Who "owns" Organics? (scary chart)

[SoCalDem]

http://www.cornucopia.org/who-owns-organic/ (link to article)

The chart's a .pdf file, but well worth accessing.. Since 1997, Organic entities have been all but gobbled up by the biggies, so it's no surprise that today's "report" about how organics are no better for us, has surfaced, and it being pushed by our chatterers. It's the old "can't beat 'em? eat 'em" game. Big oil did it when they quickly bought out inventors' patents for fuel economic devices & for solar advances. "Big Agra" is doing the same to organics.. Buy em up so they control the market, release "evidence" about how they are no better, jack up the prices so they remain a small market, and then just kill the whole thing.

.................................................
The latest update of major corporate ownership and involvement in the organic food sector is now out. The chart graphically focuses on the organic brands with ties to the top 25 food processors in North America. You can view a full-size version of the latest chart by clicking here. be sure to zoom to 100%, so you can read it all.

Dr. Phil Howard, an Assistant Professor at Michigan State, is responsible for the creation and updating of the organic food business chart. He teaches in the University’s Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies program. Dr. Howard has now created a new graphically animated version of consolidation occurring in the organic food sector between 1995 and 2007. You can view this by clicking on this link:
http://www.msu.edu/~howardp/OrganicIndustry.mov

Dr. Howard’s first organic food sector chart, from 2002 (the date the USDA’s organic standards were implemented), offers an interesting comparison of the dramatic changes that have taken place with organics over the past 4 years. Two other revealing presentations of organic business have also been prepared by Dr. Howard. These are a chart of major independent organic companies and a chart of private label organic brands, including supermarket chains, specialty chains and distributors.
snip

[tsuki]

1. Interesting. Last year, I went to buy pine nuts for my pesto, and

the store had Walnut Acres brand (product of China.) I showed it to the owner who agrees with me about "organics from China." He removed them.

I am printing out the chart and taking it to him.

Thanks.

[dhpgetsit]

2. Good on you!

The big corporate food supply brings us lower quality food and burns more oil doing it.

Support your local farmers and get the most locally produced foods you can find.

[a kennedy]

6. Support your local farmers and get the most locally produced foods you can find.

That's the ticket........ :thumbsup: also should watch this http://www.foodincmovie.com/

[marshall]

8. Or better yet, grow your own!

Start with a small patch and build it up. You'd be amazed how much you can get out of a small amount of dirt with fertilizer and proper care.

[tsuki]

10. We produce 60+% of what we eat. Have since 2000. When George

Bush was select, I told husband to fire up the garden again, the Republicans were going to poison the food supply. And they did.

[nc4bo]

14. +100. I can personally testify to that! nt

[tsuki]

9. Pine nuts are problematic for me in this area, however, pesto with

pecans is good also.

[SoCalDem]

11. My boys used to throw pinon nuts at each other

We had them growing wild all over.. It never occured to us that they were edible:)

you can order them from the source here

http://www.newmexicopinonnuts.com/index.html

[tsuki]

16. Thanks for the source. I have a wazoo of basil this year. And I

love the taste of the pine nuts. :yourock:

[Resuscitated Ethics]

3. Reality is spooky. Much of the food industry is cloaked in secrecy

I was amazed in the movie Food Inc. how walmart has started calling some of the shots with organic: there was a priceless scene where three walmart reps were visiting the organic farm where the organic yogurt they were going to start selling originated. One of the hosts admitted they had never shopped at WalMart "we boycotted early on and just ran with it" The walmart guy said "that is why we are coming to YOU!" big grin. Moral being all the large companys are RUNNING to get a piece of the pure food market.

I am out of my league discussing western diet.

Food Inc. is very well-done.

Thank you for this eye-opening chart. They don't need to hide. Obama has some trust busting to do!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

21. The idea that organic foods are "pure" is a ridiculous marketing fiction...

...propagated by the organic farming industry in order to scare you into using their more expensive products. If you're that worried about it, try to buy locally from a source you can inspect for yourself.

[Odin2005]

4. This is why "Organic" is BS, a scam. I'd rather by non-organic local food.

[SoCalDem]

5. Yep, once they went "big", it was over.

Local is the only way you know for sure where your food comes from.

[KittyWampus]

18. Wait, does this article disprove the organic nature of Muir Glen (for instance) products?

Or does it simply diagram how small organic companies were bought out?

BTW, I am well aware of how food industry has watered down the legal meaning of the word "organic".

[SoCalDem]

19. It's about who has bought the original organics

Once they are owned by the conglomerate, who knows what shortcuts are taken:shrug:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

22. What makes you think small organic outfits aren't full of shit?

There have been numerous cases of small supposedly "organic" outfits using horrible and extremely environmentally destructive (though *technically* organic) techniques in their farming. The idea that small farmers are somehow morally superior to larger businesses is discredited bunk.

[NashVegas]

7. Two of the Brands I Use Are On There

Cascadian Farms and Muir Glen, both were gobbled by General Mills. I don't use them very often, though, especially right now it's summer.

Otherwise, this chart doesn't affect me for the most part, because I usually cook my own and when I don't, I go looking for stuff like Stonyfield and Organic Valley.

It seems like most of the branded organics are really snacking food, anyway. Processed stuff.

This chart and others like it are a hefty contribution to food activists and informed organics consumers. What I wish it had on it was any info about meats with organically-raised claims, like Smart Chicken, and the suppliers of grocery store brands like Publix Greenwise.

Thanks.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. It's like bottled water, isn't it.

People think it's better for them, but it really isn't, and it's just a racket to sell the same stuff at inflated prices.

[KittyWampus]

17. actually, most people think bottled water is more convenient for them. Once again, you blather away

adding nothing to the discussion.

[underpants]

13. Hi!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6185694

[nc4bo]

15. How can you really trust if big agri "organic" is really honest to goodness "organic"

Why bother?

I wish someone would do an undercover expo on this because I have a creepy feeling all they do is simply re-package their regular product and slap an "organic" label on the bag and make a fortune off the health conscious.

I don't trust 'em one bit.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

20. This is only scary to people who have totally run out of things to be scared about.

Really. Please.

[FreedomTrain]

23. The thread is too old for me to recommend

I will bump it up, however! This should not be missed.

[Common Sense Party]

24. The chart:

[SoCalDem]

25. Too small to read the fine print..the link to the pdf lets you enlarge it

To see the progression and the relentless nature of the gobbling, you need to see the details:)

[gita]

26. Okay, when I clicked on that link, it effed up my 'puter so I won't try again but

I just want to say that I heard that Horizon dairy was owned by Dean Foods or something and yet Organic Valley is a group of independent farmers.

[SoCalDem]

27. Here's the graphic for Dean's Acquisitions

Organic Valley seems "safe" from corporatization...so far
http://www.organicvalley.coop/our-story/our-cooperative/