The Myth of Natural
Why 'Natural' is a Fraud
With the exception of the “natural” meat sector, where there are limited, voluntary guidelines, there is no definition of “natural”. Many consumers are confused about the difference between so-called “natural” products and nutritionally and environmentally superior “certified organic” products. Whole Foods and UNFI are maximizing their profits by selling quasi-natural products at premium organic prices.
I am puzzled by the actions of the current Vermont secretary of agriculture, Chuck Ross. In meetings last month, Ross emphasized repeatedly, when asked about controlling water pollution, that we need to be “All in.” I presume this referred to the idea of spreading the blame for the state’s water pollution to all the point-source polluters, as well as the responsibility for its remediation.
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Nationwide, multimillion-dollar jury verdicts against tobacco companies make periodic headlines as if from a distant, perpetual war. On the regulatory front, FDA oversight ensures that no new “additive-free” cigarette can reach the market, all but protecting Santa Fe Natural Tobacco’s dominance of the category. Scott Schlesinger, lead plaintiffs’ attorney in the consumer-fraud class action against Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, doesn’t expect “pre-litigation litigation” to end until 2018. He called the modern-day tobacco industry “a law firm that sells cigarettes.” Schlesinger should know. He’s
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Vermont agriculture exists in what seems to be two parallel universes, one in our minds and the other in reality. When people are asked to think about or imagine Vermont farming, they’ll inevitably mention grass and pastures and grazing cows, all with a perfect blue sky and just the right puffy clouds. It’s a well-marketed image, and comes attached to flavors like Cherry Garcia and slogans like “farmer owned.” But the reality is much different.
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PepsiCo. Inc. was hit with a proposed class action in New York federal court Tuesday contending that it markets Naked products as containing highly nutritious ingredients and no added sugar when the beverages are stuffed with cheaper juices and often have more sugar than a can of Pepsi.
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Genetically modified enzymes used in food, perfumes, medicine and cleaning products are “potent allergens” and should be tested like other potentially hazardous chemicals, experts have said.
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Unilever has agreed to acquire Seventh Generation, a Vermont-based maker of “green” household products like laundry detergent and diapers.
No financial terms are being disclosed, but a source familiar with the deal says that Unilever is paying between $600 million and $700 million in cash.
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Notorious PR firm Ketchum made headlines earlier this year for creating a new branch dedicated to driving brands with a natural and organic focus.
The move was ironic, to say the least, since Ketchum works closely with Monsanto and the biotech industry to promote genetically engineered (GE) crops and downplay the concerns surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
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PepsiCo Inc. is introducing a version of Gatorade that’s certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, testing whether a product created in a lab with artificial flavors and colors can adapt to America’s growing natural-food movement.
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You may notice some new words on cereal and snack boxes. "Natural," once the descriptor of choice, is being crowded out after years of lawsuits. In its place: "Honest." "Simple."
As the claims have evolved, so has the litigation over whether they're deceptive. New lawsuits filed Wednesday target what they say are small amounts of the world's most popular pesticide in granola bars ostensibly "made with 100% natural whole grain oats."
Today, Green America's GMO Inside campaign launched a major push - "Smucker's: Make PB&J Great Again" - to get The J.M. Smucker Company, America's iconic producer of Smucker's jams, jellies, and Jif peanut butter, to phase out the use of genetically engineered ingredients (GMOs) and transition towards organic products.
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