Tagged: Food

A new project on the Wind River Indian Reservation seeks to reduce diabetes rates by helping tribal families grow their own vegetables. More than 11% of the people on the reservation have diabetes.

The project is a collaboration between community health groups on the reservation, and the University of Wyoming.

Virginia Sutter with Blue Mountain Associates is one of the leaders of the project. She says diabetes rates are high because tribal members have very different diets than they have historically.

The Wyoming House of Representatives has passed a bill that would de-regulate the sale of homemade foods at farmers markets and between producers and consumers.  Republican Sue Wallis of Recluse says it would allow the sale of meat and unpasteurized, raw milk.  Lawmakers considered removing meat from the bill, but the amendment was defeated.  Wallis says if consumers buy locally, that money will get spread throughout communities.    

The Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s Consumer Health Services Section is proposing new amendments to the Wyoming Food Safety Rule.

The changes outline rules for egg producers wanting to sell their eggs to restaurants, make more stringent the rules for processed cut leafy greens such as packaged salads, and limit consumption of raw milk to sole owners of the producing cows, their families, and unpaying guests.

Dean Finkenbinder is the manager of Consumer Health Services and he says the goal is get Wyoming in line with federal food safety guidelines.