Sound Consumer

Dedicated since 1961 to informing and inspiring the PCC community through the co-op’s vision of advancing the health and well-being of people, their neighborhoods and our planet.

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Sound Consumer, September 2009

Organic food integrity starts with seed integrity

We are in the midst of a revolutionary food epoch unlike any other in history. It’s rich with potential, creativity and passion. And it’s rife with conflict, despair and danger. To many it appears to be a mythic war between Agribusiness Goliaths and Homegrown Davids, or the systems of genetic engineering (GE) and that of organic.

We are in the midst of a revolutionary food epoch unlike any other in history. It’s rich with potential, creativity and passion. And it’s rife with conflict, despair and danger. To many it appears to be a mythic war between Agribusiness Goliaths and Homegrown Davids, or the systems of genetic engineering (GE) and that of organic.

PCC #1 for sustainable seafood

Greenpeace USA has announced that it ranks PCC as the #1 retailer in the United States for our sustainable seafood policies and initiatives. Read more about PCC’s canned seafood too.

Greenpeace USA has announced that it ranks PCC as the #1 retailer in the United States for our sustainable seafood policies and initiatives. Read more about PCC’s canned seafood too.

The organic dairy business: the land of milk and money

You may have read that the dairy world is imploding, that the price non-organic farmers get for their milk has fallen 50 percent since last December — the fastest, deepest drop since the Great Depression. As many as half the nation’s dairy producers — 20,000 — may call it quits by the end of 2009.

You may have read that the dairy world is imploding, that the price non-organic farmers get for their milk has fallen 50 percent since last December — the fastest, deepest drop since the Great Depression. As many as half the nation’s dairy producers — 20,000 — may call it quits by the end of 2009.

Bitter and sweet: agave syrup

Recently, upon return to the office after a few days away, I thought it odd that I had a cluster of emails and voicemails all asking similarly suspicious, troubling questions — mostly about agave syrup. Additional questions about agave have been raised by other shoppers, including participants in PCC’s Free Walk, Talk and Taste tours in our stores.

Recently, upon return to the office after a few days away, I thought it odd that I had a cluster of emails and voicemails all asking similarly suspicious, troubling questions — mostly about agave syrup. Additional questions about agave have been raised by other shoppers, including participants in PCC’s Free Walk, Talk and Taste tours in our stores.

Notes from the Cellar

It’s just a beverage. That’s all. It shares table space with Our Daily Bread. It’s a comrade to the salt and the pepper. True, when it’s on a roll it can be the sip of a thousand facets, launching fleets of adjectives to sail on seas of inspiration.

It’s just a beverage. That’s all. It shares table space with Our Daily Bread. It’s a comrade to the salt and the pepper. True, when it’s on a roll it can be the sip of a thousand facets, launching fleets of adjectives to sail on seas of inspiration.

Seasonal produce

The perfect tomato has the flavor of sunshine: juicy and exuberant, an encapsulation of all that is ripe and lovely about summer. Summertime is what’s inside each fresh, organic tomato from Pride of Umpqua Organic Produce — the family farm of Harmon and Noreane Walker in Roseburg, Ore.

The perfect tomato has the flavor of sunshine: juicy and exuberant, an encapsulation of all that is ripe and lovely about summer. Summertime is what’s inside each fresh, organic tomato from Pride of Umpqua Organic Produce — the family farm of Harmon and Noreane Walker in Roseburg, Ore.

Saving farmland with Conservation Easements 101

When we at the PCC Farmland Trust talk with donors and community members, we find many people have a very good sense of why it’s so important to save local organic farmland. On the other hand, understanding how the trust actually goes about saving land sometimes remains a little vague.

When we at the PCC Farmland Trust talk with donors and community members, we find many people have a very good sense of why it’s so important to save local organic farmland. On the other hand, understanding how the trust actually goes about saving land sometimes remains a little vague.

Letters to the editor

Cows and climate change · Glycemic Index · Agave syrup, corn syrup · GM sugar beets · Reusing containers

Cows and climate change · Glycemic Index · Agave syrup, corn syrup · GM sugar beets · Reusing containers

News bites

Organic funding increased · Organic audits · Consumers buying more organic · Antitrust action against Dean Foods? · Home gardens increase · Baby potatoes better? · Lower yields can be more profitable · Pharma-crop moratorium · GE tree trials · Celiac disease can develop late in life · GE sugar beets in garden mix?

Organic funding increased · Organic audits · Consumers buying more organic · Antitrust action against Dean Foods? · Home gardens increase · Baby potatoes better? · Lower yields can be more profitable · Pharma-crop moratorium · GE tree trials · Celiac disease can develop late in life · GE sugar beets in garden mix?

Your co-op

Board report · Talk to the board · Next board meeting · Fall member meeting

Board report · Talk to the board · Next board meeting · Fall member meeting