BlogHer - Let the organic reckoning begin - Comments

Annie's Organic food

homegrown — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:13:56 -0500

Hi! I just wanted to include mention of our Organic products that are not expensive and easy to find. We recently started to sell our Organic Macaroni and Cheese in many Wal-Mart stores and we already have great distribution in stores like Safeway, Krogers and Whole Foods.

To find a store that sells Annie's near you, use our Store Locator.

Organic Farming

lizzorn — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 10:22:35 -0500

My husband and I operate a small organic business. Peace Angel Farm, in Southern Ohio
We are certified naturally grown, and grow everything without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. We use no pesticides at all. We are not USDA Certified Organic, because the fees and cost to maintain that certification is more than we can afford, and still stay in business..
But just because something says organic doesn't mean it is pesticide free, etc. There are approved organic pesticides that people have been using for years. I would imagine that the large corporate organic growers use approved pesticides and whatever else they can get away with. Pushing the edge more often than not.
Many Organic brands are corporate owned. Which is not a bad thing if people keep presure on the USDA to stay clean with regulations and labeling. The way it is now there are so many loop holes in labelig that one may never know what they are really eating.
The best bet is to get to know your local growers, and grow a few things yourself if you have the space. Get involved at the basic level, and you will be surprised what is available in your own back yard. Knowledge is power. The more you know the better choices you can make.
Check the online source for the Dept. of Agriculture in your state. Google farmers markets and organic growers close to you. Buy organic grass fed beef, chicken and eggs from area farms If there are none in yoru area, find a farm near by. We are in Ohio and buy beef from a farm in Pennsylvania, It is not that far away and they ship directly to us. Be sensible. If you live on the east coast, don't have your meat shipped from California . Buy as close to home as you can.
Many small farms grow organic and sell at roadside stands in the summer time. They just don't advertise it as organic. Ask Them about their growing practices. Prices are usually quite reasonable, and well below the big chain stores price. Plus it is fresher.
Many organic farms offer shares, start buying shares, and get your produce fresh weekly.
Of course there are choices to be made. and when I buy organic at the market. My first priorities are non-homogonized milk, and non GMO grain products, fresh produce and fruits. After that it would be to avoid all trans fats. There are some loop holes in the new trans fat labeling. So make sure the ingredients label has no hydrogenated fats listed. A product can say 0-Trans Fats pr Serving, and still have trans fats in the product. They are allowed to say 0- trans fats pr serving, as long as a serving has less than 1 gram of trans fat. If a box of crackers has 12 servings, that box can legally contain 11 plus grams of trans fat. As long as the pr serving number is lower than 1 gram.
Many things are like this. So get to know the labeling loop holes.
Companies pay big bucks lobbying in DC. they don't do it for nothing.
There are a ton of things that can be said. But the best thing is to be personally involved in your own health and the health of your family. Don't believe everything you read, or are told. Seek out the information for yourself.
Just as knowledge is power, so are votes.
Peace, Z...........

Zz's Petals Natural Artisan

lizzorn — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 09:40:37 -0500

Zz's Petals Natural Artisan Perfumery
http://www.zzspetals.com

Organic Rocks

aliciapike — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 08:54:14 -0500

I've lived in the UK for the past 6 years. When I first moved here, organic items were at least double the cost of regular items. I still made every effort to buy organic when I could (especially with things like milk, meat, certain vegetables and fruit). Apparently the rest of the country did too....as the prices have come down significantly - nowadays you can buy organic for only slightly more than nonorganic, and more and more supermarkets are offering a wider range of organic items (plus there are the food retailers like McDonald's who offer organic; and free range eggs are used in a whole host of places). I think you really just have to bite the bullet and vote with your wallet. And it will take time. But I think that with education and commitment it will get better. If you're keeping to a tight budget I would suggest focussing on the biggies like dairy and meat. Nonorganic vegetables, while not as tasty as organic, can be rid of most of the pesticides if washed really thoroughly, but milk and meat will contain the hormones etc. that are given to the animals.

The Organic Dilema

Maria Niles — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 12:12:03 -0500

There is an excellent article by Michael Pollan in the New York Times Magazine today titled Mass Natural. (If the link expires the article will probably be available on Pollan's website.

The article clearly lays out the upsides and downsides to Wal-Mart's organic iniative and concludes with

The moral of the ... story is that unless consumers and well-meaning organic producers remain vigilant and steadfast, the drive to make the price of organic foods competitive with that of conventional foods will hollow out the word and kill the organic goose, just when her golden eggs are luring so many big players into the water. Let's hope Wal-Mart recognizes that the extraordinary marketing magic of the word "organic" - a power that flows directly from our dissatisfaction with the very-cheap-food economy Wal-Mart has done so much to create

"Cheap" food comes at a price so it is important to let our representatives and the people we buy our food from what we want both in value and values.

Bring on the buttons

paper napkin — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 11:43:00 -0500

This is a fabulous thread Mir. I love the idea of bloggers mobilizing to let it be known that we want healthier food for our families.

I switched to organic milk several months ago when my kids started having B.O. even immediately after showering. Within a few days after switching they were back to their sweet-smelling selves.

I was just thinking yesterday in the grocery store that it's a shame that probably the single greatest factor in disease prevention-- organic healthy food-- isn't widely affordable for middle and lower income families.

Sheryl

In the Same Bind

Bethany — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:28:22 -0500

Mir,

I recently posted a gripe on my blog about buying a $7 gallon of organic milk when non-organic was on sale for $2 on the shelf next door. When a budget is tight -- and mine is very tight -- it's really hard to put the money out there for organics. I buy organic milk and then whatever else I can afford. We do have a health food store in the area, but I might as well give them my arm and my leg upon entering, because I can't afford to buy anything there. The nearest Whole Foods is and hour and a half away.

In any case, I've been reading a book called Green Living by the editors of E/The Environmental Magazine. They actually fear big agribusiness going organic as well (as someone posted about above) and recommend that you shop local farmers only -- even if you can't get organic. That was a big surprise to me.

Also, somewhere online I got a handy pocket guide to the "dirty dozen" -- the produce most and least likely to be contaminated by pesticides. It's helpful to me, because I can't afford to buy all organics. The "bad" list includes: apples, pears, and imported grapes. The "good" list includes: asparagus, cauliflower, and mango. (If I remembered where I got it, I'd link to it, but you can probably google it.)

Finally, joining an organic co-op is always a possibility. I've just started looking into it myself, but so far it does seem a lot less expensive than the grocery store. The problem is that the orders come in every 2 weeks to every 4 weeks and I'm used to shopping weekly, so it's a learning experience.

I'm up for an organic blogging revolution -- just tell me where to sign up!

Bethany

Her Grace-Not So Effortless Charm and Beauty

Grist rules

Pam — Sat, 27 May 2006 10:14:02 -0500

I'm a huge fan of Grist, though I often overlook it in my regular reads.

WalMart going organic should, in theory, have the same kind of impact that McDonalds requiring better conditions for meat processing workers had. (I could be disremembering this, but I feel like I read, maybe in Fast Food Nation, that their demands made life better for a whole lot of meat processing workers.)

That said, I don't trust Wal-Mart as far as I can throw them. They have the potential to bully small farmers out of business or to change the definiton of what it means to label produce as organic. The gov't isn't exactly sympathetic to small farmers or environmentalists. Wal-Marts "low low prices" may make organics more widely available, but at what cost?

Cross threading this with the Eat Local discussion, which trumps? Eating local or eating organic?

Nerd's Eye View

If you're "lucky" enough to have a Whole Foods nearby

Laura Scott — Sat, 27 May 2006 10:07:07 -0500

You will probably have noticed that they seem to be carrying less organic produce and fewer organic products, while the brand selection is narrowing while they stock more and more of their own generic "365" brand. Rather ironic, when I'm noticing more organic foods in the regular stores.

To Kelli's point, I've noticed frequent news items where the GM foods companies are pushing to weaken the "organic" definition. I'm a big supporter of the free market, and figure organic foods will gain in appeal as people become more aware (hopefully not in response to any food-chain tragedies), but it doesn't seem right that the Monsanto and ADM are pushing to rig the game. Let them grow truly organic foods and compete. It's not like they're not in a position to do quite well, given that they own so much of our food supply.

Laura Scott
design, snap, blog

BlogHer site admin

So heartening to see so much interest!

Karen Walrond — Sat, 27 May 2006 07:48:48 -0500

I'm loving the fact that there's so much interest in parents trying to make life more green and eco-friendly for their families. I agree with Mir: the fact that choosing this lifestyle can be cost-prohibitive is a tragedy. However, I also believe there's something that can be done if we mobilize -- I mean, think about it: the Iraq war started ordinary people thinking about the US dependence on foreign oil, and as a result, hybrid cars in the US are becoming more and more popular -- and therefore more and more inexpensive. Why can't the same be true for foods? Furthermore, there has to be a way that we can entreat our various governments to require companies to make their products more eco-friendly and organic (and, to Kelli's point, above, have an independent certification body to which all companies would be required to adhere in order to call themselves "ecofriendly" or "organic"). I mean, seriously, our kids are getting sick and/or maturing far too quickly because of it. This should be enough of an impotus for us to get our governments to do something.

/rant!

Karen
Emerald Market (a green shopping blog)
Chookooloonks

Thank you all!

Mir Kamin — Thu, 25 May 2006 18:40:26 -0500

I am loving all the comments/discussion about this. Pam, what an interesting thread at Gristmill! This is the sort of stuff I just don't know about... meaning, I don't know where I stand. In THEORY I should be thrilled about Wal-mart getting into the organics game, but knowing what I do about their corporate practices, I'm... not. Great discussion over there about the pros and cons.

--
Mir from WCS
(BlogHer Mommy & Family contributing editor)

Personal: Woulda Coulda Shoulda

At Ty's Toy Box: Listen to your Mommy!

Oh darn..

debra roby — Thu, 25 May 2006 17:59:09 -0500

and our city council just decided to Link Texttry and block WalMart from moving in! (...very big sarcastic grin smeared all over my face!...)

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Simple Still Life

Wal-Mart Goes Green

Pam — Thu, 25 May 2006 16:43:51 -0500

Have y'all seen this?

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/5/12/63314/8910

Nerd's Eye View

Be careful what you wish for

Kelli Miller — Thu, 25 May 2006 12:22:18 -0500

The problem is not that organic food is too expensive, it is that non-organic food is not priced at the true cost of producing it. Be very careful about getting large corporations involved in organics. Already they are lobbying and successfully getting loopholes introduced into the organic standards, watering them down to the point that (as Shannon said) they are *this* close to being no better than conventionally produced products. Know what brands take advantage of these loopholes and what brands do not. Check out the Organic Consumers Information website for good information. And buy direct from local farmers as much as possible!

Kelli (a farmer, amongst other things)

Great topic, Mir!

Maria Niles — Thu, 25 May 2006 12:20:43 -0500

And one near and dear to my heart as I've been involved over the past several years in launching organic food products.

I'd say that your voices are being heard - every major food company in the US has organic products now and it's the desire of moms wanting organic foods for their kids that has been the primary driver.

Price premiums are coming down and, in addition to Safeway's private label iniative, Wal-Mart has recently announced that they are aggressively growing the organic items they will carry and are working with growers and manufacturers to achieve this. I guarantee you that if Wal-Mart wants it, every manufacturer will move heaven and earth to make it happen.

It will take some time for organic options to increase - one reason why is that it takes three years to certify land as organic and since the federal organic rules were just launched in late 2001 and the mass viability of the market is only very recently established, it will take time to increase the amount of organic land for growing crops. In the meantime, a good deal of organic produce comes from other countries which means that there is a transportation as well as an organic premium. And, the reason why organic costs more is that while the cost of pesticides are reduced, additional land is needed, human labor is increased and there are costs for complying with the organic standards program because of controls, record keeping and paying for inspections.

Another approach to take while waiting for organic options to increase is to budget your premiums for produce that tends to be more pesticide contaminated than other - two of my favorites that I only buy if I can get organic are spinach and strawberries - if my understanding is correct, spinach is a kind of plant that leaches everything from the soil into it so if the soil is contaminated you can't wash it off the leaves and with strawberries you can't wash off because of the seeds on the exterior. Consumer Reports had a list recently and I'm sure you can search for various lists and studies that can guide you to the best and the worst.

And, let McDonald's and every other food establishment you patronize know that you want organic options. College students have successfully demanded that the food service companies who supply their schools offer organic options. The UK is well ahead of the US in organic food availability, but McDonald's in the US did switch several years ago to only use beef without growth hormones. I'm sure if moms demand organic milk in the US, McDonald's will eventually offer it.

Public campaigning and blogging for organics is a great idea. In addition, keep your eye on proposed changes to the USDA guidelines. They are not perfect and plenty of organic advocates feel that the federal rules and big companies moving into organics means that "organic" is now meaningless. I personally think that the current regulations are a good, reasonable compromise and assure you that chemicals aren't applied and that things like hydrogenated oils and MSG aren't added in and that animals have, at least, access to the outdoors. However, there are growers and processers who petition to dilute the regulations so that they can get into the market. Make sure your representatives know that you are opposed to such changes to the NOP.

OK - rant over :-) but, again, great topic! I love the idea of a mommybloggers for organic movement. Let me know if you want some ideas for who to reach out to when you launch the revolution!

Let the organic reckoning begin

Mir Kamin — Wed, 24 May 2006 20:29:51 -0500

I've got a bee in my bonnet. It is, quite simply, this: Why, in a day and age when we parents are better-educated and more safety-minded than ever, is it still so difficult and expensive to buy organic foods for our kids?

Granted, eating organic isn't just for growing children. It's a great idea for everyone. But often it's the muscle of concerned parents that gets behind a basic safety issue and Makes Things Change, and I guess I'm trying to figure out why more parents don't see this as a matter we all need to be tackling.

I'm a huge believer in the "putting your money where your mouth is" credo. Manufacturers understand nothing so well as cold, hard cash. The theory is that if more people buy organic, if more people eschew overly processed and modified foods, market demand will increase and supply will follow suit--with a concomitant price drop.

In practice, well. Um. Hi! I'm a single mom on a tight budget. While I do prioritize my children's diet, I simply cannot afford to buy all organic. The selection of organic produce, for example, at my local grocery store averages twice the cost of the non-organic. Many items which I'd love to have as staples in our diet aren't even available at that store; I have to drive an hour round trip to a speciality store, and the price there isn't much better (and now I'm adding in gas money).

Both of my children have eczema, and my son used to have serious food allergies. Now both children have some interesting reactions to ingesting certain dyes or chemicals. It's critical that I'm careful about what I'm putting into their bodies, as they have known, related health issues. (And how many kids nowadays have food allergies? ADHD? How much of this is related to our diet?)

The result? I buy organic milk. (It probably increases my grocery budget by about $15/month, and I rest easier at night believing that it will keep my 8-year-old from sprouting breasts.) And I keep the overly-processed foods to a minimum. And I have guilt.

Guilt I can afford. An all-organic pantry--at this point in my life--I cannot.

I was chatting about this issue with fellow blogher Karen Walrond (who brought us some of her own thoughts on wearing green-tinted glasses a few weeks ago). I said, more or less, that I didn't feel anything would change until a large enough percentage of shoppers bite the higher-cost bullet and make a statement with their dollars. Karen disagreed, and I think she may be on to something.

We already know that parenting bloggers are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to market influence. We're smart, we're savvy, we spend our money online and off, and large corporations are listening to us. Maybe there are ways to raise our voices and make it clear that we demand better quality, affordable, and yes, okay, I'm willing to hug a few trees but I'm still going to shave my legs thankyouverymuch, organic foods for our families.

Now, the $64,000 question:

How do we do it? I'm all ears.

Mir

Contributing Editor Mir also blogs at Woulda Coulda Shoulda and Ty's Toy Box.

[image credit: McDonald's U.K.]