Cornucopia’s Take: After two years of litigation, Handsome Brook, a marketer of certified organic and conventional eggs, and Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) have reached an out-of-court settlement, agreeing to pay their own court costs. HFAC had sent emails to Handsome Brook’s retail outlets, claiming Handsome Brook’s certifications for...
Tyson Foods Announces Plans to Acquire Smart Chicken Brand Last week, U.S. meat industry titan Tyson Foods, Inc. announced its plans to acquire Tecumseh Poultry, LCC for an undisclosed amount. The deal would take one of the leading organic poultry brands,...
Cornucopia’s Take: The importance of the human microbiome is poorly understood. Studies underway indicate ties to immune system and mental health and further indicate that the individual microbiota in the gut are encouraged or starved by the food we ingest. Consumers can help promote the health of the microbiome...
It’s bad enough that the only legal obligations corporations have are to their shareholders and investors. Many companies and brands talk a good game when it comes to “sustainability” practices, but, as this commentary illustrates, their very model is destructive. In the case of Aurora, not only will they...
Cornucopia’s Take: Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan helped the Trump administration kill the proposed Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule earlier this year. Stabenow has received almost $30,000 from the behemoth “organic” egg producer Herbruck’s, a massive confinement operation that uses enclosed porches rather than allowing the birds real...
Cornucopia’s Take: Although the FDA banned the use of antibiotics solely as a growth-promoter for livestock in 2017, the agency did not establish any real tracking of antibiotic use by ranchers. The FDA rule also allows veterinarians to prescribe antibiotics for disease prevention, even when no animals in the...
Cornucopia’s Take: The FDA has determined that no health claims can be made for Golden Rice, the genetically engineered (GE) rice meant to contain beta-carotene. The amount of the nutrient it contains is so low that it fails to qualify for a nutrient claim – and it rapidly degrades...
Cornucopia’s Take: The Cornucopia Institute believes that people should have access to the healthiest and most nutritious food, and that the family farmers who produce it deserve to be fairly compensated. We are neutral in terms of people’s dietary choices. The study below indicates that an organic diet, rich...
The New York Times recently touted The Cornucopia Institute’s organic egg scorecard in Florence Fabricant’s article, Organic Egg Ratings at Your Fingertips. Fabricant says, “It’s worth studying the many shades of organic, especially regarding eggs.” The scorecard showcases brands of ethical family farms and exposes factory farm brands in...
Cornucopia’s Take: Rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere are causing a decrease in protein, micronutrients, and vitamins available in rice around the world. As rice is a staple food for more than two billion people, this shift is likely to have global impacts on human health. Modern agriculture, particularly...
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) has pushed its Checkoff Program since 2012, touting it as a fund to research and promote organic products as a whole. Many farmers were dubious. Checkoffs (mandatory taxes on producers) have historically benefited processors and handlers far more than farmers. And this would be...
Balancing Quotables and Talking Points The Cornucopia Institute, a prominent organic industry corporate/governmental watchdog, responds to the Organic Trade Association’s current approach to addressing documented, wholesale fraud in the importation of organic commodities. In contrast, Cornucopia has petitioned the USDA to engage in immediate, emergency rulemaking emulating the decisive...
The Cornucopia Institute, through research and investigations on agriculture and food issues, provides needed information to family farmers, consumers and other stakeholders in the good food movement and to the media.
