Behind Organic Labels Lurk Megacorporations

Critics worry move will compromise public safety

(NEWSER) - The US Department of Agriculture announced plans to close 259 offices, labs, and other facilities yesterday, in a move that will save the agency $150 million per year. But the announcement has some farmers and food safety experts worried, the AP reports. "They wiped out the entire Midwest," says one stunned deputy district manager, who discovered that his office—which oversees Minnesota, Montana, the Dakotas, and Wyoming—was on the chopping block. More»

Petaluma Egg Farm is a top producer for Organic Valley label

(NEWSER) - Organic eggs: The phrase brings to mind chickens roaming in a pasture, foraging for food, and scratching the ground. But at California's Petaluma Egg Farm, which provides eggs under the Organic Valley label, hens are confined to screened porches with a roof and a floor. Technically, the eggs meet the organic standards' requirement of allowing hens outdoor access, but a watchdog group says the farm is misleading consumers. More»

(NEWSER) - On the heels of its 2009 Most Powerful Women list, Fortune has compiled another of the best compensated females in the corporate world. The top 10 for 2008:

1. Safra Katz, president, Oracle: $42.4 million
2. Linda Chen, president, Wynn International Marketing: $23.9 million
3. Sharen Turney, president and CEO, Victoria's Secret: $20.3 million
4. Wellington Denahan-Norris, chief investment officer, Annaly Capital Management: $20 million

Watchers suspect undervalued bid could be sweetened

(NEWSER) - Cadbury today rejected a $16.73 billion takeover bid from food giant Kraft, the Wall Street Journal reports. The candy maker has recently undergone restructuring and divestment that it says make it more valuable—and more attractive to suitors like Kraft. The Cadbury board says the offer “fundamentally undervalues” the company. The bid boils down to around $12 per share; one analyst says $14 to $15 would be more reasonable. More»

USDA's label increasingly meaningless as agri-business pushes in

(NEWSER) - Demand for organic food has boomed into a $23 billion-a-year industry, but consumers who often pay twice as much for food with the coveted label aren't always getting what they expect. The criteria for obtaining a "USDA Organic" certification have been relaxed in recent years, with ostensibly organic products from cheese to beer containing synthetic elements, non-organic ingredients, and even pesticides, reports the Washington Post. More»