The Organic Center of Washington, D.C., signed an agreement whereby USDA agricultural research scientists will research the factors that cause the presence of arsenic in organically grown rice. Funding comes from a $50,000 grant to The Organic Center from the new UNFI Foundation.

A new tradeshow will debut this summer (June 7–9) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Co-located with World Tea Expo, Healthy Beverage Expo is intended to help dietitians understand and promote healthy beverages to shoppers. More information is available at www.healthybeverageexpo.com.

Honolulu, HI-based retailer Down to Earth Organic & Natural will require products containing GMOs to be labeled as such by 2018. Said Mark Fergusson, Down to Earth CEO, “We call upon all-natural food retailers and other natural products industry members to join the requirement for GMO labeling for all products sold by the industry. Acting together we can implement labeling without having to wait for government.”

Sprout Healthy Vending made The Source! (a Kehe Company based in Irvine, CA) its main sourcing option. The company specializes in vending machines that sell healthy and organic products.

Natural Food Certifiers of Spring Valley, NY now offers the NFC GMO Guard Verification Program. The GMO Guard process may include a review of the ingredient deck (including country of origin and certificate of analysis) and manufacturing facility inspections.

Hugo Naturals of Chatsworth, CA is changing the company name to Hugo & Debra Naturals. Product labels will be changed by May 1, 2013.

Swheat Scoop Natural Clumping Litter of Detroit Lakes, MN created a new Happy Family. Happy Cat. Happy Planet. seal in honor of its commitment to the environment.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition of Washington, D.C., will have The Workshop: CRN’s Day of Science and The Conference: CRN’s Annual Symposium for the Dietary Supplement Industry, September 18–21 in Park City, UT.

Correction: The online version of the April feature, “Hot Antioxidants of 2013” was adjusted to clarify the section on French maritime pine bark. The remarks made by Victor Ferrari, CEO of Horphag Research (distributor of Pycnogenol), Hoboken, NJ, are specific to the company’s branded extract. This includes the reference to the Australian cognitive function study, which is being conducted with Pycnogenol. In addition, the quercetin section has been expanded.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, May 2013