Fw: Organic Bytes: enfoods, Green Stimulus, Factory Farms, & More...

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Organic Bytes: enfoods, Green Stimulus, Factory Farms, & More...

Organic Bytes Health, Justice and Sustainability News February 26, 2009 - Issue #163

In This Issue

Alert of the Week: The Obama Administration's Stance on enfoods

Another OCA rBGH Victory - Dannon Will Dump Bovine Growth Hormone

Utilizing the Stimulus Package: How to Retrofit Your Home and Receive Big Tax Credits

Web Videos of the Week: "Meet the Farmer" TV

OCA at BioFach -- The World Organic Trade Fair

Share Your Organic Vision for a U.S. National Organic Action Plan

Featured OCA Blog of the Week: Thinking Globally

Headlines and Articles of the Week

Hello Joyce,

Welcome to another exciting issue of Organic Bytes from the Organic Consumers Association! With more than a quarter million readers, you are in good company.

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Alert of the Week:The New Administration and enfoods

It is a new year, we have a new administration, and the time is now to rein in genetically engineered foods and crops once and for all. Recent news and scientific research has underscored the urgent need to take action. For example, the USDA recently admitted that genetic contamination of organic and non-GE crops was 'inevitable,' while the New York Times reported that biotech corporations are thwarting research and that Monsanto is in line to receive millions of dollars in tax credits this year. Meanwhile, family farmers declare bankruptcy in staggering numbers.You can make a difference. Join the Organic Consumers Association and contact your Congresspersons today and urge them to:1) Require mandatory labeling of all GE plants and animals2) Place a moratorium on all efforts to deregulate or approve new genetically engineered plants or animals, and3) Protect non-GE and organic farmers by assigning liability for injury caused by genetically engineered organisms.Learn more and take action

Alert Update of the Week:Another OCA rBGH Victory - Dannon Will Dump Bovine Growth Hormone

Dannon (or Danone), the French-based multinational that owns Activa and the popular organic brand Stonyfield Farm, has announced it is committed to eliminating rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) by the end of 2009. This controversial genetically engineered growth hormone was originally developed by Monsanto and is injected into cows to force them to produce more milk. Dannon joins a host of other companies, like Starbucks and Yoplait, that have also recently responded to your emails and pressure by removing rBGH from their products.We and our allies are making progress driving rBGH off the market and educating the public about the health and environmental hazards of genetically engineered foods, and the benefits of organics. Unfortunately, hazardous rBGH-tainted dairy products are still force-fed to our children and low-income consumers as part of the national school lunch program and federal nutrition programs such as Food Stamps and the WIC program. But you can change that. Tell Congress to mandate that school lunch and other taxpayer-funded federal nutrition programs purchase only rBGH-free milk and instead supply our children and low-income communities with certified "USDA Organic" milk.Learn more and take action

Sustainability Tip of the Week: Stimulus Package-- How to Retrofit Your Home and Receive Big Tax Credits

President Obama's new stimulus package is now signed into law. Here's how it affects the green-minded home owner:1) New incentives and tax credits are now available for households for energy conservation and alternative energy. Homeowners investing in energy-saving insulation, replacement windows, duct seals, or high-efficiency heating and cooling systems can now receive a tax credit worth 30 percent of the upgrade cost (maximum credit value: $1,500). The previous tax credit was 10 percent of an upgrade cost, up to a maximum of $500.2) If you have been thinking about switching to sustainable energy, now is the time. Solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, and windmills also qualify for a 30 percent tax credit. For example, a $24,000 investment to make a home solar-powered would generate a federal tax credit worth $7,200. Previously, the cap was $2,000 for geothermal and solar; $4,000 for wind. Add state and utility credits to this and consumers will see significant discounts in these purchases.3) New hybrid cars now qualify for tax credits worth anywhere from $2,500 to $7,500, while plug-in conversion kits for old hybrids, now generate tax credits worth 10 percent of the kit's cost (maximum credit value: $4,000).For questions about home energy conservation and renewable energy options, you can contact a contractor trained by the federal Home Performance with Energy Star program.

Web Videos of the Week: "Meet the Farmer" TV

This new program looks at the links between eating local and the costs of not doing so. Explore the business of small family farms, and the health benefits derived from eating organic, not to mention the economic benefits to the community from supporting local farms. We've posted two of these half-hour programs to our website for your viewing. Watch how one family starts up their own small farming operation from scratch. In the second episode, watch how this group of people fulfills Obama's request to U.S. citizens to begin volunteering one day per week when they start getting involved helping out at a local sustainable farm.Watch

OCA at BioFach, the World Organic Trade Fair

is Baden-Mayer from OCA's Washington, DC, office attended the 2009 BioFach World Organic Trade Fair in Nuremberg, Germany, February 19-22. In her first report back from the expo, she says, "I learned that by eating organic food and composting our waste, we can turn back global climate change!" Read more

Share Your Organic Vision for a U.S. National Organic Action Plan

This week, OCA's is Baden-Mayer is in LaCrosse, WI at the U.S. National Organic Action Plan summit where a grassroots group of organic producers and consumers discussed the creation of a coordinated plan articulating a shared vision, set objectives and benchmarks for measuring organic agriculture's social and environmental benefits, and proposals for the future growth of U.S. organic food and agriculture for the next decade and beyond. Countries all over the world have developed and implemented national organic action plans with clear targets, benchmarks, and protocols to facilitate public accountability of agricultural policies. The U.S. National Organic Action Plan builds on this experience, but it is driven by a non-governmental group of grassroots participants. Read more and share your vision for the National Organic Action Plan

Featured OCA Blog of the Week:Thinking Globally

Thousands of you have been active in OCA's Web Forum, but did you know it also contains a section where folks, like you, are setting up their own blogs. Just go to the forum and click on the "blogs" link on the top. We've been featuring many of your web forum postings in past issues of Organic Bytes, but we'd like to shift our focus to some of your thought provoking blogs, as well.Here's a recent blog entry by "radicalmom":"My thoughts regarding this whole planetary mess into which we have found ourselves are diverse and complicated...I have been lucky enough in my travels to be exposed to alternative ideas and have explored all forms of thought in relation to planetary actions and mind-set. My leanings are esoteric and have molded my philosophic approach to troubles and strife, be they local or global. A solution came to me in the form of less than ten words: Our "planetary issues are metaphysical". Most will say it is the "least likely" answer. I say that it is the "most probable" answer..."Read more and join in

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Headlines and Articles of the Week:

1) The Hidden Link Between Factory Farms, Toxic Chemicals and Human Illness:A 2008 report from the Pew Commission indicates factory farm production is intensifying worldwide, and rates of new infectious diseases are rising. Of particular concern is the rapid rise of antibiotic-resistant microbes, an inevitable consequence of the widespread use of antibiotics as feed additives in industrial livestock operations...2) USDA Toughens Oversight of Organic Fertilizer:Federal regulators on Friday announced a new enforcement strategy meant to stop manufacturers from passing off synthetic fertilizers as organic... 3) Study-- Conventionally Grown Vegetables Have Significantly Lower Nutrient Value Than Organics:The February issue of the Journal of HortScience reports the average vegetable found in today's supermarket is anywhere from 5% to 40% lower in minerals than those harvested just 50 years ago. As points out, more than three billion people around the world suffer from malnourishment and yet, ironically, efforts to increase food production have actually produced food that is less nourishing. If you're still not buying the whole "organic-is-better" argument, this study might convince you otherwise... 4) Score One for Sustainable Food: Obama Taps a Real Reformer, Kathleen Merrigan, for Deputy USDA Secretary 5) Washington State WIC Says Organic Milk has "No Nutritional Benefit"Let OCA sift through the media smog and bring you the top new and analysis of the day. The OCA website has 10 or more news articles posted each day, and a library of over 40,000 articles covering issues including health, justice, food and farming, politics, and the environment. Bookmark OrganicConsumers.org

Organic Geek News of the Week:Do You Twitter?

The OCA is now on Twitter! We will be posting from our news feed, as well as new campaigns, alerts, and anything else we think you'll like! Get OCA news anywhere and everywhere you go. Sign up: http://twitter.com/organicconsumer

Get Involved With OCA In KY

*Learn more about OCA related action alerts and other news in KY here.*Join KY discussion groups in our forum.*Post events in KY on our community calendar.

Message From OCA Sponsor:Consumer Tip of the Week:How to Afford Organic During a Recession

Eden Foods Offers OCA Customers 15% DiscountEden Foods is one of the few national organic food producers who goes beyond the USDA Organic Standards. Although Eden Foods is USDA certified, their products do not bear the USDA seal, because they say the USDA standard really represents a "minimum standard" that Eden Foods goes far beyond.As a subscriber to Organic Bytes, you can enjoy a 15% discount rate on any Eden Foods products by going here.

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites, print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!ORGANIC BYTES is written and edited by Craig Minowa and Ronnie Cummins and is a publication of:ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION 6771 South Silver Hill DriveFinland, Minnesota 55603Phone: (218)- 226-4164 Fax: (218) 353-7652__________________________________