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The Provender Journal May-June 2009 Craig Winters Fighting Battle with Cancer Craig Winters Fighting Battle with Cancer Long-time Provender member and supporter Craig Winters is fighting a tough battle against cancer. Craig, who has spoken at many Provender conferences, has had three back surgeries this year. He has been in an out of the hospital, and is working on regaining enough strength to move toward independent living again. Craig was first diagnosed with ampullary cancer (a cancer of a pancreatic duct) late in 2006. He tried to treat it naturally, by eating a mainly raw foods diet and traveling to the renowned Hippocrates Institute in Florida for a three-week stay. He was able to keep the cancer at bay for a couple of years, but found it a challenge to continue eating raw foods. By late last year, he was experiencing troubling symptoms again, this time in his back. Doctors determined that the cancer had spread to his spine, and removed a tumor from his spine on New Year’s Eve. Five weeks later, the tumor returned, and doctors again went in and removed it. And a week after that, they performed a third back surgery to correct problems from the second one. Craig has since undergone chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Because of the back surgeries, Craig cannot move his neck much to the left or right. And the cancer’s impact on his spine has left him unable to move his legs. He hopes to regain movement in his legs as he rebuilds strength. He is constantly on pain medications. Craig has been unable to work except in an advisory capacity since this latest bout with cancer. Craig had led an active professional life in recent years, heading The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods and Full Spectrum Internet & E-Commerce Services. For those of you who know him, Craig is an amazingly positive person but he could use your thoughts and kindness and you know he would never ask for it. At this point, his prognosis is not good. Please send him your positive energy. The 33rd Annual Provender Alliance Educational Conference is heading north again this year to Bellingham, Washington. The conference will be held Thursday and Friday, October 8 and 9, with additional events on Wednesday, October 7. The conference will be held at the Lakeway Inn. The conference theme this year is From Dreaming to Doing. One of our confirmed keynote speakers is author and mycologist, Paul Stamets, founder of Fungi Perfecti. We are deep in the planning stages of the conference and have some great sessions in the works. One of this year’s offerings will be a day-long intensive dealing with Human Resources, specifically for businesses without dedicated HR departments. There will be multiple presenters addressing a variety of topics relating to this particularly challenging aspect of any workplace so plan now to attend. It will be very worth your while. We will be offering a tour of some of the nearby farms providing goods to the local region. We will keep you posted with updates and details as they develop. We are keeping the Wednesday through Friday format as that has been quite popular for several years. Another bit of good news is that registration costs will remain the same this year. Workshop scheduling is in full swing and we have another great line-up shaping up. It is not too late to make suggestions or requests for topics or presenters. Contact the office or one of your representatives listed on page 31 of this Journal. The conference is the place to recharge your energy. Don’t miss it! Provender Member Bulletin Boards On-line Special thanks to Craig Winters of Full Spectrum Internet The Provender Alliance web site has been upgraded to include Member Forums. The Provender Member Forums offer you an easy way to share your news, views and opinions – and network with other Provender members. In order to prevent non- Provender members from viewing or posting to the Provender Member Forums, you will need to log in. In order to log in, you must first register. Registering is easy. Simply go to the Provender web site at www.provender.org and click on the Member Forums link. Next, click on the “Register” link at the top. A page will come up that has the terms of use you will need to agree to. Next, select a “Username” and “Password” and provide your e-mail address, your name and the name of the company or store you work for. To prevent spam, you will also need to enter a Confirmation Code that appears on the page. After clicking the “Submit” button, you will receive an e-mail confirming your registration, but notifying you that your account is still “inactive” until approved by the Provender forum administrators. Since the use of the forums is limited to Provender members only, we will first need to review your registration and confirm you or the company or store you work for is an active Provender member. This approval may take from 12 to 48 hours. Once approved, you will receive an e-mail indicating your forum membership is now active. We have established five initial forums. They are: GMOs, Organics, Local Production, Provender Conference, and Member Issues/Concerns/Comments. If you have any ideas for additional forums, just let us know by posting your comments in the Forums! Organic Summit Reception and Dinner —from Organic Farming Research Foundation, www.ofrf.org The Organic Summit Benefit Reception and dinner will be held at the beautiful Mt. Hood Organic Farm located on 210 acres in the Hood River Valley in Oregon. We hope you will join us for a relaxed evening of good food and drink and great conversations with organic community leaders. OFRF invites local organic farmers, researchers, industry members and supporters to join us for the evening along with participants in The Organic Summit, a gathering of national organic leaders being held June 3-5 at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington. Proceeds from this event will go toward OFRF’s grant —by Sharol Tilgner, N.D., class@herbaltransitions.com The Sustainable Lifestyles Festival takes place June 27 and 28, 2009 and is an idea that has been percolating in my mind for almost ten years. It simply was not time for the festival to take shape until recently. Over the last few years, many of my students have requested an increased offering on organic gardening methods such as seed saving and composting. They have also wanted to learn how to ferment vegetables and fruits into pickled food as well as beer and wine. Many started asking about classes in cheese making and care of farm animals. These requests increased with the recent economic challenges effecting people’s financial situations. People have become more interested in how to be self-sufficient and to lower their cost of living. I realized it was finally time for the Sustainable Lifestyles Festival. Although, I call it a festival, it is really an outdoor learning experience. The focus is definitely on education. Thirty local and respected teachers will be gathering to share their knowledge on living in a sustainable manner. There will be two tents with lectures going throughout the weekend. Additionally, there are farm walks, wild plant walks and herb walks all weekend. These lectures and walks are all part of the $15-$20 entrance fee. For people who want to get a more detailed education, there are also special workshops taking place throughout the weekend for an additional fee. Living sustainably starts with keeping ourselves healthy and fit with the use of local healthy food and herbs. It is based on our knowing some simple skills such as gardening, natural first aid methods, and survival skills. It is further honed with our knowledge of natural building methods, learning about alternative energy and learning to reuse as well as recycle. People who are living lightly on the earth will present how they are managing to live this way. They will give their audience ideas of how others can live as they do. The local Native American perspective will be presented and many local experts on sustainable living will be offering their ideas and methods for you to review and learn from. For people interested in raising their own food or animals there will be lectures on herb garden design, herbal medicine, biodynamic farming, farm walks, a variety of local food lectures, food fermentation, seed saving, raising honey bees, raising chickens and goats as well as making artisan cheese and beer brewing. For people who are interested in alternative energy, solar lectures and workshops are available. There is also a lecture on the current situation with biofuel. Finally there are lectures on water catchment systems, the use of tools, compost toilets, and building with cob. All together there are 32 lectures and walks and an additional 16 workshops being taught by 30 teachers. Both the teachers and people in general have been very excited about experiencing, sharing and learning these useful skills. This is an event that people will be talking about for years. Don’t miss out on this once-in-alifetime opportunity. It is taking place in Pleasant Hill, Oregon, just 20 minutes southeast of Eugene. For more information on the Sustainable Lifestyles Festival you can go to www.herbaltransitions.com or class@herbaltransitions.com or call 541.736.0164. Human Resources Intensive Scheduled for Provender... October 7, 2009 —by Cheryl Good Do you dream of having a dedicated Human Resources Department? Are you a supervisor who is ready for the next management challenge? Maybe you are not sure of the difference between the FMLA and the FLSA. Are you a small business leader and are absolutely certain that at this very moment you are breaking some state or federal law, even if you don’t know which one. This daylong intensive is meant to help reduce your anxiety and give you tools and resources to get going in the right direction. Throughout the day, plan to attend four information-packed segments led by industry experts. In addition, participate in networking opportunities with your peers in the natural food industry and contribute to the idea percolator. This pre-conference intensive is ideal for small business owners, supervisors, general managers, non-HR managers, and HR department staff. See page 19 of this Journal for information about taking a survey to contribute to the content of the intensive. For more information about the content of the intensive, contact Cheryl Good by email at cherylrgood@gmail.com or by phone at 541.757.7334. Rachel Carson Biopic DVD Released —from Center for Food Safety, www.centerforfoodsafety.org In March, this year’s National Women’s History Month honored Rachel Carson, the pioneer of the modern environmental movement. Carson’s bestseller Silent Spring led to the banning of the chemical DDT, the creation of the Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the birth of the organic food movement. Al Gore wrote in his foreword to the thirtieth anniversary edition of Silent Spring, “Without this book, the environmental movement may never have developed at all.” Sense of Wonder Productions teamed up with the National Women’s History Project to host 100 screenings and events across the country entitled “An Evening with Rachel Carson.” It was opportunity to revisit the origins of the modern environmental movement, and learn how Carson’s message can inspire us for generations to come. “A Sense of Wonder“ is an intimate portrait of pioneering environmentalist Rachel Carson during the last year of her life, as she battles cancer and the chemical industry in the wake of publishing Silent Spring, one of the most influential books of the 20th century. The deluxe edition DVD of this new 55-minute film was released March 1st, along with special features including: a visit with Carson’s adopted son Roger, an interview with former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, and a short companion film titled “Lessons from Carson” featuring scientist Dr. David Suzuki, author Richard Louv, the Center for Food Safety’s Andrew Kimbrell, Beyond Pesticides’ Jay Feldman, NRDC co-founder Gus Speth, and scientist Theo Colborn (go to www.asenseofwonder.com to watch a trailer of the film and many extras). DVDs are available for purchase on the web site. “A Sense of Wonder” stars Broadway, film and television actress Kaiulani Lee. Using Carson’s own words, Lee’s portrait of Carson is historically accurate and powerfully moving. Do you have a training success story to share? Have you found outsourcing HR duties to work well for you? Do you know what you do well with regards to staffing or staff recognition? Take the time to send your ideas to Provender and we will include your ideas in a summary of the top natural food HR ideas. You will get a free copy just for participating. In addition, the summary will be available to participants of the HR intensive at Provender Conference this year. See page 5 for more details. Click on the link at www.provender.org to take a survey or mail your ideas to Provender. Parasite-Resistant Honey Bees for White House Garden — from www.growingproduce.com, April 14, 2009 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined First Lady Michelle Obama and a group of fifth graders on the South Lawn of the White House last week to talk about healthy eating, the availability of locally grown fruits and vegetables, and bees. This July, USDA will be providing two types of parasite-resistant honeybees developed by USDA scientists to pollinate the plants in the new White House garden this summer. Both of these bees are rapidly gaining in popularity with beekeepers. Honeybees enhance any garden because they increase the yields of plants that require pollination, they produce honey, and they are one of nature’s most fascinating creatures to observe. Unfortunately, parasitic mites cause serious health problems for most varieties of honeybees, and many beekeepers must use pesticides to combat the mites in the hives. But the USDA-developed bees are miteresistant, offering a more natural, organic alternative for the White House garden. Honeybees are crucial to American agriculture, adding some $15 billion in value in the nation’s crops, particularly specialty crops such as almonds and other nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. In California, the almond crop alone uses 1.3 million colonies of bees; approximately half of all honeybees in the U.S., and this need is projected to grow to 1.5 million colonies by 2010. Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) developed the two types of mite-resistant honeybees. One type is highly resistant to the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, commonly known as the varroa mite. The bees have a trait called “varroasensitive hygiene” which prompts the worker bees to detect and remove infested bees from the nest, eliminating the need for chemical help to control the mites. The second type of mite-resistant honey bees is based on a strain of honey bees from Russia which are naturally resistant not only to varroa mites, but also to tracheal mites, which infest the breathing tubes of the bees. These bees are also highly tolerant of cold weather and require less artificial feeding than typical honeybees. The Russian bees were brought to the U.S. by Thomas Rinderer, research leader at ARS’ Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Unit at Baton Rouge, LA, where studies have been under way on the bees since the mid-1990s. Rinderer and other ARS scientists will collaborate with White House staff on installation of the USDA bees in the White House garden. For the past eight years, breeder queens of the Russian-derived and varroa-sensitive hygienic bees have been released to the beekeeping industry. In 2008, a breeders’ group called the Russian Honeybee Breeders Association, Inc., was formed to supply the Russian-derived queens throughout the U.S. beekeeping industry, and demand is outstripping supply. Both types of mite-resistant USDA bees are good pollinators and easy to keep alive because of their hardiness, thus helping ensure the success of the new White House garden. —from E~The Environmental Magazine, www.emagazine.com Environmental conservation and green living are among the most discussed topics today. In a recent Harris Poll, three-quarters of Americans agreed that the environment should be protected “regardless of cost,” and a Duke University poll found 79 percent of people favoring national standards that would protect air, land and water. So how do we protect our environment? E ~ The Environmental Magazine, publisher of the nationally-syndicated EARTHTALK™ column, which runs in America’s newspapers, magazines and web sites, has compiled the “best of” its popular column all in one place: EARTHTALK™: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions About the Environment (A Plume original / ISBN 978-0-452-29012-9 / $15.00). EARTHTALK is real questions from real readers of the column and of E ~ The Environmental Magazine, in a format that is quick and easy and aimed at the average Joe (or Jane). For example, topics in the book include: • Recycling: Does it really cost more energy than it saves? What’s the deal with the number system printed on the bottom of plastic bottles? Where can you recycle cell phones, tennis shoes, printer cartridges? • Buying local and organic: What are the benefits of “buying locally?” Do urban gardens significantly contribute to our food supply? How can you tell if food is really organic? • Green living and working: How can you reduce the unwanted mail you receive? What home improvements can make your home greener? What’s more green-friendly: using a dishwasher or washing by hand? • Eco-friendly autos: Are hybrid car batteries recyclable? How can you convert a car to run on cooking oil? Are there green-friendly taxicabs? Based on the nationally syndicated column that reaches up to 80 million people, this comprehensive guide is the perfect tool for easy research about key environmental issues. EARTHTALK™ provides the essential tools and tips for living in harmony with the planet. Available at bookstores everywhere or by visiting: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook. The E editorial team includes executive editor and publisher, Doug Moss, who founded E Magazine and created EARTHTALK™; Roddy Scheer, E’s editor-at-large and EARTHTALK™’s primary writer; E editor Brita Belli, formerly with Connecticut’s Fairfield County Weekly newspaper; and Jim Motavalli, former E editor and now a senior writer with the magazine. E ~ The Environmental Magazine is the leading independent environmental magazine in the United States. Please visit www.emagazine.com. Farmers Can Be Heroes Campaign —from Organic Valley, www.organicvalley.coop Giving back is good business. That’s why two leading organic food manufacturers, Nature’s Path Organic Foods, North America’s number one maker of organic cereal and Organic Valley, America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers, have joined with Organic Gardening magazine to support the Farmers Can Be Heroes program of the Rodale Institute, a leader in on-farm organic research and education. Farmers Can Be Heroes is an outreach and education program designed to portray organic farmers as the heroes who not only feed us, but are on the frontline mitigating climate change and preserving the earth for future generations. The Farmers Can Be Heroes web site (www.hero-farmers.org) offers an on-line course for conventional farmers interested in transitioning to organic, as well as other tools and information. The program seeks to influence farmers to transition to organic methods as well as convince consumers to “become a hero” by buying organic products to support “hero” organic farmers. Consumers can support hero farmers and the Rodale Institute by purchasing one Organic Valley product and one Nature’s Path product and then mailing in both proof of purchases. In return, they will receive a free, one-year subscription to Organic Gardening magazine and a chance to win a year of free breakfasts (organic milk and cereal). Furthermore, Organic Valley and Nature’s Path will contribute $1 each for every proof of purchase mailed in for a contribution of up to $50,000 to the Rodale Institute’s Farmers Can Be Heroes program. The money will be used to enhance curriculum and outreach to farmers. Information about the campaign and the benefits of organic farming will be featured prominently on both Nature’s Path and Organic Valley products. The campaign website for the public went live on March 12, and features a $2.00 coupon and more information about participation at www.organicheroes.org. Retailers can participate by visiting www.organicvalley.coop/promos. COOL Takes Effect as Scheduled —from ATTRA–National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, Weekly Harvest Newsletter, February 25, 2009, http://ncat.attra.org Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the final rule for the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) program went into effect as scheduled on March 16th. The rule, published in the Federal Register on Jan.15, 2009, has been under regulatory review by USDA. Secretary Vilsack determined that allowing the rule to go into effect and carefully monitoring implementation and compliance by retailers and their suppliers would provide the best avenue to evaluate the program. This evaluation period will inform the Secretary’s consideration of whether additional rulemaking may be necessary to provide consumers with adequate information. The COOL regulation requires country of origin labeling for muscle cuts and ground beef, pork, lamb, goat, and chicken; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables; peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and ginseng sold by designated retailers. Guide Available for Making College Dining Organic — from Organic Trade Association, www.ota.com The nation’s first guide for students who want to bring organic dining to campus is available at “Organic on the Green” (www.organiconthegreen.wordpress.com), the ground-breaking student blog dedicated to feeding the organic revolution on campus. Called “Taste the Change: How to Go Organic on Campus,” the manual is published by the Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute,, a non-profit organization founded by and affiliated with the Organic Trade Association, the business association for the organic community in North America. The guide begins with an introduction to organic, including its definition, history, benefits, standards and labeling. It then presents an overview of the organizational tools needed for getting started on campus. Tips for working with food service, approaching issues like purchasing policy, working within budgetary constraints, and building relations with organic vendors are covered in detail. The guide also offers tips on how to raise awareness and support for organic on campus, as well as ways to showcase organic through special events and interactions with the media. In addition, the guide’s innovative “spotlight” sections provide concrete examples from students at Yale, NYU, U.C. Berkeley and other universities who have successfully implemented these strategies to promote organic on campus. An educational project of the Organic Institute, the guide also provides an organic glossary and resources list. It is available at Organic on the Green (http:// organiconthegreen.wordpress.com/), the Organic Institute (www.organicinstitute.org), and Facebook. —from Pesticide Action Network Updates, March 19, 2009, www.panna.org A day after Sunoco, the gas and chemical company, sent word to investors that it was refusing to sell bisphenol (BPA), to companies for use in food and water containers for children younger than three, leaders from the House and Senate introduced legislation to establish a federal ban on BPA in all food and beverage containers, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Tests of ten packaged products conducted for the Journal Sentinel last year found toxic levels of the chemical in all of them, including those marked “microwave safe.” Specific health effects associated with high levels of BPA include genital defects, behavioral changes, and abnormal development of mammary glands, identical to those observed in women at higher risk for breast cancer. The Journal Sentinel reviewed 258 scientific studies of BPA and found that an overwhelming majority of the studies demonstrated that the chemical was harmful — causing breast cancer, testicular cancer, diabetes, hyperactivity, obesity, low sperm counts, miscarriage, and other reproductive failures in laboratory animals. Quaker Oats Offers Community Grants —from Quaker Oats, www.quakeroats.com Quaker not only helps fuel your body with products made with whole-grain oats, but helps power your potential to do good in the community through Quaker Go Grants. Quaker Oats is offering grants for projects that will help combat hunger in your community. The Quaker Go Grant program will select twenty winners each month from April through August 2009. Winners will each receive a $500 cash grant to fund their projects. Application deadlines for the monthly awards are March 31, 2009, April 30, 2009, May 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and July 31, 2009. Here’s how it works: • Submit on-line application form with a 150 word or less description of your project that will help combat hunger in your community. • A selection committee will review the applications submitted each month and award Quaker Go Grants based on originality/ uniqueness (50%); relevance to fighting hunger (30%); and potential impact on community/individuals involved (20%). • Winners will receive a $500 grant to make your project a reality. Winners must agree to show us what you did with the grant. You can submit a description, photo and/or video letting us know how you put the money to good use. You will need to provide your e-mail address. For information on getting started, go to http://quakeroats.promotions.com/ gogrants/splash.do.
Provender Alliance
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