I just read that Horizon, owned by Dean Foods, is coming out with a non-organic label: “natural dairy.” This will be the first time Horizon, the largest distributor of organic milk, will have a non-organic label. I’m bummed! Consumers are confused enough as it is about the benefits of certified organic, and they trust the Horizon label to be certified organic, which actually means something. Now to muddy the waters (and the milk), Horizon is going to slap a “natural” label on some of their products … a word that means absolutely nothing and is not regulated or backed up by any standards.
In an email I received from the The Cornucopia Institute, Mark A. Kastel, senior farm policy analyst, says: “When the first Horizon natural products are introduced — a yogurt aimed at children and single-serve milk — they will promote them as being without growth hormones. But Dean Foods will not be able to mention that the products are produced without pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and other drugs, and genetically modified feed crops, or that the cows are required to graze in pastures rather than confined to factory farm feedlots. These are all factors that truly differentiate organic production from natural/conventional agricultural and livestock production.”
I feel it’s so important that manufacturers help consumers understand the value of organic and organic farming, rather than confusing the issue with meaningless labels. What do you think? (And watch for our upcoming article covering the latest organic issues in the Sept issue.)
Several years ago, I visited Maho Bay Camps on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, and was blown away by the longstanding dedication and working eco-principles of this wonderful, breathtakingly beautiful site. (I wrote about my experience in a DL article, EcoTravel Hot Spots.) I’ve just gotten an e-newsletter from Maho Bay, detailing how the site will have to close in July 2011, when its 37-year lease expires. This week, the Trust for Public Land launched an effort to purchase the Maho Bay Camps land for permanent protection as a natural preserve. “If the land acquisition is successful, TPL will enable the eco-resort to continue as it has for so many years,” says the newsletter.
Take it from one who’s been there–this place is so worth saving. If you’re interested in making a tax-deductible donation in support of TLP’s Maho Bay Camps land acquisition efforts, email john.garrison@tpl.org or check out the TLP website. (Note: This new effort is not the same as the recently completely Estate Maho Bay purchase, which was five years in the making and protects a spectacular Caribbean beach from development.) And if you’re looking for an unforgettable eco-vacation spot, this is the place; like me, you’ll never forget it.
In less that 24 hours I will be on 747 with two kids under the age of six. Parents, you know what that means: the breakdowns, the bribes, the threats to restrain in a baggage cart (OK not really but, let’s be honest, we’ve all considered something like that). Yep, it’s time for “vacation.” How will I get through the four-and-a-half-hour flight? A parent I know picked up a Valium prescription for his 3-year-old. We resort to laptop movies. But, short of that, there are some great options available at your natural product store. more…
In this weeks CSA box, I received another huge bunch of cilantro. Although I love the taste of this herb, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to eat it all before it turns bad. Luckily, Grant Family Farms sent me some tips on how to store it to maintain its longevity. Here’s what I learned: more…
I just returned from a press trip to Italy, and I have to report that everything Liz Gilbert says about Italy in her ubiquitous bestseller “Eat, Pray, Love” appears to be quite true. Eating in Italy is enough to make you weep for what we miss in the United States. more…
The Pesticide Action Network North America just announced its new, easy-to-use online database, What’s on my food?, for determining which pesticides–and how much–you’re consuming. It even links the chemical residues to the health effects associated with exposure. Here’s what Dr. Brian Hill, Senior Scientist with Pesticide Action Network and the primary developer of the What’sOnMyFood? database, has to say about it.
“This kind of public visibility around pesticides is particularly needed in the U.S., since regulators base their decisions on toxicology studies that are almost all done by industry,” he says.
Did you know that every minute, two acres of farmland gets paved over? If you’re a fan of farmers markets, like I am, that’s a really sad statistic. To raise awareness and give a little credit where credit is way overdue, the nonprofit American Farmland Trust is sponsoring the America’s Favorite Farmers’ Market Contest. Find your market online and cast your vote! Results will be announced during Farmers Market Week, August 2-9. (Farmers, if you want your spot included in the database, you can enroll your market at the AFT site, too.) The AFT works to “protect the nation’s best farm and ranch land and improve the economic viability of agriculture, including working with federal, state and local leaders and communities to develop legislation, implement policies and execute programs that keep farmers on their land and protect our environment.” Check out their 7 Ways to Save Farmland for ideas on making a difference in keeping real, healthy, and local food alive and economically viable for those who grow it.
I’m working late and have plans to attend a play later, so it’s this quick recipe to the rescue for dinner tonight: Serrano-Lime Chicken Fajitas. I don’t have a serrano pepper, so I’ll use jalapeno; crushed red pepper flakes would also work. Regular onion would sub for red onion, and I prefer red bell peppers to green, so those will go in too. And I’m a huge fan of Santa Cruz Organic Lime Juice (and their Lemon Juice, too); in my experience, it’s the nearest thing to fresh-squeezed lime juice out there, and way more convenient.
Right when I thought I had this sunscreen business down (I often find myself more pasty after spending time in the sun) and that the debate was settled (everyone knows you need to wear sunscreen, right?) I read about a report from European consumer watchdog organization, Which? saying that sunscreen manufacturers are labeling products with false SPF values. Sadly, that’s not the part the troubled me. Misguided consumers are deciding the best way to respond the results is to STOP wearing sunscreen. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite (or burn) your face. If the results are in fact accurate (there’s still much debate on the processes behind the study), it’s discouraging that my SPF 30 may actually be more like an SPF 27. I may even have less confidence in the labels on my products. But how should this type of information, these scares, impact our actions? We run into similar dilemmas often, whether it be with recent food recalls or this Which? product investigation. I’m certainly not going to stop wearing sunscreen–or eating peanut butter. When it comes to our health, our diets and bodies, is there such a thing as a healthy dose of skepticism?
What would July 4th be without lots and lots of summer food—burgers, watermelon, ice cream, and so many other delicious seasonal eats? Here’s a cool idea from Kitchen Garden International that I saw on Slow Food USA’s blog: Next week, why not celebrate the awesome food choices we enjoy and source all of your festive fare from local, sustainable, organic farmers and producers? Goodness knows, this is easier said than done. But even if you opt for local organic cherries over imported watermelon, you are still “voting with your fork.” I’ll be in New Jersey visiting relatives and there’s a little independent store I’ve got in mind. It’s within walking distance of my in-laws’ home, and it used to be a farm back when my husband was growing up there. They still stock local produce, even though it’s not grown right on the premises. Crossing my fingers that their to-die-for raspberries are ready!
