Olomomo Nut Company Secures Crowd Funding Investment as Growth Accelerates

For Immediate Release:

Olomomo Nut Company Secures Crowd Funding Investment as Growth Accelerates

BOULDER, CO (January 8, 2014) – OLOMOMO Nut Co., a leading, Boulder, CO-based producer of all-natural, gluten-free, artisan-roasted nuts, achieved a key milestone in its national growth strategy today by securing a $450,000 round of funding with help from angel investor crowd-funding platform, CircleUp. Founded in 2012, CircleUp is an internet-based platform primarily for natural consumer packaged goods companies aiming to reach accredited investors. OLOMOMO was one of the first companies featured as part of CircleUp’s Seeds Program for startups under $1 million in revenue.

“We are incredibly grateful to CircleUp for backing this fundraising round. The exposure on CircleUp put us in front of thousands of potential investors we would never have accessed through our own limited time and network,” said OLOMOMO CEO Mark Owens. “We also attracted some very experienced and influential angel investors with the help of CircleUp – including Brad Feld of the Foundry Group, a couple of key natural food industry veterans, and a variety of finance, tech and CPG marketing experts.”

CircleUp’s CEO Ryan Caldbeck is thrilled to welcome OLOMOMO to the platform’s community of funded companies. “Snacking is on the rise and consumers are looking for healthier ways to snack. OLOMOMO leverages these trends in the market in an exciting way with strong branding and a healthy habit-forming product with unique flavors. We were excited by the team’s experience in the food sector and their commitment to building an authentic brand within the nut category,” he said.

OLOMOMO's current flavored nut product line is kettle-roasted using a new twist on centuries-old techniques, and lightly seasoned with individual spices to prevent masking the nut’s inherent flavor. According to founder Justin Perkins, “I’m a busy professional, a dad, and a weekend-warrior athlete who depends on sustained, even energy. I wanted a snack that wasn’t overly sweet or salty; I don’t have time for sugar crashes and ingredients that are dehydrating. Therefore, all of our products adhere to that guiding principle of minimal sugar, low-salt, but loads of flavor.”

Current flavor offerings have the following attributes: all natural and organic ingredients, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, no trans fat, no added oils, no cholesterol, no preservatives, no artificial colors, no artificial sweeteners and no GMO ingredients.

The folks at OLOMOMO use distinctive, fair-trade spice combinations to create mind-blowing roasted almond, pecan and walnut flavors including Cherry Vanilla Dream, Chai Bliss, Mango Chipotle Zinger, and Righteous Cinnamon Cayenne, available in 1.5-oz. and 4-oz. sizes - and Cosmic Maple Masala Pecans, available in 3.25-oz. bags. The company plans to roll out new flavors in early 2014.

OLOMOMO Nut Company – The Good Nuts™ -- is a cause-oriented brand with a mission to do and inspire more good in the world while creating a healthy snack alternative. 

About OLOMOMO Nut Company

OLOMOMO - The Good Nuts™ - offers healthful, artisan-roasted, all natural nuts. Since launching in 2008 at Boulder, CO area farmers’ markets, OLOMOMO has grown to be the snack of choice for thousands. OLOMOMO Nut Co. is a sustainable business with a commitment to fair labor practices, all natural and organic ingredients, and a wide variety of environmental and social causes. OLOMOMO Nuts inspires people to... ”Be Nutty.  Be Good.  Be Adventurous™.”

OLOMOMO is now available at more than 80 natural grocery stores and 250 coffee shops and smoothie shops nationwide, including Whole Foods Markets in Colorado, Alfalfa's Market, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Akin's Natural Foods, Smoothie King and other leading retailers. OLOMOMO is now available nationally through distributors KeHE/ Tree of Life, Garden Spot, Shamrock Foods, and Barista Pro Shop. For more information, visit www.olomomo.com, contact Mark Owens, info@olomomo.com, 303-242-5509, or join the community atwww.olomomo.com/facebook.

About CircleUp

CircleUp (www.circleup.com) is an online private company investment platform. CircleUp provides accredited investors free access to direct investments in high-growth consumer product and retail private companies that were previously difficult to identify and access. For retail and consumer product entrepreneurs, CircleUp offers an efficient way to access a network of sophisticated investors as well as value-added partners.

As one of the largest equity based crowdfunding sites, CircleUp provides not only access to interesting consumer and retail private company investments, but also a wide ranging, sophisticated investor network. The platform’s investor base includes retail and consumer product industry experts, venture capital, private equity and other financial professionals, business leaders, angel investors and others interested in expanding their investment portfolios with private company investments.

For more information, visit the CircleUp Press Room, like us on Facebook, follow us on LinkedIn orTwitter, or visit our blog.

Communications by Compass Natural Marketing

info@compassnatural.com | 303.807.1042

Historic Mainstream Cereal Brands Make Non-GMO News

Food giants General Mills and Post Foods both announced in the same month that their flagship Original Cheerios and Original Grape Nuts cereals will now say “Non-GMO” on the label, however, consumer watchdog groups fear that voluntary non-GMO claims may be meant to pre-empt any prospective state and federal mandatory GMO labeling efforts.

After contributing millions of dollars in campaign funding in 2012 and 2013 to oppose GMO labeling bills in California and Washington state, mainstream food manufacturer General Mills announced in early January 2014 that it has reformulated its flagship Original Cheerios cereal to remove GMOs from the product. The company said it had spent the past year sourcing non-GMO ingredients and changing some manufacturing practices, and beginning this month, Original Cheerios will now bear a non-GMO claim on the package.

General Mill’s non-GMO claim has not been verified by any third party agency, and the Original variety is the only Cheerios flavor to make the non-GMO claim. To respond to consumer questions, the company posted a non-GMO FAQ web page here.

Taking it one step further, cereal maker Post Foods announced just days later that its Original Grape Nuts variety is now Non-GMO Project Verified and U.S. consumers will see the familiar blue butterfly non-GMO seal on the front of the package in supermarkets across the country. Both Post and General Mills are members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), a mainstream food industry lobby group that has opposed mandatory GMO labeling measures.

Proponents of GMO transparency lauded the news, including the nonprofit GMO Inside, a project of Green America, which has targeted Cheerios for not disclosing its GMO ingredients in widespread social media campaigns. Given the historic stature of the brands - Grape Nuts was first introduced in 1897 by mainstream food pioneer C.W. Post, and General Mills first launched Cheerios in 1941 - plus their dominant position in the cereal aisle, the moves were heralded as a major step forward in GMO labeling and in exposing a far greater number of consumers to the issue of GMOs in food and agriculture.

GMO Inside continues to press General Mills; its current campaign calls for removing GMO ingredients from Honey Nut Cheerios, and for General Mills to engage a third-party verification service such as Non-GMO Project to ensure the authenticity of the company's non-GMO claims.

A Toe in the Non-GMO Water Granted, the main ingredients in Original Cheerios and Original Grape Nuts - oats and wheat, respectively - are essentially non-GMO, making the products relatively easy to reformulate. Yet, in sourcing non-GMO corn starch, non-GMO sweetener from sugar cane instead of GMO sugar beets, and other non-GMO ingredients, and investing in segregating production, these mainstream cereal giants for the first time are responding to clamoring consumer demand for GMO labeling and transparency. While the Original flavors of Cheerios and Grape Nuts are the only non-GMO offerings, Post said it is pursuing other potential non-GMO products.

It is a testament to the efforts of sustainable food and farming organizations, consumer advocacy groups, natural and organic industry supporters, and grass-roots campaigns behind mandatory GMO labeling bills in states and federal government over the past few years that prompted these mainstream food corporations to finally acknowledge GMO transparency by announcing their non-GMO product claims.

Too Good to be True? Industry watchdogs, however, warn that the claims made by General Mills and Post are strictly voluntary non-GMO claims only, while consumers remain largely unaware that the majority of conventionally processed foods contain GMOs without requiring any disclosure on the label. While non-GMO claims are laudable, proponents of GMO labeling transparency wonder if this may be part of a roundabout move by the mainstream grocery lobby to pre-empt mandatory state and federal GMO labeling measures in favor of being able to make voluntary non-GMO claims, or abide by voluntary or watered-down GMO labeling standards that will likely be full of exemptions and loopholes.

Food Safety News reported in early January that GMA lobbied Congress and federal regulators to allow foods containing GMOs to be called "natural." Also, in an internal letter outlining GMO talking points intended for food industry lobbyists, GMA warned that, "The first state to implement a GMO labeling law will be sued on the constitutional grounds seen in IDFA v. Amestoy. Litigation in this area could be long, costly and will probably be decided by the Supreme Court," the letter stated. However, GMA's claims that state GMO labeling efforts are unconstitutional are baseless, according to legal experts and reported by Organic Consumers Association on January 23.

"If we’re to follow Cheerios and Grape Nuts down the rabbit hole, then states and federal GMO labeling laws will never happen," notes journalist Jill Ettinger in EatDrinkBetter.com. "Instead of mandatory labeling, with defined parameters, we’ll end up with a sugar-coated self-regulated system that’s about as healthy for you as the average breakfast cereal. In the long run, we’re much better off with tangible labeling laws instead of voluntary proclamations," she wrote.

One bright spot is that “now that Original Cheerios has gone non-GMO, it has proven one thing we've known all along and that is that GMO labeling doesn't cost the consumer any more money," said David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner's and a longtime GMO labeling advocate. Bronner noted at a recent GMO labeling meeting in Portland, OR, that prices have not gone up for non-GMO Cheerios or Grape Nuts, despite repeated claims by GMO labeling opponents that mandatory labeling requirements would increase food prices for consumers.

This post originally appeared in the January 2014 issue of Presence News, a leading industry newsletter published by Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence, the nation's largest independent natural and organic products brokerage.

Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural LLC, a full-service marketing, branding, public relations and business development agency serving natural, organic and sustainable products businesses. As a GMO labeling proponent, he served on the finance committees of California’s Prop 37 and Washington State’s I-522 voter campaigns to label GMO foods. Hoffman is former Editorial Director of New Hope Natural Media and former Program Director of Natural Products Expo. A co-founder of the annual LOHAS Conference for the $300-billion “Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability” market, and former Director of The Organic Center, Hoffman also served as Rocky Mountain Sales Manager and National Marketing Director for Arrowhead Mills, now a leading organic division of the Hain-Celestial Group. Contact steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042.

USDA, FDA to Heap More GMOs on Consumers’ Plates

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Following the narrow defeat of Washington's I-522 to label GMO foods, the USDA moved to deregulate two new GMO soy varieties and a GMO apple genetically engineered to resist browning. Reports also indicate FDA may soon approve GMO salmon – the first GE animal for commercial food production.

What’s next for consumers and industry after November's narrow election loss of the I-522 GMO labeling bill in Washington State? While GMO labeling initiatives are emerging in states like Oregon, Colorado and elsewhere, and Just Label It and other organizations continue to press for advancement of federal GMO labeling legislation, there’s a different agenda at USDA and FDA.

The priority of these government organizations in charge of our food and agriculture is the approval and commercialization of more GMO crops, including more GMO soy varieties and a GMO apple that resists browning when sliced. Plus, approval of GMO salmon - the first genetically engineered animal proposed for human consumption – may be imminent.

On November 6, just one day after Washington State’s I-522 GMO labeling bill was narrowly defeated in a statewide election, USDA announced it deregulated for commercial use a new soybean genetically engineered by Monsanto to produce a higher yield. At the same time, USDA recommended deregulating an herbicide-resistant GMO soybean made by BASF, plus a GMO apple genetically engineered to resist browning when sliced. The comment period for the BASF herbicide-resistant GMO soy and the GMO apple ended on December 10.

In approving Monsanto’s GMO soy, MON 87712, genetically engineered to produce higher yield by splicing in a light-sensitive gene from Arabidopsis thaliana or the mouse-ear cress plant, a common weed in Europe, USDA said in a Federal Register notice that it evaluated data submitted by Monsanto, an analysis of available scientific data, and public comments in determining that the GMO soybean is "unlikely to pose a plant pest risk" and is of “no significant impact.”

Monsanto also hopes to garner approval in 2014 of GMO corn, soy and cotton genetically engineered to be tolerant to applications of dicamba and 2,4-D (also known as Agent Orange), two potent and toxic synthetic herbicides that growers have had to resort to, as weed resistance to glyphosate, or “Roundup” has increased dramatically as a result of its overuse in GMO crop production.

More GMOs, More Pesticides
Toxic pesticide usage, in fact, including herbicides and insecticides, has grown by more than 400 million pounds as a result of widespread adoption of GMO agriculture. Herbicide-tolerant and Bt-transgenic crops now dominate U.S. agriculture, accounting for about one in every two acres of harvested cropland, and approximately 95% of soybean and cotton acres and more than 85% of corn acreage.

In a study published in October 2012 in Environmental Sciences Europe by noted Washington State University researcher Dr. Chuck Benbrook, “Impacts of Genetically Engineered Foods on Pesticide Use in the U.S. – the First 16 Years,” GMO crops have increased overall pesticide use in the U.S. by 404 million pounds from 1996 through 2011. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, glyphosate use alone increased by more than 6,500% from 1991 to 2010. Contrary to biotech’s claims that GMOs reduce the need for chemicals, overall pesticide use in 2011 was 20% higher on each acre planted to a GMO crop, compared to pesticide use on acres not planted to GMO crops, reported Benbrook.

Driving the increased herbicide usage are a growing number of “super weeds” – now estimated at more than two dozen – that have developed resistance to glyphosate, the major herbicide used on herbicide-tolerant GMO crops. Benbrook notes that many of these weeds are spreading rapidly in primary agricultural areas in the U.S., and that millions of acres are infested with more than one glyphosate-resistant weed. The presence of resistant weeds drives up herbicide use by 25% to 50%, and increases weed control costs for farmers by at least as much, Benbrook noted.

Apples That Don’t Brown…No Matter How Old They Are!
For generations, folks have used lemon juice to keep apple slices from browning, but now USDA wants to approve a new genetically engineered apple marketed under the “Arctic” brand by Okanagan Specialty Fruits in British Colombia for commercial production and sale in the U.S.

USDA said the GMO apples – in which the gene that turns apples brown has been silenced using licensed technology originally developed in genetically engineered potatoes – were “unlikely” to pose a plant pest risk. Additionally, USDA said that it conducted a nutritional analysis that establishes the safety of the GMO “apples and their products to humans, including minorities, low-income populations, and children who might be exposed to them through agricultural production and/or processing."

The GMO apple's creator says browning has economic costs and that it has already engineered Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples, with Fuji and Gala varieties next in line. Opponents of the GMO apple say browning is a natural indicator of an aging piece of fruit, and along with organic growers are concerned about GMO contamination of orchards, both organic and non-GMO, while also fearing that negative consumer perception may lead to a decline in apple sales in general.

Also, independent studies have found risks associated with this new kind of GMO technology. While most existing GMOs are designed to make new proteins, reports Melody Meyer, VP of Policy and Industry Relations for UNFI and President of the Organic Trade Association, in her blog Organic Matters, GMO apples make dsRNA in order to alter the way genes are expressed. Recent research has shown that dsRNA can transfer from plants to humans and other animals through ingesting food or by inhaling dust from the plant or absorption through the skin. While RNA is a normal component of all cells, in dsRNA form it can have effects that depend on the species and tissues exposed to it, reports Meyer.

GMO Salmon – But Is It Kosher?
Most alarming for non-GMO advocates are recent reports indicating that FDA may be poised to approve GMO salmon before the end of the year or in early 2014. The AquAdvantage salmon, created by Massachusetts-based biotech firm Aqua Bounty, is genetically engineered with a Chinook salmon growth gene and an “antifreeze” gene from an eel-like fish called the ocean pout, which makes the fish grow twice as fast as naturally occurring salmon. The AquAdvantage salmon would be the first genetically engineered animal ever approved for human consumption.

Paving the way for the prospect of imminent approval in the U.S., in late November Canada became the first country to approve commercial production of genetically engineered salmon eggs, stating that a panel of independent transgenics and fish containment technology experts found no risk to the environment or human health when the eggs are produced in contained facilities. Canada has not yet approved GMO salmon for human consumption.

Aqua Bounty assures regulators the safety of its production system, which includes producing the GMO salmon eggs in containment facilities on Prince Edward Island in Canada and then shipping them to a facility in Panama for maturation and processing before shipping cut fillets to the U.S. and other markets that allow genetically engineered foods. However, opponents stress that GMO salmon could escape into nature and threaten native species, and that there may be higher risk of cancer and allergies associated with consumption of GMO salmon.

“We are alarmed and disappointed by the short-sightedness of [Canada’s] decision. GE salmon production, in Canada or anywhere else, threatens native salmon survival around the world,” said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety. “FDA has thus far refused to rigorously analyze the impacts of GE salmon. It must do so before even considering any approval.”

A number of recent reports have documented troubles at Aqua Bounty’s facilities in Panama, including lack of legally required permits and inspections, including a wastewater discharge permit, “lost” GMO salmon, and routine, destructive flooding in the area of the facility.

Several major retailers, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Aldi and Target, have announced they will not sell the GMO salmon in their stores. Also, in November, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mark Begich (D-AK) co-sponsored a petition calling for the FDA not to approve the GMO salmon. To date, nearly 100,000 people in all 50 states have signed the petition.

Regarding the Kosher question, the Orthodox Union (OU) says GMO salmon is kosher, because it has fins and scales. However, eels, which lack scales, are not considered Kosher, creating a dilemma for observers who enjoy salmon lox with their bagels. “Creation of a part-fish, part-eel seems impermissible as a violation of the Torah’s prohibition to mix species,” says writer Lisa Kassner in the Jewish Journal. One Kosher certifier, Natural Food Certifiers, announced in April that it would not allow its “Apple K” logo to appear on products that contain GMOs, including the proposed GMO salmon.

Article was previously published in the Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence December 2013 Newsletter.

Research Documents Risks Associated with GMOs

Source: Pexels

The biotech industry works hard to discredit any science demonstrating the health and environmental safety risks associated with the widespread adoption of genetically engineered crops and foods. However, a growing body of published scientific research shows clear and present risks to humans, animals and the environment as a result of GMOs and the pesticides used in GMO agriculture that are now pervasive in our ecosystem, diet and food production system. There are nine genetically modified (GM or GMO) food crops currently on the market: soy, corn, cotton (oil), canola (oil), sugar from sugar beets, zucchini, yellow squash, Hawaiian papaya, and alfalfa. However, in November 2013, USDA recommended that GMO apples be approved for commercial production, and FDA may approve GMO salmon - the first genetically engineered animal ever allowed for human consumption - in late 2013 or early 2014.

Please see the executive summary of key research findings below. Also, for a more comprehensive reference, you can download for free GMO Myths and Truths, published by Earth Open Source.

• GMO DNA could cross-transfer into genes of plants, animals and humans; there is scientific evidence that it could jump species: GM DNA can persist in plant debris and soil residues long after the GMO crop has been cultivated, plus the GM transgene for glyphosate tolerance was found in human digestive systems after eating GMO soy; scientists also found that the GM genes transferred to bacteria in the human gut, according to a June 2010 report by the Institute of Science in Society. In fact, said the report, due to its inherent design to be able to “jump” into genomes, genetically engineered DNA may actually be more successfully transferred into other organisms. Institute of Science in Society, June 2010.

• Research carried out by a team at Sherbrooke University Hospital in Quebec and accepted for publication in February 2011 in the journal Reproductive Toxicology found that the toxic Bt insecticide protein Cry1Ab, engineered into GMO crops, was present in blood serum of 93% of pregnant women tested. The Bt toxin was also present in 80% of umbilical blood samples taken from fetuses, and in 67% of non-pregnant women. The researchers suggest that the most probable source of the toxin is GM food consumed as part of a normal diet in Canada, where GM presence in food is unlabeled. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to highlight the presence of pesticides-associated genetically modified foods in maternal, fetal and nonpregnant women’s blood. 3-MPPA and Cry1Ab toxin are clearly detectable and appear to cross the placenta to the fetus. Given the potential toxicity of these environmental pollutants and the fragility of the fetus, more studies are needed,” say the researchers. Aris A, Leblanc S. Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec. Reprod Toxicol (2011), doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.02.004.

• Bt toxins derived from the Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria, traditionally used in topical applications on plants in organic gardening, were thought to be toxic only to insects. However, now that genetically engineered crops are designed to produce Bt toxins at the cellular level of the plant itself, recent studies are showing that such prolonged exposure to increased levels of Bt toxins in the diet could lead to red blood cell damage and possibly leukemia in mammals. In the 2013 Journal of Hematology & Thromboembolic Diseases, study author Belin Mezzomo of the Department of Genetics and Morphology and the Institute of Biological Sciences at the University of Brasilia reported that Bt toxins found in Monsanto’s GMO corn and soy crops are more toxic to mammals than previously thought. Tests demonstrated that “Cry” proteins resulting from Bt toxin were toxic to red blood cells and bone marrow cells. Scientists tested levels ranging from 27 mg to 270 mg over a seven-day period and found that the Cry toxins were hemotoxic, even at the lowest doses administered. Hemotoxins are known to destroy red blood cells, disrupt blood clotting and cause organ degeneration and tissue damage. Journal of Hematology and Thromboembolic Diseases, 2013.

• Citing USDA research data, Environmental Protection Act records, medical journal reviews, and international research, a team of specialists including Stephanie Seneff, Senior Research Scientist at MIT, and Dr. Tom O'Bryan, internationally recognized expert on gluten sensitivity and Celiac Disease, in September 2013 proposed that genetically engineered foods may be an important trigger for gluten sensitivity, estimated to affect 18 million Americans. In the report, “Can Genetically Engineered Foods Explain the Exploding Gluten Sensitivity,” published by the Institute for Responsible Technology, the authors relate genetically modified foods to five conditions that may either trigger or exacerbate gluten-related disorders, including the autoimmune disorder Celiac Disease: intestinal permeability; imbalanced gut bacteria; immune activation and allergic response; impaired digestion; and damage to the intestinal wall. Jeffrey Smith, Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, explained that genetically engineered Bt-toxin in corn “is designed to puncture holes in insect cells, but studies show it does the same in human cells. Bt-toxin may be linked to leaky gut, which physicians consistently see in gluten-sensitive patients." Although wheat has been hybridized through natural breeding techniques over the years, to date no GMO wheat has been approved for commercial planting and human or animal consumption.

• French scientists revealed in November 2012 in a study published in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology that rats fed on GMO corn sold by US firm Monsanto suffered tumors and other complications including kidney and liver damage, in the first two-year study conducted on GMOs and health. Researchers from the University of Caen, led by Gilles-Eric Seralini, found that rats fed on a diet containing NK603 – a GMO seed variety made tolerant to amounts of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide – or given water mixed with Roundup, at levels permitted in the US, died earlier than those on a standard diet. Fifty percent of male and 70% of female rats developed numerous tumors and died prematurely, compared with only 30% and 20%, respectively, in the control group. Under intense criticism by the biotech industry for publishing Seralini's findings, In November 2103, editor Wallace Hayes was compelled to ask Seralini to withdraw his research or it would be "retracted." Seralini responded that his peer-reviewed study followed international research guidelines. "We maintain our conclusions," Seralini refuted, claiming that "a factual comparative analysis" of the rat feeding trial by his group and safety trials conducted by multinational biotech corporation Monsanto "clearly reveals that if the Seralini experiments are considered to be insufficient to demonstrate harm, logically, it must be the same for those carried out by Monsanto to prove safety."

• In a study published in October 2012 in Environmental Sciences Europe by Washington State University researcher Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., “Impacts of Genetically Engineered Foods on Pesticide Use in the U.S. – the First 16 Years,” GMO crops have increased overall pesticide use in the U.S. by 404 million pounds from 1996 through 2011. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, glyphosate use alone increased by more than 6,500% from 1991 to 2010. Contrary to biotech’s claims that GMOs reduce the need for chemicals, overall pesticide use in 2011 was 20% higher on each acre planted to a GMO crop, compared to pesticide use on acres not planted to GMO crops, reported Benbrook. Herbicide-tolerant and Bt-transgenic crops now dominate U.S. agriculture, accounting for about one in every two acres of harvested cropland, and approximately 95% of soybean and cotton acres and more than 85% of corn acreage. Driving the increased herbicide usage are a growing number of “super weeds” – now estimated at more than two dozen – that have developed resistance to glyphosate, the major herbicide used on herbicide-tolerant GMO crops. Benbrook notes that many of these weeds are spreading rapidly in primary agricultural areas in the U.S., and that millions of acres are infested with more than one glyphosate-resistant weed. The presence of resistant weeds drives up herbicide use by 25% to 50%, and increases weed control costs for farmers by at least as much, Benbrook reported.

• Nancy Swanson, Ph.D., former staff scientist for the U.S. Navy and former professor of physics at Western Washington University, analyzed data in April 2013 related to the increased use of the synthetic herbicide glyphosate (Roundup®), an endocrine disruptor widely used in GMO agriculture, to the incidence of autism in children. Her findings indicated a strong direct correlation between the increased use of glyphosate in agriculture and the increased incidence of autism in children. Swanson also noted direct correlations between the use of glyphosate, which appears in the air, rain and water throughout the Midwest, with increases in other neurological diseases including ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Alzeimer’s Disease, and senile dementia. See Swanson’s charts here: http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/gmos-glyphosate-and-neurological-disorders#slide=1.

• Dozens of cases of pesticide poisonings have been documented throughout Argentina that have been linked to industrial-scale, GMO agriculture and largely un-policed pesticide application in major agricultural areas of the country, according to an investigation conducted by the Associated Press and published in October 2013. Additionally, the nation’s agricultural areas are seeing dramatic spikes in the incidence of cancer, birth defects, miscarriages and other illnesses that may be related to “chemical cocktails” in the environment. Argentina is the world’s third-largest soybean producer, virtually all of which is genetically engineered to withstand applications of Roundup® (glyphosate) and other toxic, synthetic herbicides, including 2,4-D, or Agent Orange, which farmers are increasingly relying on as weeds and pests are becoming resistant to the GMO crops. Pesticide use in Argentina has increased nine-fold from 9 million gallons in 1990 to more than 84 million gallons today. Overall, Argentine farmers apply an estimated 4.3 pounds of agrichemical concentrate per acre, more than twice the amount U.S. farmers use, according to an AP analysis of government and pesticide industry data. Additionally, the AP investigation found that pesticide spray drifts often into schools and homes and settles over water sources; farmworkers mix poisons with no protective gear; villagers store water in pesticide containers that should have been destroyed. Now doctors are warning that uncontrolled pesticide applications could be the cause of growing health problems among the 12 million people who live in the South American nation's vast farm belt. In Santa Fe, researchers found cancer rates are two- to four-times higher than the national average, including breast, prostate and lung cancers. Researchers also found high rates of thyroid disorders and chronic respiratory illness. In Chaco in northwest Argentina near Paraguay, birth defects quadrupled in the decade after biotechnology dramatically expanded farming in Argentina, claim clinicians and researchers. One researcher, molecular biologist Andres Carrasco, Ph.D., of the University of Buenos Aires, published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology in 2010 findings that linked glyphosate to spinal defects, findings that were later rebutted by Monsanto.

• Monsanto’s corn that’s genetically engineered to kill insects may be losing its effectiveness against rootworms in four states, the EPA said. Rootworms in IA, IL, MN and NE are suspected of developing tolerance to the plants’ Bt insecticide, based on documented cases of severe crop damage and reports from entomologists, the EPA reported in a memo dated Nov. 22, 2011, and posted on a government website. Monsanto’s program for monitoring suspected cases of resistance is “inadequate,” the EPA said. Monsanto now recommends farmers use Smartstax corn, which the company claims kills rootworms with two types of Bt.  Bloomberg News, Dec. 2, 2011.

• Weeds that are no longer killed by Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, used heavily in genetically engineered crops, have invaded 14 million acres of U.S. cotton, soybean and corn, the vast majority of which is GMO, according to data presented by Swiss chemical maker and biotech giant Syngenta. A 2011 Dow Chemical Co. study found as many as 20 million acres of GMO corn and soybeans may be infested with Roundup-resistant “superweeds.”Bloomberg News, Dec. 2, 2011.

• In a study published April 10, 2013, in the scientific publication Entropy, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology linked the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup®, the most widely used herbicide in the world and the one most closely associated with genetically engineered agriculture, to increases in the incidence of diabetes, autism, infertility and cancer in humans. Through the inhibition of a crucial enzyme, Cytochrome P450, glyphosate enhances the damaging effects of other food borne chemical residues and environmental toxins. Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body, report the researchers, leading to gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases, Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff, Entropy 2013, Vol. 15, April 10, 2013.

• Glyphosate (Roundup®) is consistently found in rain, rivers, surface water and air throughout the entire growing season in agricultural areas in the Mississippi River watershed, according to USGS studies released in August 2011. Glyphosate is used in almost all agricultural and urban areas of the US. The greatest glyphosate use is in the Mississippi River basin, primarily for weed control on GMO corn, soybeans and cotton. Overall, agricultural use of glyphosate has increased from less than 11,000 tons in 1992 to more than 88,000 tons in 2007. "Though glyphosate is the mostly widely used herbicide in the world, we know very little about its long term effects to the environment," says Paul Capel, USGS chemist. The degradation product of glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), which has a longer environmental lifetime, was also detected in streams and rain. USGS found glyphosate in more than 60% of air and rain sampled at locations in MI, IA and IN, with AMPA found in more than 50% of samples. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Technical Announcement, Aug. 29, 2011.

• Don M. Huber, Ph.D., an emeritus professor at Purdue University who has done research for Monsanto on chemical herbicides, alleges that he has found a link between genetically modified crops and crop diseases and infertility in livestock: an "unknown organism" he and other researchers claim to have discovered in 2010 on Midwestern farms. Huber reported that the organism that raised his concern was found in much higher concentrations in corn and soybeans grown from genetically engineered Roundup Ready seeds than in grains grown from conventional seed. He believes the pathogen has made GMO soybeans more susceptible to “sudden death syndrome” and corn to Goss’ wilt; and reaffirmed his suspicion that it is linked to spontaneous abortions and infertility in livestock fed on GMO crops. "This organism appears new to science," Huber wrote in a letter in January 2011 to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "I believe the threat we are facing from this pathogen is unique and of a high-risk status. In layman's terms, it should be treated as an emergency," Huber wrote. Los Angeles Times, April 2, 2011.

• European researchers at the University of Caen studied data on 90-day feeding trials on rats. They concluded that three varieties of GMO corn—Mon 810, Mon 863 and NK 603—which were approved for consumption by U.S., European and other food safety authorities—are linked to organ damage in mammals, including “adverse impacts on kidneys and liver, dietary detoxifying organs, as well as different levels of damages to heart, adrenal glands, spleen and haematopoietic system.” de Vendômois J.S., et. al., A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health, International Journal of Biological Sciences, Vol. 5, December 2009.

• Genetically engineered Bt corn may constitute a risk for pollinators, such as honeybees, because of the presence of Cry1Ab endotoxin in corn pollen. Honeybee feeding behavior was affected when exposed to the highest concentration of Cry1Ab protein, with honeybees taking longer to imbibe contaminated corn syrup. Moreover, honeybees exposed to 5,000 ppb of Cry1Ab had disturbed learning performances in that they continued to respond to a conditioned odor even in the absence of a food reward. Results showed that GMO crops expressing Cry1Ab protein at 5,000 ppb may affect food consumption or learning processes and thereby may impact honeybee foraging efficiency. R. Ramirez-Romero, et. al., Does Cry 1 Ab protein affect learning performance of the honeybee Apis mellifera L., Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Feb. 2008.

• The American Academy of Environmental Medicine, in May 2009 called for a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) foods, stating: “Avoid GM foods when possible... Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food... There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation... The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies." Genetically Modified Foods, American Academy of Environmental Medicine Position Paper, May 2009.

• Research by scientists in Mexico found transgenes from Bt corn had contaminated local native varieties of maize in Mexico, the birthplace of corn. This is the second time GMO contamination was found in the genes of native species of corn. The first paper reporting the presence of transgenes in traditional varieties of Mexican corn was published in Nature in 2001. Modified Genes Spread to Local Maize, NatureNews, November 12, 2008.

• According to results from a long-term feeding study with mice, researchers in Austria concluded that consumption of a genetically modified corn developed by Monsanto (NK603 x MON810) may lead to lower fertility and body weight and impaired gene expression. The study has not yet been peer-reviewed but was released on Nov. 11, 2008, by the Austrian Ministry of Health, Family and Youth. Austrian Ministry of Health, Family and Youth.

• Italian researchers found significant disturbances in the immune system of young and old mice fed GM maize (MON810), and elevated levels of a cell type known to be associated with asthma and food allergies in children. Finamore A., et. al., "Intestinal and peripheral immune response to MON810 maize ingestion in weaning and old mice," Journal of Food and Agricultural Chemistry, November 16, 2008.

Research compiled by Compass Natural Marketing, updated November 29, 2013. For more information contact info@compassnaturalmarketing.com, tel 303.807.1042.

After Narrow GMO Labeling Defeat in Washington State, What’s Next?

After all the votes were counted, the Yes on 522 campaign in Washington State to label genetically engineered foods acceded defeat in mid-November by a margin of 48.9% to 51.1%, recalling the narrow defeat in 2012 of Proposition 37 to label GMO foods in California. The anti-GMO labeling side won by a slim 2% of the vote, but they won dirty. Proponents of GMO labeling knew they would be outspent, but they did not count on the fact that the No on 522 side would resort to illegal tactics to win the election, as alleged in an ongoing lawsuit filed by Washington’s Attorney General against a major food industry lobby group for concealing corporate contributions to the campaign, thus violating the state’s campaign finance disclosure laws (see below).

In all, 1.75 million people voted, comprising 45% of Washington’s electorate, the lowest statewide turnout in a decade, with some analysts citing a stronger turnout by more conservative, rural voters along with a poor turnout among younger, progressive voters, with some critics claiming the Yes on 522 campaign didn’t do enough to reach out to rural voters. Or, according to Grist writer Nathanael Johnson, “The Washington vote seems to be telling us that concern about GM food is broad and shallow. That is, lots of people are vaguely worried about transgenics, but it’s not a core issue that drives majorities to the polls.”

Still, said Johnson, the actual amount of money spent on advertising made “all the difference” in turning around polls indicating that Washington voters strongly favored GMO labeling going into the election. Blitzing voters with television advertising and direct mail, and dominating the airwaves in an off-election year with claims that voters didn’t need a confusing labeling law that would cost them more at the grocery store, the anti-GMO labeling lobby outspent the Yes on 522 side more than three to one, or $22 million vs. $8 million – a record for the state in overall campaign spending.

The No on 522 campaign to defeat the GMO labeling bill was supported with multi-million-dollar contributions from just a handful of multinational pesticide/biotech seed companies that donated directly to the No campaign, including Monsanto, Dow, Dupont, BASF and Bayer – and a number of food corporations that until late October remained hidden under the guise of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, a Washington, DC-based industry lobby group.

"Defense of Brands" Scheme Backfires on GMA; Trade Group Faces AG Lawsuit In addition to the $11 million supplied by biotech to defeat the GMO labeling bill, more than three dozen mainstream food corporations – led by Nestle, Pepsico, Coca Cola, General Mills, McCormick, J.M. Smucker, ConAgra and others that purvey GMO foods without labels – matched biotech’s contributions to kill the labeling bill with nearly $11 million of their own.

Except…fearing the consumer backlash, brand tarnishing and PR disaster that many of these companies experienced when they were identified as contributors to defeat Prop 37 in California, they are alleged to have conspired to conceal their donations to the No on 522 campaign through an illegal slush fund, the “Defense of Brands” fund, secretly established n early 2013 by the GMA specifically to hide the names of the corporate campaign contributors from the public.

According to a lawsuit filed on October 16 by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, the GMA pumped $10.6 million into defeating the I-522 GMO labeling bill without first registering a political action committee, in violation of the state’s campaign finance transparency laws. Two days after the lawsuit was filed, the GMA registered a committee and finally disclosed the donors behind $7.2 million it had received from large food manufacturers.

However, the lawsuit is ongoing: in an amended lawsuit filed on November 20, Ferguson alleges that the GMA continues to violate the state’s campaign finance laws by not disclosing an additional $3.4 million in concealed contributions.

But the junk food industry’s game plan goes further, and that is to stop the state level GMO labeling movements “at any cost,” said public health attorney Michele Simon. In reviewing internal documents obtained as a result of the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Simon reported that the mainstream food industry's “ultimate game plan to stop the bleeding in the state-by-state onslaught of GMO labeling efforts is to lobby for a weak federal law that simultaneously preempts or trumps any state-level policy. Rather than a federal compromise, where industry would agree to a weak form of labeling in exchange for stripping state authority, what industry wants instead is to stop state laws to require labeling, while not giving up anything in return,” Simon wrote.

“In their own words, the game plan is to ‘pursue statutory federal preemption which does not include a labeling requirement.’ Let me repeat that,” Simons said: “The junk food lobby's ‘federal solution’ is to make it illegal for states to pass laws requiring GMO labeling. Period. End of story.”

Some good news is that not all major food companies are on board with this plan, and at least 30 companies that contributed to defeat Prop. 37 in California stayed out of the I-522 fight in Washington State, reported Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association. “Some major food companies, including Unilever and Mars, bruised by bad publicity and consumer boycotts, have broken ranks with the GMA and the biotech industry, arguing that GMO food labels are inevitable and must be accepted, just as they’ve had to accept them in Europe and dozens of other countries,” Cummins said. GMO foods are required to be labeled in 64 countries, but not in the United States. In fact, in a 180-degree shift, Unilever, via its Ben & Jerry’s brand, was demonstrably active in promoting the Yes on 522 campaign to label GMO foods.

What’s Next: Oregon in 2014? Washington in 2016? Mandatory Federal Labeling? Yes on 522 campaign organizers, while disappointed in the narrow loss, vowed in a statement, “While it is unfortunate I-522 did not pass, it has set the stage for victory in 2016.” Trudy Bialic, director of public affairs for natural foods retailer PCC in Seattle and co-chair of the Yes on 522 campaign, said the voter turnout “was the lowest ever recorded, skewing older and more conservative, and away from younger, more progressive voters driving the GE labeling movement. We are disappointed with the results, but the polling is clear that Washingtonians support labeling and believe they have a right to know. This fight isn’t over. We will be back in 2016 to challenge and defeat the out-of-state corporations standing in the way of our right to know.”

Currently, GMO labeling language is being prepared and filed in Oregon and Colorado for 2014 ballot initiatives, according to Denver-based political consultant Rick Ridder and David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner’s, a leading supporter of the Yes on 522 campaign and GMO labeling. Local legislatures in Hawaii have recently passed laws requiring biotech companies to reveal what GMO crops and pesticides they are applying to experimental fields. In Vermont, labeling legislation is still active and pro-GMO labeling supporters are not shying away from scientific research that demonstrates that there are, indeed, clear and present risks to human, animal an environmental health associated with genetically engineered food and agriculture.

On the federal front, the Senator Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) and Congressman Peter DeFazio’s (D-OR) bill to label GMO foods, introduced in April 2013, is still pending. However, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in mid-November announced that she was joining 13 other senators as a co-sponsor of Senator Boxer’s Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act.

Just Label executive director Scott Faber said, “We welcome the opportunity to work with food industry leaders and the FDA to devise a federal mandatory labeling system that alerts consumers to the presence of GE ingredients in their food.” However, Faber added, “The results in Washington State do not change the fundamental fact that consumers deserve the right to know about the presence of GE ingredients in their food. Just Label It will continue to fight to give American consumers the same rights as consumers in 64 other nations via a federal solution requiring mandatory labeling, while at the same time continuing to work with state legislators to give this basic right to consumers.

This article appeared in the November 2013 Presence News, a leading natural and organic products industry newsletter published by Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence.

Forging the Way: Functional Formularies® Liquid Hope™

For Immediate Release:

Contact:

Robin Gentry McGee, Functional Formularies, robin@functionalformularies.com, 937.271.0381

Steve Hoffman, Compass Natural LLC, steve@compassnatural.com, 303.807.1042

Forging the Way: Functional Formularies® Liquid Hope™ Innovative Organic Whole Foods Meal Replacement Wins NEXTY 2014 People’s Choice Award

Award-winning Liquid Hope by Functional Formularies, the world’s first organic, non-GMO shelf stable whole foods meal replacement and feeding tube formula, is poised for growth in the natural products retail and health care institutional channels.

Wilmington, OH (October 17, 2013) – The combination of revolutionary product and the power of social media placed Liquid Hope—the first organic, non-GMO, shelf stable whole foods meal replacement designed for enteral (feeding tube) delivery produced by Ohio-based Functional Formularies—among a select group of 61 nominees for the 2014 NEXTY Awards.

The winners were announced in time to be showcased at Natural Products Expo East this past September. Liquid Hope won the People’s Choice Award in the Natural, Organic and Functional Foods and Beverages Category.

The NEXTY Awards, powered by Boulder-based New Hope Natural Media in conjunction with the Sterling Rice Group, recognizes companies in the natural products space for their ingenuity and innovation in a given category.

While meal replacements and supplements are a fiercely competitive and growing category—U.S. consumer sales of supplements grew 7.5% to $32.5 billion in 2012—the organic whole foods meal replacement feeding tube category was virtually nonexistent until Liquid Hope came to market. The leading conventional feeding tube formula brands are Nestle and Abbott Nutrition.

Robin Gentry McGee is the Founder and CEO of Functional Formularies, the company behind Liquid Hope. The whole foods meal replacement is the first of a line of products developed by McGee in 2006 in an attempt to help her elderly father recover from a traumatic brain injury. McGee realized the hospital feeding tube formula was comprised mainly of ingredients including corn syrup, soy and sugar that may have been genetically engineered, artificial flavors and other chemicals—“no real food to be found,” she says, and thus began her quest to use food as medicine to help her father.

Food as Medicine

As a seasoned chef, certified health coach and entrepreneur, McGee knows Functional Formularies is an opportunity to “delve into the deeper healing properties of food and share with those in need of alternative forms of nutrition due to illness or digestive issues, or simply a desire to consume nutritious whole foods on a regular basis.”

With an extensive ingredient list of pureed gluten-free, vegan, organic whole foods including green peas, carrots, sprouted quinoa, miso, almond butter, turmeric, rosemary and a proprietary vitamin blend, the meal replacement was originally intended for feeding tube delivery however it’s palatable savory flavor works well for anyone seeking increased daily nutrition through oral consumption.

Currently consumers of Liquid Hope range from children as young as 18 months to the elderly suffering from such illnesses as cancer and Eosinophilic Esophagitis, extreme inflammation of the esophagus.

“Many of my cancer and ALS patients have asked me for a whole foods approach to nutritional support and I have not had anything to give them until now. Liquid Hope is a perfect answer to this problem. It is … made to help improve the health of patients, not add to their illness. I would love to have all my patients on it,” said Lynn Goldstein, MS RD CDN, Clinical Nutrition Supervisor for Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center.

With positive response from health care professionals, McGee would like to see the company launch into the larger health care institutional channel, crossover pharmacies, and the natural products retail marketplace. Retail outlets that emphasize education for the consumer are ideal, says McGee. Liquid Hope, available in 12 oz. shelf-stable pouches, is currently sold at Dorothy Lane Markets, select independent natural products stores and online atwww.functionalformularies.com.

Meet Functional Formularies at the Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo

Functional Formularies will exhibit at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo October 19-22 in Houston, TX. For more information visit www.eatright.org/FNCE.

For more information about Functional Formularies or to inquire about selling Liquid Hope in your store or health care practice, please email Functional Formularies or call 937.271.0381.

About Functional Formularies

Founded in 2008 by chef, certified health coach and entrepreneur Robin Gentry McGee, Functional Formularies produces organic whole foods meal replacement products, including Liquid Hope, designed for enteral feeding and oral consumption. The company is founded on the principles of “food as medicine” and is an alternative for patients suffering from a wide range of illness as well as those seeking increased daily nutrition through whole foods. For more information visit www.functionalformularies.com.

Communications by Compass Natural Marketing

info@compassnatural.com 303.807.1042

Calling All "Kitchen" Composters

For Immediate Release:

Contact: 

Kristen Hess, kristen@compokeeper.com, 720.532.3218
Steve Hoffman, steve@compassnatural.com, 303.807.1042

Calling All "Kitchen" Composters: CompoKeeper, the Odor-Free Composting Bin that Provides a User-Friendly Solution for Home and Office, Launches Kickstarter Campaign

BOULDER, CO - (October 3, 2013) - CompoKeeper, the innovative disposal bin for small-scale indoor compost collection, launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign Sept. 24, according to the bin’s inventor, Van Hess of Boulder.

The user-friendly compost bin provides an odor-free way for consumers to dispose of and store food waste, making it easy to move such waste from the kitchen or office to the curb or garden. CompoKeeper presents a design that was shaped by users who share a commitment to composting, sustainability and healthful living.

The goal of the Kickstarter campaign is to raise $100,000 in funds so CompoKeeper can establish manufacturing in the U.S., thereby keeping its footprint small and supporting local jobs. CompoKeeper promotes the ever-increasing practice of composting, making it easier for homes and businesses to participate in community curbside programs.

To visit CompoKeeper's Kickstarter campaign page, click here.

The compact, attractive CompoKeeper bin comes with a carbon filter inside which absorbs the odors normally associated with composting. What’s truly innovative, though, is the use of a patented foot pedal that seals the inner bag, locking odors in. The bag itself is compostable.

Home and office users say they have found CompoKeeper to be just the solution they are looking for, touting its ability to reduce waste output.

“We have a CompoKeeper in our kitchen at Scrib, and our members love it,” said Shaw Lathrop, director at the shared workspace community in downtown Boulder. “We have reduced our office waste by one-third.”

“We love our CompoKeeper!” said Jessica Burtenshaw of The Tea Spot, Boulder. “It gets filled with tons of used tea leaves and fruit peels here in our office kitchen, and I'm shocked that it really has no smell. It's such a great item for offices that want to promote eco habits and make it truly simple."

Composting is becoming increasingly popular throughout the U.S., with more and more cities approving mandatory curbside programs. Seattle and San Francisco already require it, and in June 2013 New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he will pursue a mandate that New Yorkers separate their food scraps from ordinary trash and recyclables.

CompoKeeper is a great solution for helping San Francisco residents and businesses sort their compostables, said Jack Macy of the city’s Department of the Environment.

“We were very pleased with the design as it allows air to flow through, thus removing any odor that accumulates,” Macy said. “Their creative and effective solution to clasp and seal the lined container reduces the occurrence of fruit flies, and the foot pedal assists in CompoKeeper's ease of use."

“I believe the CompoKeeper is a great storage option that could help increase participation in our curbside composting program helping our city move toward its zero waste goals," said Dan Matsch of EcoCycle in Boulder.

For more information, to purchase or carry the product in your retail store, or to schedule a media interview, contact Kristen Hess, CompoKeeper co-founder, kristen@compokeeper.com, 720.532.3218 or Sami Udell, relations, samiudell@gmail.com, 847.917.7264.

About CompoKeeper

Father and daughter team Van and Kristen Hess founded CompoKeeper in 2008 in Boulder, CO. The company developed a community envisioned, odor-free compost bin that makes kitchen composting clean and convenient. The CompoKeeper is manufactured in the US and will produce its first line of products upon reaching its Kickstarter campaign goal. For more information or to contribute to the campaign, please visit www.compokeeper.com.

Egg-ceptional Variety

For Immediate Release:

Contact:

Dan Brooks, Director of Marketing, Vital Farms, dan.brooks@vitalfarms.com, 646.468.5902

Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, 303.807.1042

Egg-ceptional Variety: Increasing Consumer Awareness of the Benefits of Pasture-Raised Eggs Leads Vital Farms to Expand Offerings of Humane, Pasture Raised Eggs.

As demand soars for humane, pasture-raised eggs, Vital Farms is broadening its product offerings. In addition to its Vital Farms Certified Organic eggs, available exclusively at Whole Foods Market, it now also offers Pasture Verde and Alfresco Farms brands to serve retailers and consumers in the natural, organic and conventional food markets nationwide. The company has also recently introduced Backyard Eggs, a Non-GMO Project Verified brand, available exclusively at Whole Foods Market.

Vital Farms will be exhibiting at Natural Products Expo East, Sept 26-28, booth #8205

Austin, Texas (September 24, 2013) – One look at the egg set in your local grocer will tell you all you need to know about how much customers are embracing the benefits - both personal and ethical - of pasture-raising. Where before you might have had to shop at specialty stores to find eggs of this kind, increasingly you'll find them right alongside regular eggs, and the chances are they'll be one of Vital Farms' delicious offerings. Consumers are quickly learning to appreciate the benefits of pasture-raising, a farming method that centers on the highest standard or animal welfare – fresh air, salad and plenty of exercise if you will – that produces healthier, tastier eggs. The farming of the future rooted firmly in the past. People get it, and people love it.

"The public misunderstanding of the term ‘Free-range’ is a misconception that the egg industry does nothing to dispel," says Matt O’Hayer, co-founder and CEO of Vital Farms, the nation’s leading producer of Certified Humane®, pasture-raised eggs for natural, organic and, more recently, conventional food markets.

"Whenever you have up to 20,000 chickens crammed into an industrial-size barn that has only a very few tiny doors, or “pop holes” as the egg industry calls them, most of the birds inside the building never see the open doors, let alone the light of day. Yet, the mere existence of an access point permits the industry to call eggs from this process “free range” or “cage free,” " he explains. “Granted, it is an improvement over the squalor of caged production, but a small one at best.”

In reality, each “free range” hen lives practically its entire life indoors on about 1 square foot of total space. By comparison, pasture-raised birds, like those on Vital Farms’ properties, bask in a positively luxurious minimum of 108 square feet of outdoor space each. With access to fresh pasture, native grasses and sunshine, this makes for premium quality pasture-raised eggs that are lower in cholesterol and saturated fat and higher in omega-3s, vitamins A, D and E, and other key nutrients compared to their conventional, cage-produced counterparts, according to a study conducted by Mother Earth News.

Sales of humane and specialty eggs are outpacing the category overall, reports Progressive Grocer, and, as the leading supplier of Certified Organic and pasture-raised eggs to Whole Foods Market and other retailers, Vital Farms’ continued growth reflects this trend.

New Pasture Raised Egg Brands Positioned to Serve a Growing Market

To serve the growing demand for humanely produced, pasture-raised eggs, Vital Farms has launched new brands to serve different markets and consumer segments throughout the country. In addition to its Vital Farms branded Certified Organic eggs, which are, by the very definition of organic standards, non-GMO, the company also recently introduced Backyard Eggs, the first line of specifically Non-GMO Project Verified, pasture-raised eggs, in the nation. Both brands are available exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide.

For independent natural and organic retailers and conventional grocers across the country, the company recently launched the Pasture Verde brand, which are the very same certified organic, pasture raised eggs sold as Vital Farms Egg in Whole Foods. All their pasture-raised eggs are produced by a network of more than 40 independent family farms in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Georgia and California. These farmers are committed to humane, sustainable production, says Dan Brooks, Marketing and Communications Director for Vital Farms.

In addition to its Certified Organic and non-GMO Project Verified brands, Vital Farms also offers Alfresco Farms pasture-raised eggs, from chickens raised on conventional feed but with no added hormones or antibiotics, and no toxic, synthetic pesticides or herbicides used on their pastures. By mitigating the expense of the Organic or Non-GMO feeds, Alfresco Farms is able to offer customers an egg with all the benefits of pasture-raising at lower price point on the shelf, and sales of this category of product have contributed enormously to Vital Farms’ growing success. Shelved next to eggs that perpetuate the fallacies of industrial egg production, choosing affordable pasture-raised eggs is a no-brainer.

“Every time I have a chance to chat with customers at the egg shelves, and I explain pasture-raising to them, you can see the light bulb go off. It's basically the kind of egg that they think they've been buying all along, and the egg that they've wanted all along!” says O’Hayer. “The idea that the hens are happy clearly makes people feel good about what they are buying and eating.”

Vital Farms brands:

• Pasture Verde – Pasture raised; Certified Humane®; USDA certified organic (non-GMO) vegetarian feed; available at independent natural and organic products retailers nationwide.
   

• Vital Farms – Pasture raised; Certified Humane®; USDA certified organic (non-GMO) vegetarian feed; available at Whole Foods Market nationwide.
   

• Backyard Eggs – Pasture raised; Certified Humane®; Non-GMO Project Verified vegetarian feed; produced without antibiotics, or toxic, synthetic pesticides and herbicides; available at Whole Foods Market nationwide.
   

• Alfresco Farms – Pasture raised; Certified Humane®;
   non-organic, vegetarian feed; produced without antibiotics, or toxic, synthetic pesticides and herbicides; available at independent natural and conventional grocery stores nationwide.
   

• Texas Chicken Ranch – Pasture raised, Certified Humane®; non-organic, vegetarian feed produced without antibiotics or toxic, synthetic pesticides and herbicides; available at H-E-B.

“Eggs classified as ‘pasture raised’ are laid by hens raised primarily outdoors,” says O’Hayer. “With lots of space and plenty of opportunity to perch, forage and behave just as they would in the wild, we believe that these happy hens lay the best eggs in the world. Frequently rotated onto fresh pastures, managed without the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides or fertilizers – and safely roosted at night in secure hen houses, pasture-raised hens naturally supplement their diet with fresh grasses, herbs and the sort of creep-crawly goodies that only a pecking hen could love! This combination of diet and healthy, outdoor living result in eggs that are unsurpassed in flavor, appearance, texture and nutritional content, loved by our customers and chefs alike.”

About Vital Farms

Matt O’Hayer and his wife Catherine Stewart started Vital Farms in 2007 with 20 Rhode Island Red hens on a 27-acre farm in southeast Austin, TX, in hopes of providing the best quality eggs while creating a place where the hens can “flap their wings, stretch their legs, move around, and act like chickens.” In 2009 they were joined by Jason Jones, who had recently tired of corporate life. “When Jason came along,” says O’Hayer, “we knew that we had a way to make this work on a much larger scale. The combination of experience, belief and passion has proven to be a powerful one!”

Currently, the company works with a network of more than 40 independent, family-owned farms to produce Certified Humane® pasture-raised eggs for the natural, organic and conventional food markets, and is the largest supplier of pasture-raised eggs in the nation. In August 2013, Vital Farms was awarded the #85 slot on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing privately held companies in the U.S. The company strives to be environmentally sensitive in all aspects of its operation and uses 100% recycled pulp for its egg cartons. For more information, visit www.vitalfarms.com, info@vitalfarms.com, tel 877.455.3063.

Communications by: Compass Natural Marketing

info@compassnatural.com tel. 303.807.1042

The Sustainable Adam Smith

The triple bottom line of planet, people and prosperity is not a modern day notion. In fact it was written about more than 250 years ago. Adam Smith, best known for his book, The Wealth of Nations, published in 1776, is widely considered to be the father of modern capitalism. However, few people are aware of the book he wrote 17 years prior called The Theory of Moral Sentiments.

Moreover, each book has a markedly different view of the three forms of capital – natural, human and financial – that lead to decidedly different conclusions. I view Wealth of Nations as the masculine side of Smith, and Sentiments as his feminine side. Let’s take a quick look at their differences. In Wealth of Nations, Smith’s primary thesis is “Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production.” It is at the core of every capitalist endeavor; someone has to buy what we produce. In Wealth of Nations the three forms of capital are organized in the following formula: Financial + Natural = Human. The first question any capitalist asks is, “Will we make money” or there’s no reason to continue the investments in production. “Do we have the resources” is the next logical parameter as we must have the raw materials to create the products, and finally “Who will buy it,” which is where the human element comes into play, for without customers there is no market. This equation places FINANCIAL capital as the starting point of any discussion. Natural capital is in the middle of the equation and serves only a role of subjugation to Financial. This is a model of masculine dominance.

Let’s examine how these same three forms of capital might be arranged by Smith according to his core tenets from the Theory of Moral Sentiments. Smith writes, “The produce of the soil maintains at all times nearly that number of inhabitants which it is capable of maintaining.” Smith viewed the limits of the ecosystem as affecting not only animals and nature, but humans as well. This same thesis was brought to light in the book The Limits To Growth in 1972. In this scenario the basic formula is Natural + Human = Financial. We begin with the question of natural resources, and then the “effect” this has on the soil, followed by the potential it has to create “value” to humans. Herein we see that humans determine the value AFTER the production of goods or services, not prior as in the capitalist view. This is a model of female thoughtfulness.

I began my career in the natural and organic products industry 18 years ago as the VP of Marketing for Traditional Medicinals, one of the core companies of our industry, and subsequently worked with market leaders including Spectrum Organics, Strauss Family Creamery, Lundberg Family Farms and Numi Organic Tea. All of these companies embrace a Sustainabilist view of capitalism by bringing a decidedly nurturing and respectful view of the role of natural capital in their business models. Clearly, their customers have rewarded them for their stewardship and promotion of sustainable business practices, as well as recognition of human capital. These are model companies that are surviving in a fiercely competitive marketplace against much better capitalized mainstream companies. Nevertheless, they have stayed true to their principles and have become beacons of well-run companies with high ethical standards. Unfortunately, they are among a small minority.

My belief is that both views of capitalism can co-exist and balance each other out over time. For the past 200 years we’ve been operating under a more masculine-dominant form of capitalism with many side effects including global warming, financial instability and strained natural systems. If we begin to view our decisions through the lens of a Sustainabilist we could restore our natural systems to balance and thus create a longer lasting value for all, and bring a more motherly approach to how we leverage the natural capital of our shared Earth.

More on this topic can be viewed on SlideShare.

--Nils Michael Langenborg

Nils-Michael Langenborg is President and CEO of Whole Health Marketing, a marketing consultancy for triple-bottom line brands. He received a green MBA from Dominican University of California, focusing on the total enterprise and its requirement to adopt sustainable business practices throughout the organization.

Social Media: an Image Speaks a Thousand Words

The rules of social media marketing are rapidly evolving. Businesses are constantly strategizing how to best reach current and new fans while generating new content and staying ahead of technology trends. What is the most effective way to engage fans in a cost effective way?

The answer is images. According to a 2012 study by ROI Research, pictures and videos accounted for 49% of the most enjoyable content for social media users. Attention spans are short; people are on the go; and social media engagement is increasingly accessed through mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Readers want instant gratification and easy-to-digest information. A good image is eye-catching, always ties back to the ethos of the brand and is not necessarily product-focused.

Triumvirate: Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest
With Facebook’s multimillion-dollar acquisition of Instagram, those two entities now share the top-tier with Pinterest. What do they have in common? Ease and popularity of sharing images on the go. Facebook has the upper hand due to its structure of free newsfeed content paired with sponsored content such as ads. However, Instagram’s simple user interface cuts through the noise of Facebook and focuses on the image as the source of content, as opposed to an accompaniment to a lengthy status update. Pinterest is unique in that it allows users to view multiple images at once in an attractive, organized screen layout.

As of now, Instagram and Pinterest do not have advertising options for brands, like Facebook, however, integrating instant shopping capabilities directly on the social media site is an upcoming trend, according to Gideon Lask, CEO and founder of BuyaPowa.

Make Your Fans Drool
In the ROI Research study, 43% of social media users said they “like” or follow anything relating to food. Food brands have a large opportunity to share and interact with their fans due to the highly photographable and interactive nature of their products.

Where a food company may have posted recipes on their blog in the past, now they can use Pinterest and Instagram to share pictures of their products and recipes and still link back to their main blog pages. Fans can now instantly gain access to that information instead of having to wait for a new blog post to arrive in their inbox or go to the company’s actual website. That immediate access lends to spontaneous sharing of posts and that is how a brand can go viral. Even traditional media like food magazines are embracing digital social media by giving their editors Instagram and Twitter handles to post pictures of meals at trendy new restaurants and food events.

"Visual social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr are fantastic for publications like Food & Wine because we have so many gorgeous, delicious-looking food photos to share. On Instagram, we love to post images from the F&W Test Kitchen, restaurant outings and parties to give fans insider access to our brand. Food does incredibly well because it's enticing and a topic that inspires such enthusiastic engagement," explained Alex Vallis, Digital Features Editor at Food & Wine.

The 80/20 Rule
If you have ever tried to create an ad on Facebook you have surely run into the myriad of rules relating to choosing demographics, setting a per click budget and now, how much text is allowed alongside an image. In part due to the rise in image use in sponsored posts and ads in the newsfeed, Facebook has imposed an 80% image, 20% text policy that your submission must pass in order to be approved for posting.

Using a grid tool to assess the image, Facebook can either approve or reject your image on the spot. Text overlay on a photo (below) counts towards the 20%, but logos on your products do not. To learn more, click here.

While the 80/20 rule can be frustrating, Facebook may be on to something by trying to keep images from looking too ad-like. They know their users’ habits better than any other website, so they understand how long people spend on each post and what type of content earns ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ and what does not.

Remember, “Visual fantasy sells product,” according to a recent Fast Company article. “Brands can use visual content on their social media to increase engagement and inspire sharing and viral marketing.”

-- Shoshana Romer