News from the Minnesota Association of Wheat
Growers for Monday, February 21,  2000

SOY PROTEIN SEEN HELPING PREVENT BREAST CANCER
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. researchers said Thursday tests on rats had shown that soy protein can help prevent breast cancer.

Scientists at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center said they had found evidence that a diet containing whey and soy protein can reduce levels of the female hormone estrogen, which is linked to breast cancer -- the second leading cancer killer in women.

The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, found that about 50 percent fewer rats in a test sample had mammary tumors when fed a soy protein diet as compared to a standard diet.

Soy is rich in isoflavones which sometimes act to stimulate estrogen and sometimes interfere with its effects, which is how the popular breast cancer drug tamoxifen works.

Tamoxifen blocks estrogen's bad effects on the breast, while stimulating its good side-effects such as protecting bone density.

``This significant new research, although preliminary, suggests that adding whey or soy protein to the diet may help protect women and children from developing breast cancer,'' said Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman.

``These findings underscore the importance of research as the critical link between nutrition and health.''

A number of independent studies on small groups of women have shown that women who drank soy milk had lower levels of estrogen in their blood.

AUSTRALIA EXPRESSES CONCERN WITH U.S. FARM AID

(This article is taken from USDA's weekly Grain Transportation Report...dated February 8, 2000 (which used a Reuters report from 2/4).

Australia's National Farmers' Federation (NFF), already upset over last year's U.S. farm aid package, has rekindled its anger with the latest U.S. farm aid proposals for the years 2000-2002.

"Our members will be outraged to learn of the U.S. Government's proposals to blatantly bankroll their under-performing U.S. competitors, " according to NFF president Ian Donges. "...approval of the latest package would lift levels of protection to new ludicrous levels," he also stated.

Donges emphasized that 30 percent of Australia's farmers experienced negative farm cash income during 1998/1999.

U.S. GRAINS COUNCIL MEETING TALKS EXPANDING TRADE WITH IRAN
After the lifting of sanctions on U.S. trade in food and medicine last fall, there are some hopes that trade with Iran might increase. Without diplomatic relations with Iran, it's difficult to assess the current market situation in Iran, says Dr. T.J.Vorachek , USGC Middle East director.

Vorachek projects important levels, according to traders in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Read more at www.agdayta.com

ENVIRO GROUPS LEVERAGE GM OPPOSITION THROUGH STOCKHOLDERS
 Activist groups are fanning stockholder worries that public opposition to GM food products might damage stock values.

Thus, several firms in the food business are feeling stockholder pressure to back away from handling or producing GM foods.
The opposition is amplified by anti-GM activists working through religious groups, environmentalists and socially conscious investment funds.  Read more at www.profarmer.com