Update from the Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

*CHODOSH BULLETIN-Aug 19 08*

*Y. Herman/Guide to Chodosh*

*_BAKERY PRODUCTS IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA_*

As noted below, we are advising that all freshly baked items from wheat 
flour may be Chodosh as of Aug 1. That was meant to be a /chumra / date 
that is applicable throughout the country. However, it turns out that 
the two mills that supply bakery flour to most of the kosher bakeries in 
the New York City area first changed to Chodosh around Aug 17, as 
verified by the O-U. Several area bakeries have told customers within 
the past few days that Chodosh has not started yet. What they meant, is 
that the distributors have not yet started to ship to them the reserved 
Yoshon flour at the higher cost. They were still using the old (Yoshon) 
flour as earlier in the season. However, even the New York City area 
bakeries and similar establishments _which have not made arrangements_ 
for Yoshon should start receiving Chodosh flour starting in the next few 
days. In other areas of the country, the changeover may have occurred 
earlier. I hope this clears up some confusion expressed by callers to 
the Hot Line.

Other popular questions on the Hot Line: oats Chodosh date codes: 
Cheerios, Fiber1, Total code=Aug 2 2009. Quaker Quick oats and other hot 
oats cereals code=January 17 2010.

We are trying to get the new Guide published around the 2^nd week of 
Sept, BS”D.

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*_FOLLOWING AS OF AUG 6 08_*

_CONFIRMED CHODOSH STARTING DATES_

This is to confirm the final Chodosh date of Jul 26 for _oats_ for this 
season. The final Chodosh date for _spring wheat_ and _barley _ is Aug 
1. (Note that Gefen expects to produce Yoshon barley till pesach.) These 
dates hold for both the mid West and Eastern US. For _noodles and pasta_ 
the date is _Aug 16_. These dates are PACKING dates. This means that 
packaged food items packed on these dates or later may contain Chodosh. 
Any packaged foods that you will find on the grocery shelves after these 
dates for _at least 2 more _weeks are almost certain to still be Yoshon. 
Beyond those 2 weeks, until the new Guide comes out in early Sept. using 
package codes from earlier Guides should allow you to find Yoshon items 
on your grocery shelves that were packed before the cutoff packing 
dates. (If you don’t have old Guides, you may download the last Guide of 
the previous season by sending a blank email to chodosh at sefer.org 
<mailto:chodosh at sefer.org>. However, remember that this is still last 
year’s Guide and it should only be used as a reference for dating codes. 
The actual dates and information in that Guide are not to be used for 
the new season.)

For _freshly baked_ bakery, pizza shop, etc foods, the estimate is that, 
for facilities that did not make arrangements for Yoshon flour, the 
flour they use may become Chodosh as early as _Aug 1_. This is a 
_purchase date. _ That means that it is possible that those facilities 
may sell Chodosh starting Aug 1. (This year there is almost no Yoshon 
spring wheat left from earlier harvests. Therefore, it is predicted by 
flour mills and food companies that the Chodosh crops will start to be 
used immediately after harvest. Since we have no way of estimating how 
many days does this “immediately” translate into, we are advising a 
cutoff for freshly baked items that is the date of the start of the 
harvest, Aug 1.) I am still waiting for confirmation from most of the 
mashgichim on Yoshon hashgochos for the new season. For the next few 
weeks, until those hashgochos will have been confirmed, I suggest that 
you shop at bakeries that have produced Yoshon last year, but check at 
the store to make sure that they still plan to produce Yoshon.

We hope to have the new Guide to Chodosh ready BS”D early in September.

*********************************************

*_THE FOLLOWING AS OF JUL 22_*

*UPDATE ON WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT SEASON*

Regarding our earlier fears for the availability of Yoshon in bakeries, 
etc, the situation has dramatically and unexpectedly improved. As of 
June 1, we were still being told by the flour mills and flour 
distributors that most likely there will be no Yoshon spring wheat flour 
available for the new season. This was because it was expected that 
there would not be any Yoshon spring wheat left over at the start of the 
Chodosh harvest.” What was not predicted is that the increased price of 
spring wheat resulted in a decreased usage of this crop, giving rise to 
an unexpected surplus. It was at the time that we called for the June 14 
emergency meeting of flour producers, sellers, and Yoshon mashgichim. 
Then the prospects still looked bleak indeed. In fact, there is indeed 
some left over Yoshon wheat - less than usual, but enough for our needs. 
This is yet another example of the /seyata d’shmaya/ that the Chodosh 
project has seen throughout the years.

By today, BE”H almost all of the bakeries and other facilities that have 
produced Yoshon in the past have already contracted to have adequate 
supplies of Yoshon for the next season. Therefore, we are cancelling our 
previously published alert. We now expect the Yoshon scene (and even the 
first issue of the Guide to Chodosh) to follow patterns established in 
previous years. If anyone is aware of any food producer who has problems 
procuring Yoshon flour, please ask them to contact Yoseph Herman at the 
Guide to Chodosh by email at yherman at earthlink.net 
<mailto:yherman at earthlink.net> or by the Hot Line at 718-305-5133.

Y. Herman

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