Organic news archive: July 2004
Children who eat an apple or pear a day may be exceeding the pesticide safety threshold because of residues on the fruit, according to research. Using Department of Environment data on pesticides on fruit collected from supermarkets, scientists calculated that each day some children would get a toxic level of pesticides. The research says the government repeatedly claims that the levels of pesticide are safe because, instead of measuring individual apples, researchers buy 10, mash them and take an average reading to see if they are safe. This is the internationally agreed method of checking residues. But government figures show that the pesticide is not evenly spread across the batch, and one or two apples could contain 90% or more of the pesticide in the batch. The research, published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, is from Andrew Watterson of Stirling University, and Vyvyan Howard of Liverpool University. It used mathematical modelling to measure exposure to pesticides for children aged between 18 months and four years old. The pesticides involved can disrupt children's hormones and some are suspected of causing cancer. The study found that between 10 and 220 young children a day could be exposed to pesticide residues at levels which could pose immediate and long term threats to health. The good news for British fruit growers is that samples grown in this country had lower residues than imported fruit. The Food Standards Agency criticised the research, saying it could put parents off giving their children enough fruit to eat. The Soil Association's Alissa Cook is quoted in the Bristol Evening Post: "a lot of people are turning to organic food to be on the safe side." (The Guardian; The Times; Daily Mirror; Daily Express - 30/7/04)
Two of the world's biggest agribusiness companies, Syngenta and Monsanto, have filed lawsuits accusing each other of anti-competitive practices in genetically modified maize. Syngenta this week sued Monsanto for engaging in "illegal and improper activities" to maintain its "monopoly" in key types of maize. It claims Monsanto has tried to stop rival companies from producing seeds containing a trait known as GA21, which enables them to withstand glyphosate weedkillers. It alleges Monsanto has tried to force companies to destroy their GA21 inventories and has attempted to make them adhere to exclusive dealing contracts. But Monsanto claims the lawsuit is an attempt to divert attention from the complaints Syngenta faces. Monsanto has filed several claims against Syngenta for infringing patents on maize seeds and soybeans. (The Guardian - 30/7/04)
A ban on vending machines offering soft drinks, sweets and snacks in French schools will be approved by the French parliament today in an attempt to curb obesity in children. Manufacturers will also be taxed if they fail to include health warnings in television advertisements. But the measures stopped short of banning such advertisements. (The Times - 30/7/04)
Some of the foods in Tesco's healthy eating range may need to be relabelled because of the amount of salt, sugar and fat they contain. The supermarket announced in May that it was planning a "traffic lights" labelling system to give its customers more nutritional advice. The trial � to begin in September � will use different colours on the front of packs to highlight the levels of fat, sugar, saturated fat and salt in products. Research by the Food Commission suggests some products in Tesco's Healthy Living range will have to carry either "amber" or "red" lights. (The Guardian)
Hundreds of protesters have destroyed a field of genetically modified maize in south-west France. The demonstrators ripped up the transgenic crop plantation at Menville, near Toulouse. The activists were led by radical French farmer Jose Bove, who said the protest was being taken in the interests of consumers.
About 15 policemen watched the destruction and took photographs of those involved, but did not intervene. (BBC News - 25/7/04)
Scotland on Sunday printed the Soil Association's reply to a recent claim made by the Food Standards Agency that organic baby food is contaminated. The letter by Peter Melchett states: "While the Soil Association welcomes the Food Standard Agency's investigation into the levels of dioxins and PCBs in organic and non-organic baby food, some inaccuracies in your report will have misled readers. The survey did not generally find a significant difference in levels of PCBs or dioxins between organic and non-organic products of the same type. PCBs and dioxins, mainly released by industry over a decade ago, are now found everywhere in the environment: in all food, in food packaging, and in the bodies of people around the world. They are therefore impossible to avoid, which is why the FSA's survey found PCBs and dioxins in every sample that they tested, as they would in any food, organic or non-organic. Many scientists recommend organic baby food as a sensible way for parents to avoid pesticide residues when feeding their babies."
Teresa Heinz, wife of Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry, was profiled in the Telegraph magazine (24/7/04). She urges people to "Eat organic! Eat clean!"
About 100 tonnes of Prince Charles's organic potatoes are being sold to South Gloucestershire council for school meals after being rejected by supermarkets for not being shiny enough. Supermarkets have been accused of demanding 'cosmetically perfect' fruit and veg 'at the expense of quality'. (Sunday Express)
Green & Black's Chocolate has been bought out by Cadbury's. We at organicfoodee.com believe that this is a good thing for customers and producers, with Green & Black's fairtrade policy and high quality ethos likely to inspre the rest of the Cadbury's branded products.
Farmers in England must comply with tough new standards to protect wildlife or risk losing new basic payments for looking after the land under reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. From next July they must leave two-metre strips around hedges and ditches free from crops and chemical sprays or state inspectors will order them to pay back cash to Brussels. The move is intended to reverse years of intensive farming. (The Times - 23/7/04) [To read Margaret Beckett's statement in full, go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/ministers/statements/mb040722.htm]
Children who eat an apple or pear a day may be exceeding the pesticide safety threshold because of residues on the fruit, according to research. Using Department of Environment data on pesticides on fruit collected from supermarkets, scientists calculated that each day some children would get a toxic level of pesticides. The research says the government repeatedly claims that the levels of pesticide are safe because, instead of measuring individual apples, researchers buy 10, mash them and take an average reading to see if they are safe. This is the internationally agreed method of checking residues. But government figures show that the pesticide is not evenly spread across the batch, and one or two apples could contain 90% or more of the pesticide in the batch. The research, published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, is from Andrew Watterson of Stirling University, and Vyvyan Howard of Liverpool University. It used mathematical modelling to measure exposure to pesticides for children aged between 18 months and four years old. The pesticides involved can disrupt children's hormones and some are suspected of causing cancer. The study found that between 10 and 220 young children a day could be exposed to pesticide residues at levels which could pose immediate and long term threats to health. The good news for British fruit growers is that samples grown in this country had lower residues than imported fruit. The Food Standards Agency criticised the research, saying it could put parents off giving their children enough fruit to eat. The Soil Association's Alissa Cook is quoted in the Bristol Evening Post: "a lot of people are turning to organic food to be on the safe side." (The Guardian; The Times; Daily Mirror; Daily Express - 30/7/04)
Two of the world's biggest agribusiness companies, Syngenta and Monsanto, have filed lawsuits accusing each other of anti-competitive practices in genetically modified maize. Syngenta this week sued Monsanto for engaging in "illegal and improper activities" to maintain its "monopoly" in key types of maize. It claims Monsanto has tried to stop rival companies from producing seeds containing a trait known as GA21, which enables them to withstand glyphosate weedkillers. It alleges Monsanto has tried to force companies to destroy their GA21 inventories and has attempted to make them adhere to exclusive dealing contracts. But Monsanto claims the lawsuit is an attempt to divert attention from the complaints Syngenta faces. Monsanto has filed several claims against Syngenta for infringing patents on maize seeds and soybeans. (The Guardian - 30/7/04)
A ban on vending machines offering soft drinks, sweets and snacks in French schools will be approved by the French parliament today in an attempt to curb obesity in children. Manufacturers will also be taxed if they fail to include health warnings in television advertisements. But the measures stopped short of banning such advertisements. (The Times - 30/7/04)
Some of the foods in Tesco's healthy eating range may need to be relabelled because of the amount of salt, sugar and fat they contain. The supermarket announced in May that it was planning a "traffic lights" labelling system to give its customers more nutritional advice. The trial � to begin in September � will use different colours on the front of packs to highlight the levels of fat, sugar, saturated fat and salt in products. Research by the Food Commission suggests some products in Tesco's Healthy Living range will have to carry either "amber" or "red" lights. (The Guardian)
Hundreds of protesters have destroyed a field of genetically modified maize in south-west France. The demonstrators ripped up the transgenic crop plantation at Menville, near Toulouse. The activists were led by radical French farmer Jose Bove, who said the protest was being taken in the interests of consumers. About 15 policemen watched the destruction and took photographs of those involved, but did not intervene. (BBC News - 25/7/04)
Scotland on Sunday printed the Soil Association's reply to a recent claim made by the Food Standards Agency that organic baby food is contaminated. The letter by Peter Melchett states: "While the Soil Association welcomes the Food Standard Agency's investigation into the levels of dioxins and PCBs in organic and non-organic baby food, some inaccuracies in your report will have misled readers. The survey did not generally find a significant difference in levels of PCBs or dioxins between organic and non-organic products of the same type. PCBs and dioxins, mainly released by industry over a decade ago, are now found everywhere in the environment: in all food, in food packaging, and in the bodies of people around the world. They are therefore impossible to avoid, which is why the FSA's survey found PCBs and dioxins in every sample that they tested, as they would in any food, organic or non-organic. Many scientists recommend organic baby food as a sensible way for parents to avoid pesticide residues when feeding their babies."
Teresa Heinz, wife of Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry, was profiled in the Telegraph magazine (24/7/04). She urges people to "Eat organic! Eat clean!"
About 100 tonnes of Prince Charles's organic potatoes are being sold to South Gloucestershire council for school meals after being rejected by supermarkets for not being shiny enough. Supermarkets have been accused of demanding 'cosmetically perfect' fruit and veg 'at the expense of quality'. (Sunday Express)
Green & Black's Chocolate has been bought out by Cadbury's. We at organicfoodee.com believe that this is a good thing for customers and producers, with Green & Black's fairtrade policy and high quality ethos likely to inspre the rest of the Cadbury's branded products.
Farmers in England must comply with tough new standards to protect wildlife or risk losing new basic payments for looking after the land under reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. From next July they must leave two-metre strips around hedges and ditches free from crops and chemical sprays or state inspectors will order them to pay back cash to Brussels. The move is intended to reverse years of intensive farming. (The Times - 23/7/04) [To read Margaret Beckett's statement in full, go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/ministers/statements/mb040722.htm]