Not Just a Trend...

The fashion industry isn't the only one going organic. Advocates and owners of agribusinesses have been waiting for this day for decades. The trend in the food industry is focused on eating healthier and organic. Fair-trade chocolate and organic wine are all the rage. They offer the consumer the indulgence but with a healthier twist. Although organic sales were higher last year, businesses are not getting discouraged. Organic food tends to be more expensive than most, but they have confidence things will start to turn around, especially now that they have the White House on their side. The first lady, Michelle Obama, has vowed to encourage a more nutritious and sustainable food supply, which has advocates ecstatic. Michelle Obama has stressed the need for fresh, unprocessed, locally grown food. The goal here is to change the world. The hope is that changes will be made in the way the federal government oversees our food supply and farms. These changes could significantly increase the demand for fresh, local and organic products.

The US has become efficient at producing cheap, abdunant food that is great for corporations, but not so healthy for its consumers and the environment. The hope is that farmers will be encouraged to grow more diverse crops and use less fossil fuels for things like fertilizer and transportation.

Advocates face many obstacles and disputes, but they are confident that they will see progress made in the industry. They continue to gain support from big names like Oprah Winfrey and Gweneth Paltrow. Obesity and food safety concerns also promote the use of organic foods. This growing trend is creeping its way into the mainstream and hopefully, for the sake of our fastfood eating country, will dominate the industry.

Original article obtained from NYTimes.com:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/business/22food.html?em

Help for Small Businesses

In the retail industry, many businesses are small businesses. Not all retailers are massive companies with billions of dollars in income. These small companies are facing many challenges as they endure the current economic conditions. President Obama has noticed the severity of the situation and plans to ease their pain as much as he can. He has created a $15 million package to help small businesses. The plan is supposed to reduce lending fees, ease the tax burden and increase bank liquidity to get credit rolling. Small businesses are the heart of the American economy and, according to President Obama, have created 70% of new jobs in the last decade. When small businesses prosper, the entire country prospers. The new plan encourages banks to lend more to small businesses and requires them to report monthly on how much they do lend to them. The White House feels as though making billions in federal loans available to small businesses is one way to address the misgivings over the widely unpopular bailout program. This package directed towards helping small businesses includes $730 million from the stimulus plan to immediately reduce small business lending fees and to increase the government guarantee on some Small Business Administration loans up to 90%. Steps are also being taken to boost bank liquidity with up to $15 billion aimed at unfreezing the secondary credit market. The IRS was also order to issue a series of new rules for temporary, but significant tax breaks. This means that small businesses earning up to $15 million will be allowed to claim losses for the past 5 years in the current tax year, may write off up to $250,000 in investments this year, can reduced estimated tax payments to 90% of the previous year's filing, are allowed to take larger depreciation deductions within the first year of property purchases, and will see a 75% of capital gains excluded for those who invest in small businesses. 

Small businesses are everywhere. They are owned by people you know - your mom, dad, best friend, and classmate. If they suffer, we as a nation suffer as well. The survival of small businesses affect every single industry in the United States, especially retail. Retail thrives off of small business. Luckily, our President hears the cries for help from small businesses across the nation and is more than willing to help. 

Original article from NYTimes.com:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/business/smallbusiness/17sbiz.html?ref=business