Howdy! Welcome to the 62nd issue of the Mad Cowboy Newsletter.

We're proud as peacocks to announce a new DVD from Howard: "A Mad
Cowboy Lecture: 2007." More details below!

Due to all the material about the HSUS investigation/video and meat
recall in "Mad Cow Info Round-Up", we've suspended the "Avian Flu
News" section for this edition. But, as you read further, you'll
learn about Peak Soil!, Edible Estates, more studies on the disease
preventative effects of veggies and fruits, and newly deceased Earl
Butz's legacy to our country's food production "system."

Continuing: PETA's announced this year's "Proggy Awards," Bob Barker
has made an amazing gift to further studies of animal issues, there's
a neat post about recession-proofing your diet, news about Michael
Pollen's latest book, and don't miss the recipes from the excellent
"Vegan Fire & Spice" as well as the videos of the vegetarian 2007
Nobel Prize winner's speech, Doreen the Downer Cow, the Vegetable
Orchestra, and Wayne Pacelle (Pres., HSUS) being interviewed.

... as always, a tip of the hat to our new subscribers. Y'all can
read past issues of the newsletter at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mad_Cowboy/

Happy Spring and get those gardens growing!

Mark, MC editor/webmaster

[personal vegan blog:
http://www.soulveggie.com


***********************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

00: Quote(s) from Howard
01: New DVD from Howard! Trailers OnLine!
02: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
03: Recipes from a New Vegan Cookbook: "Fire & Spice"
04: Mad Cow Info Round-up
05: Veggies: Reducing 2 Cancers, Heart Disease, Blood Pressure
06: Peak Soil!, Edible Estates, Butz Legacy, Farm Emission Rules
07: Vegan Digital Theater Showcase
08: PETA Awards, Bob's Gift, Recession-proof Diet, Mostly Plants
09: Howard's Schedule
10: Quick Bytes
11: Closing Thoughts


************************************************
*00: Quote(s) from Howard
************************************************
"Every great event that has ever happened in the world always started
in one mind. This movement we have today of changing the way people
eat is nothing compared to abolishing slavery, or giving women the
right to vote. You look at all of those movements, the civil rights
movement, how difficult they were --- and we want to say "this is too
tough for us?" I don't think so. I think it's all about saying "I
can't do everything, but I can do something. I can start today." And
I understand that the fork is the most dangerous weapon in the arsenal
of the Homo Sapien --- we're digging more graves with our fork than
any other tool. So join with me. Let's go change the world --- one
bite at a time, and let's start today."

--- Howard Lyman, in "The Mad Cowboy Lecture: 2007" DVD


************************************************
*01: New DVD from Howard! Trailers OnLine!
************************************************
"Filmed up close and personal with 3 cameras in 2007, this is The Mad
Cowboy at his dynamic best in front of a live audience.
Thought-provoking, challenging, informative, amusing, and passionate,
4th generation cattle rancher and vegan Howard Lyman speaks out about
his life, current events, diet, health, nutrition, the landmark trial,
Mad Cow disease, activism, and our environment."

--- from the DVD's back cover

[You can read more about the DVD and see the first six minutes of the
DVD's main video as two 3 minute YouTube Trailers now available at:
http://www.madcowboy.com


************************************************
*02: The Vegan Mind-Bender Contest Winner/Challenge!
************************************************
LAST WEEK'S MAD COWBOY VEGAN MIND-BENDER:
What is the percentage lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure
or hypertension for an individual in the Western World?"

(a) 30% (b) 50% (c) 75% (d) 90%

Congratulations to Rita Rovner, of Baltimore, MD, (winning the VegNews
subscription), and Lucila Reis, of Norwalk, CA (winning the Ethical
Planet organic cotton shopping bag)! Both supplied the correct answer
(d) 90% and won the luck of the draw.

["Currently, a person in the Western world has a greater than 90%
lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure or hypertension.":
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6949526.stm


THIS WEEK'S VEGAN MIND-BENDER:
"Wheat, corn, and other grains represent what percentage of what is
consumed by farmed animals in the United States?

(a) 60% (b) 70% (c) 80% (d) 90% (e) way too much

Please e-mail guesses to: webmaster@... with the word
"contest" in your subject line by NLT May. 20th, 2008. Please include
your name and address (U.S. domestic only). It will not be sold nor
given out to anyone but VegNews and Ethical Planet for the freebies only.

[Many thanks to Joe Connelly, Editor, VegNews, who has offered a FREE
one-year subscription to a winner chosen at random those submitting
the correct answer to each MC Newsletter's Contest. Our thanks to
Joe, and you can learn more about VegNews at:

http://www.vegnews.com or e-mail: editor@... or call
1.415.665.6397]

[Many thanks, also, to Fran Horvath, of Ethical Planet for offering a
FREE organic cotton shopping bag to the 2nd place winner. You can
learn more about her online (and offline) stores at:

http://www.ethicalplanet.com


************************************************
*03: Recipes from a New Vegan Cookbook: "Fire & Spice"
************************************************
""Vegan Fire & Spice" is like a trip around the world without leaving
home. This culinary travel guide belongs in every kitchen and you
don't have to stand in line to clear security."

– Howard Lyman


LIME-MARINATED WHITE BEAN SALAD (serves 4)

"Known as seviche or ceviche, this lime-marinated salad from Peru is
traditionally made with raw fish or scallops, but cannellini or other
white beans are also well suited to the zesty marinade."

1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons minced parsley
1 scallion, minced
2 teaspoons chopped capers
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup olive oil (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or natural sweetener
4 cups torn salad greens

Place the beans in a shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of the lime
juice, the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the cayenne, and toss gently to
coat. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour.

In a bowl, combine the tomato, parsley, scallion, capers, olive oil,
the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice, sugar, and the remaining
1/8 teaspoon cayenne and stir until well blended. Arrange the salad
greens on small salad plates. Place the bean mixture on top of the
lettuce and drizzle with the dressing."


WEST AFRICAN SPINACH WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE (serves 4)

"Dishes flavored with peanuts and spiced with chiles are found
throughout West Africa. This spinach dish is typical and delicious
served over rice or couscous..." [edited]

1 pound fresh spinach, stemmed
1 tablespoon cold-pressed canola oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh hot chiles, seeded and minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Salt

Steam the spinach over boiling water, until wilted, about 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Chop the sinach and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic,
and chiles. Cover and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in
the tomatoes and peanut butter and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to
make a sauce. Add a little water if the mixture is too dry. Add the
reserved spinach and cook, stirring, until hot. Season with salt to
taste."

[More info about and recipes from "Fire & Spice: 200 Sultry and Savory
Global Recipes:"
http://www.robinrobertson.com/vegan_fire_and_spice2.htm

[Robin's blog:
http://veganplanet.blogspot.com/

[Recent digital audio interview with Eric Marcus:
http://www.vegan.com/vegtalk/2008/vegtalk-2008-03-27.mp3


************************************************
*04: Mad Cow Info Round-up
************************************************
"NEW VCJD CASE RAISES FEAR OF MAD COW DISEASE RESURGE IN THE UK:"
(01/03/08): "Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) has killed a 39
year old woman in the UK and triggered renewed fears that a new surge
of mad cow disease is on the way. However, experts are saying there is
no need to panic and there is no evidence of a new wave of BSE or mad
cow disease... The 160 people who died of vCJD carried the MM version
of a gene that codes for a type of protein known as a prion... But the
woman who recently died carried the VV version of the gene, raising
the fear that a new type of vCJD could be emerging... This latest case
has opened speculation that for some people there might be a longer
incubation period, perhaps because they have a different genetic make
up, and there could be a second wave of a new form of CJD on the way.
There appears to be some confusion about the incubation period for
CJD, with one study even suggesting it could be as long as 60 years."

[Very very edited from:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92913.php


"SEOUL TO LIFT BAN AGAINST U.S. BEEF IMPORTS:" (01/21/08): "The
South Korean government may gradually lift all of its restrictions on
U.S. beef imports despite continuing safety concerns among the public,
the Korea Herald reported on Monday. The move is aimed at winning
approval from the Democratic-led U.S. Congress for the S Korea-U.S.
free trade agreement waiting to be ratified by the legislators of both
countries, the daily said. Full reopening of South Korea's beef
market has been cited as the key to persuading U.S legislators to pass
the pact, which studies show would bolster trade between the two major
trading partners..."

[Edited from:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/21/content_7463994.htm


"INDONESIA TO LIFT IMPORT BAN ON U.S. BEEF:" (01/29/08): "Indonesian
government would lift the import ban on U.S. beef later this month, a
senior agriculture ministry official said Tuesday. The move follows
recent audits at two slaughter houses in Minnesota, Minneapolis and
Nebraska, Omaha, said director general of veterinary Tjeppy Soedjana.
"We have concluded audits at the two (slaughter houses) and what left
to be done is the health and halal certification," the official was
quoted by leading news website Detikcom as saying. At the meantime,
only the two slaughter houses will be allowed to sell products to
Indonesia, he said. The government banned beef import from the United
States in 2004 for fears of mad cow disease and has since allowed only
New Zealand and Australia to supply beef.

[From:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/29/content_7521239.htm


"UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION REVEALS ANIMAL CRUELTY AT SLAUGHTER PLANT –
A MAJOR BEEF SUPPLIER TO AMERICA'S SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM:" (01/30/08):
"A shocking undercover investigation by The Humane Society of the
United States reveals widespread mistreatment of "downed" dairy
cows—those who are too sick or injured to walk—at a Southern
California slaughter plant. The investigation at the Hallmark Meat
Packing Co., of Chino... by an HSUS investigator shows slaughter plant
workers displaying complete disregard for the pain and misery they
inflicted as they repeatedly attempted to force "downed" animals onto
their feet and into the human food chain.

... In releasing footage from the investigation, The HSUS demands that
the USDA move swiftly to tighten its confusing regulations on the
slaughter of downed cattle. Downer cows must not be used for
food—plain and simple... The practice of slaughtering downed cows is
especially troubling now that the link between downed cattle and
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease,
has been firmly established. Of the 15 known cases of BSE-infected
animals discovered in North America, at least 12 involved downed
animals...

[Very very edited from:
http://www.hsus.org/farm/news/ournews/undercover_investigation.html


"MINNESOTA SCHOOLS PULL TONS OF GROUND BEEF:" (01/31/08): "Some
Minnesota schools have set aside tons of ground beef, after state
officials told them not to serve meat from a California company that
allegedly allowed sick cows into its supply chain... The USDA sent 20
tons of beef from the company to St. Paul last fall. Students, staff
and other members of the community may have eaten as much as eight and
a half tons of the beef since then, according to district spokesman
Howie Padilla... "We urge state officials to follow the examples
already set by Minnesota, Oregon and Utah to order state school
districts to stop using beef delivered from this company," the
society's president and CEO, Wayne Pacelle, said in a letter to state
school officials in the 36 states that received the beef.

[Edited from:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/01/31/meat_recall/


"AGRICULTURAL SECRETARY: TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SET BACK DUE TO BEEF
RECALL:" (02/22/08): "U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said
Friday the nation's largest beef recall has set back negotiations to
ship U.S. beef to Japan and South Korea. Those markets closed to the
U.S. cattle industry in 2003 after a scare over mad cow disease.
Schafer said at a convention of meat packers and processors that he is
hopeful trade talks will continue, but that the Westland/Hallmark Meat
Co. recall has diplomats asking why the U.S. can't ship safe meat...
Schafer also said Friday he is not in favor of making any immediate
changes to meat inspection regulations in the wake of the recall... He
said that one individual had an incentive to break the rules, but that
the USDA meat inspection system is not broken. He said he would wait
for an investigation into the recall to be completed before make any
policy change recommendations."

[Edited from:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/22/america/Slaughterhouse-Abuse-Trade.php


"MORE THAN 100 NJ SCHOOLS MAY HAVE RECEIVED TAINTED BEEF:"
(02/22/08): "More than 100 New Jersey schools participating in
federal lunch programs are believed to have received tainted meat from
a California meatpacker shut down after the nation's largest beef
recall. State agriculture officials today said they are in the
process of notifying schools -- a task complicated by the snow and
this week's mid-winter vacations that have closed many school
districts. Lynne Richmond, a spokeswoman for the department, said the
schools from across the state received products -- including beef
tacos, hamburger patties and meatballs -- from three processors in
Pennsylvania and Ohio. Those companies, which received at least
126,000 pounds of coarse ground beef from Hallmark/Westland Meat
Packing Co., of Chino, Ca., between February 2006 and February 2008,
were suppliers to New Jersey schools through the National School Lunch
Program. The list of schools, based on information provided by the
processors, will not be released until all the districts have been
notified to determine if they had actually received tainted products..."

[Edited from:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/02/more_than_100_nj_schools_may_h.html


"HUMANE SOCIETY INVESTIGATOR WHO SPURRED THE BIGGEST BEEF RECALL IN
U.S. HISTORY SPEAKS TO SALON ABOUT HIS ALARMING UNDERCOVER VIDEO:"
(02/22/08): "... In industry parlance, a cow too sick or weak to get
to its feet and walk to its slaughter is a "downer." Wrangler, who
guards his real name to protect his anonymity, says some trucks
delivering old dairy cows for slaughter would arrive with feeble
animals lying on top of each other in the back of the truck. "A lot of
the animals weren't able to get up on their own," Wrangler recalls.
"They're too sick or too old for whatever reason. You go and tell the
manager, 'Hey, we've got three down on the back of the truck, what are
we doing to do?' And his response always was, 'Get 'em up.' That was
his mantra." Despite the USDA rule, Wrangler says, the mind-set at
the plant was, "'We're not going to lose this cow.' They're not going
to get the inspector..."

... James O. Reagan, chairman of the Beef Industry Food Safety
Council, said in a statement. "We support USDA's recall as a
precautionary measure. At the same time, we can say with confidence
that the beef supply is safe." But Wayne Pacelle, president of the
Humane Society, has his doubts. The Humane Society, he attests, had
not been tipped off to abuses at the plant. "This plant was selected
at random," he says. "There are 6,200 facilities across the country
that USDA inspects. We chose this one and found egregious abuses.
There is no way that these groups can say that everything is safe...."

[Very edited from from the excellent, if not graphic in a few places,
article at:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/02/22/animal_cruelty/print.html


"IMPACT OF BEEF RECALL WIDENS; SOUPS, SAUCES AFFECTED:" (02/24/08):
"The nation's largest meat recall could grow into its largest food
recall as companies destroy products with any amount of the 143
million pounds of beef recalled last week. The recall's scope is
unprecedented, says the Grocery Manufacturers of America. The value of
foods affected — including soups, sauces, burritos and bouillon cubes
— could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, a senior GMA
official says... Much of the meat has likely been eaten, the USDA
says. But canned products may be consumed years after they're made...
The Westland recall will test the ability of companies to track
ingredients. Beef used by a soup maker may pass through numerous
companies that grind, season and blend it with other products, Henry
says. The best way for consumers to find out if their products contain
Westland beef is to call the producer, he says. The USDA requires the
beef products be incinerated, put in a landfill or cooked down to make
meal not allowed in human or pet food, according to Westland."

[Edited from:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-02-24-beef-recall-impact-wide\
ns_N.htm


"143 MILLION POUNDS OF BEEF RECALLED -- WILL THE INDUSTRY FINALLY
CHANGE?:" (02/24/08): "Maybe you're one of the more than 200,000
people [at that date] who have seen this disturbing video revealing
the animal cruelty caught on tape by a Humane Society investigation at
a California slaughterhouse... let's be clear. This incident --
including the abuse and questionable food safety of the meat from this
slaughterhouse -- is not just a case of a few bad apples. It's the
inevitable outcome of a system in which animal abuse and health
concerns are predictable by-products of following the prime directive
-- maximizing profit -- in a context of inadequate oversight... With
pressure to keep lines moving fast, for example, workers often fail to
completely stun animals, so that cows can be conscious during
slaughter. And those production levels? They're soaring. Tyson, the
largest processor in the country, slaughters 222,000 head of cattle a
week, the equivalent of 1,321 an hour, seven days a week.

... How has the beef industry gotten away with such disregard for
animal welfare, human health, and the environment? Part of the answer
lies in the growing concentration of power within the industry. Just
four companies -- Tyson, Cargill's Excel, Swift & Co., and National
Beef -- now control 71 percent of the beef market. This tightening of
control is felt throughout our political system. In the 2006 election
cycle, the livestock industry funded lobbyists to the tune of $4.5
million. That same year, PAC and individual contributions from the
livestock industry topped $5 million, with the National Cattlemen's
Beef Association PAC alone spending almost half a million dollars...

[Very edited from:
http://www.alternet.org/story/77659/

[NOTE: "A line of 7,500 trucks stretching 85 miles. That's what it
would take to haul the nearly 300 million pounds of meat and poultry
products that were recalled between January 1, 1994, and November 30,
2007, in 773 separate incidents."
http://www.ethicurean.com/2008/02/04/usda-recall-authority/


"SALMONELLA, E. COLI AND NOW 144 MILLION POUNDS OF UNFIT-TO-EAT BEEF,
SPARK ANGER ON CAPITOL HILL:" (02/26/08): "The House Subcommittee on
Oversight and Investigations, trying to find an answer to the growing
reports of tainted and deadly food, found themselves dealing with a
full plate of potentially lethal problems today.

- E. coli in bagged spinach sickened 204 people and killed three.
- Salmonella found in tomatoes sickened 183 people.
- Lettuce contaminated with E. coli at Taco Bell and Taco John
restaurants sickened 152 people.
- Peter Pan peanut butter contaminated with Salmonella sickened 425
people.
- 100 brands of tainted pet food were recalled after sickening and
killing thousands of pets.
- A nationwide recall of fresh spinach occurred following discovery of
salmonella in a test batch.
- Frozen pot pies carrying salmonella were recalled after illnesses
were reported in 31 States.

... the GAO has warned in the past that our food sampling and
inspection is so scattered and infrequent that there is little chance
of detecting microscopic E. coli or any other pathogen for that
matter... turf wars and split responsibilities are gutting the
effectiveness of the nation's food safety system and the three federal
agencies responsible - CDC, FDA and USDA – should have the food safety
mandates merged and properly staffed and funded.

[Very edited from:
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/secretingredients/archives/132787.asp


"CANADA'S LATEST MAD COW RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT FEED BAN:"
(02/27/08): "A six-year-old dairy cow from Alberta was confirmed
Tuesday to have mad cow disease, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
said... No part of the animal's carcass entered the human food or
animal feed systems, but the 12th case of BSE in Canada raises
questions about the efficacy of the feed ban established in 1997. This
cow was born several years after the introduction of a ban on feed
containing cattle or other ruminant parts... The Canadian Cattlemen's
Association says the discovery proves the testing and monitoring
program works. "It's not welcome, but it does prove the system is
working and the producers are on board with the program," spokeswoman
Theresa Keddy said."

[Very edited from:
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=3f869ea6-45f4-4a2e-9d54\
-a6774aa9d1fd&k=84653


"USDA REJECTS 'DOWNER' COW BAN:" (02/29/08): "Agriculture Secretary
Ed Schafer told Congress yesterday that he would not endorse an
outright ban on "downer" cows entering the food supply or back stiffer
penalties for regulatory violations by meat-processing plants in the
wake of the largest beef recall in the nation's history... The
penalties are strong and swift, as we have shown," Schafer said.
"Financially, I don't see how this company can survive. People need to
be responsible and, from USDA's standpoint, they will be held
responsible. . . . They broke the rules. That does not mean the rules
are wrong. I believe the rules are adequate..." The Humane Society,
which believes all downers should be banned, sued the USDA this week
over that policy, calling it a "dangerous loophole..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/28/AR2008022804117.\
html?hpid=moreheadlines


"WHO'S TO BLAME FOR THE BIGGEST MEAT RECALL IN U.S. HISTORY?:"
(03/03/08): "... Conspicuously absent [from the hearings] were
representatives from the dairy industry even though the infirm cows in
the video -- "spent and barely able to stand due to calcium depletion
from being milked intensively" says the Chicago Tribune -- are a dairy
phenomenon. In fact, the dairy industry's reduction of cows into
metabolically collapsed downers in a few short years -- facilitated by
its continued use of Monsanto's rBST -- is even condemned by the beef
industry..... as the nation has serious doubts about meat safety,
Secretary Schafer, the American Meat Institute Foundation and the New
York Farm Bureau have a warped notion of who is to blame for the
scandal: The Humane Society for not calling the attention of USDA
inspectors to the job they weren't doing."

[Very edited from:
ttp://www.alternet.org/story/78543/


"BEEF RECALL COSTS REACH $67.2 MILLION AND RISING:" (04/09/08): "The
federal government is billing a Chino slaughterhouse $67.2 million for
costs associated with the largest beef recall in U.S. history,
officials said Wednesday. That dollar amount is expected to increase
significantly as California and other states compile expenses
associated with destroying meat that had been sent to school districts
across the country as part of the National School Lunch Program. All
told, Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. could be held liable for as much as
$117 million... If the Chino company can't pay -- which appears
likely -- taxpayers will bear the cost...

About 50.3 million pounds of the Westland/Hallmark beef destined for
schools and other programs was first processed into taco meat, steak
fingers or other foods in various states, and at state expense.
Roughly 33 million pounds of that meat had been consumed by the time
the recall was announced in February...
[Very edited from:
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=3f869ea6-45f4-4a2e-9d54\
-a6774aa9d1fd&k=84653


"BEEF RECALL CASE: CATTLE ABUSE WASN'T A RARE OCCURRENCE:"
(03/24/08): "The abuse of non-ambulatory cattle at a California
slaughterhouse has renewed calls for a ban on the slaughter of such
animals, and newly released government records show such mishandling
in past years was more than a rare occurrence. More than 10% of the
humane-slaughter violations issued by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture for the 18 months ended March 2004 detailed improper
treatment of animals that couldn't walk — mostly cattle, says the
Animal Welfare Institute, an animal-protection group... the USDA
records obtained by the Animal Welfare Institute describe 501
humane-handling or slaughter violations that occurred at other
slaughter plants..."

[Very very edited from the article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-03-24-meat-recall-slaughter-b\
an_N.htm


"MAN DIED OF RARE BRAIN DISEASE:" (03/28/08): "A Kansas man who died
in January had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare disease that turns
brain tissue spongy, his brother said Thursday. Frank Rebarchek of
Scott City said the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance
Center had confirmed that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease caused the death
of Milton Eugene Rebarchek. He was from Monument, about 20 miles south
of Colby. "They don't know where he got it, but they're trying to
figure it out," he said. The disease's incubation period is years or
even decades. It can't be confirmed until brain tissue is tested. It
is always fatal..."

[Edited from:
http://www.kansas.com/news/story/354683.html


"SPANISH GOV'T URGES CALM AFTER DEATHS FROM MAD-COW DISEASE:"
(04/07/08): "Spain's agriculture minister on Monday sent a message of
"categorical calm and guarantees" to the public regarding the
consumption of beef after confirmation of the deaths of two people
from mad-cow disease... Espinosa transmitted to the public her full
guarantee of food safety for Spanish beef.."

[From:
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1321244/


"WHITE HOUSE SITTING ON MAD COW RULE:" (04/16/08): "The Bush
administration continues to delay a rule that could protect the public
from being exposed to mad cow disease. The Food and Drug
Administration rule would prohibit farms from using certain animal
by-products as feed for cattle. (FDA rules already prohibit some
similar kinds of feed. The current FDA proposal would strengthen
existing regulations.) ... Even though FDA believes the benefits to be
"potentially large," the White House is likely more concerned about
the potential costs to the agriculture industry... While reviewing the
rule, OIRA and FDA have met with industry representatives on two
occasions. A January 17 meeting included representatives from the
American Meat Institute and the National Cattleman's Beef Association
which opposes the rule as it is currently written..."

[Edited from:
http://www.ombwatch.org/article/blogs/entry/4866/38


"THE FDA REVISES ITS BEEF REGULATIONS:" (04/23/08): "The U.S. Food
and Drug Administration has issued a final regulation barring certain
cattle materials from all animal feed, including pet food... The
materials that can no longer be used in animal feed are the tissues
that have the highest risk for carrying the agent thought to cause
BSE. Such high risk cattle materials are the brains and spinal cords
from cattle 30 months of age and older. In addition, the rule also
prohibits use of the entire carcass of cattle not inspected and passed
for human consumption unless the cattle are less than 30 months of age
or their brains and spinal cords have been removed. The risk of BSE
in cattle less than 30 months of age is considered to be exceedingly
low, officials said... The FDA said the new rule is effective April
23, 2009, in order to give the livestock, meat, rendering, and feed
industries time to adapt their practices to comply with the regulation."

[Edited from:
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2008/04/23/the_fda_revises_its_beef_regulat\
ions/2599/


"JAPAN SAYS BANNED PART FOUND IN U.S. BEEF:" (04/23/08): "Japanese
officials said Wednesday that a spinal column was found in a U.S. beef
shipment in violation of a trade accord that prohibits parts believed
to pose a risk of mad cow disease. A statement from two government
ministries said that Japan has informed the U.S. Embassy of the
findings and that shipments have been temporarily halted from the
California plant involved. David Marks, a spokesman for the U.S.
Embassy in Tokyo, confirmed that U.S. officials were aware of the
incident and will conduct a "full investigation to find out how it
happened." He added, however, that there was nothing inherently wrong
with the product in question. "While we recognize that this is a
product that doesn't meet Japanese standards, the product is perfectly
safe, and the international animal health organization has determined
that all meat, all cuts, all ages of American beef are safe," Marks
said..."

[Edited from:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-04-23-us-beef_N.htm


************************************************
*05: Veggies: Reducing 2 Cancers, Heart Disease, Blood Pressure
************************************************
"PREVENT PROSTATE CANCER BY EATING MORE VEGETABLES, LESS MEAT:"
(02/26/08): "The risk factors for prostate cancer mortality have
already been identified and published (Grant, 2002, in Journal of
Nutritional and Environmental Medicine)... the consumption of
vegetable protein was found to be an important risk-reduction factor.
The high inverse relation between prostate cancer mortality and the
consumption of vegetable protein is probably due to the high
isoflavonoids and lignan content in foods such as pulses (beans) and
whole grains... It is also known that a high consumption of vegetable
products in general, as a fraction of total energy (not only protein
rich vegetables), is inversely related with prostate cancer mortality.
In contrast, a high consumption of animal products as a fraction of
total energy, animal fat, the non-fat portion of milk, and added
sugar, was found to be a risk factor for prostate cancer mortality
(Grant 2002). As a result of these findings, the recommendations are
simple: to eat less fatty meat and avoid processed meat products (due
to their high content of animal fat and preservatives)..."

[Edited from:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10599.cfm


"DIET RICH IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND LOW IN FAT CAN CUT RATES OF
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE:" (04/14/08): A healthy diet rich in fruits
and vegetables and low in fat has long been touted as heart smart.
Now, increasing evidence suggests that a similar diet reduces blood
pressure and decreases a woman's risk for heart attack and stroke.
Scientists reporting in the April 14 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine have found that healthy, middle-aged women who closely
followed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet have
lower rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women who do not
follow such diets. "Our study provides, to our knowledge, the
strongest evidence to date on the long-term benefits of the DASH diet
in the primary prevention of CVD among healthy subjects," writes
Teresa T. Fung, ScD, of Simmons College, Boston... Fung and colleagues
studied the eating patterns of 88, 517 female nurses aged 34 to 59 to
determine if sticking to a DASH diet affected a woman's risk of such
diseases. The women did not have CVD or diabetes when the trial
started...."

[Very edited from:
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20080414/dash-diet-improves-womens-heart\
-healthDASH



"SALADS, GARDENING LINKED TO LOWER LUNG CANCER RISK:" (03/17/08):
"By simply eating four or more servings of green salad a week and
working in the garden once or twice a week, smokers and nonsmokers
alike may be able to substantially reduce the risk of developing lung
cancer, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center. "This is the first risk prediction model to examine the
effects of diet and physical activity on the possibility of developing
lung cancer," says Michele Forman, Ph.D., lead author of the study and
a professor in M. D. The data are from an ongoing M. D. Anderson
case-control lung cancer study involving more than 3,800 participants.
Separate risk assessment models were developed for current and former
smokers as well as for those who have never smoked. Forman's study
looked at salad consumption and gardening because, she said, "Salad is
a marker for the consumption of many vegetables and gardening is an
activity in which smokers and nonsmokers can participate... "

[Edited from:
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2008/2008-03-17-096.asp


"BEETROOT 'MAY CUT BLOOD PRESSURE':" (02/06/08): "Drinking 500ml of
beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure, UK
research suggests. The key beneficial ingredient appears to be
nitrate, which is also found in green, leafy vegetables. The
researchers found that in healthy volunteers blood pressure was
reduced within an hour of drinking the juice. The study, by Barts and
the London School of Medicine and the Peninsula Medical School, could
suggest a low-cost way to treat hypertension. Drinking beetroot
juice, or consuming other nitrate-rich vegetables [dill, beet, roots
and leaves, turnip, parsley, radish, spinach, and leaf lettuce, are
examples], might be a simple way to maintain a healthy cardiovascular
system. Previously the protective effects of vegetable-rich diets
have been attributed to their antioxidant vitamin content..."

[Edited from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7228420.stm


************************************************
*06: Peak Soil!, Edible Estates, Butz Legacy, Farm Emission Rules
************************************************
"PEAK OIL? PEAK SOIL!:" (03/06/08): "Reasonable people can disagree
on the causes and the implications of rising oil prices, but there
seems to be a gathering consensus that the era of easy and cheap oil
is over. If you don't want to take my word on that, then take it from
an oil executive. What few people grasp is the connection between oil
and the food supply. Put simply, the food and farm economies of
industrialized countries run on the stuff. Oil and its derivatives are
used to power farm equipment, to create synthetic fertilizers and
pesticides, to run food processing equipment, and to transport food
from field to fork, a journey of 1500 miles for the average forkful.

It has been estimated that our highly-industrialized food system in
the US requires 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to create 1 calorie
of food energy. Needless to say, that equation just doesn't compute in
the long run... So, what's the solution? The answer to peak oil is
peak soil. The more people who have their hands in it and have a
little of it under their fingernails, the better placed we will be to
feed our communities and, indeed, the world. There are different
things you can do to be part of the solution. If you are a gardener
already, keep up the good work this spring and try to scale up your
growing, if your time and space allow. More importantly, try to bring
some non-gardeners into the fold this year, perhaps by organizing a
backyard or community gathering on Kitchen Garden Day. If you're not a
gardener, this is the year to start...

[Edited from:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/06/7521/

[See also:
http://www.kitchengardeners.org/


"GO FOR AN 'EDIBLE ESTATE': THE CASE AGAINST LAWNS:" (04/04/08):
"...By the end of World War II, over 80 percent of American households
were growing some of their own food. Within months after Victory Day
this activity quickly subsided... in the United States, the
introduction of the leisure weekend, the abundance of fresh water, the
production of industrial pesticides, the availability of the lawn
mower and cheap gas... all set the stage for the unfurling of the
great American lawn as we know it today....

...we plant more grass than any other crop: currently lawns cover more
than thirty million acres. Given the way we lavish precious resources
on it and put it everywhere that humans go, aliens landing in any
American city today would assume that grass must be the most precious
earthly substance of all... Hydrocarbons from mowers react with
nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight to produce ozone. To
eradicate invading plants the lawn is drugged with pesticides and
herbicides, which are then washed into our water supply with
sprinklers and hoses, dumping our increasingly rare fresh drinking
resource down the gutter.

... The Edible Estates project proposes the replacement of the
domestic front lawn with a highly productive edible landscape... A
small garden of very modest means, humble materials, and a little
effort can have a radical effect on the life of a family, how they
spend their time and relate to their environment, whom they see, and
how they eat...

[Very very edited from the long, detailed, and informative book
excerpt at:
http://www.alternet.org/story/80531/


"A REFLECTION ON THE LASTING LEGACY OF 1970S USDA SECRETARY EARL
BUTZ:" (02/07/08): "... Butz... plunged a pitchfork into New Deal
agricultural policies that sought to protect farmers from the big
agribusiness companies whose interests he openly pushed. He
envisioned a hyper-efficient, centralized food system, one that could
profitably and cheaply "feed the world" by manipulating (or "adding
value to") mountains of Midwestern corn and soy... in 1971 as now,
what agribusiness wanted was for farmers to plant lots and lots of
corn and soy. In order to profitably mass-produce convenience fare for
a growing middle class, the food industry needed unchecked access to
cheap inputs... By killing the "supply management" program, Butz would
open a floodgate of cheap inputs from farms to food factories... urged
on by Butz and buoyed by high grain prices, millions of Midwestern
farmers spent the 1970s taking on debt to buy more land, bigger and
more complicated machines, new seed varieties, more fertilizers and
pesticides, and generally producing as much as they possibly could.

... While farmers scrambled to "get big or get out," Butz's beloved
agribusiness giants cheered. Regaled with mountains of cut-rate corn,
Archer Daniels Midland used its political muscle to rig up lucrative
markets for high-fructose syrup and ethanol. In Iowa, bin-busting
harvests gave rise to an explosion of massive concentrated-animal
feedlot operations (CAFOs). An increasingly consolidated meat industry
learned to transform cheap grain into cheap -- but highly profitable
-- burgers, chops, and chicken nuggets...

[Very edited from the detailed and historically accurate article at:
http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2008/02/07/?source=daily


"FARMS MAY BE EXEMPTED FROM EMISSION RULES:" (02/26/08): "Under
pressure from agriculture industry lobbyists and lawmakers from
agricultural states, the EPA wants to drop requirements that factory
farms report their emissions of toxic gases, despite findings by the
agency's scientists that the gases pose a health threat. The EPA
acknowledges that the emissions can pose a threat to people living and
working nearby, but it says local emergency responders don't use the
reports, making them unnecessary. But local air-quality agencies,
environmental groups and lawmakers who oppose the rule change say the
reports are one of the few tools rural communities have for holding
large livestock operations accountable for the pollution they produce...

"Every major air pollution regulation that affects the agriculture
industry has been weakened or delayed by this administration," said S.
William Becker, executive director of the National Association of
Clean Air Agencies, which represents local and state air-quality
agencies. "These are not inconsequential pollutants. In large
concentrations, they kill people..."

...The rule change would eliminate ammonia emissions reporting for big
animal-feeding operations such as Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman,
Ore., where waste from tens of thousands of dairy cows releases more
than 15,000 pounds of ammonia into the atmosphere each day, according
to the EPA..."

[Very edited from from the comprehensive and disturbing article at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/25/AR2008022502472.\
html


************************************************
*07: Vegan Digital Theater Showcase
************************************************
"NOBEL PEACE PRICE 2007: VIDEO OF PACHAURI'S ENTIRE SPEECH [mentioning
the importance to the planet of going vegetarian]:"
http://nobelprize.org/cgi-bin/asxgen.asx?id=795&type=award&year=2007

[See also: "Lifestyle changes can curb climate change: IPCC chief:"
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iIVBkZpOUA9Hz3Xc2u-61mDlrw0Q

"WAYNE PACELLE, PRES. OF HSUS, ON HSUS'S DOWNER FOOTAGE:"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OftBZJ8w2g4

"MEAT COMPANY PRESIDENT ADMITS ILLEGAL SLAUGHTER OF CATTLE:" [from MSNBC]
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/03/12/meat-company-president-admits-illegal-s\
laughter-of-cattle/

"DOREEN THE DOWNER COW:" Flash cartoon by Mark Fiore:
http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/fiore/2008/02/doreen-the-downer.html

"THE ALL VEGETABLE ORCHESTRA:"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpfYt7vRHuY
[see also: http://www.vegetableorchestra.org


************************************************
*08: PETA Awards, Bob's Gift, Recession-proof Diet, Mostly Plants
************************************************
"PETA'S 5TH ANNUAL PROGGY AWARDS:" (2008): "PETA's panel of judges
has cast their votes for the fifth annual Proggy Awards, which
recognize animal-friendly achievement in 21st century culture and
commerce...

BEST NEW COOKBOOK: "Quick-Fix Vegetarian:" Finding that perfect
vegetarian recipe for busy people—quick and effortless to prepare,
healthy, and tasty - got easier this year with Robin Robertson's
"Quick-Fix Vegetarian." The new cookbook - by the author of "Vegan
Planet," "Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker," and the "Vegetarian
Meat & Potatoes Cookbook" - will free you from your microwave and
fast-food boredom with quick-fix treats like spinach and sun-dried
tomato quesadillas, oyster mushroom po' boys, and five-minute
slow-cooker chili. Top off your vegan meal with a few no-bake
oatmeal-almond cookies, and you'll see why "Quick-Fix Vegetarian" is a
winner..."

[Very edited from:
http://www.peta.org/feat/proggy/2008/index.asp

[See also:
http://www.peta.org/MC/NewsItem.asp?id=10751


"ALUMNUS BOB BARKER TO PRESENT DRURY WITH $1 MILLION GIFT:"
(02/07/08): "... to establish the Bob Barker Endowment Fund for the
Study of Animal Rights. "I have established endowment funds at seven
of the finest law schools in the U.S. for the study of Animal Rights
Law. And now, with this endowment fund at Drury University, I hope to
create a model program that other undergraduate schools will
enthusiastically emulate," says Barker, who will be at Drury in person
on Monday. The initial course at Drury titled "Animal Ethics" will
educate students about issues that directly affect the lives of
animals. As a multidisciplinary class, the course will be
team-taught with professors with expertise from the fields of biology,
law, sustainability, psychology, criminology, philosophy, religion and
anthropology. The Animal Ethics course will be offered for the first
time in the spring of 2010. Several law schools, including Harvard
and Stanford, have received gifts from Barker to help fund the study
of Animal Rights, but this is the first time Barker has funded an
undergraduate program in Animal Rights..."

[Edited from:
http://www.drury.edu/multinl/story.cfm?ID=21705&NLID=246


"RECESSION-PROOF YOUR DIET: GO VEGAN:" (03/25/08): "... If you don't
want to spend your retirement fund on food, consider investing in a
vegan diet. Some of the most versatile vegan foods-including beans,
rice, vegetables, soy products and pasta-cost relatively little
compared to animal products. According to a 2007 MSN MoneyCentral
article, the cheapest cuts of beef, such as ground round, average $3
per pound; boneless chicken breasts cost $3.40 a pound; and canned
tuna costs around $2 per pound. In comparison, dried beans and lentils
cost less than $1 a pound, and rice is cheaper than $1 a pound. Tofu
usually costs less than $2 per pound. Even vegans who buy costlier
products like soy sausage and nondairy ice cream can still spend less
than people who load up on beef, chicken and fish... A 2002 E Magazine
article estimated that the amount of feed needed to produce just one
8-ounce steak would fill 45 to 50 bowls with cooked cereal grains...
If you factor in all the money you'll save on hospital bills,
medications and weight-loss plans by avoiding unhealthy,
artery-clogging animal products, a vegan diet is downright economical..."

[Edited from a great post with other useful stats at:
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977293259


"THE AUTHOR OF 'THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA' ADVISES US TO ESCAPE THE
WESTERN DIET:" (12/31/07): "...[Pollan's] optimism fueled two of his
earlier books: "The Botany of Desire," about our relationship with
food, and "The Omnivore's Dilemma," which urged variety in our diet.
It's most evident in the last of the trilogy, "In Defense of Food,"
whose simple message is "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
...Pollan subtitles his new book "An Eater's Manifesto..." "[W]hat
other animal needs professional help in deciding what it should eat?"
he asks. Once, we had culture ("just a fancy word for your mother"),
but culture has been replaced by "scientists and food marketers (often
an unhealthy alliance of the two)." Americans are "increasingly sick
and fat. Four of the top ten causes of death today are chronic
diseases with well-established links to diet: coronary heart disease,
diabetes, stroke, and cancer"... he writes: "The food industry needs
theories so it can better redesign specific processed foods; a new
theory means a new line of products, allowing the industry to go on
tweaking the Western diet instead of making any more radical change to
its business model." The medical community also benefits; Pollan notes
that as Americans spend less on food, they spend more on healthcare."

[Very edited from:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9394.cfm


************************************************
*09: Howard's Schedule
************************************************
APR 30: Kansas City, MO > 7 pm.

MAY 9: Portland, OR > Portland VegFest, Benson High School, 7pm

JUN 18 - 22: Johnstown, PA > Summerfest:
http://vegetariansummerfest.org

JUN 23: Wheeling, WV
JUN 28: Bend, OR

JUL 03: Weimar, CA
JUL 05: Sacramentio, CA

AUG 14 - 17: Wash. DC > AR2008
http://www.arconference.org

AUG 23: Niverville, NY

[More information/embedded links for contact information at:
http://www.madcowboy.com/01_SchedCA.000.html


************************************************
*10: Quick Bytes
************************************************
AGRICULTURE:

[Useful resource and for networking:
http://www.kitchengardeners.org/

[SUPERB CSA (community supported agriculture) interactive resource:"
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/

BLOGS/PODCASTS:

["Organic Consumers: Read, Blog & Meet-up!:"
http://organicconsumers.org/chat/index.php

[The Mad Cowboy Newsletter Editor's Vegan Blog:
http://www.soulveggie.com

[Podcasts, radio:
http://www.veganradio.com/

["The FatFreeVegan Blog:"
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

["The Vegan Lunch Box Blog (PETA & Bloggy Award-winning:"
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com

[Bryanna Clark Grogan's Blog:
http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/

["Raw Vegan Blog and Podcasts:"
http://www.rawveganradio.blogspot.com/

["Recommended Blogs & Websites for Food & Farming Information:"
http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_563.cfm

NEWSLETTERS/GROUPS/LISTS/FORUMS:

[Farmed Animal Net:
http://www.farmedanimal.net/

[VegNews Monthly Newsletter:
http://www.vegnews.com

[FARMUSA's MeatOut Monday Newsletter:
http://meatoutmondays.org

[PCRM Membership News and Info:
Send e-mail to: membership@...

[Vegetarians In Paradise Newsletter:
http://www.vegparadise.com

[International Vegetarian Union Newsletter:
http://www.ivu.org/news/index.html

["In a Vegetarian Kitchen: (Nava Atlas):"
http://www.vegkitchen.com

["International Organization for Animal Protection:"
http://www.oipa.org/

["VeggieBoards:"
http://www.veggieboards.com

RECIPES:

[Over 10,000 veg'n recipe links:
http://www.madcowboy.com/02_VegRecipes.html

["Over 1,000 International (regional) Vegetarian Recipes:"
http://www.ivu.org/recipes/regions.html

[PCRM Recipe Archives:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/recipes/recipe_archive.html

[Almost 2,000 searchable fat-free veg'n recipes:
http://www.fatfree.com

[Award-winning searchable veg'n recipe database:
http://vegweb.com/

[Constantly wonderful site of vegan recipes:
http://www.fatfreevegan.com/

VEGAN

[Nana's Vegan Cookies online!:
http://www.healthycrowd.com/


************************************************
*11: Closing Thoughts
************************************************
"This book is dedicated to compassionate people throughout the world
who help each other, the animals, and the environment by eating a
healthful plant-based diet."

- Robert Robertson, "Dedication" in her vegan "Fire & Spice" cookbook


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