For example, organic farmers must use organic seeds and must refrain from using most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. They must provide organic feed to their animals and ensure the animals are allowed outside every day. Animals such as cows and goats must graze on pasture during the growing season. Organic farmers are also required to protect and conserve soil and to rotate their crops to help prevent disease and weeds.

For small farms that sell less than $5,000 of organic products in a year, following the rules is still required but certification is optional. If a farmer says he or she is not certified, it’s a good idea for consumers to ask them if they are following the national organic standards.

MDA organic program administrator Meg Moynihan advises consumers to beware of claims like “beyond organic,”  “organically grown,” or “grown using organic practices.”

“Sometimes these claims are made by farmers who are honestly unaware of the organic standards,” said Moynihan. “But sometimes the claims are used by people who want to reap the benefits of the word “organic” but not necessarily follow all the requirements that true organic farmers have to meet.”

An accomplished cyclist blames tainted beef for his positive blood doping test.

The story broke Monday that Alberto Contador was stripped of his 2010 Tour De France title for blood doping, and was suspended from competitions.

(Bear with me folks, as a cycling afficionado, how often is it that I can combine it with my day job, which is writing about sustainable food, agriculture and the restaurant business?)

Contador tested positive for clenbuterol, a hormone that is sometimes used to plump up livestock—namely beef. It’s used widely in China, but banned in Europe. According to the New York Times, Contador claimed that the positive test came from a steak that was delivered from Spain to France by a friend, which he ate on the last rest day of the Tour. He is considering appealing his suspension, which lasts until August 6, 2012.

Is this possible? It’s not without precedent. That same Times piece reported that in 2010 German table tennis player was cleared of doping charges after testing positive for the hormone, which he claimed from eating beef in China—evidence presented proved that clenbuteral is present in Chinese beef.

And really, who would dope in international ping-pong?

Studies on residual traces of hormone supplements and their effects on the environment and risk to humans have been published regularly for at least 20 years, if not longer. The European Union has banned the import of hormone-treated meat since 1988, and imposed strict bans on its own farmers from using those supplements.

Still, according to a Science News article, “Hormones: Here’s the Beef,” published in 2002, that “the continent hosts an ‘illegal—black market—use of growth promoters, “which could amount to 5 to 15 percent of beef cattle tainted.

A European Union study later that same year confirmed human health risks from residual growth hormones in meat. Which means the supplements are detectable. That fact is also well-documented in U.S. studies, which tend to focus on excretions of livestock, where even more of those supplemental hormones wind up, which means they wind up in lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater, and impact the environment and all the creatures—particularly aquatic—that live in that environment.

Could those residues, then, be detectable in a human at a level that would, say, set off a drug test alarm for a professional cyclist?

It might be reasonable one day to say yes, particularly as these tests get increasingly sensitive to detect all designer drugs and the masking agents that cheating athletes use.

Not working in Contador’s favor, however, is that Clenbuterol is also used as an illegal supplement by some cyclists to improve performance. Further, his test also revealed traces of “plasticizers,” which are chemicals that can be present in IV bags. Which means he may have received a blood transfusion—usually the cyclist’s own blood, hyperoxygenated, which enhances performance—which is a big no-no in the world of professional cycling. (Most famously in recent years was Alexander Vinokourov after thoroughly dominating a time trial stage in the 2007 Tour de France, tested positive for blood transfusion.)

However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which handed down the ruling and punishment, never stated in its ruling that Contador deliberately doped. “I’ve tried everything to understand this ruling, but I cannot. I cannot understand this ban they have handed me,” Contador was quoted Tuesday in an Associated Press article. “If there is anything else I can do to prove my innocence I’d like to know.” The AP reported that Contador took a lie detector test during the investigation.

“The only satisfaction I feel is that whatever decision was reached, the ruling never says I doped,” Contador told the AP. “There was never an intention on my part.”

Alberto: If you telling the truth, next time, eat organic grass-fed beef during the big race.

By Theresa Heiland

It might be frigid outside, but spring will arrive sooner than you think. If you’ve thought about sourcing local product from a small farm, it’s time to get a jump on establishing your product standards.

The local food movement has done much to increase market opportunities for local farmers. According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the number of farmers markets listed in the statewide Minnesota Grown Directory has grown from 74 in 2006, to 128 in 2010, to 145 in 2011. Similarly, CSA farms (Community Supported Agriculture) grew from 14 in 2006, to 59 in 2010, to 85 in 2011.  Consumers are more informed about how their food choices affect them personally and in our social, economic and natural environments. Further, “regional food sheds” and “local food hubs” are now part of local governments’ regular discussion in land-use planning.

Foodservice News and Harvest Foodservice Journal have featured pioneering individuals and establishments that showcase the benefits and pleasures of good regional fare. Yet some restaurant chefs do not know that it is “legal” to buy direct from a farmer. The Minnesota State Statutes Food Licensing Law 28A.15 essentially states that farmers who sell products from a farm or garden they own and cultivate are exempt from a sales license. Local is legal and there are great benefits, such as product freshness and quality, connecting customers to the food they eat and boosting the local economy.

For all the good things associated with locally grown food, a restaurant owner or foodservice director takes on some risk when they source fresh produce from a local farmer. For example, this past growing season in Minnesota had a slow start, extreme heat, flooding and early frost—a lot of crops were damaged or wiped out altogether. Chefs were not able to buy as much produce as they had planned. Additionally, food-borne illnesses have become a major concern. No farmer wants to ruin your reputation or theirs. Here are a few things to consider when you buy direct from a farmer.

Get to know them:

• Ask them what they’re able to grow and where.

• Ask about their farming practices—how they grow, harvest and store (if applicable) crops. Know what you are willing to accept. Organics only? Sustainable farming? Conventional okay?

• Ask about their food safety plan and what practices they enforce with their employees.

• Ask about liability insurance. Know what you or your establishment requires.

• Ask if it’s okay to visit the farm.

• Make sure you are buying produce from the farmer that grew it!

• If you intend to buy from a farmer, ask to see the vehicle they use to transport produce and check it out for cleanliness.

• Insist on regular communication (that means you, too).  Speak clearly about what you need and when you want orders delivered.

• Ask the farmer to inform you far enough in advance if your order cannot be filled to your specifications, or if there will be a delay in delivery.  HAVE A PLAN B for sourcing what you need.

• Talk to farmers in late fall/early winter about growing specific crops or varieties you want, especially if they are specialty items like Asian produce.

• If the farmer’s English is limited, request that they have a competent English-speaking assistant to manage the day-to-day business communication between you and the farm operation. If possible, have the same person manage your orders and deliveries.

• Be clear about each other’s expectations. For example, you can ask the farmer to please make sure the produce is clean (mud and dirt washed or brushed off), but don’t expect the farmer to chop and package it for you. Anything beyond washing produce is considered processing and requires a license. If possible, provide a farmer with containers or boxes you use for transporting produce.

How do you find farmers?

The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) recently updated the manual “Local Food: Where to Find It, How to Buy It” in 2011, which includes regional sources. You can download it or request a copy http://www.misa.umn.edu/Publications/LocalFoodGuide/index.htm.

The Minnesota Sustainable Farming Association and the Land Stewardship Project have farm member directories that you can access on their websites http://www.sfa-mn.org/ and http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/cbfed/buy_food.html.

The Minnesota Grown directory published by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is widely distributed. The Minnesota Project has teamed up with the Farmers’ Legal Action Group and the Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women to work with a small group of Hmong farmers who sell to restaurants and institutional food service venues. Call 651-789-3328 for more information.

Some may only want to do business with distributors or cooperatives to source local food—especially if you have high volume needs. For others, implementing changes are sometimes best done in small steps. Start working with one farmer and experience what it takes to prepare food in its freshest form—that means not prepped or packaged. Consider allocating a percentage of your food budget toward local fare—or consider an event where 90 percent of the food is sourced locally. It helps to be flexible and creative and your customers will praise you for it.

Neglecting to tap into our local growers also has risks, namely, what we don’t support won’t grow. If we don’t buy from local farmers who can stock our farmers’ markets, grocers, foodservice and restaurant menus with food we can actually eat, we will lose something very precious.

Theresa Heiland is the Local Foods Coordinator for The Minnesota Project, a non-profit organization that promotes programs to develop the sustainable production and equitable distribution of energy and food in communities across Minnesota.

The annual Immigrant and Minority Farmers Conference, sponsored by the Minnesota Food Association, will be held February 3-4 at North Central Regional Council of Carpenters Event Hall, 710 Olive Street, St. Paul, MN. To register, click here.

For details on last years event, download the first issue of Harvest Foodservice Journal and read Brett Olson’s story, “‘Speed dating’ links chefs to growers. For further information on the Minnesota Food Association, visit their website and download Harvest Foodservice Issue No. 2 and read “Training to Meet Demand.” It’s a great organization, and a great event to help our immigrant farmers increase production and cultivate sales in the retail and wholesale markets.

It is the first of its kind and was developed by the nonprofit FamilyFarmed.org with lead funding from the USDA Risk Management Agency. A broad coalition of farm and produce industry partners helped create the program, which is available at www.onfarmfoodsafety.org.

In an era of growing concern about food safety, farmers of all sizes have sought ways to build effective and manageable food safety programs in an economical manner. This tool will help produce growers improve their food safety protocols by helping them assess risks specific to their farms and suggesting risk‐specific mitigations.  “USDA believes that a strong farm safety net—including effective, market‐based risk solutions for  producers of all variety and size—is crucial to sustain the vitality of American agriculture,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. “Effectively managing risk is important to all producers, and having an acceptable food safety program is in the best interest of consumers, buyers, and the farmers themselves. USDA is proud to have worked with  private, public and nonprofit partners to introduce this free tool to farmers seeking to gain certification as a  Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) producer.”

To generate a food safety plan using the tool, the farmer or user answers a series of questions that have been divided into the food safety risk areas. They include worker health and hygiene, agricultural water, previous land use, soil amendments and manure, animals and pest control, packinghouse activities, product transportation, agricultural chemicals, and field harvesting. In addition to helping farmers create a food-safety plan, the tool offers farmers a full‐set of record keeping templates to document their food safety efforts as well as useful food safety resources. Once users have completed their farm’s food safety plan and compiled necessary documentation, they have the capacity to apply for GAP food safety certification, a process asked for by many larger customers.

USDA’s GAP audit verification program, administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), focuses on best agricultural practices to verify that farms are producing fruits and vegetables in the safest  manner possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards. “Wholesale buyers are increasingly requiring that farms adopt and quantify best practices in food safety,” said Jim Slama, president of FamilyFarmed.org. “We created this tool in order to give farmers access to a system that allows them to meet the needs of these buyers, while minimizing risk.” Large buyers including Compass Group, Sysco, and Chipotle Mexican Grill supported the project financially and with technical assistance.

The tool, two‐and‐a‐half years in development, was initiated by a conversation between FamilyFarmed.org and Will Daniels, senior vice president of food safety for Earthbound Farm, America’s leading organic grower. “Foodborne pathogens don’t discriminate between small and large farms, but a one‐size‐fits‐all approach to food safety isn’t effective,” said Daniels. “Programs have to be tailored to specific risks, which is what this tool does.”

The tool integrates with Harmonized GAP standards developed by United Fresh Produce Association, thus helping farmers meet the food safety compliance specifications of most wholesale buyers. “A full spectrum of stakeholders came together to create this online tool and we are grateful for their  input,” said Slama. “We invite farms of all sizes to use it and to give us feedback about their experience.”

The MFA is a first-class organization, and does some wonderful work under the skilled guidance of its executive director, Glen Hill, and staff. The full job description is below, and for more information on the MFA, read the front page story in Issue 1, Volume 2 of the Harvest Foodservice Journal.

—Mike Mitchelson, managing editor

Position Announcement

Minnesota Food Association – Big River Farms

Big River Farms is looking to hire a Production Coordinator for the 2012 season.  The Big River Farms Program of the Minnesota Food Association (MFA) operates an immigrant and minority farmer training program together with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and wholesale distribution service.  The Production Coordinator has primary responsibilities to help oversee the coordination, production, and distribution of organic certified vegetable produce for Big River Farms.  This includes production for the CSA and wholesale markets and the coordination and operations of the greenhouse and hoophouses.   The position would run from March 1 – November 15th, 2012.  This is a full-time position, 40 hours per week. The expected pay range is $10 – $12/hr. depending upon experience.  Successful applicants would have at least 2 full seasons on an Organic vegetable operation involving all aspects of Organic vegetable production, plus a strong work ethic and recognition of the physical and time demanding aspects of farm work.  Preferred qualifications include: experience in supervising workers, proven abilities in greenhouse production, and experience and proven interest in working with people from diverse backgrounds.  Rustic on-farm housing is available.  MFA is an equal opportunity employer.

If you are interested please click for a full job description or visit our website www.mnfoodassociation.org for more information about our farm and programs.

Deadline for applications will be January 15, 2012.

Well, here’s a shocker. The James Beard Foundation announced that “locavorism” will be among the food trends in 2012. They also say the doughnut craze will only get crazier, which highlights America’s bi-polar attitude with food: “Obesity Epidemic! Eat Healthier! Watch Your Portion Sizes! What’s that? OOOooooOooooohh, doughnuts.”

Yeah. OK. I’m sorry. no matter the craze with the deep fried batter lazed with the sugar glaze of your choice, can it really be a lasting trend? Really? I mean, didn’t the country go nuts for Krispy Kreme a few short years ago? That really went well for that company. Yeah, not so much.

Like most people who breathe, I love a good doughnut. But not every day. Or even every other day. Not even weekly, really. With all the good bakeries out there, producing nifty (and healthier) muffins and tasty babka—I’m just sayin’.

But back to locavorism. Hooked in with that trend to a gory degree is what the JBF foundation lists as another trend: Blood. As in sauces thickened with, included in pancakes, chocolate and ice cream, etc. Blood sausage is old hat, apparently. I’m cool with it, if it is, in fact, an enhancer, not a gimmick.

To gauge the success of any movement is to see look at whether it remains a movement. Locavorism, if it plays out correctly, will become a dead term. We should hope for that, because that will mean the majority has incorporated it into its lifestyle. We’re seeing signs that it’s possibility, including the statements from five leading Minnesota chefs that can be summarized this way: “If you own a top restaurant, you are using local products, otherwise you are not serious.”

The same could be said for the chefs featured in Harvest’s sister publication’s Top Chef Book: it didn’t matter if their menus were temples of molecular gastronomy or classic bistro fare, they sought the best ingredients. Most of those came from local producers who grew those items with care.

I’d also like to take issue with the JBF editors about Thai food: Y’all seriously “abandoned all hope that real Thai food could find a foothold in the United States”?

You must be terribly insulated in the ivory tower. We’ve got some of the best (and authentic) Thai food in the country scattered across Harvest’s home base—the Twin Cities in good ol’ Minnesota. You can surely find it elsewhere, if you actually get out and walk the streets.

And if I have any resolutions to suggest, that would be one: Get out and walk the streets where you live and work. There is much to be impressed with.

So, what about that Dairyland Peach? They published a good story that explains pretty well (in dollars and cents, primarily) why a dairy farmer switched his farm from standard production to organic. Perhaps the most telling statement from the farmer, Josh Wolbeck, is this: “I think being organic is a lot less stressful.”

Farming is a tough—but rewarding—profession. Wolbeck looks to be a farmer whose path is becoming increasingly familiar: a young man who now runs the family farm, is tired of the commodities price volatility that causes hardship to the family and farm, who decides to move the business to sustainable footing, both environmentally and financially (Wolbeck is saving $400 a month on vet bills alone). There is price stability in organic farming—especially for those in the dairy business—and there’s a market for the product.

Read the full story here: http://dairylandpeach.com/2011/11/young-sauk-centre-dairy-farmer-turns-to-organic-practices-in-hopes-of-increased-income-stability/

—Mike Mitchelson, managing editor, Harvest Foodservice Journal

If you’re not sourcing local, you’re not in the game.

The above statement was the overarching message from five of the top chefs and business owners in Minnesota—make that the Midwest—who assembled together in a discussion panel at Foodservice News’ second annual Local Challenge event last month at the St. Anthony Main Event Center in Minneapolis. (Harvest Foodservice Journal co-sponsored the event.)

That statement is not grounded in idealism, either, those chefs said. Simply put, local farmers grow some of the best products available—from meat to vegetables—than anywhere else in the country, and those concerned about quality use them on their menus.

More than 120 industry insiders attended the event, which included local producers who provided product samples. The five participating chefs (Russell Klein of Meritage in St. Paul, Erick Harcey of Victory 44 in Minneapolis, Ben McCallum of Three Sons Signature Cuisine in Minneapolis, J.D. Fratzke of The Strip Club Meat & Fish in St. Paul and Steven Brown of Tilia in Minneapolis) also brought samples from their restaurant menus that helped connect theory to practice.

The event also brought attendees together with one of the state’s major industry associations (the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association) and the food and dining editor of the area’s leading consumer publication, Stephanie March of Mpls.-St. Paul Magazine. Both focused on trends in their respective area of expertise.

Panel insight

The five chefs on the panel have sourced local products for years, but haven’t staked their identities on it. All of them agreed that it’s not just about local; it’s about supporting small farms—if they have the best ingredients. Sourcing from local growers is important—and not purely as a feel-good measure, or a marketing angle. The ingredients simply are superior. “If you’re going to be competitive, you’ve got to source (local),” said Russell Klein, the chef and owner of Meritage in St. Paul. “You’re not even in the game with the best chefs in town if you’re not.”

Each chef makes no secret about the provenance of their ingredients, and takes time to educate their service staff about them as part of their knowledge about the dish as a whole. But there was unanimous agreement that they leave it up to the guest to inquire about specifics, rather than impress upon them the origin of each ingredient.

(Photo, from left: Erick Harcey, Ben McCallum, J.D. Fratzke, Steven Brown, Russell Klein)

Erick Harcey remarked that at his restaurant, Victory 44, a discussion about ingredients comes naturally after a diner eats at the restaurant more than once. After about the fourth visit, he said, they ask ingredient questions on their own.

Klein said he leaves it up to the server what to tell the guests—they have the best read on the customer. “They have a dialog with guests weather it’s how the dish was created or where (ingredients are) from,” he said.

For Ben McCallum, the executive chef and co-owner of Three Sons Signature Cuisine, a catering company, nothing specific about local sourcing is in their marketing materials, only that they specialize in custom menus—which includes, if the customer wishes, entirely local and/or organic menus.

The issue of cost always comes up when sourcing local, particularly when it comes to meats. McCallum said clients that ask for a locally sourced or “green” event get a quick education on those costs. “An event for 200, it becomes an issue to the client,” he said, adding that if the client wants grass-fed beef tenderloin from a local provider, he might recommend a different cut to manage their budget.

Keeping food costs in line is an obvious factor in managing an independent restaurant, and all the chefs on the panel utilized classic cooking and preservation techniques to maximize their products, hence the event’s subtitle: The Element of Craft. Among the items touched on: using whole carcasses (including scraps for rillettes, rendering fats, bones for stocks), canning and pickling, smoking and more. Klein remarked that he recently purchased a dehydrator, a tool he’s used to dry for storage a massive amount of mushrooms and other items.

It’s critical to know when the labor involved outweighs the gain, however. Steven Brown, the chef and co-owner of Tilia in Minneapolis, relayed a story from his past about how he and his staff, after hours, labored for hours to shell and pack fresh local peas to freeze, only to discover that the effort didn’t yield better results than the local peas harvested at peak sweetness by a packer, bagged, frozen and delivered on a truck.

Labor. The word struck a note with all of the panelists. To use a whole animal or primal cuts, to know how to make stocks, and charcuterie items (Harcey brought several of his charcuterie items to sample at the event), to can and pickle and otherwise preserve fruits and vegetables, take skills that the panelists described are lacking in new kitchen help—particularly from those coming in from culinary schools. J.D. Fratzke asked if there were representatives or graduates from Le Cordon Bleu in the crowd. “Tell them to bring back their butchering programs,” he said, and then addressed culinary students attending the event from Hennepin Technical College: “Learn butchering. Take the initiative.”

From butchering comes all the other skills to utilize the whole animal, all the way to grinding scrap meats for burgers, “and that way we can give that animal the respect it deserves,” Fratzke said.

Sourcing and distribution was also discussed, the restaurateurs utilizing traditional distributors, but largely maintaining direct relationships with growers. As a caterer, McCallum explained, he’s somewhat limited with sourcing efforts. With large events, he needs a lot of product in a short amount of time. He relies on his distributor, which has an extensive local growers program, to procure and deliver those products in the volume he requires.

Although, he added, he is looking at some local growers to produce a large volume of greens, from whom he could purchase the entire crop. “Otherwise, for local products on hand, I keep grains, legumes and honey—things with a long shelf life,” he said.

Larger distributors have a role in promoting local product—and they must, not everyone can have farmers stopping by their kitchen door. “Between the massive industrial complex and the little guy…somewhere there’s a sweet spot,” Brown said.

—Foodservice News Staff Writer Danielle McFarland contributed reporting to this story.

• A total of 116 persons infected with any of the four outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported to CDC from 25 states.  All illnesses started on or after July 31, 2011. The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (34), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (7), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (4), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (13), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (11), Oregon (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (17), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (3).
• Twenty-three deaths have been reported: 5 in Colorado, 1 in Indiana, 2 in Kansas, 2 in Louisiana, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico, 1 in New York, 1 in Oklahoma, 2 in Texas, and 1 in Wyoming. In addition, one woman pregnant at the time of illness had a miscarriage.

Additional details can be found on the CDC site: http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/index.html