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Cranberries are good business for Wisconsin

November 26, 2010 By

Cranberries are harvested in Warrens, Wis., September 2010. (PHOTO: Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association)

If you were fortunate enough to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast, you probably consumed a lot of cranberries.

Tom Lochner, Executive Director of the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association, says even though you’ll likely see a lot more of the state’s official fruit throughout the holiday season, that’s just a small fraction of the overall market.

He says most of the tangy delight is marketed in products other than fresh fruit. “Maybe 3- to 5-percent of the crop is sold as fresh fruit in the bags that people see in the stores. The rest is in a processed product such as sweetened dried berries or the sauses or the cranberry juice drinks.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Agriculture

Rethinking choking hazards

November 26, 2010 By

Consumer safety officials are being asked to change the standards used to determine if a child could choke on a small part of a toy.

Federal law requires toys with small parts to be clearly labeled as containing a potential choking hazard for children under the age of three. However, Bruce Speight with WISPIRG says that standard is several decades old and it might be time to take another look. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Human Interest

Protecting young holiday visitors

November 25, 2010 By

If you’re pulling out old cribs, toys, and other baby items for young holiday guests, state Consumer Protection officials are urging you to get them checked out first.

The holiday season often means items like old high chairs and playpens are coming up from the basement and being put to use for the first time in years. Michelle Reinen with the state Division of Consumer Protection says it’s important to look for recalls first though, just in case they could pose a danger. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Human Interest

Shoppers support sustainable servings

November 25, 2010 By

Interest in sustainable foods continues to increase and some Wisconsinites will be filling Thanksgiving tables with them. Sean Cash, a professor of Consumer Science at UW-Madison, says some shoppers like to support local farmers and producers. Others look to these alternatives believing the food is healthier or the animals used are treated more humane.

He admits there can be a price premium for such products which are often [Read more...]

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business

Ground broken for Energy Institute

November 25, 2010 By

Doyle, UW dignitaries dig in PHOTO: WRN

Ground has been broken on an energy research facility on the UW Madison campus. Governor Jim Doyle, who provided $50 million in state funding for the new Wisconsin Energy Institute in his 2009-2011 budget, said the work to be done there can decrease dependence on fuel sources from out of state. “We have no coal, we have no petroleum, we have no natural gas,” said Doyle, adding that the state annually spends about $16 million on those fuel sources. “We have the potential of being the absolute leader in the world in energy research,” Doyle said. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation Tagged With: ,
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