ORGANIC NEWS OF THE WEEK
Organic Sales Growth Down to Seven Percent in '09
The "natural" food phenomenon worries many in the organic industry. So-called "natural" products aren't regulated and don't have to meet any special standards, so they can be marketed more cheaply than genuine certified organic food. Many formerly organic brands are trying to fool consumers into thinking natural and organic are the same.
Early this year, for instance, WhiteWave Foods added "natural" Silk soy milk to its line of organic products. This summer, WhiteWave (a unit of Dean Foods) broadened its Horizon line of organic products with its first "natural" offering: Little Blends, a yogurt for toddlers. In August, it began test-marketing Milk Breakers, a six-ounce single serving of "natural" milk with added protein.
This year, for the first time since at least 2004, sales of “natural” foods and beverages will likely grow at a faster rate than sales of organic foods, according to Nutrition Business Journal.
The organic industry is fighting back. In September, Organic Valley will debut an online calculator that lets consumers see how many chemicals they avoid by using organic milk.
“We’re holding on when some other sectors are sinking,” says Theresa Marquez, chief marketing executive for Organic Valley. “Our future is organic.”
LEARN MORE: www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_19127.cfm
VICTORY OF THE WEEK AND CALL TO ACTION
Eliminating Labeling Fraud in Organic Personal Care Products
A committee of the USDA National Organic Standards Board wants to "Solve the Problem of Mislabeled Organic Personal Care." The Organic Consumers Association is very encouraged by the committee's proposal to make sure that any use of the word "organic" on a personal care product is backed up by third-party certification to USDA standards for products that are "USDA Organic" or "Made With Organic Ingredients." This is what OCA's Coming Clean campaign has been pushing the USDA to do for the last 5 years. Unfortunately, the USDA has been hostile to the idea and even USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, an advocate for organic agriculture, has resisted consumer pressure on this issue. So, the long struggle for USDA enforcement of organic standards in personal care continues. The first step is getting the full NOSB to adopt the committee recommendation. The deadline for sending comments to the NOSB in advance of their November 3-5 meeting is October 19, 2009. Please take action today.
TAKE ACTION: www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm
Organic Milk Linked to Fewer Allergies Including Eczema and Asthma
By Julie Knapp, Eco Child's Play, Sept 15, 2009
Organic milk may cost more, but it may also pay off in the end. A re-cent Dutch study suggests that children are one third less likely to suffer from allergies before age two if they're raised on organic dairy products.
In the study, children and breastfeeding moms ate organic milk, cheese and yogurt. The study author said the connection between choosing organic dairy and less incidence of eczema was clear. The risk for other allergies and asthma also decreased.
So why is organic better?
Read full article: http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/09/15/
Enjoy! Marnie
