Reply #13: Whole Foods is selling out. This happened back in October 2005 >>>

[Dover]

Can't recall what happened with this issue. Does anyone remember?


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Were you aware of the recent stealth moves by Congress (lobbied by big grocers) to 'streamline' the organic foods issue by allowing in all sorts of nonorganic, synthetic ingredients?

Were you aware that many organic brands such as Muir Glen are being bought up by the food giants.

Organic has taken off and now the big guys want a piece of the market, but it's too costly for them to actually become organic, so instead they just lower the bar on what is to be considered 'organic'. Consumers need to stay on top of this issue or face having no control over what goes in their bodies. It affects us all very directly:

October 12, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

Congress Feels Heat from Consumers Over "Sneak Attack" on Organic Standards by Food Processors & Grocery Chains
More Than 250,000 Write Congress to Stop Industry "Rider"

Agricultural Appropriations Bill Could Allow Hundreds of Synthetic Substances & Non-Organic Ingredients in Organic Production without Public Comment and Strict Review
Washington, D.C - As Congress finalizes the 2006 Agricultural Appropriations bill in the House/Senate Conference Committee, more than a quarter million consumers have mobilized in the last three weeks from a broad cross section of the U.S. to stop an industry-sponsored "Sneak Attack" on Organic Standards contained in a "rider" to the bill. Members of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) have bombarded Congress with over 150,000 letters and 30,000 phone calls, heading off passage of the "Sneak Attack" rider in the U.S. Senate. Members of other groups including Citizens for Health, Health Freedom, Consumers Union, Public Citizen, the National Cooperative Grocer Association, and the Center for Food Safety have cumulatively generated more than 110,000 additional letters to congress against the industry rider.

The Sneak Attack rider would lower organic standards by allowing Bush administration appointees in the USDA National Organic Program to approve hundreds of synthetic substances and processing aids in organic products. Even worse, these proposed regulatory changes would reduce future public discussion and input and undermine the National Organic Standards Board's (NOSB) traditional lead jurisdiction in monitoring standards and controlling what substances are allowed on the "National List" of approved ingredients. What this means, in blunt terms is that USDA bureaucrats and industry lobbyists, not consumers, would have near total control over what can go into processed organic foods and products.

The backlash is also growing among many retailers, co-ops and some makers of organic foods. Eden Foods, a longtime organic industry brand leader and processor issued a statement on October 3 condemning the "Sneak Attack." Since then 200 businesses have joined OCA's campaign to Save Organic Standards. "Eden Foods strongly objects," said Eden Chairman and President Michael Potter. "As the oldest and a founding member of the organic foods industry that has never employed shortcuts, we believe that the fast, cheap, and easy route is counter productive in organic food production." A copy of the Eden Foods statement along with OCA's petition for businesses may be found online at http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/edenfoods100305... .

Newly emerging organic industry giants such as Kraft, Dole, Dean Foods/Horizon, Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats, Aurora, Smucker, and General Mills seek a streamlined "expedited" approach to modifying organic standards and inclusion of synthetic substances in processed organic foods in order to meet the booming public demand for organics, now a $15 billion industry. "The Organic Trade Association's credibility on organic standards has been severely tarnished by their 'Sneak Attack rider' and new cozy relationship with Kraft and other food giants who apparently care more about their bottom line than they do about strict public review and maintaining strict organic standards. These American food giants, with freshly painted organic facades, appear to be looking for an easy way to brand their products as 'organic' when in fact the rider they support would seriously undermine current organic standards," stated Ronnie Cummins, co-founder and National Director of the OCA. "After 35 years of hard work, the U.S. organic community has built up a multi-billion dollar alternative to industrial agriculture, based upon strict organic standards and organic community control over modification to these standards. For the sake of the earth and the health of all Americans, we must stop this sneak attack by industry and preserve strict organic standards,"
More information may be found at http://www.organicconsumers.org
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General Mills buys out Cascadian Farms:

http://bschool.washington.edu/ciber/PDF_WORD/Cascadian_Farm_case_Laverty.pdf


1

Cascadian Farm a.k.a General Mills1

September 2004

The General Mills2 executives gathered in the conference room grew visibly uncomfortable as

the discussion on the video screen took a surprising turn.

“I feel betrayed. But I suppose I should have known that this is what big business is like.”

“I don’t think that I am going to buy Cascadian Farm products again.”

“Shouldn’t their packages have to say who makes this stuff?”

Just a few minutes before, the executives had exchanged nods and smiles as they watched the

video of the focus group. The focus group participants had been singing the praises of Cascadian

Farm3 until Aaron, a twenty-something environmental engineer from Seattle, said: “Isn’t

Cascadian Farms owned by General Mills?” The animated conversation temporarily ceased.

When others spoke up, it was clear that this comment had affected the group.

“Yes, it’s true. Cascadian Farm wants you to believe that it’s a small, local company, but it’s

actually owned by General Mills.”

“Wow. This makes me a lot less interested in Cascadian Farms. I don’t think I’m going to buy

their stuff any more.”

“I like supporting small, local companies, not agribusiness.”

***

It was early January 2004. The team of executives gathered at the Minneapolis headquarters of

General Mills Inc. for a daylong series of meetings to discuss several of their smaller food

brands. In the present session, they were to view and analyze the video of a focus group in

Seattle that had discussed Cascadian Farm products in early November 2003.

General Mills had purchased the Cascadian Farm brand in 1999 as part of its acquisition of Small

Planet Foods4, headquartered in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. Cascadian Farm was a well-

1 This case was prepared by Associate Professor Kevin J. Laverty, Business Administration Program, University of

Washington, Bothell. Funds were provided by The Global Business Center (Home of UW CIBER) at the University

of Washington under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

2 http://www.generalmills.com/

3 http://www.cfarm.com/cfarm/default.asp

4 http://www.cfarm.com/

2

recognized brand in the natural foods industry, producing organic5 products in several food

categories: frozen fruits and vegetables, prepared dinners, and jams and jellies.

Cont'd (link above)