GEORGIA AG NEWS, December 2011
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New chocolate flavors By Sharon Durham
Special to Georgia Ag News
BELTSVILLE, Md. — New cacao types with unique flavors that are distinctly Peruvian have been identified by USDA scientists. These new flavors could one day be marketed like wine, by geographical provenance. USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists at the agency’s Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory and Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, both in Beltsville, Md., and Peruvian collaborators found these new cacao plants during collection expeditions in 2008 and 2009 in the Amazon Basin of Peru. The researchers found hundreds of new cacao tree samples during the trips. One of these, discovered by collaborators from Maranon Chocolate, was
Pure Nacional, an old, very rare, and highly coveted variety that has garnered a great deal of interest from makers of fine-flavored chocolates. Chocolate is produced from cacao. This industry covets new and unique flavor sources. Usually, cacao trees are found along rivers, but these gems were found at a higher altitude than normal, and in Peru instead of Ecuador or Venezuela. SPCL research leader Lyndel Meinhardt and geneticist Dapeng Zhang collaborated with the Instituto de Cultivos Tropicales, a research center in San Martin, Peru, to identify the new varieties of cacao. The researchers are studying 342 cacao specimens collected from 12 watersheds and categorizing the DNA of the specimens. ARS and ICT are helping Peru create its own niche in the chocolate industry by working with
San Martin’s Oro Verde cooperative and Maranon Chocolate. Peru’s tropical conditions — 60 percent of the country is covered in tropical forest — make it ideal for producing cacao, and specialty chocolates. ARS is USDA’s principal intramural scientific research agency, and this research supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security. Sharon Durham is a public affairs specialist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Md. USDA Agricultural Research Service
Chocolate flavors: ARS scientists have identified new cacao types with unique flavors on collection trips to Peru, such as this Fortunato No. 4 chocolate, a fine-flavor product made from the Pure Nacional type of cacao identified in northern Peru.
David Lathem takes reins as UEP chairman TUCSON, Ariz. — David Lathem, president and CEO of Lathem Farms in Pendergrass, Ga., has been elected to serve as board chairman of the Alpharetta, Ga.-based United Egg Producers. Election of officers and the board of directors was held during UEP’s recent annual membership meeting here. Lathem, a University of Georgia graduate, is the second generation operating the family farm started in 1960. He continues to modernize the farm and recently began construction of a new organic pullet and layer farms, which will be added to the approximate 1.2 million layers in convention cages. He has served on the UEP board and committees for several years and was most recently the group’s first vice chairman. He and his wife Lisa have three children. Other officers are Jim Dean, Center
Fresh Group, first vice chairman; Ron Truex, Creighton Brothers, second vice chairman; Kurt Kreher, Kreher’s Farm Fresh Egg, treasurer; Cliff Lillywhite, Oakdell Egg Farms, secLathem retary; and Bob Krouse, Midwest Poultry Services, past chairman. Board of directors members are Steve Gemperle, Gemperle Enterprises; Gary West, J.S. West Cos.; Glenn Hickman, Hickman Family Farms; Gordon Satrum, Willamette Egg Farms; Mark Oldenkamp, Valley Fresh Foods; Roger Deffner, National Foods; Amon Baer, J&A Farms; Terry Baker, Michael Foods; Tad Gross, Hemmelgarn & Sons; Steve Herbruck, Herbruck’s
Poultry Ranch; Tom Hertzfeld Jr., Hertzfeld Poultry Farm; Bill Rehm, Daybreak Foods; Marcus Rust, Rose Acre Farms; Al Schimpf, S&R Egg Farm; Ron Gayman, Hillside Poultry Farm; Mike Puglisi, Puglisi Egg Farm; Brian Barrett, Feather Crest Farms; Dolph Baker, Cal-Maine Foods; Brent Booker, Country Charm Eggs; Scott Braswell, Braswell Foods; Gregg Clanton, ISE America; Terry George, Pilgrim’s Pride; Richard Simpson, Simpson’s Eggs; Roger Seger, Layers Inc.; David Thompson, Pearl Valley Eggs; and Steve Boomsma, Centrum Valley Farms. The United Egg Producers also presented the Egg Producer of the Year award to Bob Krouse of Midwest Poultry Services and the President’s Award to Mitch Head of Golin Harris public relations company. This was the second time Krouse was
named the top egg producer and only the second time that UEP had honored a past recipient. UEP said Krouse was again being honored in 2011 because of the leadership he had shown as UEP’s chairman as well as being the lead negotiator for UEP in working with the Humane Society of the United States to seek federal legislation for national housing standards for layer hens. The President’s Award recognizes and honors people other than egg farmers who have made major contributions to UEP and the egg industry. UEP noted that Head and his team at Golin Harris have managed the UEP Certified animal welfare public relations program for eight years “though some very difficult times while at the same time creating innovative ways in which to put a positive image on the modern egg industry.”