Another Reason to Buy Organic – The Link Between Genetically-Modified Foods and Fertility Problems

Written by Max Goldberg on March 23, 2012. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

For people who are new to organic, the first question they generally have is “Why should I be eating this food?”

The easy response is “because organic food does not contain synthetic and toxic chemicals”.

Organic food also forbids the use of genetically-engineered ingredients, often known as GMOs (genetically-modified organisms).

Since GMOs are a little bit more complicated and a little less tangible, this point either gets overlooked or is not fully understood.

GMOs are species that have been altered, manipulated and designed in a laboratory, and foreign genes, such as viruses or bacteria, have been inserted into them. Read More »

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Cornucopia Institute Requests that the USDA National Organic Program be Investigated for Corruption Charges over its Approval of Synthetic DHA and ARA Supplements

Written by Max Goldberg on January 26, 2012. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

Let me say right up front that I support the USDA’s national organic certification program. Why?

Because it is the only nationally-recognized and accepted system we have in place for organic standards.

I firmly believe that the more people we have participating and engaged in the system, the stronger it will become. Conversely, the more people who opt out of the system, the weaker it will become.

That being said, it is by no means perfect. And just as is in every other area of our society, big companies in the organic sector use lobbyists in Washington D.C. to enact policies that will benefit them financially.

Even though organic has social ideals that many other industries do not, we can’t forget that organic is big, big business – $27 billion a year.

As I wrote about recently, the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) agreed to allow illegal, synthetically-derived additives – commonly marketed as DHA and ARA — into certified organic products. Read More »

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IMPORTANT: Brand New Video for the “Just Label It” Campaign and Recap of Yesterday’s Conference Call

Written by Max Goldberg on January 19, 2012. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

Yesterday, I was on the media conference call for Just Label It, the nationwide campaign to get genetically-modified foods (GMOs) labeled.

On the call we saw a preview of the fantastic new Just Label It video (WATCH BELOW) and we also heard from:

* Gary Hirshberg, Chairman of Stonyfield, who recently resigned as CEO to dedicate more time to this very important cause.

* Robyn O’Brien, leading food safety advocate and author of the acclaimed book The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother’s Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America’s Food Supply — and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself.

* Robert Kenner, writer, director and producer of the documentary Food, Inc. and the Just Label It video below.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS DISCUSSED

- The general benchmark for labeling, of any sorts, is materiality. Is something about the food materially different that would warrant a label? Read More »

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Stonyfield CEO and Organic Food Icon Gary Hirshberg to Step Down. Walt Freese, Former CEO of Ben & Jerry’s, Takes Over.

Written by Max Goldberg on January 12, 2012. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

After 28 years at the helm of one of the marquee names in the organic food world, Gary Hirshberg has announced that he will be stepping down as President and CEO of Stonyfield.

Beginning January 23rd, Walt Freese, the former CEO of Ben & Jerry’s and former President of Celestial Seasonings, will be taking over this position and leading the company.

While he will no longer be running the day-to-day operations of Stonyfield, Gary Hirshberg will remain as Chairman and will stay highly involved in the company’s growth and mission for years to come.

He’ll continue speaking on Stonyfield’s behalf around the world and maintain oversight of Stonyfield”s European organic sister companies, its new Stonyfield Cafés and the Profits-for-the-Planet program, among other roles. Read More »

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The USDA is Set to Approve a GM-Corn Resistant to 2,4-D, a Primary Ingredient in Agent Orange

Written by Max Goldberg on January 9, 2012. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

Does our government have any interest in putting the health of its citizens ahead of corporate profits of the chemical industry?

Based on recent news, it doesn’t appear that this is the case.

The USDA is poised to approve Dow Chemical’s genetically-modified corn that is resistant to 2,4-D, a primary ingredient in Agent Orange.

In case you’re not familiar with Agent Orange, it was the code name for one of the chemicals used in Vietnam as part of a broad herbicidal warfare program.

Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children were born with birth defects as a result of this lethal strategy.

But it wasn’t just the Vietnamese who suffered greatly. U.S. soldiers came back from the war and realized that exposure to Agent Orange had greatly impacted them as well. Read More »

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