1 Million Anti-GMO Comments Only Count as 394, Says FDA
The labeling of genetically modified foods is commonplace in developed countries around the world where they’re not banned altogether. Efforts here in the U.S. were spearheaded by the Just Label It campaign to petition the FDA to enforce, at a minimum, labeling rights for Americans who want to know when they’re eating GMOs. And there were lots of people who wanted to kn0w–the campaign gathered more signatures than any other petition to the FDA: 1 million. But due to an agency technicality, the signatures were essentially erased and reduced down to less than 400. Whether or not the agency will agree with Just Label It’s request is yet to be seen, but if the disregard of one million concerned Americans is any indicator, chances are the biotech industry will have won, again.
1 Million Anti-GMO Comments Only Count as 394, Says FDA by Jill Ettinger, OrganicAuthority.com
One of the most hotly debated discussions about our nation’s food supply—the issue of genetically modified organisms—has led to a record-breaking number of comments submitted to the FDA, according to the petition campaign titled “Just Label It” that spearheaded the signature gathering and comments. But, by the FDA’s math, those 1 million individuals only actually count as 394 separate comments.
The one million signatures collected by Just Label It—more than any other petition submitted to the FDA in its history—were secured by the campaign over the last several months in order to persuade the agency to consider labeling the controversial seeds that are banned or strictly regulated throughout the rest of the developed world. But, the FDA’s rules say that if tens of thousands of people sign a single petition or submit the same form letter, they are only counted as one collective comment. The Chicago Tribune reports that agency spokesperson, Siobhan DeLancey, said the rules are all the same for citizens petitions, “it’s impossible for me to compare the claim of 1 million comments to other dockets–especially without knowing how JLI [Just Label It] is defining a ‘comment’.”
Veganized Easter: Treasure Hunts, Chocolate Bunnies, and Help for Rescued Hens
Have I mentioned that Easter is coming early this year? Spring has hardly had a chance to spring and Easter is already just ten days away! But we’re not about to let (March and) April showers or a crazily early Easter holiday ruin our Springtime fun.
We’ll be attending at least two vegan Easter egg hunts next weekend complete with decorating ceramic eggs, hunting for treat-filled plastic eggs and eating flavored solid chocolate eggs which are our latest favorite thing (but don’t ask us which is our favorite flavor!).
Instead of buying, or even adopting, rabbits or baby chicks this Easter (unless you are prepared and have educated yourself enough to give them a forever home) let us provide vegan chocolate bunnies to add some extra cuteness to your Easter festivities. (We don’t have chocolate chicks, but chocolate eggs are close…) Order now! Your last chance to get vegan Easter gifts delivered on time is next week!
If you live locally and are wishing for some live animal interaction for Easter, come join us at Animal Place in Grass Valley on Saturday, April 7th for their vegan Easter Treasure Hunt which will include barn access to visit some of the animals before and after the treasure hunt.
Photo Credit: Animal Place
Animal Place, along with a couple of other animal rescue organizations, made the news a few weeks ago for undertaking the largest animal rescue in California’s history: 4,460 hens were rescued from starvation and certain death at an abandoned egg farm in Turlock. More than 3,000 of those hens are now living at Animal Place where they are being brought back to health. They will eventually be available for adoption to loving homes, but for now, that’s a lot of chickens to feed and care for!
Want to help? We’re very pleased to offer you a way to get your vegan Easter chocolates and help Animal Place feed and house all those hens at the same time! From now until April 10th, input “Animal Place Hens” in the “How did you hear about us?” box when you place your order and we’ll donate 10% of your product total towards the Turlock Emergency Hen Rescue fund! You can also help egg-laying hens everywhere by sharing oh-so-delicious vegan cookies and brownies with everyone you know. Show the world how delicious egg-free baking can be!
AntiSec Hackers ‘Modify’ Monsanto Database, Warn of Future Attacks
Taking a stand against animal cruelty, environmental degradation and unfair labor wages are core issues for us here at Allison’s Gourmet. It’s why all of our handmade vegan confections and baked goods are always vegan, and made from the highest quality organic and Fair-Trade certified ingredients. And we love that “hacktivisits” Anonymous and AntiSec are also now taking a grass roots approach against another big concern of ours: genetically modified organisms. GMOs in this country currently require no labeling or transparency, and companies like Monsanto regularly go after organic farmers with unfounded lawsuits and threats to their livelihood by the continuous expansion of GMO crops. Everyone deserves access to healthy food, and at the very least, honest disclosure about controversial ingredients.
AntiSec Hackers ‘Modify’ Monsanto Database, Warn of Future Attacks by Jill Ettinger, OrganicAuthority.com
St. Louis, MO-based Monsanto — the world’s largest seed company best known for its genetically modified crops and companion pesticide, the glyphosate-based Roundup — was once again the victim of hacker group Anonymous. 
This time, the attack comes from Anonymous’ alter ego, going by the name “AntiSec,” publishing information from a company database.
The recent hack, while admittedly causes the company little harm, serves more as a warning from Anonymous and AntiSec, as did the July 2011 attack by Anonymous that interrupted the company’s website and released data on approximately 2,500 individuals connected with Monsanto, including former and present employees.
Preceding the data dump on Pastebin’s website, AntiSec posted the following message, which they say comes as a result of Monsanto’s lawsuit against organic dairy farmers.
To read the entire message from AntiSec, click here.
Fridays with Friends: Chef Chloe Coscarelli
In the last few years, Chloe Coscarelli has taken the vegan world by storm. She is a talented genius in the kitchen, and has honed her cooking and baking skills in such high-end kitchens as Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco, Counter Organic Vegetarian Bistro in New York City, and Herbivore Restaurant in Berkeley, CA. Last year her vegan cupcakes won the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. Now she’s publishing her first cookbook and was gracious enough to give me an inside peek at her process and some of her favorite recipes.
Allison Rivers Samson: It has been so fun seeing you everywhere and your amazing success in exposing millions of people to veganism. 
What have been some of your favorite projects?
Chloe Coscarelli: Thanks Allison! It has been SO much fun working on my cookbook for the past couple of years- a true labor of love! I tested each recipe in CHLOE’S KITCHEN ten, twenty, or even fifty times before it was perfect… which means the whole process has involved a ton of eating! I feel so blessed that my “work” is eating my favorite foods.
ARS: You boast an impressive background with stints at some of our favorite veg restaurants. What were the most important lessons you learned along the way? Biggest challenges?
CC: The most important lesson- believe in yourself. The biggest challenge- believing in yourself! I’ll never forget when I was interning with pastry chef Anne Baptiste at Millennium and she came up to me one day and said “Come up with today’s cookie flavor and create the recipe.” 
I remember going into the walk-in refrigerator and just standing there hoping a genius idea would come to me because I was terrified of the responsibility. What if my flavor was boring? Or worse, what if the customers paying good money for those cookies didn’t like them? I reverted back to my favorite flavor combo as a child: chocolate orange. My pastry chef loved it and, sure enough, it was a huge success with the customers. The hardest part was just getting over my own fears!
ARS: Your brand new cookbook, CHLOE’S KITCHEN: 125 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Making the Food You Love the Vegan Way, will be released on March 6th. Can you share what that process was like for you?
CC: All of the recipes in CHLOE’S KITCHEN were developed and tested to perfection, and then re-tested to see if I could simplify the recipes even further.It was essential for me that all the recipes were super simple and easy to follow. But most importantly, everything has to be exceptionally and uniquely delicious! If I could resist seconds, then the recipe didn’t make it into the book!
ARS: You’ve already accomplished SO much – what’s next on your list?
CC: Hopefully lots! Visit me at ChefChloe.com to follow my next adventure!
ARS: What dishes are you most excited about making from your new cookbook this season?
CC: I love my creamy Penne à la Vodka (right), Double Double Drive Thru Burgers, and of course Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls (above)!
ARS: If you and I were playing in the kitchen together, what would be your dream creation?
CC: Hmmm… looks like we’ll just have to find out! Probably some sort of pastry that had a MASSIVE chocolate component!
ARS: Sounds perfect to me! I’ve always wanted to play with chocolate pastries. 
What’s your favorite Allison’s Gourmet goodie?
CC: I loved eating your Peppermint Fudge this holiday season! It got me in the mood to sing carols and trim a Christmas tree, but also satisfied my chocolate sweet tooth! Yum!
I’m so glad you enjoyed our fudge, Chloe. Thank you for your amazing contribution to the vegan community; I can’t wait to try some of your new recipes!
Emergency – Starving Hens Need You
Our dear friends at Animal Place have helped to rescue nearly 5,000 hens found neglected in California by an egg farmer. There were more than 50,000 on their way to dying from starvation. Now, many of these birds need permanent homes and caretakers to help make sure they never again have to endure the type of suffering and mistreatment they experienced at the egg farm. Please read on about the story and how you can help support these lovely creatures. Thank you.
Most of our staff are still in the field, caring for thousands of hens saved from this week’s largest California rescue of farmed animals.
We are in desperate need of both donations and volunteers – these hens require around the clock care and it will be ongoing for the next several months.
If you wish to donate to help care for the largest rescue we have ever undertaken, please do so below.
And, if you would like to volunteer, please contact Marji Beach, Education Manager: marji@animalplace.org or 530-798-5114. Email is the best contact right now. Please let us know your full name, contact number or email, and the specific dates and times in the next two weeks you can help.
February 25, 2012 -
Luck and dedication were on the side of more than 4,000 hens who barely survived two weeks of starvation at the hands of an egg farmer. Two hours after news agencies broke the story that 50,000 hens were starving to death on a central California egg farm, Animal Place staff were on their way. This would turn out to be the largest rescue operation we have ever undertaken.
We knew our supporters would expect nothing short of immediate action…and, more importantly, we knew thousands of lives hung in the balance.
Late on Wednesday evening (February 22), two of our staff, along with Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary in Stockton, arrived at the farm to help. More than 20,000 hens had already died and the rest were slowly being gassed by state and county officials, all without once reaching out to rescuers for help.
“The stench of death was overpowering,” says David Phinney, animal care coordinator at our Vacaville facility, “I’ll never forget the noises from the sheds. The only sounds we could hear were the birds still alive pecking in their metal troughs, searching for food.”
Read more about how you can help these hens by clicking here.
