Positive News May 23, 2006

US NEWS

Hospital purchasing group signs deal
with major organic food distributor

More than 2,000 hospitals in the U.S. now have
access to natural and organic foods, thanks to a
deal announced last week between MedAssets,
a leading group purchasing organization for the
health care industry, and United Natural Food
Incorporated (UNFI), the largest publicly traded
wholesale distributor to the natural and organic
foods industry.

The deal, which is the first contract between a
major health care buyer and organic food distributor,
reflects the growing demand in the health care
industry for healthy food options.

MedAssets purchased more than $200 million
worth of food and supplies for 2,400 hospitals
in the U.S. in 2005.

ADM to build new ethanol plant in Iowa

Archer Daniels Midland Co. plans to build a new
dry-mill ethanol plant that will allow the company
to produce 275 million gallons of the corn-based
fuel each year.

The new plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is expected
to be finished in the second half of 2008, subject to
approval by federal regulators, the company said.

It is the second new dry-milling ethanol plant
announced by Decatur-based ADM this year.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Colombia's homicide rate is the
lowest in nearly two decades

Colombia's peace process with demobilized
paramilitaries was back on track Monday,
following misunderstandings that arose
after a court overturned a law dealing
with peace talks.

Since the demobilization in 2003, Colombia's
homicide rate is the lowest in nearly two
decades.

Bolivia's new President vows to give
unfarmed land to indigenous peoples

Bolivia's President Morales announced that his
government plans to redistribute as much as
54,000 square miles of unfarmed land to the
poor: 'We are defending the right of our
indigenous peoples to their own resources.'

Morales, a former protest leader whose ruling
Movement Toward Socialism party grew out
of the land reform movement, seems
determined to use Bolivia's natural resources
for the benefit of the poor Indian majority.

Chile announces big spending plans

President Michelle Bachelet said Sunday that
Chile will use some of the billions of dollars
from its booming copper exports to advance
her social agenda, creating 130,000 jobs while
investing in health, housing and education.

In her first state-of-the nation address,
Chile's first female president said the big
spending plans did not mean the government
will abandon its fiscal discipline.

She vowed to maintain annual budget surpluses
of at least 1 percent of gross domestic product.