Right, you are!  Folks, it's time you learn that the government allows certain levels of contaminants in your food, water, etc.  Don't believe it?  Check out the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21, Part 130 (Food Standards: General).  Do a Google (or whatever search engine you like) search on "CFR or Code of Federal Regulations.  It is in your best interest to read and learn about the CFR as it applies to you (i.e. read between the lines!!).  In 21CFR there are 169 subparts.  Just skimming the subpart titles should be a little bit scary! As you read the CFR titles, you'll discover that the gov't allows some toxins and contaminants in food/water. Albeit small amounts, but things like PCBs, rat excrement, bugs and bug parts, heavy metals, etc.  In one of the subparts there is a table listing many, many contaminents and the levels that the FDA considers to be "safe".  How much inspection do you think occurs?  How many USDA and FDA agents do you think there are?  Farmers Markets are probably the best source for food especially if they make efforts to be "organic".  I forgot to mention, the FDA also allows for levels of pesticides that are "acceptable" in your food supply.

I really don't understand the Whole Foods bashing. I shop there. I find lots of organic produce and staples (beans, rice) sold at discount under their store label. They aren't tricking me into buying anything I don't want. Read the labels.  They've got the same stuff as our crappy local health food stores, just unexpired dates and much, much superior selection. No one is forcing you to shop there.

Corporate organic is a nice resting point in between conventional and locally grown organic. Local is great, if you want a small slice of the populace to have access to organic food. Even with concessions in the organic standards for big producers, you're saving millions of pounds of pesticides from the food chain, and you're saving millions of pounds of synthetic fertilizer from the ecosystem.  

Dissing Whole Foods for using diesel trucks to ship around organic produce is silly. The infrastructure of the US is the result of years of government planning gone wrong.

Now, a response to the requisite public school bashing. We have lots and lots and lots of great public schools. Find one you like, rent a house there, send your kids. Then, when your kids get home, talk to them and teach them more stuff. The resources in a good, modern, public school are something that most kids should not be missing out on. There are severe problems with inner-city schools and some schools in poor districts, no doubt, but in those cases you're often asking a school to be a substitute parent, which will always fail.

TupeloHoney:  calling someone a Jack Ass just because you disagree with them, only brings to attention your inability to articulate your disagreement in an intelligent manner.  You, at some level, are seeing something in Jonny, that you see in yourself.  

geminga, you need to buy, borrow, whatever, the book, "The Peter Principle" which explains a number of things about why things go the way that they do.

A few years ago I attended the early performance of a show by political & social commentator Mort Sahl, who said in his discourse that "...there doesn't seem to be much difference between the two major political parties in this country anymore..." refering to the nuts on the Left and neocons on the so-called Right.  So I visited him between shows in his dressing room.  After standard pleasantries I reminded him what he'd said and told him there's a big difference:  The Republicrats are GENERALLY faithful to their wives, and the Democlicans think that's abolutely hilarious."  (He thought it was very funny.)  The point I want to make here is what I forgot to tell him then:  "The other main difference is that the Republicrats generally come from business, to visit briefly in government, in order to improve business, while the Democlicans have no business in government whatsoever."  Whether or not you think that's funny, what the point is, is that Big Business has an annoying habit of hijacking governmental regulation, to the point where you could say that EPA stands for Economic Protection for Alcoa.  To put it another way, Socialism is where government invests in and controls Business, and its inverse Capitalism is where Business invests in and controls government.  Like the man said, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

As for term limits, they are utterly ineffective because they send no message, carry no force, and simply become part of the background scheme of things.  There is a movement starting called VAIP:  Vote Against Incumbent Politicians.  The idea is, every election, if things haven't been markedly corrected since last election, "throw ALL the bums out."  VAIP 'em.  Sure a few good ones will go out too, but they were completely ineffective anyway, so what good were they really?

I agree with most of the comments from the dumbing down of the masses, to the understanding of the need to be more involved in our own lives in general.

I think that having all of that information, we need to do a big campaign regarding local foods and the value of it!

If you get the local farmers to grow the food and support that decision, things will turn around for many industries.

I lived in St. Paul MN where there were coops and two Whole Foods within driving distance..( that was back in 2002 when the price of gas was not as high!!!)

I now live in South Dakota and I shop with local farmers.  I can tell them what I want and how much and they grow it for us. We have also turned our big yard into a cornucopia of different types of fruits and veggies.

It is really not hard work once you get an agreement with the rabbits.

We get raw milk locally and my husband makes fresh yogurt weekly.

Now I know that is not what all of you will do...some live in apartments and such but I am sure we all know someone that has the room and we can share the time to work, just like community gardens.  There are other ways like gardening out of pots...use your imagination.

When I realised organic food sometimes  is put in a warehouse and is gassed to stop the bugs and rodents from getting to the food until it gets to the store.   They also gas to reduce spoilage.  I went crazy, all of that work getting good food to have it messed up!

I buy locally all veggies and our meat too.

We have a butcher that gets his meat from places he knows has great quality.  He makes things using-natural spices to get the taste right.  He uses no MSG or anything that is harmful.

If we band together as a group of people that: gets good food, has no need for the Dr., will settle for nothing less we can change things from the inside out.  

Let the children experence real food out of the ground, not off the shelf.  If you think the farmes are far away, just drive and not use the freeway, they are there!

All the troubles in this country, including the one we are discussing stems from the mixed economy and government regulating business, ridiculous anti-trust laws and absence of political philosophy that would value personal liberties and freedom of enterprise above all. We need a true  laissez-fare  economy!

The FDA, EPA and USDA are indeed paid for with public dollars, But unfortunately they do not act on behalf of the public interest per se, instead they're accountable to whom ever is in power.

As for Whole Foods or any store, we need to be proactive - read labels and choose foods, supplements, personal care, cleaning products, etc. that don't have ingredients that may be harmful.  Bottom line, it's up to us.

I agree that checking labels is important but as we know, some of the worst foods are those sold as no or low fat, sugar, cholesterol, trans-fats, etc. The other problem is the deception used by the manufacturers and sanctioned by government. MSG goes by a dozen different names. Numerous products in health food stores contain genetically modified ingredients such as soy and canola -- but does the label state that?

Check a package of Yves tofu dogs or any of their other so-called 'nutritious' meat alternatives. The label states they are cholesterol free, high in protein, low in fat, blah, blah, blah. But no where does it indicate if the soy protein or the canola are certified organic. (as is the case with the Sol tofu product line). When I questioned an Yves customer service rep about the absence of such labeling --which would give some assurance the product was wholesome, she stated "the ingredients are organic but there's only so much room on a package so not every descriptive can be included". She also assured me the company's marketing department would look into it. I assured her I wouldn't touch their product with a 10 foot pole.

Anyone familiar with Amy's? They used to be a trusted source for quality vegetarian 100% organic ingredients. If you look closely at the packaging on the front of their boxes now, you'll see in small print the fact that the contents range from between 65 and 90% organic -- mainly due to the dairy and other key ingredients being replaced with conventional sources.

What about the recent revelation that some organic products contain known cancer-causing elements or that cloned meat is going to be marketed to unsuspecting consumers? I guess there's just no room on the package to state so.

"You're all liars and you've been telling me lies,

Yeah you're liars and I caught you with your finger in the pie".

"Liars" - Canadian singer/songwriter Ian Thomas.

They are in "in bed" with Big Pharma and the oher corporations.  They don't have time to look after us as they have their handouts for kick backs.

I go to WF for certain things, but I have started to go to the coop more.  The stuff they sell is higher quality and not loaded with canola oil.

READ THE LABELS EVERY TIME...even if you've bought it many times before.

Clorox bought Burts Bees so you know that if they haven't already they

will change the ingredients.  Keep a list of what ingredients are...

MSG has at least 10 different names.  Do you think the FDA is as concerned

as you are about what goes into products ?  Be wise and use your brain...

don't be a lemming, even if the product has an organic label !  You vote

every time you purchse something... use your power to change the companies.

They won't make it if we don't buy it !

Meaning TAKE CONTROL?

Yes, know how to read a label, know where the food is coming from... and then realize you have to grow your own. And then realize that this will be prohibited soon.

Demand that your "elected" officials disclose to whom they've sworn allegiance.

Non-BigPharma, can you tell me where in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 21, Part 130? I looked at Part 130 but didn't see the list of contaminants (PCBs, rat excrement, etc).   Part 130.___

Thankyou

Even stewardesses are unionized.  Stewardesses were supposed to be young girls who wanted to see the world and earn money for school.

I don't have a problem with unions per say, but the owner of the company has the right to hire, fire, or pay whomever he pleases. At least that is the way it should be in a free country.


I see the myths about unions keeps getting told.

Yeah, imagine how successful the Detroit auto companies would be if they weren't required by US law to be union.  The importers aren't required, just GM and Ford, due to laws passed decades before the importers arrived.

Jonny, you're a jackass.

There's nothing wrong with collective bargaining in a truly free market. The problem is, we haven't had a free market in a long time, and the government has tipped the balance strongly toward the unions with a variety of laws. If the employer could still simply fire those who unionized - assuming the labor market made that practical - and hire those who were willing to work according to terms the employer was willing to give - then unions wouldn't be such a destructive force. They'd simply be one more input into the labor market, along with supply and demand. But when employers are forced by the government to negotiate and cannot fire unionized labor for anything other than gross negligence, and sometimes not even then, it tips the balance way too far in favor of the unions.

The fact that unions have been on the decline for a long time, DESPITE all the legal advantages the government gives them, is proof that their time is past. That doesn't mean their time won't come again sometime, but for now they're far more of a negative than a positive.

How right you are!

I must disagree. I worked in a unionized supermarket for a few years and the fact that it was a union saved my job more than once. Most of my time there, I dealt with an unfair manager who (seriously) had some sort of issues with her male employees. She had issues, as did human resources and the store manager; the shop stewardess helped me get placed into a different department instead of being outright fired. What I liked about working for a union was that I could depend on the shop stewardess to help me out if I had any troubles because the Human Resources manager didn't know how to do his job properly and the store manager wasn't that great of a guy either.

Samurai:  Oh really?  Back in 1970 you could buy a car for under $2000 sticker price.  And the same unions were in place back then.  Now the lowest is about six times that, for a toy that the $2000 1970 car would crush like a bug after easily outrunning it.  Did the unions really do that?

Are you absolutely sure that a constant stream of ever-changing government mandates had nothing to do with it?  1970 was the first year of that, and California was the proving ground for each new model year's utterly useless "pollution control" system, every year more stringent that the last, even now; yet after 38 years of ever stricter, ever more expensive standards Denver & L.A. still have brown air due to exempted trucks, buses, factories & powerplants.  Add to all that constantly revised & reinvented technology; the expensive 5 MPH bumper systems that were going to save us on insurance premiums but proved so expensive to repair at 6MPH & above that our premiums had to go up; plus the industry's absolute infatuation with computerization of absolutely every little thing right down to your $200 car keys.  Did the unions really do all that?

That's not to say unions are utopian.  First the corporations abused their workers; then the workers' unions abused the workplaces owned by the corporations; now the pendulum is poised to swing the other way again...

WF is non-union for one good reason:  They don't need one, to fend off management abuses, due to good management practices in general.

Jonny_:  See what happens when you push people's buttons?  You become an unnecessary distraction from the matter at hand.  Good grief!  Don't you think it would have been sufficient to simply say "today's stewardesses no longer conform to the old Hollywood stereotype" and be done with it?  And is it such "low skilled labor" to as Ferlie put it "treat me respectfully ... pour a drink without putting it in my lap and help evacuate the plane in case of emergency" and deal with wise-asses?

Unions do drive costs up. And, have put some businesses out of business. Case in point, the Star Market grocery store chain. It's union mandated such high entry level wages for cashiers that, in order to pay them, Star Market priced their groceries so much higher than the competition that people quit shopping there. They priced themselves out of business.  

Samurai, who do you think gave you the 40 hour week?  Who do you think paved the way for equal pay for men and women?  Who made sure that child labor was cast aside?  Who do you think is responsible for the vast majority of safety regulations?

I was in management, and treated people like dirt, as they had no protection.  They didn't know their rights.  Once i saw the light, and became an HONEST laborer myself, I finally got it.

Big Business has got you hook, line and sinker, by firing up your emotions, pointing out the exceptions to the benefits of Big Labor.

Unions are more democratic than the National structure.  You vote for a representative who does the same or similar job as you.  In the USA, we have a choice of millionaires to vote for!  How ludacris!

Not all unions are closed shop, and very few are forced to join, as a %.  They wouldn't be applying for that position if the union hadn't made it palatable.

Shareholders have way less rights.  I'll bet the vast majority of you sign over your proxies...

I'm sorry, I've made you think.

Unions are still a good thing for the working people.  The cost of automobiles is tied to the government regs on pollution.  Those technologies cost money for R&D.  Still, I read complaints about unions this and unions that.  If you are so concerned about the cost of things like food, autos, gas, etc., why don't you complain about the Federal and State taxes on some of these products.  Yes some unions have corruption, the same with our governments.  As they say "if you aren't part of the solution, then you're part of the problem."  Quit whining and do something contructive for your life and others for a change.  That is all!

The point isn't that local is pesticide free but that the environmental pollution caused by trucking in the organic products is not worth the health benefits of organic.  However, I disagree.  

Even at my Farmer's Market the produce is imported from other states and countries, very little of it is locally grown.  I can walk into their backyard and pick my own strawberries, but I can't wash the pesticides off as it is inside the fruit.  They offer NO organic products and their farm processed sausages have nitrates!

I am thankful for Whole Foods.  We are on a gluten free diet and I can get bread, flours and other products there I can find no where else.  My local grocery store has a lot, enough that I can use them most of the time, but I still make a monthly trip to Whole Foods.

As for unions, they can be good, and they can be bad.  From my experience unions often cause more harm in that it does not leave the individual with a choice.  The GOOD HARD WORKING non union members are layed off because they have no union to protect them, while lazy union members work very little and on top of that get a raise.  Then when union goes on strike, you MUST go on strike even if you disagree, and you do so without pay.  

Seeing the evils of Walmart I can see why having a union is vitally important.  I have worked in retail sales and child care and many times wish I was part of a union.  But still, it takes the freedom from the individual union member and hurts the non-union member.  So it's a toss up as to its benefits.

Thank u to all who are trying to be more healthy and organic.  We as a family farm in Missouri have tried in the past to work with Whole Foods.  They gave us this long list of does and don'ts and then said they would not buy certified organic grass fed beef from us when they could get other beef at half the price.  And where does it come from.  Contained feed lots.  There is nothing natural about this method.  Whole foods has pulled the wool over all your eyes if you think they are being truthful with anything.  They care not one wit for anything but money.  Nieman Ranch is another fine example of a big rip off.  They say they are backed by 600 family farms in California, but all those cattle are shipped to feed lots to live for the last 8 to 9 months of their life.  They are given any manner of by products to increase their weight, truly not caring what condition the animals health is in.  I know this as a fact since I talked with the company about being a producer.  It is an incredibly sad fact that the US has turned a blind eye to being honest, they care only for the lining of money in their pocket.  We have a great thing going, we are certified organic, have grass fed beef and a great local market.  Each market day brings more people to our booth with the confidence in our product.  There is the myth out there that small farmers can't supply the us with enough food!  Think again!  Buy from your local growers and help us regain our control of the food we serve our families.  Certified Organic growers are becoming more established, they work hard, and that hard work also pays off for you.  Make the effort to find what you need.  It truly is not that hard.  

svsiemers,

I work with a farmer that grows superior certified organic crops. Whole Foods asked him to basically move towards industrial farming to obtain greater amounts. The farmer resisted and quit his negotiations with Whole Foods. He then embarked on a journey to establish and encourage the formation of CSAs. This program is meeting with great success and he is now able to sell directly to the public at a much cheaper price than Whole Foods would have. CSAs are the way to go. We must take charge of our food supply and wrest control from corporate farms that only encourage our own demise. This country was always able to feed itself. Early farms were able to support the country's population without the use of pesticides or importing poor quality products. It was the chemical companies that sold a bill of goods to the farmers (with the help of the government)and now our land and waters are polluted beyond belief. Organic methods work! The only hope of correcting our agricultural system is to buy locally, encourage organic growing, and form Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs).

Starfire

Very nice pnorris... all should take responsibility for themselves.

equating Whole Foods to WalMart is rather hyperbolic

Absolutely correct. So many times I wanted to ask a question about a certain produce and their employees didn't know a thing about it. All they know is how to stack stuff. And yes, you do pay a higher price for their wastefulness. Why don't they discount it is beyond me.

HAHA! I love that..."whole paycheck."  I seldom shop there because of their jacked prices; I guess I'm just lucky to have a Trader Joe's right around the corner. No matter where you shop there will always be junk...never stop reading labels and BUY/GROW LOCAL!!!

Considering that a majority of people that have an interest in the environment, "alternative" health, "alternative" medicine, and wellness have "liberal" politics, it's no surprise that Whole Foods offers magazines that cater to the interests of such individuals.

why do you so willingly feed into this phoney left/right paradigm?

What a letter says and what actions do are completely different things.  Maybe you need to see svseimers comment about how they treated a local producer in their area.  WF is a "we'll buy locally if they can meet a demand and reorganize to WF's wishes"  Sounds a lot like WalMart to me - which I know well for similar practices living in the corporate office area.  

I've written to WF, and my experience is they are full of hot air.  They are very "customer service lovey" in writing, but not in real life.  I even finally told them when they asked to call me about a black and white issue that they just need to deal with - supply - that if they felt the need for a lovey CS chat in, they could do it via e-mail.  Otherwise, just let me know when they start getting product on their shelves again.  (And this wasn't a plea for them to force suppliers to meet high demand, it was just a request to get their ordering organized so that we could get the products that Wild Oats always had and never ran out of.  Looking at other replies here though, I know why all the experienced WO personnel are gone and WF can't seem to get on top of the ordering process.  

I wonder about the policemen being at their store 24/7 standing guard too.  Were their riots when they took over, now they need constant city police protection?  

Wendy, are you a grower or farmer?  I and my family are.  And this great big bs of whold foods buying local is just that.  I know because after a year and a half of trying to work with them I gave up.  They are the biggest rip off to do business in the US in many a year.  They are simply big corp greed, pull the wool off you eyes.  They are not on our side.  Or are you a stockholder?

Big fat thumbs up to you Wendy - Yes, taking action is the right move.  Focus on what you want to have happen with our food - not what you don't want to have happen.  It is The Law of Attraction....

Recommended reading:  The Law of Attraction, The Secret and A New Earth.  All are quite popular, so I'm sure many on this site know of them...

me again Wendy - Perhaps you can work with FarmerKim to see if there is something she might do to work with Whole Foods in a way that might work.  FYI, the thought never crossed my mind that you might be a Share Holder (not that I care even if you are) - my perception was you were someone who take action.  

When I am out among the blackberry plants or climbing a maulberry tree, it all seems so easy.  I know in my heart that everyone of us deserves to have the best food available.  Problem is, always big corp comes in and makes problems.  I have also shopped in WF and was not very pleased.  Again, not trying to be a doughting mama here but does it truly make sense for a company that is supposed to be so dedicated to this healthy natural way of life to still stock some very bad items.  But, again, no they will not change how they do this because the bottom line of cash flow. I do at the same time see that it is very difficult to supply our larger cities with local foods.  It truly is a huge need.  But if people are really willing they will make the effort.  Most large cities or towns, heck even our little rural community of population 1012 has a health food store!, get to know these people.  Turn back to the mom and pop variety store.  WF does treat their people (employees) good, but do they have to rape the society they serve at the same time?  There will always be the people who are willing to lie cheat and steal to get their own way, but don't fall in the trap yourself.  Farming has brought me such peace, that should be shared with all those willing to be a part of it.  Support you local farmers, small farmers and keep our business here in the US.  If you really need asparagus in the winter, can it!  Yep in your own kitchen, you can enjoy natures bounty throughout the year this way.  Maybe the pantry will come back?  Maybe the root cellar is not such an old fashioned idea?  Maybe if we actually try we can once again be a healthy nation?  Personally? I can't wait for berry season!  Live long, live greed, live with the lord Farmer Kim

guess that thumbs down came from Jonny!! - teehee...

It's up to you to read the labels. And you're wrong. Whole Foolds does listen to its customers. Send them feedback through their website, put messages on their in-store board. It works.

To BMC

If you live in NYC you have many choices. I would suggest to you that you go to the Union Square Market. There you will find a farm stand - Norwich Meadows Farm. The are an upstate CERTIFIED ORGANIC farm. All of their produce is free of chemicals. You can visit their website - www.NorwichMeadowsFarm.com for moe information.

The farm supplies a number of CSAs in Manhattan, Bronx and Westchester County. They also conduct a Market CSA right from their stand. If you are not familiar with CSAs, take a look at the farm site. CSAs are the wave of the future and an alternative to stores such as Whole Foods, a company two of my family members work for.  Norwich Meadows Farm is a LOCAL producer (located 200 miles from NYC) I would urge all New Yorkers to support this farm by either patronizing their stand or join one of the many CSAs that are in NYC and are listed on the farm site.This year, two new CSAs within Manhattan are being formed. If there are none that are close to you, you can always start your own. It is not very complicated to do.

I can assure you that the farm values the traditions that we all are looking for. You can even visit NMF and meet the farmer. Every season, many of Manhattan's CSA members visit the farm. In fact, just last week about 20 people cane up for the weekend. The farm operation is transparent and you can ask the farmer any thing you want and inspect the entire farm if you desire.

Starfire

Check your local grocer too.  Many times, even the non-organic grocers carry in season local produce.  Often, small farmer produce is better because of the scale.  Large commercial farms use more pesticides and chemicals as a nature of the beast.  Smaller growers tend more toward natural and organic means because they don't need to get so much per acre and can sell locally without the added cost of a mass market.  When in farm country, I even knew the names of the local producers who supplied the regular grocery store.  So, I knew whose product I was getting and how they grew it.  They preferred the sale through the grocer, and it was easier for me too.