The USDA and corporate agribusiness know that Cornucopia is watching. And they know we have the ear of the media should we need to call out any weakening of federal organic regulations. Many individual NOSB members praise our work. But it remains an ongoing battle as a number of corporate-affiliated NOSB members seem to believe that the organic industry must grow, grow, GROW at any cost. You can be certain we will remain engaged. We too support growth — the growth in opportunity for American family farmers to make a real living producing and raising, authentic nutrient-dense food and the growth in the number of conscious food consumers purchasing that bounty. To help raise awareness, Cornucopia is about to release a new report documenting the beneficial health effects of an organic diet for children. Indeed, an alarming 54% of American children now have a chronic health condition! Residues of pesticides linked to cancer, damage to the nervous system and cognitive development, or disruption of hormone functions are common in conventional foods. Genetically modified crops, allowed in our food supply with no labeling, have been introduced with virtually no testing as to their potential harm. Conventional foods also often contain ingredients processed with synthetic solvents like hexane, a neurotoxin. All these health hazards are avoided with organic food. We aim to raise public awareness about the stew of harmful residues lurking in the food we feed our most vulnerable. Look for news surrounding the release of Protecting Children’s Health: Choosing Organic Food to Avoid GMOs and Agricultural Chemicals. Please help spread the word about this to your network of friends and allies with your social media contacts.

“With the escalating rates of disease, our children have earned the title ‘Generation Rx.’ This has to change. Cornucopia makes an important contribution in highlighting steps parents can take to protect the health of our children.”

— Robyn O’Brien, Mother, Author, Founder of AllergyKids Foundation In 2013 Cornucopia devoted considerable resources to food safety changes proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One proposal — a guidance from the FDA concerning salmonella contamination in eggs — was supposed to address abuses occurring on factory farms confining thousands of birds in cramped indoor settings. But organic egg producers were caught up in the FDA’s fears that birds roaming outdoors (as required in organic law) may be exposed to salmonella. This stands in stark contrast to the scientific evidence, as formally presented by Cornucopia to the FDA, that ties higher rates of pathogenetic contamination to older, massive factory farms with cages and forced molting (practices banned in organics). To create the safest and most nutritious eggs, we should be encouraging more and better use of outdoor space for laying hens so that they can exhibit their true, native behavior. But this FDA document does just the opposite and will make it difficult, expensive and perhaps even impossible to have medium-sized flocks of birds outside. In addition to our formal comments, Cornucopia helped thousands of consumers and farmers submit comments directly to the FDA on this proposal. We shall remain vigilant as the FDA finalizes their document and continue working to defend farmers producing true organic eggs — maybe even taking the FDA to court on this. The FDA also proposed extensive new regulations on farmers and processors providing fresh produce. The controversial plans for implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act stirred up a hornet’s nest. You probably received at least one of our many recent communications

detailing the potential ruin of our nation’s best/safest diversified produce farmers. There is nothing inherently dangerous about fresh fruits or vegetables! Only produce contaminated with feces and virulent pathogens makes humans sick. The FDA’s proposed rules, however, are a tangle of expensive regulations that saddle family farmers with management of risk factors beyond their control. And the FDA missed opportunities to control root causes of systemic food safety problems, like the spread of dangerous infectious pathogens from the mountains of manure harbored on the country’s massive livestock feedlots and risky practices surrounding fresh cut and bagged produce nationally distributed from giant processing facilities. We helped generate more than 12,000 individual comments to the FDA networking with farmers and consumers to create a call for revised and sensible regulations. Nobody is opposed to food safety. But we can’t let inappropriate and mistargeted regulatory schemes put many of the nation’s most competent farmers out of business — such as those selling at farmers markets, through CSAs and directly to consumers, co-ops and restaurants.

Together let’s recommit to supporting organic, sustainable and local farmers and ethical food companies who put people and the planet first.

During 2013, Cornucopia continued to play an important educational role in the food fights over genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We created infographics spotlighting the corporations and lobbyists fighting your right-to-know what is in the food you and your family eat as part of our work on the Washington state GMO food ingredient labeling vote. While it was no surprise that Monsanto and other agrochemical and biotech companies were spending millions to keep you in the dark, what was news to many consumers was the prominence of some of the most popular organic brands that were funding the NO campaign. Our infographics outing these organic charlatans were exceedingly popular. And even though the state ballot initiative narrowly lost 51-49, under a barrage of misleading advertising, a more educated consumer base will be able to direct their purchasing power in the marketplace, and vote with their dollars for those companies that walk the talk and represent their core values. I often tell people during my talks and presentations that the masking of GMO food ingredients in conventional foods only makes protecting organics all the more important. Organic agriculture’s strict prohibition on the use of GMO crops and processing ingredients make this a sanctioned safe harbor for those concerned with the multitude of scientific unknowns swirling about this controversial practice (with more disturbing peer-reviewed, published research all the time). Another side of the GMO fight is the squeezing of farmers by Monsanto and the big biotech companies with control over seeds and varieties. It’s why Cornucopia has joined with other plaintiffs in a legal challenge questioning the right to patent genetic life. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering hearing this case! Court cases can be a long shot, but given the entrenched corporate power, we must avail ourselves of all alternatives. Likewise, we turned again to the FDA this past March with submittal of a formal request asking the agency to reevaluate the science and revoke the GRAS status (“generally regarded as safe”) that currently allows carrageenan in food, both conventional and organic. Carrageenan does to your gut what poison ivy does to your skin. So what is it doing in organic food and conventional food?

We are sharing the scientific research we have collected with regulators and companies using carrageenan as an additive — some have responded with product reformulations. And we’ve gathered more than 20,000 names supporting our petition to the FDA. But until the agency acts, individuals can take their safety and health into their own hands. Cornucopia’s report and shopping guide (updated during 2013 and available at www.cornucopia.org) can help you avoid the foods and beverages that contain this harmful and unnecessary ingredient. Looking ahead to 2014: Cornucopia will remain on the front lines defending nutritionally superior food while protecting the livelihoods of the families who produce it.

We will release important new reports rating organic yogurt and meat birds. The reports will contain scorecards to drive consumer purchasing power towards those farmers and ethical food companies producing wholesome, authentic food with integrity.

At the National Organic Standards Board, we will continue to rigorously monitor

synthetic additives petitioned for use in organics. Cornucopia may also be headed to court to contest recent outrageous changes announced by the USDA that weaken review of synthetic and non-organic materials approved for use in organics.

We will continue to raise awareness of and oppose the threats to organics by the

unbridled spread of unlabeled, unidentifiable GMOs from farm to fork. And we will defend and protect family farmers and consumer access to the best fresh

food from overreaching, misguided food safety regulations.

So, as we approach the end of another year, we ask that you again generously support our mission promoting good environmental stewardship, humane animal husbandry, economic justice for family farmers, and a truly safe and abundant food supply for our nation.

The good food movement has power! We have proven in our tactical approach that when farmers and consumers join together, we are a potent force. We have made progress because of your past support. Please make The Cornucopia Institute one of the charitable institutions you support at this time of year. Of course, because we are an IRS 501(c)(3) charitable institution, your contributions are deductible to the full extent of the law. On behalf of our staff, Board of Directors, and especially our farmer-membership, I again want to thank you very sincerely for your support. Best regards and warm greetings,

Mark A. Kastel Cofounder

P.S.: Your generous contribution at the end of this year will help us show foundations and large donors, who are considering funding Cornucopia in these unsettled financial times, that there continues to be true widespread support from farmers and consumers willing to invest their hard-earned dollars in protecting sustainable and organic food and farming.