As I have been writing about lately, Proposition 37, the ballot initiative in California that would require the mandatory labeling of GMOs, will be voted on in November and is the most important event in the industry since the USDA approved the National Organic Program more than a decade ago.

Up until this point, however, Whole Foods has been very silent on this issue since the company generally stays out of food politics.

But just minutes ago I got an email from my contact at Whole Foods that blew me away.

Whole Foods has now come out and endorsed Proposition 37! Why? Read more »

As Proposition 37 continues to dominate the headlines (and I expect it will continue to do so over the next few months), here are some other interesting and important organic food news stories from the past week.

—-

Farmers Markets across the U.S. will soon accept food stamps – WCYB

Etihad, which serves organic food, heads the list of the top airlines for food quality – Cruise Mates

Giant Food’s new supermarket will serve as prototype for future outlets and has a much bigger emphasis on organic – Baltimore Sun

New raw organic restaurant and juice bar opens in Portland, Maine – Portland Press Herald

Trade group funded by Monsanto creates children’s book to convince kids that GMOs are good – Truthout
Read more »

Let’s put this under the You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up category.

Under a new USDA fast-track process, a Canadian company is asking the USDA to approve a genetically-engineered (GE) apple that will not turn brown when sliced.

Now for some questions……

What happens when an apple is sliced open and exposed to oxygen? It turns brown.

Does it lose any of its flavor or nutritional value? No. Read more »

I just got word from The Center for Food Safety that an amendment has been added to the Farm Bill regarding the labeling of genetically-engineered foods.

Senators Sanders and Boxer have introduced amendment #2310 (Consumers Right to Know About Genetically Engineered Food Act) that clarifies the existing authority that states have to require the labeling of genetically-engineered foods.

As I have written about many times before, the U.S. is the only developed country in the world that does not require genetically-engineered foods to be labeled and this must change.

Please contact your Senators today to ask for their support of Amendment #2310.  And it is important to do so as quickly as possible because the Farm Bill is being voted on as we speak. Read more »

If you’re a frequent reader of my blog, you know that aside from writing about organic products, restaurants, and trends, I dedicate a good amount of time to what is happening politically in regards to the organic industry.

The reason I do this is the because genetically-modified foods (GMOs) are an extremely serious threat to both the long-term viability of organic and the health of our fellow citizens.

Furthermore, it is a topic that does not receive accurate or adequate coverage in mainstream media.

The unfortunate reality is this.

A very high percentage of the U.S. population does not know what GMOs are and does not understand the very grave health risks that GMOs pose. Even worse, they don’t realize how our government is not protecting our health nor upholding our rights as American citizens.

For those of us who live in the U.S., we have a fundamental right to know if the food we are eating is genetically-modified or not. Read more »

A week ago, the Just Label It campaign announced that it had secured 1 million signatures, the highest ever for a food-related protest to the FDA.

In case you are not familiar with the Just Label It campaign, here’s a quick summary.

Last fall, a petition was filed with the FDA to mandate that genetically-modified foods (GMOs) be labeled. For several months, people could comment on this filing and a nationwide campaign was established (Just Label It) to help raise awareness, build support, and gather signatures.

The window to submit comments to the FDA closed last week, and we were able to submit a record-setting 1 million signatures.

Why is this initiative so important? Read more »

5/10/12 UPDATE: WE GOT ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO BE ON THE BALLOT LATER THIS FALL. PLEASE READ BELOW TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THIS VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE.

Whether you care about organic food or not, the ballot initiative in California to require mandatory labeling of genetically-modified food (officially known as the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act) impacts you.

This is because current regulations are violating our rights as American citizens, and that should outrage you.

Approximately 70-80% of the food on supermarket shelves contains genetically-modified ingredients, widely known as GMOs. GMOs are species that have been designed in laboratories and have had organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, inserted into them.

Our government has a long list of requirements for food packaging labels – nutritional information, country of origin, etc. – yet disclosing genetically-modified ingredients is not one of them. Exactly, why is this? Read more »