5@5: Organic farmers stalk fraudulent imports | General Mills' winning sales growth strategy

Organic US farmers stalk fraudulent imports to save their markets

Sales of organic food have more than doubled over the past 10 years in the United States, but organic farmers are struggling to produce enough organic feed for the animals that provide organic eggs, milk and meat. Now, organic farmers are seeing a rise in counterfeit imported organic grain that is lowering prices for certified organic farmers in addition to defrauding customers—and they’re fighting back. Read more at The Star Tribune …

As mega-takeovers fade in the food industry, General Mills emerges as winner

While the food industry’s last era focused on slash-and-burn cost savings, an emerging one emphasizes growing sales and brand reinvestment. General Mills has been focusing on organic sales growth for the past two years, and the company’s goal is to consistently grow organic sales by low single digits over the long term. Read more at The Morning Call …

Nestle wraps Yes bar in paper as it seeks to cut plastic waste

Nestle will begin selling Yes fruit and nut bars in a paper wrapper after developing the technology to wrap the bar in the material at the high speed required for packaging a product on a mass scale. The paper is sourced sustainably and Nestle reportedly has exclusivity to the paper-packing technology with its unidentified supplier. Read more at Bloomberg …

Another summer, another run of toxic algal blooms

Toxic algal blooms, which are primarily caused by runoff from manure coupled with synthetic fertilizers used on farms, are currently shutting down lakeside beaches in the Midwest. But while they have been multiplying year over year, regulations affecting farm runoff remain “notoriously lax." Read more at New Food Economy …

Under a microscope: Startups grow meat in lab, face scrutiny

Cell-grown meat startups have attracted investments from food giants such as Cargill and Tyson Foods, and for good reason—a recent report indicates that cultured meat will make up 35% of meat consumed worldwide by 2040. However, such companies still need to pass multiple government inspections before going to market, as well as reduce the cost of cultured meat to a competitive level. Read more at AP News …