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Organic Link Love – January 30th

I’m trying out a new Organic Link Love format this week. Please let me know in the comments below if you like this one or the old format.

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The Top 5 Organic Food Policy Stories that caught my eye this week were:

1) The EU asks its citizens for feedback as it relates to GMOs and organic food.

With 25,000 people in Berlin recently protesting against industrial agriculture, the government in Europe is taking food concerns very seriously.

2) There are now 13 states considering laws that would make it an Act of Terrorism to report on abuses at factory farms. An act of terrorism???

This just shows you how much power that Big Ag has in our country and how they will use any tactic possible to keep hidden from the American consumer as to how conventional food is produced.

If you are not familiar with the ridiculously inhumane treatment of animals that takes place on these factory farms, here is a YouTube video that shows you how just how abhorrent the situation is. (Warning: this video is very graphic and very disturbing).

3) Congress passed a damaging Farm Bill Extension in the Fiscal Cliff package. While we avoided a deathblow from pro-Monsanto regulation, organic suffered a huge cutback in funding. This is an excellent recap by The Center for Food Safety.

4) In Latin America, there is a growing backlash against genetically-modified food.

5) As I wrote about the other day, approval of Dow Chemical’s genetically-engineered corn that is resistant to 2,4-D, also known as Agent Orange Corn, got delayed until 2014.

It boggles my mind that the chemical used in Vietnam as part of our herbicidal warfare program – which killed or ruined millions of lives – may soon be sprayed on our cropland here in very, very large amounts.

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On the food safety front…….

* Another reason to eat organic: regulators discover a hidden viral gene in GMO-crops. That’s not what I’d like to be having for breakfast.

* Another reason to eat organic: a new list details the 13 unhealthy ingredients BANNED in other countries but allowed in the U.S.

If you’re surprised by this, please go read my friend Robyn O’Brien’s book The Unhealthy Truth. It’s a must-read book for everyone, especially parents.

* Annie’s recalls several varieties of its organic pizza. Pieces of metal mesh were found in the pizza dough. A very good brand, a very unfortunate incident.

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I am going to leave you with a few uplifting organic food stories today….

* A hospital in Jackson Hole, Wyoming is switching to organic food. I think we all know about the quality of hospital food, so this is great to see.

* More land around the world is being used for organic farming. Take a look at which countries have added the most. Hint: It is not the U.S.

* Abe’s Market, an organic e-commerce business based in Chicago, raised $5M from investors, and CircleUp, a crowdfunding platform, raised millions for several organic food companies.

The more that these organic companies attract this kind of money, the more the industry grows, the more organic food jobs are created, and the more choices there are for consumers. It’s a big win-win for everyone.

* If you want to feel inspired, go read the profile of Beth Parentice, founder of organic soda company SIPP, in The Huffington Post.

I first met Beth Parentice in Boston at Expo East 2010 and named her soda as one of my Top 5 Products of Expo East. Not only was her soda amazing, but I was blown away by her trade show booth. I knew immediately that this woman was a serious, serious talent.

Yet, launching a soda company is not exactly the easiest thing to do. Beth worked 7 days per week, 18-hour days and faced daunting challenges. Over time, she created numerous opportunities for herself, and the company is at the beginning of doing some really big things.

I come across hundreds and hundreds of entrepreneurs in the organic food industry, and Beth is as good as any of them. I just loved seeing this story in the Huff Po and was beyond thrilled for her.

Have a great week everyone!!!

A message from Tradin Organic

Why Tradin Organic is Prioritizing Regenerative Organic Farming

At Tradin Organic, we believe that regenerative organic farming is key to growing healthy and nutritious food ingredients — for now and for future generations.

And in Sierra Leone, we have grown the world’s first Regenerative Organic Certified cacao.

Learn more.

livingmaxwell: a guide to organic food & drink