Last Wednesday was observed as World Food Day. It focused ones mind on one of thebig issues in nutrition today- obesity.

All the introspections of the day brought one to the conclusion that obesity is a problem for both the haves and the have-nots. It is causing serious health concerns for families and nations. One has come tothe realisation that what one eats coupled with ones lifestyle determines ones health status. In other words, the food we consume would determine how frequent our visit to the doctor is.

Fast foods

In afast-movingworld offast foods and out-of-home cooking,one of the agenda for active discussion, therefore, has beenwhat to eat and what not to drinkas experts keep shifting the goal post for us. Today, a glass of red wine is good for the heart, they would tell us. Then comes tomorrow and it would have changed to alcohol is not good for ones health. Yesterday it was eggs are unhealthy in our diets, today it is one can eat up to three eggs in a weekso long as one takes out the yolk.

Unfortunately,in the name of busyworkschedules, families are no longer eatingtogetherat a tablewithfood cookedand servedfrom theirownkitchen. Parents stop by, on their way home to picktake-away dinnersordered from the comfort of their mobile phones. Children have been introduced to so much junk food they prefer the oil-soakedmenuswith the fatty cuts of meatand detest the balanced menus preparedat home.

School feeding programme

Thank God, however,fortheschool feedingprogramme.If done wellwith organic locally produced food items,wewouldgradually be introducing our children to home-cooked nutritious foods.We have some of the best organic foodcropsgrownhere on our soil and they arerelativelycheap compared to organic foods sold elsewhere.We spendscarce foreign exchange importing refined rice andsugar which the producers themselves are running away from.

Coincidentally, as we celebrated World Food Day, a two-day nutrition training programme wason-going in the Central regionorganised by the Ghana School FeedingSecretariat.It was supported by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with the aim to engage caterers of the school feeding programme.

According to news reports, the training programme was used to sensitise the caterers and introduce them to the preparation and serving of gari fotor, fortified with vegetables and soybeanson the school feeding menu. Though high in carbohydrate, some of us would eat gari anytime due to its high fibre content. That is why Iwould support theintroduction of gari fotor with as many vegetables and beans to make it even more nutritious for our children.

Blessing

The School Feeding Programme in many ways is a blessingtothe country.If the children enjoy the varieties served at school, no doubt they would influence their parents to prepare the same with even better variations at home.

It was at boarding school at the age of nine that some of us first tasted Tom Brown and corn grits porridge. It was atthesame boarding school that one got introduced to gari and beans, gari fotor and gari soakings with groundnuts and milk. All those nutritious servings in thedininghalland in our pantrieshave lived with us to our old ageand we have in turn passed them on toourfamilies with even more variations.

With World Food Day on our minds, let the school meals programme introduce our children to healthy organic homegrown foods that would build their bodies and nurture their brains. The programme managers should insist onmenuinnovationby the caterers andget themassessedon thequality ofinnovations introduced in their menu plans.We could fall on the children to do their end of term assessmentsfor us.

World Food Dayindeedcomes toremind usofthe importance of good nutrition and food safety, especially for our growing children. We should all be made aware of the dangers of out-of-home cooking and begin tosay no to fast and instant foods. Theyprovidevery littleor no nutrients toour bodies.We should help to build a nation of healthy young people and say no to foods that would contribute to obesity and malnourishment.

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Our food, our health - World Food Day in retrospect - Myjoyonline.com

THE cannabis industry is on a roll.

Over the last year, a budding array of hemp products have started appearing on the high street.

Leading this green revolution is Dorset-based, Daiba Organic.

The company sell the compound Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, which has been credited with helping relieve pain and reduce anxiety.

The oil wont get you high and is legal in the UK and Europe.

Its currently classified as a food supplement, but you do have to be over-18 to buy it.

Daisy Smith, who runs Daiba Organic with her partner Bart Majkut, have been selling CBD products since 2017.

Daiba Organics range of CBD infused products include crafted organic oils, tea and chocolate.

Daisy and Bart recommend taking a few drops daily orally or adding to your favourite drinks or recipes.

The oil is grown organically and in accordance with the European Union law.

To extract the oil from the plant they use a cold press extraction process, which ensures the best quality oil with no heat damage.

Daisy, 33, says: More people are becoming aware of the benefits of hemp and CBD products. Its moving away from the previous associations of recreational drug use to the more beneficial properties of CBD. Our oil is 100 per cent organic and our products packaging are eco and vegan-friendly.

The pair describe cannabis as a versatile and powerful plant, packed full of flavour and fragrance, with a whole range of natural benefits.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report suggests CBD oil could be used to treat anxiety and depression but in spite of the reported health benefits, NHS Englands website said the quality and content of many cannabis-based products is not known. It reads: Some products that might claim to be medicinal cannabis, such as CBD oil or hemp oil, are available to buy legally as food supplements from health stores. But theres no guarantee these are of good quality or provide any health benefits.

Daisy added: Most of our followers are quite astute and already aware of the growing popularity and benefits of CBD products. Our oil is perfectly safe to use, and we make sure we choose the right plants at our farms. CBD oil is currently classified as a food supplement and not a medicine. The government legislation is very strict with claiming any medical benefits, but I can only say that we have many happy customers that are using our oil and they are finding life a lot more pleasant!

Heres one of Daiba Organics recipes, created in collaboration with Epi-Foods, to try at home.

CBD Power Balls SkinFood Ingredients (basic dough): 100g dates, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight 100g roasted almonds 1 or 2 full droppers of Daiba CBD Oil 5.5% Toppings (optionally): Coconut flakes Matcha ranberry Powder Linseed Grated Almonds Cocoa nibs Grated Daiba CBD Chocolate Preparation: Blend your soaked dates to a fine puree. Chop the roasted almonds with a large knife and mix with the date puree and Daiba CBD Oil into a dough. Form small balls from this dough. Roll these balls through any ingredient from the "Toppings" list above and garnish on a plate or wrap in sandwich paper.

* Daiba products are also stocked at Sunrise Organics and Earth Foods

Read more from the original source:

This couple make cannabis oil that you can add to your food and drink (and it's all perfectly legal!) - Dorset Echo

For local food company Ceres Organics, the concept of organics isn't just about food that tastes great and is free from chemical additives. It's about looking after our planet, by protecting the health of our soil, waterways and the air that we breath. It's about about treating growers and workers fairly, paying a fair price for their products, and providing safe working conditions. And it's about encouraging biodiversity and protecting our wildlife. Most importantly, it's about protecting our future.

The issue of plastic packaging has been troubling the team at Ceres Organics for years. "As an organic business, having a positive impact on our planet is at the heart of everything we do, and reducing our reliance on traditional plastics is a big part of this," says CEO, Noel Josephson.

CERES ORGANICS/SUPPLIED

Having a positive impact on our planet is at the heart of everything Ceres Organics does; several of their breakfast mixes come in reusable glass jars.

After many years of working closely with their packaging partners to develop an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic packaging, robust enough to protect their untreated organic products from infestations, oxygen and moisture, Ceres Organics launched their first home compostable bag in 2017. Transparent, resealable and triple-layered to lock in the freshness of the food inside, without the need for artificial inputs, it was the first of its kind in the market.

What differentiates this revolutionary packaging is that it is specially designed to break down in a domestic compost bin, while a lot of other compostable options you will find need the higher temperature of a commercial composting facility (there are only a few of those in the country that actually take packaging).

Since launching their first product in this innovative packaging solution, Ceres Organics have extended it's use to more and more products in their range. They now offer their high-quality grains, their popular Classic Muesli Range, and more recently their Super Good Muesli, and core flour ranges in home compostable packaging.

Home compostable packaging isn't the only sustainable packaging solution Ceres Organics have been working on. They have just relaunched their popular Paleo Breakfast Mix in a stylish glass jar (glass is the company's first choice of packaging and used for about 20 per cent of their products). They have also added a new, exciting variant to the paleo breakfast family, brimming with nutritious nuts and seeds, their Epic Paleo cereal also comes in a reusable glass jar.

It's all part of the company's ongoing commitment, not just to organic food, but to the wider environment.

The Ceres Organics story started back in 1982, when a young Auckland mother set upon a mission to make organics accessible to ordinary New Zealanders at affordable prices.

More than 37 years later, Ceres Organics is New Zealand's leading organics company, offering over 400 organic products for your pantry needs. Two of the company's founding directors, Noel Josephson and Rodnie Whitlock, still work in the business, and are deeply passionate about keeping the Ceres Organics spirit alive.

"It's fundamental to the Ceres Organics philosophy that we source the healthiest, highest quality organic foods from suppliers all over the world who we know and trust to be socially and environmentally responsible," says Noel. "We're not a faceless international corporation, we're a homegrown Kiwi company that cares."

To find out more and buy the Ceres Organics muesli range online visit ceres.co.nz.

Originally posted here:

One quick change you can make today to help save the planet - Stuff.co.nz

A newstudyfound that the vast majority of baby foods tested contain heavy metals, which can harm a childs brain development.

In the study, commissioned byHealthy Babies Bright Futures(HBBF) and conducted by the toxicology and economic research firmAbt Associates, tests were performed on 168 different containers of baby food from 61 U.S. baby food brands. Researchers found heavy metals specifically, arsenic, lead,cadmiumand mercury in 95 percent of the baby foods tested.

As the report points out, all of the heavy metals are developmental neurotoxins, adding, they can harm ababys developing brainand nervous system and are linked toIQ lossfrom exposures early in life.

The majority of baby food tested (40 percent) contained three different heavy metals, with 26 percent of baby foods containing all four heavy metals. Only nine baby foods (5 percent) were free of heavy metals. Lead was the most common heavy metal, found in 94 percent of baby foods, followed by cadmium, which was in 75 percent of baby foods. That was followed by arsenic (73 percent of baby foods) and mercury (32 percent).

We were surprised that so many of the baby foods had more than one heavy metal,Charlotte Brody, a registered nurse and the national director of Healthy Babies Bright Futures, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. The impact is additive. A little bit of lead, a little bit of arsenic and a little bit cadmium add up.

Infant rice cereal and rice-based snacks were the worst offenders. These popular baby foods are not only high in inorganic arsenic, the most toxic form of arsenic, but also are nearly always contaminated with all four toxic metals, according to thereport.

A new study that tested U.S. baby food found that 95 percent contained heavy metals, including arsenic and lead, which are harmful to children's brain development. (Photo: Getty Images)

Heavy metals, like arsenic, are found naturally in the environment (as well as through pollution) and can enter the food supply through soil, water or air, according to theFood and Drug Administration(FDA).

Certain crops are more likely to absorb these heavy metals notably, rice, leafy greens and root vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes, which the reports says retain more than most other types of fruits and vegetables.

But in some cases, fresh is the better way to go. The report found that peaches and green beans from the baby food aisle are less likely to contain detectable levels of lead than canned versions of these foods, while carrot and sweet potato baby foods have higher lead detection rates than their peeled, fresh counterparts.

Improving food safety standards can make a significant difference. The report urges the FDA to take action by establishing health-protective standards, including a heavy metals testing program for baby food, as well as factoring the cumulative health effects of infants consuming multiple types of heavy metals found in baby foods. When FDA and baby food companies address one contaminant in one type of food, children benefit, noted the report. But truly protecting children necessitates addressing the many contaminants that collectively harm a childs healthy development.

Adds Brody: Parents shouldnt have to worry about this. Parents should be able to buy any food thats on the shelf and know that its as safe as it can be.

There are steps thatparentscan take to reduce their babys exposure to heavy metals found in food. Its worth noting that going organic may not necessarily help. According to the report, Organic standards do not address these contaminants.Consumer Reportsown testing of baby foods in 2018 reached the same conclusion, stating, Organic foods were as likely to contain heavy metals as conventional foods.

However, peeling produce when possible can help by removing some of the heavy metals in the skin although, as Brody says, its a shame because there are nutrients in the peel.

In general, regularly giving your baby different types of foods not just relying on sweet potatoes and carrots multiple times a week also helps. Its likemercury in tuna the best way around it is to just not eat tuna every day, says Brody.

Parents can also make specific food swaps to help reduce a babys risk of exposure to these heavy metals. The researchers recommend:

Swap infant rice cereal for oatmeal, barley, quinoa, buckwheat or multigrain infant cereals

Swap puff (rice) snacks for rice-free ones, such as cut-up apples, unsweetened applesauce, bananas, cheese, peaches and yogurt

Swap teething biscuits and rice husks for frozen bananas or peeled, chilled cucumber

Swap rice from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas or ones labeled U.S. (all of which have the highest arsenic levels, according toConsumer Reports) with basmati rice grown in California, India and Pakistan or U.S. sushi rice, which have the lowest arsenic levels. Brown rice tends to have more arsenic than white rice.

Swap fruit juice (which can contain traces ofarsenicand lead, along with being high in sugar) for plain water

Reduce how often babies consume carrots and sweet potatoes (both high in lead and cadmium) each week and serve a variety of fruits and vegetables instead

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95 percent of tested baby foods in U.S. contain toxic metals, report says here's what parents need to know - Yahoo Food

Submitted by the Orcas Food Co-op.

The co-op is currently accepting applications from non-sectarian, non-partisan charitable community groups for the 2020 Community Hero Campaign. To qualify for consideration please submit the application by Nov. 30. Please mail your application to Orcas Food Co-op Attn: Sarah Benson Post Office Box 913 Eastsound, Washington, 98245, or email outreach@orcasfood.coop.

The Orcas Food Co-ops Community Hero Program serves as an umbrella for Three Percent Thursdays, Register Round-Up and Coins for Community. Selected organizations will be the recipient of funds gathered through the following:

Three Percent Thursday: Three percent of the gross receipts on the third Thursday of the month.

Register Round-Up: Shoppers have the opportunity to round up their purchases throughout the entire month.

Coins for Community: Wooden coins donated when customers bring their own bag.

Organizations will be eligible for the program based on their service to the community in the following areas: local community service organizations; organic food; healthy food for children or seniors; environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices; human rights, environmental preservation; and groups with similar missions and values. The Community Hero selection committee and Co-op Management team will select the winning organizations and assign each to a Thursday in one of the months of the following calendar year. The winning programs will be contacted prior to the first of the year.

We believe this program offers benefits that extend far beyond the monetary contribution. If your organization is selected we would like to make sure the event receives as much attention as possible on both our marketing materials and yours. We look forward to combining our efforts to promote your organization and its values to our members and to the community at large.

If you have any questions please contact the Co-ops Marketing Specialist, Sarah Benson, at 360-376-2009 or email outreach@orcasfood.coop.

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Orcas Food Co-op is now accepting applications for the 2020 Community Hero program - Islands' Sounder

WASHINGTON In an effort to remove cancer causing nitrites from deli-type and other processed meats labeled organic, the industry watchdog OrganicEye has petitioned the USDAs National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). At its public meeting next week, the NOSB will consider whether cured organic meats may continue to be processed with nonorganic celery powder, which contains high levels of nitrates. The powder is derived from celery grown with high levels of synthetic nitrogen that are absorbed by the plant and then used as a nitrate-based preservative.

The continued use of this material in organic meat is in conflict with the law that requires all synthetic and non-organic ingredients to be safe for the environment and human health, saidMark Kastel, director or OrganicEye, a project of national group Beyond Pesticides, which bridges consumer, farmer, environmental and public health interests.

The Organic Foods Production Act prohibits synthetic nitrate use in organic crop production and adding nitrates or nitrites in processing. Nitrates and nitrites are prohibited in organic food because of their impacts on human health, which include methemoglobinemia, hypotension, risk of pregnancy complications, a number of reproductive effects, and cancer, the groups lead scientist, Terry Shistar, PhD, stated. Substituting celery powder grown with high applications of synthetic nitrogen, when it has the same biological action in the human body, is unethical and undermines the reputation of organic food as the safest marketplace alternative, she continued. As an alternative to celery powder, OrganicEye suggests that meat processors and retailers can distribute similar products, without preservatives, that would be required to be kept frozen rather than adding nitrates.

OrganicEye is also recommending that the Board remove the synthetic amino acid methionine from the list of allowed synthetic substances, no longer allowing it to be added to organic poultry feed. The additive facilitates industrial-scale confinement operations, rather than managing poultry with outdoor access as required by federal law.

OrganicEye is a project of Beyond Pesticides.

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Organic Board to Vote on Whether Nitrates Can Be Used in Curing Organic Meats - PerishableNews

Organic Food and Beverages Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, projects that the global market is expected to reach $327,600 million by 2022, from $115,984 million in 2015, at a CAGR of 16.4% from 2016 to 2022. The organic beverages segment occupied a dominant share, accounting for about three-fifths of the market in 2015, and is expected to maintain this trend during the forecast period. The organic fruits and vegetables and other organic food segments collectively accounted for half of the global organic food market share in 2015, whereas the organic coffee and tea sub segments contributed nearly one-third share of the organic beverages market in 2015.

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Organic foods and beverages offer ample advantages over conventional foods such as health benefits, free of harmful chemicals, and others. The global market is poised to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to increase in income levels, rise in awareness regarding advantages of organic products, and advancements in organic farming techniques. The demand for organic food and beverages is anticipated to increase by three-folds by 2022 as compared to that in 2015. In addition, factors such as heavy investment and supportive investment policies by government organization for organic farming provide lucrative opportunities to market players. However, high price of organic products and low shelf life hamper the market growth.

Organically grown fruits and vegetables have high nutritive value, and are free from pesticides and other chemicals. Furthermore, organic nondairy beverages are in high demand among consumers due to increase in health awareness among consumers. Therefore, this segment accounted for significant share of the global market in 2015, followed by the fruits and vegetables segment. The popularity of organic meat, fish, and poultry has increased among consumers, as these products are free from chemicals and contain less fat and cholesterol. Moreover, the organic baby food segment is expected to witness huge potential in the near future, as these products are safer than the conventional baby foods.

Presently, North America and Europe jointly contributed for more than four-fifths share of the global market. The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 23% during the forecast period. The organic dairy products market has the highest potential for growth in European countries. The countries in Latin America and the Middle East are projected to exhibit significant growth in the near future.

Though establishment of exclusive diet centers, untapped geographical regions such as India, South Africa which are offering a rising demand, limited shelf life of organic foods pose limitations in the market. However, each factor would have its definite impact on the market during the forecast period.

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Organic Food and Beverages Market Key Findings:

The organic food segment is projected to grow at a significant CAGR of 16.6% from 2016 to 2022.

Among organic beverages, the nondairy beverages segment is projected to grow rapidly during the forecast period.

The organic beverages segment accounted for about three-fifths of the global market in 2015.

The Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 23% during the forecast period.

The coffee & tea segment accounted for nearly one-third share of the market in 2015.

Top Key Players: The key market players profiled in the report are The WhiteWave Foods Company, Hain celestial Group, Inc., General Mills Inc. United Natural Foods, Inc., SpartanNash Company, Amys Kitchen, Inc., Dean Foods Company, Starbucks Corporation, The Kroger Co., and Whole Foods Market Inc.

About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of Market Research Reports and Business Intelligence Solutions. AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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Organic Food and Beverages Market in Emerging Economies will witness a CAGR of 16.4% through 2022 - GuruFocus.com

Natural Grocers is coming to Spokanes South Hill, according to city permit data.

The health food chain that sells organic food and produce will take the space formerly occupied by the Hastings Entertainment store, 2512 E. 29th Ave., near the intersection of 29th Avenue and Southeast Boulevard.

Permits for $820,000 in work have been filed and are under review by the city, but if the store opens, it will join the other Natural Grocers in the area: 4603 N. Division St. in Spokane, and 222 W. Neider Ave. in Coeur dAlene.

The company was founded in Lakewood, Colorado, in 1955 as a door-to-door sales business by Margaret and Philip Isely. According to the Colorado alternative newspaper, Westword, the Iselys then began what was originally called Vitamin Cottage after Margaret Isely became chronically ill and became interested in the growing field of supplements and health food.

Ahead of its time, the store focused on organic, local food and the practice of butchering and using the whole animal. The Isley family meals were filled with tongue, heart, liver and other offal after the prime cuts were taken to sell at the store.

The store name changed to Natural Grocers in 2008 to highlight its grocery selling and move away from vitamins.

Read more here:

Natural Grocers to fill former Hastings location on South Hill - The Spokesman-Review

October 16, 2019 12:00 PM (EDT)

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The San Francisco-based company, which produces and markets organic, plant-based food and beverages, has received a minority investment from Danone Manifesto Ventures, to continue to build its portfolio of innovative products, enhance sustainable sourcing and production, increase brand awareness and widen distribution.

John Charles and I have spent three years getting to know Jean Francois, Laurent and the Danone Manifesto Ventures team. Its the right time and they are the right partner good people with leverageable, relevant experience and capital, said Stephen Williamson, Forager Project Founder & CEO.

Forager Project is a family-owned and operated organic food company that has been crafting plant-based foods in California since 2013. The company has developed a broad portfolio of organic plant-based products including Yogurt, Milk, Sour Cream, Half & Half as well as a range of Protein and Probiotic Shakes. Forager Project believes that the food we eat should be aligned with nature. The purpose of Forager Project is to improve our planet and human health by making exceptional tasting, organic, plant-based whole foods more widely available.

Danone Manifesto Ventures believes Forager Project is a unique brand with strong potential in the fast-growing plant-based space. Forager Project is fully aligned with Danones ambition to continue developing a best-in-class platform to meet the increasing needs of plant-based consumers globally.

Forager Project and Danone have highly aligned values focused on improving human and planet health through food, and a shared commitment to sustainable, enduring business growth, said Laurent Marcel, CEO of Danone Manifesto Ventures. Over the years we had the chance to develop a special relationship with Stephen and his talented team, and today were very excited to start this partnership with Forager Project. added Jean-Francois Hurel, Chief Investment Officer for Danone Manifesto Ventures.

Danone Manifesto Ventures launched in 2016 with the mission to support innovative and healthy food and beverage companies, and partners with disruptive entrepreneurs that share its vision of a healthy and sustainable future. Through this unit, Danone makes investments and provides financial and operational support to its portfolio companies through access to its experienced teams around the world. Danone Manifesto Ventures has invested in various companies including Harmless Harvest, Farmers Fridge and Sustainable Bioproducts in the US, Michel et Augustin and Yooji in France, as well as Epigamia in India. It was certified as a B Corp in 2018.

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Forager Project Welcomes Danone Manifesto Ventures As A Minority Investor, To Accelerate The Growth Of Its Organic Plant-Based Creamery -...

Ethical eating has many parts and definitions: eating with social, political or ethical concerns in mind; or consumer, economic, health, well-being and environment front and center. It could pertain to not wasting food, buying local, eating vegetarian/vegan, nourishing your kids, labor practices, packaging.

Taking that array into account, we emailed the same set of questions to local experts from different facets of the local food supply chain and ag industry, and let them tell us what ethical eating means to them, how they do it, and how we can do it too.

Jessica Harris has a succinct definition of ethical eating: Making food choices in harmony with your values.

But values are not only different from one person to the next, but may change over a persons own lifetime. When younger, a person may favor affordability; as a parent, nutrition content and safety concerns may override.

Her most vital ethical eating practice is eating organic, partly because its easy and partly because she believes in that USDA organic seal.

I tend to use organic as a simple shortcut for my grocery shopping, she says. There are rigorous standards for earning the USDA organic certification and I appreciate farmers and other food producers who make that effort. Organic touches all of the pieces in the supply chain that matter most to me eliminating the use of synthetic pesticides, keeping the soil healthy, caring for workers and communities while still providing an outstanding product each and every day.

Harris esteem for organics is also informed by the company she worked at prior to its being bought out by Taylor Farms earlier this year.

At Earthbound Farm, our previous mission statement was to make organic food accessible to as many people as possible, and I feel like we achieved that, she says. You can find organic in more than 75 percent of grocery stores today, with a large majority of those greens and vegetables coming from Monterey County.

Shes also a board member of the ag industry trade group the Grower Shipper Association, and, not surprising considering that Taylor Farms dominates the packaged salads category, she gives plastic packaging some license, saying that it plays a vital role in our food chain.

For certain uses (for example, organic salads) we just havent found a material other than plastic that can keep the food fresh and safe and provide the kind of visibility to the product that shoppers are looking for.

Shes also not opposed to giving people some license, too.

You have to make it as simple and convenient as possible or youll wind up agonizing over every decision at the grocery shelf. You cant torture yourself. Sometimes, youre hungry and theres nothing perfect around its OK!

As the director of the famed Salinas soup kitchen, Jill Allen says, We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to eat well and healthy, and most often, the homeless people we serve do not have as much opportunity as you and me.

If homeless people refuse food based on the same ethical guidelines that more privileged people do its not fair practice, or organic, or local they go hungry. So she sees their job as not just nourishing them nutritionally, but trying to abide by ethical standards on their behalf.

Here in Monterey County, particularly, she believes we should source locally. And more.

I believe that the farm workers that harvest our vegetables and fruits should be paid a living wage and should not be expected to work in conditions that are harmful to their health, she says. This includes working in fields where harmful pesticides are used, not being allowed to take breaks to relieve themselves of the often painful bent-over position, and providing adequate health insurance. If that raises the price of lettuce and broccoli, so be it.

But she suspects theres a way to do all that while keeping food costs affordable.

She says that people should support the local Food Bank for Monterey County and not just with canned goods at Thanksgiving time, she notes, but with money to buy healthy foods. And that everyone locally should support the new Blue Zones Project, which she says can shore up food ethics in Salinas and beyond for the next four years. Dorothys Kitchen will apply for Blue Zones certification next year, and already meets most of the criteria.

For her own familys ethical food practice, Allen says they eat organic and locally sourced, grow some of their own vegetables, buy fair trade food, reduce waste and compost scraps, and frequent the farmers markets. And as with Harris, she allows some latitude.

My guys sneak hot dogs in there for lunch, and eat more fast food when theyre out of the home than I would like.

As part of the ethical consideration of food practiced by Dorothys Kitchen, they are opening a deli/cafe called Red Artichoke Cafe at the new, low-income Moon Gate Plaza and will employ people from their client base, teaching them ethical food practices and helping them find permanent jobs in the restaurant industry.

Susie Brusas two main ethical eating components are the treatment of animals and the treatment of the planet (in terms of pesticides, distribution distance, packaging).

I am not a vegetarian, she says. I am looking for animal protein that has been treated humanely. The benefit is not just in my psyche; there is a tangible benefit in that the meat tastes so much better! This is noticeably true for both chicken and for grass-fed beef.

She says her cousin used to own a beautiful buffalo ranch in the Badlands of South Dakota, and applied for and received permission to shoot the buffalo on the plains from a distance. This spared the animals from the fear and stress of being herded into trucks and taken to slaughter, and preserved the taste and texture of the meat.

Several of our respondents touted knowledge and learning in order to guide ethical eating.

Brusa knows where to find resources, including Dave Dorrance, a Mt. Toro rancher who has conducted studies of the grasses and animals, and moves the herd so the land can regenerate; and Mark Farr of Corral de Tierra Cattle Company, which Rancho Cielos Drummond Culinary Academy Dining Room (which trains at-risk kids in running a restaurant) sources for meats.

And, again, another critique of plastic packaging.

In terms of the planet, I have a particular interest in plastic usage, she says. I dont condemn businesses for using plastic its the best-performing and cheapest option for packaging. Because of its lighter weight, the distribution of it (mostly in trucks on highways) has reduced emissions. So we have to find a replacement that can be as reasonably priced and scalable for mass usage.

She turns to expert guidance in Daniella Russo, founder of the nonprofit Think Beyond Plastic, which is enlisting large companies dependent on plastics to seek alternatives: Shes a badass.

Eating ethically is more expensive, Brusa admits. But it can be approached in bite-sized pieces.

Here are some things I do: Buy veggies that are not packaged. Buy in season. Reuse single use plastic bags for cleaning the cat litter box. Compost. Grow a garden. Recycle like a nutjob. Do not waste. Eat leftovers for breakfast. Label leftovers in the fridge with the day of the week you made them so that you eat them before they go bad. Again, nutjob.

Lastly, she invites people to eat at Rancho Cielo on Friday nights, starting on Oct. 18, courtesy of the young people who are learning to thrive in the world by learning practical skills at the Drummond Culinary Academy.

The word harvest is a key ingredient for this nonprofit operator of certified farmers markets. Another is season.

I think that learning to eat locally and seasonally are really important steps people can take to eat more ethically, Norris says. When you walk into a supermarket, the selection of produce does not reflect the actual agricultural community we live in. Apples, for example, are harvested on the California coast during the fall, but big grocery stores import them throughout the year, often from South America, and give the impression that apples (or any fruit or vegetable) should be available all the time.

Whereas at a farmers market, you will see the yearly coming and going of seasonal fruits and vegetables that correspond to the season and the harvest. Although in Monterey County, because the growing season is year-round, there is more abundance than in, say, Norris former home state of Indiana.

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Like Brusa, Norris turns to higher authorities on certain matters of food.

Alice Waters is my personal hero in this regard and her bookThe Art of Simple Foodis my culinary bible.

He says that Waters strategies can be applied to eating fish and meat, with the goal of buying locally from people you know are using responsible practices. And he encourages people to take their ethical food practices into their own hands even further by learning how to garden and preserve foods. And to think of others.

Access to local food is not equitably distributed throughout our community, and many local families face significant challenges in gaining access to the great food produce in the Salinas Valley and on the Central Coast, he says.

That is a guiding principle behind the mission of Everyones Harvest, which was begun in 2002 as a capstone project by Iris Peppard when she was a CSU Monterey Bay student.

The Aquariums Seafood Watch list (and app) has done as much as anything else to transform the way diners, chefs and restaurants think about, purchase and consume seafood, and to promote options that are more sustainable for the oceans.

So its no surprise that Bigelow states, Personally, I approach ethical eating as considering the environmental impacts of my food choices. That might mean considering the carbon footprint of my meal and having less dairy, for example, or asking questions about my seafood and choosing a Seafood Watch-recommended item.

And, again, maybe not surprising, he encourages people to first consume information in order to make better decisions about the foods they consume. He concedes that information isnt always easy to get or to pin down (should sea urchin be harvested and eaten by humans more to protect the kelp forests that the echinoderms feed on?).

But he says that by simply asking questions, consumers can sway businesses and, ultimately, improve the health of ocean stocks. Specifically, he encourages local folks to favor rockfish, sand dabs and other local species. But if the ethical choices are not clear or available, he offers an easy out.

If you dont know what youre buying, consider a vegetarian option before defaulting to meat.

Like some of the other respondents, he places responsibility into the hands of those who have the means to act on ethical concerns.

For many people around the world, unequal food access and poverty make [sustainable decisions] difficult or impossible, he says. For those of us lucky enough to have the relative wealth and information necessary to improve the sustainability of our diets, it is doubly important that we strive for more ethical and sustainable diets.

To me, ethical eating means trying to learn and be informed about my choices, and using what I know to pick the most nourishing and sustainable options for myself and my family, Forrest Melton says.

Thats easy for him to say. Hes a scientist. With NASAs Ames Research Center, no less. But he simplifies it into easily digestible terms: Eating one meal a day that is mostly legumes, vegetables, fruits and grains is a great way to start.

And he says that living in the abundant Monterey County makes it easier (if economic barriers dont exist) to check a bunch of ethical eating boxes, including eating locally grown foods, choosing foods low on the food chain, or those that are sustainably grown or harvested.

In his own life, when it comes to supporting local companies he says are improving sustainable practices (I like to think of the money we spend as a family on food as votes in the economy), hes not above a little name dropping.

Companies like DArrigo Bros. (Andy Boy), Driscolls, Scheid Vineyards, Huntington Farms, Rio Farms and others are making real efforts to measure and efficiently manage their irrigation and fertilizer and/or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, he says. Other companies, like Tanimura & Antle, are investing in affordable housing for their workforce, and many others make a point of giving back to their community (e.g., Mann Packing, Giannini Farms).

At home, they eat pretty low on the food chain, buy local when they can, make low-waste lunches, and minimize food waste. And just so this doesnt intimidate people, he adds, But we are definitely far from perfect, and feel that making a start is the most important thing.

And, because ethical eating includes drinking, a word about water.

One of the biggest issues locally is ensuring that we leave enough water for future generations of farmers. A number of local agricultural companies are working hard on water efficiency, and hopefully the development of the groundwater sustainability plan for the Salinas Valley Basin will accelerate this trend.

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Leaders in the realms of local food and ag talk about how we can eat according to our values. - Monterey County Weekly