John Schott of Lifefood Gourmet Discusses his Transition from Hardcore Raw Vegan to Meat Eater

Written by Max Goldberg on March 28, 2012. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

Several weeks ago when I was in Miami, I stopped by one of my all-time favorite organic restaurants, Lifefood Gourmet.

Lifefood Gourmet is run by the super-talented John Schott, the person who first taught me about raw food and who also showed me how to make nut milk.

In 2007 when I first met John Schott, he was as hardcore of a raw food person as I had ever encountered. He ate 100% raw for eight years and strongly believed that this was the ultimate lifestyle.

So when I went back to see John Schott a few years later and he told me that he was now eating grass-fed beef, I almost fell off of my chair. I could not believe that these words were coming out of the mouth of someone who so firmly believed in raw food as a way of life. Read More »

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RARE VIDEO: Obama Promised to Label GMOs While on Campaign Trail – Then Abandons Promise Once in Office

Written by Max Goldberg on October 13, 2011. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

If you’ve been following my blog over the past few months, you know that the Right2Know March is taking place right now.

I was there for the kick-off, which started on October 1st in NYC and ends this Sunday in Washington, and I’ll be there for the finale as well.

The objective of the Right2Know March is to demand that our government label genetically-modified food.

More than 30 countries around the world label their genetically-modified food because they know that it is inherently different from non-genetically-modified and poses real health risks.

As Americans, we have the right to know what is in our food. Read More »

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The $30 Million Propaganda War Begins

Written by Max Goldberg on August 19, 2011. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

Get ready America.

Starting this fall, you are about to see a massive propaganda war hitting all forms of multimedia.

The Financial Times reported (free registration may be required) that a new organization called the US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance will be spending $30M a year to “clarify perceptions about how industrial farmers treat animals and and the impact of hormones and antibiotics on the food that they eat.”

In the article, Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said that “consumers are confused. There is a huge knowledge gap out there and we want people to know that farmers and ranchers are committed to providing healthy choices.”

Unfortunately, the only huge knowledge gap is that more of America does not know about the incredible abuse going on at the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Animals are treated in the worst imaginable conditions and are given antibiotics because farm (factory) owners know that the animals will get sick by walking around in their own feces all day. Read More »

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The Impending National Advertising Campaign for Organic – Why It is So Crucial

Written by Max Goldberg on April 18, 2011. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

When I attended the Deepak Chopra event at ABC Home on Friday night, I had an opportunity to ask a question that has been stirring in my mind ever since Expo West – Why isn’t there a national advertising/branding campaign for organic?

From the numbers I saw at Expo West, the Florida orange juice industry ($1.3b) spends $16m on advertising, the beef industry ($30b) spends $42m on advertising, and the milk industry ($27b) spends $10m on advertising.

Yet, the organic food industry ($25b) spends practically nothing. This makes no sense whatsoever. Read More »

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Obama Appointment of Siddiqui to Agricultural Post is an Absolute Disaster for Organic Food Proponents

Written by Max Goldberg on March 30, 2010. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

You probably heard that over the weekend President Obama recess-appointed 15 people to different government posts in order to bypass Senate approval hearings.  What may have escaped you is that Islam Siddiqui was appointed as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

If you care about organic food and the environment, this move should outrage you.

A lifelong pesticide lobbyist and GMO advocate, Siddiqui’s confirmation in the Senate was opposed by more than 80 environmental, small-farm and consumer groups.

Siddiqui is vice president of science and regulatory affairs at CropLife America, a trade group of biotech and pesticide companies, which is essentially a front organization for Monsanto.  CropLife has the proud distinction of many great accomplishments including fighting the initiatives of banning GMO food in California, claiming that pesticides positively impact endangered species, lobbying the Bush administration for human – and child – testing of pesticides and writing a letter to Michelle Obama urging her to use pesticides in the organic garden at the White House. Read More »

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