All About Organics

Five years ago, under mounting pressure from consumers, Whole Foods Market (WFM) announced that by the end of 2018, the then-largest retailer of organic foods would require all of its suppliers to clearly label GMO ingredients and foods.

Last week, the company reneged on that commitment, or at least the timeline part of it.

This time, there was no flashy press release, no media fanfare. Instead, the news was circulated quietly in an email to the company’s suppliers.

In the email,  WFM Chief Operations Officer A.C. Gallo claimed the

Health Canada is sticking with its proposal to phase out most outdoor and agricultural uses of a common pesticide. The recommendation comes the same day as more than 200 scientists published an open letter asking international governments to develop agreements to not use so-called neonicotinoids and to prevent similarly harmful pesticides to be developed and used in the future.

In view of recent reports of critical declines of microbes, plants, insects and other invertebrates, birds and other vertebrates, the situation pertaining to neglected earthworms was investigated. Entomological reports found the probable cause of general loss was lack of recruitment from surrounding fields. Earthworm decline under agricultural intensification compared to organic fertilizing is herein charted from several long-term agronomic trials, some operational >170 years.

A recent study noted that your brain measurably benefits from the anthocyanins in blueberries and the omega-3 fats in certain fish. Pterostilbene, a compound in blueberries, contains potent antioxidants that may increase bioavailability compared to other stilbene compounds, and may both improve and prevent neurological disease, inflammation, vascular disease and diabetes. Resveratrol is a plant extract that mimics many of the same beneficial effects as pterostilbene, such as restricting calories; both regulate genes implicated in such diseases as diabetes, atherosclerosis and age-related