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USDA Announces Funding for Two Renewable Energy Programs


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Release No. 0041.12

WASHINGTON, (MMD Newswire) February 3, 2012 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of funds for Fiscal Year 2012 for two key programs to encourage the use of renewable biomass and production of advanced biofuels. About $25 million will be made available through each program.

“President Obama has laid out a new era for American energy–an economy fueled by homegrown and alternative energy sources that will be designed and produced by American workers,” said Vilsack. “These programs support that vision by helping biorefineries use renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels and supporting advanced biofuel producers as they expand production.”

The Repowering Assistance Program provides approximately $25 million in funding to biorefineries that have been in existence on or before June 18, 2008. The purpose of the program is to provide a financial incentive to biorefineries to use renewable biomass in place of fossil fuels used to produce heat or power. By providing this assistance, USDA is helping these facilities install new systems that use renewable biomass.

The amount of the payment will be based on (1) the cost effectiveness of the renewable biomass system; and (2) the percentage reduction in fossil fuels used by that biorefinery. The maximum amount an individual biorefinery can receive under the Notice is 50 percent of total eligible project costs up to a maximum of $10 million.

Eligible costs must be related to construction or repowering improvements, such as engineering design, equipment installation and professional fees. The application deadline for this program to receive funds for Fiscal Year 2012 is June 1, 2012. For additional details, please see pages 5232 through 5234 of the February 2, 2012, Federal Register, or go to http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-02/pdf/2012-2244.pdf.

USDA also announced the availability of up to $25 million to make payments to advanced biofuels producers who expect to produce eligible advanced biofuels at any time during Fiscal Year 2012. To be eligible for these funds, an advanced biofuels producers must have enrolled in the program by October 31, 2011, even if the producer has an existing contract with the Agency.

Payments will be made to producers of advanced biofuels derived from renewable biomass, other than corn kernel starch. These include cellulose, sugar and starch, crop residue, vegetative waste material, animal waste, food and yard waste, vegetable oil, animal fat, and biogas.

Contract payments will be made quarterly. For additional details, please see pages 5229 through 5232 of the February 2, 2012, Federal Register, or go to http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-02-02/pdf/2012-2240.pdf.

Both of the programs referenced in the Federal Register are important parts of

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FDA takes action against New York cheese manufacturer


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FDA NEWS RELEASE

Company failed to correct violations despite federal, state warnings

January 31, 2012 (MMD Newswire) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking a federal court to prevent a New York cheese manufacturer from operating because of a history of unsanitary conditions and producing cheese in a facility contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

According to a complaint for permanent injunction filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Mexicali Cheese of Woodhaven, N.Y., and two of its officers, Edinson Vergara and Claudia Marin, produced cheese under persistent unsanitary conditions that contributed to widespread Listeria monocytogenes contamination in Mexicali Cheese’s facility.

In addition, the complaint, filed January 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, says that the New York State Department of Agriculture Markets, Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services found similar unsanitary conditions in addition to product contamination.

Mexicali Cheese makes and distributes a variety of soft Mexican cheeses to grocery stores and supermarkets in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Mexicali Cheese’s products include queso fresco [fresh cheese], queso oaxaca [Oaxacan cheese] and queso para freir [cheese for frying].

If entered by the court, the injunction would stop the company and its officers from manufacturing and distributing food until they can bring their operations into full compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and FDA food safety regulations.

“FDA filed this complaint to protect the health of consumers,” said Dara A. Corrigan, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “Working closely with New York’s Department of Agriculture and Markets, we took this step to ensure that consumers do not eat potentially dangerous foods from this company.”

Consumers can report problems with FDA-regulated products to their district office consumer complaint coordinator.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

Source: FDA

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Clean Power Concepts Announces Merger with Brazil’s Integrated Biodiesel Industries


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Regina, Canada (MMD Newswire) January 30, 2012 — Clean Power Concepts, Inc (OTC: CPOW) and Integrated Biodiesel Industries, Ltd (IBI) of Sao Paulo, Brazil agreed to merge, pending approval of IBI shareholders and completion of due diligence. A Term Sheet was signed September 22, 2011 and since then both parties have been working hard at a determining a proposed integration strategy.

Clean Power Concepts is a Canadian agricultural commodity processing and alternative energy company engaged in oilseed crushing. Clean Power’s “above ground oil well” concept allows it to supply oil for food production and renewable fuels or nutraceutical supplements. Michael Shenher, Chairman and CEO, says: ” We have been in discussion with IBI for essentially a couple of years we saw the synergies early on, and I very pleased we have enough common ground to explore integration. Our visions for the future of agricultural commodities is well matched and we are very interested in IBI’s managed farming – seed to table or tank – approach to the industry. By combining forces we are hoping to achieve economies of scale and levels of revenue that will make us more attractive to the capital markets in order to raise the necessary financing to carry out our ambitious growth plans in the agricultural commodities sector. “

IBI is a biodiesel company headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and develops plantations of Moringa oleifera as alternative source of vegetable oil as well as other low hydric demand oilseed crops in semi-arid regions. It also holds worldwide rights to a low cost tubular reactor technology for biodiesel refining. “The combination with Clean Power will result in a bigger and more integrated company as our businesses are complementary. The synergies to be captured should create meaningful shareholder value.,” adds Marcelo Lopes, IBI’s Chairman and CEO. IBI’s website is www.biodieselindustries.net

The merger will be completed within 90 days after shareholder approval and the resulting entity will continue to be listed on the OTCBB.

Clean Power Concepts produces Filtered Canola Oil, Canola Feed Meal, Lubricants, Chemicals and Additives that are marketed under the CLEAN POWER® brand names. For more information is available at CPOW’s website at http://cleanpowerconcepts.com.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections made by management. The Company intends for the forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements. Words

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Maine company holds cold smoked salmon product after FDA order


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Inspection found Listeria monocytogenes in manufacturing facility, equipment

January 25, 2012 (MMD Newswire) — A Maine food processing and storage company destroyed its cold smoked salmon product under the supervision of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes within the firm’s facility and on processing equipment

Based on conditions at Mill Stream Corp. of Hancock, Maine, FDA investigators ordered an administrative detention of the firm’s cold-smoked salmon product, a ready-to-eat food, during an inspection in December 2011. Once the food was detained, Mill Stream Corp. agreed to voluntarily destroy the cold-smoked salmon, under FDA supervision.

The FDA may order the detention of food when an investigator has a reason to believe that the food is adulterated or misbranded. Food subject to an FDA detention order may not be moved, without agency permission, until the agency releases it or the detention order expires. A detention order may remain in place for up to 30 days.

“FDA will not hesitate to take immediate steps to protect the public’s health,” said Dara A. Corrigan, the FDA’s Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. “We will aggressively use our enforcement tools to prevent potentially adulterated food from reaching the public.”

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause listeriosis, a rare and serious illness caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. However, listeriosis can be fatal, especially in older people, those with compromised immune systems, and in those with certain chronic medical conditions such as cancer. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and serious illness or death in newborn babies, though the mother herself rarely becomes seriously ill.

No illnesses have been reported to date from Mill Stream Corp. products. Illnesses or adverse events related to use of these products should be reported to the FDA at http://www.foodsafety.gov/report/index.html.

The FDA carried out its action against Mill Stream Corp. under the administrative detention authority for foods as amended as part of the FDA Food Safety and Modernization Act.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The Agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

Source: FDA

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