Compostible Bioplastics and Romaine E.coli Culprit

Compostible Bioplastics and Romaine E.coli Culprit

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**Traditional petroleum-based plastics that can survive for centuries are piling up across the world, but agriculture may have a potential solution: compostable bioplastics made from sustainable plant materials.

Agri-Pulse reports among bioplastics' promised benefits are that the world's oceans could recover before a seafood becomes a major human health threat, and U.S. farm income could rebound as bioplastics demand creates major new markets.

The Senate's proposed 2018 farm bill could unleash new federal funding for bioplastics development.

https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/11123-bioplastics-boosting-both-plastics-industry-and-farm-income

**A scathing report from the White House blames Beijing for hijacking intellectual property and pursuing destructive industrial policies, saying that nation's spectacular economic growth "has been achieved in significant part through aggressive acts, policies and practices that fall outside of global norms and rules."

As reported on agrimarketing.com, the report says "Given the size of China's economy and the extent of its market-distorting policies, its economic aggression now threatens not only the U.S. economy, but also the global economy."

https://www.agrimarketing.com/s/117780

**The FDA reports that its investigation of a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce may have a connection to irrigation water.

The Packer reports the agency, along with the Centers for Disease Control and state health officials, has been conducting an environmental assessment in the Yuma growing region to "further investigate potential sources of contamination linked to the outbreak."

FDA evaluations of water, soil, and cow manure samples are ongoing.

https://www.thepacker.com/article/fda-links-yuma-e-coli-strain-canal-water

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