Tag: organic
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Andrew Martin, “Budgets Squeezed, Some Families Bypass Organics,” The New York Times, Nov. 1, 2008
This article examines the effect of “shaky consumer spending” on the organic industry, which is “starting to show signs that a decades-long sales boom may be coming to an end.” New York Times reporter Andrew Martin states that, according to the Nielsen Co., organics sales growth has declined from 20 percent per year in recent years…
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USDA Proposes Amendments to Livestock Provisions of Organic Program
The USDA has issued a proposed rule that will amend the livestock provisions of the National Organic Program by providing greater detail about pasture and ruminant animals and “clarify the replacement animal provision for dairy animals.” Comments must be submitted on or before December 23, 2008. The Federal Register notice provides a history of the…
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British Organic Organization Issues Report on GM Food
The Soil Association, a British environmental group dedicated to sustainable, organic farming, has released a report, titled “Land of the GM-Free? How the American public are starting to turn against GM food,” that contends American consumers, farmers and politicians are losing their enthusiasm for genetically modified (GM) crops. Thus, “it is not surprising that the…
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Defendants Claim Federal Preemption in Organic Milk MDL
Aurora Dairy Corp. and other defendants have filed motions to dismiss on preemption grounds in multidistrict litigation (MDL) filed on behalf of consumers who allege that the companies misled consumers by claiming their products are organic, when, in fact, they are not following organic standards and regulations. In re: Aurora Dairy Corp. Organic Milk Mktg. &…
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Organic Farm Wins Pesticide-Contamination Lawsuit
A California jury has reportedly awarded an organic farm in Santa Cruz $1 million for the contamination of its edible herbs by pesticides applied on neighboring farms. Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo v. W. Farm Serv., Inc., No. ___ (Cal. Dist. Ct., Santa Cruz Cty., September 29, 2008). Pesticide drift from aerial spraying allegedly made it impossible for…