The Food Products Division of National Starch and Chemical Company has changed its name and identity to more accurately reflect its offerings to the packaged and prepared foods industry (www.nstarch.com). As of Jan. 1, 2005, the Food Products Division is now known as National Starch Food Innovation. The new name leverages the respected equity the company has built in the industry over many years while boldly describing its future direction and commitment to customers.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Michael Leavitt as the new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Leavitt, a former Utah governor, has served as head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency since 2003.

Jon Stocking, founder and president of Endangered Species Chocolate Co. (ESCC) announced a five-year marketing and strategic growth campaign designed to grow the company’s revenues through the introduction of new products and the development of a new production and fulfillment facility, along with the purchase of new automated equipment (www.chocolatebar.com). Producing more than five million chocolate bars in 2004, ESCC’s aggressive plan for growth projects that nearly 15 million bars and a variety of other chocolate products will be produced by 2010.

M&R Strategic Services has hired former Organic Trade Association (OTA) Fiber Council Coordinator Sandra Marquardt as senior consultant in its communications department (www.mrss.com). Marquardt will focus on launching a new division, called M&R Organics, that will focus on public relations, product development and policy assistance for the organic food and fiber industry.

The Organic Trade Association’s “Go Organic! for Earth Day” campaign, undertaken in partnership with Music Matters and the Earth Day Network, will be in more than 2,600 grocery stores across 19 chains and offer 2.6 million coupon books (www.organicearthday.org). OTA members who want a free listing on the Go Organic for Earth Day website can contact Michael Martin at MusicMatters, 612.377.1142.

I’Anson Brothers in the United Kingdom are thrilled to announce that the company has received Non-GMO CERT ID Standard certification for its manufacture of compound feeds, coarse rations and ingredients (www.genetic-id.com). In a recently carried out evaluation, I’Anson products were found to have a GM traceability level of max 0.1% which is significantly tighter than the EU permitted maximum of 0.9%. I’Anson is the first animal feed mill in Britain to become CERT ID certified.

Meridith Mossman has been appointed Brand Manager for ZAND and Herbs for Kids at Botanical Laboratories (www.botlab.com). She has three years of experience in brand and resource management in the retail foods and fuel industries.

Organic Valley Family of Farms, America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and the only national organic dairy co-op to remain independent, announced 2004 was its best-ever year, with $208 million in sales and a growing total of 689 organic farmers in 20 states (www.organicvalley.coop). Organic Valley farmers were paid at least 25% more than their conventional counterparts in 2004, receiving a premium of $4.16 per hundredweight. Sales for the coop jumped 33% in 2004 and continued growth is expected in 2005.

Golden Falcon, a subsidiary of Tradin Organic Agriculture, opened a new HACCP Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) freezing plant, exclusively for processing organic fruit, in Barbatovac, Serbia, a small village in the middle of the mountainous fruit region of Serbia (www.tradinorganic.com). It is the first HACCP-operated IQF freezing plant in Serbia. The project was co-financed by the Dutch government. The factory will process unique Serbian organic raspberries, sour cherries and prunes, as well as many other organic frozen products.