The Super Bowl & Government Documents

Bet you didn't think of all the ways documents are involved with the Super Bowl!

• Game ball (Smithsonian)
• Security
• Department of Homeland Security image
• FBI podcast
• Food Safety (USDA)
• Score a Food Safety Touchdown at Your Super Bowl XLVI Party (FSIS)
• Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods (FSIS)
• Wings! Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating (FSIS)
• 6 NASA technologies in play at the Super Bow (GCN)

Bees!

Learn how a partnership that includes the USDA is working to develop a bee friendly seed mix. The seed mix will help bees to pollinate flowering plants and, once the right mix is developed, it will be placed on farms.

Before You Panic Over Turkey Giblets & More

If you don't have time to read Hotline Answers "Panic Button" Food Safety Questions before you begin prepping your holiday meal then at the very least you'll want to bookmark the site for easy reference while you cook.

Thanksgiving Volunteer + Food Safety

Will you be helping to serve food this Thanksgiving? If so, you might want to read this food safety fact sheet first.

Allergies & Food Safety Fact Sheet

Monitoring food labels for allergens is an ongoing challenge because you never know when a safe food product might add an allergen to the list of ingredients. To help answer questions, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has this Allergies and Food Safety Fact Sheet.

How & When to Pack a Cooler

You might have seen the funny PSA's that focus on keeping certain types of food cold. Here's a blog post from the USDA that gives tips on how to pack a cooler and when you should consider using one. They're not just for outdoor sporting events.

Cost of Food from the Farm to the Table

Using a new data tool, the food dollar series, the ERS (Economic Research Service) is now able to give us a better understanding of how much our food costs.

Finding a Farmers Market

It's the perfect time to enjoy food fresh from your local farmers market. Use this new USDA tool to help you locate a farmers market near you.

Goodbye Pyramid, Hello Plate

The USDA is announcing MyPlate as the new way to help us be healthy eaters.

Ask Karen

Planning on firing up the grill this Memorial Day? Add Ask Karen to your list of food resources. Ask Karen is a 24/7 automated safe food guru. How long can potato salad stay on the picnic table? What's the deal about pink when it comes to pork? Just Ask Karen!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

The U.S. National Arboretum has a fantastic list of tips that will answer some of the most common gardening questions.

Alabama Tornadoes: Resources, Facts & Donation Information for April 27, 2011 event

For resources (help or assistance):

• State of Alabama Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA or Alabama Disaster site
• American Red Cross - Get Assistance
• USDA Offers Food Safety Tips In Aftermath of Devastating Storms
• What to do after a tornado
• Tree trimming tips
• Floods & Tornadoes: keeping disaster site workers safe during cleanup & recovery operations
• US Dept. of Labor provides grants to help Alabama residents recover from storms 
• Rebuilding after a natural disaster  

Victims have been asked to forward their mail to a new address in order to avoid identity fraud. Keep in mind that there's only one official site that offers free credit reports.

For facts (which are ongoing):

• National Weather Service
• Tornado Tracks in Mississippi and Alabama 
• State of the Climate: Tornadoes April 2011
• Unique Space Image of Alabama Tornado Tracks
• Satellite and Radar Data Reveal Damage Track of Alabama Tornadic Thunderstorms

Give:

• Christian Service Mission or use the Amazon Wish List 
• Red Cross Donations 

Snow = Water

Learn how snow surveyors from the USDA measure snow in order to forecast water availability.

How Much Do Fruits and Vegetables Cost?

We've been encouraged to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables. Have you wondered how much this will add to your grocery bill?

Where's the honey?

Have you wondered what caused the honey bee colony collapse disorder? The 2010 Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder Progress Report investigates the possible causes along with the economic impact.

Food & You

New Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been released by the US Department of Agriculture and  the Department of Health and Human Services. Consider using Your Food Environment Atlas to see how your county currently meets the demand & use of food.

Canned Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in the United States: An Updated Report to Congress

We just learned that we should *try* to consume 8 servings of fruits & vegetables daily. Well, here's a chance to learn more about how much canned fruit & vegetables we currently consume along with how we Americans feel about these items being canned.

Alabama Landowner Grows Produce in Winter, Models Conservation Practices

What Does the New Food Safety Law Mean for You?

There have been a lot of changes regarding food safety in our country. What are the changes and will they effect you?

usda.gov/open

Here's your chance to interact with the USDA. Their blog, usda.gov/open, allows for feedback from you about USDA reports & resources.  Give your $0.02 about sweet potatoes.