*EPF413 06/26/2003
Agriculture Expo Showcases Technologies to Foreign Officials
(Ministers from more than 100 countries attend California conference) (560)

By Kathryn McConnell
Washington File Staff Writer

Sacramento, California -- Modern food technologies related to food processing and packaging, food safety, biotechnology, transportation, and soil and water management were on exhibit here June 24-25 to ministers from more than 100 countries attending a U.S.-sponsored conference.

Conference attendees showed strong interest in the range of technologies exhibited.

The featured technologies and products were developed by companies, non-profit organizations, government agencies and research institutions.

An example was a global positioning system (GPS) that can help farmers around the world make targeted planting and grazing decisions using data gathered by satellite, according to a representative of ESRI, one of the GPS companies at the expo.

A soil moisture-extraction system on exhibit allows communities to turn wastes into fertilizers and fuel and use less land for waste deposits, according to spokesperson for DryVac, a U.S. company highlighting the technology.

At a lower level of technology, a small drip-irrigation system on display allows for a steady and predictable flow of water from raised barrels holding 200-800 liters through a series of pipes and filters to planted plots. A system watering 500 square meters costs about $100, said a representative of the company Netafim.

Another low-cost technology exhibited was a hand-held soil moisture monitor to help farmers determine when to irrigate and how much water to apply by identifying patterns of moisture extraction by roots, said a representative of the company ECH2O.

Exhibitor Econeer displayed samples of biodegradable plates and containers made entirely from flour and cheaper than similar items made from paper or plastic. "You could eat the plate if you wanted," joked a company representative.

Another company, Gorge Delights, exhibited how it specially packages fresh fruit in airtight pouches so it doesn't require refrigeration. The company will begin selling the fruit bars to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for use on space flights, a company spokesman said.

Several companies that develop and market improved seeds were also represented at the expo.

The exhibit featured several U.S. government agencies and U.S. and international intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations focused on agricultural research and information sharing.

U.S. agencies included the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and several agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) such as the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the department's principal research arm, the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which is responsible for protecting U.S. agricultural from internal and external threats, and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which regulates meat, poultry and egg products and assures truthful labeling of the products.

Intergovernmental groups at the expo included the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an alliance of countries and organizations devoted to mobilizing agricultural science to reduce poverty, promote agricultural development and protect the environment, according to the organization.

Universities represented included Texas A&M, which has an international agriculture research program, and the University of California-Davis, which conducts research in food and fiber production, nutrition, and related environmental, health, safety and policy issues, according to the university.

The conference and expo, which drew ministers of agriculture, science and technology, environment, trade and economics, education and health, was cosponsored by USDA, USAID and the Department of State.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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