NON-GMO VeRiFieD Congratulations to Monsanto and Bayer for their early success in their brazen attempt to take control of the global food supply. Can any of you name one single benefit that genetically modified crops bring to agriculture, human nutrition or the environment? OK, that was a trick question. There are, of course, no benefits to any of the above and no supportive studies that suggest they are safe for human consumption. Recent efforts to pass GMO labeling laws in California and Washington State have fallen short by the skinniest of margins. Consumers have the right to know what is in their food and this point is indisputable. Despite all the millions of dollars being spent to keep consumers in the dark, solely for the sake of corporate profits, we shall prevail! As consumers become more educated about this unproven technology, organized efforts to label GMO products have become prolific, and a clear path to food supply transparency is clearly on the horizon. NON-NUTRiTiVe SWeeTeNeRS Artificial sweeteners are amongst the worst substances we can put into our bodies. To put this point in perspective, I believe that a commercial doughnut is less damaging to our health than a diet soda. Fortunately, there are a variety of natural non-nutritive sweeteners that are safe to consume and offer the same calorie and sugar reduction benefits. We are seeing a virtual explosion of products containing healthier sweetening agents like Stevia, Monk Fruit, Erythritol and Xylitol that are offering consumers higher quality options when seeking items that contain reduced sugar and calories but still deliver the desired sweet flavor profile they are seeking. GlUTeN FRee FOODS Products labeled as gluten free have been on center stage for many years now. There is evidence to support that this will be a 'bull market' for many, many years to come. The simple fact that common wheat has been overly hybridized, coupled with the fact that people generally consume too much wheat, has contributed to the rise in Celiac disease and related maladies connected to wheat and other glutinous grains. Most people would benefit from minimizing their gluten intake by experiencing increased energy, along with improved digestion and skin tone. Products labeled as gluten free will continue to add value to human nutrition and dollars to your cash register. It is great to see consumers continue to support high quality natural, organic and non-GMO foods, as the movement toward healthy eating being the 'new normal,' is well on its way. Bill Weiland | President | Chief Executive Officer After nearly a dozen years of working in the Natural Products Industry, in varied roles within the sales and retail sectors, he launched Presence Marketing in January, 1990. Bill’s passion for sustainable agriculture, healthy foods and integrated medicine are key drivers behind his commitment to continue building Presence Marketing/Dynamic Presence, the only independently owned, national – natural products brokerage in the United States.