Weekly Top 5: Organic News You Need to Know #39

Produce Industry legend Joe Procacci dies at 90

Joseph G. Procacci, a produce industry legend known for reshaping the U.S. tomato market with Santa Sweets Grape tomatoes and UglyRipe heirloom tomatoes, has died. He was 90.

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Study shows how organic agriculture can feed 9 bil’ by 2050

A worldwide conversion to organic farming can contribute to a comprehensive and sustainable food system, if combined with further measures. This was shown in a new study led by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, which has recently been published in the renowned scientific journal "Nature Communications".

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Door to Door Organics is no longer in business.

After 20 years of delivering organic food to customers doorsteps, Door to Door Organics announced it is closing their online doors. The operations were closed abruptly Friday wit a statement posted on their website’s homepage. “It is with a heavy heart that we reach out to you today to share that effective Friday, November 17, Door to Door organics will cease operations,” the company posted.

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USDA: consumer confusion over organic ‘exploited’ by single-trait label claims

Consumers have influenced the evolution of food policy in the United States for over a century. Consumer interest in credence attributes has continued to expand during the last few decades. Larger segments of consumers care, for example, about how crops are grown and whether livestock are humanely raised. This demand is driven by considerations of personal health, animal welfare, environmental impacts, and other factors. In response, companies have added a lot of information about health and production methods to their packaging. Consumers now face a profusion of claims, including “natural,” “low-sodium,” “cage-free,” “heart healthy,” and “non-GMO” (does not contain genetically modified organisms).

Read the study here. 

Congressman LaMalfa Co-sponsors Bill for Increased Organic Research

Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) has joined the growing bipartisan effort to increase funding for the USDA Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI). As a co-sponsor of the Organic Agriculture Research Act (HR 2436) Rep. LaMalfa joins fellow Agriculture Committee member, Congressman John Faso (R-NY) and California Congressman David Valadao (R-CA) and 50 other Members of Congress who have signed on to support the bill.  

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get."

Frank A. Clark