Not Meaningful The “natural” label is not verified and is not meaningful. There are no consistent standards to ensure that the label means what it implies to consumers: that the food was produced without chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, genetically engineered crops, chemical processing aids, and artificial ingredients. Each company can use its own definition, and […]
Public interest groups comment to FDA in support of styrene ban
August 2016 Support of petition to remove 7 synthetic flavors or adjuvants Consumers Union, along with other organizations, submitted comments to the FDA in support of a petition by the Center for Science in the Public Interest that asked the agency to remove its approval of seven synthetic flavors or adjuvants, including styrene, because they […]
Stretching Your Dollar
Stretching Your Dollar How To Fit Organic Produce in Your Budget Organic food is better for your health and that of the environment. But produce grown organically also generally costs more than conventional options, so here are some tips on how to fit organic in your budget: Buy whole foods and process them yourself. […]
Certified Pesticide Resique Free
The seal means that the food has been tested for pesticide residues, and that residues were below levels specified in the SCS Pesticide Residue Free Certification Standard. For a food to be certified and carry this seal, the test results do not have to indicate that the residue levels are zero, or that no pesticides […]
Take action to defend organic standards!
Send a message to the USDA today to support the organic animal welfare rule Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalized a new rule requiring humane conditions for animals raised on certified organic farms. Now the USDA is proposing to withdraw this new rule entirely. Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) […]
Consumers Union Supports Organic in the Farm Bill
The Farm Bill is the primary legislation authorizing federal agriculture and food policy programs. This massive bill, which Congress generally revisits and reworks every few years, deals with policies affecting farms, food assistance programs, and other initiatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The 2018 Farm Bill process is now underway. Consumers Union, the […]
Arsenic in Baby Rice Cereal
FDA Takes Action: Proposes Limit on Arsenic The Issue Arsenic in Baby Foods On April 1, 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a proposal to limit inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal to 100 ppb—very close to the level we recommended more than three years ago. While we are pleased with this development, we remain […]
Routine Drug Use in Livestock and Poultry Production
What Consumers Should Know The development of bacteria that can resist antibiotics is now a public health crisis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that every year antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause more than two million infections, killing at least 23,000 people. The problem is not limited to this country. Globally, the World […]
Antibiotic use in organic chicken hatcheries
Closing the loophole for a strong organic label Improving the Organic Label Prohibiting Antibiotics in Hatcheries If you look for the “organic” label to ensure you are buying chicken that was never treated with antibiotics, you may be surprised to learn that the organic regulations contain a loophole. Federal organic law and regulations strictly prohibit […]
Animal Agriculture
Working Toward a More Sustainable and Humane System Food Safety and Sustainability in Animal Agriculture Why it matters There’s a high cost to cheap protein. The way we raise the animals destined for our dinner tables has a direct impact on the health and safety of our food. There should be no debate: It’s crucial […]