Sign the Petition! Stop the Corporate Takeover of Organics

(http://www.cornucopia.org/2014/02/moses-board-petition/#petition) According to the Cornucopia Institute, Dean Foods and WhiteWave have for years violated organic farming standards, using factory farms to supply milk for the Horizon Organic brand. WhiteWave, which recently became its own company, has cast aside organic values and cheapened products to increase corporate profits. So when representatives from the company planned to make an appearance at an upcoming organic education conference, the Cornucopia Institute responded with the following petition and news release to protect the reputation and values of organic agriculture:

After years of pillaging the conventional dairy industry, Dean Foods recently spun-off their branded products division (WhiteWave), including the Horizon and Silk labels. The company has cheapened organics (see above).

Now, at the nation's largest organic farming conference, the company will again have a prominent role. This Saturday, at the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) Conference, WhiteWave's corporate representative will seek to teach farmers how to communicate with organic consumers and understand "consumer demographics, behaviors, attitudes, and mindsets."

How will this WhiteWave executive help us better understand today's organic consumer? Will she encourage us to cheapen production costs by sourcing feed and ingredients from China or factory farms? Will she instruct us on how to break contracts with family farmers? Or market new non-organic products with the same name and nearly identical packaging that's already familiar to organic consumers?

Enough is enough! Sign the petition asking the MOSES board of directors to cancel WhiteWave's workshop. Please tell MOSES's leadership that we love this conference but it should not be for sale to the highest corporate contributor.

For too long Dean Foods/WhiteWave has purchased influence with many nonprofits running farming conferences across the U.S. and in the organic community. It's estimated that over the last 10 years, they have been the largest corporate contributor to organic nonprofits. They buy influence in the organic community and access to farmers the same way their lobbyists buy influence in Washington with large campaign contributions.

Help protect the reputation of the nation's largest organic farming conference. Please ask the MOSES board to cancel this inappropriate workshop or substitute marketing expertise from experts that truly believe in the values that have helped build the organic business industry.

Click here to sign the petition to protect organic agriculture and the MOSES conference from corporate influence.