ALERT
OF THE WEEK:


Concerns over long distance food transportation (food miles) and
global warming, compounded by recent food poisoning scandals,
linked to contaminated pet, poultry, and pig food ingredients
from China, have taken away many Americans’ appetites for cheap
imported foods. Shocked at media reports that the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration is inspecting approximately one-percent of
all imported food, health-minded consumers are demanding that
Congress implement mandatory Country of Origin Labels (COOL) labels
on food. Federal farm policy theoretically requires Country of
Origin Labeling for food. Reacting to polls indicating that 80%
of American consumers want to know where their food is coming
from, Congress incorporated COOL into the 2002 Farm Bill. COOL
was supposed to go into effect in September 2004. Unfortunately,
corporate agribusiness, Wal-Mart, and the supermarket chains bribed
an ethically-impaired Congress with millions of dollars to block
implementation of COOL labels. As a result, Americans are buying
billions of dollars of imported foods without knowing it. In order
to promote health and sustainability, and to save North American
family farms, we need to restore our right to know where our food
is coming from. Tell Congress we want Country of Origin Labels
for both conventional and organic food, and we want it now:/old_articles/rd/cool.htm

PRODUCT
PLUNDER OF THE WEEK:

The pet food poisoning scandal that has prompted the largest recall
of pet foods in history has spread into the livestock and meat sector.
This week, the USDA admitted that the contaminated food ingredients
that have killed thousands of pets across the U.S. were also used
to feed hogs and chickens that have already been processed and eaten
by several million Americans. Over three million chickens and pigs
have consumed the tainted food. Although there have been no government
studies done on the toxicity of this contamination, the FDA claims
the risk is low. It’s important to note that organic animal
feed was not contaminated in this latest incident, underlining the
obvious point that pet owners and meat eaters should give preference
to safer, more nutritious organic products (find
organic pet foods here).
Learn more: /articles/article_5017.cfm

QUICK
FACTS OF THE WEEK:

• Each
  year, the average American consumes 260 pounds of imported food.
• 98.7%
  of foods imported into the U.S. are NOT inspected by the FDA
  for safety.
• Of
  the scant 1.3% of imported foods the FDA tests, over 200 shipments
  of grains, fish, vegetables, nuts, spice, oils and other imported
  foods are detained each month for issues ranging from filth
  to unsafe food coloring to contamination with pesticides to
  salmonella. The other 98.7% of untested food is immediately
  green-lighted for the American diet.
• The
  U.S. imports almost twice as much food today as it did just
  ten years ago, yet the FDA’s budget for testing imports has
  been cut nearly in half since 2000.

Source:
/articles/article_4897.cfm

WEB
VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

Comedy
Central’s Colbert Report takes a hilarious look at the rBGH controversy.
Although the synthetic hormone has been banned in most nations,
due to its links to endocrine disruption and cancer, it is still
widely used in the U.S.. Monsanto recently filed a formal complaint
with the FDA demanding that dairies that have banned the use of
rBGH should not be able to label their products as "rBGH-free."
Learn more at OCA’s "Millions Against Monsanto" campaign
and watch the short Colbert web video here (Note: Mr. Colbert’s
humor is irreverent and for adult audiences. Viewer discretion is
advised.): http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/

IS
THE FDA GOING TO START REGULATING VEGGIE JUICE AND HOLY WATER?
QUESTION FROM READER: "I’m confused about your
stance on the FDA’s new Guidance Document pertaining to alternative
health care products. I’ve seen an alert from another group
that seems to suggest the sky is falling, but the OCA’s stance
in your previous issue of Organic Bytes seems mellow in comparison.
Can you please elaborate?"

ANSWER
FROM OCA: There is only one group that has launched an alert
on this issue, while all other health freedom groups have taken
a more reserved stance. After much research and discussion with
our allies in the alternative health world, it is the opinion
of the OCA that although this FDA Guidance Document deserves
attention, it does not change any laws that are already in place,
and, in fact, serves as a distraction from some of the more
important issues currently going on in regards to alternative
health care regulations. For an in-depth review of this controversy,
click here: /articles/article_4988.cfm

——————-

WHY
HAVEN’T I RECEIVED YOUR ORGANIC BYTES EMAILS?
QUESTION FROM READER: "I used to get Organic Bytes
regularly, but lately it seems to arrive only sporadically.
What’s up?"

ANSWER
FROM OCA: As our Organic Bytes subscriber list has grown
larger, we have run into more problems with getting blocked
by various spam filters. The best way to guarantee you’ll receive
each issue is to add ronniecummins@organicconsumers.org to your
email address book. Thanks! Learn more about how to guarantee
Organic Bytes will land in your inbox: /old_articles/whitelist.cfm

ALERT:
IT’S TIME TO PHASE OUT THE POISONOUS PLASTIC PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is the most toxic plastic on the planet, yet
it is one of the most widely used plastics in the U.S. The World
Health Organization classifies it as a carcinogen; so many businesses
are voluntarily phasing it out. From production to disposal, PVC
plastic releases poisonous chemicals that can cause cancer and
birth defects. The good news is safer alternatives are available…
we don’t have to use PVC in our kid’s toys or shower curtains.
Unfortunately, Target lags behind Wal-Mart and other major retailers
in phasing out this unnecessary and dangerous plastic. Join a
coalition of groups from around the country fighting for safe
and healthy communities at a national PVC Day of Action on May
24th to urge retail giant Target to phase out PVC. The May 24th
day of action will take place in conjunction with Target’s annual
shareholder meeting. Putting together an event is fun and easy,
and can be as small as you and a friend or as big as dozens of
people outside of your area Target. We’ll help you set it up.
Get involved and sign up now: /old_articles/rd/pvc.htm

NOTE
TO CO-OP AND NATURAL FOOD STORE SUBSCRIBERS:
Organic Bytes is a great tool for keeping your staff and customers
up to date on the latest issues. Feel free to forward this email to
your staff and print for posting on bulletin boards and staff break
tables. You are also welcome to use this material for your newsletters.
There’s an attractive print-friendly PDF version of this available
for free download at /old_articles/organicbytes.cfm