Watch this informative label and learn all about what food labels really mean!

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1421665946001/shop-smarter-know-your-food-labels

Organic producers pay a surcharge on many of those policies, and payouts often don’t reflect their higher costs, which may inhibit farm development and contribute to shortages of some naturally grown products, producers and industry analysts say.

That reduced subsidy diminishes the incentive to meet surging market demands, said McLean, 40, who sells tangerines, grapefruit and other citrus crops grown on 1,110 acres owned by his family and 25 fellow farmers to retailers including Whole Foods Market Inc. and Kroger Co.

“We just want the same tools as conventional farmers to protect our assets,” said McLean, a fourth-generation grower who returned to the business in Clermont, Florida, 25 miles west of Orlando, years after a 1983 frost wiped out his grandfather’s trees. “It costs us more to grow.”

Nationally, organic sales of food and beverages jumped to $26.7 billion in 2010, from $6.1 billion in 2000, according to the Organic Trade Association. Organic farming now accounts for 11 percent of U.S. fruit and vegetable sales and 4 percent of total food and beverage revenue, up from 1.2 percent a decade ago.

Tight Supplies

Surging consumer demand is leading to tight supplies of popular items. Organic milk may face shortages this year because there isn’t enough grain meeting the standard to feed dairy cows, according to the Cornucopia Institute, a natural-foods advocacy group.

The government spent $2.6 billion on more than 2 million farmer policies in 2010, sharing profits, absorbing losses and covering overhead costs for companies, according to the Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based advocacy organization that tracks farm subsidies.

Growth in organic-farm acreage is being held back by government programs that haven’t kept up with the shift in agriculture, including crop-insurance policies that aren’t tailored to organic producers the way they are for large Iowa corn farmers, said Representative Chellie Pingree, a Maine Democrat who serves on the House Agriculture Committee.

‘Fundamental Issue’

“It’s just a huge, fundamental issue,” said Pingree, an organic farmer in the 1970s who’s hoping the next farm bill, which sets government farm policy for a five-year period, will include a measure she introduced last year to encourage alternative agriculture. “You need to encourage the supply, and to get bigger you have to be able to manage your risk.”

The farm bill Congress will debate this year will need to help keep production costs for organic food down while encouraging increased acreage, said Pingree. Additional funds to cover surcharges or sweeten payouts may be doable because of the popularity of environmentally friendly crops, said Chad Hart, an agricultural economist at Iowa State University in Ames.

Still, with Congress under pressure to reduce the federal deficit, all programs are vulnerable to budget reductions. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week said he expects the legislation to include at least $23 billion in reductions to U.S. Department of Agriculture spending over 10 years, with most of the savings coming from farm subsidies, which last year came to about $10.6 billion.

Higher Subsidies ‘Indefensible’

Any new funds will face tough opposition, said Josh Sewell, a policy analyst with Taxpayers for Common Sense, a Washington- based organization.

“I don’t see anyone getting increased subsidies,” Sewell said in a telephone interview. “It’s indefensible, including for crop insurance.”

Some insurers started offering payouts based on organic- price calculations last year on corn, soybeans, cotton and some tomatoes, said Tom Zacharias, the president of National Crop Insurance Services, the Overland Park, Kansas-based industry lobbying group. Farmers pay a higher premium in return for greater loss coverage.

“Of course, producers are getting much more income protection for the higher premium they now pay,” Zacharias said. Bigger government reimbursements may also raise subsidies, though the ultimate expense to the taxpayer is hard to estimate as better data will result in increased costs for some crops and lower expenses for others, he said.

Organic Certification

Organic foods are certified to national standards that usually require that they be raised or processed without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, genetically modified organisms or chemical food additives.

Meeting standards can be costly. Farmers must remove weeds by hand or with labor-intensive machines, instead of simply spraying plants, said McLean of Uncle Matt’s Organic. Natural fertilizers include more-costly components than synthetic varieties. Total production costs for his oranges are probably 50 percent more than if he raised them conventionally, he said.

Farmers manage their weather risk by purchasing crop insurance, a coverage subsidized by the government and administered by companies including Wells Fargo and Co. and Ace Ltd. Policies in 2010 insured 256 million acres of cropland, about 63 percent of all land under cultivation, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

Insurance Surcharge

Only about 21 percent of the nation’s 2.66 million acres of organic cropland was insured in 2010, according to USDA data. Payouts on claims for those acres were bigger than those for conventional products grown nearby: $1.05 for every dollar of organic, versus 59 cents for conventional, according to the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, based on data from 2004 to 2010.

Policies for many organic crops also carry a 5 percent surcharge because there’s not enough actuarial data to determine risk, a fee the government is gradually lifting as better information becomes available.

Three years of weather-related losses in the Flint Hills of Kansas drove Donn Teske away from growing organic milo, soybeans and wheat. He’s using chemicals now to grow them.

“There’s a tremendous price for organic, but I can’t take the risk,” Teske said.

Back in Florida, McLean is seeking more farmers to help meet retailers’ needs. Easier access to insurance would help him survive the next inevitable incident of crop-destroying frost.

“If you can show them that one cold night won’t devastate them, you can help the industry grow,” he said.

–With assistance from Noah Buhayar in New York. Editors: Daniel Enoch, David Ellis.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alan Bjerga in Washington at abjerga@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net.

We recently had the pleasure of a visit from Aran Goyoaga, Food Writer, Stylist & Photographer, and her family. They came to take a grove tour and learn more about our commitment to organic. It was a fun afternoon with them, and we thoroughly enjoyed their visit! Below is a copy of Aran’s blog post as well as some pictures she took. The photographs are beautiful and we love her recipes. Click on the link to get the recipes.

The winter afternoon we spent at the citrus grove

I wanted this winter break to be special for the kids. Although I knew that I would spend much of the time working (I am in the middle of copyediting the manuscript), it was important to me to schedule activities that were both fun and educational. That is when it occurred to me that I should take them to visit a citrus grove. After all, we live in Florida, the land of citrus, no?

I thought of how excited Jon and Miren would be to pick some of their favorite fruit right of the tree and learn a bit more about where we live. I knew they would.

Then, my next question was… “where do we go?”

I didn’t know where to begin my search. I asked around and searched on the internet. How hard could it be to find a citrus grove in the land of mail-order citrus gift-boxes. I called and called, but got nowhere. It seems things have really changed in the last few years in the citrus industry. After the devastating freezes they had in the mid 80s, many small growers lost most of their groves and since then, the industry has become much more industrialized.

“We don’t allow people to walk the groves for liability reasons, but you can visit our packing house” is the answer I heard the most. “But we really want to see the trees and pick the fruit! Why would I want to see a packing facility?” is what I kept repeating.

I got no answers. Until the day I picked up a bag of organic oranges at Whole Foods.

I saw the name Uncle Matt’s under a big sign that said “Local”. Right then and there, I googled them on my phone. I was so excited to find an organic citrus grower not far from where we live. I sent them an email as soon as I got home to see if we could come visit and shortly I received an email back saying “It would be our pleasure!”

Just like that, we planned a trip to visit Uncle Matt’s.

We decided to make a day trip out of it. Invited my friend Karen and Jon’s best friend Daisy along for the ride. C. even took the day off from work to join us.

The kids were beaming. Cool, sunny winters-day.

When we arrived, the entire McLean clan who is the family behind Uncle Matt’s greeted us. Benny McLean, the patriarch, comes from a long line of citrus-growing Floridians. Who else would have such great insight into citrus farming but him. Matt McLean, Benny’s son and CEO of Uncle Matt’s (the business was named after him) explained to us the genesis of it all and the importance of organic practices.

Annemarie and her daughters and nephew joined us as well. Daisy, Jon, and Miren were excited to find new friends and share the experience with them. The McLean children are used to being in the fields and working the land and that is very obvious. They are naturals.

Benny gave us a thorough explanation of how the citrus industry in Florida has evolved. He explained to us how they address the issues of winter freezes, insects, and disease under organic practices. He spoke about the trees’ immune systems and then, just like that, I wanted to cry out of joy. Maybe because my own autoimmune disorders, anytime a doctor, farmer, or individual addresses the importance of strengthening our bodies ability to defend from disease, it gets to me. I get it. Benny’s words resonated.

I loved learning about how wasps are used to fight disease and how wasps live on their property pollenating these tiny white flowers that in conventional farming would be considered weeds and immediately removed.

They have created a harmonious eco-system and we could sense it. There is peace at Uncle Matt’s.

The fruit was outrageously sweet – candy-like and warm from the sun.

We all picked from the trees. The sweetest red navels, Hamlins, honeybells, pink grapefruit, gigantic pommelos, and lemons. The tangelos were still ripening and so were the Valencia oranges. They also grow avocados, blueberries, and peaches. We even spotted some blossoms on the peach trees.

Our kids and the McLean kids bonded over picking fruit.

Such a beautiful sight.

As we were walking around, my mind was spinning thinking about what I was going to make with all this beautiful fruit.

The first thing was a fresh salad. Don’t we all crave citrus salads after all the holidays? I know I do.

Simple lobster and citrus salad with tarragon-oil dressing and spicy radishes.

We played at the farm until nightfall.

The kids were happy from a day in the sun — in nature.

And I was completely inspired by passion and dedication from those who see beyond a mere business and create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle for their family and community.

Back at home, we have been enjoying fresh citrus every morning. A mix of red navel and honeybell is Jon’s favorite. How could it not be right?

Just like candy.

Even though it is winter and yes, it finally got down to the 40s, I still craved sorbet. I made pommelo, hibiscus, and vanilla bean popsicles that we had outside under the sun. It felt good.

Also made vanilla and cardamom natillas with sliced of citrus and ladyfingers using all the leftovers from recipe testing.

So thank you Uncle Matt’s and the McLean family for your time and generosity. We will never forget it.

And to all of you, happy 2012!

All photos: © Aran Goyoaga

Tell us your funniest, frenzied food story from Thanksgiving for a chance to win a 20 lb. box of Uncle Matt’s Fresh Organic Citrus along with a $25 Whole Foods gift card plus a “Cornucopia of Coupons” from great organic brands like Earthbound Farms, Stonyfield, and Nature’s Path to help with your next holiday meal.

Entries will be judged on humor and your practical, ingenious solution for fixing your “menu mishap” and still pull off your annual late-November feast. Contest runs from now through Thanksgiving and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, November 29, 2011.

UPDATE: And the winners are…

Congratulations to our Turkey Day Trauma Contest winner Terri Matchett and runner up Cynthia McQuaid for their funny Thanksgiving stories! Thanks for entering our contest! Our team will be in touch with you to get your information so you can receive your prizes!

State of Ohio dropping regulation in face of organic community pressure

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 31, 2011— The State of Ohio today agreed that it will no longer pursue regulations limiting labeling on organic dairy products. Ohio had attempted to prohibit statements on labels which informed consumers that organic dairy products are produced without antibiotics, pesticides or synthetic hormones. After the Organic Trade Association (OTA) sued the State of Ohio, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with consumers’ right to know and gutted the Ohio rule, finding that it was unconstitutional. Ohio has now agreed to abandon the rule rather than trying to revive it, recognizing that the First Amendment allows organic dairy products to proudly state that they are produced in accordance with the organic standards, without the use of synthetic growth hormones, pesticides, or antibiotics.

“This is significant for all of us who support what the organic foods are about, and for consumers who carefully read food labels to find out what’s in their food and how it’s produced,” said Christine Bushway, Executive Director and CEO for OTA. “The Sixth Circuit opinion made it clear that states cannot unduly restrict organic labels or consumers’ right to know how their food is produced, and the State of Ohio’s actions today make it clear that the fight to keep labels accurate by OTA, its members, farmers, and consumers was worth it.”

In 2008, the State of Ohio issued an emergency regulation that restricted the free speech rights of organic and conventional farmers and marketers of milk within the State of Ohio. The regulation illegally restricted the right of farmers and marketers to state that some dairy products are produced without the use of synthetic and artificial ingredients.

OTA and its members, including Horizon Organic®, Organic Valley®, and Stonyfield Farm®, appealed a lower court decision that upheld the rule in question to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2010, the Sixth Circuit reversed the lower court decision, agreeing that consumers have a right to know how their dairy products are produced. Critical to the decision was the Court’s reliance on an amicus brief filed by The Center for Food Safety and other organizations to rule that milk produced with synthetic hormones is different than milk produced without it (as all organic milk is).

“Ohio’s abandonment of this misguided rule is a victory for consumers, farmers and manufacturers alike,” said Bushway, adding, “The organic label is a federally regulated program that provides consumers with the knowledge that their food is produced without the use of antibiotics, pesticides or added growth hormones. Consumers have the right to make informed choices about the foods they eat, and farmers and manufacturers can continue to communicate truthfully with consumers.”

OTA was represented by Randy Sunshine of Liner Grode Stein Yankelevitz Sunshine Regensteif & Taylor LLP.

OTA looks forward to continuing the fight for transparency in labeling as part of the Just Label It: We Have a Right to Know initiative that kicked off earlier this month. This initiative is driven by a coalition of more than 400 businesses and organizations interested in seeing genetically engineered (GE) foods labeled as such. With increasing consumer interest in health and food safety, people want to know more than ever about what is in their food and how it was produced. The campaign has submitted a petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the goal of inspiring consumers to contact FDA to show their support of mandatory labeling of GE foods. Consumers can visit www.justlabelit.org to submit support of labeling to FDA.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 6,500 organic businesses across 49 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

One Hundred Percent Orange Juice May Play an Important Role in Supporting Intake of Certain Underconsumed Nutrients

BARTOW, Fla., Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Orange juice may do more for children’s diet and overall health than you think, according to results of a recently published study in Nutrition Research.

Data from this study suggest children (ages 2-18 years) who drink 100 percent orange juice tend to have improved nutrient adequacy and diet quality, as well as certain diet and health parameters.(1) Additionally, the research suggested that consumption of 100 percent orange juice was not associated with overweight or obesity in children.

As part of the study, researchers analyzed data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and found that children who regularly consume 100 percent orange juice tended to have significantly higher intakes of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6, folate, dietary fiber and magnesium than non-consumers. None of the children who consumed 100 percent orange juice were below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for vitamin C, while nearly 30 percent of non-consumers were below the EAR. Furthermore, diet quality (as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2005)) was significantly higher in those children consuming 100 percent orange juice than in non-consumers, as was intake of total fruit, fruit juice and whole fruit.

“A growing body of research has painted a clear picture that enhanced nutrient intake and better diet quality are associated with drinking 100 percent orange juice in children,” said study co-author Carol E. O’Neil, PhD, MPH, LDN, RD, School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. “Our research adds further support to the association between drinking 100 percent orange juice and higher intakes of five important nutrients–vitamin C, folate, magnesium, dietary fiber and potassium–which are generally underconsumed by the U.S. population.”(2)

This is the first study that has examined the usual intake of 100 percent orange juice in a nationally representative population, and these data add support to previous studies that found no association between 100 percent fruit juice consumption and increased risk for overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Furthermore, children who consumed 100 percent orange juice had significantly lower mean LDL cholesterol levels than those who did not consume 100 percent orange juice.

“These findings are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, which conclude that ‘for most children and adolescents, intake of 100 percent fruit juice is not associated with body weight,’”(2) said Gail Rampersaud, MS, RD, LDN, Associate in Nutrition Research and Education, University of Florida. “It’s encouraging that the overall body of research provides evidence to support children enjoying all of the taste, nutritional and health benefits that 100 percent orange juice offers.”

Relation to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, the “total diet” should consist of nutrient-dense foods that provide essential nutrients and health benefits.

“People can feel good about enjoying one hundred percent orange juice daily because it fits many of the key recommendations outlined in the Dietary Guidelines,” said Rampersaud. “For example, 100 percent orange juice is more nutrient-dense than many commonly-consumed 100 percent fruit juices, and one 8-ounce serving is a good source of potassium and folate, as well as an excellent source of vitamin C.”(3)

Editor’s Note: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is an ongoing series of surveys, implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that are designed to assess the health and nutritional status of children and adults in the United States. The NHANES surveys are conducted and analyzed in a way to be representative of the U.S. population. The analysis published in Nutrition Research used 2003-2006 data from more than 7,200 children and adolescents.

About the Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Department of Citrus is an executive agency of Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. Its activities are funded by a tax paid by growers on each box of citrus that moves through commercial channels. The industry employs nearly 76,000 people, provides an annual economic impact close to $9 billion to the state, and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues that help support Florida’s schools, roads and health care services. For more information about the Florida Department of Citrus, please visit www.floridajuice.com .

The Florida Department of Citrus is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Agency. The Florida Department of Citrus prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities based on race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

For more information contact:Katherine RiemerGolinHarris 312-729-4283kriemer@golinharris.com

(1) O’Neil CE, Nicklas TA, Rampersaud, GC, Fulgoni, VL. 100% orange juice consumption is associated with better diet quality, improved nutrient adequacy, and no increased risk for overweight/obesity in children. Nutrition Research. 2011;31:673-682.

(2) U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010.

(3) Rampersaud GC. A comparison of nutrient density scores for 100% fruit juices. Journal of Food Science. 2007;72(4):S261-S266.

SOURCE Florida Department of Citrus

Congratulations to Lisa Fulsom, the winner of our “Pack Me a Lunch, Mom!” contest! You’ll be receiving all the goodies from Uncle Matt’s and our contest partners. Your winning response was creative and fun, and we loved your commitment to healthy food! Our 2nd place winner is Cristina, and our 3rd place winner is Brigid! Congrats ladies!

With back-to-school in full swing, moms want to know their kids are eating a healthy and nutritious lunch to help maximize their learning experience at school. We want to hear from you!

HOW TO ENTER

In 250 words or less, leave us a comment on this post and tell us the zaniest, funniest story about how you infused “healthy” into your kids’ lunches and actually got them to eat it!  Entries will be judged on mom’s creative use of tactics and healthy ingredients. The more ingenious the method and unusual the choice of healthy foods, the better chance you’ve got to win our “Ultimate Healthy Lunchbox!”

Partnering with great brand leaders such as Applegate Farms, Earthbound Farms, Late July Organic Snacks, Nature’s Path and Stonyfield, Uncle Matt’s will give away “The Ultimate Healthy Lunchbox” as a grand prize.  Packed with great budget-saving coupons from each participating company, the eco-friendly Laptop Lunchbox will also contain Nature’s Path granola bars, Late July organic snack chips, a free pack of YoKids organic yogurt, and a $25 gift card to Whole Foods. The winner also receives a 12 oz. Klean Kanteen classic in “Be Green” for all that delicious Uncle Matt’s Organic apple juice!

Looking for a sample lunchbox menu that’s super-convenient, no-kidding nutritious with a prep time of less than three minutes? (Not to mention representative of all four food groups.) Try this:

Applegate Farms turkey-cheese roll-ups
Earthbound Farms organic baby carrots
Late July Organic snack chips
Stonyfield YoKids
Nature’s Path granola bars
Uncle Matt’s Organic orchard-style apple juice

The contest starts today and runs through September 30, 2011. The winning entry will be announced and posted on our blog and Facebook page on October 3, 2011.

Thanks to all the great organic companies below for participating!

Blood pressure is the amount of force required for the heart to circulate blood through the body. Systolic blood pressure represents the maximal blood pressure during systole, and diastolic blood pressure the minimum pressure at the end of ventricular diastole. Arterial blood pressure can be defined hemodynamically as the product of cardiac output and total peripheral resistance. Cardiac output is the main determinant of systolic pressure while peripheral resistance largely determines the level of diastolic pressure. Hypertension is a cardiovascular disease characterized by elevation of blood pressure above arbitrary values considered normal for people of similar racial and environmental background. Hypertension affects the vasculature of all major organs (heart, brain, kidneys), and myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure account for the majority of deaths secondary to hypertension.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition investigated the effect of orange juice and its major flavonoid, hesperidin, on blood pressure and cardiovascular risk biomarkers. The study included 24 healthy, moderately overweight men who were randomized to consume either 500 mL orange juice, or 500 mL hesperidin or 500 mL placebo drink for four weeks. The results revealed that diastolic blood pressure was significantly lowered after four weeks consumption of orange juice or a hesperidin drink when compared to the placebo drink. It was also determined that orange juice and hesperidin significantly improved post-meal blood vessel reactivity compared with placebo. These results appear to suggest hesperidin may contribute to the beneficial effects of orange juice, which may reduce diastolic blood pressure and increase post-meal blood vessel reactivity.¹

¹ Morand C, Dubray C, Milenkovic D, et al. Hesperidin contributes to the vascular protective effects of orange juice: a randomized crossover study in healthy volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010.