Grocers and lifestyles
With the continuing growth of Whole Foods and major players like Safeway and even Wal-Mart entering the organic and natural food business, issues like “corporatization” (as Littlefield puts it) are in fact a growing concern.
“There are more and more farms being certified organic, and that’s a good thing, but it’s kind of a double-edged sword,” Sharp says. It means that “bigger players want to get into it.”
The fear is that the organic produce business will follow the pattern of agriculture as a whole, with small family farms falling by the wayside as agribusiness juggernauts dominate the marketplace. Another concern is the dilution of organic standards as powerful players with influence on public policy enter the natural food field.
Littlefield is well aware of the potential downsides, but remains optimistic about what he sees as a “shifting paradigm,” where words like “natural” and phrases like “organic free range” have become part of the public lexicon.
He’s glad that more people are adopting a lifestyle choice he made years ago. “We always wished that everybody would eat this way,” Littlefield says. “It may create some problems, but for my part I’m happy to see it.”
When is Whole Foods coming to Humboldt?
Differentiation and Coca-Cola
→ post a comment
on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent on the cover
May 17
Ring of Fire
Sun and moon will perform a rare pas de deux in Humboldt skies on Sunday
May 10
District Soup
Racing for the top county seat in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts
May 3
A Place in the Woods
As park closure deadline nears, a scramble to save what we can
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
More →
0 Comments