When is Raw not Raw?

When the USDA gets involved of course.  The USDA has mandated that raw almonds grown in the US be pasteurized.  So by the common persons definition raw almonds aren’t.  At least they aren’t if they are grown in the US, the rule doesn’t apply to imported almonds.

Not to be outdone, Ohio is now considering making it illegal to label milk ‘rBHG free‘ or ‘artifical growth hormone-free’ using the argument that such labeling implies that the other stuff is bad and would be unfairly discriminating against those products originating from cows that aren’t enhanced (Lets ignore for a minute that the stuff is banned in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and All 25 European Union countries.  I’m sure those countries just banned it for completely unjustified reasons – right, thats it).  So what is next?  Any other labeling that may imply another product isn’t as good?  ‘low-fat’, ‘sugar-free’, ‘cholesterol free’, ‘GMO free’, etc.  All imply the product in question is better (and the product without the label is therefore inferior).  It’s a very short step from banning ‘hormone-free’ to banning these and others like ‘local’ or  ‘raw’ which many customers look for in the honey they buy.  

So much for truth in advertising.   (We need to apply these rules to political candidates and their ads.  You can say anything you want as long as it in no way implies that you are better in any way than anyone else.)