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| June 10, 2009 |
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Organic dairy suit dismissed
BOULDER - A judge ruled to dismiss claims against Aurora Organic Dairy in a class action lawsuit asserting that the dairy's product was not organic.
Aurora and other defendants in the suit -- including Safeway Inc., Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. -- had all claims dismissed. The allegations against Aurora included violation of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act; breach of express warranty; breach of implied warranty of merchantability; negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.
The judge ruled that the plaintiffs' claims "attempt to erode the 'national standards'..." in place to certify and regulate the organic industry. If the plaintiffs' case had proceeded, every organic producer would be at threat of lawsuit under 50 states' laws. The judge also decided that plaintiffs' claims that the milk produced did not meet organic standards does not hold merit because Aurora's organic license was never revoked, suspended or surrendered.
The battle erupted years ago between Aurora and a Wisconsin-based advocacy group. In 2005, the Cornucopia Institute filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, asking the agency to investigate violations of the federal organic law at Aurora's Platteville dairy operation. In August 2007, Aurora agreed to meet several conditions required by the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service in order to maintain organic certification for its Platteville plant. The Cornucopia Institute filed the class action in October 2007.
The suit sought reimbursement to consumers "harmed by the company's actions and (requested) an injunction be put in place to halt the ongoing sale of Aurora's organic milk until it can be demonstrated that the company is complying with federal regulations," according to a Cornucopia press release. |
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40 under Forty deadline extended
LOVELAND - The new deadline for submitting nominations for the Northern Colorado Business Report's 40 under Forty Class of 2009 is now June 22.
NCBR will once again recognize 40 of the region's emerging leaders, business people under the age of 40 who are and will continue to shape the future of Northern Colorado.
Honorees will be selected by a panel of Northern Colorado community leaders and recognized the 40 Under Forty Lunch, part of this year's Bixpo event on Sept. 17 at Embassy Suites Convention Center in Loveland.
Qualifications are simple: 40 Under Forty candidates must be under 40 years old as of Sept. 16, 2009; live and work in Larimer or Weld county; not have been a previous 40 Under 40 honoree; have had an impact on his or her organization; made significant contributions of time and talent to the Northern Colorado community; and show potential for being a leader during the next decade.
Complete rules and a nomination form can be found at www.ncbr.com. Click on Events on the lefthand side of the homepage, then click on the 40 under Forty logo to download a form in .pdf format.
Completed nominations may be e-mailed to ddahlgren@ncbr.com, or mailed to 40 Under Forty Nominations, Northern Colorado Business Report, 141 S. College Ave., Fort Collins CO 80524. For more information, contact NCBR Marketing Director De Dahlgren at 970-221-5400, ext. 202. |
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New Belgium led by 'stellar CEO'
FORT COLLINS - Fortune Small Business acknowledged New Belgium Brewing Co. for its innovations in employee relations.
New Belgium was featured as part of the magazine's June cover story titled "The New Leader" detailing six "stellar CEOs" motivating their staffs in hard times. The story details how employee benefit programs -- such as ownership stake, free bikes and a trip to Belgium after five years -- are geared toward pushing the company's values under CEO Kim Jordan.
With 320 employees, New Belgium was the largest company profiled. |
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Odell Brewing breaks ground on expansion
FORT COLLINS - Odell Brewing Co. broke ground on its expansion project Tuesday and announced it is partnering with two local companies to provide it with solar power.
The expansion project will add to the brewery's manufacturing, office and taproom facilities.
"While we are expanding capacity, we are really viewing this as an investment in innovation in both style and process," said brewery owner Wynne Odell, in a prepared statement. "Not only will the brewery gain much-needed space, but it will also improve its creative brewing processes with investments such as a single-serve packaging line and a new barrel aging cellar."
Odell is working with RB+B Architects, BHA Designs, Northern Engineering and Delta Construction and will incorporate a number of environmentally friendly elements. Solar developer Abound Solar and integrator Wirsol will install solar panels on the facility that will generate 50 kilowatts of energy -- about one-third of the brewery's summer daily peak demand.
Other elements of the expansion project will include improvements to parking, shipping and the landscaping. Odell expects the project to be completed in early 2010. |
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Clean energy jobs grow twice as fast in Colorado
DENVER - Jobs in Colorado's clean energy economy grew more than twice as fast as overall jobs between 1998 and 2007, according to a report by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The study looked at the actual jobs, companies and venture capital investments that supply market demand for environmentally friendly products and services in all 50 states.
Pew's analysis found that between 1998 and 2007, jobs in Colorado's clean energy economy grew at a rate of 18.2 percent, while overall jobs in the state grew by 8.2 percent. Nationally, jobs in the clean energy sector grew at a rate of 9.1 percent while jobs overall grew by only 3.7 percent. The clean energy economy outperformed overall job growth in 38 states and the District of Columbia over the same period.
In 2007, there were more than 17,000 clean energy jobs in Colorado, according to the study. Pew says its numbers are a hard count of actual jobs, businesses and investments and do not rely on estimates, multipliers or projections.
"A clean energy economy generates jobs, businesses and investments while expanding clean energy production, increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste and pollution, and conserving water and other natural resources," according to the report.
It breaks clean energy jobs into five categories: clean energy; energy efficiency; environmentally friendly production; conservation and pollution mitigation; and training and support. Included are jobs as diverse as engineers, plumbers, administrative assistants, construction workers, machine setters, marketing consultants, teachers and many others with annual incomes ranging from $21,000 to $111,000.
Venture capital investment in clean technology in Colorado totaled more than $620 million over the past three years -- the fifth-largest amount in the nation -- three-quarters of which has been invested in clean energy generation.
"I am very proud that Pew Charitable Trust is confirming our vision to transform Colorado into a national and international leader on new energy," said Gov. Bill Ritter in a statement releasing the findings. "We have been extremely deliberate about rebuilding our state's economy and converting it to a sustainable and knowledge-based one."
Colorado's clean energy economy will also receive a boost from the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which allocates nearly $85 billion nationwide in direct spending and tax incentives for energy- and transportation-related programs.
"Abound Solar is proud to be part of Colorado's clean energy economy," said Russell Kanjorski, marketing vice president for Abound Solar, which recently began commercial production in Longmont. "In less than 30 months, we have taken a technology from the labs at Colorado State University, hired 200 employees, and built a world-class manufacturing facility that will reduce the cost of clean, renewable energy."
Colorado provides financial incentives for clean energy and has created both a renewable portfolio standard and an energy efficiency resource standard. The complete study is available online at www.pewtrusts.org/cleanenergyeconomy. |
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