Consumer Q’s

Prepared by the Office of Public Affairs

Georgia Department of Agriculture

Tommy Irvin, Commissioner

www.agr.georgia.gov

Q. When is Agriculture Day in Georgia for this coming year?

A. Agriculture Day in Georgia will be March 18, 2010. The day highlights the importance of farmers and agriculture to our state. To celebrate, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Agriculture in the Classroom Council Inc. are sponsoring an essay and art contest for Georgia students.

This year’s theme is “Agriculture: Touching Every Georgia County.” Students may submit an essay in the contest explaining or describing agriculture in their county and/or how it touches the lives of its citizens. Students may also submit a drawing or painting directly relating to the theme, or may draw or paint a Georgia farm scene instead.

For more information, visit the website of the Georgia Department of Agriculture or contact Teresa Jenkins at 404-656-3685.

Q. Where can I find data about crops in Georgia such as how many acres are planted and total production?

A. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers data and statistics about agriculture in Georgia and throughout the U.S. Maps, crop progress reports, the latest agricultural census, historical data and information on crops, livestock and other aspects of agriculture are available at its website. For a link to the Georgia Office of USDA’s NASS visit: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga. You will find a wealth of information.

Q. Why do food labels include information on the allergens that might be in the product?

A. Those who have suffered from allergic reactions to foods can cite numerous painful or even life-threatening situations that could have been avoided by knowing that a particular allergen was in the food. There is no cure for food allergies, so avoiding the foods that cause the reactions is the only way to prevent them.

All labels placed on food packaging must meet requirements for clearly identifying a “major food allergen” in the food product. Raw agricultural commodities do not have to be labeled.

A “major food allergen” is any one of the eight major foods or food groups that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognizes as accounting for 90 percent of all food allergic reactions in the United States. The eight source foods are:

Milk;

Eggs;

Fish, such as bass, flounder, and cod;

Crustacean shellfish, such as crab, lobster, and shrimp;

Tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans;

Peanuts;

Wheat; and

Soybeans.

Even slight traces of food allergens can cause severe and life-threatening reactions in some people. Small amounts of some food allergens might not produce a noticeable reaction, but the allergen can cause physical damage to many areas and systems of a person’s body. For instance, some people allergic to gluten/wheat can ingest small amounts over a period of time and not have a visible reaction, but the person’s digestive system can suffer intestinal damage and malabsorption. Their bodies are unable to absorb nutrients from the digestive system because of the damage done by the allergen.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture notifies the public of any recall of mislabeled food in Georgia, including foods with unlisted allergens. Food recall notices can be found on the department’s website at www.agr.georgia.gov with most recent ones listed near the top of the home page. More information on food allergens and labeling may be found at www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/default.htm

If you have questions about services or products regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, visit our website at www.agr.georgia.gov or write to us at 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Room 227, Atlanta, GA 30334; e-mail info@agr.state.ga.us or telephone 1-800-282-5852.

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