'Following these simple travel tips will help expedite the screening process at airports and keep travelers healthy and safe throughout the holiday travel season,' said Secretary Napolitano.

TSA's holiday travel tips will help decrease the amount of time passengers spend in line at airport security checkpoints, increase the overall efficiency of airport operations and enhance security by engaging passengers in the shared responsibility of watching out for suspicious activity at airports across the nation.

TSA Travel Tips

* Pay attention to your health before traveling
o The best way to prevent the spread of the flu is to stay home if you're sick or have flu-like symptoms.
o The CDC recommends you get both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
* Practice good hygiene while traveling
o Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.
o Wash your hands regularly to help prevent the spread of germs and illness.
* Ensure your government-issued ID and boarding pass are out and ready
o Getting all travel documents together and ready before you get in line will help security officers quickly verify that you, your identification, and your boarding pass match and are valid.
* Wear easily removable shoes and jackets
o Wearing footwear that can be easily removed helps speed the process for X-ray screening. Be prepared to remove all shoes, jackets and other outerwear for screening.
* Take out liquids and laptops
o Remember the 3-1-1 rule for liquids, gels and aerosols at the checkpoint:
+ 3-ounce bottles or less for all liquids, gels and aerosols;
+ 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic zip-top bag; and
+ 1 bag per passenger placed separately in a security bin for X-ray screening.
o The liquid restriction applies only to carry-on bags. Passengers can pack larger quantities of liquids and gels in checked baggage.
o Be prepared to remove your laptop from its case and place it in separate bin for X-ray screening.
* Use TSA Family Lanes if you or your family needs extra time or assistance
o Last year, TSA expanded its popular Family Lanes to every security checkpoint in the United States.
o Family Lanes allow infrequent travelers, those with small children or passengers who need additional assistance to move through security at their own pace. Officers in these lanes work with passengers to screen medically necessary items like baby formula and insulin.
* Keep an eye out for suspicious activity
o Transportation security is a shared responsibility. The traveling public plays an important role in keeping holiday travel safe.
o Travelers should report all suspicious activities or items to airport security personnel.
* Remember TSA's new Secure Flight program when booking new airline tickets
o Fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation, TSA is working with airlines to implement Secure Flight.
o Secure Flight prescreens passenger name, date of birth and gender against government watch lists for domestic and international flights—making travel safer and easier by keeping known or suspected terrorists from obtaining a boarding pass.
o In addition, Secure Flight helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watch lists.
o When booking airline tickets, use your name as it appears on the government ID you plan to use when traveling—along with your date of birth and gender. Providing this information will clear 99 percent of travelers to print boarding passes at home.
o Airlines are phasing in this program; if you are not prompted for this information when booking travel or if there are small variations between your name and your reservation, don't worry—you will still be able to travel.

For more information on these and other helpful travel tips, please visit www.tsa.gov.

— WebWireID108249 —

WASHINGTON, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and their colleagues have completed a four-year effort to sequence the genome of corn, an achievement expected to speed up development of corn varieties that will help feed the world and meet growing demands for using this important grain crop as a biofuel and animal feed. The results represent the largest and most complex plant genome sequenced to date, and are the cover story in the November 20 issue of the journal Science.

"Sequencing the corn genome will help researchers in the United States and around the world develop corn varieties to confront critical global challenges like climate change, hunger, and renewable energy," said Edward B. Knipling, administrator of USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency. "This effort will provide scientists a preliminary blueprint for identifying genetic pathways that will lead to a better understanding of corn and enable scientists to improve corn in a number of ways."

The sequencing will help researchers uncover the relationships between corn genes and traits, develop an overall picture of the plant's genetic makeup, and broaden understanding of how the complex interplay of genetics and environment determines the plant's health and viability. The work also is expected to lead to development of corn varieties with higher yields and better tolerance of droughts, pests and diseases. It also should help scientists produce varieties with fibers, stalks and cellular structures that will make corn a better source of biofuel.

The team, which included Doreen Ware, a computational biologist at the ARS Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health in Ithaca, N.Y., has released the most comprehensive draft sequence to date, providing the most detailed look thus far at the functional portions of the corn genome. Ware led the computational effort and is a lead author of the report along with Richard Wilson of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., and Patrick S. Schnable of Iowa State University at Ames. Other key participants in the project included the University of Arizona at Tucson and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York. USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, along with the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, jointly funded the $29.5 million effort.

Edward Buckler, an ARS geneticist at the Holley Center, and Ware also have used next generation sequencing data to assemble a haplotype genetic map of the corn genome that lays out portions of the genome shared by 27 diverse inbred lines of corn. A haplotype is a combination of alleles-alternative forms of genes-that are located closely together on the same chromosome and tend to be inherited together. The corn lines in the haplotype genetic map were selected specifically because they represent the vast majority of the genetic diversity in corn. By searching through these lines, researchers and breeders can unlock corn's genetic potential and significantly accelerate the breeding of plants to meet the demands of the growing world population and the challenges of global climate change. Buckler's "HapMap," which also is published today in Science, shows a 30-fold variation in recombination rates, which are the rates that genetic material from parents mix to show up in the progeny. The map is designed to function like the human genome HapMap, making it easier to link genes and genetic patterns with significant traits, Buckler said. The researchers already are linking the HapMap to the basis of hybrid vigor.

Corn, known among scientists as maize, is one of world's most important crops. Corn was a $47 billion crop in the United States last year. It is the largest production crop worldwide, providing not only food for billions of people and livestock, but also critical feedstock for production of biofuels. Ware said the work should serve as a foundation for understanding and improving on other agricultural crops as well. Plants previously sequenced include rice, sorghum, poplar, grape and Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant widely studied as a model organism.

— WebWireID108248 —

'Global Entry expedites the customs and security process for trusted air travelers through biometric identification while helping DHS ensure the safety of all airline passengers,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Making Global Entry permanent will improve customer service at airports across the country and enable law enforcement to focus on higher-risk travelers.'

Global Entry—currently available as a pilot program at 20 U.S. international airports—allows pre-approved members a streamlined, automated alternative to regular passport processing lines. The program currently reduces average wait times by more than 70 percent, with more than 75 percent of travelers using Global Entry processed in under five minutes.

The proposed rule published today poses federal regulations that would end the current pilot and make Global Entry permanent—allowing CBP to expand the program to additional U.S. international airports. Those members currently participating in the pilot will have their time credited to the five year membership as proposed in the rule, so there will be no break in membership or need to re-apply when the program becomes permanent.

At Global Entry kiosks, members insert their passport or lawful permanent resident card into a document reader, provide digital fingerprints for comparison with fingerprints on file, answer customs declaration questions on the kiosk's touch-screen, and then present a transaction receipt to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers before leaving the inspection area.

To date, there have been approximately 100,000 admissions with Global Entry by 27,000 members. Global Entry is currently open to citizens of the United States and lawful permanent residents of the United States. Citizens of the Netherlands may also apply under a special reciprocal arrangement that links Global Entry with the Privium program in Amsterdam.

In August, Secretary Napolitano announced the expansion of the Global Entry pilot program to 13 additional airports across the country.

Citizens interested in commenting on this rulemaking—identified by docket number USCBP-2008-0097—may submit written comments by one of the following methods:

* The Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov
* Postal Mail:

Border Security Regulations Branch
Regulations and Rulings
Office of International Trade
Customs and Border Protection
799 9th Street, NW, 5th floor
Washington, DC 20001-4501

Comments must be received by Jan. 19, 2010.

— WebWireID108241 —

ROME, Italy, On the sidelines of the 36th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Ministerial Conference, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan met with Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Program (WFP), and Akram Musa Hadi Al Hakim, Iraq's Acting Minister of Agriculture.

"The World Food Program works tirelessly to fight hunger and food insecurity around the world," said Merrigan. "This meeting was an opportunity for me to thank the WFP on behalf of USDA and the entire U.S. government and reiterate how much the United States values its partnership with this important organization."

As the United States finalizes its global hunger and food security strategy, it will rely on the WFP's resources and expertise in safety nets, storage, transportation and logistics to ensure its efforts have the most impact in developing countries.

Merrigan also met with Iraq's Acting Minister of Agriculture to discuss USDA's contributions to help rebuild and reconstruct Iraq's agricultural sector.

"We discussed the numerous initiatives being implemented by USDA's Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) agricultural advisors to revitalize Iraq's agricultural sector and the various USDA programs and activities helping to strengthen the Iraqi government in the areas of rebuilding agricultural markets and improving management of natural resources," said Merrigan. "Among USDA advisors' initiatives, we both noted the impressive progress that the Green Mada'in Association for Agricultural Development east of Baghdad has made in less than a year to become a sustainable and dynamic force in Iraq's efforts to employ modern agricultural techniques."

In December, the farmer's cooperative will celebrate the grand opening of its new office and warehouse facilities and the first meeting of its board of directors. The cooperative owes its success in part to the oversight of two USDA PRT agricultural advisors; the support of other agricultural associations in the region, Iraq's Ministry of Agriculture and Iraq's Prime Minister; and the funding obtained through contributions by cooperative members, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Commanders' Emergency Response Program. In addition to rebuilding Iraq's agriculture sector, the United States continues to be among Iraq's leading suppliers of agricultural commodities and products, helping to bridge the gap between Iraqi demand and domestic production.

Merrigan is the first woman to chair the FAO conference, which was last chaired by the United States 20 years ago. As chair, Merrigan is overseeing discussions on the ongoing FAO reform effort and officiated as heads of delegations presented their country's view of the state of food and agriculture at the conference's plenary session.

The Conference is the supreme governing body of FAO and meets in regular session every two years. Its main functions are to determine the policies of the organization, approve the program of work and budget and make recommendations to members and international organizations. In addition to being attended by all members and associate members of the organization, it is also attended by observers from non-member nations, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. Members include 191 nations, one member organization, the European Community, and one associate member, the Faroe Islands.

— WebWireID108240 —

FDA posted to its website today its October 9, 2009, letter to General Mills. In that letter, FDA states that the Johnston study (the clinical study supporting Cheerios' claim) 'appears to provide data that soluble fiber from whole oats can lower LDL cholesterol by an average of 4% in six weeks.'

In conjunction, General Mills also posted its response to FDA on its website today stating, 'We agree that this study supports the factual claim on our Cheerios package.' General Mills had also cited several studies that 'reinforce that the Cheerios studies are consistent with the body of scientific literature relied upon by FDA when it approved the soluble fiber from oats [coronary heart disease] health claim,' and responded in its letter to questions about those studies.

FDA first contacted General Mills about the cholesterol-lowering benefit claim on packages of Cheerios in May. Since that time, the company has been engaged with FDA in discussions about the matter.

The company has been consistent in its position, stating:

'Cheerios' soluble fiber heart health claim has been FDA-approved for 12 years, and Cheerios' 'lower your cholesterol 4% in 6 weeks' message has been featured on the box for more than two years. The science is not in question. The scientific body of evidence supporting the heart health claim was the basis for FDA's approval of the claim, and the clinical study supporting Cheerios' cholesterol-lowering benefit is very strong. The FDA is interested in how the Cheerios cholesterol-lowering information is presented on the Cheerios package and website. We are in dialog with FDA, and we look forward to reaching a resolution."

General Mills repeated that statement today, adding, 'Discussions with FDA continue, and we continue to look forward to reaching a resolution.'

— WebWireID108234 —

The increased computerization in U.S. hospitals hasn't made them cheaper or more efficient, Harvard researchers say, although it may have modestly improved the quality of care for heart attacks.

The findings, published in today's [Friday's] online edition of The American Journal of Medicine, contradict claims by President Obama and many lawmakers that health information technology (health IT), including electronic medical records, will save billions and help make reform affordable.

"Our study finds that hospital computerization hasn't saved a dime, nor has it improved administrative efficiency," said lead author Dr. David Himmelstein, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and former director of clinical computing at Cambridge Hospital in Massachusetts. "Claims that health IT will slash costs and help pay for the reforms being debated in Congress are wishful thinking."

The study uses data from the most extensive survey ever undertaken of hospital computerization. Data from approximately 4,000 hospitals for the years 2003 to 2007, including those on a list of the "100 Most Wired," were analyzed for evidence of increased quality, cost savings or improvements in administrative efficiency.

The data came from the authoritative Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics annual survey of hospital computerization; Medicare Cost Reports that virtually all hospitals submit annually to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); and the 2008 Dartmouth Health Atlas, which compiles CMS data on costs and quality of care.

Although the researchers found that U.S. hospitals increased their computerization between 2003 and 2007, they found no indication that health IT lowered costs or streamlined administration, even in the "most wired" institutions. While U.S. hospital administrative costs increased slightly, from 24.4 percent in 2003 to 24.9 percent in 2007, hospitals that computerized most rapidly actually had the largest increases in administrative costs. (By way of comparison, older studies have estimated administrative costs in Canadian hospitals at 12.9 percent).

The study found no evidence of lagged effects, e.g. lower costs in 2007 resulting from information technology introduced in 2003.

Modest quality gains were noted in the treatment of heart attacks (acute myocardial infarction) in more-computerized hospitals, but even these small improvements may merely represent better documentation rather than actual gains to patients.

Himmelstein said a report from the Congressional Budget Office in 2008 signed by Peter Orszag, now Obama's budget director, expressed skepticism about claims by the RAND Corp. and others that health IT could generate $80 billion annually in savings.

"Part of the CBO's skepticism was based on the limited information available to the RAND study and similar studies," Himmelstein said. "But this new, detailed, national survey of diverse hospitals shows such doubts are well-founded. Information technology can't rescue us from our national health care crisis."

Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, professor of medicine at Harvard and study co-author, said several factors may explain why health IT has failed to reduce administrative costs.

"Any savings may have been offset by the costs of purchasing and running new computer systems," she said. "In addition, most software is designed around the accounting and billing needs of hospitals, not the clinical side."

She noted that a computer success story in recent years has been at the Veterans Administration, where global budgets eliminate most billing and internal cost accounting, allowing physicians to focus instead on delivering care.

"The VA system now has our nation's highest quality and patient approval ratings," Woolhandler said. "Congress should take note: to get the most benefit from our health care dollars and from health IT, we should adopt a single-payer, Medicare-for-all program. Nothing short of that will allow us to reap the full potential of computerization or to provide comprehensive, quality and affordable care to all."

******
"Hospital computing and the costs and quality of care: a national study," David U. Himmelstein, M.D., Adam Wright, Ph.D., and Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., M.P.H., The American Journal of Medicine, Nov. 20, 2009 (online).

Physicians for a National Health Program (www.pnhp.org) is an organization of 17,000 doctors who advocate for single-payer national health insurance. To contact a physician-spokesperson near you, visit www.pnhp.org/stateactions or call (312) 782-6006.

— WebWireID108231 —

People from as far away as New Zealand participated in Kennedy's first Tweetup, an event where bloggers meet face-to-face and share their experiences in 140 character online bursts. During the two-day event Twitter users, or Tweeps, took behind-the-scenes tours of Kennedy, spoke at length with NASA astronauts, technicians, engineers and managers, and saw a launch from the vantage point usually reserved for more traditional media.

"We were very excited by the extraordinary number of people from all over the world who participated," said Lori Garver, NASA's deputy administrator. "NASA will continue to evolve with the social media environment and look for new ways to engage the public and spread the word about the tremendous things we do."

The Tweetup, identified by the search term #nasatweetup, was the third highest trending topic Nov. 15 on the social networking service. The micro-blogs, or tweets, are text-based Internet posts that are delivered to the author's subscribers. The more than 100 people in attendance had over 150,000 followers. As people share and forward the information, the potential online reach could be in the millions.

People from 21 states and the District of Columbia attended, as did guests who flew from Canada, England, Morocco and New Zealand. Participants ranged in age from 18 to more than 60, with most being under age 40. NASA Television also streamed video of Tweetup events online where more than 7,500 viewers watched the events prior to launch.

"The way people are communicating and receiving information is undergoing a global revolution," said Morrie Goodman, NASA's assistant administrator for Public Affairs. "NASA is a recognized leader in adopting social media and this is another exciting 'first' for the agency."

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory held the first NASA Tweetup on Jan. 21. NASA Headquarters held its first Tweetup on July 21, followed by another from Headquarters Sept. 24 that featured the STS-127 space shuttle crew. On Oct. 21, NASA held a smaller Tweetup, allowing 35 Tweeps to talk with Nicole Stott and Jeff Williams aboard the International Space Station via a live downlink.

In April, Mike Massimino (@Astro_Mike) became NASA's first astronaut to tweet. Astro_Mike reached 1 million Twitter followers on Sept. 23. He sent his first tweet from space while flying on the STS-125 Hubble servicing mission in May. Since then, 12 other NASA astronauts have set up Twitter accounts. You can follow them individually or through the NASA Astronauts Twitter account at:

http://twitter.com/NASA_Astronauts

To view the Nov. 15 portion of the Tweetup on YouTube, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision#p/u/3/wl9zBgpmdjQ

To view photos from the STS-129 launch Tweetup, visit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/sets/72157622806978124

For more information about NASA's Tweetup events, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

To view all NASA's Twitter and other social media accounts at:

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

— WebWireID108225 —

Every holiday season, millions of Americans travel through the nation's airports, seaports, and train stations to spend time with loved ones. Special holiday get-togethers – and traveling itself – bring people close together but also provide an ideal way for illness to spread. To help travelers avoid the flu this holiday season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today launched its largest ever public awareness campaign about staying healthy while traveling.

'The holidays are one of the busiest travel times of the year,' said Anne Schuchat, M.D., director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. 'People are in close contact – whether they're on a plane, train, ship or just visiting with loved ones. This campaign provides practical advice to help travelers prepare for their trips and stay healthy during their holiday travel.'

CDC is urging people to take the following steps when planning their travel and to stay informed about what to do if they get sick while they're gone, including:

* Traveling only when they are feeling well
* Getting vaccinated for flu (both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 if they are in a priority group)
* Washing hands often
* Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve

'We know that flu – and specifically H1N1 this year – is a big concern for people, but flu shouldn't ruin the holidays,' Dr. Schuchat said. 'By practicing a little prevention, people can enjoy their holidays and stay well at the same time.'

CDC developed the campaign in response to the emergence in April of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic. Since then, flu has spread throughout the country and around the world. In the United States, it has accounted for millions of cases and more than 4,000 deaths since April.

CDC launched the campaign at a joint event with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today in Washington, D.C. The campaign will run through the holiday season and use a variety of media, including informational posters at major airports, ports of entry and border crossings; national radio and print advertising; and social media and online outreach. CDC will also partner with local health departments, travel professionals, health care professionals, and colleges and universities to further educate the public. Campaign themes include 'Prevention can be Travel-Sized' and 'Stop, Wash and Go.'

For more information about the CDC Travelers' Health campaign, recommendations regarding travel, visit http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/novel-h1n1-flu.aspx. For more information about the H1N1 virus, visit http://www.flu.gov.

— WebWireID108219 —

According to a recent report commissioned by Becta into parent teacher relationships, forty-two percent of teaching staff said they feel these parents lack the confidence to approach them to discuss their child and forty-three percent even admit that parents might find them 'difficult to approach sometimes'.

Becta is the government agency aiming to promote and achieve the productive and innovative use of technology throughout the teaching and learning process. The Schools & Parents: A New Partnership report is part of the 'Next Generation Learning' campaign, which encourages parents to contact their child's school in order to establish how and if technology is already being used, and how it can improve communications between them and their child's school in future.

Becta's report also reveals that fifty-nine percent of parents admit to being in contact with their child's school just once a term or less with more than twenty-two percent of this number saying they did not see how being in regular contact with their child's school has any benefit for their child. A large majority (67 percent) of school staff questioned said that these parents simply do not realise how important parental support is to their child's development. Even though it has been proved in numerous studies that parental involvement is key to a child's educational success, it seems that many parents just aren't aware of how important their role is.

Sixty percent of teachers questioned believe the reason some parents are not in regular contact with them is because they think their job stops at the school gates. This is backed up by some parents who say they rarely get in contact with their child's school because they believe teachers should be in charge of their child's education.

The comprehensive study also highlights the vast majority (54 percent) of school staff involved said they thought parents were just too busy to engage with their child's school but only eight percent of parents say the reason they don't get in touch regularly is because they 'struggle to find time', suggesting that there are other factors behind their lack of engagement.

To view the Becta Schools & Parents: A New Partnership or for more details about Becta and the 'Next Generation Learning' campaign visit www.nextgenerationlearning.org.uk

For more information, please contact:

Sophie Jackson 0207 025 6412 / Sophie.jackson@redconsultancy.com

Catherine Sharrott 0207 025 6589 / Catherine.Sharrott@redconsultancy.com

Kate Cox 02476 797146 / Kate.Cox@becta.org.uk

— WebWireID108163 —

The new production wings are the cornerstone of the Aircraft Service Life Extension Program (ASLEP) which provides an industry-unique solution in keeping the world's P-3 fleets operational. P-3 operators selecting ASLEP will benefit from an additional 15,000+ flight hours per updated aircraft, extending the P-3's service life 20-25 years.

"Lockheed Martin is extremely proud of its strong partnership with our Customs & Border Protection customer," said Ray Burick, Lockheed Martin P-3/S-3 Programs vice president. "The CBP P-3 mission is truly unique, and vital to our nation's homeland security initiatives. We are honored to play a role in supporting CBP."

Under ASLEP, P-3 outer wings, center wing lower surface assembly, horizontal stabilizer, wing and horizontal stabilizer leading edges and various filet fairings are replaced. All necessary fatigue-life limiting structures are replaced, and new alloys are employed that provide a fivefold increase in corrosion resistance. ASLEP removes all current airframe flight restrictions on the P-3.

In April 2008, CBP contracted with Lockheed Martin under the P-3 Aircraft Service Life Extension Program (ASLEP), ordering up to 14 all-new production wing life extension kits. To-date, CBP has placed firm orders for six life extension kits. Other ASLEP customers to date include Canada and Taiwan. The U.S. Navy has contracted with Lockheed Martin for 13 sets of P-3 outer wings.

— WebWireID108193 —

Only about 1 in 4 Americans aged 50–64 regularly take advantage of preventive services such as screenings and immunizations, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with AARP and the American Medical Association (AMA).

The report, 'Promoting Preventive Services for Adults 50–64: Community and Clinical Partnerships,' focuses on opportunities to improve the health of the growing number of adults in the 50–64 age bracket to broaden the use of potentially lifesaving preventive services.

The report identifies recommended preventive services such as influenza vaccine, cholesterol screening, breast and cervical cancer screening, as well as preventive screenings for behaviors that could negatively impact health such as binge drinking.

'People aged 50–64 need access to preventive services to help them improve their overall health and to live vibrant, productive lives,' said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. 'CDC and our partners AARP and AMA are excited about this new resource because it enables our partners and others to more easily and effectively monitor improvements in health behaviors, screenings and immunizations. Our goal is to enhance the delivery and use of these recommended preventive services.'

By 2015, an estimated 63 million U.S. adults will be between the ages of 50 and 64, comprising 20 percent of the nation's population. They are at greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer than younger adults. Almost one–third of adults in this age group are uninsured or underinsured, which heightens the challenges of ensuring they receive critical preventive services.

Wayne Giles, M.D., M.S., director of CDC's Division of Adult and Community Health, and a member of the committee that prepared the report, emphasized the importance of addressing disparities in the use of preventive services. 'The racial and ethnic composition of adults in the United States is becoming more diverse. We must take this trend into

account as we promote the use of clinical preventive services to ensure that appropriate strategies are implemented to improve the health of all adults.'

The report describes proven, science–based strategies that highlight clinical and community efforts to promote the delivery of multiple or bundled preventive services. The report also highlights model programs, policies and strategies that communities can adopt, in concert with health care partners, to make sure services reach those in need. Calls to Action identify existing gaps and barriers in research, data and action, and highlight opportunities through model programs, policy and environmental strategies, and enhanced health tracking.

CDC's healthy aging program develops tools and programs designed to help older adults live longer, more productive and independent lives. By promoting health and disease prevention, CDC works to improve the quality of life of older adults and slow the expected growth of health care and long–term costs for this and future generations.

To view the full report and for more information about CDC's health aging activities visit www.cdc.gov/aging.

— WebWireID108191 —

When an experimental plane crashed into the ocean off Catalina Island near Los Angeles, search and recovery proved impossible. The depth of water and strength of the currents made conditions too dangerous for divers. But since March this year, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) have had the 1000 metre rated remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Falcon DR, from Saab, ready for such investigations.

Significantly extended capability

Saab's Seaeye Falcon DR significantly extends the LASD's inspection and recovery capability, enabling the reach of larger areas offshore and around Los Angeles, and the possibility to undertake Homeland Security operations. The ROV will now aid the recovery of previously unrecoverable boats and aircraft, including an inspection of the Catalina site.
Contributing to diver safety

The Seaeye Falcon DR saves valuable dive time and contributes to diver safety. By using the Falcon's onboard camera and high intensity lights, the ROV operator can pinpoint what the diver cannot see and direct the diver to the location of interest. The ROV can also keep a watchful eye on the diver and transport the diver's tools and equipment. A range of tools and survey kit can easily be added to and changed for different missions, such as explosives detection.

The Seaeye Falcon DR is the second Falcon bought by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. The first was a 300 metre rated model used for rapid deployment during in-shore search and recovery operations.

— WebWireID108189 —

Wide sections of the Southeast, Appalachia, and some tribal lands in the West and Northern Plains have the nation′s highest rates of obesity and diabetes, according to estimates released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In many counties in those regions, rates of diagnosed diabetes exceed 10 percent and obesity prevalence is more than 30 percent.

The estimates, in this week′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are the first to provide county–level snapshots of obesity across the United States. They also update diabetes county–level estimates released in 2008.

Eighty–one percent of counties in the Appalachian region that includes Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia have high rates of diabetes and obesity. So do three–quarters of counties in the southern region that includes Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

'Diabetes is costly in human and economic terms, and it′s urgent that we take action to prevent and control this serious disease,' said Dr. Ann Albright, director of CDC′s Division of Diabetes Translation. 'The study shows strong regional patterns of diabetes and can help focus prevention efforts where they are most needed.'

The estimates come from the agency′s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which uses self–reported data from state–based adult telephone surveys, and 2007 census information. The information may help public health workers, health care providers, community organizations, and policymakers focus on high–risk regions to prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications as well as other chronic diseases linked to obesity, including heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

The proportion of U.S. adults who are obese was 26.1 percent in 2008, according to BRFSS data. CDC estimates that nearly 8 percent of the population, or about 24 million people, have diabetes. Of these, 5.7 million are undiagnosed.

'The small–area estimates for obesity will be an important tool to help communities better understand and battle this serious public health problem. Communities are in the best position to prevent and reduce obesity among their citizens through innovative programs," said Dr. William H. Dietz, director of CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.

The medical costs of obesity reached an estimated $147 billion in 2008, and the medical costs of diabetes were $116 billion. People with diagnosed diabetes have medical costs that are 2.3 times higher than those without the disease.

Obesity is one of several factors linked to type 2 diabetes. Where people live, how much money they earn, their culture and their family history also play a role. An unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and socioeconomic factors contribute to both obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as to complications of diabetes. Some population groups also are at higher risk, including a number of racial and ethnic minorities.

CDC and its partners are working on a variety of initiatives to prevent type 2 diabetes and to reduce obesity. CDC has recommended 24 community strategies to prevent obesity, from providing greater access to healthy foods to redesigning communities to encourage more physical activity. The agency is also in a new partnership with state, federal, and nonprofit agencies targeting health disparities in Mississippi, which has the nation′s highest obesity rate and one of the highest rates of diabetes. CDC′s national diabetes prevention and control program provides resources and technical assistance to state health departments, national organizations, and communities.

To see county–level estimates of obesity and diagnosed diabetes, go to www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics. For more information on diabetes and preventing the disease, visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes. To learn more about CDC′s efforts in the fight against obesity or for more information about nutrition, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight, go to www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html.

— WebWireID108185 —

The major objection from the CHMP was the lack of a comparator arm without Avastin in the BRAIN study, an investigational phase II trial. The CHMP tends to base its approval decisions on Phase III studies only. Roche decided to submit this data set to regulatory authorities globally based on Avastin's remarkable clinical activity seen in BRAIN. Roche remains convinced that the results of the BRAIN study, which were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in October 20091 are robust and remain valid. Adverse events in the BRAIN study were consistent with those previously seen with Avastin and no new safety signals were reported.1

'We are very disappointed with the CHMP opinion which will result in a delay to patients receiving an important new treatment option. We strongly believe that Avastin is a new treatment option for physicians within the EU which would bring hope to GBM patients and their families as it is today in the US and other countries,' said William M. Burns, CEO of Roche's Pharmaceuticals Division. 'Relapsed glioblastoma is a rare condition and represents a very high unmet medical need. These patients deserve effective additional therapies to manage this devastating disease. We remain committed to bringing Avastin to patients with newly diagnosed GBM in Europe'.

In May 2009 Avastin was granted accelerated approval for the treatment of GBM patients with progressive disease following prior therapy from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on data from the BRAIN study (AVF3708g) and an NCI study (NCI 06-C-0064E). Switzerland and ten other countries have already recognised the significant clinical benefits Avastin offers to GBM patients by giving approval.

Roche continues to further explore the role of Avastin in GBM through various investigator-led studies. In addition, a large phase III study (AVAGLIO) in over 900 patients with newly diagnosed GBM is currently underway with the aim of a global filing5.

Avastin has proven survival benefits across several types of cancer. It is approved in Europe for the treatment of the advanced stages of four common types of cancer: colorectal cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and kidney cancer. These types of cancer collectively cause over 2.5 million deaths each year6,7,8. Over half a million patients have been treated with Avastin so far.
About Glioblastoma

Glioma is the most common type of primary brain tumour, accounting for approximately one third of all cases diagnosed9. Glioma also represents around 80% of all primary malignant brain tumour cases9. Glioblastoma (or glioblastoma multiforme; GBM) is the most common and the most aggressive type of glioma9. The prognosis for patients with GBM is poor. The treatment options for GBM depend on many factors including the location and size of the tumour, and the overall health and age of the patient10.

Glioblastoma affects approximately 17,000 people per year in the EU2. Following initial treatment, glioblastoma tumours nearly always return and currently, there are limited treatment options for patients when these relapses occur and their prognosis is particularly poor3. According to historical estimates, less than 10 percent of patients with recurrent GBM respond to treatment and approximately 15 percent will live six months without their disease getting worse1,5. GBM is a compelling therapeutic target for Avastin as these tumours have very high levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)11.
About the BRAIN study (AVF3708g)

The BRAIN study was a US based open-label, multicentre, non-comparative phase II study including 167 patients with histologically confirmed GBM that had progressed following initial treatment with temozolomide and radiation. The primary endpoints of the BRAIN trial were progression free survival-6 (PFS-6), (defined as the percentage of patients who remained alive and progression free at 24 weeks) and objective response rate (ORR), (defined as a complete or partial response on two consecutive MRIs obtained 4 weeks apart). Secondary endpoints explored included OS, PFS, duration of response to treatment and safety. The BRAIN study evaluated Avastin at a dose of 10mg/kg every two weeks, as a single agent (BEV), or in combination with irinotecan chemotherapy (BEV-IRI).

The BRAIN study demonstrated that:

* When Avastin was evaluated as a single agent, the study showed that at six months over 40% (42.6%) of the patients were alive without their disease getting worse, as defined by PFS-6. When Avastin was combined with irinotecan, this figure increased to 50.3%1.
* In the study, over a quarter (28%) of patients responded to Avastin as a single agent, meaning tumours decreased in size by at least 50%. When Avastin was combined with irinotecan, 38% of patients responded to Avastin1.
* Patients receiving Avastin alone had a median overall survival of 9.2 months; this was 8.7 months for those receiving Avastin in combination with irinotecan, which was a secondary endpoint in the study1.
* Adverse events in the BRAIN study were consistent with those previously seen with Avastin and no new safety signals were reported1.
* Recent results showed the potential for additional positive impact on patients' daily lives. Of those patients who responded to Avastin-based therapy, a majority had a stabilisation or improvement in neurocognitive function at the time of the response and a reduction in their dose of steroids from baseline4.

About the AVAGLIO study

The AVAGLIO study is an international, multicentre, randomised, double blind, phase III study including over 900 patients with newly diagnosed histologically confirmed GBM which will investigate the efficacy and safety of treatment with Avastin combined with standard of care (temozolomide chemotherapy and radiotherapy) following surgery.

The primary endpoints of the AVAGLIO trial are progression free survival, (defined as the duration for which patient remains alive without their disease worsening) and overall survival. Secondary endpoints that will be explored include one and two year survival rates, safety and health related quality of life.
About Avastin

Avastin is an antibody that specifically binds and blocks the biological effects of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor). VEGF is a key driver of tumour angiogenesis – an essential process required for a tumour to grow and to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Avastin's precise mode of action allows it to be combined effectively with a broad range of chemotherapies and other anti-cancer treatments. Avastin helps to control tumour growth and extend survival with only a limited impact on the side effects of chemotherapy.

Avastin has proven survival benefits across several types of cancer. It is approved in Europe for the treatment of the advanced stages of four common types of cancer: colorectal cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and kidney cancer. These types of cancer collectively cause over 2.5 million deaths each year6,7,8. In the US, Avastin was the first anti-angiogenesis therapy approved by the FDA and it is now approved for the treatment of five tumour types: colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, brain (glioblastoma) and kidney (renal cell carcinoma).

Over half a million patients have been treated with Avastin so far. A comprehensive clinical programme with over 450 clinical trials is investigating the use of Avastin in various tumour types (including colorectal, breast, non-small cell lung, brain, gastric, ovarian, prostate and others) and different settings (advanced or early stage disease).
About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche's personalised healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In 2008, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested almost 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Group posted sales of 45.6 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information: www.roche.com.

All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.

References
1.Friedman H et al. J Clin Oncol 2009; 31 August [Epub ahead of print as doi/10.1200/JCO.2008.19.8721] Last accessed 1 September 2009 at http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/abstract/JCO.2008.19.8721v1.
2.Decision Resources, Cancer Incidence in 5 Continents Version IX, CI5 IX, World Population Prospects, Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, National Swedish Brain Tumour Registry
3.Medscape. Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme: Definition of Recurrent GBM. Last accessed 10 August 2009 at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/540150_2
4.Vredenburgh, J. et al. ECCO 15 ESMO 34 2009; Abstract #8707.
5.Chinot, O. et al. ECCO 15 ESMO 34 2009; Poster #46
6.Garcia M et al. Global Cancer Facts & Figures. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2007
7.WHO Cancer Factsheet N°297 – updated July 2008. Last accessed 24 March 2009 at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/index.html.
8.Parkin DM et al. CA Cancer J Clin 2005; 55: 74-108.
9.Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States (CBTRUS). Primary Brain Tumours in the United States Statistical Report.
10.Stupp R et al. Ann Oncol 2007; 18 (supplement 2): ii69–ii70.
11.Takano S et al. Cancer Res 1996; 56: 2185-2190.

— WebWireID108184 —

In the case of the "Forgotten Australians", thousands of British children, some as young as three, were separated from their families or taken from care homes and sent across the world. Once in Australia the boys and girls were reported to be used as cheap labour. Many were sent during the blitz in World War II, some were told they were orphans when in fact their families were still alive. Today, 7,000 child migrants from Britain are still understood to be living in Australia.

Similar to the stories that Tracesmart has come across, it's reported that many of the 7,000 people are now eager to find relatives in the UK that they have lost contact with, in the hope of being reunited with family members long forgotten or even long thought dead.

Tracesmart's primary service to the consumer is the provision of an intuitive online people search facility to help find relatives and friends. Their powerful name and address search tools employ a variety of datasets, including the uk electoral roll, and since its launch, www.tracesmart.co.uk has grown to become one of the UK's leading web based people tracing portals.

Owen Roberts, Tracesmart's Communications Manager commented, "Tracesmart's online facility provides a comprehensive, up-to-date and easy-to-use resource for people such as the 'child migrants', that can help them trace long lost family using current UK data. I'm sure the facility we offer can provide the key to many successful Australian/UK family reunions and I hope we can help. We would love to hear from anyone who has used our system to find their missing UK family".

About Tracesmart:

Owen Roberts has worked in the creative, advertising and communications industries for over 25 years and is the voice of Tracesmart. Heading up the communications team, he raises the public awareness of the company through various media driven PR campaigns.

Tracesmart Ltd - Since the launch of its website in 2004 Tracesmart Limited has established itself as one of the UK's leading providers of online people tracing tools. www.tracesmart.co.uk combines state of the art search technology with an extensive collection of consumer data, providing one of the most powerful and successful systems to trace people.

— WebWireID108176 —

'The GAO makes it clear that regulating interchange fees presents significant challenges, and would hurt both consumers and merchants,' said Shawn Miles, MasterCard head of global public policy and regulatory strategy.

Among the conclusions of the GAO report are:

* Card acceptance benefits merchants, including through increased sales, faster and more convenient payment, and lower labor costs;
* Consumers benefit from competition in the credit card market through cards with no annual fees, lower interest rates, and greater rewards;
* Government intervention in this area could hurt both consumers and merchants; and
* Existing law grants the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission with sufficient authority to investigate claims of anticompetitive behavior.

'We're pleased that the GAO recognizes the many benefits that payment cards provide merchants,' Miles said. One of the most significant benefits is the ability to shift credit risk to the card issuer. 'Merchants benefit greatly due to their ability to shift credit risk to someone else when they accept a credit card.'

The GAO report also confirms that interchange regulation in Australia hurt consumers. It concludes that when the government mandated interchange be cut in half, Australian cardholders saw their annual fees rise and benefits shrink. At the same time, the report says, it is difficult to find any evidence that retailers lowered prices to reflect the lower interchange fees.

'If the merchant lobby succeeds in artificially reducing their acceptance costs, consumers will pay higher card fees while having fewer payment choices with fewer benefits. Nowhere in the report is there a conclusion that if merchants are successful in shifting their costs to consumers that they will pass any savings on to their customers in the form of lower prices' Miles said. 'The merchant lobbyists have staked their entire argument on the assertion that consumers will somehow benefit if consumers are asked to pay more for their payment cards,' noted Miles. 'The GAO, however, exposes the weakness of that argument.'

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Joe Fabiani, Munio RMS Chairman and CEO, stated, 'We were in the process of building out our own software platform when we came across the services and products of deverus. We could see right away that they could bring us to market months ahead of time with significant cost savings. They have become our IT software department.' Fabiani added, 'We believe that vendor screening is an emerging best practice, and that our partnership with deverus puts this emerging best practice on the best platform in the industry.'

Tony Cordaro, Vice President Sales for deverus said, 'Meeting and working with Joe and his team has been a natural fit. Munio's needs included some customizations that were easily delivered by our internal development team. Coupling that fact with our extremely flexible Verocity 2009 software allowed us to get Munio to market several months ahead of schedule. And, with our cost-effective fee matrix, Munio will realize ongoing savings by not having constant IT outlay expenses.'

deverus' Verocity 2009 software continues to surpass the competition in its functionality and feel with its client module and other user-friendly tools. deverus has been developing software exclusively for the background screening industry for over ten years and continues to be the industry leader. deverus can accommodate various sized companies looking to grow their background screening services to their clients. They offer state-of-the-art technology with good old-fashioned service to meet clients' needs by exceeding their expectations.

— WebWireID108172 —

CORNUCOPIA, WI – Two powerful lobby groups in the food industry, The Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Organic Trade Association, recently intervened as friends of the court in a federal consumer class-action lawsuit accusing the nation's largest supplier of private-label organic milk of consumer fraud. In what has been described as "the largest scandal in the history of the organic industry' USDA investigators, in 2007, found that Aurora Dairy had willfully violated federal organic standards. However, industry lobbyists are now concerned that convicting Aurora will set a dangerous legal precedent. Aurora bottles private-label organic milk for Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, Safeway and many other grocery chains.

In August 2007 Bush administration officials were widely criticized for overruling career staff at the USDA and instead of decertifying Aurora as staff had recommended, banning it from organic commerce, the corporate dairy was allowed to continue in business under a one-year probation. Now agribusiness lobbyists are concerned that citizens prevailing in court, alleging fraud, will set a precedent necessitating large corporations to incur added expenses to more carefully check the sources and credibility of their organic suppliers.

"Due diligence by food manufacturers and retailers is the heart and soul of what maintaining the integrity of the organic label is about," said Mark Kastel, Codirector of The Cornucopia Institute, the farm policy research group that initially exposed the corruption taking place at Aurora.

In an internal document, the Organic Trade Association told its membership that, "OTA is taking this action in order to protect consumers' access to organic products and the guarantee by organic farmers, producers and processors that their valid organic certificate fully demonstrates that their product is considered organic when marketed.' Lobbyists from the Grocery Manufacturers also were concerned that if the consumers prevail in this legal matter it would become, according to a copy written article in Sustainable Food News, "prohibitively expensive to continue developing organic products."

"This type of rhetoric is just a stick in the eye to the ethical participants in this industry who make it a point, in their everyday course of business, to judiciously assure that their products meet not only the letter but the spirit of the organic law,' added Kastel.

Just like Aurora Dairy, Wal-Mart and Target were both found to have misrepresented organic products in the marketplace and were the subject of separate USDA investigations.

"Yes, it does cost more money to legally and ethically participate in organic commerce, said Will Fantle, Research Director for Cornucopia. "One of the reasons that big-box retailers are able to undercut their competition on price is they refuse to hire, train and adequately compensate management and frontline employees who know anything about the organic law."

Aurora produces private label, or storebrand milk, for about 20 of the largest grocery chains in the United States.

In an ironic twist to this story Organic Valley, the nation's second-largest organic milk marketer and a cooperative, is receiving criticism for its underwriting of a brief supporting Aurora's position. The farmer-owned cooperative provided the financial support allowing the Organic Trade Association to file its amicus brief opposing the class-action lawsuit brought by consumers in over 40 states. The consumers allege that they were defrauded by the Colorado-based Aurora Dairy corporation.

The news of Organic Valley's involvement was a shock to some of its co-op members including Kevin Engelbert, a nationally recognized organic leader and dairy farmer from Nichols, New York. 'Can this possibly be true? Has OV made a pact with the devil? I know OTA is controlled by the big money interests," said Engelbert. "The 14 willful violations [by Aurora] prove that some organic certificates aren't enough to demonstrate that a product is organic when marketed. The 'organicness' of questionable products must be challenged when necessary to maintain organic integrity.'

The Cornucopia's Kastel said he was 'flabbergasted' that a cooperative owned by family farmers would stick up for a corporation at the heart of the biggest scandal in history in the organic food industry and he characterized Aurora as a "bad actor" and "bad aberration" in the industry where consumers can generally trust the organic label.

'Aurora's factory farm milk has injured the vast majority of Organic Valley's own farmer-members by depriving them of markets for their milk and unfairly driving down retail pricing. Earlier this year the cooperative cut the pay price to its members and required its farmers to reduce production because of a milk surplus in the marketplace — a surplus that would be much smaller if Aurora legitimately managed its dairy cows like Organic Valley's ethical dairy farmers,' Kastel added.

Cornucopia analysis, and USDA research, suggests that as much as a third of the nation's organic milk supply comes from giant factory farms. Another organic factory farm operator, Dean Foods, the country's largest milk marketer, and an OTA and GMA member, has been widely criticized in the organic community for procuring much of its milk for its Horizon brand from mega-dairies allegedly breaking the same rules as Aurora.

"If you connect the dots here you have to wonder why the management at Organic Valley is getting into bed with Aurora, Dean Foods and the most powerful lobbyists representing corporate agribusiness," Kastel lamented. "Not only would Organic Valley membership benefit from Aurora being banned from organics, but if the lobbyists concerns are true, and some of the largest corporate players that have been playing fast and loose with the rules decide to exit the organics, that will only pump up their brand's market share."

The friend of the court brief, opposing a lower court ruling, which was funded by Organic Valley, expresses fears about a precedent should consumers be compensated for any fraud committed by Aurora. Melissa Hughes, an in-house lawyer for Organic Valley, told the editor of Sustainable Food News, that if the appeal is upheld 'it could have vast implications on retailers, processors, handlers, and ultimately consumers.'

Analysts at Cornucopia strongly refute the contention that the Aurora matter would leave all organic marketers open to tort complaints by consumers. "Obviously, there is strong evidence for these consumers to believe they were defrauded by Aurora and the supermarket chains," Kastel said. "This is an exceptional situation not indicative of the industry as a whole."

Kastel cited the fact that Cornucopia sent certified letters to every one of Aurora's retailer customers informing them that the reputation of their store's label was at risk and encouraging them to take action. Only two marketers, the Publix supermarket chain in Florida and United Natural Foods International, the largest organic food distributor in the country, did the due diligence necessary and switched suppliers.

"The organic certification documents alone are not enough if evidence is brought to a marketer's attention that some kind of improprieties are taking place," Fantle added. "There is always the possibility that collusion or incompetence has taken place on the part of the supplier, certifier or the USDA."

A comprehensive investigative story that appeared in the pages of the Washington Post referenced the Aurora matter, and a cozy relationship between the powerful Washington lawyer and lobbyist for Aurora, Dean and the OTA, and the former director of the organic program at the USDA. Alleged malfeasance at the Department has sparked the interest of Congress and an expanded investigation is currently taking place by the Office of the Inspector General at the USDA.

'Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 charging the USDA with preventing fraud; protecting the interests of ethical industry participants and consumers,' observed Cornucopia's Kastel. 'The obvious allegation here is that the regulatory branch, the USDA under the Bush administration, failed to properly enforce the law. It is appropriate for citizens who feel they were defrauded to seek a judicial remedy,' he added.

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MORE:

When the nation's largest organic milk producer Aurora dairy, with five "factory style' farms, in Colorado and Texas, each milking thousands of cows, entered the marketplace in 2004 they proudly stated that they would make organic milk more "affordable." What they didn't tell their customers was that their products would be more affordable, allowing them to undercut competitors in the marketplace, because they wouldn't go to the expense of meeting the strict federal regulations governing organic marketing.

In 2007, after investigating legal complaints filed by Cornucopia about Aurora's organic livestock practices, USDA staff concluded that Aurora had 'willfully violated' 14 tenets of federal organic regulations. Aurora was found by federal investigators to have been illegally confining their cattle to feedlots, brought in conventional cattle that could not comply with organic regulations and, most seriously, selling milk labeled as "organic" that did not meet the legal requirements.

In its formal letter to the company, USDA staff at the National Organic Program stated: 'Due to the nature and extent of these violations, the NOP proposes to revoke Aurora Organic Dairy's production and handling certifications under the NOP.'

But the powerful Washington-based lobby of Covington in Burling, representing Aurora, worked with the Bush administration officials at the USDA to instead allow the $100 million corporation to continue in the organic business with a one-year probation and some modest changes to their operations

The "sweetheart" settlement between Aurora and the USDA provoked a consumer led effort to seek justice in federal courts. Nineteen separate class action lawsuits were brought against Aurora and several national grocery retailers selling Aurora's suspect organic milk including Wal-Mart, Target and Safeway. The lawsuits claiming consumer fraud were eventually consolidated into a single case in the federal district court in St. Louis. Earlier this year, federal court judge E. Richard Webber dismissed the lawsuit on procedural grounds. An appeal has since been filed seeking to bring the merits of the lawsuit, which have not been heard, back before the court.

'OTA's action, apparently backed by CROPP [Organic Valley], infuriates me,' said Kevin Engelbert. 'I hope every person and organization that belongs to OTA drops their membership immediately.'

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit farm policy research group, is dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. Their Organic Integrity Project acts as a corporate and governmental watchdog assuring that no compromises to the credibility of organic farming methods and the food it produces are made in the pursuit of profit. The largest portion of its funding comes from individual members, mostly family-scale organic farmers. They can be found on the web at www.cornucopia.org.

— WebWireID108150 —

The live call from orbit will take place between 11:08 a.m. and 11:28 a.m. CST. Twenty students, ranging from kindergarten to college age, will ask questions of Wilmore and fellow astronauts Nicole Stott and Leland Melvin. Stott has served as a flight engineer and member of the Expedition 21 crew living aboard the International Space Station for more than two months. She will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Melvin is a mission specialist and crewmate of Wilmore's aboard Atlantis.

Reporters interested in attending the event should contact Monica Greppin at 931-372-3214.

Gordon is the chairman of the House Science and Technology Committee. Wilmore was born and raised in Gordon's district in Tennessee and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Tennessee Technological University.

The downlink is one in a series with educational organizations in the U.S. and abroad to improve teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is an integral component of NASAs Teaching From Space office. The office promotes learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education community using the unique environment of human spaceflight.

— WebWireID108132 —

WASHINGTON, DC -- Representatives from the National Association of Broadcasters met with members of Congress and representatives from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to reiterate the negative impact an additional performance fee would have on local radio stations and its 235 million weekly listeners.

NAB Joint Board Chairman Steve Newberry, president and CEO of Kentucky-based Commonwealth Broadcasting, and NAB Radio Board Chairman Charles Warfield, president and COO of ICBC Broadcast Holdings, along with representatives from the National Association of Black-owned Broadcasters and the Spanish Broadcasters Association attended the meeting. Rep. Mike Conaway (TX-11), an original co-sponsor of a countering resolution known as The Local Radio Freedom Act, also participated in today's meeting.

Commenting on today's meeting, NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton issued the following statement:

"Out of deference to key members of Congress, NAB representatives met today with representatives of RIAA and the music industry to discuss pending performance tax legislation. NAB representatives, along with representatives of minority-owned radio stations, reiterated our strong concerns over the negative impact that the bill would have on the ability of free and local radio stations to continue serving our listeners."

Meanwhile Utah Democrat Jim Matheson (UT-2) became the 253rd member of House of Representatives to cosponsor the Local Radio Freedom Act, a bipartisan resolution that opposes "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local radio stations for music aired free to listeners. To date a bipartisan group of 253 House lawmakers and 27 U.S. Senators have publicly expressed opposition to the RIAA-backed legislation.

The 253 House cosponsors of the Local Radio Freedom Act include:

Robert Aderholt (AL-4)
John Adler (NJ-3)
Rob Andrews (NJ-1)
Todd Akin (MO-2)
Rodney Alexander (LA-5)
Jason Altmire (PA-4)
Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
Steve Austria (OH-7)
Michele Bachmann (MN-6)
Spencer Bachus (AL-6)
Brian Baird (WA-3)
Gresham Barrett (SC-3)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Roscoe Bartlett (MD-6)
Melissa Bean (IL-8)
Shelley Berkley (NV-1)
Marion Berry (AR-1)
Judy Biggert (IL-13)
Brian Bilbray (CA-50)
Gus Bilirakis(FL-9)
Sanford Bishop (GA-2)
Roy Blunt (MO-7)
John Boccieri (OH-16)
Jo Bonner (AL-1)
John Boozman (AR-3)
Dan Boren (OK-2)
Leonard Boswell (IA-3)
Charles Boustany (LA-7)
Allen Boyd (FL-2)
Kevin Brady (TX-8)
Robert Brady (PA-1)
Bruce Braley (IA-1)
Bobby Bright (AL-2)
Paul Broun (GA-10)
Corrine Brown (FL-3)
Henry Brown (SC-1)
Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-5)
Vern Buchanan (FL-13)
Michael Burgess (TX-26)
Dan Burton (IN-5)
Steve Buyer (IN-4)
John Campbell (CA-48)
Shelly Moore Capito (WV-2)
Ken Calvert (CA-44)
Anh "Joseph" Cao (LA-2)
Mike Capuano (MA-8)
Dennis Cardoza (CA-18)
Russ Carnahan (MO-3)
Christopher Carney (PA-10)
Andre Carson (IN-7)
John Carter (TX-31)
Bill Cassidy (LA-6)
Michael Castle (DE-AL)
Ben Chandler (KY-6)
William Lacy Clay (MO-1)
Mike Coffman (CO-6)
Tom Cole (OK-4)
Mike Conaway (TX-11)
Jerry Costello (IL-12)
Joseph Courtney (CT-2)
Ander Crenshaw (FL-4)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
John Culberson (TX-7)
Elijah Cummings (MD-7)
Artur Davis (AL-7)
Danny Davis (IL-7)
Geoff Davis (KY-4)
Lincoln Davis (TN-4)
Charles Dent (PA-15)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21)
Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
Norm Dicks (WA-6)
Joe Donnelly (IN-2)
Steve Driehaus (OH-1)
John Duncan (TN-2)
Chet Edwards (TX-17)
Vernon Ehlers (MI-3)
Brad Ellsworth (IN-8)
Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8)
Bob Etheridge (NC-2)
Mary Fallin (OK-5)
Chaka Fattah (PA-2)
John Fleming (LA-4)
Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1)

Bill Foster (IL-14)
Virginia Foxx (NC-5)
Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11)
Scott Garrett (NJ-5)
Elton Gallegly (CA-24)
Jim Gerlach (PA-6)
Phil Gingrey (GA-11)
Kay Granger (TX-12)
Sam Graves (MO-6)
Al Green (TX-9)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Parker Griffith (AL-5)
Brett Guthrie (KY-2)
Ralph Hall (TX-4)
Deborah Halvorson (IL-11)
Phil Hare (IL-17)
Gregg Harper (MS-3)
Alcee Hastings (FL-23)
Doc Hastings (WA-4)
Dean Heller (NV-2)
Wally Herger (CA-2)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL)
Baron Hill (IN-9)
Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15)
Pete Hoekstra (MI-2)
Tim Holden (PA-17)
Duncan Hunter (CA-52)
Bob Inglis (SC-4)
Lynn Jenkins (KS-2)
Timothy Johnson (IL-15)
Walter Jones (NC-3)
Jim Jordan (OH-4)
Steve Kagen (WI-8)
Marcy Kaptur (OH-9)
Dale Kildee (MI-5)
Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15)
Ron Kind (WI-3)
Jack Kingston (GA-1)
Mark Kirk (IL-10)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1)
Larry Kissell (NC-8)
John Kline (MN-2)
Frank Kratovil (MD-1)
Doug Lamborn (CO-5)
Leonard Lance (NJ-7)
Rick Larsen (WA-2)
Tom Latham (IA-4)
Steve LaTourette (OH-14)
Robert Latta (OH-5)
Jerry Lewis (CA-41)
John Lewis (GA-5)
John Linder (GA-7)
Chris Lee (NY-26)
Frank Lucas (OK-3)
Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2)
Dave Loebsack (IA-2)
Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9)
Ben Ray Lujan (NM-3)
Cynthia Lummis (WY-AL)
Daniel Lungren (CA-3)
Don Manzullo (IL-16)
Kenny Marchant (TX-24)
Betsy Markey (CO-4)
Jim Matheson (UT-2)
Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4)
Michael McCaul (TX-10)
Tom McClintock (CA-4)
Patrick McHenry (NC-10)
John McHugh (NY-23)
Mike McIntyre (NC-7)
Howard McKeon (CA-25)
Cathy McMorris Rogers (WA-5)
Kendrick Meek (FL-17)
Charlie Melancon (LA-3)
Michael Michaud (ME-2)
Brad Miller (NC-13)
Candice Miller (MI-10)
Gary Miller (CA-42)
Jeff Miller (FL-1)
Walt Minnick (ID-1)
Harry Mitchell (AZ-5)
Alan Mollohan (WV-1)
Dennis Moore (KS-3)
Jerry Moran (KS-1)
Sue Myrick (NC-9)

Randy Neugebauer (TX-19)
Devin Nunes (CA-21)
Glenn Nye (VA-2)
James Oberstar (MN-8)
Pete Olson (TX-22)
Solomon Ortiz (TX-27)
Frank Pallone (NJ-6)
Erik Paulson (MN-3)
Bill Pascrell (NJ-8)
Ron Paul (TX-14)
Mike Pence (IN-6)
Tom Perriello (VA-5)
Tom Petri (WI-6)
Pedro Pierluisi (PR-At Large)
Joe Pitts (PA-16)
Todd Platts (PA-19)
Ted Poe (TX-2)
Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL)
Bill Posey (FL-15)
David Price (NC-4)
Tom Price (GA-6)
Adam Putnam (FL-12)
George Radanovich (CA-19)
Nick Rahall (WV-3)
Charles Rangel (NY-15)
Dennis Rehberg (MT-AL)
Dave Reichert (WA-8)
Silvestre Reyes (TX-16)
Phil Roe (TN-1)
Harold Rogers (KY-5)
Mike Rogers (AL-3)
Mike Rogers (MI-8)
Dana Rohrabacher (CA-46)
Peter Roskam (IL-6)
Mike Ross (AR-4)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18)
Edward Royce (CA-40)
Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2)
Bobby Rush (IL-1)
Paul Ryan (WI-1)
Tim Ryan (OH-17)
John Sarbanes (MD-3)
Steve Scalise (LA-1)
Jean Schmidt (OH-2)
Aaron Schock (IL-18)
Allyson Schwartz (PA-13)
David Scott (GA-13)
Pete Sessions (TX-32)
Joe Sestak (PA-7)
John Shimkus (IL-19)
Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1)
Heath Shuler (NC-11)
Bill Shuster (PA-9)
Mike Simpson (ID-2)
Albio Sires (NJ-13)
Ike Skelton (MO-4)
Adrian Smith (NE-3)
Christopher Smith (NJ-4)
Zack Space (OH-18)
Mark Souder (IN-3)
John Spratt (SC-5)
Cliff Stearns (FL-6)
Bart Stupak (MI-1)
John Sullivan (OK-1)
Harry Teague (NM-2)
Lee Terry (NE-2)
Mike Thompson (CA-1)
Glenn Thompson (PA-5)
"Mac" Thornberry (TX-13)
Todd Tiahrt (KS-4)
Pat Tiberi (OH-12)
Dina Titus (NV-3)
Mike Turner (OH-3)
Fred Upton (MI-6)
Peter Visclosky (IN-1)
Greg Walden (OR-2)
Timothy Walz (MN-1)
Lynn Westmoreland (GA-3)
Ed Whitfield (KY-1)
Charlie Wilson (OH-6)
Joe Wilson (SC-2)
Rob Wittman (VA-1)
Frank Wolf (VA-10)
Don Young (AK-At Large)

The Local Radio Freedom Act's 27 Senate cosponsors are:

John Barrasso (WY)
Max Baucus (MT)
Jeff Bingaman (NM)
Christopher Bond (MO)
Sam Brownback (KS)
Richard Burr (NC)
Thad Cochran (MS)
Susan Collins (ME)
Mike Crapo (ID)

Michael Enzi (WY)
Judd Gregg (NH)
Kay Hagan (NC)
James Inhofe (OK)
Johnny Isakson (GA)
Mike Johanns (NE)
Tim Johnson (SD)
Mary Landrieu (LA)
Joseph Lieberman (CT)

Blanche Lincoln (AR)
Benjamin Nelson (NE)
Jim Risch (ID)
Pat Roberts (KS)
Olympia Snowe (ME)
Jon Tester (MT)
John Thune (SD)
David Vitter (LA)
Roger Wicker (MS)

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