What does natural mean?

In recent years, as the organic industry has expanded, the use of the word "natural" has come under increasing attack from all sides. Supporters of both organic and conventional foods argue that the term "natural" is little more than a deceptive marketing tool meant to take advantage of easily persuaded and poorly informed consumers...but is it really that bad?

How does the FDA regulate the use of the term "natural"?
The only industry subjected to increased government controls when applying the term "natural" is the meat and poultry industry. According to an article published on the FDA's website, natural meat and poultry must be free from artificial colors, flavors, sweetners, preservatives and any other ingredients that do not occur naturally. It also must be minimally processed and the label must explain what is meant by the term "natural" (for example, "no artificial ingredients").

Why isn't there more regulation?
The FDA contends that that the term natural has not been defined or regulated outside of the meat industry because it is not a priority. They have not seen enough evidence that the current situation has resulted in consumers being misled. Instead, they focus their limited resources on misleading health and nutrient claims and other claims that may impact consumers health and safety, such as allergy labels.

Does the FDA plan on regulating the use of the term "natural" anytime soon?
It doesn't look like it. However, it may come under review if they are presented with substantial evidence that consumers are being misled.

In the mean time...
It is important to take personal responsibility for the choices and decisions you make as a consumer. Personally, I wouldn't abandon "natural" products... just educate yourself. Read the labels and buy brands you trust.  Do your homework when you have to. Long, Latin words in the ingredients aren't necessarily bad just because you can't pronounce them. Some products (like cosmetics) are required to be labeled this way. If you are not sure what an ingredient is, throw it into google and find out if it fits your definition of natural. It takes a little time up front, but from then on out you will know!

What does "natural" mean to Spotted Hippo?

• No artificial colors- we only use products that are derived naturally from the earth and plant materials
• No micas or oxide colorants- while these occur naturally, the micas and oxides approved for cosmetic use are synthetically produced... so you won't find them in Spotted Hippo!
• No synthetic fragrance- we use only pure essential oils to scent our soap.
• No artificial flavors- Spotted Hippo lip balms use pure essential oils or certified organic flavor oils (flavors naturally derived from organic plant materials)
• No petrochemicals or hexane- All Spotted Hippo products are free from petrochemicals and all oils are naturally extracted without the use of hexane or other chemicals
• Ethically produced- We are committed to finding and using products that are:
• Sustainably grown and manufactured
• Certified Organic or wild crafted
• Pesticide free
• GMO free
• Fairly traded
• Have minimal impact on the environment

So... what does natural mean to you?

GMO what's the BFD?-- Part 2

Effect on Farmers

Background
1970- The US Congress passed the Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) giving breeders up to 25 years of exclusive control over a new, distinct varieties of plants with a few important exceptions. Most notably, under the PVPA, farmers using protected varieties of seeds were allowed to collect seeds from their crop each season for planting the following year.

1980- The Supreme Court ruled that patents could be issued for living things if they have been altered by humans. This landmark ruling essentially cleared the way for companies like Monsanto to patent their GMO seeds and gain exclusive rights without being subject to the exemptions of the PVPA.

2001- The Supreme Court ruled that utility patents, like those issued for GMO seeds, supersede the PVPA, meaning that companies holding a patent on a seed could take legal action against farmers caught saving seeds.

Impact
Anyone with any business training might be wondering why this is a big deal. I mean.... business is business, right? So if the farmers want to collect seeds, they can find some other seed to use. On the other hand, if they want the benefits of GMO crops (like easier pest control, higher crop yield, etc.) then they can pay for the seeds each year. Unfortunately, things aren't quite so cut and dry when you are dealing with pollinating crops grown outdoors in a relatively uncontrolled environment.

Pollen can be carried on the wind, by bees, or any number of ways from one crop to another. Seeds may fall off a truck, pass through a turbine or be carried by birds. When pollen or seeds are introduced into a new crop, this is what is known as pollen flow or genetic drift... and there is really no way to prevent it.  Why is this important?  Well, if a farmer chooses to use non patented seeds, their crops may still be contaminated by pollen or seeds from their neighbor's GMO fields. A farmer may have no idea that their field acquired GMO material through drift, but once a patented material is introduced into a crop, that farmer automatically becomes legally bound to respect the patent holder's rights or risk legal action.

It might be hard to believe that a giant company like Monsanto would bother to spend the time or money to seek out and prosecute small time farmers, but believe it, because they do. In a press release Monsanto had this to say, "Backed by U.S. patent law, Monsanto is vigorously pursuing growers who pirate any brand or variety of its genetically enhanced seed..." They go on to point out some of the failed defenses farmers unsuccessfully used in court, including "forged signatures, ignorance, accident or mistake by farm employee, or pollen flow from neighboring field."

A 2007 report released by The Center for Food Safety documents the extent of Monsanto's aggressive tactics. According to the report:

• By October 2007, Monsanto had filed 112 lawsuits against farmers
• These cases included 372 farmers and 49 small farm businesses
• The lawsuits span 27 states
• The largest judgment was $3,052,800.00
• The smallest judgment was $5,595.00 (Yup... they went after $5, 000!)
• The number of suits filed increased every year between 2005 and 2007

It's likely that the numbers above (compiled from public court records) don't even begin to reveal the true picture. According to this same report:

• The number of seed piracy matters reported by Monsanto is 20 to 40 times the number of lawsuits found in public court records

• As of June 2006, Monsanto had instituted an estimated 2,391 to 4,531 “seed piracy matters” against farmers in 19 states

The bottom line is Monsanto, in their push to dominate world food markets, is employing ruthless tactics and deliberately destroying people's livliehoods even when circumstances (like genetic drift) are beyond anyone's control. You don't have to be a tree-hugging, earthy-crunchy hippy to realize this is wrong.

GMO What's the BFD?-- Part 1

When it comes to genetically modified organisms (GMO) there are few areas of our lives that aren't impacted. GMO's are frequently either touted as miricle food or cited as a potential hazard for the environment and human health, but they are having a huge impact on farmers, business and economics as well. Since they are such a huge part of our lives, I thought I'd take a closer look at the consequences of GMOs in a few different blog posts.

Health Concerns:
Did you know US grown long grain rice is banned in Japan because it was found to contain bacterial DNA that makes the rice resistant to weed killer, and isn't approved for sale in the US? ... or that 90 percent of the soybeans grown in the US contain a Roundup Ready trait designed to allow farmers to bath their crops in glyphosate (a chemical designed to kill plants). In fact, nearly everything from alfalfa to potatoes to corn, cotton and wheat have had bacterial, viral or other outside genetic material inserted in their DNA. In some ways this has been a boon for farmers since they no longer have the laborious task of tilling the soil in an effert to control weeds. Instead, they can simply drench their crops in herbicides. This alone can be unsettling for many consumers, but if it is not enough to know that a large portion of your food was awash in deadly chemicals like Roundup before arriving on your dinner table,  think about the effects of these transgenic modifications themselves. Studies are emerging that link GMO food to severe health effects.

A frequently cited study from the 1990's outlines the potential for transgenic alterations to introduce allergens like tree nuts into otherwise benign foods. Thankfully, the study, which looked at a strain of soybean containing a  gene from the Brazil nut, prevented the modified and highly allergenic soy from ever reaching the market. However, recent studies link GMO food that is currently on the market with a number of severe health effects.

This study, published in the International Journal of Biological Science in 2009 links 3 types of corn (manufactured by Monsanto) with organ failure http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm#headingA11. According to the study, the 3 strains of Monsanto corn cause organ toxicity and are linked to liver, kidney and heart damage. And I'm not just picking on Monsanto here. Really, it should be no surprise that Monsanto is at the center of this controversy. Monsanto is the largest GMO seed producer in the world, contributing GMO technology to 90% of the world's GMO seeds. Nearly every controversy around GMO food can be linked in some way to Monsanto.

Of course, Monsanto vehemently defends their GMO products as safe. But, I'm sure they did the same thing when they introduced DDT, Agent Orange, saccharin, rBGH...

In my next post, find out about how GMO foods are affecting the farming industry... including organic farms.