Delivering the week’s top organic food news
1.31.2017
Direct from New York City

What's Really at Stake with These New GMO-Apples


As many of you may know, the long-awaited, genetically-modified Arctic Apple that doesn’t turn brown hits the shelves in select supermarkets in the Midwest today.

Even though no long-term safety studies have ever been done on GMOs, this new apple poses a different and potentially bigger risk than a health one: broad consumer acceptance of genetically-modified foods.

Up until now, GMOs have largely been one of many ingredients used in unhealthy, processed food. You couldn’t see them. You couldn’t touch them. You couldn’t put them in the palm of your hand. Most importantly, you couldn’t identify with them.

With this GMO-apple, that all changes. GMOs now become incredibly tangible, and a brand new relationship with this “food” begins.

Consumers may quickly dismiss the long-term health risks of GMOs because it is now a product that their kids can take to school and enjoy with their friends. Their kids will eat these GMO-apples, and parents will say “My child is still alive, so this food must be perfectly safe.”

Or, they could say “My son and daughter won’t eat apples that turn brown, but they’ll eat this one now. I’m just happy they’ll eat any fruit or vegetable.”

The apple is arguably the most friendly, the most iconic, the most American fruit there is. If the consumer is fooled into thinking that GMO-apples are perfectly harmless and ignore the fact that this food was invented in a laboratory, they may start to view all GMOs in a similar light.

And that is a very, very slippery slope.

(How will consumers know that this Arctic Apple is genetically-modified? There is no on-packaging label but supposedly there will be a QR code, a technology that is worse than useless.)

 

Have a fantastic day!

Max Goldberg, Founder

This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* With all of the worrisome cutbacks, gag orders, reduction of regulations and nominees being discussed and taking place at the USDA, FDA and EPA, I am not sure there is anything more alarming than Scott Pruitt and his disgraceful track record in Oklahoma.


* Do you have a new organic food product, drink, juice, restaurant, juice bar, cleanse program, book or any other organic product that you’d like to announce to more than 30,000 organic consumers?

* If so, please tell me about it HERE.

* Once a month, I will be doing a column on Living Maxwell and emailing the Organic Food Industry group on LinkedIn, informing them about new organic products and services that have recently launched.

* Not all submissions will be listed. However, significant preference will be given to Organic Insider subscribers.

* The first email and post will go out later this week.


This Week's News Items

Weekly News Summaries

First Course
Los Angeles Times

A Cancer Warning Label for Monsanto's Roundup is Close

On Friday, a judge in California tentatively ruled that the state can require a cancer warning label on Monsanto's Roundup herbicide. This is a massive blow to the company, and a final decision is expected soon from Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Kapetan.

The National Law Review

Could the New GMO-Labeling Law be in Jeopardy?

As part of the new federal GMO-labeling law, a technological study must be completed by July. However, the USDA is rumored to be having trouble securing funds for the study, potentially putting the new law in jeopardy. If this law does get scrapped, I won't be shedding a tear. This legislation is a disaster. Read my take on it HERE.

The Ecologist

Sustainable Food Advocates Call GMO-labeling "Parochial"

With Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan and other food advocates calling GMO-labeling "parochial", The Ecologist's Jonathan Latham takes them to task. And rightly so.

Sustainable Pulse

EU Rejects the Cultivation of New GMOs

In an important vote, the European Union failed to authorize the cultivation of new genetically-modified crops, with the last ones being approved in 1998. However, since the rejection failed to receive a majority of votes, it is now in the hands of the European Commission as to what is next.

Second Course
teleSUR

Venezuelan Scientists Discover an Organic Solution to Remediate Toxic Soil

In Venezuela, scientists have created an organic product which can clean up farms that have been contaminated by toxic pesticides. If it is, in fact, viable, this is something that should be used to convert conventional farms to organic.

The New York Times

The Elephant in the Room: Farmers in the Midwest Acknowledging Climate Change

By Hiroko Tabuchi

An excellent piece about how farmers in America's heartland discuss, or don't discuss, climate change. The key seems to be finding common ground.

Third Course
Miami Herald

Walmart Announces an Organic Restaurant in its New Orlando Location

By Carlos Frias

Former NBA star Ray Allen will be adding a second stand-alone location of Grown, his Miami-based organic, gluten-free restaurant, to the new Walmart Supercenter in Orlando. This is huge news.

Entrepreneur

The Comeback of Denise Mari and Organic Avenue

By Stephanie Schomer

It has been some ride over the last few years for Denise Mari, Founder of Organic Avenue. With new investors and having emerged from bankruptcy, this iconic NYC juice brand has a bright future again.

amNewYork

Brodo to Set up Shop at Whole Foods in Brooklyn

By Meredith Deliso

Brodo, the super-popular bone broth shop in NYC, will open inside of Whole Foods in Williamsburg. I predict this will be the first of many collaborations between the two.

Max's Pick of the Week

An inspirational piece in People magazine about my good friend Alejandro Velez, Co-Founder of Back to the Roots. Alejandro is an amazing spirit, and he makes our industry shine brighter.


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This Week's Quick Hits

Quick Hits

* With all of the worrisome cutbacks, gag orders, reduction of regulations and nominees being discussed and taking place at the USDA, FDA and EPA, I am not sure there is anything more alarming than Scott Pruitt and his disgraceful track record in Oklahoma.


* Do you have a new organic food product, drink, juice, restaurant, juice bar, cleanse program, book or any other organic product that you’d like to announce to more than 30,000 organic consumers?

* If so, please tell me about it HERE.

* Once a month, I will be doing a column on Living Maxwell and emailing the Organic Food Industry group on LinkedIn, informing them about new organic products and services that have recently launched.

* Not all submissions will be listed. However, significant preference will be given to Organic Insider subscribers.

* The first email and post will go out later this week.


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