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ABC News
3 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Bedourie's Simpson Desert Oasis scales back groceries due to power, freight costs
The only grocery shop for hundreds of kilometres in far western Queensland is scaling back due to the "astronomical" cost of supplying produce. The Simpson Desert Oasis lives up to its name. It is a motel, caravan park, roadhouse, restaurant and grocery shop wrapped into one business in the outback town of Bedourie. In the town of 150 people, Robbie Dare has worn many hats. He has run the Oasis for 37 years, was the race club president and the mayor of the local Diamantina Shire for 12 years. While other sections of the business remain open, Mr Dare has had to stop supplying most fresh produce and frozen goods because the cost of electricity, freight and fuel had made it unsustainable. "The old bushie in me thinks we can live without it, but a lot of people need it … fruit, fresh milk, ice cream, things like lettuce," he said. "Raspberries, grapes, strawberries, cherries, anything with a short date will have to go." Mr Dare said they would keep supplying canned and dry goods, frozen meat and long-lasting produce like potatoes and onions, as well as anything they needed to keep the roadhouse kitchen open. The weekly shop has become much harder for Bedourie residents. Resident Kevin Barr said the grocery shop's partial closure had hit the town hard. He remembered in the 70s when the only food outlet in Bedourie was a "tin shed behind the hotel with no fresh veggies or bread". "To be able to drive down here and walk into a shop and get what you can get out of a normal supermarket in the cities is unbelievable," Mr Barr said. Without the Oasis, Mr Barr said he would have to make the 236-kilometre drive to Boulia for groceries. The other option is to order online from Townsville supermarkets, 1,200km away, then wait for the fortnightly truck to arrive in Bedourie. Mr Dare said online delivery had also impacted on his business, with cheaper groceries swaying residents away from his brick-and-mortar shop. "It's just common sense — if you can buy a product somewhere else for less, you will." Electricity, freight and fuel are the three "real killers" when it comes to running a shop in the bush. Mr Dare said they had been losing money for a while due to the growing overheads. Bedourie can be cut off by road for months at a time during the wet season, so the Oasis runs about 19 freezers to last residents during the period of isolation. By cutting frozen goods and fresh produce, he said he can could turn off half of the freezers to save on electricity. Last summer, the power bill for the Oasis reached $9,800 a month. Mr Dare said because the business used more than 100 megawatts-hours of electricity a year, it was classified as a "large customer" by the energy provider and had to pay higher tariffs and service fees. Then there is the cost of freight. For a punnet of strawberries to land in the Oasis, it first needs to be trucked 1,500km from Brisbane. The cost varies depending on the product, but Mr Dare said the freight bill came to about $700 per tonne. He said businesses in the bush were crying out for increased freight subsidies. Queensland's vast and complex trucking network means many outback towns receive road or rail freight subsidies from the state government to keep costs down. However, Bedourie receives neither. A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) said the department acknowledged "the challenges faced by communities such as Diamantina and recognises the importance of affordable and reliable freight services". "TMR is exploring options to enhance freight-subsidy initiatives and assess how subsidised freight services can continue to best support Queensland communities most in need," the spokesperson said. While Member for Gregory Sean Dillon stopped short of pledging to bring a freight subsidy to Bedourie, he said the Crisafulli government was looking at equitable solutions that "don't rob Peter to pay Paul". "At the moment I think the best fit for Bedourie is better road access and better actual support for the trucking industry," Mr Dillon said. "For people in that region to maintain their liveability, they'll need certainty from the government and that's what we intend to provide."
CBS News
3 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
How should we clean produce?
It's a healthy habit most do right before snacking on some fruit or cooking vegetables. We do it without thinking, often taught by our parents. But there's some science to keep in mind. How should we clean produce? And what common mistakes do people make? From farmland to store shelves and soon your kitchen, produce is a healthy choice that sometimes needs a healthy rinse. "If it's blueberries, I put them in a strainer and run water over them," said one shopper at Kowalski's in Minneapolis. "Maybe for things like potatoes, I'll wash them and wash the skin with a brush," added another shopper. Pesticides were one reason they try to clean produce. "Some items aren't being thoroughly washed by farmers before they go to sale," said Amy Johnston, a food safety expert with the University of Minnesota Extension. Dirt is the first reason that comes to mind, but Johnston said certain bacteria and pesticides could also be on fruits and vegetables. Many pesticides farmers use are water-soluble, meaning rinsing produce with water can get rid of the chemicals. It depends on the type. For food with thin skin, like peppers and tomatoes, Johnston said to use cold running water and your hands. "Hot water can actually cause something called thermal shock," she said. Produce with thin skin is most susceptible to thermal shock. Because the skin is porous, hot water can cause elements on the food's surface (bacteria) to permeate the skin and seep into the food. For firm foods with thick skin, like carrots, Johnston says to keep the water cool but add a scrub brush for deeper cleaning. "That scrub brush is going to really help us get into those nooks and crannies that we might not be able to rinse away," she said. Also, make sure the brush you use is just for produce and not for dishes. Salad spinners work well at cleaning leafy greens, berries and herbs. You should not use dish soap or any chemical cleaner. There's the risk of it consuming it, and Johnston said they haven't been shown to actually clean the food in the way users are hoping. There are, however, several products marketed for cleaning fruits and veggies. They come in the form of sprays, powder mixtures or even specialized vinegar with the goal of cleaning off pesticides or bacteria beyond using just water. "There's not much research that shows that household solutions are more effective," said Johnston. "(They're) not going to do any harm, so if it gives you that extra layer of comfort to use it, by all means, just make sure that it's safe for food." "First one is not starting with a clean and sanitized kitchen sink," Johnston said. A sink, including the faucet components, as well as the workspace, must be clean and sanitized. Another mistake is using a kitchen towel for drying. Doing so could add contaminants to the food that was just cleaned. Instead, use a paper towel, salad spinner or just air dry. Hot water is good for cleaning your hands, but some people apply that rule to produce. Stick with a cold water rinse to ensure thermal shock doesn't occur. Another tip is to wait to clean produce until right before you eat or cook with it. Doing so can make it ripen faster, even if it's put in the fridge. Some people might think they don't need to clean fruits or veggies in which you don't eat the skin, like watermelon. Johnston, however, said that kind of produce still needs to be cleaned. For example, a knife cutting through a watermelon that wasn't cleaned will drag bacteria or pesticides with it into the fleshy part of the fruit. For more advice from Johnston and the UMN Extension, click here.
Washington Post
14-07-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Ripe summer tomatoes call for these Caprese-inspired recipes
After months of bland, out-of-season grocery store tomatoes, summer brings along farmers markets with precious heirlooms and sun-ripened beauties. These aren't the kinds of produce that you need to draw out flavor from by roasting or turning into a pot of sauce. Big, juicy and vibrant on their own, these tomatoes deserve to be celebrated in all their glory — and a summery Caprese salad is a great place to start.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FDA Announces Massive Recall of Popular Produce in 4 States and DC
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a massive recall of 30 different kinds of produce over possible contamination. Recalled produce includes a wide variety, such as apples, sweet corn, asparagus, spinach, cilantro, lemons, cucumber and cauliflower, among others. The FDA in its recall announcement notes the produce might "be contaminated with fluid from a reach truck." The notice doesn't expand on what kind of fluid potentially contaminated the foods, or what kind of "reach truck" the fluids came from, though a reach truck often refers to a type of forklift used to transport large amounts of goods. UNFI General Corporate, a Rhode Island-based company, voluntarily issued the recall on July 10, 2025. The states impacted are New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. The FDA also notes 213 cases of product are impacted by the recall, though it's not clear how many of each product are in each case. UNFI on its website notes the company works to provide products and services "for thousands of suppliers and retailers of all sizes." The company also on its website notes it provides "products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce providers, and food service customers." Common types of fluids found on forklifts, or reach trucks, include brake fluid, engine oil and hydraulic fluid, according to the Fork Lift Tire Company. Hydraulic fluid is the main fluid used to raise and lower the forks used to move goods around. The news comes as food recalls are becoming more widespread, according to CNN. While data for 2025 isn't complete yet, because the year isn't over, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group reported an 8 percent rise in recalls in 2024 compared to 2023. The FDA reported 241 food and beverage recalls and alert notices in 2024, the group Announces Massive Recall of Popular Produce in 4 States and DC first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 13, 2025
Washington Post
11-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Washington Post
The best ways to cook summer corn
I'm the kind of person who meticulously plans each week's worth of meals, but set me in a summer farmers market, and all that goes right out the window. When the produce is at its peak, I can't help but start grabbing whatever looks best. Without fail, that includes corn. The Jenga-like wall of ears is the first thing I see at my neighborhood market, and I always buy at least an armful.
