Empire Kosher Poultry fined $99,000 for environmental violations

Infractions of America’s largest kosher poultry producer include chemical spills and unauthorized discharges.

By JTA

Empire Kosher Poultry was fined $99,000 by Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection for repeat violations dating back to 2008.

The infractions at America’s largest kosher poultry producer, which has its plant in Mifflintown, Pa., included chemical spills, discharge of untreated industrial wastewater into the nearby Juniata River, improper storage of solid waste and a lack of reporting to state authorities of some unauthorized discharges.

For example, a state inspection on March 15 revealed an unreported industrial wastewater spill that an Empire employee said was from the chicken de-skinning operation area. Inspectors found a wastewater manhole that overflowed to the ground and into a storm water conveyance system, spilling chicken skin and fat into the areas.

The earliest citation, in May 2008, faulted Empire for having dysfunctional dissolved-air-flotation machines, not maintaining proper records, failing to provide secondary containment around storage containers in the feather pit, and having chemical spills and process waste in the feather pit.

As after other inspections, Empire told state authorities that it would take corrective actions.

On May 28, Empire agreed to pay fines totaling $99,000. Approximately $15,000 was paid to Pennsylvania’s Solid Waste Abatement Fund and another $84,000 will go to the state’s Clean Water Fund over a period of about five months.

There are plenty of nutritional food bargains out there

By Sharon Palmer, R.D. - Environmental Nutrition Newsletter for JewishWorldReview.com

"Healthy food is expensive." That's often the belief surrounding nutritious foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. However, evidence indicates that it might not be true. A May 2012 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that, on a per serving basis, many whole plant foods, such as grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, are less expensive than foods we should consume in moderation, such as sweets, chips and fatty meats.

It makes sense that minimally processed plant foods should be lower in cost than more highly processed selections; after all, the less food processing and packaging involved, the lower the food cost. (Think whole potatoes vs. potato chips.) However, even healthy whole foods, such as fresh berries, macadamia nuts and wild salmon, can be costly because of availability, cultivation and transportation.

But if you base the majority of your food purchases on seasonal, local nutrition bargains--foods that provide high nutrition content for a relatively low cost--you can allow for a splurge on wild-caught fish, delicate raspberries or specialty nuts more often.

Check out our nutrition experts' top picks for nutrient-rich food bargains. Prices are based on average retail surveys from the U.S.D.A. and U.S. Department of Labor.

1. Eggs (16 cents per large egg)

"Eggs are rich in protein, versatile and good for any meal or a snack. Eggs also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two cousins of beta-carotene, which may help prevent age-related eye disease," says Virginia-based registered dietitian Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., author of "Diabetes Weight Loss, Week by Week."

2. Onions (12 cents per small onion)

Rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins B6 and C, the onion offers a much needed nutritional and flavor punch. They also contain phytochemicals, such as quercetin and allyl sulfides, which are linked to heart health, immune function and anti-cancer effects. Add them to a number of dishes, such as soups, stir-fries, and casseroles.

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Urban Adamah: Celebrating the Jewish farm tradition

by Catie Damon for newvoices

Across from Red Sea tobacconist and flanked by a dive bar, parking lot, and storage unit is Urban Adamah, a one and a quarter acre Jewish urban farm in the heart of Berkeley, California. Rows of collard greens, chard, onions, beets, and peas radiate from a newly-built yurt and cob oven. Inside the farm, the surrounding city falls into a distant hush. Young people pushing wheelbarrows occasionally look up to greet wandering strangers.

Urban Adamah is completely open to the public so long as tasty fingers are kept to themselves. Host to a residential fellowship, a Hebrew school for children from the San Francisco Bay Area, and a farmer’s market, the farm donates every vegetable and flower they grow to the community. Founded by Adam Berman in 2010, Urban Adamah originated as a spin-off project from Adamah, a Jewish leadership residential program in Connecticut.

Now they are their own, unique program, mixing organic farming with social justice. They offer sustainability discussions along with their public Jewish holiday feasts and are a part of the growing number of environmentally mindful Jewish farms across the U.S.

I was able to talk to Zach, one of the program’s participants, this week. He told me most of the eleven to fourteen fellows that work at the farm are not San Francisco Bay Area natives. The majority are twenty-somethings with roots scattered across the country who felt disillusioned with Judaism after college. Now, they all live together in an “ugly cement” house with big kitchen a couple of blocks away while working full time at Urban Adamah.

For fellows like Zach, Urban Adamah has given them a fresh approach to Judaism that centers on gratitude. Gratitude for all living things and an awareness of the transformative process of nature we are all a part of.

“Like the laws of Kashrut, what is it really saying?” he explained to me. “Pay attention to what goes into your body. Be aware of your food source.” I notice that the entire farm is sprinkled with these “back to basics” biblical references.

Zach leaves to continue farming and I go up to a sign that reads: Bal Tashchit, translated as “do not destroy” from Deuteronomy. The principle prohibits us from cutting down fruit trees in times of war, even if it were to help us defeat our enemies. This law was later expanded to include avoiding all types of waste.

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Green & Just Celebrations

Jews United for Justice has produced a little booklet with a big mission: to work for the day when every one of the $30 million dollars that Jewish families in our area spend on weddings and bar and bat mitzvah celebrations every year will be spent in a way that reflects Jewish values. Each section of the booklet offers specific suggestions for how families can make purchasing choices for their special day in ways that are mindful of workers’ rights and environmental impact. The book is illustrated throughout with Jewish teachings, and with the real-life stories of more than forty DC-area families who made creative green and just choices for their own celebrations. Click here to download to a PDF copy of the guide or the Engagement Jewery Supplement.

Order Printed Copies of the Guide:
If you live in the Washington region:

We have guides available free to individuals in the Greater Washington area who are currently planning a simcha. Click here to order one.
We also can provide them free of charge to to rabbis, officiants, teachers, congregations and schools in the area who will use them in their work with bar and bat mitzvah families and with couples planning Jewish weddings or commitment ceremonies. Download an order form if you are interested in ordering guides to use with your institution.
If you live outside of the Washington region:

For individuals and communities outside of the Greater Washington area, the guides are available for $5 per guide (including shipping) - click here to have one sent to you.