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Less Than 1% of U.S. Farmland is Organic: A Growing Crisis

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With all of the talk about organic, few people realize that organic farming makes up a small share of U.S. farmland overall. There were 5 million certified organic acres of farmland in 2016, representing less than 1% of the 911 million acres of total farmland nationwide.

Less than 1%.

That’s a hard number to reconcile given all of the talk about organic. So what is happening?

It turns out that we import the organic food that we need, since we don’t grow enough of it here.

Imagine if any other booming industry acted this way—outsourced the economic upside to producers in other countries, rather than build out the capacity here.

But that is exactly what we have done.

Since we don’t grow enough organic food here in the U.S. to meet American demand, we import it. This is an expensive proposition, in so many ways, and further guts our farm economy which is already struggling due to low commodity prices, excessive debt, bankruptcies, farmer suicides and opioid addictions.

But what is interesting is where things are starting to change. According to a new report from Pew Research Center:

“Although Southern states do not have as many certified organic farms as other parts of the country, the South saw the most growth in organic farming since 2011. For example, Arkansas had just 10 organic farms in 2011. That number jumped to 64 five years later—an increase of 540%.

Alabama, South Carolina and Missouri all saw increases of more than 200% since 2011. And several other Southern states saw their certified organic farm count more than double in those five years.

Cow’s milk was the top food sold by U.S. certified organic farms in 2016, with a total sales value of $1.4 billion.

About four-in-ten U.S. adults (39%) say that most or some of the food they eat is organic, while 61% say not too much or none of their food is, according to a recent Pew Research Center report.

Americans are closely divided over whether organic fruits and vegetables are better for one’s health than conventionally grown foods. About half of U.S. adults (51%) say organic produce is neither better nor worse than non-organic produce, while 45% say organic is better. Younger Americans and those who report eating at least some organic food are more likely to believe organic produce provides health benefits.”

If Americans have proven anything when it comes to food, it is the fact that we don’t do anything in moderation. And yet here we are: almost invisible when it comes to organic food production.

It’s time for that to change, and that starts with the capital. It is time to offer loans and funding to farmers so that they can transition to organic. It takes three years, so the marketplace also has to offer a solution for these transition crops. We can all participate, from the venture capital firms to the consumers to the food companies.

Companies like Cargill and ADM are clamoring to make a deal, but the money needs to come without the baggage that brands like those bring. Otherwise, we are trying to solve the problem with the same companies that created it.

There are a lot of alternative sources of capital that have not yet been put into play. Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) are one example, with $110 Billion available, according to the National Philanthropic Trust, and yet estimates run from only 10-17% of that being put to use.

Food security is national security, and right now, we don’t have either. Our farmers are in crisis, with rising bankruptcies, suicide rates and a growing opioid epidemic on the farm.  It’s time to secure our food system and deliver the products that a growing number of American families want, and that requires smart, value-aligned capital.

Otherwise, we will end up with an organic food system that is 1% for the 1%.

Woman reading food labels at grocery store

The Value of Trust and Transparency in Food

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I’ve been in a lot of conversations recently that revolve around trust. Our news cycle is constantly throwing trust into question, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to know whom to turn to when it comes to critical decisions.

In no way is this more apparent than in the food industry. For years, the industry was able to operate from a dictatorial position: we will tell you what you need to know. Fat content? Sure. Calories? You bet. Sodium? OK.

But we quickly yearned for more.

So what changed? Our access to information. It democratized the process, taking power from the all-powerful and redistributing it into the hands of the people.

Suddenly, consumers could see a side by side comparison of two products that carry the same name, made by the same company—one sold here in the U.S., the other sold overseas. And they could see how differently the products were formulated. The products sold overseas, use real ingredients that have been found in our food supply for generations, while the products sold here in the U.S. are far more likely to include cheaper, artificial ingredients developed in labs and designed to preserve shelf life and drive greater margins and profitability.

And American families couldn’t stomach that double standard. A lot of us woke up to the fact that we were being sold the cheaper products, full of artificial ingredients, while these same companies formulated their products differently, full of real ingredients, for consumers overseas. A food awakening occurred, which I share in my book The Unhealthy Truth (Random House 2009).

And while correlation is not causation, at the same time, our families were getting sicker. It didn’t matter if it was something like asthma or allergies, or something like cancer and diabetes, no family was immune. We were suddenly saddled with managing conditions that changed the way we lived our lives. No longer could a mom go out without both an epinephrine device and allergen free snacks. No longer could someone eat out in a restaurant without first understanding the sugar content, or salt content, or allergen content. What was first incredibly annoying became the norm, and restaurants began to cater to these changing needs, and so did some of our favorite brands. Thank goodness, because American families simply wanted to eat real food.

The companies who have embraced radical transparency are the ones who will survive. The information flow isn’t stopping, and it is bringing a swift and profound conversion to our food system, from blockchain to B Corporation and beyond. No longer are consumers willing to blindly swallow what is put in front of them (or at least most aren’t). Today, we are questioning how products are made, where they are made and why certain processes are employed: from farm to table, to genetic engineering to keto, paleo, gluten-free and so much more. On top of that, an entire new industry is forming around blockchain and the ability to have access to data ledgers that provide the exact level of detail anyone is looking for at anytime.

It can be intimidating to those who have dictated food standards for the last several years and for those who have something to hide, but it can be liberating to those who embrace the standards of transparency.

It’s not unprecedented; we’ve seen this movie before. Think about Intel Inside, you probably knew more about what was inside your computer before you knew what was inside your food. Once that shift happened, the need to know, the companies that got on board with it first earned the trust of the consumer. The same thing is happening in the food industry. This is why companies like MegaFood are true trusted partners of mine. The company has gone above and beyond time and time again. From getting certified as a B corporation, to being totally transparent in their partnerships with farmers who support organic and regenerative agriculture to create the real food ingredients inside each tablet, powder and gummy vitamin, and advocating for regenerative practices worldwide, to being the first supplement brand to have its entire line of products certified glyphosate-residue free. MegaFood has even gone so far as to help petition the EPA to ban the use of glyphosate in the desiccant phase. MegaFood is a true leader when it comes to complete transparency with its consumers, retailers and even its own team of dedicated and motivated employees who all value its mission – to create a healthy, sustainable future for all. You can read more about MegaFood’s outstanding Big T Transparency proposition here.

The reality is, the upfront work to be this radically transparent is not always easy, but doing it certainly makes it easier in the long run. But MegaFood consumers will always know exactly where they stand – right beside the brand, shoulder to shoulder, on a mission to nourish our world and create the healthiest products possible. And for that transparency and so much more, they have earned my trust and I hope many more brands follow suit so that we can normalize transparency in this space.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign the petition to ban glyphosate! Let’s ban together for the good of our food, for the good of our planet and the good of our health!

 

This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®. I’m proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are my own.

 

 

greta thunberg

15 Year Old at the U.N.: “You are not mature enough to tell it like it is. Even that burden you leave to us children.”

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15-year-old activist Greta Thunberg of Sweden delivered an incredibly direct speech to U.N. climate negotiators in Poland.

“You are not mature enough to tell it like it is. Even that burden you leave to us children.”

She is calling out older generations, knowing that this is happening on our watch, as if we have to wait for permission from the government to act.

We don’t. We can drive massive change at the individual and corporate levels.

So, listen to this amazing teenager, her call to action is strong: Do something, participate, this can not happen on our watch, and it does not have to.

Please watch and share this powerful, short speech.

Here is a full transcript of Greta’s speech:

“My name is Greta Thunberg. I am 15 years old. I am from Sweden.

I speak on behalf of Climate Justice Now.

Many people say that Sweden is just a small country and it doesn’t matter what we do.

But I’ve learned you are never too small to make a difference. And if a few children can get headlines all over the world just by not going to school, then imagine what we could all do together if we really wanted to.

But to do that, we have to speak clearly, no matter how uncomfortable that may be.

You only speak of green eternal economic growth because you are too scared of being unpopular. You only talk about moving forward with the same bad ideas that got us into this mess, even when the only sensible thing to do is pull the emergency brake.

You are not mature enough to tell it like is. Even that burden you leave to us children.

But I don’t care about being popular. I care about climate justice and the living planet.

Our civilization is being sacrificed for the opportunity of a very small number of people to continue making enormous amounts of money. Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine can live in luxury.

It is the sufferings of the many which pay for the luxuries of the few.

The year 2078, I will celebrate my 75th birthday.

If I have children maybe they will spend that day with me. Maybe they will ask me about you. Maybe they will ask why you didn’t do anything while there still was time to act.

You say you love your children above all else, and yet you are stealing their future in front of their very eyes.

Until you start focusing on what needs to be done rather than what is politically possible, there is no hope. We cannot solve a crisis without treating it as a crisis. We need to keep the fossil fuels in the ground, and we need to focus on equity.

And if solutions within the system are so impossible to find, maybe we should change the system itself.

We have not come here to beg world leaders to care. You have ignored us in the past and you will ignore us again.

We have run out of excuses and we are running out of time.

We have come here to let you know that change is coming, whether you like it or not.

The real power belongs to the people.

Thank you.”

happy gut dance

What Your Gut Has to Do with Your Happiness

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There is a lot of talk about the microbiome, so what is it exactly, and how does it impact us?

The microbiome is essentially the lining in our gut. And as you can imagine, it’s taken a lot of abuse over the last few decades, with escalating amounts of additives, preservatives, GMOs and things like artificial colors and weed killers like glyphosate added to our food supply. Any one of these issues impact us – in fact, studies are done  on their individual impact. But it’s the collective impact that has a lot of doctors, from pediatricians to those who specialize in women’s health, scientists and researchers standing up and taking notice.

The best way to think about all of this is to think of your digestive tract like a series of pipes. When real food flows through those pipes, they run smoothly. Add things like glyphosate , preservatives, artificial colors and ingredients, artificial growth hormones and antibiotics used on the animals we eat….then, all of a sudden, the stuff flowing through our digestive pipes is full of a lot of non-food substances.

And the microbiome takes the abuse. It does its best to process it all for us, but all of that extra unnatural “stuff” really messes with the lining of the digestive tract.  Think of our digestive system as the foundation for our health and wellness – a happy gut, means all of our bodies’ systems are happy too. In other words, if our microbiome gets abused, our health tends to suffer.

It’s so important to be mindful of what is going through your digestive pipes. For some, that means staying away from a lot of artificial and processed foods, others add organic and whole foods into their diets and even more (yes, I am now one of them, given all that I’ve learned!) add probiotics and supplements designed especially for your gut.

There is no magic pill, and as much as we want to control everything in order to protect our health, that isn’t always possible. So I always say, “don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good” and do what you can where you are with what you have. And for me, that starts with the little things, like MegaFood® MegaFlora®. This is MegaFood’s signature probiotic, designed to support intestinal health, immunity and bowel regularity.* It includes a blend of 14 unique strains of probiotics to provide 20 billion active bacteria that help restore and maintain the balance of healthy intestinal probiotics.* This works wonders on your digestive tract!* Plus, it is tested free from gluten, dairy and soy.

I’ve been a fan of MegaFlora for years, but I am so excited to share that MegaFood is actually launching a complete Shelf-Stable Probiotic very soon! In addition to a Digestive Health*, there will be four new probiotics within this line: Women’s Health*, Mood*, Energy* and Immune Defense*. The strains found in these formulas have been chosen based on their resistance to stomach acids as well as their role in gut health.

The Shelf-Stable Probiotic collection includes:

  • MegaFood Digestive Health* —Provides a balance of healthy microflora to support daily digestive health*
  • MegaFood Mood* —Helps support gut health and reduce stress and fatigue*
  • MegaFood Women’s Health* —Helps support gut microflora and urinary tract health*
  • MegaFood Energy* —Helps support healthy energy production and intestinal microflora*
  • MegaFood Immune Defense* —Helps support a healthy immune function*

They’re calling it “probiotics with a twist” and I’m certainly excited to explore these incredible new products, made with real, whole foods in true MegaFood fashion. Especially because so many of us are on-the-go, with the new Shelf Stable Probiotics line you can travel with them and use them anywhere.

While we wait for MegaFood’s exciting innovation in probiotics, focus on progress instead of perfection.  Don’t beat yourself up when you slip up, just support yourself as much as you can.  And remember, little healthy changes, when done repeatedly, can have a big impact! Your gut will thank you!

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®. I’m proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are my own.

Photo by Juan Camilo Navia via UnSplash

corntrailer1

The Seed: How Monsanto Pitted Farmers Against Each Other

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I often am approached by movie producers who are working on films, either a feature film, short film or documentary. I have become very good at saying “no.” More often than not, the film sensationalizes a very serious subject. As a result, I review every project and endorse few.

The Seed is a film project that I have known about for a few years, so when the producer reached out earlier this week to share the trailer, I took a look.

And now you get to, too.

The Seed is currently in production. It tells the story of the operating system that Monsanto introduced when they introduced their genetically engineered seeds into commodity crop agriculture back in the 1990s. These seeds had never before existed in our food supply and fundamentally changed farming in America.

With the release of these patented seeds, farming and the autonomy farmers had over their land and operations changed dramatically. Farmers entered into technology stewardship agreements, committing them not only to the purchase of these patented seeds and the trait, technology and licensing fees required to use them, but also with these contracts, farmers had to use Monsanto’s signature sides – herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and other weed killers. It was a brilliant new business model for a company that sold chemicals up until the mid 1990s that was built on the backs of our farmers. All of our farmers.

And because these new ingredients weren’t labeled in our food supply, we didn’t know and couldn’t help. We had no idea what was going on on the farm.

And now, the system is broken, pitting farmers against each other.

In no way is this more telling than with what is happening to farmers: the opioid epidemic in farm counties is jaw dropping, according the Farm Bureau, farmers debt is increasing, net farm income is declining, average farm debt is over $1.3 million in farm states like Nebraska, and farmer suicides are becoming all too common, as the Guardian recently reported in the gut wrenching piece, “Why Are American Farmers Killing Themselves in Record Numbers“. As a result of all of this and more, succession plans for farms are failing.  Young farmers do not want to step into these broken business models.

In a conversation with a commodities trader who recently moved to Denver from Omaha, I learned that farmers are telling younger generations: don’t go into commodity crops like genetically engineered corn and soy, go into specialty crops or organic.

This film gives a glimpse into why. If you want to learn more, please contact us.

And please share the clip below, so that we can get our farmers out of debt and back on track.

Written in memory of Scottie McAllister of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

women's health giveaway

Giveaway! Women’s Health Essentials

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Super excited about this giveaway from my friends and partners at MegaFood!

21st century women have a lot coming at us – from balancing family with career, to enjoying the company of others and to carving out essential alone time, it takes quite a bit of effort and strategy to keep us running at our highest capacity. So how do we avoid the burn-out, maintain good health and feel like we’re accomplishing our goals? Women today have unprecedented opportunities, but that also brings unprecedented responsibilities. Taking care of you in the middle of all of that can be tough, and can sometimes feel impossible.

I’ve learned not to make “perfect” the enemy of “good”; to focus on progress not perfection. We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded by what most would consider “perfect” on social media. It’s hard to justify what’s real and what is happening in real life. I’ve learned to control what I can, and for me, that has everything to do with how I show up in the world and in my day to day.

It starts with simple things, like managing stress. As a working mom of four (all teenagers), that is no small feat. Things like sleep and hydration are critical. And while I can not always control the amount of sleep that I get, I can control when to rest my body when I know I need it most. Furthermore, I monitor my water intake and what I choose to consume every day. I pay attention to the thoughts and media I put into my head, as closely as I pay attention to my food and supplements.

That’s why I am so grateful for my MegaFood friends. Women’s health essentials are a key part of my routine and I certainly love their vitamins and supplements made with whole foods and oftentimes, tailored specifically to what a woman’s body needs.* Here is just a sampling of my favorite women’s health products from MegaFood:

  • Daily Multi Powder for Women—I am a huge advocate for multivitamins and their ability to fill the holes in our nutrition intake. The new line of Multi Powders from MegaFood make it easy to get your multi boost in your favorite smoothies or juice. This made-just-for-women formulation supports you through normal hormone fluctuations* to replenish the iron lost during your menstrual cycle.* Vitamin D supports your mood and bone health too.*
  • Blood Builder—A long-time favorite of mine, MegaFood Blood Builder is clinically proven to increase iron levels and reduce fatigue without common gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea or constipation.[1] Proper iron levels are essential for women’s health and this product, made with nourishing beets, oranges and more, is the product for you.*
  • New Women’s Health* Shelf-Stable Probiotics—You’ve heard me talk about the importance of gut health…it’s key to optimal wellness!* Now, we women have the opportunity to support a healthy gut and other needs specific to a woman’s body.*

I’m thrilled to be giving away 1 of each of the products listed above to one of you this month! Taking care of ourselves so that we can show up in our fullest capacity and take care of those around us is a serious commitment. MegaFood shares the seriousness of that commitment, taking care of the little things – premium ingredients from trusted farm partners devoted to organic or regenerative farming methods, B Corp certification, Glyphosate Residue Free Certification and so much more. They do that, so that we, as women, can take care of all that is happening in our lives – from the tiny little things to the big ones.

Head over to my Facebook page to enter to win!

This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®. I’m proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are my own.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

[1] †Christopher R. D’Adamo; James S. Novick , MD; Termeh M. Feinberg , PhD, MPH; Valerie J. Dawson , BS; Larry E. Miller , PhD (2018). A Food-Derived Dietary Supplement Containing a Low Dose of Iron Improved Markers of Iron Status Among Nonanemic Iron-Deficient Women. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Pages 342-349. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2018.1427158?scroll=top&needAccess=true&. |

 

b-corp

The B Corp: The Most Important Trend in Business

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There are a lot of trends to cite in business today, especially when it comes to natural food products: CBD oil, collagen, turmeric, and fermented foods, just to name a few. Layer on top of that blockchain, AI, and the rapid advance of tech into every industry, you realize that there is a tsunami of “trends” to keep track of.

But few are as important as the rise of companies seeking B Corp certification. So what is it? According to B Lab, “B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today, there is a growing community of more than 2,100 Certified B Corps from 50 countries and over 130 industries working together toward 1 unifying goal: to redefine success in business.”

MegaFood was honored B Corp Certification earlier this year, continuing its commitment to changing the world and ensuring our future is healthy and sustainable. Furthermore, my friends at Danone put all of the naysayers to rest when they became the world’s largest food company to obtain B Corp certification. As two companies who have proven their leadership in their unique markets, this is a huge signal to the marketplace: if we can do it, you can, too.

So the question is, why isn’t every one of your favorite brands certified B Corp?

If you’ve spent a few minutes on the B Corp site, you quickly learn why this is an incredibly valuable certification. It takes serious commitment. It’s not just about recycling your trash at your office, or making sure there are charging stations for electric vehicles. B-Corp companies embrace accountability through their entire business model, from inclusion and diversity, to environmental accountability.

It truly is conscious capitalism at its finest in the corporate world.

It’s just another reason why I love working with and knowing friends at B Corp certified companies like MegaFood. In addition to creating premium vitamins and supplements made with whole foods from a select group of trusted farm partners who support organic and regenerative agriculture, MegaFood has always been committed to B Corp social impact standards as a champion of change in the creation of meaningful jobs, the improvement of lives, and the application of best business practices. The brand is dedicated to:

  • Corporate bylaws that include social, environmental and economic diligence.
  • Its trusted network of farmers who grow MegaFood products’ whole food ingredients. The development of a global verification standard for food grown in a regenerative way in partnership with The Carbon Underground and Green America to improve soil health, human health, and support a reduction of the threat from climate change.
  • Its status as the first supplement brand to obtain glyphosate residue free (GRF) certification for its entire line of products.
  • Integrated social impact as a crucial role in company-wide performance evaluations.
  • A strategy for improving employees’ well-being by offering development opportunities through self-leadership and providing high-quality comprehensive benefits packages.

Ultimately, MegaFood is helping us build better and smarter systems, from sourcing, to product development and even through internal benefits – such initiatives that recognize that we are all stakeholders in this planet of ours.

Want to learn more for your company? Where to get started? (Hint: Build it into your business model). If you are an entrepreneur, start now! What may seem radical today will be the standard tomorrow. Get in front of it, and if you have questions, ask friends who are already on the path.

Together, we can build smarter systems, and that is such an exciting prospect!

 

This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®. I’m proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are my own.

 

Healthy soy meadow at beautiful sunset

Regenerative Agriculture: What It Means and Why It Matters

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“Regenerative agriculture” is a buzzworthy phrase being thrown around by the food industry, similar to the way the word “sustainability” has been in years past. But what does “regenerative agriculture” mean? And why is the food industry using it? Well, that depends who you ask. Without outcomes attached to it, it becomes a marketing term.

It’s creating a lot of headlines and has a lot of strong and good intentions behind it. But so did the words “sustainability” and “natural” until they were co-opted. As Matthew Dillon of Clif Bar points out, we have to be careful to not just create buzzwords that are good for marketers. We have to also make sure they are good for farmers.

More than just a buzzword

But here’s the deal: regenerative agriculture is good for farmers because it can take such good care of the soil, which in turn provides a stable and fruitful business for farmers. And why does soil matter? Because the soil is where our food comes from, and if the soil is healthy, our food will be healthy. And you guessed it, we have a much greater chance at health ourselves.

On average, we have just “fifty-seven more years of growing crops,” according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. That is just fifty-seven more harvests until we have no more topsoil to grow food.

That’s a pretty scary and small number and also where regenerative agriculture comes in.

According to Food Business News, “What makes this issue different is that in the case of natural, organic and non-G.M.O., large food and beverage manufacturers were slow to embrace these movements. By contrast, in the case of regenerative production, mainstream companies are participating in the establishment of standards and establishing partnerships to put those practices in action.”

So what is regenerative agriculture all about?

Regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter, and restoring degraded soil biodiversity.

The term regenerative agriculture was first introduced by Medard Gabel (1979), and then developed by Robert Rodale (1983). But not much happened for a mighty long time, until recently in the natural and organics products industry.

My friends at MegaFood give such a straightforward and direct definition of regenerative agriculture: according to Sara Newmark, VP of Social Impact at MegaFood, “It literally begins with the soil!” She explains, “Healthy soil produces crops with higher nutrient densities, and a great way to manage the land for optimal soil health is by implementing regenerative agriculture.”

The way we grow food is destroying our soil. Chemical applications have a profound impact on soil formation. According to MegaFood, “85-90% of plant nutrient acquisition is microbially-mediated so without microbes, plants starve to death. Carbon is no longer being introduced into the soil and as a result of all of this combined, our food is on average 40% less nutrient-dense than it was 50 years ago.”

Another eye-opening statistic!

“Regenerative agriculture is defined as a system of farming principles, patterns, processes and practices that actively enriches soils, biodiversity, ecosystems and watersheds while effectively producing a variety of ecosystem functions and agricultural yields,” as the Carbon Underground states. At the community level, regenerative agriculture can increase farmer and rancher livelihood, along with resilience and the well-being of communities and economies.

Who wouldn’t want that? As of late, farming communities seem to be hammered with bad news.

Good for People and the Planet

As the Carbon Underground goes on to say, “Regenerative agriculture is proving to be one of the key ways by which we can reverse global climate change as well as affect positive change within the realms of land system change, biochemical flows, ocean acidification, the hydrological cycle and the revitalization of biodiversity.”
It addresses climate change and increases soil quality. Boom!

Transitioning to regenerative agriculture and storing the excess atmospheric CO2 in soils and biomass presents us with our best opportunity for carbon sequestration and working with the 500 million smallholder farmers who provide 80 percent of the world’s food is a way to do it in a way that feeds people and planet.

As affirmed by soil scientist Dr. Rattan Lal, “A mere two percent increase in the carbon content of the planet’s soils could offset 100 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions going into the atmosphere.”

Let’s do this!

So how do we get there? There are shifts happening in consumer values and this is giving rise to an unprecedented degree of ethical decision-making supportive of the transition to regenerative agriculture.

This is especially true for millennials, of whom 62 percent were found to be willing to pay more to support responsible business practices, responsibly produced food and brands that practice environmental responsibility, according to Regeneration International.

Furthermore, companies like MegaFood, which exists to nourish our world in its nutritional crisis, are leading on this, too. The brand is taking bold action to ensure its vision of a planet in which everyone is truly nourished becomes a reality in our lifetime. The Carbon Underground and Green America, in partnership with Ben & Jerry’s (Unilever), DanoneWave, Annie’s and MegaFood, are currently working on a global verification standard for food grown in a regenerative manner. Through this effort, alongside its internal standard for ethical sourcing, MegaFood hopes to inspire participation in a global movement to restore soils. These standards, which include incentivizing farmers to reach shared goals as well as leveraging new technologies like blockchain to pay for ecosystem services, among others, are being discussed as we speak and we can expect to see great movement this year and into 2019. It couldn’t come soon enough if we only have 57 harvests left.

So what can the consumer do? Support the brands that are pushing regenerative agriculture, get engaged and push for policy. The last thing the food industry needs is another “natural” disaster. Regenerative agriculture solves a lot of problems. It needs and deserves our full support.

 

This post was created in partnership with MegaFood®. I’m proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are my own.

giovanni

Food Allergies: A Race to the Emergency Room and Why Labels Matter

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On October 1, 2013, a 14 year old boy had an allergic reaction that would take his life. On the one year anniversary of his death, I sat down with his mother. Given that it is Food Allergy Awareness Month, she asked that we please share his story again. Here we are five years later. She misses him every day, so we are sharing her story and her heart again in the hopes that it protects others.

Please meet my beautiful friend, Georgina. Her story is below:

When Giovanni was around 18 months old, I made chicken with a peanut sauce. After one bite, Giovanni began to get hives, his eyes swelled…. I called our pediatrician, who told me to give Giovanni a dose of antihistamine and bring him in. Once there, our pediatrician said Giovanni must be allergic to peanuts and advised me to keep an eye on him and to give him antihistamine as directed. His symptoms did not get any worse that day, and we left with a referral to an allergist.

After going to the allergist, Giovanni was diagnosed with allergy to peanuts and other things. I remember the nurse giving me a prescription for antihistamines and an epinephrine auto-injector and showing me how to use it in case of an emergency. I wasn’t given a food allergy management plan. I don’t remember there being any sense of this as a life-or-death situation – just a diagnosis, prescriptions, and the recommendation that we follow up with our pediatrician.

So from then on, that is what I did. Giovanni’s pediatrician was his “go to” doctor for everything. When we asked about seeing a specialist, our pediatrician stated that he would treat Giovanni first.

Giovanni had a few allergic reactions to peanuts. We never thought these reactions were severe. He would usually vomit, get some hives, and have a bit of scratchy or tingly throat. After a dose of antihistamine, symptoms seemed to calm down and go away on their own. Thinking back, these reactions would be considered anaphylaxis, and were severe.

I followed up with the pediatrician, who said I should give Giovanni antihistamine since his reactions were mild, and he should be okay. We were never told that epinephrine must be used for certain symptoms, only that it could be used if we really thought he needed it. But, since he never had a bad reaction, I didn’t think he needed it. That was the extent of our anaphylaxis management planning.

A Severe Reaction

On October 1, 2013, Giovanni and I were settling in early, happy that homework was finally done early, dinner and chores were done, and we were going to be able to enjoy movie night together – just him and me – for the first time in a while since school had started. Giovanni had just started at Holy Trinity High School, so homework, studying, and sports left little time for relaxing and leisure. We popped the movie in and had our snacks ready. One was a snack mix of mini cookies, pretzels, almonds, and M&M’s. I usually always bypass the full food label and go right to the bottom of the ingredients where they usually have an allergy disclaimer. I had read the back of the bag, and all I saw was “MAY CONTAIN TREE NUTS.” Good, I thought, he is not allergic to tree nuts.

I gave Giovanni a few pieces of snack mix from the bag, but within seconds he was saying, “Oh no, there are peanuts in here!” I said he was wrong and read the ingredients again. Although there was no “peanut” disclaimer, it did actually have peanuts as a main ingredient. I just didn’t read enough! I don’t know how in the world I didn’t see it.

I immediately gave Giovanni a regular dose of antihistamine and said we should go to Premier Care, the after-hours clinic, just to be safe. Then I gave him a second dose of antihistamine just as back up. Giovanni was only feeling a little scratchiness in his throat and was giving me a hard time about getting dressed to go to clinic.

At this point, I should have called 9-1-1.

I said let’s go now, just to be safe. The epinephrine auto-injector was on the table right next to my purse, and Giovanni asked if he should use it. I said I didn’t think we needed to, that we should just get to the doctor. I threw all the meds into my bag and left. On the way out, Giovanni asked if he should vomit, since that is usually what happened in the past. I said if you need to then try, but he couldn’t.

Premier Care is about a seven-minute car ride away. Giovanni was still talking on the drive there. He had his inhaler with him and used it a few times. I kept telling him not be nervous, that he was going to be okay. We got to the office, and it had JUST closed. No one answered the door. Giovanni began to panic. We jumped back in the car and immediately started to look for the epinephrine auto-injector. We couldn’t find it.

At this point, he was still okay. He was still talking, just more scared now. I still was thinking we were okay. Now I had to drive to the emergency room, which was about another seven minutes away. All I could do was focus on getting there without crashing, I was beeping my horn and had my hazard lights on, taking every red light I could safely run and reassuring him every minute that he was going to be okay, that we were almost there, to just hold on another minute.

We were around the corner from the hospital when Giovanni must have felt something serious, and he said, “I can’t mom, I don’t want to die.” I was yelling, “No! No! That’s not going to happen. We’re here. Just hold on. I’m there in two seconds.” He didn’t respond.

I turned down the street to the emergency room and realized he was quiet. I grabbed his hand and said we’re here, but I realized he was cold. I looked at him, and he was blue. I started screaming and beeping as I drove to the emergency room entrance. There were people outside and I was screaming, “Help, my son has peanut allergy. He passed out. I need to get him inside!” They all ran over, and I remember about five of us struggling to get him out of the car. At the same time, emergency room staff came running out with a wheelchair, and we threw him in it. I was just screaming, “Help him, please! He is having an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts.”

Staff were running through hallway, yelling “We need a table now!” as I ran behind screaming “Please, help him!” That was the longest hallway ever. Then these nurses stopped me and took me into a small room while they took Giovanni away, and I had to wait and wait and wait. I had called my husband when we were leaving the house and told him what was happening and that Giovanni was okay. Now I had to call and tell him to get to the ER right away.

It was nearly an hour later when a doctor came out to brief us. She told me how they worked on Giovanni for quite a while, that his heart had stopped and that he had been without oxygen for about 3 minutes, but that they were able to save him. They told me he was on a respirator. I was finally able to see him. He was unconscious and needed to be transported to a pediatric ICU.

Giovanni was in a medically induced coma for several days in hopes of alleviating the trauma caused to his brain from lack of oxygen, but he got worse when they tried to bring him out of the coma. Doctors re-induced him into the coma in hopes that he would recover. But after three weeks of exhausting all measures to try to save him – after many hopes and prayers – Giovanni’s body just couldn’t sustain the injury to his brain, and he passed away on October 18.

I am grateful that I was able to hold my little boy in his bed, along with his dad and his sister, and was surrounded by every one of his closest family members, every one of them holding hands, holding each other up, while he crossed over to finally be in peace.

Lessons Learned

His physician was our pediatrician for more than 20 years. He didn’t take his allergies serious because he wasn’t educated enough about them. When I called him from the emergency room to tell him we are in the ER and why, he just said that there wasn’t anything to do, that the hospital doctors would be the one taking care of him.

The next time I heard from him was 10 minutes after Giovanni had passed away. My cousin had answered the phone, he was calling to see how he was. And didn’t really have anything to say. He never called, did not send a card, did not come to his funeral nothing. I still can’t believe it.

The night of his accident we were to be picked up from other hospital he needed to be transferred to hospital With PICU unit, the head nurse from this other hospital was (unbeknownst at the time) sent to be his angel, our angel. She told us she had just gotten back from an all day conference on food allergies and EpiPen importance. I have kept in contact with her and just the other day called on her to help me figure out how I can reach out to the entire medical field, re: American pediatric association. I am trying to figure out the best way to reach them to express the importance of global change of education to all physicians, nurses, ems, to follow one basic protocol when administering life saving information about food allergies.

Giovanni’s Legacy

When I asked Giovanni’s mom to tell me about her son, the sports he played and his friends, this is what she shared:

He was such a beautiful boy. So loving, caring, helpful. Loved life. He is so very much missed by all. His sister is all alone without him. His friends loved him so much. They still contact me from time to time to see how we are.

The one thing that is consistent when they speak of him is how beautiful his smile was, how he was so happy, always goofing off, making everyone laugh; he knew if you were having a bad day he would ask if you were ok and find a way to make you feel better.

Giovanni had just started high school at a private school, it was a big change for him but he loved it. EVERY single student in that school came to his wake/funeral. They all told us what an amazing kid he was, so many said even though they didn’t get a chance to actually speak to him they remember his infectious smile and that he was always making someone laugh.

Giovanni was an amazing athlete. Since the age of 5 he was playing baseball, soccer, football, basketball. His first love was football but a few years ago decided that baseball would be his career. He was known everywhere he went. Everyone wanted him on his or her team.

Right before the accident he had just gotten back from a travel team tournament that weekend. He was going to be a major league player no doubt. He was an honor student. A best friend, his father’s pride and joy, he was my whole life. He was my Protector, my son, My friend, my SOULMATE!

Communities from so many Towns have come together to remember Giovanni. In the town where dad is from, Our Lady of Peace school, one mom who has a food allergic child and is on the board had their food allergy policy revamped and dedicated to Giovanni. When Giovanni was in school at all times his friends/teachers all were very cautious and mindful of his allergies. His two very best friends were also allergic to peanuts /nuts and some other things as well so it was always a comfort knowing that he would be safe with them.

There was always a smile on his face. He was running from the time he woke up to the time he went to sleep. And even when he was sleeping he was still a restless sleeper. He was a star athlete. He was a best friend. He was the best brother. He was my little boy, my little man. He took care of me, and I took care of him. He was my friend, my partner. He was the reason I did EVERYTHING I did. He was his dad’s pride and joy. His dad is lost without him. He was an honor student. He knew to be helpful, to be of service, to be respectful. He knew how to seize the day and run with it.

Giovanni’s loss is felt not just here in our family, in our community, but all over the country. Giovanni’s loss is awful, it is heart wrenching, it doesn’t make sense. If it has taught us one thing, it is that we know we don’t want anyone to ever have to feel the pain that we feel.

What Do You Want People to Know?

We want to help educate and advocate for all families living with food allergies. We want everyone to know that food allergies are serious. Some people think it’s not that big of a deal, that food allergy parents tend to overreact, and for the simple and lucky reason it hasn’t yet affected them.

“How many more lives need to be lost to prove it is a big deal?”

Food allergies can mean life or death. In the past two months, it has become apparent just how true that statement is. Two more little lives have been taken in our community due to a peanut allergy. More people need to be informed about the dangers of food allergy, including healthcare professionals and parents. If you have a food allergic child, seek consultation with a board certified allergist who has expertise in food allergy. Allergist evaluation and periodic routine follow up are recommended steps in the NIH food allergy guidelines for caring for food allergic children. It is important to do your own research and be your own advocate. Find the very best doctor you can, and even if he’s a little farther away, it may be worth it to go those extra miles. If you advocate for your child and do the research, it is possible that you may be able to help your doctor form the best treatment plan possible for your child. If you are not happy with the treatment or feedback, then find a new doctor. Do not settle! If you reach a point where you are not comfortable with just your primary care physician managing your child’s food allergy, then you have to have a frank discussion with this provider about your desire to involve a food allergy expert in the care.

Know the Signs and Symptoms

The most important information we want everyone to know is that when there are signs or symptoms of anaphylaxis, administer your epinephrine auto-injector (such as an Auvi-Q or Epi-Pen). This is the first line of treatment for anaphylaxis! Always have your epinephrine auto-injectors available. It is wise to have two doses available because some people may need a second dose. Do not hesitate to use this when it is needed! It can save a life. Epinephrine use has virtually no downsides or bad side effects beyond increasing the heart rate and blood pressure, and possibly causing some temporary bruising and pain where the device was injected. Most importantly, make sure you have a written anaphylaxis management plan provided by whoever is managing your child’s food allergy. This must be reviewed until you know it like the back of your hand, and you are comfortable with the steps. The physician creating this plan must be able to clearly explain to you what symptoms require antihistamine, and what other ones can only be treated with epinephrine. It is your responsibility to master this plan, and be ready to act should the need arise.

If you should have to treat your child with epinephrine, call 9-1-1! Call your local ambulance service and tell them that a child is having an allergic reaction and may need more epinephrine. (An ambulance should be called not because epinephrine is dangerous but because the allergic reaction could be severe, needed to be treated with epinephrine, and may require more treatment). Even if you are unsure if your child needs the epinephrine, don’t hesitate. Don’t let fear take over. It won’t harm your child if it turns out not to be needed, but it will harm your child if you don’t use it, and it was needed!

You have some incredible goals. Will you share them?

I have many goals to conquer but educating people about this is at the top of my list And I will be heard if it’s the last thing that I do. Thank you for listening. ❤

Important Resources:

“May contain” labels on our food packaging are voluntary. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) was passed by Congress to ensure that there would be clearer labeling of food for the millions of people with food allergies. As of January 01, 2006, all food products regulated by the FDA must be labeled in a specific way to identify the eight major food allergens, but there are exemptions and loopholes.

It is painfully clear that not enough parents are aware of these exemptions and voluntary labels. To learn more, please click here.

Read the ingredient list and label all the way through. Do not rely on the “May Contain….” or “Contains….” statements at the bottom of the ingredient list. It is a voluntary statement and not required under the food allergy labeling law.

To learn more about the sign and symptoms of food allergies, please click here.

To learn more about the Food Allergy Labeling and Protection Act and what is voluntary and how to protect your loved ones, please click here.

To read Giovanni’s full story, please click here.

To help prevent another food allergy death, please share this.

voting is the core of democracy

One Hour for Democracy: What’s It Worth to You?

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The internet has been buzzing with pictures about Patagonia giving its employees Election Day 2018 off, so that they can get out and vote.

Truly, this is something that we can not take for granted.

A friend from college, now an attorney in Louisiana, shared the following stats on just how recently women and other minorities earned the right to vote. Looking at it in its entirety is rather eye-opening. This is recent, folks. Use it or lose it.

In 1776, you could only do it if you owned land.

By 1856, you no longer had to own land, but you could only do it if you were a white male.

By 1870, black men could also do it.

By 1920, women could do it.

By 1971, you only had to be 18 to do it.

*interesting note: In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (separate but equal). On the heels of the court’s ruling, and the ensuing dominance of Jim Crow, Louisiana’s registered black vote dropped from 130,334 in 1896, to 5,320 in 1900, then, to 1,342 in 1904. The same held true all over the South.

As Patagonia pushed for corporate awareness, others followed. And Blue Point Brewer ran a full page ad in the New York Times. The Voters’ Day Off IPA mention in Sunday’s  New York Times got people asking why it’s important to establish Election Day as a federal holiday. They’re in, are you? They decided to run with it, too, launching this petition to make Election Day a federal holiday.

As we began to make some noise, others did, too. We don’t have to wait for the government to take action on this.  We can drive amazing change in the marketplace. We’ve done it with countless issues before.  So we are at it here again.

My friends at Once Upon a Farm got in on it, and as I continued to highlight efforts, others chimed in. Laura Batcha at the Organic Trade Association said it has always been part of their protocol, their employee handbook has always offered time off on Election Day, and to count them in. My friends at MegaFood recognized that while they could not give employees the entire day off, they could give them an hour or two off to get out and vote.

What could be more reasonable than that?

“The right to vote is the most basic right, without which all others are meaningless.” ~ Lyndon B Johnson

Giving employees an extra hour at lunch on Election Day to go out and exercise their right to vote, to participate in this democracy that our ancestors, advocates, and military have fought so hard to protect.

It’s one hour. What’s democracy worth to you? One hour. Join the efforts, give your employees the day off, given them an extra hour off. Celebrate those who vote. Be part of history. Vote.

Join Us;

  • Patagonia
  • Blue Point Brewer
  • Once Upon A Farm
  • MegaFood
  • Organic Trade Association
  • Do Good
  • AllergyKids Foundation
  • Will you be next….?
  • Sign the petition asking for Election Day to be a federal holiday here 
  • Can’t do that? Give your employees an hour off to vote. #OneHour4Democracy #VOTE

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