Incomplete list of main stream news links announcing United States food supply shutdowns, emergencies, outbreaks and recalls for the month of March, 2019:
Netherlands base Heineken announced it will eliminated 15% of its jobs in the United States
A new study says honey bees can’t thrive off the pollen from today’s modern farm fields, they’r going back to living off wild plants!
March is National Nutrition Month in the United States.
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
ALABAMA: 180 hemp farms approved
New online farmers’ market
Restaurant Mellow Mushroom shutdown
The Melting Pot shutdown due “to other obligations and opportunities”
Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams volunteer at Feeding the Gulf Coast Food Bank, 04MAR2019.
ALASKA: Meet the last dairy farmer in the state
Chinese tariffs attack Alaskan seafood ops
Cat that lived 6 years in general store gets evicted by food inspectors
Dumb-ass poachers illegally shoot then butcher hibernating bear and cubs, not only caught on security cams but took their own pics of the crime!
ARIZONA: If most of our drinking water is already safe why is the U.S. Department of Defense paying University of Arizona 1.2-million tax dollars trying to make it safe? Turns out our drinking water is not safe to drink, blame it on something called PFAS: “Not only are the chemicals everywhere, and bad, but the advisory level established by the EPA is so extremely low that it makes it even more challenging to treat them.”-Reyes Sierra, chemical and environmental engineering professor
State Department of Agriculture confirms horse deaths due to EHV-1
Perfect Pear Bistro shutdown a six years old location due to the rent being jacked-up
More proof that veggie doesn’t sell, Veggie Rebellion grocery store shutdown, the owner saying “Money never stretches far enough, people don’t want to work with small organizations, and the future is generally uncertain.”
ARKANSAS: Farmers sue U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over catastrophic flooding
Buffalo gnats killing hundreds livestock and wild animals: “The animals can die from blood loss and even suffocating because their airway is compromised, but the most common cause of death comes from shock. The anti-coagulant in the fly’s saliva can accumulate when thousands are biting an animal, causing them to die from toxic shock similar to allergic reactions.”-Kelly Loftin, University of Arkansas’s Division of Agriculture
CALIFORNIA: Land O’ Lakes issued a layoff WARN for its dairy ops in Tulare, 79 jobs gone in May. Evil Albertsons owned Vons issued a shutdown WARN for a grocery store in Barstow, 65 jobs gone by the end of May. Unified Grocers issued a layoff WARN for its ops in Commerce, 67 jobs gone by the end of May. Online grocery delivery service Instacart issued numerous shutdown WARNS, more than 250 jobs gone by mid-May! Grape and cherry grower/seller Vincent B. Zaninovich & Sons issued a mass layoff WARN, 511 jobs gone in April! Industry news reports indicate that Vincent B. Zaninovich & Sons is “Selling land and shedding jobs…”
Revealed; California’s water is going to Saudi Arabian owned farms which produce food for animals in Saudi Arabia!
Scientists from two universities accuse state and county officials of ‘gaming’ pesticide permits for farmers, allowing farmers to use deadly chemicals on food
USDA shifts $45-million in taxpayer funding to California to fight outbreak of vND
Vintage Grocers suddenly shutdown its store in Westlake Village, 65 jobs gone
after three years Skool Japanese Gastro Pub suddenly shutdown due to lack of business
Walmart shutting down a San Jose Neighborhood Market, 83 jobs gone by April
Milk Pail Market shutting down after 45 years due to three years of city road work killing off business
After only 15 years Phantom Rivers Wine shutdown due to the age of the owners
Café Bizou shutting down its 25 years old Sherman Oaks location
COLORADO: Mystery kidney disease affecting farm workers blamed on climate and agriculture chemicals
U.S. Air Force being sued for contamination of ground water, causing millions of dollars in farm losses
Starbucks shutdown one of its Colorado Springs locations, no reason given
State Department of Military and Veterans Affairs employees teamed up with National Guard personnel to march to Fight Hunger, 15MAR2019. It’s the third year for the Fight Hunger march, in which the donated food was carried in their backpacks.
CONNECTICUT: The First & Last restaurant failed to live up to its name, shutting down while there are still other restaurants open, it’s blamed on a lawsuit filed by the city
Rita’s Italian Ice shutdown to allow a next door restaurant to expand
DELAWARE: Invasive bug causes $8-billion in economic damages, police-state searches being conducted
Hemp investors wine about bureaucratic red tape
FLORIDA: After six years Dahlia’s Pour House shutting down when “the beer runs out” due to a failed attempt to sell the bar
The realities of marijuana farming results in a big pain in the grass: “I’m not against medical marijuana by no means. If it helps someone who’s sick, that’s great, but why should it affect my life? I can’t even have peace at my own home! I don’t like the strong smell of marijuana either, and you can see kids holding their noses at school bus stops, but that’s not even the biggest issue I’m having. It’s the noise. It’s unbearable really and it’s 24/7.”-Ted Miller, lives next to new marijuana farm
What happened to all the farming in Broward County? You can keep looking till the cows come home, but you won’t find many
As the food insecurity in the U.S. refuses to go away, in Florida another Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules (from my old USAF ‘alma mater’ Dyess AFB, Texas) was loaded with food and other supplies for refugees from a sanctioned country, in South America. Information from USAID stated that in February at least enough food for 10-thousand people has been shipped to rebel Venezuelan distribution operations in Cúcuta, Columbia:
GEORGIA: The Peach State’s ‘right to farm’ law feels threatened after court ruling
GUAM: List of most destructive invasive species affecting Guam
HAWAII: “… it is with great regret that we made the decision to close the Makawao Steak House. The business had been operating at a financial loss for two years…”
House plant sales being blamed for invasion of non-native fire ants
IDAHO: Despite a global glut of dairy products killing off the dairy industry nation wide, University of Idaho wants to spend taxpayer, and donor, dollars building the largest research dairy in the U.S.
Equine Herpes Virus as been diagnosed in Idaho, after the horse traveled through Arizona and Utah
Local farm uses geothermal heat to grow veggies in Winter
Magic Valley now home to crickets-for-food farm
ILLINOIS: Future of farming will require farmers to get ‘off-farm’ jobs
$700-thousand federal tax dollars going to ‘specialty’ farms in Illinois
After five years ‘high-end’ Standard Market suddenly shutdown its store in Naperville
After 30 years Shoeless Joe’s Ale House & Grille shutdown
Schnucks shutting down a grocery store in Belleville, in connection to last year’s take over of local Shop-n-Save stores
INDIANA: Aramark food service contractor issued a WARN, 2-hundred jobs threatened in Indianapolis!
Shyler’s BBQ shutdown, the owners saying “Over the last few years there has been a multitude of new restaurants pop up throughout the city. More are coming. The pie is split to many ways. It is difficult to succeed in this business.”
IOWA: The state Alcoholic Beverage Division issued a WARN, 39 jobs in Ankeny gone in April.
How America’s food giants swallowed the family farms, in Iowa
KANSAS: After devastating floods farmers are now saying they can’t rely on government for help because “They don’t have any money, nobody has any money.”
Oil company wants to run pipeline across farms
KENTUCKY: Hemp farming explodes, leading the nation
MAINE: Lobster catch brings big money
New state tax refund for maple syrup and honey?
MARYLAND: As many as 36 Shoppers Food & Pharmacy stores shutting down!
State senate considers banning Chlorpyrifos
Lawmakers overide governor’s veto, new minimum wage affecting farm labor costs
MASSACHUSETTS: Elizabeth Warren wants to stop the growth of corporate farms
Lefty’s Brewing shutting down due to the health problems of a co-owner
After 38 years Quarterdeck Seafoods shutdown
Cereal maker Post shutting down its Weetabix factory in Clinton, 181 jobs gone by July!
After 38 years of breakfast Sorella’s shutdown due to part of the building being sold-off
MICHIGAN: Boersen Farms sued yet again, for failure to pay its debts
TreeHouse Foods closing Battle Creek plant, more than 50 jobs affected
Food giant Kroger is once again shutting down a grocery store, this time on East Blue Grass Road, 81 jobs gone
Hideout Brewing Company shutdown after 13 years due to failed attempts to sell it
After 11 years Dolce Vita Italian suddenly shutdown
After 65 years Pasquale’s Restaurant shutting down
After 40 years iconic Ginopolis shutdown
Last year corporate officials of Country Kitchen shifted focus in an effort to boost sales; cutting operating hours and serving breakfast only. Apparently that effort failed as the nearly 50 years old Detroit Lakes Country Kitchen was shutdown and the property put-up for sale.
MINNESOTA: Cokato Plant-Faribault Foods issued a WARN, 102 jobs threatened, date as of yet to be set! Farm retailer Mid-States Distributing issued a WARN for its ops in Mendota Heights.
Local farm income lowest in 23 years
six consecutive years of extremely low profitability results in farmer mental health becoming top concern
Cryptosporidium parasite detected in Minnesota groundwater
MISSISSIPPI: half of Mississippi’s counties affected by flooding, pushing hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural farmland underwater
MISSOURI: Schnucks shutting down two of its grocery stores in Saint Louis, at least 130 jobs affected!
New state laws changing farming
MONTANA: After two brutal winters, stock growers press feds to expand taxpayer funded livestock loss compensation
NEBRASKA: “We’ve gone through 2018 with nothing on the horizon for better markets. Sad to say, 2018 was a tough year but 2019 is where we’ll run out of our ability to manage this cash-flow crisis.”-Ben Steffen, farmer
Flooding caused a bottled water shortages, among other problems, alleviated with the help of the National Guard.
NEVADA: outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus
NEW HAMPSHIRE: 200 years old farm now ‘protected’ by taxpayers
North Country Smokehouse Recalls Ready-To-Eat Sausage Products due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
NEW JERSEY: One million pounds of illegal Chinese pork, possibly contaminated with African Swine Fever, captured at New Jersey port!
Cows and calves mysteriously dying
For some reason the U.S. Department of Labor is advising New York farms to advertise for job openings in New Jersey!
NEW MEXICO: USAF contaminates groundwater near Clovis, downplayed by state officials
NEW YORK: Food service contractor Aramark issued a WARN, 193 jobs threatened due to loss of contract with Clarkson University! Kuni’s Corporation issued shutdown WARNs for several of its Ikinari Steak joints across The Big (rotting) Apple, at least 70 jobs gone by the end of May. Online food delivery company Instacart issued a shutdown WARN for several locations across The Big (rotting) Apple, about 250 jobs gone by mid-May! Art Food issued a temporary shutdown WARN for three of its The Cafes at MoMa, at least 121 jobs gone by mid-June due to renovations!
More than 1,300 dairy farmers in New York went out of business from 2007 to 2017
Tops Friendly Markets shutting down a grocery store in Buffalo due to not being able to renew the lease, 57 jobs affected
Hart’s Local Grocers shutdown in Rochester due to crashing sales
NORTH DAKOTA: State lawmakers change the definition of meat!?
After 50 years White House Cafeteria shutdown to focus on catering only
After 35 years the Polar King in Jamestown shutdown, the owners saying “Over the years….missed out on so many weddings, birthdays, funerals…..We haven’t gone on a vacation in 20 years.”
OHIO: China Dynasty shutting down after 32 years because the old owner doesn’t want to play the lease renewal game anymore
Even upscale steakhouse Boi Na Braza shutdown due to not being able to afford the lease
LaScola Italian Grill shutdown after 12 years
IGA suddenly shutdown a grocery store in Saint Paris, the mayor blames it on low-volume sales, yet also admits that most of the stores in Saint Paris are ‘low volume’
IGA shutdown a 37 years old grocery store in Willard
Schwebel’s shutting down a bakery in Solon, 2-hundred jobs gone!
OKLAHOMA: Allen’s Coney shutting down after 35 years due to needing to find a new affordable location
Wheat, canola planted acres are down
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus at Oklahoma Youth Expo
J-M Farms haz-mat leak causes massive fish kill in Tar Creek, pays $24-thousand fine, actual clean-up costs much higher
OREGON: Another record year for hemp
U.S. FDA begins on-farm inspections
Legislative attempt to end ‘right to farm’ for dairies
PENNSYLVANIA: Lanternfly quarantine zone expanded
Online food delivery service Maplebear-Instacart issued shutdown WARN for several locations, 56 jobs gone by mid-May.
after 15 years Keystone Homebrew Supply shutdown a location in Bethlehem due to increasing competition, both online and off-line
After 27 years restaurant Katana shutdown
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market shutdown, no reason given
ShopRite suddenly shutdown a 30 years old grocery store blaming it on the city’s beverage tax, saying “We lost a lot of customers”, warning “once this area closes, it will become a food desert.”
PUERTO RICO: Productos La Aguadillana Recalls Breaded Chicken Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
RHODE ISLAND: $270-thousand in taxpayer funded grants for food businesses
After 18 years The Red Fez shutdown due to the building being sold and the end of the “historic parking lot district”
SOUTH CAROLINA: After more than 12 years ‘dog-friendly’ Parson Jack’s Cafe shutdown due to rising rent and cost of labor
Despite an increase in sales of CBD products, it’s actually illegal
Drought declared
SOUTH DAKOTA: The five years farm economy decline continues
TENNESSEE: EHV-1 spreads to Tennessee horses
Beetles threaten tree industry
Walmart shutting down its Neighborhood Market in Morristown, 77 jobs gone in April
after 58 years Bill Martin Foods shutdown
After four years Deezie’s Hot Chicken shutdown to focus on food truck ops
Shoney’s shutdown a 38 years old Knoxville restaurant due to the rent being jacked-up
TEXAS: Texas Fails To ‘Get The Lead Out’ Of Drinking Water
After 40 years Cenare Italian Restaurant shutting down due to skyrocketing rent costs and increasingly tough competition
Jesse’s Taqueria #2 on East Villa Maria Road in Bryan suddenly shutdown
After only a year and a half Angus Burgers shutdown its Wichita Falls location without warning
In El Paso, Border Patrol personnel gave out taxpayer funded food and water to illegal immigrants who surrendered.
UTAH: Even god couldn’t stop Even Stevens sandwich chain from going chapter 11 bankrupt busted
State Department of Agriculture and Food issues warning over EHV-1
VERMONT: After more than four decades iconic Bently’s Restaurant shutdown due to not being able to pay the new lease
Working Lands Enterprise Initiative gives 823-thousand tax-dollars to Agriculture and Forestry businesses
New fees for hemp growers
VIRGINIA: Younger farmers dealing with increased stress
Dairy farms in decline, 5-hundred Grade-A permits issued in March 2019, compared to 30 years ago when 12-thousand such permits were issued!
Strawberry Street Cafe shutdown after more than 40 years to make room for a “new concept”
Dog-n-Burger Grille shutdown (with a name like Dog-n-Burger I’m not surprised, but the ‘dog’ referred to hot dogs, not actual dogs)
Omaha Steaks suddenly shutdown its grocery center in Short Pump
WASHINGTON: Washington Beef recalls Ground Beef Products due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
State senator implies farms are using slave labor under her proposed law, said she’s surprised by the amount of push-back she got
Washington DC: USDA gives 49 states and three territories, 66-million tax dollars for pest detection and surveillance.
Despite trade war with China, USDA predicts increased income for farmers, economists say whoa
U.S. & EU heading for a food fight
WISCONSIN: After almost 44 years Alt n’ Bach’s Town Tap shutdown
Governor wants taxpayers to fund dairy and hemp farms
Report on fungicide reveals the ‘experts’ who make the chemicals don’t actually know how it works!
WYOMING: Popular Coffee Depot shutdown
University of Wyoming declares there are too many heritage apple trees in the state!
Industrial hemp farming now legal under state law
U.S. FOOD CRISIS, February 2019: “LONG HOURS, EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, EQUIPMENT FAILURES, WAGE HIKES”
Another RF-84F in 1:72 scale is the PJ Production multi-media kit, in resin, PE, metal and vacform plastic. It is highly accurate and detailed. Reviewers report it is not for beginners and requires a lot of dry fitting to reveal the difficult areas of assembly. The kit has been around for at least a decade, yet PJ Production website still lists it as a “new product”. It lists for 41.50 Euros (about $50 to $60 USD depending on the exchange rate).
Almost forgot that in 2018 Sword issued their RF-84F. The quality of the parts is typical of Sword kits. Issued in two boxings with four different markings per box. Initial reviews are good. In the United States the price ranges from $20 to $32, and they’re selling fast.
For decades the only 1:48 scale RF-84F was the not so good Heller kit. Apparently first released in 1979-80 along with its F-84F Thunderstreak. About four years later Monogram released its way better F-84F, but for some reason decided not to do a much needed RF version. The Heller kit is as basic as the 1:72 scale Italeri kit, it’s been re-issued continuously and the U.S. price for previously owned kits averages $20, while the latest new issues are going for as much as $40 (outrageous given its age and lack of quality).
And now for something really outrageous. Recently a Japanese company called Tanmodel issued the newest 1:48 scale RF-84F. You’d think it was the best damn thing in the world going by how much sellers are asking for it. An internet review said it was better than the ancient Heller kit, but the recessed surface detailing is not much better than Monogram’s raised detailing. In fact the reviewer said the recessed rivets (which there are no such thing on real airplanes) look more like 1:32 scale rivets, the pics of the completed kit makes it look like the trench-n-divet surface details are raised because they’re so over-scale. You get air intake ducting and an exhaust pipe. You also get a detailed camera bay, which is pointless because the fuselage is not molded so that you can poise the access door in the open position (you could do surgery). The ultimate reason this kit is so outrageous is its asking price, I’ve seen prices ranging between $70 and $180!!!
