A Hand-Holding Consumer Guide to GMOs

Original article by Analiese Paik on Fairfield Green Food Guide

Due to a healthy and growing anti-GMO movement, consumers are more aware than ever of just how prevalent GMOs are in our food supply. It remains a challenge, however, to identify and avoid GMOs at retail because labeling initiatives continue to falter. I feel compelled to do a little hand-holding by giving consumers a holistic framework, along with some tools, for determining which products are GMO and which aren’t. Whole foods, processed single ingredients, and processed foods will each be treated separately for the sake of clarity and user friendliness. I’m not going to list every single processed ingredient or food (there are good apps for that and they’re listed below), so feel free to add your own wisdom (responsibly) in the comments section at the end.

Note: Technically (for those who will take me to task on this), we’re talking about GE, or genetically-engineered foods here, not genetically modified, although GMO is the terminology that’s most commonly being used (GE is a subset of GMO). These are foods that are made from crops produced from patented GE seeds whose DNA has been altered through the introduction of foreign DNA (transgenic) by biotech giants Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, DuPont and Dow, not modified through cross-pollination. GE seeds are sold to farmers under license and have been developed to resist the application or herbicides or produce their own pesticides (or both). As current GE crops grow resistant to herbicides and plant pests, next generation GE crops are being developed, including a corn that will also withstand the application of 2, 4-D, the main ingredient in Agent Orange.

Look for processed foods with this seal to avoid eating GMOs.
Fact: GMOs have not been tested for safety in humans, animals or the environment. 

Whole Foods

Most soybeans (sold fresh as edamame or dried as soybeans), some fresh sweet corn, half of all Hawaiian papayas, and a small amount of zucchini and yellow crookneck squash are GMO. Salmon and apples are on the way. Most cotton and canola is GMO, but we only eat ingredients made from their seeds, principally oils (see next two sections). GM sugar beets are processed into sugar (see next two sections). Most GM corn is used as animal feed and some is processed into meal and flour that’s used to make chips and other foods (see below and next two sections).

Wheat and rice are not genetically engineered, although a lot of people think they are (there are test fields mind you). Rather, they have been cross-bred (genetically modified) to barely resemble the ancient grains they descended from (and so has non-GMO sweet corn for that matter), and many people claim to react badly to them. Buy ancient grains like kamut, farro, spelt, emmer, and einkorn instead if you want to avoid modern durum wheat.

There is no way of knowing whether a whole food item is GMO since labeling isn’t mandatory, so we’ll have to engage in some reverse logic to figure it out. If the item is labeled USDA Organic and/or Non-GMO Project Verified, then it’s non-GMO. Advice: Buy your sweet corn, zucchini, and crookneck squash in season from an organic farmer and buy only organic soybeans and organic or non-Hawaiian papaya to avoid GMOs.

This is a short list and relatively easy to master, but we’re not done. Unfortunately most animal products come from livestock raised on GMO feed or from dairy cows administered synthetic (GE) growth hormones (rBGH, rBST) to boost milk production. While the animal itself is not genetically engineered, the food they eat is, and that raises health and safety concerns since no long-term GMO animal feeding trials have been conducted. Additionally, studies have shown that cows administered synthetic growth hormones have higher levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) than non-treated cows. Some studies have shown increased blood levels of IGF-1 to be a risk factor for prostate, breast, colorectal, lung and other cancers. Canada and all EU member countries have banned the use of rBGH/rBST over its health risks for both humans and animals.

Dairy Products

Milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, cream cheese, sour cream, and all other dairy products are commonly made from milk from cows administered rBST/rBGH and/or fed GM corn and soy. To avoid GMOs, choose USDA Organic or ask your farmer how they raise and what they feed their dairy cows. Even if a product label says the cows were not administered synthetic growth hormones, they could still be fed GM corn and soy, hence the emphasis on organic.

Animal Products

Most chicken, beef, lamb, pork, and farm-raised fish are products of animals fed GM soy and corn. Look for wild fish and grass-fed, organic or “pastured” meat and poultry. Consult our Guide to Grass-Fed Beef when shopping in Fairfield County.

Processed Single Ingredient Products

" All of our products originate from identity-preserved, non-GMO seeds.
This means that the seed planted in the ground is non-GMO." photo c/o Bob's Red Mill

While the number of actual GE crops that is processed into single ingredients is small – corn, soybeans, cottonseed, and canola – many single ingredient products are made from them. Advice: Assume single ingredient products listed below are GMO unless labeled USDA Organic and/or Non-GMO Project Verified or the company expressly states that they only use non-GMO, identity preserved grain (yes, this really exists and sells for a premium) like Bob’s Red Mill. This is where mobile apps that list ingredients by brand get really useful (see below for apps).
When it comes to oils, choose authentic extra virgin olive oil for most cooking and sunflower, safflower and grapeseed oil for a neutral taste or high heat cooking. Even organic canola oil is in question due to possible cross-contamination from GM canola fields.
Corn and Its Derivative Products:
Blue and white corn are non-GMO and popcorn is non-GMO.

1. Corn oil – even those labeled natural or all natural can be GMO, look for organic
2. Corn syrup
3. Corn sugar
4. Corn starch
5. Cornmeal – polenta and grits
6. Masa, masa harina (hominy) – look for organic or Bob’s Red Mill, which is identity preserved

Sugar Beets:

1. Sugar – half our sugar supply is made from GM sugar beets; look for “cane sugar” on the label or USDA Organic

Canola Seed and its Derivative Products:

1. Canola oil – most  is GMO, use grape seed instead

Cotton Seed and its Derivative Products:

1. Cottonseed oil – most is GMO, use grape seed instead

Soybean and its Derivative Products:

1. Soybean oil
2. Soybean flour
3. Soy milk
4. Textured soy protein (TVP)

Processed Food Products

This is the most complicated group of products to analyze thanks to the large number of ingredients each product contains and because industrial derivatives of corn, soy, canola and cottonseed often bear names that obscure their origins. It is estimated that between 70-80 percent of all processed foods contain at least one GM ingredient, like soy lecithin, which is even found in chocolate bars. Therefore, it’s a good bet to assume that the cookies, chips, bread, ice cream, beer, and granola bars on the shelf contains GMOs. Advice: Go straight to those labeled USDA Organic and/or Non-GMO Project Verified to ensure a non-GE product. Use the apps recommended below to look up products by brand. Additionally, Trader Joe’s insists that their private label products are all non-GMO and some Whole Foods Market private label (365 brand) products are non-GMO, but not all.

Trader Joe's doesn't label their private label products as Non-GMO, but they are.

A few surprising processed products that can be GMO:

1. Mirin – the cornstarch and koji enzymes can be GMO (choose Eden Foods brand)
2. White vinegar – can be distilled from GM corn
3. Miso – from GM soy
4. Tofu – from GM soy
5. Soy/veggie hot dogs, bacon, and burgers – from GM soy
6. Soy sauce- from GM soy
7. Tamari – from GM soy
8. Tempeh – from GM soy
9. Baby formula – from GM soy
10. Beer – from GM corn
11. Spirits – from GM corn

A number of large, multinational food companies (Nestle, Kraft, Coca-Cola, General Mills) own organic brands but nonetheless supported California’s “No on Proposition 37″ campaign with large monetary contributions. California voters became convinced by this campaign that food prices would go up and frivolous law suits would ensue, so they voted down the measure which would have mandated the labeling of GE foods in the state (and of course tip the rest of the country).

My advice is to express your displeasure by boycotting their products, organic or not. Skip the Horizon Organic, Cascadian Farm, Green & Black, Bear Naked, Godiva, Honest Tea, and Muir Glen products (see a complete list here or refer to the infographic).

Buy solid, independent organic brands that backed Proposition 37 including Nature’s Path, Lundberg Family Farms, Organic Valley, Frontier and Amy’s (see more here or refer to the infographic).

Recommended Mobile Apps

The Non-GMO Shopping Guide has a free iphone app called ShopNoGMO that’s available for free download on iTunes. This handy shopping guide organizes foods the same way they’re grouped in your grocery store.

      

The Center for Food Safety/True Food Network has a popular  iPhone, iPod, iPad and Android shopper’s guide app called True Food that’s also available for free download on iTunes.

      

QAI makes predictions for organic industry in 2023

Coming on the heels of the 10th anniversary for USDA Organic as federal law, QAI (Quality Assurance International), a leading certifier of organic and gluten-free products with 23 years of experience, has unveiled its 10-year prophecy for the organic industry based on its more than two decades of experience. This year, QAI has certified more than 55,000 products in more than 48 U.S. states and 10 countries.

“QAI was founded the year before the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 was passed by Congress. We’ve been active with organic since its formative years,” said QAI General Manager Jaclyn Bowen. “We realized we have a huge database of organic statistics and knowledge that we could share to help the industry plan for a more organic future.”

“Our 23 years of experience in organic certification, helping a diverse range of customers and stakeholders to deal with such a wide range of industry and products related issues, helps us to support the industry whatever the organic future holds. We believe the organic industry’s future is bold and broad, rigorous and accessible, more mainstream and less fringe,” said Bowen.

QAI examines both past and present organic milestones to answer the question: Where will organic be by the 20th anniversary of USDA Organic? QAI’s Organic Forecast for 2023 is as follows:

Prediction #1: Stricter Organic: The USDA’s National Organic Program and National Organic Standards Board will bring even more rigor to the federal regulations in terms of specificity for practices and allowed substances and practices. Government oversight will make it more difficult for “organic” to be used loosely as a marketing term, i.e. “Organic Café” or “Organic Resort.”

Prediction #2: Food Safety Fusion: The organic food supply will fuse with food safety and other “product integrity” programs, adding more disciplined food safety practices that are audited and certified at even the smallest of farms and plants. Organic and food safety audits will be increasingly synchronized. QAI anticipates continued growth in the offering of multiple audits so companies may bundle organic, gluten-free, kosher, and/or numerous food safety audits into one thorough audit and inspection.

Prediction #3: Harmonic Convergence: International standards for organic will be harmonized with USDA organic, removing former obstacles to international trade. The U.S. also will move closer to its European neighbors in Non-GMO verification and labeling requirements.

Prediction #4: Sustainably Organic: Increased focus on companies’ impact on biodiversity, water and soil conservation will translate to additional sustainability metrics in organic practices. As the spirit of organic is to grow in harmony with nature, each farm and company’s environmental impact will be under more scrutiny.

Prediction #5: Transparency Made Tangible: Consumers need to know and trust the sourcing of the products they buy will drive total transparency in the organic production chain, and make QR (quick response) codes – already introduced by QAI in July 2012 - commonplace for all organic certificates and on packaging. The USDA Seal for organic will remain credible, and online tools will be used by consumers to see the credibility of each product’s organic claims.

Prediction #6: No More Shopping Gaps: Practical steps will be taken to be more inclusive and steps will be taken to include new or emerging industry sectors. This will make organic certification available in sectors currently excluded in the regulations – like aquaculture/seafood. It also will address underserved categories like dietary supplements, pet food, personal care, cleaning supplies, fiber and flowers. If it starts with a plant, mammal or fish, it can be certified organic. Consumers will be able to find certified organic products in all sections of the supermarket and pharmacy.

Prediction #7: Organic Literacy is Evident: After years of some confusion in the marketplace, efforts by the NOP, Organic Trade Association, and retailers pay off in increased consumer literacy for organic. Land grant universities also help increase knowledge in organic through their own research initiatives and increase in organic and sustainable agriculture tracks.

Prediction #8: Accessible Organic: Larger organic production, from farm acreage expansion to processing facilities, will translate into organic landing where it is most needed: schools, hospitals, food banks, convenience stores and in mainstream America’s home.

These predictions are a drastic shift from the industry environment that was in place in 1989, the year QAI was founded. During this time there was no federal program for organic in existence and the industry was 100 percent self-regulated. At the time, there were an estimated one dozen organic certification agencies operating in North America, and the USDA reported 5,328 U.S. organic growers with only 2,264 certified.

By 2002, the year USDA organic became federal law, there were an estimated 25 organic certification agencies accredited by USDA, thus giving them legal authority to certify farming, livestock and handling practices in compliance with the newly codified federal regulations for USDA organic. USDA statistics showed 7,323 organic farms with 1,925,534 total acres in organic production. QAI conducted 639 distinct organic certifications in 2002 for customers in 42 states and 11 countries.
As the organic industry enters 2013, the USDA lists 87 accredited certifying agencies, 49 of which are based in the U.S., and a total of 17,281 organic farms and processing facilities in the U.S. certified to USDA organic standards, a 136 percent increase since 2002. USDA’s most recent survey shows organic acreage has grown to 3,648,896 acres, a growth of 89 percent since 2002. The OTA reports current industry sales at $31.5 billion, a 9.5 percent growth rate over the prior year. QAI’s growth mirrors the organic industry’s growth with 1,681 distinct certifications, a 163 percent increase over 2002.

[via New Hope 360]

Big Food Wants GMO Labels

Are Wal-Mart and Big Food Lobbying the FDA for a GMO Labeling Law?

Could it be that consumer backlash has dulled the enthusiasm of biotech cheerleaders? Or is Big Food just cozying up to the FDA so they can derail the growing anti-GMO movement?

 

High-level executives from some of the U.S.’s largest food corporations are meeting with the FDA behind closed doors this week to lobby for a mandatory federal GMO labeling law. Could it be that bad press and consumer backlash have dulled the enthusiasm of these former biotech cheerleaders? Or is Big Food just cozying up to the FDA so they can derail the growing organic and anti-GMO movement and finagle a federal labeling law so toothless it won’t be worth the ink it takes to sign it?

According to informed sources in Washington, DC, representatives of Wal-Mart, General Mills, Pepsi-Frito Lay, Mars, Coca-Cola and others are meeting with the FDA this week. Wal-Mart came under fire recently for selling unlabeled and likely hazardous GMO sweet corn in its stores. General Mills, Pepsi, Mars and Coca Cola have been the targets of numerous consumer boycotts, including a social media-powered boycott of "Traitor Brands: "natural” and organic brands whose parent companies contributed millions of dollars to defeat Prop 37, the Nov. 6 California Ballot Initiative to label GMO foods and ban the routine industry practice of marketing GMO foods as "natural" or "all natural."

The “Traitor Brands” boycott, initiated by the Organic Consumers Association, has been gaining steam as other groups pick up the flag. The boycott hasn’t gone unnoticed by company executives, either. Honest Tea CEO Seth Goldman sent the OCA a letter defending his brand’s position, a position not unlike the one taken recently by Ben & Jerry’s.  Both companies absolve their brands of any responsibility for their parent companies’ donations to the NO on 37 campaign, claiming that they have no say in corporate-level decisions.

But a look at the Facebook pages of some of the "Traitor Brands" reveals consumers’ anger and sense of betrayal. Brands like Honest Tea, Kashi, Muir Glen, Naked Juice, Cascadian Farms, Horizon, Silk, and Ben & Jerry’s, once sought out by quality-conscious, loyal consumers willing to pay a little extra for organic, sustainably produced products, have been tarnished by their association with the hardline anti-right-to-know policies of Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Pepsi, Dean Foods, and Unilever.

Add to that the growing controversy surrounding the pending commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) salmon; the prospect of upcoming high-profile GMO labeling legislative battles in Vermont and Connecticut; and I-522, a major ballot initiative working its way toward a November 2012 vote in Washington State, and it makes sense that the Big Food elite may be preparing for a tactical retreat from the largest food fight in U.S. history.

Is it possible that the threat posed by the growing grassroots GMO labeling movement has prompted a number of Fortune 500 corporations to abandon Monsanto and the biotech industry, and rethink the PR and bottom-line costs of clinging to their anti-right-to-know positions? After all, it’s not as if these companies are incapable of making GMO-free products. Though many Americans don’t know it, Wal-Mart, General Mills, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle, Unilever, Kellogg’s, Starbucks - even McDonald’s - are GMO-free in Europe, thanks to strict GMO labeling laws.

Maybe Big Food, faced with the inevitability of states passing mandatory GMO labeling laws, is ready to throw in the towel? As Jennifer Hatcher, senior vice president of government and public affairs for the Food Marketing Institute, explained in November, big food corporations are happy they headed off mandatory GMO labeling by defeating Prop 37 in California but,  “. . . we hope we don’t have too many of them, because you can’t keep doing that over and over again . . .”.

Or is this just a case of Big Food and indentured FDA bureaucrats conspiring to confuse consumers and slow the momentum of the nation’s fast-growing right-to-know and anti-GMO movement? Is this a “bait and switch” deal to get us to shut up, a tactic to derail the grassroots Movement that appears on track to pass strict GMO labeling laws in Washington, Vermont and Connecticut this year?

We should be wary of any compromise deal at the federal level, one that would preempt the passage of meaningful state GMO labeling laws that have real teeth. We don’t want to end up with a law like the one Japan passed in 2001. That law exempted all GMO foods except corn and soy from being labeled, allowed up to 5% GMO content in individual ingredients, and exempted cooking oils and other foods where transgenic DNA is difficult to detect. Similarly, a GMO law passed by Brazil under pressure from consumers and farmers contained no real requirements for enforcement, until a recent court decision against Nestle.

And let’s not forget what happened in late 2010 in another closed-door meeting, when members of the “Organic Elite,” including Whole Foods, tried to engineer a compromise with Monsanto and the USDA over “co-existence” between GMO alfalfa and organic crops.

Grassroots activism and marketplace pressure can bring about major changes in corporate behavior and even in public policy. When major food corporations, under pressure from consumers, break ranks with Monsanto and the biotech industry, GMO public policy and marketplace dynamics change dramatically.

The consumer-led rejection since 1994 of Monsanto’s recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone by family-scale dairy farmers and major dairy brands has kept rBGH marginalized. Currently less than 10% of U.S. dairy cows are injected with Monsanto’s (now Elanco’s) rBGH, a hormone linked to increased risk of cancer in humans, as well as major animal health damage. Thanks to consumer pressure, many leading dairy brands in the U.S. are labeled as “rBGH (or rBST) free;”  while rBGH is banned outright in Canada, Europe, Japan, and most industrialized nations.

In 2000, McDonald’s, Burger King, Pringles and McCain opposed Monsanto’s genetically engineered “New Leaf” potatoes. Their opposition kept these Bt-spliced “Frankenspuds” off the market. 

Similarly, opposition to Monsanto’s GE wheat in 2003, not only by U.S. wheat farmers, but also by General Mills and Frito-Lay, killed the commercialization of this multi-billion dollar crop. And it was consumer pressure that forced Starbucks and other coffee brands to keep GE coffee off the market.

If it’s true that Wal-Mart and a number of big food corporations are ready to compromise and allow labels on genetically engineered foods, don’t hold your breath for the Obama Administration’s FDA to quickly change course. For 20 years FDA bureaucrats, led by Michael “Monsanto” Taylor, the Obama-appointed FDA Food Safety Czar, have blocked all attempts to require mandatory federal GMO labeling. Our best chance to regain our right to know what’s in our food and begin to drive GMOs off the market is to stay on the offensive. We need to pass mandatory GMO labeling laws in the current frontline states of Washington, Vermont and Connecticut, and we need to step up the pressure on Food Inc. with our boycott of their “Traitor Brands."

And even after we win mandatory GMO labeling on produce and processed foods, which will realistically take at least several years, we will still need to fight for labels on GMO-fed, factory-farmed meat, dairy, and eggs, a more comprehensive labeling law that even the EU does not yet have in place.  At least 80% of GMO crops grown in the U.S. are destined for animal feed in factory farms. If we’re going to stop these environmentally disastrous farming practices, we’ll have to demand labeling of factory-farmed food. And that will require an unprecedented campaign of public education, direct action, and grassroots mobilization, similar to the campaign we are already waging for GMO labeling.

Hats off to the thousands of activists and millions of consumers and voters who have made GMOs and GMO labeling burning issues in the U.S. Wal-Mart and the Big Food lobby would not be sitting down behind closed doors this week asking the FDA to take action if it were not for the growing online/marketplace/political activism of our nationwide organic anti-GMO movement. But, as more and more of us understand, this monumental food fight is not just about labeling GMOs. We are fighting, as well, for a healthy and sustainable food and farming system, a green and equitable economy, a stable climate, and a real democracy where citizens, not corporations and their indentured politicians, rule. 

[via Food AlterNet / By Ronnie Cummins]

Winter Warmer: Pear Nog

Serve up a twist on the traditional, festive drink this holiday season that your whole family and friends will enjoy and love!


Ingredients:
• 1 pear peeled, cored and cut in chunks
• 1 cup of egg nog (dairy or soy)
• 2 ice cubes cracked
• Dash of cinnamon


Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend at high speed for 15 seconds. Makes 2-3 kid-size servings, or 1 1/2 cups.

About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby, www.FreshBaby.com.

Free “Real Food” Meal Plans

The folks over at 100 Days of Real Food have created 5 free “real food” meal plans to help busy families; making things a little easier for those want to cut out processed food.  According to their website, if you follow the instructions below to download the meal plans then this is what you’ll get:

• Five 7-day practical “real food” menu plans designed for busy families
• Complete meals listed each day for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner with leftovers incorporated.
• Food quantities calculated for a family of four.
• Corresponding complete grocery list showing what to buy in order of the store and actual cost for each item (as opposed to the price per serving) with seasonal ingredients highlighted on Meal Plans 3 – 5 so purchases can be made from your local farmers’ market if desired.
• Budget-friendly prices that are close to what a family of four would receive on full food stamp (SNAP) benefits– $167/week – with plenty of additional cost-saving opportunities because:
  • Coupons were not used
  • Sales prices were not used
  • Prices for organic items were used in most cases
  • If you follow this plan you will end up with some leftover food (like granola, eggs, flour, butter, marsala wine, and corn meal) that can be incorporated into recipes the following week
• All underlined recipes are available on 100DaysofRealFood.com – check out the Recipe Index for a full list.
• All recipes are working mom/dad-friendly including tips on what to make in advance over the weekend.
• Almost every item listed follows our strict 10-day pledge rules, with just a few minor exceptions to keep the plan realistic for those busy working parents.

Here’s the scoop on how to download Meal Plans 1 – 4:

1. Go to the “Meal Plans” link on the 100 Days of Real Food Facebook Page (you must be logged in to your Facebook account or create one).
2. Click “like” if you are not already a fan.
3. Click on the image of the meal plan you would like to download.

And this is how to get a hold of Meal Plan 5:

1. Become an email subscriber by entering your email address on their website and following the instructions.
2. You will receive an email that contains both a link to activate your subscription and a link to the 5th meal plan. Be sure to check your spam box if you don’t see it right away.

Tired of the Same Old Vending Machine Junk?

Tired of the same old junk in vending machines? Now there are some new tools to do something about it and implement nutrition standards to vending machines in your office, city, or state. With two-thirds of Americans overweight or obese, it’s time to ensure healthful options are more available.

More and more people are interested in healthier snack options. According to a 2010 study by the Snack Food Association, about 74% of consumers are trying to eat healthier, with about 65% eating specific foods to lose weight. Instead of selling unhealthy food and beverages, which contribute to obesity and chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, cancer), your city, state, worksite, hospital, or university could ensure access to more healthful options. Offering healthy options demonstrates a commitment to addressing obesity and helps organizations that are working on nutrition and obesity to “walk the walk.”

The National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) recently completed model beverage and food standards for vending machines and a model policy to implement them. The vending standards could be used:

• In your own office building;
• In a state or local bill to require healthy vending standards on state/local property (agency buildings, state parks, highway rest stops, etc.);
• To encourage a hospital, university, or organization to move to healthy vending;
• In an agency policy, executive order, regulation, or other executive branch approach to implement vending standards in states or localities; or
• As standards for any other location with a vending machine.

The vending standards, model policy, and additional resources are available at www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/foodstandards.html.  NANA also is working to develop a list of products that meet the vending standards and a factsheet about the impact of healthy vending standards on revenue, and to identify success stories. To share success stories about vending or food procurement policies, for more information about healthier food choices on public property, or to discuss how you might use the NANA model standards, please contact us at kbishop@cspinet.org.

Margo G. Wootan is the director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), one of the country’s leading health advocacy organizations that specializes in food, nutrition, and obesity prevention. Dr. Wootan received her B.S. in nutrition from Cornell University and her doctorate in nutrition from Harvard University’s School of Public Health. Wootan co-founded and coordinates the activities of the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) and the Food Marketing Workgroup. She has coordinated and led efforts to require calorie labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants, require trans fat labeling on packaged foods, improve school foods, reduce junk-food marketing aimed at children, and expand nutrition and physical activity programs at CDC. Wootan has received numerous awards and is quoted regularly in the nation’s major media.

Katherine Bishop is a nutrition policy associate at the CSPI. Ms. Bishop received her B.A. in political science from the University of Rhode Island, and her M.S. in nutrition and M.P.H. in public health from Tufts University. Prior to working at CSPI, Ms. Bishop spent four years in the Massachusetts Legislature, as Legislative Aide then Legislative Director to a State Representative. In addition, during graduate school, Ms. Bishop worked with the Massachusetts Public Health Association and the Nutrition Policy Department at the World Health Organization.

This piece was originally published on the communitycommons.org blog on 1/2/2013: http://www.communitycommons.org/features/tired-of-the-same-old-vending-machine-junk/

9 Steps to Start an Organic Garden

Jodie Frey, Assoc Dean and Dir of Recreation Services works at Lafayette Organic Garden near Metzgar Fields on Sullivan Trail in Forks Township.

With an increased focus on pesticides and contamination, many people want to incorporate more organic foods into their daily meals. Sometimes, these organics are priced significantly higher than the conventionally grown counterparts. If you have the space, start your own organic garden to help save money!

1) Prep the Soil

Healthy plants need healthy soil. Your organic veggies and herbs will need tons of nutrients from the soil and chemical treatments can deplete the soil. Other chemical fertilizers can harm helpful bacteria, microbes, and worms.
If you’re super serious about getting your organic garden done right, get a sample of soil and have it tested by your local agricultural office. You can let them know you plan to go organic and they will be able to help you tailor your gardening program based on what’s needed in the soil. Any nutrients you need to add should be added before winter.
Finally, make sure your soil has lots of humus. Humus is a mixture of plant materials that have decomposed. Add in some composted manure and you’ve got a recipe for success! When using manure in your gardening and composting, be sure it’s exclusively from plant eaters like cows, sheep, goats, and chickens. Never use manure from meat-eating animals.

2) Composting

Composting is one of the best things you can do for your garden, whether its organic or not. Compost feeds your plants, helps to eliminate weeds, and keeps food waste out of landfills. In order to make a good compost pile, you’ll need a minimum of 3 square feet, lots of  “brown material” (leaves, grass clippings, garden trimmings, etc), and lots of  “green material” (kitchen scraps and manure). Fill your compost bin with these types of materials and make sure it’s topped off with about 6 inches of soil. Each time you add a new layer of green or brown material, toss your compost pile to make sure things are mixing and decomposing evenly. You should toss it with a pitchfork, hoe, or shovel. In 2-3 months, you’ll have lush compost ready for your garden!

3) Choosing Your Plants

No matter how great your soil is, if you don’t have the right plants for your area, they won’t grow. It’s important to check the USDA’s Hardiness Zone map to find out if the plants you want will grow well. Once you choose your plants, you can begin to outline your garden and where each type will be planted to ensure its sun, shade, and moisture needs are being met.
Be sure to seek out certified organic plants and/or certified organic seeds. You may be able to find them at big box stores, but you’re better off at your local garden shop or an area farmer’s market. Most of your herbs and vine veggies grow best from the seed, so be sure to start your seedlings in late winter or early spring.

4) Planting

After you’ve chosen your plants, be sure and plant them in a way that is well suited for each plant. Raised beds are preferred for anything you’ll harvest such as cutting flowers, herbs, or vegetables. Plant vine veggies in long rows so they have lots of room to spread out. Plant your herbs in rows, but in closer clumps to discourage weed growth.

6) Watering

Of course, you’ll have to water your plants. Whether you water by hand or set up an irrigation system, the best time to water your plants is in the morning. It’s not very hot and there usually isn’t much wind, so the plants will be able to absorb the maximum amount of water. Be sure to water the roots and not the leaves. If leaves have water droplets on them when the sunlight shines on the plant, it can create a magnifying glass situation where the sun will burn the leaves.
Water your plants with lots of water, but only 1-2 times per week. To save water and help the plants keep their temperatures regulated, collect rainwater and use it to water your garden. If you don’t want to use collected rainwater, try using your filtered water so as not to reintroduce any contaminants back into the soil (and into your plants).

7) Weeding

Want to get some exercise? Get out in that garden and weed by hand! Hand-weeding is the best way to remove weeds because you’re not using any kind of sprays or chemicals. To cut down on the number of weeds, use your compost and if needed, use organic mulch on the top of your beds. Organic mulch will decompose into the soil. In a pinch, you can also use burlap fabric between the plants.

8) Protect from Pests

Bugs are a part of everyday life. Some will be beneficial for your plants, others won’t be. If you need to protect your plants from little critters, encourage predators like frogs, lizards, birds, bats, and ladybugs to hang out in your garden. Also, the more you diversify the plants in your garden, the less chance for a mass of bugs to hurt them. If you do need to spray your plants, look into Neem oil. Neem oil comes from the Neem trees in India and is a powerful bug repellant. Other plants (and their oils) like Citronella and lemongrass will help to repel bugs.

9) Harvesting

Finally, your hard work paid off and you get to reap the benefits of your labor. During the peak season of your various plants, you’ll need to check your garden everyday. Check the plant information for the best times to harvest your herbs and vegetables. If you have too much for you and your family, give some away or freeze and/or can your veggies. You can also fill ice trays with olive or sunflower oil and put fresh herbs in the oil. Freeze the oil cubes and this will help keep herbs fresh for a long time.
As you start thinking about warm weather, don’t forget to start planning your garden for spring. You’ll have tons of fresh, organic veggies all year at fractions of the cost. Happy planting!

[via Greener Ideal]