Clif Bar & Company Becomes 20 Percent Employee-Owned

"BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Clif Bar & Company, the leading maker of all-natural and organic food and performance nutrition for athletes, is pleased to announce the selling of family-owned common stock to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Employees through the ESOP own 20 percent of the company, while husband and wife owners -- Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford -- retain the remaining 80 percent.

“All along we wanted to create a company where we would want to work,” said Crawford, Clif Bar & Company’s co-CEO. “Employee ownership is one more way we could run a different kind of business: one that inspires a team of people to make the kind of delicious, nutritious food we’d like to eat, and that strives for a healthier, more sustainable world.”"

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Melvita - France’s #1 Organic Beauty Brand - Opens Its Third U.S. Retail Store: 25 Years of Expertise in Organic Beauty Comes to Southern California

"New York, NY (Vocus/PRWEB ) June 29, 2010 -- Melvita is pleased to announce the opening of its third U.S. retail space on June 30, 2010 at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, California. For more than 25 years, Melvita has been a pioneer in organic beauty and an industry leader in ecological beauty manufacturing. Now, Newport Beach will be able to experience first-hand this extensive line of ECOCERT-certified organic products for the whole family. Melvita makes everyday organic living achievable with its wide range of skin, hair and personal care products, food supplements, and honey."

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Tropical Foods Re-Introduces York’s Harvest, Organic Acres, Now with Corn-Based Packagin

"CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tropical Foods, a food manufacturer that specializes in raw and roasted nuts, dried fruit and snack mixes, has re-launched their popular organic line, Organic Acres, with new corn-based packaging.

Organic Acres contains five organic mixes, specially blended to provide a naturally nutritious snack. The line also contains dried fruits and both raw and roasted/salted nuts. Products are available in bulk or a new corn-based retail package. Tropical Foods has seen success with the line with the new packaging and the re-sealable, portable organic snacks."

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What's Organic About Organic, A Film on an Important Topic

"What’s Organic About Organic asks what the implications of growing food organically or not actually are. This hour-long film covers a lot of ground. Its short length and breadth of issues make this movie a good discussion-starter amongst peers, family, and friends. Watching What’s Organic About Organic left me with a sense that we don’t necessarily know the whole story about conventionally grown food or the benefits of organic, it made me want to learn more and be a more educated consumer."

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Fresh Harvest Announces New Distributor and New Distribution Territory

"NEW YORK, NY, Jun 24, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Fresh Harvest Products, Inc. (FRHV 0.03, -.00, -3.85%) , a developer and marketer of natural and organic products, is pleased to announce that after an extensive search it has chosen a new distributor and is expanding into a new territory for its Wings of Nature(TM) bars.

The company will be selling and merchandising its Wings of Nature bars through a leading distributor of convenience products in the Northwest and one of the nation's top 25 convenience distributors. Their customers include: convenience stores, drug stores, grocery stores and restaurants. They provide full-service grocery distribution to more than 2,000 customers and their distribution map extends throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Northern California."

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Organic wheat farming receives govt backing, attracts growers

"Chandigarh: Over 11,000 acres of land has been brought under organic farming in Punjab and Haryana under a scheme sponsored by the Union Government. While 6,050 acres has so far come under organic farming in Punjab, Haryana too is not lagging behind as 5,000 acre has been brought under organic farming.

To promote organic farming in Punjab and Haryana, farmers are being provided technological inputs including training and farm-level advisory services according to standards set by the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), National Organic Programme (NOP) and the European Union (EU) for organic farming."

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How Sustainable is Big Organic?

"Organic has gotten big. Really big. So much so that most of the organic food available in the supermarket is now owned by companies you might not expect to represent organic, like Cargill, Heinz/Hain, Kraft, Kellog, Dean, and General Mills. All those familiar organic food brand names: Muir Glen, Cascadian Farm, Odwalla, Kashi, Dagoba chocolate, and so on, are owned by some of the largest food processors in the country, whose other product lines don't exactly jive with organic principles. The question is, is big organic good, or not so good? And what does it mean for small organic food producers?"

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Converted Organics LC 1-1-1(TM) Organic Liquid Fertilizer Receives OMRI Listing

"BOSTON, Jun 24, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Converted Organics Inc. (COIN 0.78, -0.02, -2.31%) announced today that the Converted Organics LC 1-1-1(TM) all-natural, organic liquid fertilizer produced in the Company's Woodbridge, NJ facility, has received Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) approval for use in certified organic production or food processing and handling in accordance with the USDA's National Organic Program. OMRI listing of the Company's Woodbridge-produced LC 1-1-1(TM) organic liquid fertilizer product follows recent listing of Converted Organics 8-1-4(TM), Converted Organics Lawn & Turf 8-1-4(TM), Converted Organics 4-1-8(TM) and Converted Organics Flower & Garden 4-1-8(TM) all-natural, granular organic fertilizers. With this OMRI approval, the LC 1-1-1(TM) organic liquid fertilizer manufactured in Woodbridge joins the LC 1-1-1(TM) organic liquid fertilizer manufactured by the Gonzales facility in being OMRI listed."

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Supreme Court Upholds Ban on GE Alfalfa

"IOWA CITY, Iowa–The U.S. Supreme Court upheld USDA’s ban on the deregulation of Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE), Roundup Ready alfalfa for widespread commercial use. Although the decision does not uphold an indefinite ban on GE alfalfa, it provides consumers and farmers the opportunity to voice their opinions and challenge any potential deregulation of GE alfalfa, which is the fourth most planted crop in the United States.

In a press release, the National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA), a business services cooperative for 114 natural food co-ops nationwide, said it encouraged concerned consumers to continue telling USDA they oppose allowing GE alfalfa's use in agriculture."

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Fake organic foods proliferate from China

"Think those "organic" strawberries from China are better for environment? Think again.

This story was originally reported by PRI's The World. For more, listen to the audio above.

The organic label is meant to signify that a food is relatively environmentally friendly: Organic producers are forbidden from using many synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. When that organic food comes from China, that label may not mean much."

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Kiss My Face Partners With Seeds of Peace to Promote Middle East Conflict Resolution

"NEW YORK, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Given the current Arab-Israeli conflict, it is easy to overlook the positive initiatives and significant progress being made to foster universal acceptance among the youth in areas of unrest. Such efforts have been taken by Kiss My Face, who continues its tradition of unconventional social change by partnering with Seeds of Peace to launch Peace Soap and introduce "The Pledge for Peace," a unique online campaign. Seeds of Peace is a nonprofit, nonpolitical organization that hosts a summer camp to empower young people from regions of conflict with the leadership skills and interpersonal networks necessary to advance reconciliation and coexistence. "

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Trend Spotting: What are Natural and Organic Food Consumers Looking For?

"When the natural food section at my local supermarket expanded from three shelves to three full aisles two years ago, I got the strong impression that I was no longer one of the “few” consumers scrutinizing labels for all-natural and special diet foods. Demand is thankfully growing, and my favorite coupon site, Mambo Sprouts, used their marketing research team to find out what drives natural and organic food consumers. The results were surprising and intriguing … for me at least. Check out the stats and see what groups your shopping habits fall into:

80% of natural and organic consumers (so we are talking a specialty group already, not the public at large) regularly read labels for ingredient and nutrition information and are interested in purchasing functional foods with added health benefits. 39% checked off that they were very interested in functional foods."

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Hospital Food Gets A Push Down The Organic Aisle

"The local and organic food movement is spreading to an area not commonly associated with freshness, or even taste: hospital kitchens. Advocates say higher-quality produce, and smaller servings of meat, will help patients.

But the idea, which stems from a trial documented by a Johns Hopkins public health study, has its critics.

During a recent lunchtime at John Muir Medical Center in the San Francisco suburb of Concord, Calif., chefs and kitchen staff scurry around a conveyor belt as patients' food trays roll by."

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Kashi Company Introduces New TLC(R) Cranberry Walnut Fruit & Grain Bars

"LA JOLLA, Calif., June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Kashi Company, the premier natural food and lifestyle company, today announced the addition of Kashi® TLC® Cranberry Walnut Fruit & Grain Bars to its TLC family of snacks. Made with Kashi's signature blend of rolled Seven Whole Grains chewy granola, the new Kashi TLC Cranberry Walnut Fruit & Grain Bars combine real, soft fruit and hearty nuts layered on top of granola to provide a nutritious treat with a delicious sweet and tangy flavor combination."

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Raw Organic Virgin Coconut Oil has a hundred uses for health and home

"(NaturalNews) People who really know about health know about virgin coconut oil. It's the oil of choice for health-conscious people, and it's used in everything from smoothies (delicious!) to personal care products. You can use coconut oil both inside and outside your body.

It's even useful for cooking because coconut oil has a much higher temperature tolerance than even extra virgin olive oil. Its fat molecules stay intact, in other words, at higher stovetop temperatures, so that makes it safer for use as a cooking oil. It's also widely used in raw foods recipe as a stabilizer and source of delicious plant-based fats with their own unique nutritional properties."

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Onigilly Brings Japanese Street Food to San Francisco with an Organic Twist

"If you live in just about any city in the U.S., you’ve probably noticed an uptick in enthusiasm for all things street food. In San Francisco, that craze encompasses everything from bacon-wrapped hot dogs and empanadas to waffles and creme brulee, but Koji Kanematsu and Kan Hasegawa think they’ve got the next big thing: onigiri.

Essentially, onigiri are tightly packed balls of rice with a simple seaweed wrapper — think sushi, but without the fish. While they’re a very popular street-food snack in Japan, they’re hard to find in the U.S., and one night, in a fit of craving that was part hunger and part homesickness, the two decided to show America what onigiri was all about."

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Organic Eggs washed in Chlorine Solution

"If you believe in buying organic foods, an article by an expert last week may have come as a shock to you. Dr.Mercola is a celebrity in the medical field and on the media circuit. He has an excellent website and a huge following on Facebook and other social networks. I often adhere to his advice.

His article"Why you don't want to buy organic eggs at the grocery store" raises the question what happens after organic eggs have been collected. Some states require that they are cleaned by washing them in a chlorine bath. That isn't exactly what I as an organic customer and ex organic farmer's wife expected to happen to the eggs labeled organic, grocery store or not. In addition, they undergo "a mineral oil coating before they are nestled into their cartons," the article continues. And the eggs are still allowed to carry the organic label."

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Germany: Champion of Organic Food or GMOs?

"When it comes to the sustainable and organic food movement, the U.S. lags far behind many European countries, including Germany. Many German farmers and consumers are dedicated to producing and eating organic, as well as local, but recently it's been revealed that the German government may not be so committed to organic food after all. Genetically engineered crops are banned in most of Europe, including Germany. But German scientists and researchers are still considered to be at the cutting edge of genetically engineered crop research, testing experimental crops with funding support from the government and in spite of vehement public protest."

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Energy Strong at the Longest-Running Natural Products Trade Show

"BOULDER, Colo., June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Natural MarketPlace (www.naturalmarketplaceshow.com), co-located with World Tea Expo and the first-ever NutriCosmetic Summit, attracted 5,000 industry members and showcased over 25,000 square feet of natural and healthy lifestyle products last week at the 73rd official trade show of the Natural Products Association (NPA). Natural MarketPlace was held June 10-12, 2010 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.
A great mix of tried-and-true natural products companies and emerging new brands together in one place created a unique and valuable gathering place for businesses. Greg Hartle, vice president of Natural Edge said, "It's been a great show. Within the first half hour we wrote one of the biggest deals that we've done to date for our company. We had some great leads from all different markets and we will be back. Natural MarketPlace has been a great, great win for us.""

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Organic Foods: Hain Celestial Makes U.K. Acquisition

"June 18, 2010 (FinancialWire) -- The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN | PowerRating), a natural and organic products company, has acquired Churchill Food Products Ltd., a manufacturer and distributor of food-to-go products in the United Kingdom. Churchill's production is expected by Hain to complement the firm's existing Daily Bread brand.

The company said it completed this acquisition as part of its plan to return to profitability in the United Kingdom, which it expects will occur in fiscal year 2011.

Terms of the acquisition, which closed on June 15, were not disclosed."

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ONE Bio Signs Supermarket Chains Expanding Its Organic Vegetable Business

"ONE Bio, Corp. ("ONE" or the "Company") (OTCBB: ONBI), an innovative company utilizing green process manufacturing to produce raw chemicals and herbal extracts, natural and health supplements and organic products, announced that its subsidiary, United Green Technology, Inc. ("UGTI") through its Chinese operating unit, signed two distribution agreements with supermarket chains for distributing its organic vegetable and fruits products.

ONE's organic products division has just signed new lucrative distribution agreements which will result in more rapid expansion into the retail environment in mainland China. Recently, ONE signed distribution agreements with two supermarket chains in order to offer retail distribution of our products in more than 20 locations. The first two supermarket chains that ONE has partnered with are located in the Fuijan province and operate stores under the Xin Huadu and Jie long brand names. These are established retailers in their respective markets."

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Organic agriculture major at U of G escapes cuts

"The University of Guelph will continue to offer a bachelor of arts in organic agriculture until at least 2014, despite not yet meeting a target to register at least 40 students in the major.

Organic agriculture was on a controversial list of programs and majors identified for cuts by the University’s Board of Undergraduate Studies last spring, but was given a year-long reprieve to improve enrolment numbers. In February 2010, the Senate extended that reprieve for at least four more years."

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Style, Gold Food, Zen, and the Enigmatic Organic Farmers of Our Globe

"When I notice person’s style, the first synthesized [what has gone into their personal style] perception is filtered in through my poetic mind joined with my physician’s mind. Perhaps Style is a synthesization of ones DNA offered to the eye of the beholder through one’s way of life. Unlike an argument of nature vs nurture is it the integration of our genetic physiological musicological portraits working with our cultural patterns, imprints, and yearnings to express and share these parts of our selves with the outside world.

With farming, man as the microcosm of the macrocosm is not intellectualized but lived out every moment with feet and hands in the nutrients of the earth."

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Organic cotton farming more profitable, says report

"Organically grown cotton is more profitable for farmers than Bt cotton, a new Greenpeace report said here Tuesday.

'In the year 2009-10, farmers cultivating cotton through organic practices earned 200 percent more net income than farmers who grew genetically engineered cotton (Bt cotton),' the report said.

The report 'Picking Cotton - The choice between organic and genetically-engineered cotton for farmers in South India' is a comparative analysis of the two methods of agriculture among cotton farmers in Andhra Pradesh."

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MegaFood Announces Partnership With Organic Valley Coop

"MegaFood™, the only purveyor of premium artisan whole food supplements, announces that Organic Valley Cooperative has joined its family of Farm Fresh Partners™. MegaFood sources only fresh raw whole foods from farms throughout the US and Canada to produce their FoodState® concentrates, which are the source of the 100% pure whole food nutrients in their formulations. Organic Valley, a farmer-owned cooperative, will provide MegaFood farm fresh organic vegetables such as carrots, broccoli and cabbage from this fall’s harvest."

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Organic Trade Association announces 2010 Board and office

"(Drinks Media Wire). Julia Sabin of Smucker Natural Foods, Inc., has been re-elected by the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA’s) Board of Directors to continue as its president for the coming year. It will be her third year as president.

Other officers for 2010 are Sarah Bird of Annie’s, Inc., Vice President – U.S.A.; Gunta Vitins of SunOpta, Inc., Vice President—Canada; Matt McLean of Uncle Matt’s Organics, Inc., Secretary; Chuck Marcy, Healthy Food Holdings, LLC, Treasurer; and Kristen Holt of Quality Assurance International, Treasurer-Elect."

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Popular sunscreen ingredient linked to cancer

"Fans of organic sunscreen may be interested to read some recent news from the United States about the safety of chemical based sunscreens.

In May 2010 the Environmental Working Group reported the results of a year long study which found that a common sunscreen ingredient called retinal palmitate caused tumours and lesions to develop 21% faster in lab animals."

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World’s Finest Organic Shea Butter Goes to the Dogs

"San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 16, 2010 -- Even in a tough economy, SheaPet clearly believes man’s best friend deserves nothing but the best. As the name implies, SheaPet uses shea butter as one of the primary ingredients in all of its shampoos and conditioners, which are marketed to discerning pet owners across the country."

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Why Organic Palm Sugar is the next big thing in natural sweeteners

"(NaturalNews) The search for healthy, natural sweeteners sometimes seems to involve a whirlwind of information. I've been writing about stevia since 1997 -- back in the day when the FDA was actually seizing stevia products and threatening to arrest the owners of stevia companies. But today, stevia is now widely accepted as a safe, natural sweetener. That doesn't make it super popular, however: Many people complain about the aftertaste of stevia, and it doesn't melt or cook like sugar does."

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Navitas Naturals Announces Organic Camu Powder

"Novato, California (June 10, 2010) – The lush Amazon rainforest is believed to be the haven for countless plant species yet to be discovered that may provide profound scientific and health benefits to mankind. Camu Camu is a good example of a nutritious rainforest fruit that has only recently become known to people in North America. Superfoods leader Navitas Naturals is raising awareness of camu by introducing this sustainably harvested superfruit to foodies and health-savvy consumers in a convenient, pure organic powder form."

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India: Organic food fair in Himachal Pradesh

"A three-day-long food festival showcasing organic food items got underway in Shimla.

Inaugurated by state Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Thursday, the fair was organized by the Palampur Agriculture University in collaboration with the tourism department.

The organizers said that the organic food fair would provide farmers with a platform to sell their organic produce."

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North American Organic-Coffee Demand Rose in 2009, Analyst Says

"June 15 (Bloomberg) -- Imports of organic coffee into the U.S. and Canada exceeded 93 million pounds last year and demand is rising, said market researcher Daniele Giovannucci, citing a survey of 56 retailers and roasters.
The $1.4 billion organic-coffee market expanded by 4.1 percent this past year and an average 21 percent annually for the past five years, compared with estimated 1 percent growth in the “conventional coffee industry,” Giovannucci said in a statement on the PRWeb website. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. was among the companies surveyed, according to Giovannucci."

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SunOpta Completes Divestiture of Canadian Food Distribution Assets

"TORONTO, Jun 14, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- SunOpta Inc. ("SunOpta" or the "Company") (STKL 5.03, -0.02, -0.40%) (CA:SOY 5.15, 0.00, 0.00%) today announced that it has completed the previously announced divestiture of the Company's Canadian Food Distribution Assets to United Natural Foods, Inc. ("UNFI") and UNFI Canada, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of UNFI for cash consideration of approximately CDN $68 million."

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Organic Food Delivery: More Sustainable Than the Store?

"Food delivery is a luxury, it seems. However, in many North American cities it is a luxury no more. From shut-in seniors to families with new babies, many people choose to get their groceries delivered. Grocery delivery is a vital service for these people. For those who have mobility issues, limited transportation or just have a hard time getting out of the house, food delivery is an important part of eating good, homemade food regularly."

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Target Hooks Up With Punky Brewster For New Organic Baby Collection

"Soleil Moon Frye (AKA Punky Brewster), has apparently struck gold again by partnering with retailer Target for the release of a new collection of organic baby clothing.

While the partnership is news, the fact that Frye is behind it isn’t very surprising. Ever since she opened up her organic baby store, The Little Seed, in Los Angeles some years ago, the 33-year-old mother has been a force in the green baby scene. Last July, with business partner Paige Goldberg, she hosted a star-studded grand opening for the launch of her own eco-friendly baby clothing."

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Green Parenting: Top 5 Healthy Foods to Feed Your Family

"After writing a column on five foods parents may think twice about feeding their kids, a follow-up with five healthy and kid-friendly foods was clearly in order.

Straight out of my kitchen, here are five foods you can feed your little ones without worrying about MSG, colorings, flavorings, and other often unprounouncable junk nobody wants to have in their bodies."


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Ag Dept to drop organic food inspector in China

"The Times reports that some of the products inspected by the association were used to manufacture store brand products for Whole Foods Market, the nation's largest organic retailer.
The decision to ban the food inspectors follows consumers' shaken confidence about the safety of food and other products exported from China."

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Whole Foods to Remove Non-Certified, Mislabeled "Organic" Body Care Products from their Stores

"It is with great excitement that I am sharing with you our official company policy & associated actions via our Quality Standards team related to Organic Personal Care:

Whole Foods Market's policy on the use of the word "organic" on personal care products

We believe that the "organic" claim used on personal care products should have very similar meaning to the "organic" claim used on food products, which is currently regulated by the USDA's National Organic Program. Our shoppers do not expect the definition of "organic" to change substantially between the food and the non-food aisles of our stores. Accordingly, the following requirements apply to all personal care products which use the word "organic" in any way on the product label."

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Organic Salons Care About More Than Just Hair and Beauty

"Palm Harbor, FL - June 10, 2010 - Organic Salon Systems, the leading provider of non-diverted professional natural salon products, is sponsoring an advanced professional development seminar on Sunday June 13, 2010 where 20 salons from around the country are attending to sharpen their skills on (1) hair color practice and theory; (2) the use of more natural, gentler, healthier, and organic products; and (3) client health concerns when using professional salon products."

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Some children's juice products in U.S. contain lead

"LOS ANGELES, June 10 (Xinhua) -- A California environmental group has found high levels of lead in some children's juice products sold in the U.S. market, the National Public Radio reported Thursday.

The levels of lead exceeded the state law -- and in some cases also exceeded federal levels for young children, the report said, citing test results provided by the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), a San Franscisco-based nonprofit organization."

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Food and Beverage Industry Veteran to Introduce New Ingredient Company at Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo in July

"PINE BROOK, N.J., June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Teawolf, the dynamic, state-of-the-art manufacturer and distributor of natural and functional ingredients for the food, flavor, fragrance and beverage markets, today announced it will attend the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Chicago, IL on July 16-20, 2010. The IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo is the only annual event that brings together professionals involved in both the science and the business of food.

Teawolf, headquartered in Pine Brook, NJ, is led by food and beverage industry veteran Greg Robertson, formerly with Ungerer & Company. Teawolf will be presenting at IFT its wolfberry distillate in a Wolfberry Tea beverage and its 10-fold vanilla and premium dark chocolate extract in a chocolate milk (with no cocoa powder), along with two other surprise beverages."

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Nigeria Loses $46bn to Organic Farming

"The Executive Director of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr David Adulugba, has disclosed that Nigeria is losing over $46 billion in the world market on organic product.
The Council, he said, has identified this market to have a significant share in the billions of US dollars in the agricultural sector. All over the world, organic food grown accounts for approximately one to two percent of gross food sales. So many premiums are attracted to organic products that in Austria, organic farmers have been given incentives; experts expect 10% of all foods grown locally to be organic."

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Whole Foods Market(R) Collaborates With Online Community food52 for Weekly Recipe Contest Highlighting Flavors of Summer

"AUSTIN, Texas, June 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFMI), the leading natural and organic foods supermarket, today announced it is collaborating with food52, an online community for home cooks, to hold weekly recipe contests during June and July.

Founded by Amanda Hesser, author and former New York Times food editor and editor of T Living, and Merrill Stubbs, freelance food writer and editor, food52 holds weekly recipe contests and uses crowd-sourcing and curation to bring its members recipes, shopping tips, blogs and conversation."

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Farm Revitalizes New Britain Neighborhood

"Nestled among the busy city streets of New Britain is one of the city's best-kept secrets.

Urban Oaks Organic Farm, a three-and-a-half acre farm located in the middle of the city, prides itself on its organic homegrown vegetables, herbs, flowers and fig trees.

"12 years ago this was an abandoned florist that was the biggest eyesore in the city of New Britain and we were asked if we wanted to do something about it," farm co-founder and general manager Michael Kandefer said."

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Frontier Natural Expands Simply Organic Spice Line

"A recent study by the McIlhenny Company reveals that 83% of Americans are now cooking dinner at home four to seven times per week. With more people cooking at home today rather than dining out, seasonings and spices are increasingly sought out to enhance meal flavor. In response to this increased demand, Simply Organic is adding 11 new seasonings and spices to its highly popular line of organic mini spices."

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Contest for people wanting to be organic farmers

"Young, wannabe organic farmers have one more week to enter a local contest which will award one of them $1,000 and plenty of advice on how to achieve their goal.

The "So You Want To Be an Organic Farmer Contest" is organized by the Organic Food Council of Manitoba’s Manitoba Farm Mentorship Program.

Entrants, who must be between the ages of 18 and 25 years, must explain in 500 words or less why they want to be an organic farmer and how $1,000 could help them achieve their goal."

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Marvin's Organic Gardens, Wal-Mart partner to compost food and plant waste

"Marvin's Organic Gardens' 10-acre compost facility is going to get a workout through a new partnership with Wal-Mart stores from Cincinnati to Columbus.

Marvin's, in Lebanon, will soon begin receiving food and plant waste for composting from 160 regional Wal-Mart stores in partnership with Future Organics Inc., a private company working with Wal-Mart stores in Ohio and Michigan."

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MOM's Organic Gets Rid of Bottled Water

"ROCKVILLE, Md. — MOM’s Organic Market here is eliminating all bottled water and other plastics as part of its “Battle the Bottle” campaign.

Since it will no longer carry bottled water, the retailer will install water filtration machines in each store for use with reusable containers. A free gallon will be offered to each customer on every visit. In addition, employees will be given free counter-top home water filters and reusable water containers."

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Organic Alliance Becomes Fully Reporting Company

"SALINAS, CA, Jun 07, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Organic Alliance, Inc.(PINKSHEETS: ORGC), an emerging grower and shipper of certified organic, fair trade and conventional fresh foods in the global marketplace, announced today that it has become a fully reporting company. With the recently filed 10Ks covering both the 2008 and 2009 fiscal years as well as the 2010 Q1 filings, the company has now completed all the steps necessary with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act."

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North American Organic Brewers Festival opens at noon on June 25

"More than 15,000 beer lovers will converge upon Portland to take part in the sixth annual NAOBF the world's largest all organic beer festival. Designed to raise awareness about organic beer and sustainable living, the NAOBF serves up more than 50 organic beers and ciders from around the nation. There's also live music, organic food, sustainability-oriented vendors and non-profits, secure onsite bike parking, a root beer garden with complimentary Crater Lake Root Beer for minors and designated drivers, and a children's area, all in a beautiful park setting."

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Andrew Romanoff highlights Monroe Organic Farm in Kersey campaign stop

"KERSEY — As the vibrant green and rich brown landscape of the Monroe Organic Farm stood out against an overcast horizon, Andrew Romanoff knelt and planted a pepper, his tie swaying in the wind.

The former Colorado Speaker of the House stopped Wednesday at the farm as part of a statewide tour in his campaign for U.S. Senate. Romanoff faces incumbent Michael Bennet, D-Colo., in the Aug. 10 primary. On the Republican side, Weld District Attorney Ken Buck faces former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton. "

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The last word: An organic food movement that is both new and ancient

"A sign announcing the café inside Mumbai's Farmers' Market seems to sum up the whole enterprise: "Organic Café - Finally".

The café, set in the market in tiny Nilgiri Garden at the heart of Bandra, a trendy northern suburb of India's financial centre, serves popsicles that are flavoured naturally with palm syrup.

But its ultra-chilled atmosphere (despite the soaring summer temperatures) belies the almost fanatical determination of its founders."

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Top soy-free protein bars

"(NaturalNews) When it comes to finding the right protein bar to supplement a healthy lifestyle, it can be difficult to find one that is soy-free. Many health-conscious individuals have decided to skip the soy because, in its unfermented state, it mimics estrogen in the body. Excessive amounts of it, especially in men, can be detrimental to hormones and ultimately to health. Aside from organic, most conventional soy is also genetically-modified (GMO), which causes health problems of its own.

However finding premium quality, soy-free protein bars can be a challenge since many of the ones available on the market tend to contain protein that is at least partially composed of soy, if not entirely. So where can one find a soy-free protein bar that is both nutritious and delicious?"

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No More Excuses! 4 Ways to Make Buying Organic Easy

"Years ago, the rules for good nutrition were simple: eat your fruits and veggies. It was as easy as that. But with recent discoveries about the dangers of food chemicals, what it means to eat healthfully is no longer quite as simple.

For a few years, there has been ongoing debate among consumers about whether paying extra for organic food is worth the additional monetary cost. According to naturopathic physician, Dr. Kevin Passero, buying organic is in fact worth the cost. He says that organic produce and other food items offer increased nutrient content, reduced exposure to dangerous chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides, and GMO-free fruits and veggies — all significant benefits in my eyes."

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Converted Organics Reports 90% Year-Over-Year Increase in Organic Fertilizer Sales Year-to-Date

"BOSTON, Jun 3, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Converted Organics Inc. (COIN 0.89, +0.06, +6.64%) today announced that sales of its all-natural, organic fertilizer products from January 1 -- May 31, 2010 totaled $1.85 million, an increase of 90% over the same period in 2009. The year-over-year sales growth is largely attributable to a continued increase in customer demand for organic fertilizer programs that reduce both the environmental and health risks associated with synthetic, chemical-based fertilizer products."

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Non-Organic Celery Packed with 67 Pesticides

"That sounds like the bizzaro world version of “contains 100 daily servings of vitamins and minerals.”

But it’s true. The Environmental Working Group claims non-organic celery – i.e. the stuff billions of people buy willy-nilly everyday – has 67 different kinds of pesticides.

Celery was fingered as containing the most pesticides because of its structure; soft skin makes it very prone to absorption of things it touches."

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United Natural Foods 3Q profit climbs 16 percent

"United Natural Foods Inc. said Wednesday that its third-quarter net income rose 16 percent as sales grew.

The distributor of natural, organic and specialty foods earned $19.5 million, or 45 cents per share, for the three-month period that ended May 1.

That compares with net income of $16.8 million, or 39 cents per share, during the same period the previous year."

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Moms Open Organic Vegetable Garden at Urban Elementary School

"When moms Theresa Franklin and Lisa Mann asked their daughters' kindergarten class where vegetables came from, the students answered, "The grocery store." Not only did these kids have no idea where real veggies came from, they were also set on one thing: They didn't like them.

Something needed to be done to introduce these Los Angeles city kids (and their parents) to organic living and a healthier way of life. So together, these moms embarked on a challenging project: starting a kid-friendly learning garden where teachers could work with students on eco-friendly projects -- and reap the benefits of fresh food in the classroom."

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California agrees to tighter organic oversight

"After a government audit outlined serious gaps in California’s oversight of organic products, the state department in charge of the program plans to be fully compliant with U.S. organic food rules by this fall.

Federal regulators, who gave the state until June 1 to address violations detailed in the audit, approved proposed corrective measures in May.

Enforcement of California’s organic standards “will be significantly enhanced” with the corrective measures in place, said Rick Jensen, chief of the inspection and compliance branch for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, on May 25. “It’s a welcomed improvement in uniformity and application of organic laws.”

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Don't expect big changes as Whole Foods takes helm of Greenlife

"That appears to be the approach of Whole Foods Market to its recent purchase of the privately held Greenlife Grocery stores in Asheville and Chattanooga, Tenn. The sale, which closed last week, makes Greenlife a part of the 280-store, publicly traded Whole Foods store chain based in Austin, Texas. It's a company that had $8 billion in sales last year.

But nothing's really changed at Greenlife. The buskers still strum at the front door. The parking lot's still crammed with cars. And there's organic food of all sorts on the shelves."

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Organicgirl fourth company to recall leafy greens in Ma

"Another leafy greens shipper — the fourth this month — has recalled a product over bacterial contamination fears.

And the number of people sickened in an earlier outbreak has risen to 28.

Salinas, Calif.-based Organicgirl Produce LLC has recalled 336 cases of its 10-ounce baby spinach packs with a use-by date of May 22, according to a May 27 news release posted on the Food and Drug Administration’s Web site.

The recall was issued after a package of the company’s baby spinach tested positive for salmonella in a random sample test conducted by a third-party laboratory for FDA."

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Babytime Organic Announces Beaba Babycook Giveaway

"Babytime Organics (www.babytimeorganics.com) is giving away a free Beaba Babycook baby food maker (A $149.00 value) upon reaching 500 fans on the company's newly launched Facebook page.

"The Beaba Babycook is one of our company's best selling products," according to Brian Santana, owner of Babytime Organics, LLC. "I strongly believe that most Parents would like to make healthy, homemade food for their babies, but who has the time. The Beaba Babycook now makes it easy. It starts by steaming vegetables, fruits, and meats in less than 15 minutes, while preserving their vitamins and flavors. It then purees or blends them to the desired consistency. Parents can also use the Beaba Babycook to quickly reheat or defrost precooked foods. It's an amazing product for busy, health conscious parents. Now you can control what your babies eat even with a busy schedule.""

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Darwin Private Equity buys baby food company Plum Organics for £10m

"Launched in 2006 by Susie Willis, a former chef and mother of three, Plum Organics was said to be the first company to nationally distribute organic baby food in a portable pouch format. The company is on track to achieve retail turnover of £15m in 2010.
Ms Willis will remain in the business as creative director, while Paul Kaye will take over as chief executive officer from Patrick Cairns."

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The best organic pet food brands revealed

"(NaturalNews) A stroll down the pet food aisle at the local pet store can be overwhelming. The shelves are full of countless brands all claiming to have the best formulations for your furry friend. Many brands are now selling "natural" and organic lines in order to attract discerning shoppers who are concerned about finding the healthiest food for their pets. So which brands truly deliver?

While some people may argue that fresh or raw foods are the best route to take when feeding your pet, not everyone has the time to prepare these kinds of meals, or access to affordable ingredients in order to make them. While many premium pet food brands can be quite expensive themselves, it is often the more practical choice for people who care about their health of their pets but prefer the convenience of dry kibble."

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