Organic Bytes
Newsletter #844: FRAUD ALERT: Eggland’s Best Is Misleading Consumers!

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FRAUD ALERT

Eggs with “Superior Nutrition” from “Humanely” Caged Hens Packaged in “Environmentally-Friendly” Polystyrene?

By Alexis Baden-Mayer, Political Director at OCA:

The Organic Consumers Association is suing Eggland’s Best for allegedly misleading consumers by marketing its “Classic Eggs” as:

Coming from caged hens that are “always handled … humanely” and have space “adequate for normal function and behavior.”
Delivered “in the most environment-friendly way” in polystyrene cartons that are “recyclable” and accepted by “more and more communities . . . in their recycling programs.”
Providing “Superior Nutrition” including that the eggs contain fewer calories, and less cholesterol and total fat, than “ordinary eggs.”

Contrary to Eggland’s Best’s claims that its eggs are superior to “ordinary eggs” in environmental sustainability, animal welfare, and nutrition, Organic Consumers Association alleges that Eggland’s Best eggs are:

Laid by hens who are raised in cages that are not adequate for normal function or behavior;
Packaged in polystyrene that is neither “environmentally friendly” nor generally recyclable; and
Not nutritionally superior to other eggs.

To view the complaint, follow this link.

If you don’t appreciate Eggland’s Best’s misleading claims about its eggs, let them know by commenting on their posts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Read more here and here

SUSTAINABLE HARVESTING

6 Experts Share Why They Love Spring Foraging

Stephanie Gravalese writes for Forbes:

“As warmer temperatures make their way across North America, the landscape slowly changes, from forests to lawns, showing signs of the new growth of spring. While landscapers, gardeners, and weekend warriors are ready with mowers and clippers in hand to banish the onslaught of weeds, there is a community of foragers, herbalists, chefs, and foodies who are clamoring to lace up their hiking boots and with guidebooks in hand, harvest tender shoots and greens to add to their tinctures, spirits, and meals.

We spoke with six chefs and foragers passionate about the season, all eager to share their tips and insights. From ethical and sustainable harvesting to proper storage and preparation of your finds, their perspectives offer a comprehensive guide to safely foraging and incorporating these seasonal ingredients into your spring dishes.”

Learn about the wild food that grows all around us

NEW STUDY

PFAS: Researchers Recommend a Thorough Review of Food Packaging 

Cristen Hemingway Jaynes writes for EcoWatch:

“New research by environmental scientists with Switzerland’s Food Packaging Forum Foundation has uncovered 68 per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) ‘forever chemicals’ in food packaging — including plastic, paper and coated metal.

Used by manufacturers for decades in products like nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, cosmetics, firefighting foam and food packaging, more than 12,000 of the human-synthesized chemical compounds are known to exist, according to the study.

’There are thousands of these chemicals,’ said Birgit Geueke, co-author of the study and a senior scientific officer with Food Packaging Forum, as New Scientist reported. ‘We wanted to get a picture of what is known about the presence of PFAS in food packaging.’

Scientists have discovered that PFAS have adverse health impacts, leading to many being banned, reported Phys.org. Recent research has demonstrated that the toxic substances can migrate into food.”

Read more

HEALTHY LIVING

Why Organic Mustard Seed Powder Is an Essential Kitchen Staple

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola:

“STORY AT-A-GLANCE:

Mustard seed contains compounds that inhibit cancer proliferation. It also contains compounds that augment the cancer-fighting potential of other cruciferous veggies, delivering a double punch when combined
For this reason, I recommend keeping organic mustard seed powder in your kitchen at all times. Mustard seed powder can also be used to whip up homemade topical remedies, such as plasters and baths to relieve pain
A compound found in brown mustard seed lowered the risk of bladder cancer by 34.5% and was 100% effective at preventing the spread of cancer into surrounding muscle cells
The enzyme myrosinase is critical for the conversion of glucosinolates into isothiocyanates — chemoprotective compounds. While all cruciferous veggies contain some myrosinase, you significantly boost conversion by eating them together with a particularly myrosinase-rich food such as mustard seed powder
Cooking can also affect the health benefits of cruciferous vegetables. To maximize health benefits of broccoli, steam it for three to four minutes. Do not go past five minutes”

Read more

SAVE THE BUTTERFLIES

Millions of Monarch Butterflies Have Gone Missing: You Can Plant Milkweed To Help

By Mia Taylor, BBC:

“Monarch populations are teetering on extinction, their numbers down to 5% of what they were a few decades ago. Here’s what to know and the simplest way to help.

Decades ago, monarch butterflies were so plentiful that the sound emanating from overwintering groves filled with the brightly coloured insects flapping their wings was described by observers as being akin to a gentle summer rain or a rippling stream. In some cases, tree branches would even collapse under the weight of clusters of monarchs. But recent overwintering counts of the western and eastern migrating monarchs conducted in California and Mexico make clear that gatherings of that magnitude are part of a bygone era.

In the forests of central Mexico, where eastern monarch butterflies have long wintered, the species were estimated to occupy a mere 0.9 hectares (2.2 acres) during the 2023-2024 winter season. That’s 59% less than one year earlier, when the butterflies occupied 2.2 hectares (5.5 acres) – according to the results of an annual survey released this week by the World Wildlife Fund and its partners.”

Read how Monarch caterpillars are 100% reliant upon milkweed for food and more

The Xerces Society Milkweed Finder: Best Milkweed Plants for Your Region

“Native milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) are essential for monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) caterpillars and support a diversity of pollinators with their abundant nectar. By including milkweeds in gardens, landscaping, wildlife habitat restoration projects, and native revegetation efforts, you can provide breeding habitat for monarchs as well as a valuable nectar source for butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects. We have created this comprehensive national directory of native milkweed seed vendors to help you find sources of seed. To learn more about monarch butterflies and how you can participate in conservation efforts, please visit the Xerces Society’s Monarch Butterfly Conservation page or the Monarch Joint Venture webpage.”

Check out the milkweed finder map

SUPPORT OCA & RI

Planting the Seeds of Resilience

We all talk about resilience. But what does that mean?

Resilience is what protects us from the hard times and the unexpected. Resilience is our ability to adapt.

We need resilience in our lives, but we also need to build resilience in the systems we live in.

We have spent years planting the seeds of resilience, campaigning for the kind of system change that will ensure a better future: healthy food, clean environment, regenerative farming, honest business, honest politics, a sustainable economy, human scale lifestyles that honor community and individual rights.

We are working for you and we are working with you to create a better future.

With your continued support, we can create resilient health, agricultural and environmental systems so that we—and those who come after us—can continue to thrive.

Please consider making a donation to help us continue this vital work.

Make a tax-deductible donation to Organic Consumers Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Make a tax-deductible donation to Regeneration International, our international sister organization

Click here for more ways to support our work

TAKE ACTION

Anti-Supplement Bill: FDA Wants to Restrict Access to Supplements

By Alliance for Natural Health USA (ANH-USA):

“After we defeated his anti-supplement bill in 2022, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is trying to do the same thing again. Let’s make sure he doesn’t succeed.

Action Alert! Write to Congress and tell them to oppose efforts to establish a “mandatory filing” for supplements. Take Action Below.

Sen. Durbin is planning to reintroduce his legislation to require mandatory product listing for dietary supplements.
This is an unnecessary regulation that will restrict consumer choices, putting us on a road to high-dose supplement restrictions with no basis in safety or public health.
It is another instance in which the FDA shows its loyalty to drug companies by slapping needless red tape on its competitors in the natural product industry.

It’s time, once again, to defend our supplement access in the face of an FDA / Big Pharma / Sen. Durbin onslaught. We’ve done it before, and we can do it again—but not without a powerful grassroots response telling Congress NOT to restrict our supplements.”

Take Action

GENERATIONAL LEGACY

Sisters Create Model for Conservation and Sustainability

Jonathan Groveman, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS):

“This Friday, meet fourth-generation cattle ranchers Nancy, Merry, and Susie Calhoun of Livermore, California. Inspired by their parents, these sisters have a deep love for natural resources and agriculture. They’re focused on being a model for other ranchers, particularly female ranchers, on all things related to conservation and sustainability.

From the pride they share at seeing monarch butterflies flying around their property and the vast number of endangered species that inhabit their streams, the Calhoun sisters are proud of the legacy of their ranch and plan to pass it down to the next generation when the time comes.

‘We’re driven to save endangered species on our property,’ said Merry. ‘We love to watch the turtles and frogs in our ponds and sustain those species for future generations. We get to see the fruits of our labor here and we love that.’”

NEW FILM

The Blunder That Changed Chickens Forever

Film by Max Tobin, produced by Tom Heyden of BBC:

This is the story of how one mistake gave birth to the 50-billion-dollar US chicken industry. For most of history, chickens were kept for eggs, not meat. That all changed 100 years ago after this one error – capitalised upon by one very entrepreneurial American woman.

Watch it here