Hallie Miller, WUSA 2:17 PM. EDT June 06, 2017

Free range chickens (Photo: Jupiterimages, Getty Images)

More aisles, more choices and more unfamiliar terminology: grocery stores housing organic foods may appear more foreign and confusing than ever before.

Eliminate the stress and confusion that accompanies the weekly voyage with this simple guide to all things organic!

The pros and cons

The term 'organic' generally refers to the way farmers grow, produce and process food. Typically lower in artificial chemicals, fertilizers, hormones and bioengineered genes (GMOs), organic crops tend to cost more. The same goes for conventional meat, poultry, dairy and eggs: while the animals tend to enjoy more access to the outdoors, healthier feed and little-to-no hormone or antibiotic treatment, the products tend to sell for higher than their non-organic counterparts.

Evidence also exists that indicates organic foods may taste fresher than non-organic since they do not contain the same preservatives designed to make them last longer. Yet, by the same logic, organic products may spoil quicker.

A 'good egg?'

From 'cage free' to 'all natural,' the typical egg aisle boasts a breadth of options. However, these jargon-laden termsoften misrepresent true hen-raising practices. Cartons with the 'Certified Humane' seal tend to abide by the highest egg-production standards.

Self-sustaining practices

Since organic farms cannot use standard fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics or genetic modifications, instead they rely on plant-based soil enhancers, frequent field rotation, insect traps, natural pesticides and healthier living conditions for animals. The added labor and resources help to explain why organic products prove more expensive.

Beware of the "halo effect"

Organic foods do not necessarily improve health or contribute to a diet. Organic products (or those made with organic ingredients) may still contain high counts in calories, sugars, carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. Likewise, food labeled as 'all-natural' or 'farm fresh' may not derive from organic farms or originate via humane practices.

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The essentials of organic food shopping - W*USA 9

Martin Husling | Fred Marvaux/European Union

Martin Husling wants the European Commission to preserve an expansive definition of organics.

By Emmet Livingstone

6/6/17, 1:05 PM CET

Updated 6/6/17, 10:28 PM CET

One of sustainable farmings old warhorses spent the better part of the lastthree years fighting to keep pesticides in organic produce.

German Green MEP Martin Husling, 56, leads the European Parliaments negotiating team in a legislative battle over the very identity of what it means to be organic.Years of grueling talks over that hotly disputed organics dossier nearly collapsed last week.

Huslings unwavering vision for the future of organic food, and his unwillingness to compromise, has likely sealed the fate of abortive legislative reform.

The debate hinges on a popular misconception about what organicreally means. Producers who use the label profit handsomely from consumers who think it means chemical-free.Thats not what the label actually mandates in the EU.

For organic farmers likeHusling and under European law the label means a series of standards and practices resulting in amore sustainable method of agricultural production.Organic products frequently contain pesticide residues.

The European Commission wants to change that with a plan to bring the industry in line with what consumers really think organic food is and limit pesticide residues.

In response, Husling said that any measure limiting pesticide levels in organic products would hamstring green-minded farmers and ultimately prove harmful to the environment. Reducing organic to a production without pesticides thats only one part of organic, Husling said. What angers me is the fact that the Commission just picked this one criterion and made it the decisive one.

Huslings opposition to the Commission has pushed the talks to the brink of collapse.

The Maltese presidency of the Council of the European Union canceled the latest negotiating round, scheduled for last Wednesday, after a majority ofgovernments rejected a proposed compromise.

Husling said last week that the reforms would fail if they are not wrapped up by the end of the month.I dont see any other possibility with us carrying on with this [afterward], he said.

If the talks do collapse, few in the organic farm industry will complain. Jan Plagge, the president of Germanys largest organic association Bioland, said that German farmers in fact routinely criticizeHusling for not fightingthe Commission hard enough.

When Husling took up the mandate, the expectation was for him stopthe process, he said.

Europes ravenous appetite fororganic food isonly abouta decadeold. Themarket nearly tripledbetween 2005 and 2015, jumpingfrom a 12-billion-a-year industry to one worth some 30 billionannually.

Brussels introducedits first tranche ofrules in 2008,but the industrys meteoric risesent policymakersback to the drawing board. Fearing the regulations were unfit for the exploding industry and fraudsters could exploit gaps, the Commission floated a change in 2014 intended to preventa massive loss of consumer trust in the sector.

Everyone agreed that several issues needed fixing, and fast. For example, the EU acceptsorganic imports from countries with vastly different rules, such as the U.S. or India, and leaves quality checks up to foreign authorities a set-up ripe for scandal.

Things got complicated when Brussels proposed controls in Europe that wouldbring organic labeling into line with what consumers cameto believe it stood for.Wehave to defend the integrity of the organic label, European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan told POLITICO last year.

The Commissions more contentiousproposals include annual controls on organic farms, forcing organic crops to be grown using onlyorganic seeds (of which there is a shortage) and most controversially decertifying products containingpesticide traces abovea certain limit.

Mainstream organic producers bridled. They had only justgrown accustomed to EU regulation, and now Brussels was proposing a fundamental rethink likely to raise theiroverheads.

The big message is that we didnt ask for this reform, said Christopher Atkinson, the head of standards at U.K. organic certifier the Soil Association. Rather than simply tightening up legislative sloppiness, what Brussels was proposing threatened to be disruptive to organic food and farming in the EU, he added.

Huslingsplace at the center of the debate gave him what will likely be the greatest political influence he will ever yield.

He is a soft-spoken, unassuming and rumpled farmer from rural Germany. His mop of untidy silver hair and collection of somber blazers project a professorial air.

Born in Hesse, he said that he was politicized when he entered local politics in 1981 for the German Green party, convinced that energy and environmental policyneeded radical change long before greenissues became as mainstream as they are today.

He took over his parents farm and, determined to make his personal lifestyle match his politics, converted it to organic in 1988. Im an organic farmer of the first guard, he said. There werent even 20 organic farmers in all of Hesse. Organic farming was a total niche.

Kellerwaldhof, Huslings farm,is a picturesque placenestled near woodlands. It boasts cows, pigs and even Shetland ponies though the lions share of revenue comes from organic cheese and milk production. Most of its power is supplied bywood or solar energy.

Husling, who was elected to Parliament in 2009, said his son and his sons girlfriend now run the farm, while his wife is still deeply involved in its day-to-day business.

ForHusling and the majority of farmers in the industry organic farming is less about protecting the consumer than preserving the planet.

If you look at where a lot of environmental problems stem from, the root cause is often agriculture Martin Husling

If you look at where a lot of environmental problems stem from, the root cause is often agriculture, said Husling, pointing out that modern agriculture produces much of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions. Converting to organic will help safeguard water, soil and other natural resources a lot, he added.

The Commissions proposal to limit pesticide levels on organic produce would cripple the industry, he said. Though organic farms face strict limits on what chemicals they can use they often sit next to conventional plots, meaning traces of pesticides are impossible to prevent.

If I didwhat theCommission proposed, then Id put all the costs onto the sector thatdoesnt really use chemicals, hesaid. Thats a distortion and an unfairness thatwill pushthe organic industryback into a niche.

Powerful countries such as Germany vehemently opposed the Commissions pesticides plan.Others such as Italy are deeply committedto it. Parliament, meanwhile, underHusling, declared pesticide limits to bean undebatable red line.

The Commissionsaid in December 2014 thatif negotiators did not reach agreementwithin six months it would withdraw the proposal. And yet the talks trundled along, longer than any other legislative negotiation in recent memory, eclipsing even the length of 2013 talks to reform the EUsbyzantineCommon Agricultural Policy.

The impasse, said Soil Associations Christopher Atkinson, came down to incompatible definitions of organic.Its like trying to reach a compromise between deciding whether you drive on the left-hand side of the road or the right-hand side of the road, he said.

Many blameHusling for the gridlock, with several sources saying his inexperience and strong convictions have tried patience and slowed progress to a halt.

I have never been involved in anything as shambolic Julie Girling, Conservative MEP

Its very bad form as a fellow MEP to criticize him, but I find it quite hard not to, said Julie Girling, a Conservative MEP and one of Huslings so-called shadows from another parliamentary group, who is now calling for the reform to be scrapped. I have never been involved in anything as shambolic.

Tim Heddema, a Dutch diplomat who participated in the talks, saidHusling was woefully underprepared forthe largely technical talks. He added that Husling is notoriously difficult to meet in person, which contributes to the huge delays.

When Heddemadid manage to sitdown withHuslings team,Heddema said that they wouldwaste time with philosophical discussions about the nature of organic food rather than delving into nitty-gritty legislative details but then turn around and challengeminor pointsduring the talks.

Parliament made every detail political, he said. There wasnt much love lost.

Husling pushed backat suggestions that he was lax about putting innegotiating legwork, though he allowed thattime constraints and fewer staff at the European Parliament made it impossibleto meet everyone.

Othersources who spoke to POLITICO on condition of anonymity said everyone was exhausted and fed up with the file. Anothersaid thatHusling and his small staff worked ridiculous hours on the dossier.

All the negotiators, including Husling, areadamant that they do want to arrive at a solution, however unlikely one is. But increasingly, industry veterans and policymakers say the organic talks will slide into oblivion, leaving existing rules that open organics to fraud in place.

Jakob Hanke contributed reporting.

Link:

The German Green who fights to keep pesticides in your organic food - POLITICO.eu

Chives bloom at the Student Organic Farm at Iowa State University. Sales of organic produce continue to rise, according to the Organic Trade Association.

Sales of organic food reportedly climbed to record highs in 2016, an indication organics are edging toward the mainstream.

In a new industry report, the Organic Trade Association says American consumers spent $43 billion on organic products in 2016, which accounts for more than 5 percent of total U.S. food sales, a high water mark for the organic industry.

The counter-culture movement that once agitated the food industry from the periphery has grown much closer to conventional says Iowa State University sociologist Carmen Bain.

I think theres a real tension among some producers, organic producers, consumers, advocacy groups, and so forth about what direction to they want organic to go in, Bain says.

With organic products now coming from some of the nations largest growers and processors, such as Driscolls berries and Kelloggs cereals, many early advocates have turned their attention to small, local farms.

Bain says with demand for organic produce continuing to grow, though, more farmers are likely to look toward organic production. It remains a challenge.

Theres opportunities there for organic farmers and there are farmers who want to take advantage of this demand, Bain says. But they need some help in terms of some investment.

She says that could include government or private sector financial help in transitioning land to organic production, such as a program to help sustain profitability during the three years it takes to transition to organic certification. But she says its also important to resolve differences in supports for conventional crops and organic ones, such as crop insurance.

The OTA report also shows growth in sales of organic products such as personal care items and cleaning supplies. Organic produce remains the driver in organic sales, growing last year almost three times as much as the growth in total fruit and vegetable s

Read the rest here:

As Organic Industry Grows, It Edges Toward Mainstream - HPPR

Inside a South Carolina factory, in industrial vats that stand five stories high, batches of algae are carefully tended, kept warm and fed corn syrup. There the algae, known as schizochytrium, multiply quickly. The payoff, which comes after processing, is a substance that resembles corn oil. It tastes faintly fishy.

Marketed as a nutritional enhancement, the oil is added to millions of cartons of organic milk from Horizon, one of the nation's largest organic brands. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, the oil allows Horizon to advertise health benefits and charge a higher price.

"DHA Omega-3 Supports Brain Health," according to the Horizon cartons sold in supermarkets around the U.S.

What the Horizon milk carton doesn't advertise is that some of its contents were brewed in closed stainless steel vats of schizochytrium. This omission avoids any ick reaction from shoppers, but consumer advocates say it also dodges a key question: Is milk supplemented with an oil brewed in a factory really "organic"?

"We do not think that [the oil] belongs in organic foods," said Charlotte Vallaeys, a senior policy analyst, at Consumer Reports. "When an organic milk carton says it has higher levels of beneficial nutrients, like omega-3 fats, consumers want that to be the result of good farming practices. . .not from additives made in a factory."

Exactly what should be considered an "organic" food? A closer look at how the oil winds up in organic milk offers insight into how the U.S. Department of Agriculture determines what foods may be sold with its coveted "USDA Organic" seal, a label that can double a product's price. At least in part, it's a lobbying tug-of-war: On one side, many companies, seeking to maximize sales, push the USDA for an expansive definition of "organic." On the other, consumer groups advocate for a narrower, "purer," definition.

In deciding to allow the use of the oil and similar additives, USDA officials, at least initially, misread federal regulations. In 2012, five years after the algal oil was introduced into milk, it quietly acknowledged that some federal regulations had been "incorrectly interpreted." The USDA then maintained the status quo - allowing the use of algal oil, among other things - in order not to "disrupt" the market.

Asked this month about the issue, a USDA spokesman declined to address the confusion saying that current regulations have been "interpreted to allow for the use of ...(DHA) algal oil in organic processed products."

Whatever the legalities, the Horizon milk with the DHA algal oil is popular. In the past year, consumers bought more than 26 million gallons of the milk supplemented with the DHA, according to Horizon, representing 14 percent of all organic milk gallons sold. Retail sales of the milk topped $250 million in the past year, the company said. The Horizon milk with DHA typically costs about 30 cents more than plain Horizon milk.

"Millions of people choose our Horizon Organic milk with DHA Omega-3 for the added benefits DHA Omega-3s are thought to deliver," a Horizon spokesperson said in a statement, which says the additive may improve heart, brain and eye health.

To critics, though, the popularity is based on a misconception of what is and isn't organic. They argue that supplementing "USDA Organic" products with algal oil betrays consumer expectations that organic foods need no laboratory-inspired razzle-dazzle, and that the nutrients in organic products are good enough without additives.

"Additives just don't have any place in organics at all," said Barry Flamm, former chair of the National Organic Standards Board, which makes recommendations to the USDA. "You might say additives should be allowed for health reasons, but I never saw an additive that you couldn't get in real foods."

Indeed, when milk is produced by grass-fed cows - as required by organic regulations - it contains substantially more Omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk, as recent testing conducted by The Post shows.

Some companies, like Horizon, nevertheless like to boost their Omega-3 claims using algal oil.

Costco does something similar with its Kirkland brand "organic" milk. It adds "refined fish oil" to the milk and boasts of high-levels of Omega-3 fats. But Costco acquires much of that milk from Aurora, a mega-dairy of 15,000 cows in Colorado. According to The Post's nutrient analysis, without supplementation, Aurora milk lagged behind other organic milks in the amount of Omega-3s.

Costco did not respond to questions about the fish oil additive.

The idea for creating the DHA algal oil that goes into Horizon milk is credited in part to Bill Barclay, a scientist whose quest, in many ways, was as idealistic as those who champion organics. He, too, aimed to remedy the modern diet.

For years, a group of scientists had argued that contemporary meals were lacking in substances known as Omega-3 fatty acids, which are commonly found in larger amounts in fatty fish and grazing animals. Since so many farm animals are fed a grain diet and no longer graze - a practice that leads to more Omega-3s in their meat and milk - these scientists argued that supplementing modern diets with more Omega-3s would provide health benefits.

While recent studies have indicated the Omega-3 supplementation does not produce measurable health benefits, the argument among some scientists continues, and many people still turn to fish oil pills to goose up their Omega-3 consumption.

"In the 70s and 80s there was a lot of medical data that DHA could have a significant impact on human health," Barclay recalled in a phone interview.

Fish oil pills had taste and odor problems, as Barclay noted, so he set out to find an alternative source of Omega-3s. He quickly turned to algae. The challenge was finding a strain that was commercially suitable - one that would grow fast and yield the oil. He persuaded his wife to allow him to take out $25,000 from their mortgage and take a year to lay the groundwork for a business.

Somewhere on the coast of Southern California - he won't say where - Barclay came upon the schizochytrium. While lots of algae replicate just once a day, this strain, when fed properly, could replicate five to nine times a day. Others, too, had been looking at algae as a way of feeding NASA astronauts in space.

DSM, which has succeeded Barclay's start-up, now produces the algal oil and has sold it for use in milk, cheeses, yogurt, cereals and protein bars. When destined for food products, the oil is processed without the use of harsh solvents such as hexane, the company said.

The oil is vegetarian, sustainable and "does not contribute to overfishing," DSM said in a statement. "We highly value our organic partners and believe that our products are consistent with the important values of the organic industry, including health and nutrition, quality, and sustainability."

After Horizon began selling the organic milk supplemented with the algal oil in 2007, sales took off.

There was just one problem. The additive might have violated organic regulations.

In January 2012, after five years of sales, the USDA issued a complicated notice in the Federal Register explaining that the USDA's National Organic Program had "incorrectly interpreted" some federal regulations. The result was that some supplements to organic products had been allowed that shouldn't have been. Among those allowed by mistake was DHA algal oil.

"Examples of ingredients added to organic products which are outside [the regulation] include certain forms of DHA...in fluid milk and dairy products," it said.

Several months later, the USDA issued a new "interim" rule regarding the supplements for organic products. Its intention, the USDA said, was to "provide continuity to the organic industry" and to avoid "widespread disruption."

In ruling at least temporarily in favor of algal oil and other additives, the USDA noted that an advisory board had recommended to allow the oil's use in organic products.

"This action enables the industry to continue with the status quo until additional public comments are received and a final rule is published," the USDA said.

Almost five years later, the status quo continues. A final rule has not been published.

That leaves consumers buying an "organic" milk supplemented with algal oil, though many likely don't know that stainless steel vats of schizochytrium are the source of the Omega-3s in the milk. According to Consumer Reports surveys, 7 out of 10 consumers think the USDA should not permit the use of non-organic ingredients in organic food production if they are not deemed essential, Vallaeys said. The USDA position means that millions of people buying milk may be getting something different than the "USDA Organic"- seal seems to promise.

"Algal oil is one of several nutrient additives that have not gone through this proper review and approval process," Vallaeys said. "It's very disappointing that we have yet to see proper enforcement action from the National Organic Program on this issue."

Original post:

How millions of cartons of 'organic' milk contain an oil brewed in industrial vats of algae - Chicago Tribune

Eating food with high levels of pesticides has an adverse effect on the brain, according to a review of existing scientific evidence commissioned by the European Parliament.

The MEPs wanted to know whether organic food was healthier than conventionally grown crops and asked experts to look at the relevant research.

A report based on the reviewsaid a California study had found that children whose mothers had traces of organophosphate metabolites the basis for many pesticides duringpregnancy were more likely to haveadverse mental development at two years of age, attention problems at three-and-a-half and five years, and poorer intellectual development at seven years".

Another study calculated that an estimated 13 million IQ points a year are lost as a result of pesticides, which represents a loss of approximately 125bn (109bn) across the European Union.

The report suggested this figure was likely to be an under-estimation, as it failedto take into account the possible impact of pesticides ondiseases like Parkinsons, diabetes and some types of cancer.

The experts also raisedconcerns about pesticide regulation. While they undergo a comprehensive risk assessment before market release important gaps remain," they said.

"At least 100 different pesticides [are] known to cause adverse neurological effects in adults and all of these substances must therefore be suspected of being capable of damaging developing brains as well," they added.

Organic food, however, contains low pesticide levels and the potential risks to human health are largely avoided.

Professor Ewa Rembiakowska, of Warsaw University, said: There are indications that organic crops have a lower cadmium content than conventional crops due to differences in fertiliser use and soil organic matter, an issue that is highly relevant to human health.

"Organic milk has a higher content of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared to conventional milk, although we cannot currently derive any specific health benefit from this.

And Professor Johannes Kahl said: "We find that people who prefer organic food also have overall healthier dietary preferences, including more vegetables, fruits, and wholegrain products and less meat.

"These patterns are also favourable from the perspective of environmental sustainability."

The report concluded that there was a link between organic food consumption and a decreased risk of allergic diseases, as well as potential benefits for overweight or obesity people.

View post:

Pesticides can cause brain damage and organic food is the future, EU report says - The Independent

Amigo Bob Cantisano has farmed in California since the mid-1970s an array that includes tree fruits and nuts, berries, vegetables and olives, plus flowers and nursery stock. The 65-year-old farmer is on hiatus from working the land as he fights cancer, but hes still tending his most important crop: ideas.

Part of that generation who went back to the land and stayed, this ninth-generation Californian started the first natural foods distribution company in California, and the states first organic farm supply, organic farming conference and organic crop consulting agency.

Growing up in the Bay Area, Cantisano he got the nickname Amigo from a high school girlfriend did not plan for food to be a career. Rather, his work evolved around his circumstances. Living communally in and around San Francisco in the late 1960s, he tore up backyards to garden and feed himself and his friends.

Food became a lot more to think about when, on the first Earth Day in 1970, Cantisano realized that environmental stewardship could be responsible farming and eating. Soon he moved out to Lake Tahoe, and started a food-buying club with friends that became a cooperative grocery. Stocking that meant buying a truck, and starting a route picking up from farmers, Cantisano recalled recently; that route eventually morphed into United Natural Foods, one of the largest distributors of natural foods in the country.

The more I explored, I realized there were lots of opportunities, Cantisano said. Gardening turned into farming, and farming sprouted Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, because he and other organic growers needed access to the right materials. So many customers asked how to use the inputs they were buying that, in the 90s, he started the consulting company Organic Ag Advisors, and began formally helping farmers manage their fields and crops.

While Cantisano started the company to serve an obvious clientele, another set of clients has emerged. For more than 20 years, he has worked with conventional growers on transitioning to organic, or just incorporating organic practices into their vineyards, orchards and vegetable farm systems.

Why would a conventional farmer hire an organic advisor? Dig a little deeper into the ground, if you will and this odd business arrangement makes sense. All farmers are stewards of the land. Organic growers say theyre growing soil first, and crops second; their certification requires evidence of soil protection such as crop rotation plans that cycle fields through different plants and buffer from pests and diseases. Cantisano has been guiding conventional growers for big brand names in nuts, vegetables, fruits and more for decades. Clients in the wine industry show a few reasons why conventional farmers are borrowing from organics.

People are interested in quality, and in how long the grapevines are going to survive. It can cost between [$40,000 and $70,000] to replant an acre, he said, so the incentive to keep the existing plants healthy is big. Plus he said, more often than not, the grower sees a better quality grape, and that translates to better quality wine.

The link between food taste and soil health is just beginning to be explored in the food world, but organic farming habits are bleeding into conventional agriculture. Even farming magazines sponsored by petrochemical fertilizer companies have been running stories about crop rotations. Consumer demand for clean food is influencing the purchasing habits of large buyers in the food industry, and Cantisano helps growers produce food according to standards that are getting defined by the emerging market.

As agriculture begins to change, Cantisano sees polarization as a barrier. Small is called beautiful and big farms, both organic and conventional, are vilified. Yet converting large acreages to organic, he said, is key to transforming the food system. Big farms have the efficiencies we need to feed lots of people, he said.

Cantisanos innovations helped shape natural and organic food production in California and beyond. He hopes he can plant this idea: that the demonization of conventional farmers is detrimental to the consumer desire for better, cleaner food. Cantisano sees commonality in all farmers, and has since he began farming.

I was the only organic farmer for about 30 square miles, he said, recalling a time in the late 70s. Everybody around us was conventional, and I wanted to get along with them because they were nice people; I saw them as allies. So Cantisano sought advice on how his neighbors had farmed before the modern, chemical era. They were glad to share the info, he said. They thought what theyd done was too much hard work without chemicals they thought that chemicals were a godsend.

When this elder in the organic farming movement gets to address the next generation at sustainable farming conferences, Cantisano now plants this thought: 90% of what all farmers do is the same.

Talk to us, he urges beginning farmers, telling them to seek the insight of farmers of all stripes. Creating categories of us and them doesnt help anything, Cantisano points out, especially when there are so few farmers left.

Were an endangered species.

Amy Halloran is the author of The New Bread Basket.

food@latimes.com

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Read this article:

How this ninth-generation Californian got his start in organic farming - Los Angeles Times

Major U.S. food companies are fighting a tough battle as easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat convenience foods are gradually losing sheen. Consumers would earlier take decisions based on taste, price and convenience. However, the scenario is fast changing, as they are becoming increasingly vigilant toward a new set of factors which are upsetting the consumer value equation, thus creating challenges for the food industry.

Trends that have gathered steam in the U.S. in recent years include a shift toward healthier options in the food sector (predominantly fresh foods) and a high level of price consciousness. Additionally, factors such as growing awareness of "clean label" and genetically modified organism or GMOs, increasing concerns related to sugar consumption and growing demand for free-from products are also sketching the food landscape afresh.

This seismic shift in the U.S. food industry is creating hurdles for food behemoths such as General Mills Inc. (GIS - Free Report) , Kellogg Company (K - Free Report) , Mondelez International, Inc. (MDLZ - Free Report) , The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC - Free Report) , and others, thus making it harder for legacy brands to improve sales.

These trends are unlikely to stop. That said, despite all these negatives, there are ample reasons to be optimistic about the future in the food industry.

Healthy/Organic Food Drive to Boost Sales

Food majors are aggressively trying to improve their products through innovations as well as strategic acquisitions and divestitures. Additionally, they are channeling funds toward product and packaging innovation as well as reformulating a number of existing products to meet the rapidly changing consumer view on health and wellness.

Given the scenario, demand for organic food continues to grow in the country. Per the recently released report from Organic Trade Associations (OTAs) 2017 Organic Industry Survey, the American organic sector stayed on its upward trajectory in 2016, gaining new market share and crushing records, as consumers across the country ate more organic products than ever before.

Total organic sales were $47 billion in 2016 in the U.S., reflecting new sales of nearly $3.7 billion. This comprised $43 billion of organic food sales, the first time the American organic food market has broken the $40-billion mark. Organic food sales increased 8.4% from 2016, significantly surpassing the stagnant 0.6% growth rate in the overall food market. Sales of organic non-food products increased 8.8% in 2016, outstripping the overall non-food growth rate of 0.8%.

This growth trend is expected to accelerate in the coming years as food makers are going all out to boost the supply of organic ingredients, as well as increase investment in infrastructure and education.

Apart from innovations and the drive toward organic ingredients, companies are also pursuing a spate of multi-year restructuring initiatives with focus on improving operational efficiency to generate cost savings and supporting its key growth strategies. For example, Kraft Heinz has implemented many cost-saving initiatives including the integration of Kraft Foods and Heinz. The company plans to save $1.7 billion in annual costs by the end of 2017 (up from $1.5 billion earlier expected), primarily focused on work-force reductions along with factory closures and consolidations. As of first quarter 2017, the company realized cumulative savings of approximately $1.3 billion.

Though the companies sales have been relatively soft, cost savings have led to better margins. Again, savings are being re-invested in the business for innovation, brand building and marketing to stimulate top-line growth.

Stocks to Bet on

Given the positive momentum, we may zero in on some food stocks that have gained in the current scenario and have the potential to further grow. Moreover, the stocks have been witnessing an uptrend in earnings estimate revisions and have outperformed the Zacks classified Food-Miscellaneous/Diversified industry in the last one year. With the help of the Zacks Stock Screener, we have handpicked five stocks from the industry based on a favorable Zacks Rank and other relevant metrics. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performance of Food-Miscellaneous /Diversified Industry vs. Stock Picks

SunOpta Inc. (STKL - Free Report) is an operator of high-growth ethical businesses, focusing on integrated business models in the natural and organic food, supplements and health and beauty markets. We remain optimistic about this Zacks Rank #1 company. Interestingly, in the last one year, the stock surged more than 97%, outperforming the 0.4% loss of the industry. The company is expected to grow 15% in the next five years, faring a lot better than the industrys average of 10.2%.

ARAMARK Holdings Corporation (ARMK - Free Report) offers food services, facilities management, uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities, school districts, stadiums and businesses. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock has climbed 16.3% in the last one year against the industrys weak performance. The stock has a trailing 12-month ROE of 19.13% compared with the industry average of 11.27%. It has a VGM style score of A and a 35 year expected growth rate of 12.8% (higher than the industry).

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) is a supplier of frozen potato, sweet potato, appetizer and vegetable products to restaurants and retailers. On Nov 10, 2016, Lamb Weston completed the previously announced spin-off from Conagra Brands Inc. (formerly ConAgra Foods Inc.). On the same day, the company's stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "LW". This Zacks Rank #2 stock has rallied 58.3% since it started trading, surpassing the industrys weak 5.8% growth. It has a dividend yield of 1.62%, higher than the industry average of 0.22%.

MGP Ingredients, Inc. (MGPI - Free Report) produces and markets ingredients and distillery products to the packaged goods industry. The stock holds a Zacks Rank #2 and increased 53.7% in the said period. The company is expected to grow 15% in the next five years, faring a lot better than the industrys average. Its trailing 12-month ROE is currently pegged at 22.54%, a lot better than the industry one. The company surpassed earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters, resulting in an average beat of 27.09%.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC - Free Report) is engaged in manufacturing, marketing and distributing spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and other flavorful products to the food industry. The company has raised its dividend annually for 30 years consecutively. The stock returned 7.1% in the last one year, outperforming the industrys performance. The stock has a trailing 12-month ROE of 28.03%, a lot higher than the industrys 11.27% level.

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Excerpt from:

5 Food Stocks for Healthy Gains on Organic Food Trend - Zacks.com

While the growth rate is cooling slightly from 2015, organic produce sales were up strongly in 2016.

Gaining 8.4% compared with the previous year, organic fruit and vegetable sales increased to $15.6 billion in 2016, according to the Organic Trade Associations 2017 Organic Industry Survey.

By way of comparison, organic fruit and vegetables sales in 2015 were $14.4 billion, up 10.5% from 2014, according to the 2016 OTA Organic Industry Survey.

The fruit and vegetable sector accounted to nearly 40% of all organic food sales in 2016, and the 8.4% growth rate compares with the overall 3.3% gain for total fruit and vegetable sales, according to a news release from the OTA.

While the OTA estimate includes both fresh and processed organic fruits and vegetables, the Organic Trade Association said in an e-mail that fresh produce has generally accounted for around 90% of the organic fruit and vegetable sales, with the remaining sales accounted by canned, frozen, or dried organic fruits and vegetables.

The survey, produced in February and March by Nutrition Business Journal for the Organic Trade Association, said that organic fruits and vegetables now make up almost 15% of the produce that Americans eat.

The organic industry continues to be a real bright spot in the food and ag economy both at the farm-gate and check-out counter, Organic Trade Association CEO and executive director Laura Batcha said in a news release.

Batcha said there are challenges to the categorys growth.

We need more organic farmers in this country to meet our growing organic demand, and the organic sector needs to have the necessary tools to grow and compete on a level playing field, she said. That means federal, state and local programs that help support organic research, and provide the organic farmer with a fully equipped tool kit to be successful.

Disparity in estimates

The survey numbers from the organic association differ widely from the United Fresh Produce Associations FreshFacts on Retail report, which pegged organic produce sales at retail (not including processing or foodservice outlet sales) at $4.46 billion in 2016, up 13.2% from 2015. Whats more, the United Fresh numbers from Nielsen Fresh said organic sales in 2016 accounted for 9% of all fresh produce sales. The 9% organic market share number from FreshFacts is 40% below the OTAs 15% estimate for organics share of the produce market.

According to The Packers 2017 Fresh Trends survey, about 28% of about 1,000 consumer polled said they typically buy some organic produce when they shop.

Catherine Greene, economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said 2014 estimates from the agency using IRI retail scan data put the market share of organic vegetables at about 7% and organic fruit at about 6%. The USDA estimates for organic penetration may be a little low, she said, considering rising imports of organic fruits and vegetables, the organic price premium at retail and climbing organic production in the U.S.

Greene said that the USDA relies on estimates from the Nutrition Business Journal to help shape their total estimate of the organic food market. Those annual estimates of retail organic food sales from the Nutrition Business Journal which are distinct from the OTA survey are typically about 8% lower than the estimates found in the annual Organic Trade Associations survey,

The Organic Trade Association survey polling 200 companies and various data sources is the most inclusive estimate for organic sales and the most accurate, the association claims. While the Nielsen Fresh estimate primarily looks at scan data from conventional supermarkets, the OTA survey includes mass market stores (which includes the conventional retail supermarket chains, mainstream grocery stores, big box stores, and warehouse clubs) as well as national organic/natural grocery chains and regional organic/natural/health food stores. The OTA estimate also includes farmers markets and online sales, according to the group.

The OTA survey, according to the association, has been finding for the past few years that over 50% of organic food sales are now through mass market retailers, around 40% through natural/specialty retailers and around 10% through farmers markets and other channels like online sales.

Link:

OTA: organic produce sales gain 8.4% in 2016 - The Packer

[Editors note:Bjorn Lomborgis director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and avisiting professor atCopenhagen Business School.]

There are no health benefits from eating organic food. And it is likely worse for the environment.

Back in 2012, Stanford Universitys Center for Health Policy did the largest comparison of four decades worth of research comparing organic and regular food. They expected to find evidence that organics were nutritionally superior.Their conclusion: Despite the widespread perception that organically produced foods are more nutritious than conventional alternatives, we did not find robust evidence to support this perception.

A brandnew review this year shows the same thing: Results of scientific studies do not show that organic products are more nutritious and safer than conventional foods.

A big study in Europe found that to produce the same gallon of milk organically, you need 59% more land. To produce meat, you need 82% more land, and for crops, it is more than 200%.That adds up to a lot of forest and nature being turned into farms for people in Portland, Ore., or Providence, R.I., to feel better about their choices at the supermarket.

If U.S. agricultural production wereentirely organic, it would mean wedneed to convert an area biggerthan the size of Californiato farmland.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Organic food is great business, but a bad investment: Bjorn Lomborg

See more here:

Video: Organic food is a great business but a bad environmental investment - Genetic Literacy Project

[Editors note: Hank Campbell is president of the American Council on Science and Health.]

I was at a meeting with an agriculture executive and he handed me a print-off from the Whole Foods website, their Organic landingpage. A few things were highlighted. Can that be right? he asked.

[B]elow is a copy, with the sentences I am going to discuss highlighted.

4.No toxic or persistent pesticides or herbicides

Dr. Steve Savage, writing on Science 2.0, cleared that up formy home state of California, the one place where every application of science has to be logged and that accounted for:

6. No GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

Genetic modification has been done throughout agricultural history. Without it, our corn would still be grass. Mules are artificial selection, they are not found in nature, and have existed for 3,000 years. Whole Foods has genetically modified crops, but they were createdusing techniques like mutagenesis, which existed before GMOs. Since CRISPR/Cas-9editing is not a GMO, will Whole Foods still block them out? Almost certainly. Activist groups have found a fundraising goldmine in being anti-GMO, they are not going to give that up, they will switch to being anti-CRISPR, the way Greenpeace switched from being against nuclear bombs to saving whales from fishing.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:9 Ways Whole Foods Is Lying To You

Originally posted here:

10 ways Whole Foods misleads consumers about organic food and farming - Genetic Literacy Project