Nutraceutical Company Zappy Inc. to Acquire Browns Botanicals

For Immediate Release:

Contact:
Mike "Zappy" Zapolin, Zappy Inc., mikezappy@aol.com, tel 617.447.9012
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042

Nutraceutical Company Zappy Inc. to Acquire Browns Botanicals, Winner of the 2014 Cannabis Cup for "Best Non-Edible Medically Infused Product"

Plans for expansion of line of Hemp CBD Oils to compete with leading pharmaceutical products.

Boca Raton, Florida (November 13, 2014) – Zappy, Inc. has agreed to acquire Browns Botanicals and plans to release proprietary Hemp CBD formulations for potential aid in various ailments including Anxiety, Insomnia, Fatigue, Nausea, Pain and other ailments.

The formulations were developed using Hemp CBD Oil derived from industrial hemp, which is legal in all 50 States and 40 Countries. Browns Botanicals is a nutraceutical leader specializing in the highest purity legal Hemp CBD-rich botanical products.

“We are honored to have Browns Botanicals as the backbone of the Hemp-derived Cannabinoids and Terpenes science that we are bringing to customers. Browns is well known in the industry for having the very best CBD products, and testimonials from customers with various illnesses, including epilepsy and several different auto-immune issues, are incredible,” said Mike “Zappy” Zapolin, CEO of Zappy Inc.

Browns Botanicals recently won the first ever “Best Non-Edible Medically Infused Product” at the 2014 Cannabis Cup with an Industrial Hemp-derived CBD Oil product, beating out the competition with their CBDemu, which is being used by Olympic athletes and sports teams.

Browns Co-founder Teddy Brown said, “I began researching and experimenting with CBD, Terpenes, and various Cannabinoids as therapy over 10 years ago when I had a complicated head surgery. The results I’ve experienced have been nothing short of miraculous, and we love hearing similar stories from our members and customers, many of whom are battling significant illnesses.”

Recently, Zappy CEO Mike Zapolin moderated a panel about Cannabis at the prestigious Milken Global Conference. The panel focused on the opportunities presented by the Cannabis plant, which contains more than 70 different elements, each being studied for treatment of a wide range of illnesses. Nutraceuticals developed from these Hemp CBD Oils have the potential to replace many existing pharmaceutical products because they are natural and do not have the same harmful side effects.

“We’re excited to be a part of Zappy, Inc. This opportunity will allow us to rapidly expand the existing Browns Botanicals product line to help patients all over the world,” said Bryan Fixelle, Co-founder of Browns. “Our products are a perfect fit with Zappy’s mission of healing people with products that are good for them and good for the environment.”

Zappy has brought together a team of world class advisors and manufacturing partners to ensure that its products will continue to be of the highest quality and available in sufficient quantity for sale in leading retail stores nationwide. “The team we have assembled are of the highest consciousness and our collective goal is to bring about healing to millions of people worldwide.”

Zappy Inc. is based in Boca Raton, FL (www.Zappy.com). Brown’s Botanicals is based in Saddle Brook, NJ (www.Browns-Botanicals.com), toll free 1-844-CBD-OILS (844-223-6457).

About Zappy, Inc.

Zappy Inc. is a vertically integrated nutraceuticals company that focuses on medical and consumer applications of various botanical products, including Hemp-based CBD products. Zappy Inc. already owns key Intellectual Property in the category, its management team has significant experience creating strong operating businesses, and have a “rare” proven track record of dramatically increasing shareholder value for a publicly traded nutraceuticals company. The online and offline businesses being developed and acquired by Zappy are targeted at both the medical industry and consumers. Visit www.zappy.com.

About Browns Botanicals

Our goal is to illuminate and uplift society as a whole. We believe that CBD and other botanicals may provide some of the most necessary vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients, which we, as a society, are just beginning to study and understand. We are a rapidly growing worldwide nutraceutical company committed to producing the purest products with a constant effort to elevate body, mind and spirit in everything we do. We commit ourselves to supporting research for charitable foundations. Find out how your patronage benefits others, and learn more ways you can help by visiting our BB Cares page. Industrial hemp based products are legal and available to ship to all fifty states and over 40 countries. Visit www.Browns-Botanicals.com.

Communications by Compass Natural LLC

www.compassnatural.com

Health Conundrum: Pesticides in Tea

Source: Wikimedia Commons

When companies sell non-organic tea produced with pesticides, what are consumers really sipping?

Tea, an ancient plant first discovered in China, is today arguably the most popular beverage in the world. Millions of people from every corner of the world drink tea primarily for its many health benefits and soothing, energetic and/or medicinal qualities.

Yet, many consumers may not know that tea leaves are primarily dried and not washed after they are harvested. Why is that important? If the tea is not organically grown, toxic synthetic pesticide residues can – and sometimes do – remain on conventionally grown tea leaves until the first time they touch water – in your cup.

Residues Exceed Limits

Organizations including Greenpeace and CBC News conducted independent testing on tea leaves, and found that 59% of samples tested contained pesticide residues in excess of EU government limits. Testing also found that 67% of tea leaves sampled in India contained residues of the pesticide DDT, banned in India since 1989 and in the US since 1972. Some teas were found to contain more than one pesticide, and one tea product tested by CBC, the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, contained 22 different pesticides.

“Some of the pesticides found – including endosulfan and monocrotophos — are in the process of being banned from use in some countries because of dangers to the environment and to workers,” CBC said in an article on March 8, 2014. Endosulfan has been banned globally under the Stockholm Convention due to its particularly toxic properties.

Additionally, Greenpeace in 2013 randomly tested 18 tea products from China – the world’s largest tea producer and one of the world’s largest users of pesticides – and found that “a whopping 12 of the 18 samples tested contained at least one pesticide banned [in China] for use on tea.”

Even teas carrying “natural” claims may not be immune to pesticide residues if they have been conventionally grown using synthetic pesticides, reports Vani Hari, editor and publisher of Food Babe, a blog dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles and investigating food companies and their products.

Don’t Panic – Drink Organic!

So what’s a tea lover who wants to avoid pesticide residues to do? Friends of the Earth suggests drinking tea that is organically produced without the use of toxic, synthetic insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers.

One tea maker, Belight Tea of Phoenix, AZ, offered this advice to tea drinkers on its blog:

“Generally speaking, white tea tends to have the least pesticide residues; black tea the most. That has to do with picking time: the longer the leaves are on the bush, the more they are exposed to, whether intentionally or inadvertently.”

Another organic tea company adds, “From the outset, we’ve been committed to 100% organic cultivation,” said Linda Appel Lipsius, Co-Founder and CEO of Denver-based Teatulia Organic Teas. Teatulia sources its teas from its own 3,000-acre, USDA Certified Organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified tea garden in Northern Bangladesh. “Transparency is key where possible,” she said. “Since we are the farmers, organic tea produced without the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides is something we have always been able to guarantee.“

Disappointed GMO Labeling Advocates in OR and CO

Source: Wikimedia Commons

With more than $45 million poured in to defeat GMO labeling ballot initiatives in 2014, voters in Oregon and Colorado rejected ballot measures to label GMO foods. However, residents of Maui, HI, passed a ban on GMO agriculture by just over 1,000 votes.

GMO labeling advocates are rethinking national and state strategies after voters rejected ballot initiatives to label GMO foods in both Oregon and Colorado in statewide elections held on November 4.

In Colorado, the campaign to pass Proposition 105 to label GMO foods, which was hugely outspent by anti-labeling forces, suffered a significant defeat with 66% voting against, vs. 34% of voters in favor of labeling. Colorado residents were subjected to a withering barrage of television advertising in September and October by the No on 105 side, the supporters of which, including Monsanto, DuPont, Dow, Pepsi, Kraft and General Mills and others, pumped nearly $17 million into the state vs. just under $1 million raised by the pro-labeling, Yes on 105 campaign.

In Oregon, the outcome was much closer, where Measure 92 to label GMOs was narrowly defeated by a razor-thin margin of less than 1% of the vote, with less than 51% of Oregonians voting no. Spending on both sides of the GMO labeling measure broke all state records for ballot measures in Oregon, with the pro-labeling, Yes on 92 side raising $8.1 million, while the No side poured $20.5 million into the state to defeat the ballot measure.

Maui Wins Big; Monsanto Threatens Litigation

However, in a big win to reign in the rampant escalation of GMO agriculture and pesticide use in Hawaii, a ballot referendum in Maui County was passed by just over 1,000 votes to place a moratorium on the growing of genetically engineered or GMO crops on the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai until they are cleared by environmental and safety studies. These islands have been major experimental grounds for new, untested GMO crops and pesticides, and residents have grown increasingly concerned about pesticide pollution of rivers and oceans, and health risks to communities located near experimental plots.

True to form, Monsanto has already threatened litigation to overturn the moratorium. According to Hawaii News Now, on November 5, Monsanto issued the following statement in response to the Maui referendum:

“We believe this referendum is invalid and contrary to long established state and federal laws that support both the safety and lawful testing and planting of GMO plants. If effective, the referendum will have significant negative consequences for the local economy, Hawaii agriculture and our business on the island. We are committed to ongoing dialogue as we take steps to ask the court to declare that this initiative is legally flawed and cannot be enforced. Monsanto and other allied parties will be joining together in this effort."

In another small but meaningful 2014 election victory, the citizens of Humboldt County, CA, approved a measure to prohibit the propagation, cultivation, raising, or growing of genetically modified organisms in the county. Humboldt joins Mendocino, Trinity, Santa Cruz and Marin Counties, which previously passed moratoriums or bans on GMOs. Also, two counties in Oregon have banned GMOs, along with San Juan County in Washington State, and the state of Vermont, which is currently facing a lawsuit from anti-labeling opponents including the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

Who Is Funding the Anti-GMO Labeling Side?

Seeking to crush a groundswell movement in America to label genetically modified or GMO foods, a small group of multi-billion-dollar pesticide, biotech and “Big Food” companies poured more than $45 million into Colorado, Oregon and Hawaii in September and October to defeat the GMO labeling ballot initiatives.

Just two dozen corporations, including Monsanto, DuPont, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Kraft, Land O'Lakes, General Mills, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Conagra, Dow Chemical Co., Kellogg, Smithfield Foods, and others, were responsible for more than $16 million of the $16.7 million total contributed to defeat the Colorado GMO labeling bill. Also of note among the donors seeking to defeat the Colorado GMO labeling bill were Abbot Nutrition and Mead Johnson, companies that make nutritional formulas for infants and the elderly – companies that do not want mandatory GMO labeling on their packaging.

Similarly, Monsanto, PepsiCo, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Land O'Lakes, General Mills, Hershey and other chemical and food multinationals topped the list of donors to the No on 92 campaign in Oregon. To see the list of donors to both the Yes and No sides in Oregon, visit http://gov.oregonlive.com/election/2014/finance/measure-92/.

In contrast, the underdog Right to Know Colorado campaign raised less than $1 million in cash and pledges, mostly through small business donations along with hundreds of $5, $10, and $25 contributions to the campaign from primarily Colorado citizens. Despite grassroots volunteer efforts, phone banks, door-to-door visits, social media, newspaper and digital advertising, plus major endorsements from leading Colorado media, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Whole Foods Market and more, the pro-GMO labeling campaign could not afford to counter any of the negative television advertising that blanketed the state from the No on 105 campaign.

“I can’t understand why these corporations would put $17 million into a Colorado campaign where the pro-labeling side raised less than $1 million,” said Larry Cooper, Co-chair of the Right to Know Colorado campaign. “What are they trying to hide?”

Presence Marketing a Major Contributor to Pro-Labeling Campaigns

Major contributors to Colorado's Yes on 105 and also the Oregon pro-labeling campaign included Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence, Food Democracy Now, Organic Consumers Association, Annie's Inc., Dr. Bronner’s, Boulder Brands and others. For a complete list visit www.righttoknowcolorado.org/donors and www.oregonrighttoknow.org/endorsements.

Grassroots organizations endorsing the Right to Know Colorado ballot initiative included Moms Across America, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Colorado Moms for GMO Labeling, Conservation Colorado, Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, Hazon, and others.

Seeing the rising tide of consumer and citizen support for GMO labeling as a threat to profits, Monsanto, Dow, DuPont, Pepsi, Coke, Kraft, Grocery Manufacturers Association, and other pesticide, biotech and junk food companies have teamed up to spend nearly $150 million over the past three years to defeat GMO labeling ballot initiatives in California and Washington in 2012 and 2013, and in Oregon and Colorado this year.

More than 93% of Americans want GMO labeling, according to a 2013 New York Times survey. Yet, less than three dozen chemical, pesticide and junk food companies continue to fight history with a withering amount of cash, deceptive advertising, and threats of lawsuits to confuse voters and legislators about GMO labeling - and to buy our elections.

The Fight Will Continue in Washington D.C.

Scott Faber, executive director of the Just Label It campaign, said the recent election defeats in Oregon and Colorado "only strengthens our resolve to fight for consumers' right to know what's in their food. Now, the fight will shift to the nation's capital, where the same food companies who were fighting the right to know will be seeking to block state laws and make it harder for the FDA to craft a national mandatory disclosure system."

For information and to support GMO labeling, visit www.justlabelit.org, www.righttoknowcolorado.org and www.oregonrighttoknow.org.

Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural Marketing, providing marketing, PR, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic and sustainable products businesses. Contact steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042.

Social Media: Amplify Your Brand with Hashtags

Source: Pexels

Why are all the young folks using the pound sign?

First off, the kids are calling it a hashtag and not a pound sign. While pressing pound helps you get to the operator quickly when placing a phone call to a large corporation, the hashtag in social media is a word or phrase preceded by a hash or pound sign (#) that is used to identify messages on a specific topic.

Hashtags were made popular by Twitter in 2007, and have since been embraced by social networks including Instagram, Vine, Google +, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Facebook, according to top marketing firm Offerpop.

So, how does it work? When you click on a hashtag, you will be transported to a feed of all of the posts that are also using the hashtag, updated in real time. The World Cup just finished last month. If you saw #WorldCup2014 trending, you could click on that hashtag and see what people around the world were saying about the World Cup.

But, how is this information valuable to you as an emerging or established brand in the natural products industry?  The hashtag is one of the new ways to communicate with your customers to establish brand loyalty. When you use social media tools and your customers use those tools as well, you increase your brand visibility to all of the people your customers interact with on social media. So, not only are you talking to your immediate customer, you’re also talking to the their Facebook friends, and their Twitter and Instagram followers.

There are different ways that you can use a hashtag. Do you want to introduce new or current customers to products? Consider providing a #coupon hashtag that gives information about a new promotion. Here’s some great advice from the folks at Offerpop:

“You should add a hashtag to all of your brand messages, whatever the medium: email, TV, paid search, print, even Jumbotrons. They encourage people to respond to your advertising. They help you spark conversations, get feedback, give answers and move consumers down the sales funnel. And their hashtagged posts appear in their friends’ feeds, helping you spread word of mouth.”

Search Engine Watch suggests using hashtags to drive engagement with your customers. "When compared to Tweets without a hashtag, tweets with hashtags showed 12 percent more engagement (RT, favorite or @ reply). Tweets that included a link and a hashtag, showed the highest engagement rate of any other type of tweet."

So, now you know what a hashtag is. The next step is creating the ideal tag that will get your customers engaged and talking about your product. That’s where Compass Natural can help. Our team of seasoned public relations executives and social media savvy team members will help you connect to your customers in this new language. Email, tweet or Facebook message us for a consultation to explore ways to develop loyalty among your consumers.

iDomains Launches .ORGANIC

For Immediate Release:

Contact:
Jon Cooper, iDomains, jcooper@idomains.com, tel 215.703.2205
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042

iDomains Launches .ORGANIC
A NEW Web Address and Marketing Standard for the Organic Community

Leading organic producers and organizations have registered their .ORGANIC web addresses - available only to qualified organic companies.

First year domain name registration is now free to those registering by November 30, 2014.

Dublin, Ireland (November 6, 2014) – The new top-level domain .ORGANIC is now open for registration by all bona fide organic community members. iDomains, a full-service registrar, is waiving the first year registration fee for customers who register for their .ORGANIC web addresses before November 30, 2014.

Available only to companies and organizations that are certified or otherwise meet stringent eligibility requirements, .ORGANIC has already attracted many name-brands including:

• Brands, including Stonyfield.organic, Applegate.organic, Bitsys.organic,Nibmor.organic, Lagrama.organic, Pact.organic, and more

• Industry organizations, including RodaleInstitute.organic, OMRI.organic,IFOAM.organic, and more

To stand out as the “real deal” in the organic community, many companies have quickly registered memorable names to which their target customers can easily relate. For example, Alpine Valley Breads has registered Bread.organic.

Other web addresses recently registered include:

• Munchies.organic; EatHealthy.organic, IsIt.organic, Chia.organic, OliveOils.organic, and more (web sites to come)

An Exclusive Marketing Opportunity
Today, consumers have learned to trust certified organic products and services. But there is no easy way to find and identify these providers online.

At the same time, organic product and service providers cannot easily break through the clutter of businesses branded as “healthy” or “natural” and stand apart as the real organic players. In the traditional online world of .COM, any company can get a web address and claim they are organic, as there is no verification process.

.ORGANIC brings the much needed clarity and differentiation to the organic community. Every applicant for a .ORGANIC name is verified before being allowed to use the name. That means when consumers come to a site with a .ORGANIC address, they can trust its authenticity, lending the organic brand a significant marketplace advantage.

“.ORGANIC will soon become a new standard in the organic industry,” said Keith Lubsen, CEO of iDomains. “Consumers will turn to the .ORGANIC domain to help them identify who’s truly organic. Authentic members of the organic community will simply be expected to be on this domain. That’s why it’s important that they register for the domain names that work best for their business now before they are all taken.”

iDomains Waives .ORGANIC First-Year Domain Registration Fee
iDomains is making it easy for qualified businesses and organizations to get started with .ORGANIC web addresses. Visit the iDomains web site (http://www.idomains.com) and click on the “Request a Free .ORGANIC web site” button to obtain a coupon code. Customers registering their .ORGANIC domain name with the coupon code before Nov. 30, 2014, will have their domain registration fee (normally US$79) waived for the first year.

Who’s Eligible for a .ORGANIC web address?
Web addresses using .ORGANIC are only available to verifiably organic farmers, producers, manufacturers, co-packers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and official organic certifiers. Eligibility also extends to other organic-oriented entities such as restaurants, media, and trade and consumer organizations that may not be certified but can meet special .ORGANIC criteria tailored to their role in the community. Eligible companies include:

• Certified organic producers, farmers, distributors, retailers, etc.

• Certified organic textile and skincare providers

• Organic restaurants and venues

• Certifiers in the organic community

• Publications, journalists and bloggers dedicated to organic

• Non-profit organizations and trade associations that primarily serve and represent the organic community

The complete eligibility requirements are available on the registry’s .ORGANIC website.

For more information, please contact:
Jon Cooper
Director of Customer Acquisition
iDomains
jcooper@idomains.com
1.215.703.2205

About iDomains
iDomains is a full service registrar, providing fast domain name registration and robust management tools directly to individuals and companies. Featuring advanced domain name discovery tools, easy online control of your domains and seamless integration with email, web sites and more, iDomains is the key to your online presence. You can expect additional powerful, unique products to be added, serving consumers, businesses and communities of all types.

Communications by Compass Natural LLC

www.compassnatural.com

The Heroes: Companies Supporting GMO Labeling

Source: Pexels

In Colorado, while multi-billion-dollar, multinational corporate opponents have pumped nearly $17 million into the state to try to defeat Prop. 105, the 2014 ballot initiative to label GMO foods, the grassroots Yes on 105 side has raised just under $1 million in campaign funding. The Yes on 105 campaign is using these funds - contributed by hundreds of Colorado residents, and a small group of leading natural and organic products companies and consumer advocacy groups - tohelp educate voters and get out the yes vote via newspaper and digital advertising, an extensive volunteer network, phone banking, and social media - and to endure a withering onslaught of negative, deceptive television advertising and direct mail from the No on 105 side.

Put these brands contributing to consumer transparency and truth in labeling on your shopping list. Support the brands that have stepped up to contribute to Colorado's grassroots Prop. 105 Ballot Initiative to Label GMO Foods against a $17 million onslaught by Monsanto, Pepsi, Coke, Kraft, Dow, Dupont, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Mead Johnson, Abbot Nutrition, Conagra and others.

Compass Natural Marketing and its principal Steven Hoffman have served as the lead fundraiser and industry communications specialists on behalf of Yes on 105, Right to Know Colorado - GMO. For more information, visit www.righttoknowcolorado.org.

The Heroes:  Support these Companies that Contributed to Yes on 105 to Label GMO Foods in Colorado*

More than $200,000 Food Democracy Now! Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence

$50,000 - $100,000 Annie's Inc. Organic Consumers Fund

$10,000 - $50,000 Boulder Brands Lundberg Family Farms Dr. Bronner's Applegate Farms Clif Bar Nature's Path UNFI Hain Celestial Group Alliance for Sustainable Colorado

$5,000 - $10,000 Amy's Kichen Frontier Natural Products Co-op KeHE Distributors Nutiva Stonyfield Farm

$500 - $5,000 Daiya Foods Food & Water Watch Justin's .Organic Lucky's Market Door to Door Organics Suja Food Babe Living Maxwell New Belgium Brewery Snack Out Loud Red Idea Group Front & Center Marketing Vital Farms Good Earth Natural Grocery Lucky's Market

Special Thanks Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Whole Foods Market Chipotle Mexican Grill

Acknowledgments Alex and Ana Bogusky Steve and Grace Hughes Organic & Non-GMO Report The Crunchy Grocer Alfalfa's Market Compass Natural Marketing Journeys for Conscious Living Durango Natural Foods Co-op Jared Polis John Foraker Joshua Kunau and Jeremy Siefert, GMO OMG Robyn O'Brien Quinn Popcorn Silver Hills Bakery The Organic Dish Meetings and Events Sandy Gooch and Harry Lederman

Visit our Donors Here:  http://www.righttoknowcolorado.org/donors Visit our Endorsers Here:  http://www.righttoknowcolorado.org/endorsements

Join a growing number of supporters of GMO labeling. To contribute to Right to Know Colorado to Label GMOs, visit www.righttoknowcolorado.org to make an online donation. For corporate or individual contributions, contact Steven Hoffman at steve (at) compassnatural.com.

Please help us win in Colorado, for all Americans.

* Sources: Right to Know Colorado, www.righttoknowcolorado.org Colorado Secretary of State Elections Division, reporting as of Oct. 27, 2014, http://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?OrgID=25377

The Zeroes: Who Is Funding the Anti-GMO Labeling?

Seeking to crush a groundswell movement in America to label genetically modified foods, a small group of multi-billion-dollar pesticide, biotech and Big Food corporations have poured nearly $17 million into Colorado in September and October 2014 to try to defeat Proposition 105, a grassroots voter initiative to label GMO foods that has raised less than $1 million. These out-of-state corporations are literally outspending the underdog pro-labeling side by more than 20 to 1. Who are these corporations trying to buy our elections and keep Americans in the dark about GMOs?

Please see a more complete list below, however, just 15 corporations, including Monsanto, DuPont, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Kraft, Land O'Lakes, General Mills, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Bimbo Bakeries, Dow, Kellogg, and Conagra, are responsible for more than $15 million of the $16.7 million total contributed to try to defeat the Colorado GMO labeling bill.

Baby formula makers don't want moms to know their products are full of GMOs.

Also of particular note among the anti-labeling donors are Abbot Nutrition and Mead Johnson, corporations that make nutritional formulas for infants and the elderly – companies that do not want mandatory GMO labeling on their packaging.

In contrast, the underdog Right to Know Colorado campaign has raised less than $1 million in cash and pledges, mostly through small business donations along with hundreds of $5, $10, and $25 contributions to the Yes on 105 campaign from primarily Colorado citizens.

The Zeros: Multinational Biotech Seed, Chemical and Big Food Corporations and the Amounts They Have Donated to Defeat Prop 105 to Label GMOs in Colorado*

Monsanto, $4.7 million DuPont/Pioneer, $3.04 million Pepsico, $1.65 million Coca-Cola, $1.1 million Kraft Foods, $1.03 million Land O'Lakes, $900,000 General Mills, $820,000 Target Enterprises, $500,000 The Hershey Co., $380,000 J.M. Smucker Co., $345,000 Dow Agrosciences, a Dow Chemical Company, $300,000 Bimbo Bakeries, $270,000 Kellogg Co., $250,000 Conagra Foods, $250,000 Flowers Food Inc., $250,000 Smithfield Foods, $200,000 Abbot Nutrition, $190,000 Cargill Inc., $135,000 Grocery Manufacturer's Association, $101,400 Hormel Foods, $85,000 Ocean Spray Cranberries, $80,000 Bumble Bee Foods, $50,000 Mead Johnson, $50,000 Shearer's Foods, $35,000 Welch's, $35,000 Knouse Foods, $25,000 Sunny Delight Beverage Co., $25,000 Biotechnology Industry Organization, $14,600 Niagara Bottling, $10,000

 * Source: Colorado Secretary of State Elections Division, reporting as of Oct. 27, 2014:  http://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/SearchPages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?OrgID=26735

Colorado is Underdog in GMO Labeling Election Battle

Photo: Pexels

With more than $25 million poured in to defeat statewide GMO labeling ballot initiatives in 2014, a small cabal of multi-national biotech, pesticide and junk food companies seeks to buy the elections in Colorado and Oregon.

Seeking to crush a groundswell movement in the U.S. to label genetically modified (GMO) foods, a small group of multi-billion-dollar pesticide, biotech and junk food companies have poured more than $14 million into Colorado in September and October to defeat Proposition 105, a grassroots voter initiative to label GMO foods.

Just 10 corporations, including Monsanto, DuPont, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Kraft, General Mills, Hershey, Smucker, Dow and Kellogg, are responsible for more than $13 million of the $14.3 million total contributed to kill the Colorado GMO labeling bill.

Also of note among the donors seeking to defeat the Colorado GMO labeling bill are Abbot Nutrition and Mead Johnson, companies that make nutritional formulas for infants and the elderly – companies that do not want mandatory GMO labeling on their packaging.

In contrast, while more than 170,000 Coloradans signed petitions to place the bill on the November statewide ballot – nearly twice the number of signatures needed – the underdog Right to Know Colorado campaign has raised less than $1 million in cash and pledges, mostly through small business donations along with hundreds of $5, $10, and $25 contributions to the campaign from primarily Colorado citizens.

“I can’t understand why these corporations would put over $14 million into a Colorado campaign where the pro-labeling side has less than $1 million,” said Larry Cooper, Co-chair of the Right to Know Colorado campaign. “What are they trying to hide?”

More Biotech Funds Targeted to Colorado than Oregon Ironically, while a similar GMO labeling voter bill in Oregon, Measure 92, has been able to raise significantly more funding - $6.3 million in total - biotech has pumped more into Colorado than Oregon to defeat the GMO labeling measure - although that gap is closing rapidly as Election Day approaches. Monsanto, PepsiCo, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Land O'Lakes, General Mills, Hershey and other chemical and food multinationals top the list of donors to the No on 92 campaign in Oregon. To see the list of donors to both the Yes and No sides in Oregon, visit http://gov.oregonlive.com/election/2014/finance/measure-92/.

Delayed until the Colorado Supreme Court finally cleared the initiative to move forward in March following a complaint filed by the anti-labeling opposition, the Right to Know Colorado campaign got a late start but surprised industry followers by collecting more than twice the number of signatures needed to place the bill on the November ballot.

The Yes on 105 campaign has received important media endorsements from the Daily Camera, Colorado's second largest newspaper, and BizWest, one of the state's leading business journals. Additionally, in September, a 20-member Citizens Initiative Review panel endorsed Colorado’s Prop. 105 to label GMOs by a vote of 11-9. (A similar panel in Oregon voted 11-9 against Measure 92.)

In Colorado, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, and Whole Foods Market have provided significant support for the Yes on 105 campaign, helping to get out the vote through their stores and via endorsements and social media.

Major contributors to Colorado's Yes on 105 and also the Oregon pro-labeling campaign include Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence, Food Democracy Now, Organic Consumers Association, Annie's Inc., Dr. Bronner’s, Boulder Brands and others. For a complete list visit www.righttoknowcolorado.org/donors and www.oregonrighttoknow.org/endorsements.

Grassroots organizations endorsing the Right to Know Colorado ballot initiative include Moms Across America, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Colorado Moms for GMO Labeling, Conservation Colorado, Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, Hazon, and others.

Seeing this rising tide of grassroots consumer and citizen support for GMO labeling as a threat to profits, Monsanto, Dow, DuPont, Pepsi, Coke, Kraft, Grocery Manufacturers Association, and other pesticide, biotech and junk food companies have teamed up to spend more than $125 million over the past three years to defeat GMO labeling ballot initiatives in California and Washington in 2012 and 2013, and in Oregon and Colorado this year.

More than 93% of Americans want GMO labeling, according to a 2013 New York Times survey, and in late September, before the anti-labeling ad blitz on TV, 71% of Colorado voters favored GMO labeling, yet less than three dozen chemical, pesticide and junk food companies continue to fight history with a withering amount of cash to barrage the airwaves in Oregon and Colorado with deceptive advertising to confuse voters about GMO labeling - and to buy our elections.

To donate, volunteer, or for information and to support the GMO labeling campaigns in Colorado and Oregon, visit www.righttoknowcolorado.org and www.oregonrighttoknow.org.

Steven Hoffman has served as lead fundraiser for GMO labeling campaigns including Prop. 37 in California in 2012, Washington State's I-522 in 2012, and Proposition 105 to Label GMO Foods in Colorado in 2014.

Elevate Your State of Green: Host Your Next Event at Copper Mountain

To your company, Green isn't just a color, it's a corporate dedication to being an environmental steward.

Whether Winter or Summer, Colorado's Rocky Mountains are nature's playground and a remarkable place to meet and retreat! Join us at Copper Mountain where our green-minded team will assist you in creating a memorable, natural, inspiring, and eco-friendly gathering. 

At Copper Mountain, we share your commitment to green.

Impress

Copper Mountain offers an authentic Rocky Mountain experience in a European-style, slope-side village with great restaurants, shops and spectacular mountain views. Our guest accommodations feature one, two, and three bedroom condominiums. The resort is just steps from our natural playground and an easy one-hour drive from Denver.

Meet

Copper Mountain offers 68,000 square feet of meeting space to accommodate groups from 10 to 1,000. Get away from the office to host sales meetings, corporate retreats, trade fairs, conferences and key client meetings. 

Retreat

Your team works hard to create a product or service that positively impacts the greater community. Reward your staff and create new strategies on the mountain. Close the deal with your client on the lift or at our world-class golf facility, Copper Creek, boasting spellbinding views of the Tenmile Range. The peaceful setting of the area will stimulate your senses and spur creativity.

Get Out

Ski, snowboard and enjoy myriad winter activities; golf, bike, hike and enjoy other activities during the summer. Close to Denver, but a world away, Copper Mountain offers your group immediate access to spa facilities, VIP ski lift access, myriad trails, parks and wilderness areas, and nearby historic towns. In Winter, you can enjoy 2,500 acres of terrain for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.

Footprint

Your company cares about the environment, and so does Copper Mountain. As an independent, family owned Powdr Corp resort, we believe sustaining our environment is critical to the future success of our business and to future generations. We offer the following at our resort to ensure your corporate event is green.

• Recycling at the Conference Center

• Composting throughout the resort

• Use of plates and cutlery instead of paper and plastic to reduce waste

• Natural and organic food options

• Water and resource conservation

Book a meeting this fall, winter or any time of year and receive a $10 Copper Gift Card per guest. Call us today for full details and a custom proposal.

Let Us Host You At Copper Mountain - Colorado's Premier Rocky Mountain Resort

Whether it's a staff or board retreat, sales or client meeting, conference or other event, Copper Mountain is fully equipped to provide you with a memorable experience. As a natural, organic, sustainable and eco-friendly corporation, we know that it’s important to not only talk green but be green. Our commitment to environmental stewardship makes Copper Mountain the perfect location for your next corporate event.

www.coppermeetings.com  |  www.coppercolorado.com

conferences@coppercolorado.org, Tel 866.236.4386 x 11504

209 Ten Mile Circle, Copper Mountain, CO 80443

Communications by Compass Natural Marketing

info@compassnatural.com | 303.807.1042

Top Mexican Buyers to Meet Healthy Products Companies in Puerto Vallarta, January 23-25, 2015

For Immediate Release:

Contact:

Steve Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, 303.807.1042

John Pagliaro, The Mexican Healthy Products Summit, 410.828.4637

Top Mexican Buyers to Meet Healthy Products Companies in Puerto Vallarta, January 23-25, 2015

The 2nd annual invitation-only The Mexican Healthy Products Summit will connect Mexico’s major retailers with North American based healthy products companies that seek or want to expand distribution in the Mexican Market.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (July 29, 2014) – The Mexican Healthy Products Summit seeks healthy product companies interested in beginning or expanding distribution in the Mexican retail marketplace. Over 60 buyers representing six sectors of Mexican retailers will attend. These six sectors include Supercenters such as Walmart and Costco;Supermarkets such as HEB Mexico, Chedraui, and Commercial Mexicana; Specialty Health Food Stores including The Green Corner and Origenes Organicos; Pharmaciesincluding Benavides and Guadalajara; Convenience Stores such as Oxxo and Super City; and Department Stores including Liverpool and El Palacio de Hierro. 

Building off the first show’s success, exhibitors and buyers will have the opportunity to establish and build relationships in an intimate, fun setting with one-on-one meetings and networking events. Also, expert speakers will present on topics ranging fromReaching the Mexican Consumer, The Latest Healthy Lifestyle Trends and Research, and Best Export Practices.     

A New Opportunity in an Evolving Mexican Landscape

Mexico’s burgeoning healthy products market reflects a growing middle class, the government’s campaign to fight obesity through education, new food nutrition laws, and increased access to healthier products. As Mexican consumers begin to change their lifestyle habits, a variety of retailers seek to meet the demand for healthier choices. Following the inaugural 2014 Summit one retailer commented, “We are grateful for the opportunity they gave us to participate in The Summit. Recently, we had a business meeting in Mexico with one of the suppliers we met at the show. I am happy to announce that we will now offer their products in our stores. Next week, we have an appointment with another vendor who we met at The Mexican Healthy Products Summit and I am sure we will come to a deal, as we are very interested in their products.”

John Pagliaro, President of The Mexican Healthy Product Summit, has partnered with Trade Show Consulting, LLC., a seasoned trade show event producer in the US and Mexico. According to Pagliaro, “The Mexican healthy products market is rapidly expanding as consumers become more aware of how they eat and what they place in their bodies affect their overall well-being. Healthy food and personal care products are leading the way and the Mexican retail sector is looking for new products to sell.”

Todd Kluger, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Lundberg Family Farms highlights the value of attending the Summit. "We had a great chance to meet retailers. In the past, we only had distribution going through distributors into Mexico, so we did not have contact with the retailers themselves. We had a real chance to sit down and talk to the retailers and discuss how we build our brand to the consumer and connect with the consumer that wants healthy and organic products."

Exhibitor Information

The Mexican Healthy Products Summit will take place January 23-25, 2015 at the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort and Convention Center in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  For details and to exhibit, contact John Pagliaro at john@healthyproductssummit.com or 410.828.4637 and visit www.healthyproductssummit.com.

About Trade Show Consulting, LLC

For over 22 years Trade Show Consulting has produced consumer and trade shows in the United States and Mexico and specializes in launching new events. The company researches trends, markets and attendee interests to identify potential shows to bring buyer and seller together in a neutral forum.  ExpoNext awarded Trade Show Consulting the distinguished honor of producing one of the Top 25 Fastest Growing Shows of 2012, Fabtech Mexico. For more information visit www.tradeshowconsult.com.

Communications by Compass Natural Marketing

info@compassnatural.com 303.807.1042