Pollinators and Pesticides: a Deadly Combination
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RATINGSwarming TOP theRETAILERS Aisles ON BEE-FRIENDLY AND ORGANIC FOOD Acknowledgements This report was written by Tiffany Finck-Haynes, Jason Davidson, Kendra Klein, Ph.D., and Antonio Roman-Alcalá, MA, Friends of the Earth U.S. About Friends of the Earth: Friends of the Earth United States, founded by David Brower in 1969, is the U.S. voice of the world’s largest federation of grassroots environmental groups, with a presence in 75 countries. Friends of the Earth works to defend the environment and champion a more healthy and just world. Throughout our 47-year history, we have provided crucial leadership in campaigns resulting in landmark environmental laws, precedent-setting legal victories and groundbreaking reforms of domestic and international regulatory, corporate and financial institution policies. Visit www.foe.org to learn more. Any errors or omissions in this report are the responsibility of Friends of the Earth U.S. ©Copyright October 2016 by Friends of the Earth U.S. Friends of the Earth Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................8 The Industry ..........................................................................................................................10 Sustainability in the food retailer sector ......................................................................................................12 Consumer trends ...................................................................................................................................................13 Organic supply in supermarkets .....................................................................................................................14 Need for increased U.S. organic production ..............................................................................................15 Pollinators and pesticides: A deadly combination ..................................................................................15 Leading retailers seek to protect pollinators .............................................................................................17 Organic agriculture: A key solution to the pollinator problem ..........................................................18 Organic agriculture: Protecting much more than just pollinators ......................................................19 Results .................................................................................................................................... 20 Food retailer grades ............................................................................................................................................22 How companies shape up .................................................................................................................................23 Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 30 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................32 Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 34 Appendix I: Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 34 Appendix II: Rubric ..............................................................................................................................................35 Appendix III: Survey questions .......................................................................................................................38 Appendix IV: Resources for retailers ...........................................................................................................40 References ............................................................................................................................ 45 Friends of the Earth Executive Summary Executive Summary Bees and other pollinators are responsible Across the country consumer demand for for one in three bites of food we eat. Without organic food is skyrocketing, concern about them, grocery stores would run short of some pesticides is mounting, and the need to expand of our most important and nutritious foods, regenerative farming systems is more pressing from nuts and berries to tomatoes and coffee. than ever. Since the 1990’s, organic food sales Bees contribute an estimated $20 billion to in the United States have shown double- the U.S. economy and $217 billion to the global digit growth and have generally exceeded 10 economy. percent growth even since the downturn in But pollinators are in great peril, as their the American economy in 2008. The total U.S. populations are declining around the world. organic sales were $43.3 billion in 2015, and of Forty percent of all pollinating species are that, $39.7 billion were organic food sales, up 11 on the brink of extinction. A growing body of percent from the previous year. scientific evidence points to the world’s most Yet, less than one percent of total U.S. farmland widely-used insecticides, neonicotinoids, as is in organic production. Expanding organic a leading factor in pollinator declines, and farming in the U.S. presents a huge opportunity glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide to protect pollinators, deliver economic worldwide, as a key culprit in monarch declines. benefits for America’s farmers and generate To protect pollinators, we must eliminate major conservation benefits for our nation, pollinator-toxic pesticides from our farming but farmers will need policies and market systems and expand pollinator-friendly organic opportunities to support their transition. farming that is healthier for bees, butterflies, Food retailers have a crucial role to play in people and the planet. advancing a sustainable food system that Organic farms support 50 percent more protects the wellbeing of pollinators, people pollinator species than conventional farms while and the planet. Their policies and purchasing also protecting and regenerating the water, soil practices can support farmers who are using and other resources that we need to produce fewer pollinator-toxic pesticides and are healthy food for generations to come. practicing organic and other sustainable methods. Changes in the food retail industry to reform supply chain practices to be more sustainable 80 percent of Americans believe have been met favorably by consumers. A 2016 YouGov Poll commissioned by Friends it is important to eliminate of the Earth and SumOfUs, found that 80 neonicotinoids from agriculture. percent of Americans believe it is important to eliminate neonicotinoids from agriculture. Among Americans who grocery Among Americans who grocery shop for their shop for their household, 73 household, 73 percent believe it is important percent believe it is important for grocery stores to sell food grown without neonicotinoids, and 65 percent would be for grocery stores to sell food more likely to shop at a grocery store that grown without neonicotinoids, has formally committed to eliminating neonicotinoids instead of their usual grocery and 65 percent would be more store (if prices and distance were the same). likely to shop at a grocery store The poll also revealed that 59 percent of American grocery shoppers believe it is that has formally committed to important for grocery stores to sell organic eliminating neonicotinoids. food, and 43 percent would be more likely to 5 Friends of the Earth Executive Summary shop at a grocery store that sells more organic • Most top U.S. food retailers do not have food than their current usual grocery store. a publicly available policy to reduce In this report, Friends of the Earth evaluated or eliminate pesticide use to protect food retailer’s policies and practices regarding pollinators. Of the top 20 food retailers, 17 organics, pollinator protection and pesticide received an “F” in this category. Only Aldi, reduction. To create this industry scorecard, Costco and Whole Foods received grades of which highlights industry leaders and laggards, “B” or “C” in this category. we conducted a retailer survey (see Appendix • Four of the top food retailers, Albertsons, III) and reviewed publicly available information Costco, Target and Whole Foods, have from 20 of the largest food retailers in the U.S., adopted a publicly available company policy as ranked by total U.S. sales. or outlined a publicly available company metric or goal regarding commitment to increase overall certified organic food Few major food retailers offerings and disclose data on the current percentage of organic offerings or organic have adopted clear goals or sales. metrics outlining policies to • In addition to Albertsons, Costco, Target and significantly increase organic Whole Foods, three of the top food retailers, Aldi, Food Lion (part of the Delhaize Group) food offerings in the future. and Kroger disclosed data on the current percentage of organic offerings or organic sales. • Nine of the 20 retailers received “C” grades in the “organic policy” category. These retailers outlined the number of organic products offered at the store and/or define the term “organic” on their website; however, they do not publicly disclose the current percentage