Food industry lobbyists ask FDA to delay revised nutrition labels for three years

The FDA released the final proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts label last May and set a deadline for companies to comply by July of 2018, but in a letter to the new Health and Human Services secretary, a group of food industry executives and trade groups are asking for that deadline to be extended. They claim the cost associated with meeting the deadline could be cut by almost 40 percent if it is moved to 2021. The proposed new labels emphasize calorie content and serving size and require disclosure of added sugars. Read more at Consumerist...

Sprouts may be eyeing new regions

The fast-growing, Phoenix-based retailer plans to open 32 new stores this year, including expansion into two new states: Florida and North Carolina. But information on its website and local reports indicate that it may also be exploring an expansion into the Mid-Atlantic and the Pacific Northwest. Read more at Supermarket News...

Last word with Kathleen Merrigan

Big doesn't necessarily equal bad in the food and agriculture industries, says the former USDA deputy secretary under Tom Vilsack, who also helped craft the bill that established organic certification standards. But she also says she worries that the food movement lacks cohesion and is in need of a more unified approach. Read more at Modern Farmer...

Fighting eviction, a gardener turns to organic industry giants for help

Annie's, Califia Farms and other leading natural products brands are supporting a crowdfunding campaign run by Ron Finley in his quest to retain the community garden he started in 2010. He repurposed a strip of public property in front of his house in south Los Angeles, and then started helping other communities develop their own gardens in urban areas that lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables. But the property his 'Gangsta Garden' is on has ended up in foreclosure, and he either needs to buy it or leave it. As of today, the campaign has raised more than $502,000. Read more at The New York Times...

How vitamin C may help cancer treatments work better

In studies testing the safety and effectiveness of vitamin C in people with cancer, researchers found that high doses the vitamin during chemotherapy and radiation may actually make cancer cells more vulnerable to the therapies. Read more at Time...