Practice Not Purity: The Truth Behind the Organic Label
by Nica Poznanovich - Community Market's Board President
With the organic industry’s rise in popularity, more and more farms and producers are searching for weaknesses within the organic standards in order to cash in on the trend of the century. Understanding the truth behind the USDA’s organic label is essential in the preservation of our demand for a healthy food system. If we don’t protect the brand, the organic label program is finished and will disappear overnight. For the first time since the organic standards were established in 1986, the USDA is revising their biotech rules and regulations. This is the time when both consumers and retailers must come together and demand for the purity of food rather than just systems to produce it. It is important to realize that Community Market doesn’t want you to stop trusting or buying organic products; you are always getting a superior product by going organic, but we will never stop working to make the label as meaningful and strong as possible.
full article »
Watering Down Organic Standards
by Nicholas Smith - Community Market's Marketing Director
It’s safe to say that the term “organic” has finally hit mainstream America. At this very moment, American consumers can buy organic products in grocery stores that, not long ago, were completely devoid of any products with a USDA organic label. Proponents of organic foods have worked for over 20 years to educate the American public about growing foods sustainably, humanely, and environmentally, and they are seeing their hard work beginning to pay off. Yet, as much as we should be thrilled to see our views on food being acknowledged by the general public, we must continue to watch, with a skeptical eye, many of the companies we place our trust in to grow, package, and deliver our organic products. Two such companies who are currently being scrutinized are Aurora Dairy and Horizon Organics (Owned by Dean Foods).
full article »
WHY SHOP LOCALLY?
by Nica Poznanovich - Community Market's Board President & Front End Manager
As of July 2009 Merriam-Webster’s dictionary has added ‘locavore’ to its pages, thereby cementing its presence into our global lexicon. Re-prioritizing the way we view our food and the global resonance of that food supply, has been an aim of Community Market since its conception. When asking yourself why shop locally, there are three main components one must consider; the economical, environmental, and psychological impacts.
full article »
AMERICAN HERBALISM
by Nicholas Smith - Community Market's Marketing Director
Most Americans grow up without ever being able to identify five plants in their region, much less their medicinal properties. With the rise of modern medicine, the healing techniques of our ancestors is labeled as archaic and pushed aside to make room for a growing industry of overpriced pharmaceuticals. (One must question the contradiction of dismissing traditional medicine as primitive, yet at the same time, administering plant-derived drugs such as atropine, codeine, ephedrine, morphine, and quinine; to name a few.) Unlike in Europe, and specifically in Great Britain, there is no standard training and certification program for herbalists in the US. To practice phytotherapy in the States, one must seek out alternative schools (which tend to be costly without the option of school loans) or rely on self education.
full article »
