Yummy … made from soybean oil and casein!

Buy “Sandwich-Mate” only if you want to experience the bottom rung of “stuff” that may adorn a sandwich. Why would Borden Cheese – a subsidiary of DFA – sell this casein- and vegetable oil-laden crap?

If it’s Borden’s, it’s gotta be DFA. Borden Cheese is a wholly owned subsidiary of DFA. DFA’s Borden Cheese Markets ‘Sandwich-Mate’ Glop by Pete Hardin clues and documents. DFA’s leaders aren’t so dumb From that source, one learns that “Starflake as to list “Borden Cheese” or “Dairy Farmers of Foods Company, Inc.” was deactivated on April 28, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) markets America” on packages of “Sandwich-Mate.” 2003. Holy Mackerel!!! The successor company’s “Sandwich-Mate,” an el cheapo food product made On the back of the “Sandwich-Mate” package, name: “DFA RISK MANAGEMENT CORP.” from water, soybean oil, starch and casein. “Sand- one reads: “© DISTRIBUTED BY STARFLAKE wich-Mate” competes directly with processed cheese FOODS COMPANY, INC. COLUMBUS, OHIO CLUE #4: DFA & DFA Risk Management Corp slices. 43218-2860 * MADE IN U.S.A.” … same address! And where, according to the Ohio “Sandwich-Mate” is concocted for consumers Columbus, Ohio? That’s where DFA’s wholly Secretary of State’s office, is DFA RISK MANAGE- suffering from both impaired taste buds and finances. owned subsidiary, Borden Cheese, is located. Re- MENT CORP. located? The official address of DFA Priced at 89-99 cents for a 12-ounce package, “Sand- member Borden’s? “Elsie the Cow”? DFA bought Risk Management Corp.: 10220 N. Ambassador wich-Mate” — described as “Imitation Pasteurized the Columbus-based Borden Cheese business in 1997. Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64153. Processed Cheese Food” — undercuts the price for 10220 North Ambassador Drive in Kansas City, competing, cheese-based products. CLUE #1: Supermarket shelf tag says “Borden Missouri? That’s exactly the address listed for DFA Why would DFA sell this disgusting product, Sandwich-Mate” At a Woodman’s Supermarket in on the cooperative’s 2003 annual report! Need more? whose only dairy ingredients are casein (an imported Madison, Wisconsin, “Sandwich-Mate” is sold along- dairy protein), whey and lactic acid? For profit. If side processed cheese food products such as Kraft CLUE #5: DFA’s attorney is director/officer of making a buck selling garbage in the dairy case is “Singles” and Borden “Singles”—a direct competi- DFA Risk Management Corp! In a biennial state- what it takes, “Sandwich-Mate” demonstrates how tor. Underneath the array of “Sandwich-Mate” sliced ment filed with the New York Department of State low DFA will stoop. Where’s “Mr. Yuk” when you “Singles,” a sticker reads: “BORDEN AMERICAN on June 8, 2004, by DFA Risk Management Corp., need him? “Sandwich-Mate” makes Kraft’s SANDWICH MATE 8OZ.” the person listed as “Officer/Director” is one David “Singles” made from Milk Protein Concentrate Since Borden Cheese is a wholly owned DFA A. Geisler. Geisler’s address … you guessed it (MPC) seem downright appetizing! subsidiary, and “Sandwich-Mate” is listed as a …10220 N. Ambassador Dr. in Kansas City, Mis- “Borden” product, then “Sandwich-Mate” must be souri 64153. Tracking DFA’s ownership of “Sandwich-Mate” DFA’s. Mr. Geisler is DFA’s corporate counsel. Like all good mysteries, tracking the ownership of “Sandwich-Mate” takes a little digging among the CLUE #2: Same consumer comment phone num- Connect the dots: DFA owns “Sandwich-Mate” ber as Borden’s. At the very bottom of the back panel • “Sandwich-Mate” is made from water, vegetable Is USDA Maintaining Proper of the “Sandwich-Mate” package, one finds a tele- oil, starch, and casein (an imported dairy protein). phone number to call for comments: That line reads: The product’s packaging states that “Sandwich-Mate” Oversight for Organic Foods? “COMMENTS? 1-888-337-2407” is distributed by Starflake Foods Company, Inc. At press time, a storm was brewing over ques- That’s the identical telephone number listed for • The shelf-tag under “Sandwich-Mate” found at tions about USDA’s oversight regarding standards for consumers to call on packages of Borden Cheese Woodman’s Supermarket in Madison, Wisconsin organic foods. Consumer groups claim that USDA products. On a side-panel of Borden’s “2% Milk states: “Borden Sandwich-Mate.” may not be enforcing standards prohibiting pesticides Reduced Fat Singles (Sharp),” one reads: • “Sandwich-Mate” has the same consumer comment and antibiotics in organic farming practices. “FRESHNESS GUARANTEED If you are not telephone number as Borden Cheese products. “We are very concerned about the status of the completely satisfied, please contact us at 1-888-337- • Borden Cheese is a wholly owned subsidiary of DFA directives that were withdrawn by USDA,” said Joe 2407 or our Website.” (Emphasis added.) Mendelsohn III, legal director at the Center for Food • Starflake Foods was assimilated by DFA Risk Man- Bingo! The consumer contact phone numbers Safety. Mendelsohn claimed that efforts to determine agement Corp in 2003. for “Sandwich-Mate” and Borden cheese products USDA directives to organic certifiers have been stone- are identical. • DFA Risk Management Corp. has the same address walled by the agriculture department. So maybe Borden Cheese only distributes as DFA’s corporate headquarters. Consumer’s Union scientist, Urvashi Rangan, “Sandwich-Mate” for Starflake Foods Company, a • DFA’s in-house corporate lawyer is listed as an of- said that UDA has not answered his organization’s DFA defender might argue. Where’s the proof that ficer and director of DFA Risk Management Corp. questions about whether pesticides and antibiotics DFA actually owns the company distributing “Sand- may be used in foods labeled “organic.” How can dairy farmers who are members of wich-Mate?” The flurry of concerns about integrity of organic DFA benefit from their cooperative’s selling a con- foods arose days before USDA’s National Organic sumer product made out of water, vegetable oil, po- CLUE #3: DFA Risk Management Corp. took over Standards Board was to meet in Washington, D.C. tato starch and … CASEIN (an imported dairy pro- Starflake Foods. Since the packaging for “Sandwich- Organic food production and sales have been tein)? Mate” lists a Columbus, Ohio location, the Ohio Sec- growing at a compounded annual rate of 15-20% per retary of State’s web site is a good place to further year. Organic foods comprise about two to three per- dig. cent of total U.S. food sales. October 2004 -- 5