Uniquely: Sustainable. Practical. Distinguished.
These words not only describe the PDT Co-Op, but are the PDT Co-Op. As a PDT volunteer, I know that the Co-Op is a unique place: from the organic, sustainable products offered, to the practical customers who shop locally, to the volunteers who pride themselves on their friendliness; I cannot express how honored I am to be apart of this phenomenon. Now, as a more established member of the Morris Community, University of MN, Morris student, and an active volunteer, I am thrilled about the possibility of becoming a PDT board member. I want to become a board member to further promote the Co-Op, help organize “behind the scenes”, and work to uphold the superior reputation and ties with the community that PDT has. As a board member, I would offer an innovative, creative perspective, I would serve as a vital connection between the Co-Op, Morris Community and University, I would offer extensive organizational and mobilizing skills, and I would work to serve PDT and the Morris community with mounds of passion and commitment. If elected, I would do nothing short of giving my all; after all, I am a motivated, organized, lively first year UMM student who strives on the notion of “community” and “sustainability.”
By Naomi Wente
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July 27th, 2010 |
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By Thomas Hyatt
Two great movements have dominated the discussion of what constitutes healthy and ethical food. Both the Organic Food Movement and the Kosher Practices of traditional Jews have their roots in concern over the ethical treatment of animals. Their origins and rationale, however, are radically different.
The Kosher Laws, known as the Laws of Kashrut, go back to the Bible. The body, as a part of creation, is Holy and what one consumes needs to be an act of Holiness. There are several biblical mandates that dictate the kind of meat and the manner in which it is to be consumed.
In Genesis 9:3, The Creator tells Noah “Every moving thing that lives shall be food like the green herbage, I have given you everything.”, implying that animals had been formally forbidden. However, this is followed by an immediate caviat: “But flesh with its soul, its blood, you shall not eat.” This passage, along with its reiteration in Leviticus 17:14, led to the interpretation that all blood must be drained from the animal before it can be fit for consumption. Along with the permitted and forbidden animals listed in Deuteronomy 14, these passages gave The Rabbis a working blueprint for the Laws of Kashrus, defining what is Kosher.
The organic movement also considers the ethical implications of what we consume. The organic movement considers both the health of the body and the “health” of the environment. In general, it is concerned about issues such as the sustainability of the land and the use of fertilizers and pesticides in produce and what livestock is fed and how it is treated before it goes to slaughter.
As elaborate as the Kosher Laws are, they only address compassion in the slaughtering process, but remain silent on how the animals need to be raised, Consequently, controversial products, such as veal and frois gras, in which great pain is inflicted on the animals in the raising process, can be considered kosher.
Kosher food has long been popular among interested non-Jews and organic food has a strong Jewish following as well. The question naturally arises of how the two movements might be merged. The answer seems easy enough: slaughter organically raised animals in a kosher manner. And while this merging is already happening largely on the Eastern Seaboard, challages emerge in areas such as Western Minnesota, being so far-flung from traditional Jewish communities. Local organic producers, such as Moonstone Farms, have in fact been approached about kosher meat. The cost, at the present time, is prohibative because of two main factors. One, a ritual slaughterer, known as a slochet, would have to be brought out to the animals, which would invlove his fee in addition to travel and lodging expenses and, two, the processing equiptment itself would have to be koshered. This proceedure involves dismantling the blades, heating them with a blowtorch, and burying them in soil for several days. This procerss insures no remnant of any other animal remains to contaminate (spiritually) the incoming Koshered meat. However, with a steady rising interest and curiousity, particularly among diverse populations like UMM, demand may yet create a viable market in West Central Minnesota.
March 30, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mark Kastel, 608-625-2042
Wal-Mart in Trouble Again Over Organic Marketing Practices
Home Pesticide Manufacturer Misrepresenting Products as Certified “Organic”
Cornucopia, WI — The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based public interest group that focuses on food and agriculture, today filed legal complaints with the USDA alleging that Wal-Mart, and a North Carolina-based company, HOMS LLC, are violating the USDA organic standards by using conventional agricultural oils, and other ingredients, in pest control products that bear the word organic and the green “USDA organic” seal. The pest control products in question are marketed under the Bio Block label.
A debate has been raging for years whether non-food products, such as pet food and personal care products, are included in the strict regulations that determine the use of the word “organic” on packaging. Most of those products at least had organic ingredients involved in their manufacture, whereas Bio Block pest control products contain not a single organically produced ingredient.
However, there has never been any question that the green “USDA Organic” seal can be used only by producers that follow the rigorous standards mandated by Congress and administered by the USDA’s National Organic Program.
In addition to using the word organic prominently on its label, HOMS uses the USDA seal on at least one of its Bio Block products without specifying that organic ingredients were used, and without disclosing the identity of the organic certifying agent, which is also required by federal organic regulations.
“This amounts to, allegedly, illegally usurping the value of the organic label,” says Mark Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst at Cornucopia. “The USDA Organic seal is meaningful to consumers and should not be used frivolously. This places ethical industry participants at a competitive disadvantage.”
The Bio Block products that appear to violate the organic standards were discovered on the shelves of Wal-Mart stores, resurfacing concerns long held by The Cornucopia Institute, and others in the organic industry, that the giant corporation has failed to take the organic standards seriously.
For years, Cornucopia has criticized Wal-Mart for inventing a “new” organic — food from corporate agribusiness, factory farms, and cheap Chinese imports of questionable authenticity.
Inside Wal-Mart stores, Cornucopia researchers at the time discovered that the company was mislabeling conventional foods as organic, including yogurt, sugar, rice milk, soy milk and produce. Cornucopia notified Wal-Mart’s CEO of the problems with in-store signage, but the corporation ignored these concerns until officials of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the USDA took enforcement actions against Wal-Mart in 2007.
“These instances of mislabeling are emblematic of the company’s lack of investment in knowledgeable staff, its inexperience, and its questionable commitment to organics,” says Kastel.
While Wal-Mart vowed to solve its false and misleading in-store signage problems, Cornucopia says it has failed to ensure that its store brand organic milk, and some of its other product offerings, come from ethical family farmer following the spirit and letter of the organic law.
Now the organic industry watchdog alleges Wal-Mart is once again marketing organic products fraudulently.
Cornucopia contends that it is not only up to farmers, food processors and certifiers to ensure that foods labeled “organic” are truly organic, but that retailers play an important role as well.
Retailers can and do invest in the resources necessary to ensure organic integrity in their stores. The Wedge, a member-owned cooperative grocer in Minneapolis, handled Bio Block pesticides very differently from Wal-Mart when recently approached by one of HOMS’ distributors.
Since the Wedge has invested years in recruiting, hiring and training qualified staff, it came as no surprise that one of their buyers questioned the legality of Bio Block’s labels.
The Wedge is one of about 275 cooperative grocers in the country, which collectively helped pioneer the growth in the organic industry. The Wedge was one of the first certified organic retailers in the country and has a full-time Organic Certification and Sustainability Coordinator, Susan Stewart.
“We take the confidence our members and shoppers have in The Wedge very seriously,” said Stewart. “Our job is to protect the integrity of the organic label and the authenticity of the food and products we offer in our store.”
Cornucopia states that this collaboration between farmers, organic processors and retailers, in partnership with the USDA, makes the organic label the gold standard in helping consumers choose safe and ethically produced food.
“As an organic industry watchdog, we make sure that stakeholders in the organic community, like The Wedge, are not placed at a competitive disadvantage by outfits like Wal-Mart that are attempting to profiteer from the trust consumers have in the organic label,” stated Cornucopia’s Kastel.
The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit farm policy research group, is dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. Their Organic Integrity Project acts as a corporate and governmental watchdog assuring that no compromises to the credibility of organic farming methods and the food it produces are made in the pursuit of profit. Their web page can be viewed at www.cornucopia.org.
Minutes from the Pomme de Terre Foods Annual Meeting: March 29, 2010
Potluck meal: We all feasted on delicious food. From earthy bread and edemame hummus – to tortilla chips and cookies, everyone brought a dish to feed the volunteers.
Reports: Patti and Nancy told us about the highlights of the year and the financial report was handed out. A comment was made about the high advertising expenditures from last year. Last year we spent $2,349.68 on advertising; that includes free samples, donations to events and newspaper ads.
New Board Members: In lieu of Margaret leaving, we have three new board prospective board members. Connie, Naomi, and Marjorie all want a position on the board. They would make a new total of seven active board members. A motion was made by Richard Torgusen to adopt the three new board members. The motion was seconded by Margaret Kuchenreuther and passed.
Ideas: A request was made for ideas on how to increase membership. This transitioned into the discussion of committees. There were sign ups for the committees: a finance committee, a marketing committee, a volunteer committee, and a misc. committee (yet to be decided).
Emergency volunteer sign up. Patti requests that there be someone who if willing would be on call during store hours for last minute cashier fill-ins. Talk to Patti if this would work for your schedule.
New recipe cards are on display in the store and if you have a recipe that you would like to see featured talk to Patti also. Patti’s email is manager@pdtfood.org
We had a great year. Thanks to all of you that came and thanks for supporting the Pomme De Terre Food co-op!
