AR-News: White Wave's Owner Supports Center for Consumer Freedom

[Pat Wolff]

(Dean's Foods also owns White Wave, maker of tofu, soy
milk, and other soy products. See key links at bottom
of letter.)

Boulder CO Daily Camera
Letter to the editor
published July 5, 2003


DAIRY BUY 

Acquisition not necessarily good 

Dean Foods is buying Horizon Organic ("Horizon gets
new owner," News, July 1)? Whoopie. I frequently buy
organic foods. I occasionally buy Horizon, but not as
often as I used to. 

One quote in the article suggests that Horizon's
acquisition by Dean takes it further from organic
agriculture's roots. Another suggests that Dean Foods
recognizes the need to be a responsible corporation
that's responsive to health-conscious consumers. To
some extent, both are correct. Giant companies realize
that organic foods are becoming important to consumers
... but might they pursue organics less passionately
than consumers? 

A Web site sponsored by the Center for Media and
Democracy, disinfopedia.org, states that Dean Foods
donated $5,000 in 2002 to the so-called Center for
Consumer Freedom. According to the Web site, CCF is a
corporate front group that attacked proponents of
healthy diets in a national radio ad last year by
speaking of "red-faced picketers wielding pointed
wooden sticks with signs that read 'eat tofu or die'" 

Like most people, even in Boulder, I eat a diet that
varies in quality and healthfulness. But I realize
that my food choices affect more than my body, and I
rather object to the stereotypes CCF apparently
promotes. I also find it difficult to reconcile Dean
Foods' holdings in healthy brands with donating to
CCF. 

Small, local organic producers who love their work are
usually the best choice for supporting family farms
and organic agriculture. But even a national brand of
dairy products, Organic Valley, is a cooperative that
actively supports advocacy for organics. I buy Horizon
when it's the only alternative — Horizon is a lot
better than Kraft. But, frequently there are better
options than Horizon/Dean Foods as well. 

ERIC JOHNSON, Boulder 
------------------------------
http://www.deanfoods.com/index.asp

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Center_for_Consumer_Freedom

www.consumerfreedom.com

www.consumerdeception.com







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