On Wednesday the USDA predicted record grain harvests this year, trimming its forecasts for the U.S. corn and soybean crops by less than traders and analysts had expected. In its monthly World Supply and Demand Estimates report, USDA projected a corn crop of 14 billion bushels, down 1 percent from its estimate last month for [...]

Among local restaurateurs, there’s a sacred code: Don’t walk into another operator’s restaurant and try to steal the staff. But these are desperate times. In recent months, poaching has become more frequent and more aggressive. It’s become all too common to see managers of other restaurants come into eateries, and offer waiters and managers jobs. Competitors will [...]

Hog production has returned to profitability as hog prices rallied from the mid-$50s per live hundredweight in March to the low $70s today. Moderation in feed prices after the USDA’s March Grain Stocks report was released in late March also helped reduce costs of production with second quarter costs averaging about $67 per live hundredweight [...]

Farmers had planted 71 percent on the U.S. corn crop by May 19, a giant leap forward from just 28 percent planted a week ago and nearly caught up to the five-year average of 79 percent planted by this time in the 18 major corn producing states. Last year, which was an unusually early planting [...]

Collegiate foodservice executives are boosting customer satisfaction by cutting back — on options, on waste and on portions. The college dining halls of the 21st century are at the cutting edge of trends in foodservice, testing many of the ideas that will likely show up in restaurants and other institutions, in one form or another, [...]

Pizza might be one of the most versatile ways to grab a quick bite to eat. It comes in takeout, delivery, dine-in, frozen and take-and-bake. Pizza is a staple during college, and research shows that Millennials form habits during that time that stick with them throughout their lives. Four in 10 Americans say they eat [...]

Little servings give diners an opportunity to control health, value, and variety. Small portions are very big these days. Many 2013 trend predictions determined that small plates and snacking are expected to be popular among chefs and restaurant operators this year. While diners are still eating during the traditional meal times—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—they are [...]

Washington’s culinary scene has traditionally been known for its power restaurants: clubby spots, often run by celebrity chefs, where political movers-and-shakers cut deals and charred steaks. But recently, the city has embraced the flip side of fine dining. Several casual spots have opened, offering fresh, inexpensive, vibrant fare that gives fast food a good name. [...]

As with keeping meat fresh, milk, cream, and half-and-half should be refrigerated as soon as you get them home. If so, they will easily last a week past the official sell-by date stamped on the container.  Remember, that date is just what it says it is — the last day you ought to buy the [...]

New names for more than 350 cuts of beef, pork.  BBQ fans, brace yourselves: “Pork butt” will soon be a thing of the past.  In an effort to boost sales just ahead of the U.S. grilling season, and make shopping at the meat counter a bit easier, the pork and beef industries are retooling more [...]