Tag: organic
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FTC Approves Final Consent Order in Whole Foods Litigation
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced its approval of a final consent order in its challenge to the merger of Whole Foods Market, Inc. and Wild Oats Markets, Inc. Under the agreement, Whole Foods will sell 32 of its supermarkets and give up unrestricted rights to the “Wild Oats” brand. When the agreement was announced…
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USDA Issues Proposed Rule Amending Substances for Organic Crops
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a proposed rule that would amend its national list of allowed and prohibited substances for organic crop production and organic processing. The rule adds six substances, including the fortified cooking wines marsala and sherry for organic processing, and removes one substance from the list. Written comments must…
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Disputes over Insurance Coverage for Organic Milk Litigation Consolidated
A federal magistrate in Colorado has consolidated two lawsuits that address whether Aurora Dairy Corp.’s insurers are required to defend or indemnify the organic dairy in a host of consumer class actions alleging that the company falsely certified its milk as organic. ACE Am. Ins. Corp. v. Aurora Organic Dairy Corp., No. 08-1236 (D. Colo.,…
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USDA to Conduct First Wide-Scale Survey of Organic Production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the first wide-scale survey of organic farming to ascertain how the growth of such practices is changing the face of American agriculture. The Organic Production Survey will examine organic farming that took place during the 2008 calendar year, including production and marketing practices, income and expenses. “This…
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United States and Canada Agree on Organic Equivalency Standards
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has announced that the United States and Canada have agreed to finalize negotiations on their organic equivalency standards before the new rule is implemented on June 30, 2009, to ensure trade continues uninterrupted. The new Organic Products Regulations will require all Canadian organic products to be endorsed by a certification…
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Andrew Martin, “Is a Food Revolution Now in Season?,” The New York Times, March 22, 2009
“After being largely ignored for years by Washington, advocates of organic and locally grown food have found a receptive ear in the White House, which has vowed to encourage a more nutritious and sustainable food supply,” claims this article exploring the nation’s sustainable-food movement. The author writes that at the heart of the movement “is…
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National Organic Standards Board Announces Public Meeting to Discuss Policy Revisions
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has announced a public meeting slated for May 4-6, 2009, at The Washington Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C. NOSB committees will present recommendations to the full board for a vote concerning (i) the use or prohibition of 13 petitioned substances for the National List of…
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Kim Severson and Andrew Martin, “It’s Organic, but Does That Mean It’s Safer?,” The New York Times, March 4, 2009
“The plants in Texas and Georgia that were sending out contaminated peanut butter and ground peanut products had something else besides rodent infestation, mold and bird droppings. They also had federal organic certification,” opines this article examining a marketplace perception that organic food is both healthier and safer than conventional products. The authors suggest that…