Natural products industry champion Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) is one step closer to keeping his seat in Congress. In a sweeping victory over opponent Dan Liljenquist, Hatch won his party’s nomination with 67% of the vote. He hopes to beat out Democrat challenger Scott Howell to win the seat this fall.

S.K. Dash, president of UAS Labs, Eden Prairie, MN and adjunct professor at South Dakota State University, will make a presentation about Selection Criteria for Probiotics at the International Probiotic Conference 2012 in San Antonio, TX (Nov. 19–21).

Michael Potter, chairman and president of Eden Foods of Clinton, MI, testified before the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on May 22, 2012. He focused on the “continued dilution of organic standards by the USDA and the driving need for NOSB to act as a steadfast gatekeeper to preserve the authenticity of organic food.”

Vancouver, WA-based Biokleen hired Richard J. Miller to be its new director of sales for the Eastern/Midwest territory.

On May 21, 2012, attorney Scott Polisky and Rory Lipsky, marketing director of Jarrow Formulas, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, spoke with U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner at an event in Los Angeles about issues concerning FDA. Stated Polisky, “The Speaker was most receptive to our expression of concern over the FDA’s accelerating assault on the dietary supplement industry—threatening its viability—and to our request for Congressional hearings on the subject, including an inquiry into the Agency’s ill-advised and unlawful New Dietary Ingredient Draft Guidance, a clear attempt to subvert DSHEA and the intent of Congress.”

Carla Maxwell Ray has joined Vitamin Angels of Santa Barbara, CA as director of strategic partnerships and external relations.

Harold “Buster” Fox joined ESM Technologies of Carthage, MO as eastern region sales manager.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, August 2012