The national Women, Infants and Children program, otherwise known as WIC, has undergone some changes that officials hope will lead to healthier eating habits.  WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Jack Nicolson loved it in The Bucket
List…Oprah featured it on her show…and now it’ll be available
in Fort Myers one day only, on Monday’s National Coffee Day. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more on what’s come to be known as Cat Poo
Coffee, and the local man who’s serving it. 

Chipotle
Mexican Grill has just joined several fast food chains to give tomato
pickers in Florida a raise. But unlike the others, the Colorado-based
company has pledged to ensure the workers will GET the money.  WGCU’s
Valerie Alker reports. 

Federal
Fishery Management experts are considering a proposal to allow open
ocean aquaculture farms in the Gulf of Mexico.  Supporters tout the
benefits of increasing domestic seafood production, but some
environmental advocates are saying, “Not so fast.”  WGCU’s John Davis
reports.

The
area’s lead food distribution agency is enlisting more aid in feeding
Southwest Florida’s hungry. WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

Senior
Friendship Centers in Lee County are the first in the state using
federal stimulus dollars to provide lunch to elderly residents.  The
Older American’s Act established the Administration on Aging in 1965 to
provide funding to communities to help keep seniors in their homes and
active in society.  Today, with many seniors’ retirement income
dwindling – nutrition has become the focal point of that commitment. 
WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports. 

The
number of people who need help getting food is reaching new highs.  One
southwest Florida food pantry actually ran out and had to shut down
temporarily. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

The
Salvation Army of Collier County has seen a 125 percent increase in the
number of people turning to them for help to keep food on the table. 
The increase has left the organization in desperate need of donations. 
WGCU’s John Davis reports.

A group of national experts is in Fort Myers Tuesday to hold a discussion about the sustainability of this nation’s food supply. They’re expected to touch on big topics like the globalization of food and also some simple things consumers can do to make a difference. Rick Clugston is executive director of Earth Charter U-S-A. He says Americans need to reexamine their food priorities.

“Part of it is, it’s a question of what’s a better way to get our food. What’s a better way to eat...something that makes us healthier, something that makes the planet healthier, something that makes a better life for animals, a better life for workers, a better life for rural communities.”

The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association wrapped up its annual conference yesterday in Naples. As W-G-C-U’s Valerie Alker reports the industry is preparing a new marketing campaign.

It’s called “Fruits and Veggies, More Matters” and the campaign targets Generation X Moms. Ray Gilmer of the Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association says parents already know they’re an important part of a healthy diet. The ad campaign serves up strategies for getting the healthy foods on the daily menu.

“Fruits and vegetables in their fresh form certainly is the first choice, but all forms matter, fresh frozen canned even juice can be an excellent way of reaching those recommended goals of eating more fruits and vegetables every day”.

The marketing campaign will be launched in March. While in Naples the fruit and vegetable growers also talked about how to make the Federal Farm Bill friendlier to Florida Agriculture and how to deal with a looming labor shortage.

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Florida is NOT one of the states that has confirmed cases of E-coli from bagged spinach. And the outbreak poses no immediate problem to the state’s growers. But it was a topic of conversation at the week’s annual meeting of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable growers association in Naples. Roy Gilmer is the Association’s director. He says right now there’s no harvesting going on.

“We don’t have any product. but we’re working with the fda to make sure what ever systems they say may see necessary to keep this from happening again can be put into place.”

Most of the bagged spinach comes from California, but Gilmer says during the winter season the Belle Glade area in South Florida is also a producer. Florida leads the nation in citrus production. It’s also a leading grower of tomatoes, green peppers, snap beans, potatoes and sweet corn.