Whole Foods Organic Claims? [General]

2010 Mar 5
I found an interesting post online outlining claims about some purported subterfuge in the claims of 'Organic' on some of the foods that Whole Foods sells in the USA. The original post, in horrible form, can be found here: www.listbox.com The video which sparked it all is a year old, and is here:

This is the summary they report:
1. Whole Foods sources food products from the People's Republic
of China

2. Whole Foods relies on QAI to determine if its food products
originating from the People's Republic of China are "Organic"

3. QAI has no presence in the People's Republic of China and
has not certified any products in China

4. Instead, QAI must accept food products certified by a Chinese
USDA ACA agent to be "Organic"

5. At this time (1 March 2010) the USDA does not list any ACA
agents in China

6. Regardless, QAI accepts food products from People's Republic
of China to be "Organic"

7. QAI doesn't need to test food products originating from the
People's Republic of China or anywhere else before labeling
them "Organic"

8. FAIL!

2010 Mar 5
There are myriad reasons why I'll always pick "natural" in priority over "organic" when it comes to labeling. This kind of thing is just one of them. ;)

Of course, "local" comes first in my "orders of priority". ;)

2010 Mar 5
Whole Foods?

Is this the company slotted to take up some major real estate in the proposed Lansdowne revitalization plan? If so, based on your post, it would be another slap in the face to true organic farmers at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market that will have to compete with them.

Sad if true.

2010 Mar 5
I am afraid of anything from China ( especially including the cans/jars/ glass & plastic containers) we store and heat our food in that come from said spot(s). Just a personal , unresearched feeling.

2010 Mar 6
While Whole Foods has issues, this info seems to be slightly wrong. WFM responded on their blog (blog.wholefoodsmarket.com) then the issue originally was raised. Apparently there are ACA agents who operate China.

As for Whole Foods itself, I'm of mixed feeling about it coming to Ottawa. Every city I lived in previous has had Whole Foods (Wellspring in Raleigh, Fresh Fields in Washington, and Bread & Circus in Boston). Yes, they are big box grocery stores that are are the antithesis of local, and yes, they do carry many products that are hard to find elsewhere. That being said, each of the above cities also have local farmers' markets and food co-ops that are doing well. Is the trade off of corporate box versus unique products worth it? I am still undecided.

2010 Mar 6
I am agnostic towards Whole Foods, it seems better by description than Loblaws. However their written response on the blog you linked did not actually address any of the concerns raised except to say that the claim there are no certification agents in China is wrong. But even this refutation is watered down by them saying that at least some of this checking or certification is performed by Whole Foods purchasing agents, which doesn't seem the same to me a inspectors. He was also very careful to NOT say unequivocally that the food from China met USDA organic requirements, but said instead that they are working hard at trying to
ensure to the best of their knowledge that it should meet certification.

2010 Mar 7
I never buy food or any other items being clothing, Toys etc manufactured in China.
This means I read the labels on every thing I buy and often leave a store empty handed, Safety and heath issues are always no 1 for me.
There is a good reason that no Kosher food comes from China.

As for Whole Foods read the labels and only buy what is local and in season.I never buy watermelons in winter as an example as they are not local. Live on apples all winter as they are local and kept in cold storage, pears are kept the same way.

2010 Mar 7
cakelady, according to the New Yorker, "China is now the fastest-growing exporter of kosher goods on earth.": www.newyorker.com

2010 Mar 7
I did not mean to imply any China, or Made in China bashing here. The article linked by pzb notes quite rightly that China had some of the best organic agricultural practices in the world before industrialization and the lifestyle of the western world became prominent. The only thing you can say about China is that they are amazingly willing and able to make anything you want, at any price. Some of the highest quality fabrics, clothing, and technology come from China. It is rather our (re: our corporations) incessant requirements for lower prices that drive the quality from China, not something inherent in the country itself... just my own thoughts.

2010 Mar 7
Out of curiosity, and because I am incredibly ignorant...Can you get local watermelons in the summer? I'm not being fecicious here, I really don't know.

I also think it's a bit ignorant to assume that products made in other developing nations are somehow better regulated than that which comes from China.

2010 Mar 7
I dont know if other countries add melamine to infants formulas and toothpaste etc, but for myself I am extremely cautious when buying food made in other countires which do not have high food procecessing standards.
I know we dropped the ball last year in Canada with the Maple Leaf foods recall and can only hope we all learnt a leason from this and continue to improve our standards of food production.

As for China produce et.c this is my personal choice and should not affect any other persons choices.

The watermelon was only an example I was trying to make, may be I should have said strawberries!

2010 Mar 7
LWB,

You're not incredibly "ignorant", just "innocent". Ignorant people don't accept ideas/knowledge beyond their perceived view of the world. Innocent people acknowledge they don't know everything and are open to learning. The above being said, I think most of us over 10 years old are ignorant in some senses ;-))

I'm with cakelady on the China thing. I don't think it's an endemic cultural trait, just the natural outcome of a society growing faster than common sense or good governance can regulate.

BTW, yes, watermelons (and many many other types) are abundant here in late mid/late summer. Acorn Creek actually holds a Melon Fest each Labour Day.

2010 Mar 7
Wow HotFood.. I'm still trying to figure out if you're trying to be insulting to Brunchlady or not.

As for cakelady, it is not, as you imply, LEGAL for melamine to be added to foods in China. The melamine problem they had was not one of laws, or standards, but a criminal behaviour that was flouting the laws and standards of China. I believe the CEO of the company that did this was sentenced to death. You quite rightly compare it to Maple Leaf (also a problem of meeting standards, not necessarily one of lax standards). If fact in what might be one of the LARGEST recalls recently, there has been salmonella found in Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein manufactured in the USA. The recall involves millions of pounds of the HVP, which is used as a food additive in many many foods.

2010 Mar 7
Pete-In-Ottawa,

It was not my intention to come across as insulting! Brunchlady wrote "I am incredibly ignorant", I countered not ignorant just innocent as she was asking a valid question and wanted to know.

I apologize if my post came across otherwise. No malice or insult intended.

2010 Mar 7
Hey, I got you the first time around HotFood - well said in fact!

2010 Mar 7
Perhaps the word I was going for was unaware.

www.merriam-webster.com

Webster's defined ignorance as a lack of knowledge, information or awareness. It has nothing to do about whether or not I cared to know.

I really wasn't insulted. Pete just thinks that I can be insulted easily. ;)

2010 Mar 7
lwb - you can grow watermelon here in ottawa. so many varieties. if you don't want to try it yourself (you can do container if you don't have yard) acorn farms has some of the best and most unusual varieties i have ever tried.