
Natural Products Expo West 2018 was the biggest and busiest show ever. Yet, there was one theme seemed to dominate Expo West, and this trend will only become more prominent as the years go on.
While there has been a lot of discussion about GE-salmon ever since it was approved by the FDA in 2015, the fact remains that it is still not on the market. We examine all of the factors that explain this and ask the question -- will it ever be for sale in the U.S.?
Nutiva founder John Roulac played an incredibly important role in making U.S.-grown organic hemp a reality. In a story that very few people know, we retrace how this perilous and fascinating journey has come full circle. It's one of the most inspirational stories in the industry today and shows one man's determination to fight for what he believes...
Rose Marcario, the CEO of Patagonia, is slowly and quietly becoming one of the most important leaders in the organic food movement. What is so admirable about Rose is that she is not afraid to speak her mind and to do the right thing, on behalf of protecting organic and the environment. Here is my candid conversation with Patagonia's fearless CEO.
Out of frustration at the National Organic Standards Board and its unwillingness to ban hydroponics from organic, The Real Organic Project has been formed. Learn who is behind it and why it intends to bring back the true interpretation of the organic program.
In the organic food industry, competition from private label brands is coming fast and furious. Here are five strategies to make sure you are well-positioned for this shift in market dynamics.
Within a very short period of time, pressed juice has become one of the highest-profile categories in the organic sector, largely because many people view it as an essential daily component of their health routine. Yet, there are conflicting signals as to whether the growth in the category is still strong or has flattened. In this week's Organic...
In what may have been unimaginable in the past, brands are now pushing back against Whole Foods. We take a look at why this is happening and how the company's proposed merchandising policy is impacting the entire industry.
I recently attended the BioNutrient Food Association conference in Massachusetts, and the technology that is emerging from this group could disrupt organic farming -- and benefit consumers -- in a way that we have never seen before. It is an approach unlike anything that I have ever seen before.
A recently released report from the USDA Economic Research Department, which sheds light on the eating and shopping habits of Millennials, provides important information to the organic food industry. Namely, there is a big distribution opportunity that it is ignoring.
In 2018, transparency, plant-based innovation and partnerships will be a few of the emerging trends in the organic food sector.
Even though there are plenty of things still to achieve in the organic industry, 2017 did provide many, many positive developments. We take a look at what went well, what key milestones were accomplished and some of my personal highlights from 2017.
Last week, the USDA made the controversial decision to withdraw the proposed Organic Animal Welfare Standards, also known as the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule (OLPP). The reason? A literal interpretation of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. We discuss what this means and how it could spell disaster for organic.
Despite the fact that organic is more popular than ever, the industry is going through tremendous change. Whether it is continued consolidation, a new administration overseeing the National Organic Program or different power-players emerging, here are the key stories to watch out for in the next 12 months.
As the Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) is set to formally enter the marketplace in 2018, a draft message released by the Organic Trade Association raises the question whether the two organizations are headed for a collision.
With the National Organic Standards Board refusing to ban hydroponics in organic, the logical question is what comes now. Seeking answers amidst a sea of different rumors, I reached out to a handful of leaders and organizations in the industry who have been fighting to remove hydroponics from organic certification. Here is what they had to say.
With the major seed and chemical companies having controlled agricultural policy in the U.S. for decades, mostly to the detriment of the health of American citizens, U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) aims to change that with his recently introduced piece of legislation called the Food and Farm Act.
The first-ever Regenerative Earth Summit: Food+Climate+Culture was held in Colorado last week. Here is a full recap of what took place and the major themes discussed.
After the National Organic Standards Board meeting in Jacksonville, it became painfully clear that the USDA is failing our industry. We can recap what happened in Florida and speculate where we go from here.
What the box, bottle, bowl, bag, wrapper or pouch looks like and feels like plays a critical role in building brand loyalty, and organic companies should never underestimate just how attached consumers become to a brand’s packaging. Becky Nelson, who works with many of top brands in the industry at Bex Brands, gives her take on best practices,...
In a report by The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems and The Global Alliance for the Future of Food, the case is made that the industrial food system is largely to blame for our "staggering" health care costs, which includes the $760 billion yearly cost of obesity and $673 billion yearly cost of diabetes. Learn how the...
Investigative journalist Carey Gillam, author of the excellent book Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science, testified in front of a European Union panel about glyphosate. What she encountered should give us a semblance of optimism.
What Patagonia is doing to galvanize the industry around the very important hydroponics issue and which companies are supporting this initiative.
With the USDA announced that it had completed a months-long investigation of Aurora and closed the complaint, saying that the USDA found no "clear and substantive evidence that the existing organic regulations" on grazing were violated. According to The Washington Post, the USDA said it reviewed grazing records from last year but did not share...