USDA organic label comes under fire

By Kimberly Kindy and Lyndsey Layton          LA Times  July 3, 2009

Lax agency standards mean that consumers aren't always buying foods without pesticides and other chemicals that were produced in environmentally friendly ways, consumer advocates and lawmakers say.

Three years ago, U.S. Department of Agriculture employees determined that synthetic additives in organic baby formula violated federal standards and should be banned from products carrying the federal organic label. Today those same additives, purported to boost brainpower and vision, can be found in 90% of organic baby formula.

Food Med 2009

FoodMed, the nation's  premier conference on sustainable food in health
care, will be held this year on June 30-July 1 at the MGM Grand Hotel in
Detroit, MI. 

The transformation of hospital food service from tasteless, calorie laden
and overcooked to fresh, flavorful and healthy is among the largest trends
taking over the nation.  Hospitals and health facilities are improving their
food service, from closing down chain fast-food franchises to providing
space for farmer's markets, purchasing organic food  and building a
supporting community food systems.  More than 240 major US hospitals have
signed Healthy Food in Healthcare Pledge, developed by Health Care Without
Harm, one of the sponsors of FoodMed.