Wal-Mart & Big Biz Influence Our Organics
As the country's biggest discount retailer forays into offering organic choices, Wal-Mart's everyday business practices and their overall impact on our natural resources are worth 5 minutes of examination. From SustainableBusiness.com, this report includes an interview with W-M's head of sustainability.
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It's most unfortunate and rather ironic that some giants of the food world who have gotten on the organic bandwagon (Kraft, Dole, Dean Foods) have applied values that work against the very health of their American consumers. The fact that the Organic Trade Association's big business constituents applied clout last November and got a bill passed that actually weakened the definition of "organic" -- allowing synthetics into the preparation, processing and packaging -- is appalling and unappetizing. For more
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posted by Galli Galli Sim Sim @ 11:06 PM
4 Comments:
More than 10% by weight of the "fresh meats" Wal-Mart sells comes from injected salt water. Another health measure? Consumer vigilance regarding these matters, including the defining of food types and categories (like organic) is the only way to fight the bean counters.
This wal-mart going more organic disturbs me because the last thing organic farmers can afford is to be bullied into selling cheap to Wal-Mart. And cheap organics will end up being watered down organics.
on the good side this will make organic foods a lot more "normal" to the average Amerkin and that in turn will likely help my eco-farm out.
And of course as oil prices keep going up growing food and more importantly shipping the food will get more and more expensive so the locally raised organic foods sold direct to the public by the farmers themselves will start to look like a better and better deal.
Check out the farmers' side at
http://boulerbelt.blogspot.com
I've always wondered, how do I know that something at the market labeled "organic" is actually organically grown?
if something is labeled organic and you are buying direct from the farmer ask to see the certifacation papers. farmers selling their wares are required by federal law to have a copy handy.
iuf you are buying at a grocery store and the product says it is organic but does not have the USDA seal on it ask the produce manager to see the papers (they are by law supposed to have a copy for each farm that is wholesaling to them)
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