Agrarian Elders Alarmed by the Direction of Organic

The Agrarian Elders, a group of farmers who were the pioneers of organic and sustainable farming, are voicing their concerns about the direction of the organic food movement. The Elders fear the organic food industry is leading consumers away from the traditional methods of sustainable farming and into industrialized mechanisms. The word “organic” in itself is losing it’s connection to the farm, soil, and natural surroundings, and now invokes the image of huge manufacturing plants where inspectors in white coats stamp foods with the organic label. The Elders say the factory farms and importing of foreign produce and goods is undermining the principles of organic food, and preventing young people from getting into agriculture. They respectfully requested that the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) reconsider the research of the Cornucopia Institute and other non-profits when making decisions for the organic industry. In fact, The Cornucopia Institute is suing the NOSB due to agribusiness members being appointed the seats on the board that are set aside by Congress for organic farmers. These appointments are very disheartening, and has caused organic farmers and consumers to lose trust in the Board, who should be concerned with protecting the public. We here at iEat Green share the concerns of the Agrarian Elders, and appreciate organizations like theirs and The Cornucopia Institute who look out for the well-being of the public and the environment. We invite our readers to sign up for The Cornucopia Institute newsletter and donate whatever you can to this wonderful organization.

Check Out the 2016 EWG’s Sunscreen Guide

It’s the time of year to think about your sun exposure and what sunscreen you purchase. Many people think they are doing a good thing for their skin by using sunscreen, but please check out this guide put out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) before slathering yourself or your kids with sunblock. The best tip from the EWG is to use sunscreen as a last resort – wear layers, find shade, plan to be out after the hottest part of the day, etc. Many sunscreens are filled with toxic chemicals that are worse for your body than sun exposure – in fact, it’s necessary to have daily sunshine for some natural vitamin D and mood boosting endorphins. The EWG has lists specific to beach/sport sunscreens and children’s sunscreens, so check out the link and see which one applies to you. Always choose a non-toxic sunscreen, read the ingredients list, and remember that sunscreen is the last line of defense, not the first!

How the Good Food Purchasing Policy is Changing LA Schools

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is the largest public school district in California, with 1,100 schools that serve 650,000 meals a day. The district adopted the Good Food Purchasing Policy, which holds food growers and distributors to 5 values – local, sustainable, humane, fair, and healthy. Since LAUSD adopted the Good Food Purchasing Policy, local small to mid-sized farm purchases have increased, and kids in the district now have a healthy, balanced lunch. Local farms have a guaranteed customer in the district, which is a huge benefit to the community, rather than giving more money to large corporations. Using the policy, LAUSD decided not to renew its policy with Tyson chicken, stating the company did not hold itself to the 5 values of the policy and didn’t deserve the city’s tax dollars. This is a great example to other schools and businesses in the country – contracting local farms and business is viable, and in fact hugely beneficial to the community, to the kids, and to the food system. Tyson lost the largest school district in California due to its poor practices. We can change the face of the food system one contract at a time!