Public Health

Find me at the Plant Based Foods Association

Posted on Sunday, July 31st, 2016 by Michele Simon

Dear loyal followers of this blog and my work:

I am happy to share that I have started a new organization that takes my passion for good food policy in a new direction and to new heights. The Plant Based Foods Association is a trade association representing leading companies in this growing food sector. As the organization’s executive director, I am now spending almost all of my time advancing policies and practices to promote more plant-based foods. This blog and website, including all of my reports, will remain available as a resource. Of course, there is still much work to do to address the negative practices of the junk food industry. The good news is there is also much positive change happening in the food industry and I am thrilled to put my skills and passion to use for food companies doing the right thing. You can follow my progress at plantbasedfoods.org and you can still follow me on Twitter @MicheleRSimon. Thanks for your interest and support!

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Six better reasons not to eat pork

Posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2015 by Michele Simon

The risk of cancer from processed meat may be small, but that doesn’t let bacon lovers off the hook

The media love a good food scare. So when the World Health Organization recently announced a scientific review of 800 studies that showed an increased cancer risk from eating too much red meat or processed meat, the headlines exaggerated the news. For example, The Guardian ran with “Processed meats rank alongside smoking as cancer causes — WHO,” implying the two are equally risky, which is far from true. Read rest at Al Jazeera America …

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The legal basis for sustainability in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2015 by Michele Simon

This week, the House Agriculture Committee is holding a hearing on the controversy surrounding the current update to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. I have written about the meat lobby’s tactics previously, and in May submitted a letter on behalf of plant-based food companies supporting the recommendation to eat less meat and more plants.

Today I am releasing a legal analysis aimed at countering USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack’s claim that the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee went beyond the statutory authority in recommending that sustainability be incorporated into dietary advice. As my analysis shows, the USDA and HHS would be well within its legal authority to include sustainability. In summary:

A plain reading of the statute does not preclude sustainability;
The Congressional intent was to further a broad agenda on health;
Previous DGA versions included issues beyond “nutrition and diet”.

You can download and read the analysis here. Thanks to My Plate, My Planet for supporting this project.

Oct. 7 update: You can also read my op-ed on this topic, published in The Hill.

Posted in Food Law, Food Policy, Public Health | Tagged: Dietary guidelines, meat industry, USDA | Michele on Google+ | View/Add Comments (0) |

The End of Chicken

Posted on Monday, July 13th, 2015 by Michele Simon

Economic devastation caused by bird flu points to plant-based future

While the western United States is suffering from crippling drought, the Midwest is reeling from an unprecedented outbreak of avian flu, mostly among egg-laying chickens and other forms of poultry. Read rest at Al Jazeera America …

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Lawsuits Allege Earth’s Best and Similac Organic Infant Formulas Violate Organic Standards

Posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2015 by Michele Simon

Federal court in New York says – for the first time – consumers can sue over violations of organic law

I am often asked, can we trust the USDA organic seal? My answer is for the most part yes, because it’s based on clearly defined legal standards, as opposed to say, the word “natural.” But two class action lawsuits against leading makers of organic infant formula are making me rethink that answer. One case is against Abbott Laboratories alleging its Similac Advance organic infant formula contains 26 (more than half) ingredients not allowed in organic products; specifically: “irradiated substances, synthetic compounds, or produced from hazardous substances.”

The other case, perhaps more disturbingly, accuses natural food giant Hain Celestial Group of false and misleading labeling by violating the organic standards with its Earth’s Best Organic infant formula, along with numerous other products. (Both cases were filed in New York, the plaintiffs live in New York and California.) From the complaint:

Behind the picturesque red barn of the Earth’s Best logo lies a chemical soup. Of the 48 ingredients in Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formula more than half – 26 are not permitted in organic foods by federal law. More than three-fourths – 38 of the ingredients are synthetic compounds, including artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, artificial colors, toxic compounds, and hazardous substances.

Earth’s Best Organic formula dominates the organic formula market with 65% dollar share. The judge in that case recently made an important legal ruling that could significantly impact future litigation regarding organic products. In its defense, Hain Celestial tried to claim that the federal Organic Foods Production Act preempts or trumps the state-based consumer deception claims made by the plaintiffs. (Preemption is an common defense in lawsuits like this.) But the judge didn’t buy it, denying the defendant’s motion to dismiss and allowing the case to move forward. In doing so, the court said:

[T]his Court rejects the premise that once a certifying agency has passed on a product’s organic status, a state-law verdict may not deem the sale or labeling of that product as “organic” false or misleading.

This ruling is important because it allows for a private right of action under state consumer protection laws for alleged violations of federal organic standards. In an apparent attempt at damage control, Hain Celestial put out a press release on Monday claiming its “full line of Certified USDA Organic Formulas [is] made with pure, high quality ingredients for babies and toddlers.” The release also notes: “The organic formula industry continues to grow and is relied on by parents deeply.” That much is true. That’s why it’s especially troubling if parents have been deceived into feeding their babies formula labeled certified organic that in fact contains numerous unapproved ingredients.

(Disclosure: I occasionally consult with one of the law firms involved; I was not paid to write this.)

Posted in Child Nutrition, Food Policy, Public Health | Tagged: litigation, organic, organic standards, USDA | Michele on Google+ | View/Add Comments (3) |

New Plant Foods Coalition Enters Dietary Guidelines Debate

Posted on Sunday, May 3rd, 2015 by Michele Simon

Every sector of the food industry–most of them unhealthy–has something to say about how Americans should eat. But we rarely hear the voices of healthier food companies in shaping the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. I organized this new coalition of plant food companies to help fill that void.

Research shows that more consumers are decreasing their meat consumption and turning to plant-based options. Therefore, it’s time for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (revised every five years) to encourage this trend toward healthy eating. Today, this new food industry coalition submitted a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, in response to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s report, making these main points:

We agree with the advisory committee that additional measures are needed to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.
We support the advisory committee’s conclusion that the dietary guidelines should include a recommendation to “lower red and processed meats.”
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans should specifically recommend eating plant protein sources such as legumes, soy foods, wheat gluten, seeds, and nuts, in place of red and processed meats.
Claims that red meat and processed meats are “nutrient dense” are misleading because they ignore all the harmful components of meat, and the fact that plants are often nutritionally superior.
We endorse the advisory committee’s recognition of sustainability as an essential component of federal dietary guidance, and that a shift away from animal foods towards a plant-based diet “is more health promoting and is associated with less environmental impact.”

You can read the entire letter (or the summary) and learn more about the coalition members at: www.LessMeatMorePlants.com. You can also submit your own comments before the May 8 deadline here.

Posted in Public Health | Tagged: Dietary guidelines, lobbying, USDA | Michele on Google+ | View/Add Comments (0) |

Tell the feds: “Yes to less meat, more plants”

Posted on Monday, April 20th, 2015 by Michele Simon

Science and public health could finally prevail in federal dietary advice

Every five years the federal government updates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The idea is to help Americans eat right, while informing nutrition standards for food assistance programs such as school meals. The “Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee” (DGAC) has spent the past two years reviewing research and holding public hearings. The process is rigorous and the committee is not exactly radical.

Continue reading →

Posted in Food Policy, Public Health | Tagged: Dietary guidelines, meat industry, USDA | Michele on Google+ | View/Add Comments (3) |

Big Beef’s jig is up

Posted on Thursday, February 26th, 2015 by Michele Simon

Federal dietary committee recommends eating less red meat. Will science finally trump politics?

You almost have to feel sorry for the beef industry. After enjoying decades of popularity as a staple of the all-American diet, the harsh realities behind unsustainable beef production and excessive consumption are finally coming to light. The latest red meat scare comes from the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) a scientific body formed every five years to review the latest research available to tell the American public how to eat right. In the past, the committee’s work has been undermined by members with conflicts of interest with the meat, egg and dairy industries. But this year’s committee pulled no punches, even extending its reach to environmental considerations for the first time. The recommendations are not the final word on the matter. Later this year, the federal government will issue its formal Dietary Guidelines for Americans after reviewing the committee’s research and public comments. Read rest at Al Jazeera America …

Posted in Food Policy, Industry Tactics, Public Health | | Michele on Google+ | View/Add Comments (0) |

Is the Dietitians Association of Australia in the Pocket of Big Food?

Posted on Tuesday, February 17th, 2015 by Michele Simon

New Report from Eat Drink Politics Exposes Conflicts of Interest in Australian Dietitians Group

Just as most western nations do, Australia suffers significantly from diet-related chronic diseases. Heart disease is the leading cause of death, killing one Australian every 12 minutes. Diabetes is also a serious health concern, with rising rates in recent years, according to the government.

The 2013 report, “And Now a Word from Our Sponsors,” also from Eat Drink Politics, found that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the United States has a serious credibility problem due to its myriad conflicts with the junk food industry. Sadly, a very similar situation exists within Australia’s dietetic profession, led by the Dietitians Association of Australia. Among the most troubling findings of the new report from Eat Drink Politics:

Continue reading →

Posted in Big Food, Food Policy, Industry Tactics, Public Health | Tagged: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Big Food, child nutrition, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Nestle, PepsiCo | Michele on Google+ | View/Add Comments (7) |