Fwd: [Biodemocracy] Organic Bytes #31 - Organic and Food News Tidbits with an Edge!

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Thu, 22 Apr 2004 16:50:22 -0500

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[biodemocracy]

Organic Bytes #31 - Organic and Food News Tidbits with an Edge!

 

 

 

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ORGANIC BYTES #31

Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge!

4/22/2004 By Organic Consumers Association

 

 

 

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on websites,

print it, and post it. Knowledge is power!

 

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To to Organic Bytes, send an email to:

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In This Issue:

ANTI-GE MOVEMENT GATHERS STEAM ACROSS THE U.S.

SUSTAINABLE AG PROTECTS WORLD'S FRESHWATER

ORGANIC LABELING IN JEOPARDY

EU REQUIRES STRICT LABELING FOR FRANKENFOODS

AMERICANS ARE SHRINKING

FOOD SAFETY IS APPARENTLY ILLEGAL

CONSUMERS FED-UP WITH ADVERTISING

THE LAW THAT NEVER BECAME A LAW

NO BUTTS ABOUT IT

 

 

 

ANTI-GE MOVEMENT GATHERS STEAM ACROSS THE U.S.

In the wake of the Mendocino CA ban on March 2, 2004, the movement to create GE

Free Zones across the United States has accelerated, as have legislative efforts

to strictly regulate GMOs. Recent events include:

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California: Following in the footsteps of Mendocino there are activists in at

least 12 of California's 59 counties organizing to create GE-Free zones,

including Humboldt, Butte, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and San Luis Obisbo. Activists

from all over CA are meeting this weekend in Mendocino to plan their next moves.

In other CA news, the state's top agriculture official denied a proposal that

would allow the planting of rice, genetically engineered to create a drug. The

proposal is likely to return for reconsideration next planting season.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/ricehold041304.cfm

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North Dakota: A petition is being circulated for a ballot measure that would

give the state the authority to reject Monsanto's new genetically modified

wheat. Farmers are concerned introduction of the crop will result in profit

losses due to decreased export demand.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/wheat042004.cfm

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Pennsylvania: More than 50 townships have passed ordinances that regulate the

expansion of local factory farms, and now the state farm bureau and big

agribusiness are teaming up to implement legislation that would make it illegal

for communities to have this kind of local control.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/factoryfarm042004.cfm

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Vermont: Governor Douglas has agreed to sign the " Farmer Right to Know " bill

that will require labeling of genetically engineered seeds in all retail

outlets. http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge-free.htm

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Help the OCA defend the Mendocino ban and spread GE free zones throughout the

Americas!

 

 

https://payments.auctionpay.com/ver3/?id=w011082

 

 

 

 

SUSTAINABLE AG PROTECTS WORLD'S FRESHWATER

A new United Nations report calls for sustainable food production and

consumption, as conventional methods are swallowing-up the world's scarce fresh

water supply. For example, producing just 3 ½ ounces of beef requires 1,849

gallons of water, while making enough flour for a loaf of bread requires less

than a tenth of that. Sustainable agriculture is particularly beneficial in

developing countries, where agriculture accounts for 70-90% of fresh water use.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/water042104.cfm

 

 

 

ORGANIC LABELING IN JEOPARDY

The USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) has published a new scope document

that compromises efforts to establish meaningful organic standards for personal

care products, dietary supplements, fertilizers, soil amendments, manure and

related materials, fish and seafood, and pet foods. The new NOP Scope will make

it illegal for makers of the aforementioned products to display the USDA Organic

Seal in the future or make any other claims suggesting these products are made

under the USDA NOP standards. The OCA is pressuring the USDA to retract its new

position, which hurts organic farmers and consumers by allowing companies to

make organic claims without being certified.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/nop-scope.cfm

 

 

 

EU REQUIRES STRICT LABELING FOR FRANKENFOODS

Responding to intense pressure from the Bush Administration and the biotech

industry, the European Union (EU) is now, at least in principle, opening its

doors to imports of some genetically engineered (GE) foods. But producers of GE

seeds, like Monsanto, are still unhappy with the arrangement. In agreeing to

allow the import of these GE foods, the EU is also mandating that food products

containing more than .9% GE ingredients, be labeled as such. In response to

consumer demands, major EU supermarket chains and food companies have announced

that they will continue to ban GE foods and ingredients from their products.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/labels042004.cfm

 

 

 

AMERICANS ARE SHRINKING

At the time of the American Revolution, the average U.S. male was two inches

taller than his British counterpart. Today he is almost half an inch shorter.

According to new research out of Munich University, the average American is

getting shorter, while the average European is getting taller. To explain this

peculiar physiological transformation, scientists are pointing to the increasing

gap in social classes in the U.S. Despite a physically robust upper class in the

U.S., there are eight million unemployed people, 40 million individuals with no

health insurance, 35 million living below the poverty line, and a population

that relies on junk food. In contrast, Europe's social welfare programs provide

good health care and food for most citizens.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/shrinking041404.cfm

 

 

 

FOOD SAFETY IS APPARENTLY ILLEGAL

Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC recently announced it would voluntarily test

all of its cattle for Mad Cow Disease as a courtesy to its customers and to

re-open foreign markets, especially Japan. But the USDA responded last week,

saying it won't allow Creekstone to test all of its cattle. Bill Hawks, the USDA

secretary for marketing, said the tests aren't necessary and " would have implied

a consumer safety aspect that is not scientifically warranted. " Creektone's

chief executive officer, Jon Stewart, disagrees and is ready to take legal

action against the USDA, saying the company has every right to test their cattle

if that's what their domestic and foreign customers are demanding.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/fight041404.cfm

 

 

 

CONSUMERS FED-UP WITH ADVERTISING

The New York Times recently reported that a recent Yankelovich Partners poll has

found that consumers are fed up with the constant deluge of advertising. In

fact, 69% of respondents said they " are interested in products and services that

would help them skip or block marketing; " and a full 45% said the amount of

advertising they were exposed to " detracts from the experience of everyday

life. " Ron Berger, Chairman of the American Association of Advertising expressed

his concern over the poll results, by suggesting that perhaps advertisers could

respond to the problem of over-advertising by doing some advertising about how

important advertising is: " Our industry must do a better job of talking about

the tremendous value we create for clients and the economy. "

http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/ads041504.cfm

 

 

 

THE LAW THAT NEVER BECAME A LAW

With the discovery of the first case of Mad Cow Disease in the U.S., nations all

over the world stopped importing American beef, consumers feared for their

safety, and the U.S. government fell under intense scrutiny for its lack of

related regulatory oversight. By mid-January the USDA attempted to appease

consumers and the press by announcing new rules that would reduce the potential

spread of the fatal disease. Interestingly enough, those rules have still not

been implemented. In order for the rules to become enforced, they must be

published in the Federal Register, a daily governmental publication. Stephen

Sundlof of the FDA spoke of the delay in enforcement, saying the fact that it's

taking so long " shows that we do consider it important. "

http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/Mishra041404.cfm

 

 

 

NO BUTTS ABOUT IT

One benefit of the delay in implementing new Mad Cow regulations is that it

provides an extended period of public comment. The USDA will be excepting

comments on the new regulations until May 7. This input is critical, given the

heavy lobbying forces of the meat industry, who are complaining that keeping cow

brains out of the U.S. burger supply will cost them $150 million per year. One

of the USDA's proposals would also keep cow rectum, colon and anus from entering

the human food supply. Take Action! Tell the USDA you're tired of eating rectums

and anuses: http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/usdapubcom0304.cfm

 

 

 

Help the OCA fight against GMOs and convert U.S. agriculture to organic by

making an online donation today!

 

https://payments.auctionpay.com/ver3/?id=w011082

 

If you prefer to send a check, please mail a check made out to " OCA/BioDemocracy

Alliance " to our national office:

 

Organic Consumers Association

6101 Cliff Estate Road

Little Marais, Minnesota 55614

 

All Contributions are tax-deductible. Check our website to keep informed on

breaking news.

 

 

 

 

WE NEED TO TALK

Interested in sharing your thoughts and ideas with thousands of other

like-minded folks locally and around the world? Register free for OCA's new

online web forum and chat center. The OCA website has been getting 4-6 million

hits every month, so we decided it's time to open up the communication channels

and let everyone share their ideas, post articles, comment on related issues,

and come together with others who share your concerns. Start talking with others

in the organic consumers community right now!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/chat/index.php If you are interested in being a

moderator of one of these forums, please contact Craig

 

 

 

Help others learn about food safety, organics, and related topics!

Place a link on YOUR website to http://OrganicConsumers.org

Banners for your use: http://OrganicConsumers.org/logos.htm

 

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--

 

 

ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of:

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION

6101 Cliff Estate Road

Little Marais, MN 55614

Phone: (218) 226-4164

Fax: (218) 353-7652

 

 

 

For additional daily environmental and political news, visit:

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