Pre-season bulletin from the Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

TIME TO RENEW SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE GUIDE TO CHODOSH

  [Special note to the recipients of this email: The following notice to renew your subscription to the Guide to Chodosh only applies if you want a printed, hard copy of the 3 issues of the Guide. Those who want the computer-retrieved PDF version, will be able to get it free of charge, as in the past. Furthermore, there is not need to renew any subscriptions to these email newsletters.]

[An other note, I asked a few weeks ago for someone to help me with the mailing list maintenance for the summer season. That position has now been filled. I thank all those who responded to my call.]

The previous Chodosh season just ended on pesach. We all have a right to look forward to several months of not having to worry about Chodosh, until the new season begins at the end of August or during September. Nevertheless, we are sending out this subscription renewal reminder now, hoping that most people will take the time to renew before the summer vacation season begins, to give us adequate time to process the renewals.



To have the three issues of the Guide mailed to your home. All subscription requests should be sent to:

Project Chodosh Subscriptions

PO Box 297279

Brooklyn, NY 11229-7279

All other correspondence should be sent to the Monsey address, listed at the top of this page.

 

The Guide project does not accept any donations. All expenses are covered by the sales of the Guides. Postage paid subscriptions for the three issues cost $15. Individual copies sold by local distributors are $5 per issue. The $15 covers subscriptions to be mailed within the USA. For Canadian addresses, the cost of the 3 issues is $16. For Israel, Europe and other overseas locations the cost is $21. To subscribe, please send your checks made out to Project Chodoshto the Guide address given above.

 

The first issue of the Guide is due to be mailed out approximately mid September, to be followed by the other two issues in December and February.

 

We have had difficulties in the past because not everyone included their full mailing address. Please fill in the renewal form given below. In particular, you must supply the Zip code and the apartment number, if applicable. Your phone number is needed in case of delivery problems.

 

THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION

 

Some poskim may be more lenient regarding Chodosh when most of a crop is Yoshon. (Consult your own posek or Rov regarding this point.) This question is more pertinent this year than usual because pesach this year was later than usual on the solar calendar. In fact about 2/3 of the oats were planted before pesach in the USA. As a result, most of the USA-grown oats will be Yoshon during the upcoming season. This will lead to complications because even though most of the USA-grown oats will be Yoshon this year, however, about 1/3 of all the oats used in the USA will be imported, mostly from Canada. Canadian oats will probably be mostly Chodosh, since planting in Canada starts later than in the USA. In the past, several of the major companies that used Canadian oats in their cereals included General Mills, ConAgra and Ralston. We have not yet checked on the arrangements of these companies for the new season.

 

Regarding the other crops, about 35% of the spring wheat and 30% of the barley were planted before pesach. To estimate whether most of the spring wheat and barley crops will be Yoshon or Chodosh after the forthcoming harvest, we need additional data from the government. This data will not be published by the USDA until mid July. At that time we hope to publish more complete estimates on the News section of the Chodosh Hot Line or by email bulletins.

 

ESTIMATED CHODOSH STARTING DATES

The following are preliminary estimates only. Corrections and updates to these will be posted  when available, on the News section of the Chodosh Hot Line and by email to those who subscribe to the email list (see below.) The corrected dates will be published in the first edition of the Guide.

 

Freshly baked products in local bakeries such as breads, challehs, rolls, bagels probably Yoshon if purchased up to: Sept 4 in the East and Far West, Aug 20 in the Mid West.

Packaged foods containing wheat, other than pasta probably Yoshon if purchased up to Sept 15. After that package codes have to be used.

Packaged pasta probably safe if packed before Sept 15, probably safe to purchase up to Oct 1.

Foods containing oats may have Chodosh problems as early as Aug 15 if they use USA-grown oats. (However, as noted above, USA-grown oats will be mostly Yoshon this year. Consult your own posek about the significance of this.) Those items that use Canadian oats may be Chodosh starting Oct 1.

Foods containing barley (other than malt) probably safe if packed up to Sept 15, probably safe to purchase up to Oct 5.

A NOTE TO OWNERS OF YOSHON-PRODUCING ESTABLISHMENTS

If you are a producer of Yoshon foods, please note that the Guide would like to list your products. Such listing, which is at no charge to you, is a service to the Yoshon consumer and is free advertising for you. Please send full details including name and address of your establishment, the telephone number (voice and fax), the name of the person in charge, the name of the mashgiach who takes responsibility for Yoshon (if there is such a mashgiach) and a complete list of the Yoshon products that you offer. Fax this information to 845-356-5999. Alternatively, you can mail it to: Yoshon Producer Information, 20 Sylvan Road, Monsey, NY 10952.