Bulletin from the Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

CHODOSH BULLETIN

 

CHODOSH NEWS AS OF AUGUST 12

 

The harvest of the three Chodosh crops is continuing.  This bulletin is a note of caution.  As of August 15 freshly baked bakery products should not be purchased in the Midwest United States without first making sure that they are Yoshon.  We have received news that according to the Chicago Rabbinical Council, in the Chicago area at least Chodosh bakery flour will be available to the bakeries as of August 15.  In the rest of the country such as the Northeast, Chodosh may be available on the bakery level as early as the last week of August, more likely the first week of September.  Chodosh oats may be a problem also by the end of August at least for items using USA grown oats.  Chodosh barley probably will not be a problem until mid-September.  As more information becomes available we will publish additional bulletins.

 

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CHODOSH NEWS AS OF AUGUST 2

 

As of the week ending August 1 the harvest of the spring wheat and barley has begun.  By the end of the week, 7% of the spring wheat and 7% of the barley have been harvested.  It is still too early to tell when these items with enter the food chain.  As more information becomes available I will transmit is one through the Hotline and e-mails.

 

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25 July' 05

 

STATUS OF THE CHODOSH CROPS

 

 

The latest crop statistics have been received from the United States the Department of Agriculture.  According to their data the following are the estimates of percent Chodosh in the four major crops of interest. All USA grown crops are mostly Chodosh except for oats. Hard red spring wheat (for example used for bread and chalehs) 61% Chodosh.  Durum spring wheat (used for pasta noodles) 63% Chodosh.  Barley 56% Chodosh.  Oats 32% Chodosh. The oats harvest has begun after the week of July 17.  By July 17 about 22% of the new oats have been harvested.  Canadian notes will be most to Chodosh as usual.

 

THE USA OATS CROPS

 

Even though the USA oats crops are mostly Yoshon this year, this should have no practical advantage to the Chodosh consumer.  There are at least two main reasons for this.  Firstly, even if we could be sure that the oats used in our food are grown in the USA, nevertheless it is still proper to be machmir and not to use these oats after the Chodosh season begins.  This is based upon the tshuva that we received from Harav Moshe Feinstein ZTL many years ago when there was also a majority of Yoshon for the Chodosh crops. (For reference, see Igros Moshe Yoreh Deah, Chelek 4, Tshuva 46).  Secondly, even companies that claim to use USA grown oats do occasionally mix in some Canadian notes which are a majority of Chodosh even this year.  Therefore the Guide will continue to treat oats as all other crops that will be a problem that the Chodosh season begins.  Please note that the oats harvest has begun as of the week of July 17.  That means in theory that at least by early August some Chodosh products that use such oats may be already on the marketplace.  At this point we have no further information.  As more information becomes available will pass on to you in e-mails such as this.

 

THE GUIDE PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

 

The Guide to Chodosh is scheduled to be published approximately in mid-September as usual.  We cannot publish the Guide earlier even though for the consumer it to be more useful earlier, since no sufficiently reliable information will be available until sometime in September.

 

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Project Chodosh is an independent activity, not affiliated with any movement or organization. We thank the Jewish Internet Fund (JIF) for allowing us to use their E mail distribution services. The JIF  provides free email and web hosting to Jewish education and outreach organizations. We also thank the sites moruda.com and sefer.org for allowing the public to use E mail to request copies from their facitlites of the Guides to Chodosh and the Mashgichim.