20/20 John Stossel report in February

[Robert Heltman]

Dear Shapers of the Nation's Eating Habits...

One of you e-mailed me about this TV program, which I missed.  The March
2000 edition of "Natural Foods Merchandiser" page 17 has the following
comments (you can probably get the entire publication at your local health
food store which I'm sure you visit regularly):

1 - Stossel's focus on using manure* as a cause of food borne illness was
wrongfully addressed according to Katherine DiMatteo, Ex. Dir. of the
Organic Trade Association.  She described Stossel's questions as "aggressive
and anti-organics" and used her information out of context or not at all.

2 - Negative staging of DiMatteo was deliberate including a stark
background, folding chair, and bright lights - all 3rd degree fashion.

3 - Angry responses to ABC's web site stated that many points were out of
Dennis Avery (Hudson Institute)  who authored the book "Saving the Planet
with Pesticides and Plastic."  Hudson Institute  is funded by such outfits
as Cargill, ConAgra, DuPont, Monsanto, and the National Agricultural
Chemical Association, according to the watchdog group "Public Citizen."

4 - Organics has grown 20% or more for the past 8 years, 5 times the growth
of the food industry, according to Stossel.  The food industry feels
threatened, thus the "hit piece."

5 - The OTA published a fact sheet covering what the 20/20 program did NOT
say.  There may be more at the OTA web site.  [I think it is www.ota.org but
a search on "Organic Trade Association" will find it.]

* Isn't it quite a statement of some kind...the human race has successfully
and properly used animal manure for countless generations in raising
crops...and now most folks are so far removed from farming realities that
they turn up their noses at the word manure, have no idea as to its
benefits, the natural cycle of nature, and so on.   Pitiful.  And smart
agri-business marketers KNOW they can pull this deceptive trick.

So the unsuspecting public sees a "reputable" 20/20 program, relaxes their
vigil, continues lousy eating habits, and nutritionists are forced to
conclude "People just won't change from their (you name it) eating habits;
they want to eat (you name it)."

And the dance goes on...
until some of us get the truth out and STOP IT.

Bests, Bob
Robert (Bob) F. Heltman
“Presenting New products to mail order catalogs & e-commerce Internet sites
across the USA and in Canada"
http://www.leadingedgepands.com