Last December, over 100 stocks were featured in our Top Picks for 2007 report. Now, at mid-year, we turn to the 20 advisors whose picks showed the strongest gains to get an update on their previous picks, as well as a new favorite stock for the second half of the year.

Thomas Bishop, editor of BI Research, chose Taseko Mining Ltd. (ASE: TGB) as his favorite for 2007, which rose 44% as of 6/1/07. Please see his original recommendation and his current opinion on the stock.

NutraCea (OTC: NTRZ) is his new stock pick. The advisor explains, "Rice is the most consumed grain on the planet and is a primary food source for 70% of the world's population. However, 65% of its nutritional value is in the bran covering that is routinely stripped off. NutraCea offers a patent technology that preserves these nutrients.

"NutraCea had developed a technology that stabilizes rice bran into an FDA-certified edible product, leaving the nutritional value of the bran intact with a shelf life of one to three years. There is tremendous interest in this highly nutritional product, especially from humanitarian relief organizations, the nutraceutical industry, and both human and animal food companies.

"NutraCea's client roster has 187 customers, including the likes of General Mills, Pepperidge Farms, Con Agra, Archer Daniels Midland, and Purina. In addition, some 500 companies have signed nondisclosure agreements with NutraCea to test using its product in their products.To cut to the chase, NutraCea is facing demand that is expected to exceed its ability to supply it for years to come.

Rice protein has joined wheat glutton on the list of tainted pet food ingredients imported from China, according to USA Today.

Natural Balance Pet Foods is recalling some products after it found melamine, an industrial chemical, in some of its food that it suspects was in a rice protein concentrate, the paper said, adding that's the same chemical that lead to the massive recall by Menu Foods.

At this point in the game I personally have nearly lost all faith in the pet food industry to protect the health of its furry consumers. I'm also wondering if former Pres. Bill Clinton is fondly recalling the memories of all those USDA inspectors which he pink slipped. It's coming back to bite Bill now ain't it... I told you so...

I have not discontinued feeding my cats their usual commercial food. It's not that I don't love the little furballs, but changing their diet the way I'd like to would involve a small increase in our grocery budget which I choose not to bear. If the kitties were showing signs of digestive troubles or exhibiting any other symptoms, I'd surely contact our veterinarian and change their food immediately.

If I was to change my cats' diet, I would feed them human-grade salmon, tuna, shrimp, liver, beef, grains, oils and greens. Each meal would be a blend of two of the meat ingredients plus some grains and greens blended to a consistency similar to the commercial canned cat food. Wheat grass works well as a green ingredient and can be grown on your windowsill easily. As a matter of fact, it's not a bad idea to keep a pan of wheat grass growing at all times for your kitty. They love to chew it up and it often helps them to expel those nasty hairballs. Most local pet stores sell wheat grass seeds.