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ORGANIC
Org a nic Consum er s A sso ci at ion
BY TES
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F o o d & C o n su m e r N e w s W e e k ly

Alert   Send a Letter to the Editor:

Organic Food IS More Nutritious
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was nothing wrong with our industrial agri-
New FDA Report Says Mercury Fillings
Are Safe—But Are They?
Last week, the FDA issued a controversial final regulation stating dental
culture and chemical food system? Wouldn’t it be a relief to learn that amalgam is safe, including the elemental mercury component. Elemental
it doesn’t matter whether we buy organic or conventional food, because mercury has been linked to adverse health effects, and one of the leading
there isn’t really any difference in their nutritional value? Last week, the forms of exposure is through dental fillings. The new regulation classifies
corporate media, responding to a biased article in the British press, slan- the dental amalgam into a moderate risk category. Despite the news, OCA’s
dered the now mass-based organic food and farming movement with analysis suggests if you have the option to choose an alternative filling, a
headlines reading: “Organic Food No Better Than Conventional”. plethora of scientific research suggests it would be in your best interest.
Unfortunately, the articles are in reference to a new study which actually organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18737.cfm
did show some nutritional benefits to organics. In addition,
chemical and energy intensive industrial farming degrades Headlines of the Week
the soil, pollutes the environment, and destabilizes the cli- Quote of the W e ek Organic is More Important Now than Ever
mate with CO2, methane and nitrous oxide greenhouse gas OCA’s National Director, Ronnie Cummins,
pollution. Food produced with agri-toxic chemicals loses its speaking at the Kickapoo Country Fair
nutritional value, while organic farming replenishes the soil, last week on the past, present and future of
sequesters climate destructive greenhouse gases, and pro- role of organic and sustainable agriculture.
duces food which is safer and far more nutritious. Forty years organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18736.cfm
of field trials and research have clearly demonstrated the Navajo Nation Approves Green Jobs,
superiority of organics, but no doubt your local media out- Rejects Fossil Fuel Economy
lets probably missed this point when reporting on the bogus “The Navajo Nation Council is the first tribal
“organics are no better” story which was planted in the UK government to approve green jobs legisla-
media. Learn more and take action: tion. It will support renewable energy and
organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18743.cfm energy efficiency and sustainable manufac-
turing and agriculture based on the tribe’s
Food Safety Act Passes House traditional methods...”
The US House of Representatives passed the Food Safety Pesticide Link to Childhood Leukemia
Enhancement Act, H.R. 2749, late last week. This was the sec- “Patients with childhood leukemia have ele-
ond attempt to pass the bill. Representative Dingell’s willing- vated levels of household pesticides in their
ness to address the concerns of organic and small producers urine, according to a new study by the
was one of the factors that eased passage the second time Georgetown University Lombardi Compre-
around. It’s now up to the Senate to move similar legisla- hensive Cancer Center...”
“The food industry, in alliance
tion. The Organic Consumers Association will be organizing To Test or Not to Test Organics for GMOs
with pharmaceutical and big
its members to contact the Senate to ensure that their ver- “Should organic products be tested for genet-
biotechnology companies, has waged
sion has stronger language to protect small producers from ically modified organisms (GMOs)? An edu-
a long, often cynical campaign to con-
a regressive fee structure and burdensome tracking require- cational session at All Things Organic
vince the public that mass-produced,
ments, and organic producers from conflict with National conference in June sparked a lively debate
chemically-assisted and intensively-
Organic Program regulations designed conserve wildlife over the need to test organics for GMOs with
farmed products are just as good as
habitat. organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18709.cfm experts arguing for and against testing...”
organic foods, despite mounting evi-
Study Finds Pesticide-free Diet May be
OCA Web Forum Food Safety Debate dence to the contrary.” -A Cancerous
Beneficial for Children
Conspiracy to Poison Your Faith in
There’s been a lot of debate online about the good and bad “Parents who feed their children organically
Organic Food by Joanna Blythman,
aspects of the Food Safety Enhancement Act, and it appears grown food can substantially lower the lev-
The Daily Mail, 31 July 2009
members of OCA’s web forum have made up their minds to els of pesticide residues to which their kids
sort out the issue themselves. One of the more recent hot top- organicconsumers.org/articles/ are exposed, according to a new study...”
ics in the forum is in regards to that very issue, and here is article_18716.cfm Read these articles and many more at
what one web forum participant had to say about it. The fol- OCA’s website: www.organicconsumers.org
lowing is posted by OCA web forum member, Kevin, a Horticultural Sci-
entist from the University of Georgia: Your Can Make a Better World
“Who is the government trying to protect? Not us! This is all just another We want to continue fighting the good fight, as well as bringing you
way to assure the big trade corporations can continue to import poisoned Organic Bytes, but we need your donations to survive these financially
produce. Think about it, this is just going to make it tougher for American difficult times. If you enjoy Organic Bytes and believe the world is a better
farmers to make a living. The majority of our produce is imported as it is, place with OCA’s nonprofit work, please consider donating today. Any size
about 60%, why should we have to put out more money to make even less donation is helpful and appreciated.
profit?... Go out and tell everyone you know to buy local or at least Amer- Donate online at: organicconsumers.org/donations.cfm
ican grown crops. Eventually, these trade companies will go out of busi-
ness and we will regain a foothold on our food market...”
organicconsumers.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=2818

Writ ten and edited by Cr aig Minowa & Ronnie Cummins · Please post, distribute, & subscribe: organicconsumers.org/organicby tes.cfm
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