Have you noticed how hard it is to find organic pet food?

Purina recently discontinued its only USDA Organic line, Castor & Pollux, but there’s still Tender & True, an independent brand that was the first pet food to earn the USDA Organic seal (in 2014).

One of the reasons the pet food market hasn’t developed is lack of regulations. If the USDA doesn’t have rules for organic pet food, they’ve got nothing to enforce when there’s fraud. That makes investing in organic certification risky. You might have to compete with fakes.

That problem was about to be solved with organic pet food regulations that were finalized earlier this year, but now the Trump administration says they’re cancelling them.

The lack of those regulations threatens the credibility of the organic label in the pet food industry.

This doesn’t just hurt pet food producers. As the TruthAboutPetFood.com reports, “If these regulations are cut, there would be nothing in place to prevent an organic feed grade pet food from sourcing substandard animal products from diseased animals, uninspected animals, condemned animals, or animals deemed unfit for human consumption.”

Yuck!

TAKE ACTION: Save Organic Pet Food Standards!

This Father’s Day, the Organic Consumers Association encourages you to buy Dad gifts from farmers certified by the Real Organic Project, an add-on USDA Organic certification that was founded to support earth-grown organic after the National Organic Program changed its rules to allow berries, greens, and other fruits and vegetables to be grown in plastic pots—without soil! Want to bake Dad a treat? It’s strawberry-rhubarb pie season! Real Organic farms near you have rhubarb and strawberries unlike any you can find in a grocery store. When you compare their taste to those plastic-grown Driscoll’s berries, you’ll rediscover what a strawberry really is!

Here are three Real Organic farms that ship nationwide and are generously giving us a percentage of their sales for our Father’s Day fundraiser:

Frey Vineyards, in Redwood Valley, California, is America’s first winery to be organic (since 1980) and biodynamic (since 1996), Frey makes no-sulfites-added wines that are Real Organic, too. If you send Dad something from Frey, make sure to show him how to “Celebrate Fridays the Freyway.” Frey Vineyards generously gives 25% of every purchase to the Organic Consumers Association–and you get 15% off–when you use the code ORGANICCONSUMERS.

The Naked Botanical in Mendham, New Jersey, is a Real Organic herb farm specializing in herbal teas (bagged and loose), herbal salts, elderberry tonics, salves, simple syrups, ginger shots, hydrosols and flower essences. May we suggest the Weekend Warrior Muscle Salve? The Naked Botanical gives 10% of every purchase to the Organic Consumers Association.

Andi’s Way, in Cumming, Georgia, is a family farm that grows organic wheatgrass, sunflower greens, and pea tendrils, great sources of Vitamins A, C, E, K, B-6, potassium, fiber, Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Pantothenic acid, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium and protein. You can be sure you’re getting the maximum nutrition from Andi’s Way sprouts because, as a Real Organic farm, they grow them in organic soil fertilized with an amazing nutrient-dense compost blend. Send Dad a box of Andi’s Way juices. Andi’s Way gives 5% of every sale to the Organic Consumers Association–and you save 5%–when you use the code ORGANICCONSUMERS.

For great gift ideas check out OCA’s Real Organic Father’s Day Gift Guide

Elizabeth Kucinich, The Kucinich Report:

“I write this as someone who has long worked across ideological divides to bring people together around shared values of health, freedom, and stewardship of the land. I have dedicated my life to helping heal the broken systems that shape our food and our future.

I write this with deep respect for the courage it takes to lead, and with a profound commitment to the principles that unite us: The right to nourish our families, the freedom to protect our health, and the responsibility to care for the land that sustains us all.

This is a call to action for leaders, for the MAHA community, and for every American who believes that a healthy future is worth building, and where necessary, fighting for!

If you were harmed by a product that caused cancer, infertility, or liver disease, would you expect to have the right to seek justice in a court of law? Most Americans would answer yes. No one understands that principle better than America’s farmers, who have long been both stewards of the land and, increasingly, frontline victims of chemical harm.”



Read about The Chemical Industry’s Playbook: Liability Shields, Legal Immunity, and the Erosion of Rights

Peter Dowdall, Irish Examiner:

“Watching a sunflower rotate with the sun, seeing a robin hop between branches as you weed, or noticing how the light shifts through a canopy of leaves, these aren’t grand moments, but they are transformative. They ground us and give us time to pause.

Dr Rowe explains that awe can reduce stress, ease negative self-talk, and even improve physical health by slowing heart rate and boosting immunity. He uses the acronym AWESOME to describe the benefits: Awe is an Antidote to stress, it brings Wonder and inspiration, Enhances health, raises Satisfaction with life, fosters Other-centred connection, sparks More curiosity and creativity and strengthens Emotional wellbeing. I think most gardeners would say, without knowing the science, that their garden makes them feel exactly that, awesome.

But awe in the garden isn’t just about the general ambience. Certain plants have been shown to carry their own specific mental health benefits, plants that don’t just feed the bees or the senses, but also our souls.”


Learn how gardening puts us in touch with the natural world, reminding us that everything has its season, and that growth often comes after periods of dormancy

The USDA’s decision to cancel organic pet food regulations has sparked outrage among pet owners who value transparency and accountability in their pets’ food.

Without clear standards, the risk of questionable ingredients and fraudulent labeling increases, compromising pet food safety and quality.

This Father’s Day, consider gifting Dad with authentic organic goodies from: – Frey Vineyards (25% of sales to OCA): Enjoy no-sulfites-added wines and celebrate Fridays the Freyway! – The Naked Botanical (10% of sales to OCA): Discover herbal teas, salts, and salves from this Real Organic herb farm. – Andi’s Way (5% of sales to OCA): Treat Dad to nutrient-dense juices and sprouts grown in organic soil.

Your support will help us advocate for organic quality food, promote authentic organic regenerative farming, calling out industrial agriculture’s degenerative practices and continue to mobilize consumers for healthy food and a thriving planet.

Donate today and help keep us moving forward on the issues that are crucial to the health and safety of pets, people and our entire planet!

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

Have you considered making a grant request from your Donor-Advised Fund?

David Davidovic writes for Spicy Chefs:

“The summer sun demands more than plain hydration. Lounging poolside and powering through a heatwave calls for a chilled drink packed with flavor and nutrients. Think that’s an impossible balance to strike? Well, this lineup brings together the healthiest and most refreshing drinks to help you stay cool.



1. Coconut Water

Forget sugary sports drinks. Coconut water is the authentic player. Naturally packed with electrolytes, it keeps you cool and recharged on hot days. Crack open a chilled coconut and sip the sweet liquid. You will instantly feel hydrated without any artificial stuff tagging along.

2. Watermelon Juice

Watermelon isn’t just for snacking. You can juice it! This refreshing pink drink is loaded with antioxidants and over 90% water. Add a splash of lime and a few mint leaves, and you’ve got a drink that is sweet, pulpy, and perfect for sweaty afternoons.



3. Aloe Vera Juice

That ‘grassy’ taste is a summer gem. It soothes from the inside out, with digestion-friendly and anti-inflammatory perks. Mix in a bit of citrus or apple juice, serve cold, and enjoy a mellow, feel-good cool-down.”

Read about the benefits of Green Tea Lemonade, Fermented Ginger Drinks, Mango Lassi’s and many more refreshing beverages

By Sustainable Pulse:

“A new report from Friends of the Earth refutes that industrial no-till agriculture is ‘regenerative.’ Based on a first-of-its-kind analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, the report finds that most no-till systems are so heavily dependent on toxic herbicides to manage weeds that a staggering one-third of the U.S.’s total annual pesticide use (a term that includes herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) can be attributed to no- and minimum-till GMO corn and soy production alone.

The report finds that the vast majority (93%) of acreage of the top two no- and minimum-till crops, corn and soy, use high levels of toxic herbicides that have devastating consequences for soil life and human health. These chemicals, being broadcast across nearly 100 million acres nationwide, predominantly in the Heartland and Great Plains, have been linked to cancer, birth defects, infertility, neurotoxicity, disruption of the gut microbiome, endocrine disruption, and more.

The majority (61%) of use is chemicals that are classified as highly hazardous. Glyphosate, the cancer-linked main ingredient in the widely criticized weedkiller Roundup, is the most widely used herbicide in no-till corn and soy.”

Read how major food companies investing in regenerative agriculture need to avoid greenwashed industrial no-till and instead support the transition to legitimate and regenerative agriculture that will protect and improve soil health, human health — and their future bottom line

To understand the difference between greenwashed “regenerative agriculture” and authentic regenerative agriculture, read the Definition, General Principles, Guidance, and Clear Prohibitions of Regenerative Agriculture

Neuroscience News reports:

“A long-term study following nearly 50,000 women over 30 years found that drinking caffeinated coffee in midlife is linked to healthier aging. Women who drank regular coffee were more likely to avoid chronic disease, cognitive decline, and physical impairment later in life.

The benefits did not extend to tea or decaffeinated coffee, while soda consumption was associated with worse aging outcomes. Researchers emphasize that moderate coffee consumption may be a helpful part of an overall healthy lifestyle but note that genetics and other factors play a role.

Key Facts:

• Caffeine Source Matters: Only caffeinated coffee—not tea, decaf, or soda—was linked to better aging outcomes.
  
• Modest Impact: Each additional daily cup of coffee in midlife correlated with a 2–5% higher chance of healthy aging.
• Soda Warning: More soda intake was tied to a 20–26% lower chance of healthy aging.

Source: American Society for Nutrition

Findings from a new study of almost 50,000 women followed for 30 years suggest that a morning cup of coffee might do more than boost energy; it could also help women stay sharp, strong and mentally well as they age. The analysis found that women who drank caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to exhibit healthy aging.”

Learn more

Tareq Saghie writes for The Guardian:

“Last spring, Carmelo Mendez was pruning peach trees in Colorado on a temporary visa, missing his children and wife back home, but excited about how his $17.70 hourly wage would improve their lives. This spring, he’s back in the Mexican state of Tlaxcala frantically searching Facebook for a job on one of the thousands of farms across the US that primarily employ guest workers like him.

Mendez is one of the more than 300,000 foreign agricultural workers who comes to the US every year on an H-2A visa, which allows him to temporarily work plowing fields, pruning trees and harvesting crops in states from Washington to Georgia, Florida to New York, Texas to California. But as federal immigration policies change rapidly, farmers and workers alike are uncertain about their future.


‘Without [this guest worker program], I believe agriculture in the US would decline a lot because people there don’t want to do the work,’ Mendez said.”



Read how the fate of the hundreds of thousands of undocumented farm workers remains in limbo and that farmers agree with farm workers, like Mendez. They say they cannot attract other workers to their rural fields

Max Goldberg writes for Organic Insider:

“When an organic product is introduced into the marketplace, there are hardly ever any issues.

Yet, when a novel and unproven GMO product is introduced into the marketplace, it is the complete opposite, and the script is generally the same — unfulfilled promises, unforeseen consequences, lawsuits, patents, secrecy and attacks on critics.

EARLY GMOs

We saw it first with Roundup-resistant GMO corn and soy crops, which were promised to feed the world.

Not only did they not feed the world, but according to the Glyphosate Global Study, use of the cancer-linked glyphosate has increased 15-fold since genetically-modified crops were introduced in 1996. Bayer and Monsanto have been subsequently hit with billions of dollars in lawsuit judgments.

Another cancer-linked herbicide, dicamba, has had its own issues.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said that this chemical has “torn apart the social fabric of many farming communities” due to the property damage caused by its spraying on GMO crops and the ensuing conflict between neighbors. It has even resulted in a murder.”

Read more about the grave and unintended consequences of gene-edited foods

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Missouri Appeals Court Upholds $611M Judgment in Roundup Liability Case

Perrier Water Scandal Raises Questions About What ‘Natural’ Really Means

12 Reasons Farmed Fish Shouldn’t Be on Your Plate

‘New GMO’ Deregulation: Europe’s Small-Scale Farmers and Breeders Warn of Corporate Control and Socio-Economic Risks

Will Bob’s Red Mill Use Their Purchasing Power to Improve Food Quality and Safety?

Städdag Is the Swedish Cleaning Ritual That Could Change How You Clean Forever

How Black Farmers Are Sowing Seeds of Racial Justice, Liberty, and Equity

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Chemicals in Food Are an Overlooked Threat to Public Health, Scientists Say

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