Victories of the Week: OCA’s Coming Clean Campaign for Organic Integrity in the Health and Beauty Aisle
Whole Foods Takes a Stand Against Faux Organic Claims on Body Care Whole Foods Market is making its suppliers aware of its " Position on ‘Organic’ Personal Care Products." In the statement, WFM promises " to continue to closely examine all organic label claims to ensure that they are not misleading, and we will strongly encourage our suppliers who are making organic claims to pursue NOP certification. WFM explains:
" Any ‘Organic’ claim on the front of the label should be substantiated by certification to one of the above standards, including the use of the word ‘organic’ in the brand name. Products not certified to one of these standards may only use the word " organic" in the ingredients listing. We are currently working with our suppliers to transition their label claims to the above standards. Because these changes will be pervasive and complicated, we have not yet determined a timeline, but expect to do so in the near future."
FDA Warns Companies to Certify Organic Claims on Cosmetics to USDA Standards On March 8, 2010, the FDA issued a QandA about organic cosmetics. It warns companies that make organic claims to follow the USDA organic regulations. " Cosmetic products labeled with organic claims must comply with both USDA regulations for the organic claim and FDA regulations for labeling and safety requirements for cosmetics." Read more at the FDA’s website
JASON Drops False " Pure, Natural and Organic" Claim, Kiss My Face No Longer " Obsessively Organic" While stores and online retailers are still selling products under the old labels, two targets of the Organic Consumers Association’s Coming Clean campaign for organic integrity in personal care have chosen to drop their use of the word " organic" in the tag lines of products that aren’t certified to USDA standards. JASON, which carried the tag line " Pure, Natural and Organic," will now be advertised as " Everyday Natural Care." Kiss My Face has dropped its " Obsessively Organic" product line. So are JASON and Kiss My Face allies in the cause to stop false organic claims? Not quite. The news about JASON came in a press release by its parent company Hain Celestial. The release announced Hain’s " strong support" for the National Organic Standards Board recommendation of November 5, 2009, " Solving the Problem of Mislabeled Organic Personal Care Products." However, the same release stated that there would be no change in the marketing or formulations of Avalon Organics products, also owned by Hain. Organic Consumers Association learned about the changes at Kiss My Face at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit in New York City last week. After a marketing presentation by Kiss My Face co-owner/founder Bob MacLeod who described how he and his partner market their organic values through their products, OCA Political Director Alexis Baden- Mayer stood up to ask, " You lead an " obsessively organic" lifestyle, but your Obsessively Organic product line isn’t certified and doesn’t meet USDA organic standards. How do you justify this to consumers?" MacLeod at first said there was no " Obsessively Organic" product line at Kiss My Face and then corrected himself to admit that it was stopped two years ago, but might still be available from some retailers. Unfortunately, a quick look at the Kiss My Face Web store reveals that the company is still putting organic marketing claims above certification and integrity. The sponsored link to the Web store announces, " Official Online Store. Full Line of Organic Personal Care Products!" A search for " organic" on the site turns up " organic" lipsticks, moisturizers, and hair care products that contain certified organic ingredients, but are not certified to USDA standards because they don’t have enough organic ingredients and contain non-organic and synthetic ingredients that are prohibited in organic.
Take Action: Tell Hain Celestial and Kiss My Face to Come Clean |
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OCA Needs Your Help to Spread the Organic Revolution
OCA and our international network of organic consumers and farmers understand that we have a positive life-affirming solution for the global food, health, and climate crisis: organic food, farming, and ranching. But to get out our all-important message we need your support. Please send us a tax-deductible donation today.
Ask Legendary Chef Alice Waters to Oppose Growing Food in Toxic Sludge!
Take a Stand Against Spreading Toxic Sludge on Gardens and Farms
Legendary organic chef Alice Waters is an outspoken opponent of using genetically engineered foods. OCA has asked her to take the same strong stand opposing the use of toxic sewage sludge to grow food. The City of San Francisco in the Bay Area where she lives has been deceptively giving away toxic sludge to gardeners and farmers, calling this hazardous material " organic biosolids compost." We want Alice, as the founder of the famous Chez Panisse Restaurant, to add her powerful voice to the fight to stop using gardens and farms as dumps for toxic sewage sludge.
It is especially important because the Executive Director of Alice Water’s Chez Panisse Foundation is Francesca Vietor, who is also the Vice President of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the agency that has been giving away tons of toxic sludge and deceiving recipients.
The Chez Panisse Foundation promotes Edible Schoolyard’s organic gardens. Obviously its Executive Director, who was appointed to the PUC in 2008 by the Mayor of San Francisco, is conflicted on this issue. She is working for both Alice Waters’ Foundation and for the Public Utilities Commission and the Mayor. Mayor Newsom calls the sewage sludge " very healthy and safe."
Neither Alice Waters nor her foundation have ever made a public statement flatly opposing the growing of any food in toxic sewage sludge.
Join us in asking Alice Waters to publicly oppose growing food in toxic sewage sludge.
Read More and Take Action
Obama Recess-Appoints Biotech and Pesticide Lobbyist as Chief Agricultural Negotiator
Here’s some bad news. Obama has recess-appointed Islam Siddiqui (the biotech/pesticide lobbyist he nominated for chief agricultural negotiator). His confirmation was on hold in the Senate all this time, so he hasn’t been in the government making trouble. But now he will be.
Video of the Week: " Food For Thought: Understanding Labels"
Little Bytes
Livestock, Climate Change and a Mediocre Media
" Where will the food for increased numbers of future livestock come from? How many rainforests does it take to preserve every American’s right to a Big Mac?" READ MORE
Marijuana Legalization on the CA Ballot: Separating Fact from Fiction
Here are three commonsense reasons to dump decades of failed marijuana prohibition. (Spoiler alert: Billions of dollars in new state revenue isn’t one of them. That’s just gravy.) READ MORE
Rural Pennsylvania Township Wins First Round of Sludge Fight Against Attorney General
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania has ruled against the State’s Attorney General and in favor of Packer Township – a rural Carbon County Township which has banned corporate sewage sludge spreading within their municipality. READ MORE
Go Green in the Bathroom
Is it time to put your skin on an organic diet? Soap, shampoo, lotions, toothpaste, cosmetics and other personal care items are full of chemicals, some of which are toxic. Absorbed through the pores, these chemicals enter the bloodstream. READ MORE
LOCAL NY NEWS OF THE WEEK
NY – Get Involved Locally
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Message from our Sponsors
USDA Certified Organic Household Cleaners are Finally Here! Greenology Products Has Made History
The word " natural" continues to remain undefined and is often confusing to consumers. Many manufacturers push the boundaries of what is truly considered natural. Because of this, Greenology Products spent 18 months developing a line of organic All-Purpose, Bathroom, Glass and Kitchen Cleaners that met NOP (National Organic Program) requirements and are certified by the USDA. We have recently won approval for the worlds first and only certified organic Laundry Detergent as well. It wasn’t easy, but we were on a mission to change the way cleaning products are produced and used by families and businesses. Wanting to significantly raise the standards bar in cleaning was easy motivation for us because so much evidence points to chemical related health symptoms and poor indoor air quality at home, school and work.
As for performance, our Glass cleaner was given a " BEST" rating by the NY Times in a May 14th, 2009 review against 19 other national brand Glass cleaners. Not only are we certified organic, but the product works extremely well and is competitively priced against the national brands. It’s a win for consumers and families.
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