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Departments Environment Regulators slap Wal-Mart for misleading organic consumers In a letter to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., based in Bentonville, Arkansas, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection stated they'd found numerous instances of conventional food products improperly labeled as organic by the retail chain. Specifically, Wisconsin authorities told Wal-Mart’s legal counsel that “use of the term ‘Wal- Mart Organics’ in combination with reference to a specific non-organic product may be considered to be a misrepresentation and therefore a violation” of Wisconsin state statutes. The Cornucopia Institute, a governmental and corporate organic industry watchdog, had filed complaints with Wisconsin regulators and the USDA after finding numerous incidents of fraudulent organic labeling in Wal-Mart stores in five states from Texas to Minnesota. Although Wisconsin regulators opted to send only a formal warning concerning the retail giant’s organic marketing practices they said that they had reached an agreement with the company under which steps would be taken to prevent future organic food misrepresentations. Wisconsin officials also said they would be continuing their surveillance of the company's stores. “This finding is a victory for consumers who care about the integrity of organic food and farming” said Mark Kastel, Codirector of The Cornucopia Institute. “Wal-Mart cannot be allowed to sell organic food ‘on the cheap’ because they lack the commitment to recruit qualified management or are unwilling to properly train their store personnel,” Kastel added. “Such practices place ethical retailers, their suppliers, and organic farmers at a competitive disadvantage.” --- The Cornucopia web page (www.cornucopia.org) contains a photo gallery of conventional food products that were both priced and labeled with Wal-Mart’s unique in-store point of purchase signage as organic foods. The photos were gathered during an investigation by Cornucopia of Wal-Mart’s organic practices. |
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Nation’s largest retailers accused of organic fraud Stop the Nuke Loan Bailout!: Harvey Wasserman with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! 3 reasons to stop the nuclear power bailout Eight European governments. say nuclear power is incompatible with sustainable development Bad week for Bush on climate, but what now? Aurora Dairy threatens to sue public interest groups, attempt to intimidate organic watchdogs Secret USDA enforcement action revealed Aurora Farm’s certifier found to have willfully violated NOP rules USDA finds largest organic dairy perpetrating fraud fails to levy fines or yank certification Enforcement hammer falls on nation’s largest organic factory dairy Aurora Organic Dairy signs consent agreement with USDA's agricultural marketing service C.L.E.A.N.- Community, Labor, Environmental Action Network Nuclear power: follow the money USDA cracking down on “organic” factory farms country's largest dairy likely to lose certification USDA plan to "Pasteurize" almonds has consumers going nuts Study: organic dairy and meat improves quality of mothers’ breast milk Speaking truth to power Ohio Environmental Council’s Comments on U.S. Department of Energy’s Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership A live Earth - the alternative online concert against climate change Making history in Atlanta Organic animal agriculture threatened by genetically engineered alfalfa Regulators slap Wal-Mart for misleading organic consumers Federal court orders first-ever halt to planting of a commercialized genetically-altered crop Green beacon The future of Earth Climate: time is short “Rachel Carson turns in her grave," an open letter to Patricia M. DeMarco, Director, Rachel Carson Homestead Association Target global warming, target Exxon Solartopia! An achievable vision of a sustainable future Ten simple things that you can do to save the Earth USDA and agribusiness conspire to mislead consumers Good, clean, green way to generate electricity is approved by city in San Diego County Federal judge orders first-ever moratorium on sale of genetically-altered seed Piketown, Ohio Nuclear reprocessing: dangerous, dirty, and expensive U.S. nuclear fuel reprocessing initiative Organic watchdog, USDA headed to court Listen Gore: Some inconvenient truths about the politics of environmental crisis UN climate change report on global warming Organic fraud: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. accused of widespread distortion nonorganic food products misidentified as "organic" Read Environment Articles by Year: |
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