WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The latest science on the environmental and health benefits of organic food and farming will literally take center stage on March 9 at The Organic Center's 14th Annual Benefit Dinner in conjunction with Natural Products Expo West.

With the theme of "Science Says So," the eventthe single biggest fundraising event for The Organic Center and the largest business networking dinner at Expo Westwill explain organic science to the dinner attendees in a unique, thought-provoking and entertaining way. Marking a first for the dinner, The Secret Ingredient podcast team from National Public Radio affiliate Austin, Texas, based KUT will live-tape, on stage, a podcast episode featuring The Center's Director of Science Programs Dr. Jessica Shade and the chef and creator of the dinner, Chef Matthew Raiford.

The star of the episode will be the all-organic, scrumptious and healthy feast created exclusively for the event by Raiford. The Secret Ingredient hosts Raj Patel, Tom Philpott and Rebecca McInroy will dine on center stage under the spotlight with Shade and Raiford, while the dinner is being enjoyed simultaneously by the benefit's attendees. Shade will discuss the work of The Center and present some of the science behind the ingredients on the organic menu. Raiford of Gillard Farms in Georgia will share his journey as an organic farmer and chef, and focus on the legacy of race in southern food and agriculture, and the opportunities offered by organic.

Raiford is the sixth generation to farm his family's land organically. He is also an executive chef and owner of The Farmer and The Larder, noted as one of the South's most exciting new restaurants, and associate professor of culinary arts at the College of Coastal Georgia.

In their bi-weekly podcasts, veteran food politics writers Patel and Philpott team up with seasoned Public Radio producer McInroy to focus on people whose life's work has been to understand the complex systems of food production, distribution, and marketing, and the impact these foods have on our lives. In each episode, the hosts interview a guest who is deeply versed in a particular foodstuff or aspect of food production or consumption. The show covers the hidden life of foodthe "secret ingredient." Their motto: "We won't tell you what to eat, but we will tell you why you're eating it."

"For something that's such an intimate part of life, food is easy to take for granted for many people in the United States," says Philpott, an award-winning journalist, currently food and agriculture correspondent for Mother Jones magazine. Co-host Patel is a professor at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs and author of Stuffed and Starved and the Value of Nothing. Host and executive producer McInroy produces a wide range of content for KUT, KUTX and KUT.org in Austin.

"We are excited to be presenting the science of organic in this fun and innovative way," said Shade. "Research does not have any impact if it's kept in a vacuum. The mission of The Organic Center is to make available the latest organic research to all, and enable sound science to make a difference in our daily lives. Making the connection of science with the delicious organic food we are eating will be meaningful and educational for everyone."

Organic is good for you, and good for the earth, research findings have shown. The Organic Center event will highlight credible, evidence-based science on the benefits of organic, while garnering vital support for The Center's work to facilitate and communicate these findings to promote organic agriculture. At the networking dinner, The Organic Center also will debut whiteboard videos on soil health and the role of The Center in promoting research priorities critical to organic production.

Opportunities are still available to sponsor this important event, which helps makes the critical work of The Organic Center possible. Sponsorship opportunities and tickets for the dinner can be found here. Participants will have the opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones, be inspired and entertained, and enjoy an organic mealall in support of The Organic Center's important work to advance organic research and evidence-based science on organic food and farming.

Current sponsors for the fundraiser are the National Co+op Grocers, New Hope Network, UNFI, Annie's Inc., Josie's Organics and Braga Fresh Family Farms, Nature's Path Food Inc., Organic Valley, Stonyfield, Horizon Organic, Whole Foods Market, Aurora Organic Dairy, BPM LLP, Cal-Organic, Foster Farms, Frontier Co-op, and Driscoll's Inc.

For more information on The Organic Center and the science behind organic food and farming, visit http://www.organic-center.org.

The Organic Center's mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/curtains-up-light-the-lights-the-organic-center-benefit-to-put-science-in-spotlight-300407058.html

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Curtains up, light the lights! The Organic Center benefit to put science in spotlight - Yahoo News

Organic food is extremely popular and everyone wants to know about their benefits. The sweeping public opinion that organic food is healthier than conventional food is quite strong, and is the main reason for increase in its demandin its demand over the past 5-6 years.Organic Facts is a strong proponent of organic food; however, this website also believes in putting across the most accurate facts to its visitors.

This article will explain what organic food is, how it is beneficial and what are the standards for the same.This is to substantiate the public opinion that we have on organic food being good for the health.

First of all, there is a small amount of scientific evidence to show that organic food is better in quality than conventional food. Scientific research conducted thus far on various organic food items has not been able to give strong evidence about the superiority of organic food over non-organic food. This is more so because bulk of the scientific research is based onfunding provided by the governments and industry.

As a result, even the FDA and the USDA clearly mention that non-organic food is as healthy as organic food. However, there are some scientific studies that have proved organic milk and organic tomatoes to be better than the non-organic varieties. Studies are also ongoing about a variety of other types of organic food that may have additional health benefits compared to the non-organic varieties.

Organic Milk

Recent research conducted on organic milk has shown that it has more antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, CLA, and vitamins than non-organic milk. According to the researchers at the Danish Institute of Agricultural Research at the University of Aberdeen and the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, organic milk is healthier than non-organic milk, since organic cows are pasture grazed which results in the better quality of milk.

Organic Tomatoes

According to a 10-year study conducted by the University of California, Davis, organic tomatoes are produced in an environment that has a lower nutrient supply since nitrogen-rich chemical fertilizers are not added. This leads to an excessive formation of antioxidants, such as quercetin (79% higher) and kaempferol (97% higher) in organic tomatoes. As we all know, antioxidants are good for health and help in reducing heart disease and the chances of developing cancer.

These studies haveincreased the hopes of numerous people who strongly believe that mankind should stop using chemical fertilizers and pesticides and shift to more sustainable organic farming practices. There are many studies that prove that there is some pesticide and fertilizer contamination in non-organic food, and there are others whichclaim that organic food is not healthy because they contain harmful bacteria and viruses because of not using strong chemicals to protect against these toxic substances. However, none of these studies that show chemical contamination or the presence of bacteria/viruses show any direct impact on the overall health of individuals.

In general, organic food consumers, manufacturers, and farmers strongly believe that organic food has the following benefits compared to conventional food. Antioxidant Capacity

A number of studies have been completed regarding the effects of antioxidants derived from organic foods on your overall health, and the predominant results have shown that antioxidants tend to have more of an impact when they come from organic foods. This may be due to the fact that foreign chemicals are not negatively interacting with the different vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds that are so essential for the positive impact of fruits and vegetables in the prevention of things like cancer, heart disease, premature aging, vision problems, and cognitive malfunction.Recentresearchsuggests thatchoosing organic food can lead to increased intake of nutritionally desirable antioxidants and reduced exposure to toxic heavy metals.

Pesticide Reduction

One of the major complaints that organic food consumers cite when choosing organic over non-organic is the presence of pesticides. In order to keep crops from being attacked by the natural world, including bugs, pesticides are required. Although they do a good job keeping certain pests away from the crops, they also are composed of powerful chemicals like organophosphorus. This is an unnatural mineral compound that is not required by humans, but more than 80% of this material in our bodies comes from eating pesticide-coated foods. Organophosphorus has been connected to a number of developmental problems, including autism and ADHD, so those organic food lovers do have a pretty strong argument in this case. To be fair, many people do choose to go organic to make sure that their children grow up healthy and unaffected by the toxins of the world during their developmental years.

Heart Health

Increased amount of time grazing on grass also increases the amounts of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that can be found in the animal products. CLA is a heart-healthy fatty acid that can boost cardiovascular protection, and it is found in higher quantities in breast milk and in meat for animals that have been raised free range or cage-free.

Immune System

In recent decades, one of the biggest projects for farmers and food growers has been genetic modification. Making tomatoes six times larger might sound like a possible option for solving some world hunger issues, but there is another side to it. Genetic modification is still in its early stages, so the long-term effects of it on human health arent understood as well as we would like. In animal testing genetically modified food showed a major reduction in immune system strength, an increase in birth mortality, as well as in certain sexual dysfunctions, cancers, and sensitivity to allergens. Although there are some good things about genetically modified food, organic food advocates point to the lack of concrete details about the long-term effects.

Antibiotic Resistance

People are very sensitive to issues of their health, and they often take precautions to make sure they remain healthy, like getting various vaccines and taking antibiotics as soon as a new strain of bacteria makes them ill. However, non-organic food sources, particularly livestock and feed houses, also use antibiotics to feed their animals. This extra dose of antibiotics may actually be weakening our immune system by basically overdosing on antibiotics, thereby reshaping our immune system so many times that it will eventually be unable to defend itself. Organic food growers and dairy farmers do not use antibiotics in their processes.

Overall Health

Since organic food is not prepared using chemical fertilizers, it does not contain any traces of these strong chemicals and might not affect the human body in negative ways. Natural fertilizers, like manure, work perfectly fine, and organic farmers are happy to use this smellier, yet safer, form of fertilizer.

Better Taste

Some people strongly believe that organic food tastes better than conventionalfood. The prominent reason for this belief is that it is produced using organic means of production. Furthermore, organic food is often sold locally, resulting in availability of fresh produce in the market, which usually does taste better than produce that has been frozen, shipped, and transported across long distances.

Environmental Safety

As harmful chemicals are not used in organic farming, there is minimal soil, air and water pollution; thus ensuring a safer and healthier world for future generations to live in.

Animal Welfare

Animal welfare is an important aspect of producing organic milk, organic meat, organic poultry, and organic fish. People feel happy that the animals are not confined to a miserable caged life when they eat organic animal products.

The below FAQs will help you understand organic food and its benefits in a better way

What is Organic Food?

Organic food refers to food items that are prepared according to the norms set by an organic certifying body. On an overall basis, organic food is food prepared and processed without using any chemicals. That is, organic food production does not involve the use of chemical fertilizers, chemical pesticides, or chemical preservatives.

The USDA categories food products into the following sections:

100% organic: Must contain 100% organically produced ingredients.

Organic: Must contain at least 95% organic ingredients.

Made of organic ingredients: Must contain at least 70% organic ingredients.

Have some organic ingredients: May contain less than 70% organic ingredients.

Is ItGood for Health?

Normally people believe that organic food is better for your health than conventional food. However, the USDA and the FDA clearly state that conventional food is as healthy as organic food. Scientific research has also not been able to conclusively prove that organic food is healthier than conventional food because there has been counter research too to prove conventional food is better than organic one. The exceptions are organic milk and organic tomatoes. Recent studies on organic milk and organic tomatoes have shown that these food products are healthier than non-organic milk and non-organic tomatoes, respectively.

Where Can I Buy Organic Food?

Some of the best avenues for buying itare given below:

Directly from an organic farm

Local organic food markets

Health food stores

Retail chains such as Walmart or Whole Foods

Conventional stores that also stock organic food

Online

How Do I Know Something is Organic?

Organic food can be identified with the help of an organic logo on the packet. Companies, farmers, manufacturers, and suppliers, which follow all the norms set by a certifying body of their region, can put a logo of that certifying body on their food items.

Are Standards the Same for All Organic Food Products?

No, since the mode of production and processing is different for different food items, the standards are also different. For example, the standards for organic honey production are different from the standards for organic milk production or organic coconut oil production.Note that thestandards vary from region to region. Some countries may follow a uniform set of codes. For example, about 18 countries follow the rules set by the International Olive Oil Council for organic olive oil production. However, there are some countries such as the US, which have their own standards for organic olive oil production.

Should I look for the word organic on the food item?

Yes, you should look for the word Organic. However, you should also check the logo of the certifying body.

It is illegal to sell non-organic food with an organic label. However, there have been cases of fraud before, which when brought to the attention of the authorities, have been dealt with strongly. Therefore, you should always check the logo of the certifying body properly and you should buy organic food items that have an authentic label on them.

Does organic food cost more than conventional food?

Yes, organic food normally costs 20% to 100% more than conventionalfood.Organic food production is generally labour-intentsive and involves the use of organic fertilizers and organic pesticides, which are more expensive than chemical fertilizers and pesticides. That is why itcosts more.

Can I produce it in mygarden or farm

You can also produce organic food in your garden, organic gardening is a very common hobby for many people.you do not need any permission to produce it. However, if you intend to sell organic food, you need to follow the guidelines set by a certifying agency and get approval from them for using their logo.

Is organic food the same as natural food?

No, organic food refers to food items prepared without using chemicals. Natural food refers to food items that are only minimally processed.

Is itsafe for children?

Many parents believe that organic food is safer for their children, since it does not contain any chemical pesticides and fertilizers. However, there is no scientific research to prove this.

Does itcontain more nutrients?

So far, scientific research has proven this only for organic milk and organic tomatoes. Organic milk has more omega-3, CLA, vitamins, and antioxidants than non-organic milk. Similarly, organic tomatoes have more antioxidants than non-organic tomatoes.Recent research suggests thatchoosing organic food can lead to increased intake of nutritionally desirable antioxidants and reduced exposure to toxic heavy metals.

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Organic Food - Benefits, Scientific Research & FAQs

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Global Organic Food and Beverage Market accounted for $89.8 billion in 2015 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.9% to reach $238.4 billion by 2022. Growing consumer awareness, rising government support for organic agriculture, increasing interest of large retailers, health benefits and the promotion by regulatory and government authorities of several countries for organic food and beverages over the conventional foods are some of the major factors driving the market growth. However, high cost and lack of awareness on availability of products are some of the major restraints hampering the market. Moreover, growing usage of organic products provides a significant growth opportunity for the market.

Request a sample copy of Report @http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/184814

In Organic Food and Beverages, organic foods segment is expected to grow with a highest share during the forecast period owing to its government funding and growing digit of retailers providing a variety of organic products. North American organic food and beverages market accounted more than 90% of share and dominated the global organic food and beverages market. Asia Pacific is witnessed to be the fastest growing market over the forecast period.

Some of the key players in this market include Conagra Foods Inc., Amys Kitchen Inc., Kraft Foods Group Inc., Eden Foods, Dean Foods Co., Organic Valley, Dakota Beef LLC, Whole Foods Market Inc., Tesco plc, Waitrose Ltd., Koninklijke Ahold, Florida Crystals Corporation, Carrefour, Hipp Gmbh & Co. and REWE.

Product Covered: Organic Food Organic Fruits and Vegetables Organic Dairy Products Fish and Poultry Products Packaged Grocery Cereals Frozen and Processed Foods Others Organic Beverages Organic Coffee and Tea Organic Non-Dairy Beverages Organic Beer and Wine Others

Consumption Type: Fresh Organic Foods Processed Organic Foods

Distribution Channel: Organic retailers Super Markets

Browse Full Report with TOC@ http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/organic-food-and-beverage-global-market-outlook-2016-2022

Regions Covered: North America US Canada Mexico Europe Germany France Italy UK Spain Rest of Europe Asia Pacific Japan China India Australia New Zealand Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the World Middle East Brazil Argentina South Africa Egypt

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Organic Food and Beverage Market is Expected to Rise at a Remarkable CAGR During 2016 2022 - Satellite PR News (press release)

Even though transitioning from traditional to organic farming methods can be costly, Colorado farmers are increasingly doing so in order to meet rising demand for organic produce.

As The Denver Post reports, Colorados organic agricultural industry has more than doubled in sales from $66.2 million in 2012 to $155.2 million in 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures annual Certified Organic Survey.

Organic farmland currently covers more than 155,000 acres statewide, up from 100,000 acres in 2011, according to the U.S.D.A.

Making the transition from conventional farming methods to organic ones can be costly and obtaining organic certification takes about three years and comes with its own expenses. These factors have given organic farming a reputation for being expensive, so many farmers transition slowly, but producers say that technological innovations have helped them grow and protect their crops more efficiently and less expensively than in previous years, even while using certified organic methods.

Produce that carries the U.S.D.A.s certified organic stickers goes a long way to ensuring financial success, said Becca Jablonski, an assistant professor and food systems extension economist at Colorado State University.

As more and more research is done, we can use products on the plant that arent chemical, said Kaylee Armstrong of Abundant Life Organic Farms in Hotchkiss, Colo. People complain about costs and say organic is so much more expensive. We actually increase our prices to meet with conventional growers.

Jordan Hungenberg, co-owner of the Hungenberg farm in Greeley, said market trends for organic produce isnt going anywhere.

People buy organic a lot, so we decided we were behind the eight ball and decided to try it, Hungenberg said.

Hungenberg Produce dedicated about 60 acres to growing carrots using organic farming methods last year and plans to triple its planting of organically grown carrots next season.

Jablonski said there are programs available to assist farmers with the costs involved in transitioning to certified organic methods.

According to the U.S.D.A., this includes a crop insurance option to allow producers to purchase insurance coverage that better reflects the products actual value.

Read more:

Colorado farmers increasingly going organic to meet rising demand - HPPR

February 11, 2017 Whole Foods may have led the charge on organic food, but it's in danger of being left behind by the movement it helped create.

The supermarket chain reported declining in sales for the sixth quarter in a row, experiencing 2.4 percent fall in salescompared tothe first quarter, amidst an increasingly competitive organic food retail market.

"We are refining our growth strategy, refocusing our efforts on best serving our core customers, and moving faster to fully implement category management, said the chief executive officer of Whole Foods, John Mackey, in a statement following the release of the report.

The Austin-based store said at the end of 2013 that it was planning to grow its 470 US locations to more than 1,200. But the new report shows a shift from expansion to consolidation, as it closes nine stores this quarter.

"The more conventional, mainstream supermarkets have upped their game," Mr. Mackey told investors, reported the Wall Street Journal. "The world is very different today than it was five years ago."

The numbers back his claims: Sales of organic products increased 209 percent between 2005 and 2015, topping $43.3 billion in 2016, the US Organic Trade Association said. Studies from the US Department of Agriculture also underscore the rapid development of the industry, with the number of organic farms growing from 67 in 2011 to 166 in 2014.

Whole Foods, who brands itself as "America's healthiest grocery store," is no longer the only market for fresh, minimally processed produce and foods. Now nearly three out of four grocery stores offer organic products, according to USDA.

In addition to the popular farmers markets popping up in more and more cities, retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, and Costco all offer organic selections to the consumers flocking to their aisles for their lower prices.

According to the Seattle Times, Costco in 2015 became the biggest organic grocer, sellingmore than $4 billion of organic food each year, while Krogers recently launched organic line also netted $1.2 billion in sales in 2014.

To fight its "whole-paycheck" reputation and falling sales, Whole Foods launched a cheaper grocery store chainnamed 365 to appeal to Millennials, a generation who are keen on wellness and exercise. As the Christian Science Monitor noted in 2016:

The 365 chain of stores is designed for Millennials and budget shoppers. According to the website, it will feature heavier discounts, competitive prices, and a few innovative additions, like Whole Food Friends, third-party businesses that operate in or nearby the 365 shops.

Whole Foods is aware of its pricing problems. On Wednesday, Mackay told investors that "in some cases, when we have particularly a strong quality advantage, the gap might be a little larger. But if theyre selling the exact same items and exactly the same brands, we feel like we really need to be competitive on those prices."

Others have pointed to Whole Foods ambitious expansion plan and its poorly managed stores as the reasons behind the stores lower sales.

"The company finally told investors what they've been waiting more than a year to hear: Whole Foods will give up on a misguided goal of adding 1,200 new stores to an over-retailed America," wrote Shelly Banjo, a columnist at Bloomberg.

"Instead, it will close unprofitable stores and hold back on building more of its lower-priced 365 stores until it's more confident in the concept's long-term performance."

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Organic food is more popular than ever, so why is Whole Foods struggling? - Christian Science Monitor

TheStreet.com

Organic food has never been so popular, so why is Whole Foods now struggling? Sacramento Bee Organic food has never been so popular among American consumers. Ironically, that's bad news for the brand that made organic a household name - namely, the Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods. On Wednesday, Whole Foods reported what is arguably its ... Has Whole Foods Become a Half-Baked Stock?TheStreet.com Organic Food and Beverages market research report and Design Guidelines Overview 2021Satellite PR News (press release) Global Organic Food Market 2017 Conscious Food, Organic India, Morarka Organic Foods, Ecofarms(India)Publicist Report - Market Research News by Market.Biz (press release) CNBC all 312 news articles »

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Organic food has never been so popular, so why is Whole Foods now struggling? - Sacramento Bee

Some residents of Madison, Wis., are no eligible for a groundbreaking program that allows doctors to prescribe organic fruits and vegetables.

The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program, or FVRx, is focused at the neighborhood level and started earlier this month. It comes from the financial support of Wholesome Wave, and from a partnership between Willy Street Co-op North, and UW Health Northeast Family Medical, which are within a block of each other.

Wholesome Wave is a national group that is dedicated to affordable, healthy, local food for all. Its mission is to empower underserved consumers to make healthier food choices by increasing affordable access to fresh, local food. It funded the pilot with a $23,000 grant to the city of Madison.

Im extremely pleased that the city of Madison was awarded a Wholesome Wave grant to implement a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program, said Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. By collaborating with partners at Public Health Madison and Dane County, Willy Street Co-op, Second Harvest Foodbank, and UW Health Northeast Family Medical Clinic, the city continues to illustrate how government and the community can work hand-in-hand to increase the well-being and health of all of our residents.

A patient can qualify for aid to help purchase produce and join the co-op if their doctor deems that they don't food security, or reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.

To qualify for the aid, a patient has to answer yes to one of two questions: In the last year, have you worried about having enough food until you could buy more, or have you actually run out of food before you could buy more?

A Boost to Co-op Membership The aid comes in the form of a packet that includes a coupon to become a co-op owner, and 60 $2 coupons that can be used in the produce department until the end of the year. Participants can also join a program at the co-op that offers an additional 10 percent off groceries, and a free coupon to attend one of the co-op classes, which would normally charge a fee.

FVRx coupons can be used in conjunction with other co-op sales and coupons, including those redeemed via another new co-op program, known as Double Dollars, or any time a customer shops at any of the co-ops three locations.

The co-op is invested in continuing to expand the ways in which we can help address food security in Dane County, said Kirsten Moore, director of cooperative services. In addition to our established Access Discount Program, we are excited to work with our public and private partners to test new programs like Double Dollars and FVRx.

Moore added that the data collected from the pilot will help the co-op determine how to continue and fund these type of programs for the future. We already have some great ideas to share in the next few months, and we look forward to launching new initiatives to expand these offerings, she noted.

Founded in 1974, Willy Street Co-op, with more than 34,000 owners and three retail locations,is the Madison areas largest consumer-owned neighborhood grocer offering organic, locally produced and conventional foods.

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Willy Street Co-op to Dispense Organic Produce Prescriptions - Gourmet Retailer

Organic food has never been so popular among American consumers. Ironically, thats bad news for the brand that made organic a household name namely, the Austin-based Whole Foods.

On Wednesday, Whole Foodsreported what is arguably itsworst performance in a decade, announcing its sixth consecutive quarter of falling same-store sales and cutting its outlook for the year. The company is closing nine stores, the most it has ever closed at one time. A mere 16 months ago, Whole Foods predicted it would grow its 470 U.S. locations to more than 1,200.

[Your favorite organic brand is actually owned by a multinational food company]

The problem is one that chief executive John Mackey probably didnt predict when he first opened Whole Foods as a neighborhood natural foods store 36 years ago: Organics, then a fringe interest, have become so thoroughly mainstream that organic chains now have to face conventional big-box competitors. Mass-market retailers were responsible for 53.3 percent of organic food sales in 2015, according to the Organic Trade Association; natural retailers clocked in just north of 37.

And Whole Foods is hardly the only store feeling the squeeze: Sprouts and Fresh Market, the second- and third-largest publicly traded organic stores, have also seen falling stock prices.

Whole Foods created this space and had it to all to themselves for years, saidBrian Yarbrough, an analyst at Edward Jones. But in the past five years, a lot of people started piling in. And now there's a lot of competition.

In many ways, the story of Whole Foods decline is also the story of how the organic movement took over the United States. Between 2005 and 2015, sales of organic food increased 209 percent, according to the Organic Trade Association. Last year, organic sales topped $43.3 billion.

The driving force behind this growth, most analysts agree, is none other than millennials: Consumers aged 18 to 34 are the largest buyers of organics, and theyre the most likely to consider themselves knowledgeable about their food. As they came of age, mainstream grocery chains have been forced to adapt, too.

Walmart ramped up its organics selection in 2006. Kroger introduced its Simple Truth brand in 2012 the stores chief executive, Mike Ellis,later said it was the stores most successful brand launch ever. Earlier this week, Aldi announced plans for a $1.6-billion U.S. expansion, with much of that growth aimed at offering a wider range of organic and gluten-free products.

By volume, the largest organic retailer in the United States isbelieved to be Costco,which in 2015 sold $4 billion of organic produce and packaged foods. Like Walmart, Kroger and Aldi, Costco sells organic produce for considerably less than do natural food stores, farmers markets or Whole Foods. In fact, lowering prices has been one of Whole Foods primary strategies for dealing with competitors.

Apart from shuttering stores and stalling expansion plans, the company is continuing to focus on 365 by Whole Foods, a two-year-old division aimed at launching stores for value-conscious consumers. Its also been dropping prices at its regular locations and mailing out national discount circulars, something it had not previously done. Speaking to investors Wednesday, Mackey indicated that he did not want to see too big of a gap between the prices at Whole Foods and those at stores like Costco and Kroger.

Whole Foods is hoping millennials can revive the company's lagging sales by opening a new store, 365 by Whole Foods, which has lower prices, a vegan restaurant and robots. (Jayne Orenstein,Dani Johnson/The Washington Post)

[What to expect from Whole Foods' new, low-price grocery chain]

But some organic advocates are concerned that lowering the prices of organic foods an apparent prerequisite for mainstream popularity can only happen at the expense of the movements early principles. This fear is not entirely new: Michael Pollan fretted about it in the pages of the New York Times when Walmart began selling organic Rice Krispie treats 11 years ago. But with results like Whole Foods, it is becoming more urgent, said Ronnie Cummins, the co-founder of the Organic Consumers Association.

Cummins pointed out that some of the most successful, most mainstream organic products dont meet his organizations strict definition of what organic should be. Those include the ubiquitous Earthbound Farms, which grows its lettuces in monocultures, and Aurora Organic Dairy, which has been criticized for running its operation like an industrial factory farm.

If youre a publicly traded corporation, you have no choice but to maximize short-term profits, Cummins said. But we are going to be complaining to Whole Foods if they decrease their quality to keep up with the competition.

That approach may be most profitable now, he acknowledges but Whole Foods needs to think long-term. After all, when the company was founded, there was barely even a market for organic foods.

More from Wonkblog:

The simple mistake people make when they try to eat healthy

Is organic food safer and healthier? The guy in charge of U.S. organics wont say.

You could soon pay more money for worse food. Thanks, Donald Trump.

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Why Whole Foods is now struggling - Washington Post

The Freedom Caucus is a rowdy band of GOP US House members most famous for triggering government shutdowns, pushing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and driving former GOP Speaker John Boehner from his post on the theory he wasn't conservative enough. And now they're coming for your certified-organic food.

Back in December, the Freedom Caucus released a "recommended list of list regulations to remove." Among its 228 targetsranging from eliminating energy-efficiency standards for washing machines to kiboshing rules on private dronesthe group named the National Organic Program.

Merrigan warned that "forces of darkness" are "coming together and saying, 'Let's sharpen our knives on organic.'"

Operated by the US Department of Agriculture, the NOP was established by the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to set uniform national standards for foods and agricultural products labeled "USDA Organic," replacing the patchwork of state-level standards that had held sway for decades previously. The NOP ensures that food labeled organic really is raised without synthetic pesticides and fertilizersit also oversees USDA-accredited organic certifying agents and takes "appropriate enforcement actions if there are violations of the organic standards," according to the USDA.

As of 2015, annual organic food sales stood at $39.7 million, representing nearly 5 percent of total food sales. And sales for organics are growing at an 11 percent annual clipnearly four times the rate of overall US food sales.

It's not clear what the Freedom Caucus meant by putting the National Organic Program on a list of regulations to "remove"; the staff of US Rep. Mark Meadow (R.-NC), the Freedom Caucus stalwart who authored the list, has not returned my calls and emails asking for clarification. Organic food makes a strange target for deregulation, because organic regulations only apply to farms and food processors that voluntarily accept them. They prohibit, say, the spraying of synthetic pesticides only for a very certain kind of operationones that want to be certified organic.

Maybe it's a budget-cutting move? The Freedom Caucus document claims that the NOP's "cost" stands at $256 million, without naming how it defines cost. But the NOP's annual budget is just $9 million. And dismantling the NOP would generate massive chaos in the food market. A federally enforced, uniform, and fairly stringent set of rules would give way to a hodgepodge, leaving consumers flummoxed about what "organic" means.

The NOP's appearance in the Freedom Caucus' cross-hairs has caused alarm in organic circles, and it's not hard to see why. The Freedom Caucus' zeal for deregulation is nothing new, but until a few week's ago, the veto pen of Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Senate meant that the group could obstruct legislation and make plenty of trouble, but not actively legislate. Now there's a new new sheriff in towna fast-food scarfing Republicanand the GOP runs both aisles of Congress. Suddenly, the Freedom Caucus has jumped from fantasy island to a perch quite near the center of Washington power.

Dismantling the National Organic Program would generate massive chaos in the food market, leaving consumers flummoxed about what "organic" means.

Kathleen Merrigan, who served a long stint a deputy USDA secretary under Obama, has sounded the alarm. Merrigan is a canny DC operator who chooses her words carefully, and she knows the politics around organics as well as anyone. In addition to her recent USDA experience, she served as the head of the USDA agency that oversees the NOP under Bill Clinton, and she helped craft the federal act that created it while working as a Senate staffer in 1990. According to aPolitico account of her remarks at a food conference last week, Merrigan warned that "forces of darkness" are "coming together and saying, 'Lets sharpen our knives on organic.'"

Merrigan declined to be interviewed for more detail on what she meant by her "forces of darkness" remarks. She did confirm that she had the Freedom Caucus document in mind, as well as a Jan. 12 op-ed by the father-and-son lobbyists Marshall Matz and Peter Matz, of the powerhouse DC agribusiness lobbying firm Olsson, Frank & Weeda. In recent years, Marshall Matz's clients have included Nestle, agrichemical/seed giant Syngenta, and FMC, which makes carrageenan, a seaweed-derived food thickener that has emerged as a controversial additive in processed organic products like almond milk.

In their op-ed, the Matzes applauded the Freedom Caucus' naming of the NOP. But rather than call for the USDA's oversight of organics to to be nixed, they call for it to be "reformed." They acknowledge that organic food now represents a "significant market." And rather than focus on the NOP, the Matzes instead raised questions about another key USDA organic component, the National Organic Standards Board, a 15-member panel that, among other things, has a huge influence over what non-organic substances can be added to organic food.

The National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, as it has been known, has long been contentious terrain, pitting Big Food companies with organic subsidiaries against watchdog groups like the Cornucopia Institute. Broadly speaking, the corporations want wide leeway on additives, while the watchdog groups demand strict limits. In their op-ed, the Matzes declared that the "NOSB should leave the issue of food ingredient safety to the FDA."

In an email exchange, I asked the Matzes to clarify their position. Do they mean that food companies should be able to put any additive they want into, say, organic cookies, as long as the Food and Drug Administration deems is safe? They declined to say.

So what Merrigan called the "forces of darkness" coming for organic are indeed pretty obscure about exactly what they want. Does the Freedom Caucus really want to nix the National Organic Program to save $9 million per year? The $39.7 billion organic-food industry, whose participants include giant companies like General Mills and Nestle-owned Gerber organic baby productswould likely push back pretty hard. But with lobbyists like the Matzes operating in Trump's Washingtonand looking reasonable compared to Freedom Caucus deregulatory zealotsthe time might be ripe for making organic standards more friendly to corporations.

Originally posted here:

"Dark Forces" Are Coming for Your Organic Food - Mother Jones

Organic food products have an 8.4 percent market share in Denmark, the highest anywhere in the world. Photo: Sisse Stroyer/Scanpix

A new international report highlights just how popular organic food has become in Denmark.

Organic products account for 8.4 percent of the total food market in Denmark, a higher percentage than in any of the other 178 countries included in the report. Switzerland and Luxembourg followed Denmark, with 7.7 and 7.5 percent organic market shares respectively.

At the same time, our organic first place position is a clear signal to the export markets around the world that Danish organic companies are producing exciting quality food products that are popular with consumers, he added.

The FIBL report also showed that Danes have the second highest per capita spending on organic products at 191. Switzerland topped that category with 262 in per capita spending. The country with the biggest overall market for organic products was the United States by a wide margin.

The report was released in conjunction with the Biofach organic food trade fair in Germany, which a record 54 Danish organic food companies will attend.

Its not just within Denmark that the countrys organic revolution can be felt. kologisk Landsforening reported that exports of Danish organic foods have set a new record in each of the past ten years. In 2015, organic exports accounted for roughly two billion kroner, a 15 percent increase over the previous year.

Read more:

No one buys more organic food than the Danes: report - The Local Denmark