Jun. 13, 2015

Whole Foods Market's new program Responsibly Grown is drawing heat from grocery chain's longtime organic suppliers, who complain program can give conventional growers higher rankings than their own organic produce; company's stock fell 14 percent in May and its gross profit margin fell below 36 percent, signalling possible damage from competition with mainstream grocery chains. MORE

Estimated 5,000 independent natural products retailers are headed by former activists and health food pioneers now reaching retirement age and facing decision on whether to close, sell to strangers, or turn business over to their children; familial business transitions can be difficult and complicated, and experts say taking the time to get outside advice in planning the turnover can be critical to to ensuring stable second-generation ownership. MORE

Group of consumer and environmental advocates, grocers and seed growers files lawsuit against Agriculture Dept, challenging change to rules for granting approval for nonorganic substances used in organic farming. MORE

Textile company Coyuchi offers completely organic, watercolor bedding. MORE

Animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere releases troubling video of laying hens at Northern California farm that supplies eggs to Whole Foods and Organic Valley; owners of Petaluma Farms claim group is distorting conditions under which its eggs are raised; incident raises questions over whether such video footage can be misleading. MORE

Boris Akimov, Russian founder of organic farm cooperative LavkaLavka, hopes ban on food imports from the West will boost Russia's fledgling farm-to-table movement; Akimov found himself flooded with requests from grocery chains after Pres Vladimir Putin imposed ban in retaliation for Western sanctions. MORE

Agriculture Dept plans to announce that it will spend $52 million to support local and regional food systems like farmers' markets and food hub and to spur research on organic farming. MORE

Small fast food chains are making a splash in the restaurant industry by offering enticements like grass-fed beef, organic produce, sustainable seafood and menus that change with the season; all are thriving, despite higher costs and prices, and are planning national expansions. MORE

Comprehensive review of earlier studies to be published in British Journal of Nutrition finds substantially higher levels of antioxidants and lower levels of pesticides in organic fruits, vegetables and grains compared with conventionally grown produce; findings stop short of claiming that eating organic produce will lead to better health. MORE

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