FW: [houstonorganic] Not sure how I got qouted for this Atlanta newspaper article, but here it is...

[Guest guest]

 

houstonorganic

[houstonorganic ] On Behalf Of Farmer Brad

Monday, September 11, 2006 2:14 PM

houstonorganic

[houstonorganic] Not sure how I got qouted for this Atlanta

newspaper article, but here it is...

 

 

Organic' label little more than a marketing tool for food, critics say

 

By KYLENE KIANG

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 09/10/06

 

Washington - At the local supermarket, the organic fruit and vegetable

display is a frequent stop for health-conscious consumers. But turn to

the next aisle and shoppers are likely to find a different array of

" natural " and " organic " foods.

 

All-natural potato chips. Organic breakfast burritos. On the

frozen-food aisle, a shopper can unearth multiple varieties of organic

three-cheese lasagna.

 

Some organic farmers and activists say that in the United States the

organic label, once the symbol of foods produced by environmentally

friendly means, has with time been cheapened into a gimmicky marketing

tool.

 

And as mainstream supermarket chains increase their clutch on the

lucrative organic industry, the same critics contend that big business

is developing a stranglehold on efforts to tighten national organic

standards and regulations. Big businesses entering the growing market

counter that simply by doing so, they are benefiting both the

environment and consumers.

 

By Department of Agriculture standards, the " USDA organic " seal means

that at least 95 percent of the ingredients in the product are farmed

without using chemicals, hormones, pesticides or any method regarded

as harmful to the environment.

 

Organic or sustainable farming techniques can include using ducks and

insects for pest and weed control, water conservation and natural

methods of soil replenishment. In the past, supporting organic farming

also meant favoring locally grown food over mass-produced varieties

that are often grown using greater quantities of fossil fuels for

production and transport.

 

On store shelves, the line between organic and mass-produced has

blurred. Tostitos now offers organic tortilla chip selections.

Frito-Lay also has introduced a brand of " natural " Doritos.

 

" It is sort of a marketing gimmick, " said registered dietitian Cindy

Moore, director of nutrition therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. She

added that not all organic foods are equal. " If you have a product

with limited nutrients, making them with organic products isn't going

to make it better. "

 

USDA spokeswoman Joan Shaffer said the organic label is a " marketing

program " that only specifies how the food was processed and has no

indication of food safety or nutrition.

 

Currently, the USDA works with 95 independent organic certification

agencies worldwide - 55 domestic and 40 foreign.

 

Spawned in 1970s

 

The organic movement gained attention in the 1970s when the government

banned the pesticide DDT. Spawned in response to the often-toxic

practices of mass agriculture, the movement was seen as an

eccentricity of the Earth-loving hippie set. Organic foods were not

simply about good eating, but doing good for the environment and

promoting a healthier, more sustainable place in which to live.

 

Consumers now, however, tend to equate " organic " with " healthy. " But

that comparison is often not accurate, said Brad Stufflebeam, an

organic farmer based in Brenham, Texas, who noted the explosion of

processed foods on supermarket shelves with " organic " labels.

 

" Just because it's organic cereal with organic sugar doesn't make it

healthy, " Stufflebeam said.

 

On food packaging, " natural " has no relation to organic and only

implies that the product contains no artificial ingredients or

artificial food coloring, Moore said. " 'Natural' has nothing to do

with how the food was grown, handled or processed. "

 

No additives

 

Studies have shown some health benefits of eating organic foods,

especially in developing children whose bodies are less able to deal

with pesticide residue often found on conventional fruits and

vegetables. Moreover, the Food and Drug Administration permits the use

of more than 300 synthetic food additives in conventional foods.

USDA-certified organic foods contain none of these additives.

 

Aside from possible pesticide residue, " if you compare organically

grown foods to conventionally grown foods, there is no significant

difference in the nutrient profile between the two, " Moore said. For

example, both organic and conventional strawberries have relatively

the same amount of carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

 

Moore said it is helpful for consumers to evaluate why they might be

choosing organic food, whether it is for health reasons - to decrease

possible risk of cancer by avoiding foods with pesticides - or for

environmental reasons - to protect the water supply, encourage

biodiversity or prevent soil erosion on farmlands.

 

There might also be social-consciousness reasons someone would support

small farms or show concern about the impact on farm workers' health

and rights, she added.

 

Some critics believe today's burgeoning organic market has turned into

the industry it once fought. Seeds of Change, an organic company that

sells rice, grains and complementary sauces, has been owned by M & M

Mars since 1997. Food bar and smoothie maker Odwalla began with " three

friends, a few boxes of oranges and a simple vision, " according to the

company's Web site, which makes no mention that it was purchased by

Coca-Cola Co. in 2001.

 

Since 1997, the organic foods business has grown by an average 18.4

percent annually, amassing $13.8 billion in consumer sales last year.

About 23 percent of consumers say they regularly buy organic goods,

according to the Organic Trade Association.

 

Organic foods now make up about 2.5 percent of total food sales in the

country.

 

National chains like Wal-Mart and Safeway are getting in on the action.

 

Earlier this year, Wal-Mart said it intends to double its number of

organic products. And that list is diverse: pastas, olive oil, tea,

peanut butter, fresh herbs, packaged salads, sour cream, seafood and a

line of baby clothing made with organic cotton.

 

" Although we have sold organic food products for some time, our

customers have not always thought of Wal-Mart as a place to find

them, " said company spokeswoman Karen Burk. " We want them to know that

we have these products, and that we have them at prices that are

better than those offered by the competition. "

 

And, to the discontent of some organic farmers, Safeway stores like

Texas-based Randall's supermarkets are touting their own label, O

Organics, eliminating the middleman and providing organic foods at a

lower price.

 

Organic farmer Stufflebeam concedes that the increased corporate

presence in the market has probably taken business away from some

independent organic farms, but, at the same time, mainstream chains

are increasing public awareness of organic foods in general. Business

has never been better, he says, adding that customers who want a share

of the roughly 100 different varieties of heirloom vegetables and

herbs Stufflebeam grows will have to put their name on a one-year

waiting list.

 

Complaints filed

 

Some organic advocates, however, cite concerns over loosening

regulations, pointing to alleged violations of the USDA organic

standard by Horizon Organic and Aurora Organic Dairy, two hugely

popular brands sold nationwide by vendors including Whole Foods Market.

 

Recently, a Wisconsin organic advocacy group, the Cornucopia

Institute, filed a complaint with the USDA about Horizon Organic. The

USDA is reviewing the charges to decide whether an investigation is

necessary.

 

Cornucopia charges that Horizon, the nation's largest organic milk

producer, is ignoring Agriculture Department rules requiring that

organic dairy cows have " access to pasture. "

 

Horizon, owned by milk bottling giant Dean Foods, said in a statement

that the allegations are without merit and that the company works

closely with its certifiers to ensure that each dairy is fully

certified organic and meets the USDA's national organic standards.

 

The Minnesota-based Organic Consumers Association, an advocacy group,

claims that about 40 percent of organic milk comes from establishments

that obtain calves from conventional establishments, where they have

little or no access to pasture.

 

Locally grown movement

 

To counteract the bigger, better, cheaper trend in organic foods,

Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association said a movement

for supporting locally grown produce is " small, but growing. "

 

Buying locally grown produce has become the latest mark of the

consumer who wants to conserve fuel and reduce pollution created by

shipping food internationally.

 

The locally grown produce movement is about preserving farms as a

community resource.

 

Stufflebeam, the 35-year-old organic farmer who runs a 6-acre central

Texas plot called Home Sweet Farm, believes that consumers want to

develop good relationships with the people who grow their food. He

calls it " the ultimate form of accountability. "