It’s hard to believe it’s been more than twelve years since the launch of our first organic 365 Everyday Value® product. To this day, that first product — 365 Everyday Value® Organic Olive Oil — remains one of our best sellers. We are pleased to continue sourcing this olive oil from the same supplier in Italy for over a decade, which illustrates our commitment to strong relationships with our producers and to offering high-quality products for our customers. Of course, we’ve expanded our organic offerings over the years and there are now more than 500 products in our organic lineup. Last year alone we launched over 150 new organic items!

Our 365 Everyday Value® products provide a value-priced organic choice in every department, with a focus on pantry essentials and on products that may not have brand-name organic options readily available. So, whether you’re shopping for orange juice or almondmilk, pretzels or potato chips, ready-to-eat soups or kidney beans to make your favorite chili, you’re sure to find an organic 365 Everyday Value® product for all your kitchen creations.

The buyers on our team travel the world searching for new and innovative organic products while working to develop relationships with suppliers. Great supplier partnerships are key to ensuring that their products meet our exacting standards for taste and, of course, ingredient quality. They contain no hydrogenated oils and no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors.

And, of course, organic offerings must meet stringent USDA organic standards and are grown without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides. In addition, we have our own in-house team of Quality Assurance Specialist who routinely visit all of our suppliers to audit operations. In the past few years we have added enhanced third party product testing, as well as third party ethical sourcing guidelines for all of our overseas suppliers.

We’re also really excited to be debuting the new look of our 365 Everyday Value® labels and packaging. We’ve designed them so it’s easier to pick out our organic offerings while you shop. Here are just a few of the many 365 Everyday Value® organic products you won’t find anywhere else:

We hope you’ll open up a package of your 365 Everyday Value® organic favorite and join us in celebrating Organic Harvest Month. What will you be eating?

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If your choice in mustard can make such a big difference, imagine what you can do with all the other condiments! Seriously though, choosing the biggies—organic produce and milk—seems pretty obvious. But what does it mean when you see the word organic on a bottle of ketchup? It might not be so obvious.

Here’s the deal about organic labeling. In the U.S. a food product can only be labeled “organic” if at least 95% of ingredients (excluding water and salt) meet National Organic Standards. These standards, among other rules, require that the crops (such as tomatoes) are grown without the use of persistent pesticides. Those standards also don’t allow irradiation, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and synthetic preservatives.

What about the cost of organics? Is it worth it for a simple condiment? Of course the increased labor, stricter regulations and the constant record-keeping of growing organics can sometimes make organic foods cost a bit more at checkout. But, take yellow mustard for example, organic is actually less than 2¢ more per serving!

If you’re looking for perfect summertime condiments that you’ll enjoy as much for their taste as for the difference they make, take a look at some of these favorites:

SPICES

Simply Organic Garlic Salt, Garlic Powder, Lemon Pepper and Chipotle Pepper

Use these spices individually in your everyday cooking to add flavor to soups, pastas, veggies and potatoes. Or combine them to taste to make a dry rub for grilled meats. Find out more about how rubs can make grilling special in our online Guide to Grilling.

Spice it up with these rub recipes:

• Spice-Rubbed Beef Short Ribs
• Hot and Sweet Spice Rub
• Lone Star Dry Rub

KETCHUP

Organicville Organic Ketchup 

Besides being organic, Organicville’s ketchup is gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and contains no added sugar and has less sodium than other brands.

Catch up to ketchup as an ingredient, not just a condiment, with these recipes:

• Grilled Shrimp and Eggplant Summer Noodle Bowls
• Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes

MUSTARD

Organicville Organic Mustards: Stone Ground, Dijon and Yellow

Annie’s Naturals Organic Mustards: Dijon, Honey, Horseradish and Yellow

Organic mustard adds organic zing to these recipes:

• All-Natural Honey Mustard Salad Dressing 
• Dijon Vinaigrette Potato Salad
• White Bean and Spinach Salad
• Honey Mustard Chicken and Veggie Kabobs
• Almond Crusted Salmon with Caramelized Onions and Basil
• Mango Dijon Shrimp 
• Pork Chops with Cherry Mustard Sauce 

BBQ SAUCE

Organicville Organic BBQ Sauces: Original and Tangy

Annie’s Naturals Organic BBQ Sauces: Original Recipe, Hot Chipotle, Smokey Maple and Sweet & Spicy

 BBQ sauce is the boss in these recipes:

• Tangy Barbecue Baked Beans
• Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• Barbecued Chicken

COLESLAW

Organicville Non-Dairy Coleslaw Organic Dressing

Throw together quick coleslaw with this dairy-free, vegan dressing.

Make a difference simply by choosing organic, even for your most humble kitchen condiments. It’s worth it for organic quality, flavor and to help preserve your favorite outdoor summer fun places.

What organic favorites have a place in your fridge door?

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Seven years ago Monsanto petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to deregulate GE alfalfa which would allow it to be planted anywhere. Now, within a few days, the USDA will announce its decision whether to:

1) fully deregulate GE alfalfa OR

2) conditionally deregulate it by placing certain rules and restrictions on growing GE alfalfa that would minimize or limit contamination of non-GE crops (including organic).

This second “coexistence” option is what we are rallying for even though we continue to have reservations about GE crops. The issue with GE alfalfa is the potential contamination of organic and non-GE alfalfa, which is used as a mainstay food for organic and non-GE dairy cows, beef cattle and honey bees. While USDA’s decision will be specific to GE alfalfa, it will be a precedent-setting decision for how or whether other genetically engineered foods will be regulated far into the future.

We applaud the USDA’s historic approach considering deregulation with conditions (or coexistence) as one of the options. By recognizing that cross-contamination of GE alfalfa could impact organic and non-GE farmers and consumers, both domestically and for our export markets, the USDA is acknowledging that organic agriculture has the right to not only survive but to thrive alongside conventional agriculture.

So, faced with the choice between full deregulation of GE alfalfa or conditional deregulation of it, our best chance at preserving seed purity, and the future of organic and non-GE agriculture now is to fight for every protection available under the USDA’s conditional deregulation coexistence option.

Here’s what you can do: contact the USDA, the White House and your Congressperson before Monday, January 24^th.  Tell them non-GE crops should have a seat at the table! True COEXISTENCE is a must. Ask your congressperson to contact House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas to express support for Secretary Vilsack’s coexistence plan. 

If we raise our voices together, we can make a difference. Send this call to action to everyone you know who is concerned about organics and non-GE crops.

Post written by Whole Foods Market leaders Walter Robb, co-CEO, and Margaret Wittenberg, Global VP of Quality Standards & Public Affairs.

Background on the GE alfalfa issue

On December 16, 2010, the USDA released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) of Monsanto’s genetically engineered Roundup Ready Alfalfa. The EIS was conducted in response to a court decision demanding more thorough analysis of the potential environmental, economic and health impacts of GE alfalfa before approving deregulation. The EIS outlines three options for addressing GE alfalfa:

1.    Fully deregulate it (allow it to be planted anywhere)

2.    Fully regulate it (non-production; USDA has indicated this is not an option it would pursue)

3.    Conditionally deregulate it (allow GE alfalfa to be grown with certain rules and restrictions USDA would impose to minimize or limit contamination of non-GE crops)

Shortly after releasing the EIS, USDA indicated their preference for the third option and asked the biotech, non-GE and organic communities to convene to try and find common ground for formulating rules and restrictions under conditional deregulation.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recently invited representatives from agriculture, business and consumer organizations to explore coexistence between non-GE proponents and GE proponents.  It showed refreshing leadership after many years of debate that has cost farmers with contaminated crops in this country millions of dollars in litigation over the years.

Our non-GE and organic farmers continue to be concerned with crop contamination and market rejection. Independent studies in the U.S. and in other countries on GE crops have documented a long list of reasons for concern, including evidence that these crops lead to herbicide-resistant super-weeds and require the use of more toxic herbicides. As mentioned above, organic alfalfa is used as feed by most organic and non-GE dairies. Also, the policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well.

There are rigorous standards in place for USDA-certified organics. We are encouraged that USDA has taken tentative steps and we believe its coexistence plan can support all consumers, farmers and agribusinesses.  We believe true coexistence should include three central issues:

• The protection of seed purity for all farmers, including organic, so we maintain variety and avoid massive mono-culture;
• Compensation by the patent holder to the farmer for any losses related to the contamination of his crop; and
• Public oversight by the USDA rather than relying on the biotechnology industry to voluntarily try to contain GE contamination as the USDA has the authority to protect all US agriculture.

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• Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
• Classic Butternut Squash Soup
• Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese

Butternut squash is available domestically most of the year and grown all over the country, but fall is a peak time to enjoy it. (Check with your local store, there is a good chance you will find locally grown squash!)

When shopping, look for squash that are firm, heavy for their size, and that have hard, tough skin. Winter squash can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place for a month or more, so don’t be shy about stocking up while it is at its best!

The variety of growing regions makes the list of organic butternut growers that we love a long one; but here is one of the many that we want to thank! Thank you, Justin Trussoni and Organic Valley for supplying our stores in the Midwest with tasty organic squash!

At 24, Justin Trussoni is one of a growing number of second-generation organic farmers who are taking on the project of growing the world’s food with enthusiasm and energy. Justin started out on three-and-a-half acres which he leases from his father. “I didn’t know anything about it then,” he chuckles. He asked a number of other farmers for advice. In the Organic Valley farmers’ co-op, collaboration and information sharing is valued, so Justin had good support from the start (a fact that helps explain why young farmers like Justin succeed). Eventually, through trial and error, he developed his own system that’s a hybrid of what he learned from others and in the field.

He uses a method that minimizes the number of tractor passes he must take across the field, which not only saves labor but precious fossil fuel. He plants and cultivates his crop during the season, then instead of ripening his squash on the ground, he cures the squash on flat-bed trailers in the sun, which results in a cleaner and more consistent harvest.

Justin’s convinced that the problem of world hunger has a solution in the simple, sustainable farm practices that he’s developed on this small parcel of land in southwestern Wisconsin. Unlike the expensive, large-scale and soil-depleting farm methods that were developed since the 1960s, science-based organic farming is adaptable to virtually any environment or crop. Young farmers like Justin are single-handedly overturning the myths about large-scale agriculture. By building balanced, healthy soils and caring for the biological systems that produce wholesome, nourishing crops, they’re proving that small-scale, organic farming—combined with smart, collaborative distribution methods—can feed the planet.

“It’s such a good feeling to walk out into the field at maturity and realize how much food you’re providing,” he says. “I can produce 40 tons of squash. That’s a lot of food for the world.”

Thanks, Justin! Got a favorite way to prepare butternut squash? We’d love to hear it!

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Grown domestically in California, Washington State and locally in many regions, organic Bartlett pears are available domestically from August through December. Bartlett pears turn from a bright green to mild yellow and yield to gentle pressure as they ripen. They are perfect for eating out of hand or cooking; here are a few recipes that we think are perfect for the season!

• Whole Wheat German Pancake with Pears
• Baked Chicken with Spinach, Pears and Blue Cheese
• Cinnamon Pear Compote

And while we have a long list of organic growers that we love, here is one of the many who we want to thank as we enjoy this delicious fruit. Thank you, Dick Smithson, for the tasty organic pears!

Dick Smithson has been growing fruit in the Peshastin area of Washington his whole life. Twelve years ago he decided to take his commitment to the environment to the next level, and he now grows 36 acres of organic D’Anjou, Bartlett and Comice pears. Dick’s favorite variety of pear to grow is the Bartlett, but he also enjoys the challenge of growing the unique Comice pear too. You see, like most growers, Dick enjoys the challenge of working with Mother Nature to grow unique and healthy fruit. Dick Smithson’s fruit is packed in the Blue Bird label, represented by Domex Superfresh Growers.

Got a favorite pear recipe? We’d love to hear about it.

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Grown domestically in California and Washington state (and, if you are lucky, locally), the domestic harvest season can start as early as August and finishes, depending on weather, in early November. Galas are a sweet, versatile apple with great flavor — perfect for cooking or eaten out of hand. Here are a few recipes that we think are perfect for gala apples:

• Cabbage Salad with Apples and Walnuts
• Apple and Cheddar Quesadillas
• Curried Apple Chutney

While we have a long list of organic growers that we love; here is one of the many that we want to thank as we celebrate this fall favorite. Thank you, Broetje Orchards for the tasty organic galas!

Broetje Orchards is one of the largest privately owned orchards in the world with more than 5,000 acres. The main orchard is the largest contiguous orchard in the United States, stretching for nearly 10 miles along the Snake River. Dedicated year-round crews care for the trees in this ideal location, producing consistently high quality fruit.

Each year, Broetje Orchards donates approximately 75% of their profits to local, domestic, and international projects, believing that their ethical foundation is the primary reason for the company’s business success. Broetje Orchard’s fruit is pack under the First Fruits label.

How do you like to eat your galas?

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Our organic grapes are grown in the Coachella and San Joaquin valleys in Southern California, a perfect growing region with its combination of deep, fertile soils and plentiful sunshine. Late summer/early fall is the ideal time to enjoy grapes since the long, warm days of growing bring out their full flavor.

When you buy organic produce, you directly help create a demand for food and farming practices that have your health, and the health our natural resources at heart. We demonstrate our passion for organics through our support of farmers who are committed to good health, quality foods and sustainable agriculture practices.

While we have a long list of organic growers that we love, here is just one that we want to thank as we celebrate this fall favorite. Thank you, Sunview, for the fantastic organic red grapes we are enjoying!

Sunview is based in Delano, CA, with farms throughout the southern San Joaquin Valley. Founded by Marko Zaninovich who emigrated from Yugoslavia to the United States, the company has been in business for over 60 years. Sunview produces organic red, green and black seedless grapes, certified organic since 1989. Grandsons Marko, Andrew and Morgan are carrying on the farming tradition today.

Whether used in a recipe or enjoyed straight off the bunch, don’t miss out on this sweet, seedless treat. Here are a few recipes to try:

• Salad with Red Grapes and Feta
• Quinoa Salad with Chicken, Grapes and Almonds
• Grape Harvest Cake

Got a favorite way to enjoy organic red grapes? We’d love to hear!

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From ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP

Over the past decade, organic produce sales have soared from 3 percent of the retail produce market in the U.S. in 2000 to nearly 11 percent last year, to .5 billion. According to surveys by the Organic Trade Association, organic produce’s precipitous trajectory barely slowed when the global financial crisis took hold in late 2008.

Organic salad greens have fared even more impressively.  According to Nielsen surveys, fresh cut salad greens increased their market share from 8.3 percent in 2006 to 15 percent so far this year.  Pre-packaged specialty salads have grabbed a whopping 46 percent of that market sector, compared to 29 percent in 2006.

The stunning gains make a sharp contrast to the otherwise lackluster market for fruits and vegetables in recent years.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reports that Americans’ per capita annual consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables has been roughly flat for the past two decades.  In fact, according to the ERS, U.S. vegetable consumption has slumped slightly, to 92.2 pounds per person per year in 2008, from an all-time peak of 101 pounds in 1999.

These troubling eating habits have persisted despite warnings from a succession of U.S. Surgeons General that the national obesity epidemic is rivaled only by tobacco as a danger to public health.

There are many reasons Americans aren’t eating healthier. Surveys of consumer expenditures conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 2008, Americans spent 58 percent of their food dollars on food eaten in the home and 42 percent for food eaten out.   According to the ERS, Americans spent only 26 percent of their food dollars eating in 1970. The calorie count of those meals climbed accordingly, ERS says, and nutritional value declined. ERS statisticians have cited a number of factors behind the demise of home cooking, including the rising number of two-earner families, cheaper, prevalent fast-food outlets, relentless promotion by restaurant and fast-food chains and generational preferences.

What no thinking person will believe is the latest claim from industrial agribusiness – that Americans aren’t consuming more fruits and vegetables because Environmental Working Group publishes its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides™ on produce.

This bizarre charge comes from the Alliance for Food and Farming, a Watsonville, California-based association of large produce growers and marketers and pesticide sellers.

“Small wonder Americans don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables,” says Ken Cook, EWG president and co-founder. “These guys couldn’t market their way out of a disposable plastic produce bag.”

By every objective measure, an increasing number of Americans are voting with their pocketbooks for produce free of pesticides.

“It’s hard to avoid the conclusion,” says Cook, “that the chemical farming coalition members are less concerned about EWG’s “dirty dozen” list, or the health and girth of the American people, than they are about losing so much market share in recent years to organic fruits and vegetables.”

The expansion of the organic food sector is not news to EWG. Nearly 100,000 readers have downloaded our Shopper’s Guide in the last two months. These are people who are actively seeking objective facts about pesticide residues on various conventionally-raised produce items. EWG recommends that people eat more fruits and vegetables because the health benefits of these foods outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure.

The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides™ has been praised as a key resource for consumers aiming for healthier diets. Since many shoppers can’t find or afford organic produce, they can use the Shopper’s Guide to avoid those conventional fruits and vegetables found to be highest in pesticides – the Dirty Dozen™ – and, instead, choose items from the Clean Fifteen™ list.

But, we are sorry to say, EWG and the many other groups that advocate pesticide-free food cannot yet claim credit for transforming mass buying habits. Since we began publishing the Shopper’s Guide in 1995, consumption of many items on the Dirty Dozen™ list has actually increased. Take spinach, a charter member of the Dirty Dozen™: the ERS estimates that Americans ate two-thirds of a pound in 2008, a 142 percent increase over 1995. Per-capita leaf lettuce consumption nearly doubled in that period. The same trend held true for other Dirty Dozen™ perennials, like bell peppers (up 40 percent), cherries  (up 250 percent), strawberries (up 57 percent) and grapes (up 14 percent).

If Big Agriculture wants to promote healthier diets, it should stop attacking critics and focus on growing vegetables and fruits that are chemical-free – and also tasty.

“These are the same geniuses who for decades have brought us tomatoes as hard as baseballs, apples that mush in your mouth, and lettuce fit for shredding at fast food joints,” says Cook. “Their motto ought to be: ‘Less flavor! Tastes grate!’ And they wonder why the American public hasn’t responded to their sermonizing to eat more fruit and vegetables.”

“Americans can’t seem to get enough of the organic industry’s delicious, healthy food,” says Cook. “It has emerged as one of the most dynamic sectors in the American food industry. One of the main reasons? Believe it or not, people don’t want to eat pesticides with their produce if they don’t have to. And with EWG’s guide, they don’t.”

That is why EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides™ has become so popular among consumers and why the agribusiness industry is objecting to it. At EWG, we remember what Big Ag has long since forgotten or forsaken – the foundation stone of American commerce, that the customer is always right.

When customers say they want fresh, appetizing and diverse offering of fruits and vegetables without a load of pesticides, we say, give it to them.

What Big Agriculture seems to be saying is, “Shut up and eat your pesticides.”
~~

Organic Recipes, Organic Food, Local Food, Small Farms, Family Farms, Edible Landscapes, Shop Local – OrganicToBe.org

Driftless Organics - Soldiers Grove, WI
For the owners of Driftless Organics, farming is their dream job. When you grow everything from Asparagus to Zucchini, it’s vital to love what you do. To them, healthy soil is the foremost reason to farm organically. But, of course, the taste is another good reason — they’re confident their products taste better!
Learn more about Driftless Organics in this short video.

Don’t live close enough to experience their produce yourself? We’ve got local vendors all around the country growing great food just like this. Check your local store for what’s available in your neck of the woods.

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