamine-related compounds. Therefore, a determination has not yet been made regarding the safety of the product. Because the animal feed in question was adulterated, USDA cannot rule out the possibility that food produced from animals fed this product could also be adulterated. Therefore, USDA cannot place the mark of inspection on food produced from these animals. USDA is offering to compensate producers who euthanize swine that were fed the adulterated product. USDA is authorized to use Section 32 funds to restore farmers purchasing power. USDA is also offering the expertise and assistance of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) personnel in carrying out depopulation activities, to ensure animals are euthanized and disposed of in accordance with Federal and State laws. FDA and FSIS are coordinating with State authorities in eight states where the adulterated feed is known to have been purchased. Eight pork producers in the states of California, Kansas, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah are known to have purchased the feed. These combined operations involve approximately 6,000 hogs. All of the animals are currently being held under state quarantines in CA, NC, NY and SC. In KS, OK and UT producers agreed to hold the animals until further notice. Authorities are also in contact with a feed mill in Missouri that might have received adulterated feed. Pork and pork products derived from animals that were fed the adulterated product will also be destroyed. In CA and UT, pork from federally inspected plants is being held under FSIS direction. In SC, a state inspected plant is voluntarily holding swine that were fed the adulterated product. FSIS, FDA and state authorities are in the process of determining whether any meat from animals that were fed the adulterated product has entered commerce. If that has occurred, FSIS will work with states and industry to take the appropriate action. FDA and FSIS are continuing the effort to trace the adulterated feed. If additional producers are identified who fed the adulterated product to animals, they will also be offered compensation by USDA for depopulation and disposal. ..............................................

Lou, I have been having fun looking at utube for mongetes del ganxet. In the video you mentioned he spends some time telling people how to cook them from scratch. This is because in Catalonia folks buy their beans pre-cooked from the markets. You can buy chickpeas (sigrons), lentils (llenties), mongetes (usually white beans, and mongetes del ganxet which are pricier); and black eye peas (mongets) freshly cooked daily from the markets, you buy the cooked beans by weight like olives. So folks are intimidated about cooking beans from scratch because they feel they will come out hard and ruin them. So the cook is saying soak them for at least 6 hours, drain the soaking water, cook in cold water without salt. Cook on a very low flame (simmer) for 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the amount, the heat, so on. Interesting that they soak in mineral waters. He said soak in soft water, not hard water. Do not let too much water evaporate, or else the beans will split. Then he makes a gazpacho using the mongetes, the cooking water, chopped peppers and tomatoes, and clams, garnished with chives. The dish is genius! The information video shows one of the largest growers and how they are indeed pole beans. He has done some work in selecting, purity, so on. He just raves about the bean quality, softness, flavor, texture... Other videos claim that they can only be grown in their region. Also, folks that grow them tell of how delicious they are as shellies.

The few Bhut we grew again this year are just now setting fruit but are already odd-shaped & wrinkled. Hubby just grows them for powder after he dries & grinds them. They always germinate so slow & grow so slow at first but then catch up to the Barker, Heritage Big Jim, NM Heritage 6 & our own 'Sin Nombre'. Seed purchased from NM State U. in Las Crucws, NM. & they went back to the old original Big Jim & NM 6 seed to 'reclaim' the better chili flavor x those old varieties. Hubby's ten dehydrators & one mixer/blender are kept in the garage & are used for nothing else... the fumes linger there year round!Second picking of the Big Jim & so far have picked 63 lbs. & roasted & frozen; the Barker was roasted, peeled & dried & ground for powder like the Bhut. 'Senior years' has lessened the ability to eat the EXTRA-HOT 'Sin Nombre' any more! Very hot & dry weather here this year so the chilies must like it! They are on soaker hoses on timers. Hatch though has gotten a lot of rain so hope it doesn't hurt their crops this year. Sad as I've heard some 'Hatch' labelled chili is coming up from Mexico but the local stores have the Hatch farms names on the labels so think those are legitimate. Good luck all chili growers with your crops this year!

YES! I grow over 100 different kinds! the ones I dislike the most is my Tabsco when I first started I planteed about 4 plants that was not a good thing to do!!! they are to say the lest heavy producers!!!! 1. Tabsco 2. tahi red 3. peqine 3 kinds