Expert suggests measures to save city from environmental disaster

"ISAKHAPATNAM: Prof. E.U.B. Reddi from the Department of Environmental Sciences, Andhra University has mooted cultivating organic vegetables, greens and fruits by promoting kitchen gardens/ roof top gardens/ balcony/ window gardens to overcome the threat posed by climate change.

When contacted by The Hindu, he recommended several initiatives by the agencies concerned and the people of the city to fight against environmental degradation."

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Organic garden offers ethical investment opportunity

"Ethical investors in Wales are being given the opportunity to invest in an organic market garden.

The 10-acre site will supply fresh produce – including vegetables, salads, and fruit – for Cardiff’s Riverside Market and a vegetable box scheme.

The social enterprise will have an estimated turnover of £170,000 and will provide enough vegetables to feed around 200 families.

Organisers aim to have the garden in full production by 2011, and with certified organic status by 2012."

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Rachel's Organic likely to be up for sale

"The American owner of Rachel's Organic is believed to have hoisted the "for sale" sign above the maker of dairy products from yoghurts and butter to chocolate desserts, with an asking price of £20m.

Horizon Organic Dairy, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, snapped up Rachel's in 1999 and was itself acquired by Dallas-based Dean Foods five years later. Dean Foods is believed to have hired bankers from NM Rothschild to examine its strategic options for Rachel's. The move could lead to the sale of the business."

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Why Organic Valley is About To Become the Latest Enemy of Raw Milk

"Organic Valley’s recent decision to bar its dairies from selling raw milk makes the company the latest — and most unlikely — enemy of the burgeoning raw milk movement. After debating the issue for nearly a year, Organic Valley’s board voted 4 to 3 last week to put the kibosh on sales of raw milk, which is milk that’s not pasteurized to kill bacteria or homogenized to mix in the cream."

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RI projected as world`s biggest organic farm product supplier

"Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Agriculture Ministry wants Indonesia to become the world`s biggest organic farm product supplier.

Agriculture Minister Suswono said on Thursday global demand for safe, highly nutritious and environmentally-friendly organic farm products was on the increase.

Indonesia had great potentials to produce organic farm commodities, he said.

"We want Indonesia to become the world`s leading organic farm commodity producer capable of supplying food to the global market," he said when opening an Agro & Food Expo 2010 at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC)."

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India: 100% organic packaging for fruit and veg

"Kraft Veda is a part of 'enviable' group (www.enviable.in) and envisioned to help create and build better future for our planet by spreading the awareness through environmentally viable paper and products.

The company focus on two initiatives:
1) Eco preservation
2) Sustainable development of society.

Kraft Veda employ 23 people in their factory, they are educated and trained to be self-sustainable and financially independent."

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Lunch with Stoneyfield Yogurt CE-Yo, Gary Hirshberg @ EVOO [Cambridge]

"A few days ago, Stoneyfield Yogurt’s CE-“Yo” Gary Hirshberg breezed into Boston for a lunch with a group of Boston bloggies to talk about restoring balance in what we eat by looking at how foods are produced. The lunch was held at EVOO in Cambridge – a restaurant know to source locally for the ingredients in its dishes and a highly appropriate choice of venue for this event."

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UFood Grill "Healthy Eating" Brand Signs Agreement with Retailer Hudson Group for 10 Airport Locations

"BOSTON, May 25, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- UFood Restaurant Group, Inc. (UFFC 0.28, -0.02, -6.67%) announced today that it has signed a Master License agreement with premier travel retailer Hudson Group (HG) Retail LLC for the expansion of its UFood Grill concept to 10 additional US airports.

UFood Grill currently operates fast casual restaurants in Boston's Logan International Airport and the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, two of the busiest airports in the world. The company recently entered into a franchise agreement for a location at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport."

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Woodbury Co. looking to bottle local organic effort

"SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) - A local college student is getting an early start in the business world. Richard Miller is just a sophomore at Briar Cliff University.

As part of the school's entrepreneur program, Miller has launched Pureside Organics. The company will bottle, market, and distribute cooking oil.

Miller says the soybean based product will be pressed in Cherokee and bottled in Des Moines."

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UCSC debuts organic farming website, documentary

"In 2007, UC Santa Cruz researchers set out to interview 12 Central Coast pioneers of the organic farming movement for the university's Regional History Project.

Three years, 58 interviews, 4,500 pages of transcript and 10 book volumes later, the baby boomers who helped start the organic farming and sustainable agriculture movements and transform them into international influences celebrated the fruits of that labor at UCSC on Monday evening."

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Organic farm near Parkers Prairie offers shares of its produce

"For health-conscious people looking to incorporate clean, pesticide-free foods into their daily diet, Minnesota’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) may be the answer.

Individuals now have the opportunity to buy a share of this type of produce through Ploughshare Farm, a CSA organic farm near Parkers Prairie.

Share types include the full share, which will feed a family of four who eats a mixed diet; or a family of two who follows a vegetarian diet."

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Healthy Living While Traveling Is Now Possible With Organic Travel's Free Online Travel Guides

"PLACERVILLE, Calif., May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Organic Travel (www.organictravel.com) announced today that it has added new content to its worldwide travel guides. Organic Travel publishes guides to healthy and organic places. In the guides you will find natural food markets, farmer's markets, organic and healthy restaurants, organic wineries, outdoor and natural attractions to visit and much more. These guides are perfect for people who like to travel but find it difficult to find healthy alternatives to the standard dining fare available at most restaurants. The guide is great for people with special diets such as gluten-free, low-carb, preservative free food and other needs."

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Prince Charles attacks food waste culture

"Prince Charles has attacked the waste of "billions" of pounds' worth of food every year.

His impassioned speech, which hailed organic farming as a means to feed the world, was delivered as he visited the Organic Research Centre in Berkshire."

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Ohio State University's Research and Outreach Promotes Organic Farming

"The mission of the Organic Food and Farming Education and Research (OFFER) mission is to provide the latest research and educational support for sustainable production, processing and marketing of organic foods from the field to the table for farmers, gardeners, processors, retailers and consumers, making it a truly comprehensive program.

Ohio farmer stakeholders catalyzed this program. Over 30 of these stakeholders remain an integral part of the program, providing substantial input into the program's activities, including input and feedback on grant proposals, research topics, experimental design and plot management."

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Pizza Fusion Announces Organic School Food Program

"School food and “wow, that tasted great” don’t exactly go together. Remember the Salisbury “steak” and mash potatoes ala ice cream scoop? Yeah, fail.

Even pizza Fridays were horrendous, with those defrosted squares of mutant pizza. I’m Italian, so they still haunt my dreams.

But Pizza Fusion, an organic and “earth friendly” pizza franchise with 15 locations nation wide, has just launched School Organic Pizza Fridays."

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FDA Issues Urgent National Recall of Alfalfa Sprouts

"Maywood, Calif.-based Caldwell Fresh Foods has issued a voluntary nationwide recall of all alfalfa sprout products, which have been linked to a salmonella outbreak in 10 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Wisconsin.

Of the 22 confirmed patients, six have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported."

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Mambo Sprouts Marketing Survey Reveals Organic Consumers Seek Functional Foods

"COLLINGSWOOD, N.J., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Mambo Sprouts Marketing MamboTrack™ research revealed 8 in 10 natural and organic consumers regularly read ingredient labels for health and nutrition content and were interested in buying functional foods with added health, nutrition and dietary benefits, with four in ten (39%) very interested in these types of specialty foods.

Consumers expressed the most desire for foods with organic ingredients (65%) and low sodium grocery items (47%) followed by low fat/cholesterol (39%) and vegetarian items (31%). Functional food products with added calcium (44%), Omega 3 (44%), anti-oxidants (43%), probiotics/prebiotics (38%), and Vitamin D (30%) were also preferred."

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New Healthbuzz Survey Shows Foodies Willing to Pay More for Organic or All-Natural Foods

"SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- 05/19/10 -- More than 83 percent of foodies say they'll pay more for at least some organic or all natural foods, according to a recent survey from Healthbuzz, a new go-to resource for nutrition and wellness information and inspiration launched by Foodbuzz, the largest online food community and the fastest growing online food property.
Knowing where food comes from and what goes into the foods we eat was an important trend in the survey results. For example, 69 percent of foodies surveyed "always" read the nutrition panels of foods that they purchase. In addition, the majority of foodies surveyed (83 percent) believe locally grown food to be generally healthier."

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The Backyard Battlefield: Grow Your Own Organic Food to Fight Climate Change

"It's not too hard to imagine what kinds of scary changes our food-producing farms will face as our global climate changes. A drop or rise of a few degrees, drought, shifting pest and weed habitats, or increased flooding could spell disaster for crops worldwide. While there's certainly no quick-fix to quell climate change, it is important to recognize that your own backyard garden plays a part in the fight against climate change. Producing some of your own food may lessen your carbon footprint in terms of food miles, but managing your garden and lawn in a climate-conscious manner can also go a long way."

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Uncommon Ground: Chicago’s Certified Organic Roof Top Farm

"The first Certified Organic Roof Top Farm in the United States, owned by the restaurant Uncommon Ground, illustrates how green agriculture is possible and functional in an urban environment. The farm, which sits on a 2500 square foot deck of recycled composite material, includes 28 cedar and steel-framed planter boxes and is bordered by 5 solar thermal panels to heat water.

“We made an enormous investment with the idea of producing food for the restaurants and using it to teach and create awareness about the possibilities of urban agriculture,” says co-owner Helen Cameron."

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SB woman launches natural, organic snack product line

"The Kiddo Company, a South Coast all-natural children’s snack food company, will officially launch its Kiddo Squeezies in Santa Barbara this weekend at two markets whose patrons seek out organic and locally grown products.

Company founder Beth Bailey will offer tastes of her Wild Blueberry Apple and Super Sweet Potatoes flavors in squeezable pouches Saturday at Whole Foods Market, 3761 State St., from 1 to 4 p.m., and Sunday May 23 at Lazy Acres Market, 302 Meigs Road, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tasters will receive a gift with purchase while supplies last, she said."

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Kirstie Alley's Organic Liaison™ Launches Chubby Buddy™ Volvo Giveaway Contest

"LOS ANGELES, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- http://clicky.me/OLCarContest Organic Liaison, the new weight loss company from Kirstie Alley, officially launched the "From Chubbys to Champions" weight loss contest on Monday, May 17th, 2010.
First place winners will each win a new Volvo C30. Second place winners will each receive a year's worth of Organic Liaison Rescue Me™ kits and new Apple iPads, and third place winners will receive a new iPad each. All six winners will win a trip to Los Angeles to meet Kirstie Alley."

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Organic Alliance Files 10K With SEC

"SALINAS, CA, May 19, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Organic Alliance, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: ORGC), an emerging grower and shipper of organic-certified, fair trade and conventional fresh foods in the global marketplace, announced today that it has recently filed 10Ks covering both the 2008 and 2009 fiscal years. On March 31st the company announced that it had completed a comprehensive review of operations for year 2008, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. On May 15th, the same was completed for the fiscal year ending December 31st, 2009. Both filings along with recent Quarterly filings are available for all to review, at the Commission's Edgar filing site."

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TOFUTTI Announces First Quarter Results

"CRANFORD, N.J., May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TOFUTTI BRANDS INC. (NYSE Amex: TOF) today announced its results for the thirteen week period ended April 3, 2010.
Financial Highlights for the Quarter

Revenues for the first quarter were approximately $4.6 million compared to $4.2 million in the first quarter of 2009.
Operating income in the first quarter was $475,000 compared to $253,000 in the first quarter of 2009.
Net income for the first quarter was $275,000 compared to $152,000 in the first quarter of 2009.

The Company reported net sales for the thirteen weeks ended April 3, 2010 of approximately $4.6 million compared with net sales of $4.2 million for the thirteen weeks ended March 28, 2009. The increase in net sales can be attributed to the improving economic climate. Sales of the Company's soy-cheese products improved while sales of its frozen dessert products maintained their 2009 levels."

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Indian State of Kerala Starts 10-Year Conversion to All-Organic Farming

"The southern Indian state of Kerala has officially announced a new farming policy which aims to covert all agriculture in the state to organic methods over the next ten years. In the first phase 30,000 hectares converted, The Hindu Business Line reports, and then proceeds in a "phased and compact manner.""

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Songbirds don't prefer organic food

"Increasingly each year, humans foraging in American supermarkets select organically grown food. Not so with wild songbirds searching for sustenance in the gardens of England.

Given a choice between organically and conventionally grown wheat, they opt for the conventional stuff — which is higher in protein — 55 to 60% of the time, a study has found.

The findings, which were published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture on Tuesday, raise yet again the question of which is healthier: organic or conventional food."

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Chemicals Banned in 1970s Still in Our Food

"Think that once a toxic chemical is banned from agricultural use it doesn’t take long for it to leave our food? Think again. Recent research shows that numerous chemicals banned years or even decades ago, such as DDT, are still showing up in many of the foods we consume today.

These are labeled POPs, “persistent organic pollutants”, and are not quite as nice as their acronym sounds. POPs require decades to break down and they can travel the globe blowing in the wind or travelling on water (even ending up in the Arctic). Additionally, once ingested by humans or animals, POPs can sit in our fat tissues for ages, raising our risk of cancer or other diseases, altering hormones, reducing fertility, and disrupting brain development."

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Pomegranate Juice Powder: NP Nutra Launches Organic Pomegranate Juice Powder

"(I-Newswire) May 17, 2010 - Natural ingredients producer, NP Nutra, now offers a certified organic Pomegranate Juice Powder, adding to its growing range of Certified Organic Products.

With sales of organic products now outstripping conventionally grown foods, the health industry is seeing an unprecedented demand for organically grown produce. A market report from the Organic Trade Association (OTA) found that the organic sector has continued to grow at a faster rate than the food industry as a whole.

OTA’s Executive Director Christine Bushway said: “These findings are indicative that even in tough times, consumers understand the benefits that organic products offer and will make other cuts before they give up products they value.”

Thomas Walton, NP Nutra’s Managing Director agrees, “We have found that demand for organic products has increased and that’s great news for customers, farmers and our environment.”

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10 Foods To Always Buy Organic

"With so much buzz and research about the benefits of eating organic and avoiding harmful pesticides, the cost in buying organic and pesticide-free produce and foods can take a toll on your budget. While there are some foods that you can buy without worrying about a certified organic label, below are 10 foods to always buy organic to make sure you don’t ingest harmful chemicals and to keep everyone in your family healthy.

Apples: The skin of apples packs lots of vitamins, so you don’t want to peel it off. But even if you do, because apples are a big pest target, they’re heavily sprayed and often washing and peeling doesn’t get off all of the chemicals."

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Are Newman's Own Organics and Other Companies Misleading Consumers with the Word 'Organic'?

"Some food companies have found a way to cast their processed foods as organic without going through the inconvenience of using certified organic ingredients in their products. By incorporating "organic" into their names, these companies have been able to display the magic word on the packaging of food products that are not in fact certified organic.

This deception has recently been called out by the Cornucopia Institute, an organic watchdog group, which has filed complaints with the National Organic Standards Board and Federal Trade Commission.

The alleged infractions run the spectrum from blatant misrepresentation, in the case of Oskri Organics, to stretching the limits of evolving definitions of organic, in the case of a surprise entry in Cornucopia's list of shame: the much-loved Newman's Own Organics."

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Book reviews: Three books about organic food

"Three new books help readers gear up for an organic revolution.

Let's eat! No two words could be more universal or -- according to three new books -- more controversial. These authors have different stories to tell, different flags to wave, but they're all marching forward in agreement on one thing: The food we eat is in danger, and so is our environment. Readers who open these covers will hear the shouting on every page: It's time to take action! It's time, in short, for a food fight."

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Pesticide exposure and attention deficit/hyperactivity linked

"As government and private agencies continue to deny links between harmful chemicals and our health, a ground breaking retrospective study released May 17, 2010 in the June issue of the journal Pediatrics has made a link between pesticide exposure and incidence of attention deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) in children aged 6-15 years. While this study was rather small (about 1200 childrens), it demonstrated a link between higher concentrations of organophosphate pesticides in the body and a tendency to have ADHD based on diagnostic criteria."

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Organic pet food gets leg up from White House report

"Organic pet food received an indirect boost from the White House last week when the President’s Cancer Panel Report exhorted consumers to minimize their cancer risk by choosing food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, and growth hormones.

“Many known or suspected carcinogens first identified through studies of industrial and agricultural occupational exposures have since found their way into soil, air, water and numerous consumer products,” the panel wrote in an accompanying letter to President Obama."

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Ten bad reasons why GE is incompatible with Organic

"Previously, I showed how Jim Riddle’s 10 reasons why genetic engineering is incompatible with organic agriculture apply equally well to plant breeding. But many plant breeding techniques are allowed in organic agriculture. So how can these characteristics apply to both breeding and genetic engineering while one is compatible and the other is not? The answer lies in a tangled web of invalid logic and unsound argumentation. It requires not only misrepresenting genetic engineering, it also misrepresents organic agriculture. Let’s go through point by point. (You might need a cup of coffee or a stiff drink)"

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Organic Farms Not a Conservation Cure-All

"Organic farms have a lot going for them, but they probably won't solve all the world's food and conservation-related problems, suggests a new study.

In a detailed comparison between organic and conventional farms around England, researchers found that the diversity of wild plants and animals was just 12 percent higher on organic farms -- a much smaller difference than previous studies had led scientists to expect. At the same time, acre for acre, organic farms produced half the amount of crop yield."

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Organic certifier takes a stand on labelling

"Blind tastings, chances to win organic goods, and free information about organics are just some of what New Zealand’s leading organic certifier BioGro will be dishing up for consumers at the upcoming food show in Wellington, 14-16 May 2010.


“By being a part of the show we’re giving consumers the opportunity to taste and learn why and how organics is better than non-organic food” says BioGro’s CEO, Dr Michelle Glogau.

While an increasing number of people are choosing to buy organic food over non-organic food, there is a still confusion amongst some consumers about what ‘organic’ actually means."

Olivia's Organics Names Five Adorable Finalists in Olivia's Look-a-Like Contest

"CHELSEA, Mass., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Olivia's Organics today announced the five finalists in the Olivia's Look-a-Like Contest, hosted by Olivia's Organics, New England's favorite organic salads available at local grocers. Finalists will compete for their chance to win the $1,000 first place prize at Boston's 2010 Radio929 EarthFest on May 22nd."

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Whole Foods Boosts Sales Forecast As Economy Lifts Specialty Grocers

"Whole Foods Market, Inc., said quarterly profit more than doubled and raised its 2010 sales forecast, reflecting an improving economy that’s bolstering organic and specialty grocers.

Comparable-store sales are expected to increase 6% to 7% during fiscal 2010, compared with a previous forecast for 3.5% to 5.5% growth, Austin, Tex.-based Whole Foods said in a May 12 statement. Whole Foods shares today rose to a 2 ½-year high.

Whole Foods has shaken off the recession and will accelerate store openings in coming years, chief executive officer John Mackey said. By 2013, the company plans to add another 47 stores to the 295 it already operates in the U.S., Canada and UK.

“We have successfully emerged from this recession with a healthier balance sheet,” Mackey said in the May 12 statement. “Our new stores are performing very well, and we look forward to rebuilding our store development pipeline.”"

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Wisconsin School Wins Organic Vending Machine in National Pep Rally For More Organic Food in Schools

"GREENFIELD, Mass., May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Organic lovers nationwide nominated more than 1,100 schools to win an organic vending machine or garden in the Organic Trade Association's (OTA) first-ever "Organic. It's Worth it in Schools." contest.
Launched by OTA in January to raise awareness for increasing the availability of organic food and gardening in school systems, "Organic. It's Worth it in Schools." encouraged individuals to nominate a school of their choice to win an organic garden or vending machine at www.OrganicItsWorthIt.org through May 1.
The announcement comes the same week First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign to curb childhood obesity submitted a report to the White House calling for improved school nutrition programs featuring increased access to healthy foods in schools, including healthier vending machines."

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Alice Waters push for local, organic setting national agenda

"Food crusader Alice Waters is making the rounds to promote her new cookbook.

McDonald's, she told Bill Maher on his TV show, "Real Time," "is never the answer," not even for impoverished families trying to put food on the table. Then, in her signature breathy voice, she lambasted the microwave.

"That's not cooking," Waters said, somewhat flustered that Maher would even ask about the common kitchen appliance. "I don't know how to relate to it. I need a little fire."

Last week on Martha Stewart's program she tried to impress the importance of learning how to chop an onion, peel garlic and make chicken stock."

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Raw milk battle reveals FDA abandonment of basic human right to choose your food

"(NaturalNews) The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF), an organization whose mission includes "defending the rights and broadening the freedoms of family farms and protecting consumer access to raw milk and nutrient dense foods", recently filed a lawsuit against the FDA for its ban on interstate sales of raw milk. The suit alleges that such a restriction is a direct violation of the United States Constitution. Nevertheless, the suit led to a surprisingly cold response from the FDA about its views on food freedom (and freedoms in general)."

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Stonyfield YoBaby Announces Organic Cutie Photo & Video Cont

"LONDONDERRY, N.H., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Stonyfield Farm has announced its first Facebook YoBaby Organic Cutie Photo and Video Contest seeking a real, authentic cutie to be the online face of YoBaby yogurt. Parents who show off their cutie's best baby face are eligible to be featured on Stonyfield.com and win a $2,000 savings bond plus a bundle of green goodies. Stonyfield invites consumers to submit their cutie's best baby face if they are between the ages of six months and 24 months from May 10, 2010 through June 6, 2010 online at Facebook.com/YoBabyYogurt.
"We are delighted to launch the YoBaby Organic Cutie Photo and Video Contest. Silly or sweet, messy or mad, giggling, crying and sleeping, Stonyfield welcomes all your photogenic baby moments," said Gary Hirshberg, CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm. "YoBaby yogurt is made specifically for baby's health – it's a pure, organic yogurt, offering the perfect nutrition balance and a taste that babies love. The only thing missing is the wonderful online face of YoBaby.""

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Reserveage Organics Releases First Multivitamin Tablet With Resveratrol

"GAINESVILLE, FL, May 10, 2010 — Reserveage Organics, the leading manufacturer of organic-based Resveratrol supplements, has released its first ever multivitamin in tablet form, the Vibrance Multivitamin, nationwide in The Vitamin Shoppe.
A unique formulation, Vibrance is the only multivitamin blended with organic-based Resveratrol. By delivering essential vitamins and phytonutrients in every serving, health-conscious customers will enjoy the benefits of superfoods fused with a high-ORAC super berry blend, a whole green food/spirulina blend, a super veggie powder blend and an anti-stress adaptogen complex."

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SYNERGY Flavors Launches New Line of Certified Organic Flavors

"WAUCONDA, Ill., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to increased customer demand for ingredients that yield appealing label declarations for health-conscious consumers, Synergy Flavors Inc., an international flavors and ingredients company, was recently granted organic certification for their second North American manufacturing facility. The addition extends their current line of certified organic liquid extracts made in New York to now include flavors made in their suburban Chicago facility.

Consumers of organic products benefit from eating foods with higher nutrient levels and by reducing the toxic burden on the body. A growing number of retail manufacturers are seeking flavors that will enable them to offer consumers a "cleaner label." At the same time manufacturers are also faced with the challenge of balancing this demand with the investment required. After the FDA's introduction of the National Organic Program (NOP) the "organic" claim has become expensive and cumbersome to obtain. Synergy's Certified Organic and Organic Compliant flavors offer manufacturers multiple claim options such as "100% Organic," "Organic" and "Made with Organic," in addition to the benefit of using the USDA Organic Seal."

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Peterson admits poor choice of words, says there is market for organic, local foods

"WASHINGTON — House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., offended organic farmers a few years ago, but now they seem to have kissed and made up.

In 2007, Peterson told the Financial Times of London that he couldn’t understand why “people are willing to pay two or three times as much for something that says ‘organic’ or ‘local’” but “if people are dumb enough to pay that much then hallelujah.”

The remark enraged organic farmers and locavores, and the Organic Consumers Association urged its members to send Peterson an e-mail saying he had won the award for dumbest quote of the week."

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Organic Companies Taking Sustainability Route

"10 May 2010 --- Organic product companies are increasingly turning to sustainability in order to shore up their green credentials. Organic Monitor finds that organic food pioneers are leading the way, with a growing number marketing their products on sustainability values.

Slowing market growth rates and rising consumer expectations are having an impact on organic food sales. The UK market showed negative growth last year, whilst most European countries reported low single-digit growth. Organic Monitor research finds that positive growth is continuing at the global level, however it is far from 15% plus growth rates observed in previous years. "

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Dean Foods net income sinks, suspends guidance

"DALLAS — Dean Foods Co. reported a 43 percent drop in its first quarter net income as its private-label milk business was hurt by price competition and suspended its full-year earnings forecast on Monday, sending its shares into a tailspin.
The food and beverage company said it was also cutting 350 to 400 jobs from its Fresh Dairy Direct-Morningstar unit in an attempt to lower costs.
Its shares careened 28 percent, dropping $4.16 to $10.47 on heavy volume. Earlier in the session, shares set a new 52-week low of $10.35.
Dean Foods said its private label milk business was hurt by lower-priced competitors appealing to budget-conscious shoppers. People have been trading down to less, expensive off-branded products to save money as they try to stretch their budges.
The company suspended its 2010 guidance in part because of unstable retail pricing in its Fresh Dairy Direct-Morningstar division.
The Fresh Dairy Direct-Morningstar unit markets milk, creamer, and cultured dairy products under more than 50 local and regional dairy brands as well as private labels. The company's WhiteWave-Alpro segment sells organic products, ice creams, soy and plant-based beverages, including Silk soy and almond milk, Horizon Organic milk and dairy products and International Delight coffee creamers."

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Obama Advisors: Eat Organic To Reduce Cancer Risk

"Obama Advisors: Eat Organic To Reduce Cancer Risk

Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) is endorsing a report from US President Barack Obama's Cancer Panel, calling on consumers to choose food grown without pesticides, artificial fertilizers and antibiotics, which the report says can increase risks of contracting cancer.

The Annual Report of the President's Cancer Panel - two leading medical professors - is entitled 'Reducing environmental cancer risk: what we can do now', and was released on Friday."

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Roundup-Resistant superweeds highlight the need for sustainable, organic agriculture

"The New York Times recently ran an article entitled "Farmers Cope With Roundup-Resistant Weeds". The author highlights the emergence of a new class of weeds in farm fields planted in at least 22 states, including California, and seems to suggest that “superweeds” are the result of the “near-ubiquitous use of the weedkiller Roundup,” a product of Monsanto corporation.

But this is misleading, as any half-truth would be.

Michael Pollan, also a contributor to the Times and author of several books including Food Rules: An Eaters Manual, responded promptly to the piece by pointing out that not only was this phenomenon predictable, it has a rather straightforward solution: stop planting genetically modified monocultures."

Lifeway Foods Announces New 200,000 Share Buyback Program

"/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lifeway Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: LWAY), makers of a nutritious, probiotic dairy beverage called Kefir, announced today Lifeway's Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program of up to 200,000 shares. Under such a program, Lifeway Foods may repurchase up to 200,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock through the open market within a period of one year from the date of the first purchase. The Company will use its available cash resources to fund the stock repurchase program."

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Tastybaby Celebrates Focus Features' 'Babies' in Theaters Nationwide May 7th - Mother's Day Weekend

"LOS ANGELES, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Tastybaby, founded by two moms on a mission to create better nutrition for babies and children, announces a promotional partnership with Focus Features to support Babies, opening in theatres nationwide May 7th. Focus' new movie depicts the shared experiences and different cultures of four infants' first year in various parts of the world.
A leading organic food manufacturer, parent company Tasty Brand, Inc. is considered a groundbreaking and innovative brand. Its Tastybaby® label includes frozen baby food and infant cereals, and Tasty Brand™ label includes fruit snacks and cereal bars "for kids 2 to 102" – all available at leading natural, grocery and online retailers nationwide.

Tastybaby, an eco-conscious brand committed to socially responsible business, supports many children's causes and environmental initiatives. In this spirit, the company views its involvement with Babies as an important opportunity to highlight the significance and universality of infanthood. "We are delighted to be a part of this very special film," said co-founder Liane Weintraub. "Babies were our inspiration, so these four beautiful stories resonate deeply with us – they're what Tastybaby is all about!""

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Kashi Company Announces New Findings on Heart Health Awareness

"LA JOLLA, Calif., May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Kashi Company, the premier natural food company, today released significant data from a heart health survey it recently conducted with EverydayHealth.com, the leader in online health information. Results of the survey, taken by nearly 5,000 health-minded American women, found that almost 60 percent of respondents are very concerned about their heart health. Of this percentage, only 45 percent are under the age of 55.

Survey findings also suggest 77 percent of women polled know they are at risk for heart disease, but 41 percent have not talked to their doctor about taking preventative measures and 73 percent have not talked to their family about hereditary factors. In addition, over half of those who admitted to never proactively looking for heart healthy foods say they do not know how to find these foods."

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Triple Bottom Line: Plum Organics

"Babies — they're cute and cuddly — and thanks to Plum Organics, more and more of them are eating healthy, organic foods each day. Plum Organics was founded by mom and third-generation entrepreneur Gigi Lee Chang. Chang founded Plum to create a nutritious and simple solution for busy moms and growing children. Currently, Plum produces everything from baby food all the way to snacks for toddlers.

Plum revolves around the principle that feeding your child healthy stuff from a very young age helps to develop their taste buds and an appreciation for healthy food thereby saving parents a lifetime of dinner conversations that start with "no you cant be excused until you finish your brussel sprouts." Or worse, having mom find random vegetables in the flower pots in the dining room. Oh, wait, that was my life."

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Coal dust runoff inundates family's organic garden

"The crisis facing the Gulf Coast from a leaking deep sea oil well seems to be at the top of the heap as environmental disasters go, with serious long term consequences affecting the health and livelihood of thousands of people.

But a recent incident in Crawford shows that even a small scale pollution event can be devastating to those it affects, and the consequences can spread widely throughout the community.

Robert E. Buckley, his son Robert Allen Buckley and Allen’s wife, LaDonna, have been growing a garden on the back lot of their home at 607 Elm Street in Crawford for years, and regularly selling their produce at the Chadron Farmer’s Market, the Natural Foods Coop and other places. The three-quarter acre plot has yielded bumper crops of carrots, squash, watermelon, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, beets, tomatoes, raspberries and strawberries and the Buckleys say they have supplied fresh produce to families in an area from Lusk, Wyo., to Edgemont, S.D., to Hay Springs and Alliance. “We estimate 250 families a summer (get produce),” Allen Buckley said last week."

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Adorable Low-Pesticide Food Cheat Sheet

"Just the other day I wrote about the latest "most important foods to eat organic" lists--the "Dirty Dozen and the "Clean 15." Well now the My Paper Crane blog has gone and made a free printable PDF, the most adorable way ever to keep track of which fruits and veggies you must buy organic and which you can get away with eating commercially grown. And it's in handy wallet-size format. I'll just tuck it next to my seafood list!"

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Whole Foods Market(R) to Carry Converted Organics' Products in Total of 84 Stores With New Distribution Through North Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic Store

"BOSTON, May 4, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Converted Organics Inc. (COIN 1.16, +0.02, +1.75%) is pleased to announce that the number of Whole Foods Market(R) (WFMI 40.25, +0.01, +0.03%) stores offering its line of all-natural, organic fertilizers has increased from 18 stores in 2009 to 84 stores in 2010, with the Company's all-natural fertilizer products now available in two new Whole Foods Market areas, the North Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic regions.

"We're very excited about this development," said David A. Flannery, Vice President of Marketing for Converted Organics. "Whole Foods is excited about expanding with Converted Organics' products because they're effective, and because they like our concept of converting food waste into valuable resources, namely an all-natural fertilizer, while also helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting food waste from going to landfills," he added."

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Olympian opens natural health and organic trade show

"VANCOUVER, May 5 /CNW/ - Four-Time Olympic Medalist Kristina Groves will open the largest trade show in Western Canada for the natural health and organic products industry, Expo West 2010 (http://www.chfa.ca/EVENTS/ExpoWest.aspx), May 15.

"We are so proud of Kristina and her Olympic accomplishments," said Beena Goldenberg, President, Hain Celestial Canada, the sponsor of Kristina's guest appearance at Expo West. Kristina emerged as one of Canada's stars at the 2010 Winter Games, winning a silver medal in Women's 1,500m and a bronze in Women's 3,000m speed skating.

After the show opening, Kristina will sign autographs in the Hain Celestial booth (No. 727) from 10 a.m. to noon; and pictures with Kristina may be taken for a nominal donation to her favourite charity, Right to Play, an international humanitarian and development organization.

As a consumer of natural and organic foods and a proponent of green living, Kristina has been an ideal spokesperson for Hain Celestial. "Hain Celestial is so fortunate to be associated with Kristina," says Goldenberg. On the last day of the 2010 Winter Games, Hain Celestial pledged a $5,000 donation to Right To Play, a donation matched by Kristina from her medal winnings."

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Organic farming not better for all birds and the bees, say researchers

"Birds such as the skylark and lapwing are less likely to be found in organic fields than on conventional farms, according to a study that contradicts claims that organic agriculture is much better for wildlife.

It concludes that organic farms produce less than half as much food per hectare as ordinary farms and that the small benefits for certain species from avoiding pesticides and artificial fertilisers are far outweighed by the need to make land more productive to feed a growing population.

The research, by the University of Leeds, is another blow to the organic industry, which is already struggling because of falling sales and a report from the Food Standards Agency that found that organic food was no healthier than ordinary produce."

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Organic Snackers Underestimate Calories, Study Shows

"Could organic labels lead you to overeat? These labels certainly appear to make people think their organic snack has a lot fewer calories than it really does.

These findings were presented at this week's Experimental Biology conference in Anaheim, Calif. They showed that people who ate organic cookies labeled as "organic" believed that their snack contained 40% fewer calories than the same cookies that had no label, according to Jenny Wan-Chen Lee, a graduate student with the Cornell Food and Brand Lab.

"An organic label gives a food a 'health halo,' said coauthor, Brian Wansink, Cornell professor and author of the book, Marketing Nutrition. It's the same basic reason people tend to overeat any snack food that's labeled as healthy or low fat. They underestimate the calories and over-reward themselves by eating more." "

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Centre to provide Rs.10,000 per hectare for organic farming

"VELLORE: The Central government has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs.10,000 per hectare for a maximum area of four hectares per beneficiary, over a period of three years, for the adoption of organic farming for horticultural crops under the National Horticulture Mission (NHM). This was conveyed in a letter written by D. Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Union Ministry of Agriculture, to G.S. Purushothaman, president, Federation of Tamil Nadu Organic Farming Organisations, Vellore.

Mr. Kumar has stated in his letter that there is no provision for providing financial assistance for organic farming for field crops. He advised Mr. Purushothaman to approach the State government for assistance for organic farming for field crops under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)."

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Can 'organic' labels backfire?

"ANAHEIM, CA: Could organic labels lead you to overeat? These labels certainly appear to make people think their organic snack has a lot fewer calories than it really does.

These findings were presented at this week's Experimental Biology conference in Anaheim, Calif. They showed that people who ate organic cookies labeled as "organic" believed that their snack contained 40% fewer calories than the same cookies that had no label, according to Jenny Wan-Chen Lee, a graduate student with the Cornell Food and Brand Lab."

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What’s on my food? Pesticides and toxins on conventional vs organic foods

"Many people still the debate the practice of buying organic food, claiming it’s not really worth the extra money. While the ubiquitous labeling of “organic” isn’t as specific and regulated as it should be by the USDA, the fact of the matter is that you’re still a lot more likely to be ingesting harmful pesticides if you’re not eating organic. Yes, you can wash your produce when you get home, but a variety of pesticide residues still turn up on many of our foods after being washed.

Want proof of that claim? The Pesticide Action Network’s database, What’s On My Food?, provides an extensive online database listing the toxins, carcinogens, and hormone disruptors, including their health risks, found on many commonly purchased foods from being sprayed with pesticides. Their data comes from the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program’s regulatory information on thousands of pesticides and millions of toxicity tests performed on them. PAN’s site also lists side-by-side conventional vs organic comparisons on most of the foods, letting you see the facts for yourself to then make the decision on whether or not to buy organic."

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Organic farm produce to show up in unlikely spots this summer

"Chris Ruder of Wicker Park wanted to eat more fruits and vegetables. He wanted to support local organic agriculture. And he wanted to know the person growing his food.

So, like thousands of Chicagoans, he bought a share in a Midwest organic farm that would deliver weekly boxes of produce to the city in an arrangement called community-supported agriculture, or CSA.

"But the drop-off point was way on the North Side and at a time that didn't work for me," Ruder said of his experience last year. "And I figured if this was a hassle for me it must be a hassle for other people too."

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Will the “Green Revolution” Ever Hit Africa?

"To most people in the developed world, agricultural science is a bit of an afterthought. We go to the grocery store and decide between small, vibrantly red cherry tomatoes and charmingly misshapen heirloom tomatoes. We buy big, juicy oranges and know that when we peel them the juice will run over our fingers and the sticky scent will linger. We can choose between 10 different kinds of apples, no matter the season. At no point during our shopping do most of us stop to think about the technology used to produce this bounty.

Despite the nostalgia many Americans feel for the image of a farm in the country with a red barn, only 2% of Americans are still classified as farmers by the government’s fairly lenient standards. Large industrial farms (producing more than $250,000 in annual sales), though representing only 6% of farms, are responsible for 58% of America’s agricultural sales."

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On This Oregon Trail, Pioneers Embrace Organic Wine

"TWO decades ago, Doug Tunnell was a veteran newsman who wanted to be a winemaker. Having been a globetrotting CBS correspondent for 18 years, he bought a farm and returned to his family’s roots in the Willamette Valley, a landscape of rolling hills and farmland about 45 minutes southwest of Portland, Oregon.

But he didn’t just want to make wine — he wanted to make organic wine."

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Organic ice cream maker Three Twins adds production plant

"PETALUMA – Three Twins Ice Cream, which started small in 2005 and grew to three retail operations in the Bay Area, has opened an organic production plant in Petaluma.

According to founder Neal Gottlieb, the increased volume has already scored Three Twins a distributorship with United Natural Food Inc., which supplies Whole Foods.

“This is a major step forward for us,” said Mr. Gottlieb, who chose opening his own business over attending graduate business school.

Organic and green products are often in niche markets, with buyers limited to believers or the affluent, he said."

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Organic Revisited: A Free Cheat Sheet For Buying Organic

"Common knowledge tells us that organic food is good food. It is tasty to eat, good for the environment, and safer for the farmers and workers who produce it. Since agriculture is responsible for much of the pollution of the waterways, choosing organic is the eco-choice for those who want to live a more sustainable life.

Eating organic may be one of best ways to keep your body healthy and the world’s ecosystems strong. Which organic fruits and vegetables to buy with your hard earned cash can be confusing. Some produce has less pesticides, while others are laden with chemical residues. Some are obvious, because of their thick skin (bananas), while others are penetrable (berries)."

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