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Kastel’s Kitchen (a special 2-part episode): Two Carcinogens to Avoid in Organic Foods and Plant-based Food (not vegetables/not healthy)
WARNING: Watch out for these two ingredients Unless you are eating local, fresh, unprocessed, whole organic food, it isn’t enough to just look for the USDA Organic logo—you must become a label reader! Federal law requires all certified organic products to be made from...
USDA Secretary Hires OTA/Hydroponic Lawyer/Lobbyist as a Key Advisor
In the midst of recalls of romaine lettuce contaminated with a pathogenic strain of E. coli, states and counties across the country are calling for a moratorium on large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
ActionAlert! Antibiotics and Carcinogens in Organics — Tell the USDA No!
In the midst of recalls of romaine lettuce contaminated with a pathogenic strain of E. coli, states and counties across the country are calling for a moratorium on large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
Kastel’s Kitchen: The Secret Code of Authenticity on Organic Labels
Unless you are eating local, fresh, unprocessed, whole organic food, it isn’t enough to just look for the USDA Organic logo—you must become a label reader! Federal law requires all certified organic products to state which USDA accredited certifier has inspected and...
Organic Advocates Once Again Turn to the Courts to Fight False Labeling
Beyond Pesticides/OrganicEye Steps in as USDA Fails to Take Action Washington, DC -- Beyond Pesticides filed another lawsuit in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia against a company that markets CBD (cannabidiol) products identified with false or misleading...
NGO Appeals to Biden Administration and Congress to Reverse Corporate Dominance and Consolidation in Organics
New White Paper Profiles Lobbyist-Affiliated Appointees to National Organic Standards Board Washington, DC — Continuing a trend well established by prior Republican and Democratic administrations, four of the five newest appointees to the National Organic...
ActionAlert! USDA: Stop “Organic” Factories from Milking Conventional Dairy Cows
Kastel’s Kitchen: Are There Dangerous/Carcinogenic Chemicals in Organic Food?
Food Additives and Chemicals in Organics??? Unless you are eating fresh, whole organic food, it isn’t enough to just look for the USDA Organic logo—you must become a label reader! Now that corporate agribusinesses own most of the popular organic name brands, many of...
National Organic Standards Board Report—Public Comments at the Spring 2021 Meeting
UPDATE: Day 2 The operative term for testimony on Day Two, as usual, is “conflict of interest” (COI). As the saying goes, follow the money. First, we have certifiers, paid for by their “clients,” lobbying for the use of certain materials, many of them controversial. I...
Lawsuit Filed: The ‘Wild West’ of Organic CBD Marketing Targeted
Beyond Pesticides/OrganicEye Steps in as USDA Fails to Take Action Washington, DC — Beyond Pesticides and its investigative arm, OrganicEye, filed suit in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia against two companies that market CBD (cannabidiol) products...
Kastel’s Kitchen: How to Identify the Safest and Most Nutritious Vegetables (Year-Round)
Q: How can you identify the safest and most nutritious vegetables (year-round)?A: Tune into Kastel’s Kitchen Episode 3 to find out! Conventional versus organic, industrial-organic versus homegrown quality. What’s the hierarchy of selection during the summer growing...
Kastel’s Kitchen: What are the Best Brands in Organics and Who are the Fraudsters?
Naming Names: Learn the Very Best Organic Brands and Some Tricks to Identify the Fraudsters in Organics Please watch Mark Kastel, live from the farm, explore the grocery brands he has high confidence in that are found in his own kitchen. He bases his critique on...
Kastel’s Kitchen: Health food or Junk Food? What are the Best Organic Yogurt Brands?
Decoding Choices in the Grocery Aisles: Separating Food Rich in Corporate Propaganda from Safe, Nutrient-Dense Options Yogurt: Separating Junk Food, and “Organic Light,” from Brands that Offer Superior Taste, Nutrition, and Justice in Every Bite The first episode of...
Toxic Sanitizer Residue in Your “Organic” Food?
On Monday, November 23, Mark Kastel, OrganicEye Director, interviewed Terry Shistar, PhD, Beyond Pesticides board member and chief scientific advisor at OrganicEye, about the potential impacts of sanitizers used in facilities manufacturing organic foods. They...
Broadcasting Live—from Nowhere!
Please watch the OrganicEye staff recap the Fall 2020 NOSB meetings Tune in to hear veteran OrganicEye staff recap the daily proceedings of the Fall 2020 USDA National Organic Standards Board meeting. The NOSB debated and decided important issues, including whether...
OrganicEye Leaders Testify at Fall USDA National Organic Standards Board Meeting
Reinforcing Fundamental Responsibilities of NOSB Members at a Time of Great Corporate Influence The following are transcripts of oral testimony presented by OrganicEye leadership before the National Organic Standards Board on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. The NOSB...
Unintended Consequences: Don’t Let Lobbyists Write Organic Law
In the midst of recalls of romaine lettuce contaminated with a pathogenic strain of E. coli, states and counties across the country are calling for a moratorium on large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
Case Study: CBD Products And The “Wild West” Of Fraudulent Labels
August 31 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Mark A. Kastel, 608-625-2042 / mkastel@organiceye.org USDA Asked to Crackdown on Misrepresentation in Organic Marketing Case Study: CBD products and the “Wild West” of fraudulent labelsTHE STORY: A QUICK OVERVIEW Fraudulent...
Corporate Agribusiness/USDA Collude on Shift to Industrial-Scale Organics
Legal Complaints Filed against Natural Prairie, Massive Livestock FactoriesTHE STORY: A QUICK OVERVIEW Natural Prairie, one of the nation’s largest “organic” factory dairies, managing over 25,000 head, accused of gross “mistreatment and neglect” of their animals. The...
ActionAlert: Tell USDA to Crack Down on ”Organic” Livestock Factories
In the midst of recalls of romaine lettuce contaminated with a pathogenic strain of E. coli, states and counties across the country are calling for a moratorium on large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
An Open Letter Calling for Swift Action Towards Workers’ and Communities’ Health and Safety
Ninety-five food, labor, and environmental organizations, including OrganicEye, are calling for swift action to ensure workers’ and communities’ health and safety. HEAL Food Alliance and Food Chain Workers Alliance are proud to unite with our allies in...
OrganicEye/Beyond Pesticides Leadership Speaks Truth to Power– Counters Corporate Lobbyists Testifying before the NOSB
The OrganicEye leadership team, Mark Kastel, Jay Feldman, and Dr. Terry Shistar, all testified on day one of USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (virtual) meeting on April 21, 2020. The biannual meeting was originally scheduled to take place just outside of Washington, DC during the last week of the month.
Your Toolkit for the (virtual) NOSB Meeting — USDA National Organic Standards Board
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meets April 29-30 online to debate issues concerning what goes into your organic food.
The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic and the Organic Community
In the midst of recalls of romaine lettuce contaminated with a pathogenic strain of E. coli, states and counties across the country are calling for a moratorium on large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
Regulatory Capture: USDA’s Organic Governance Board Dominated by Affiliates of Corporate Lobby
In the midst of recalls of romaine lettuce contaminated with a pathogenic strain of E. coli, states and counties across the country are calling for a moratorium on large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
ActionAlert! End Factory Farms: Support the Farm System Reform Act
In the midst of recalls of romaine lettuce contaminated with a pathogenic strain of E. coli, states and counties across the country are calling for a moratorium on large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
Reminder: Just One Minute of Your Time by December 2
Comment Period Closes December 2 Tell the USDA – No Factory Farms / No Conventional Cattle Producing Organic Milk Tell the USDA to follow the will of Congress and close its own loophole. The National Organic Program should enforce both the spirit and letter...
ActionAlert! USDA: Stop “Organic” Factories from Milking Conventional Dairy Cows
LIVE: OrganicEye Report from NOSB Pittsburgh Oct 23-25
Stay tuned to https://www.facebook.com/organiceye.org/ for live updates from NOSB Pittsburgh October 23-25. Day 1 Posted by OrganicEye on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 Day 2 Posted by OrganicEye on Thursday, October 24, 2019
Advocates Clash with Industry over Carcinogen in Organic Food
USDA Panel Votes in Pittsburgh on the Future of Nitrates in Meat SIGN THE PETITION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mark A. Kastel, 608-625-2042 / mkastel@organiceye.orgTerry Shistar, 202-543-5450 / tshistar@beyondpesticides.org WASHINGTON, DC — In the...
USDA: Support Strong Organic Standards, Submit Your Comments to the Fall 2019 National Organic Standards Board Meeting
Kastel Kommentary:My OrganicEye colleague, Dr. Terry Shistar, who also serves as a board member of Beyond Pesticides, has built a legacy of reviewing all synthetic and non-organic materials petitioned for use in organic farming and food (in addition to...
OrganicEye: Launched
WASHINGTON, DC — Beyond Pesticides, a public interest organization founded to advocate for healthy air, water, land, and food by eliminating the use of toxic pesticides, and advance healthy practices, has announced the formation of an investigative arm, OrganicEye. The new watchdog agency will focus on defending the “time-honored philosophy and legal definition of organic farming and food production” from USDA’s systemic failure to protect the interests of organic farmers, ethical businesses, and consumers.
OrganicEye Tips
We are all organic watchdogs! Become an OrganicEye agent by calling 844-EYE-TIPS
Beyond Pesticides Archive of Synthetic/Nonorganic Materials Petitioned for Use and Critical NOSB Issues
Keeping Organic Strong: NOSB Archives NOSB Meetings: Positions on issues and voting results Fall 2020 meeting details Spring 2020 key issues Fall 2019 key issues Spring 2019 key issues Fall 2018 key issues Spring 2018 key issues Fall 2017 key issues Spring...
Health Benefits of Organic Agriculture
The whole picture Organic food contributes to better health through reduced pesticide exposure for all and increased nutritional quality. In order to understand the importance of eating organic food from the perspective of toxic pesticide contamination, we need to...
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