Applegate Farms meat goes non-GMO despite Big Food buyout

applegate – When Hormel, the food company famous for its processed meat products like Spam, bought America’s biggest natural and organic meat company, Applegate Farms, many health-conscious consumers were worried about the future direction of the brand. It turns out those worries were unfounded, however, as the brand has announced it is committed to removing all GMOs from its entire supply chain, from the finished product all the way down to animal feed.

It will also get third-party certification to put customers’ minds at ease. Applegate Farms already removed GMO ingredients from its products last year, but this move takes the sentiment one step further. This is an ambitious endeavor, given the fact that the majority of the country’s animal feed crops are genetically modified, with estimates showing that 88 percent of corn and 94 percent of soy in animal feed is genetically modified.

Applegate President Steve Lykken reminded consumers of his promise when Hormel took over that they would continue to break ground in the meat they offer, and this move is part of that effort.

Look for products with Non-GMO Project verification

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Lines Out The Door For Nation’s First Organic Drive-Thru Restaurant

Nick Meyer –  Think fast food has to be greasy, unhealthy and cheap? Think again.

Drive-ThruThe country’s first all-organic drive-thru has finally opened in California, with lines out the door as customers flock for a chance to support what could be the biggest step forward for industry ever.

The new Amy’s Organic Drive-Thru restaurant opened in Rohnert Park, California, featuring an all-vegeterian menu packed with items like veggie burgers, salads, and even mac n’ cheese in both regular and vegan flavors.

The company’s signature frozen pizzas have always been a top seller in health food and grocery stores nationwide, and now Amy’s first restaurant is serving them up piping hot with toppings ranging from spinach and diced tomatoes (on its popular margherita pizza) to regular mozzarella cheese and even vegan “cheeze.” Continue reading

Record US Farmers Switching to Non-GMO Crops in 2015

“Non-GMO is More Profitable.”

NonGMO-CornTestSiteThis is the rising sentiment among farmers of the US as a confluence of factors urges them to become pro-organic. From falling GMO grain prices to a rising tide of public distrust of genetically modified ingredients, failing GMO traits, higher GMO seed prices, and the premium prices that people willingly pay for quality food over toxic junk, the conventional farmer is changing his tune when it comes to Big Ag practices.

Even if profit is the cornerstone on which this change is based, it is still telling. After all, experts project over $35 billion in sales for organic, non-GMO foods in 2015, and as GMO corn, soy and other GM grain prices rise, along with the costs to grow them (associated with more pesticide and herbicide use to control super weeds, for example) farmers are looking past the GMO propaganda which promised higher yields and more cash for farmers who grew their poison crops.

This phenomenon is explained clearly in  “The Genetic Engineering of Food and the Failure of Science” (full text available for download here) published in The International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food.

Gilbert Hostetler, president of Illinois-based Prairie Hybrids commented: Continue reading