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Posted by Jamie McIntosh Jul 14, 2008 |
When I think of large health insurance providers, I don’t usually picture a group of individuals who care whether or not I have access to or can afford organic produce. Rather, I envision a typical stagnant bureaucracy, complete with cost cutting measures and lots of red tape. Therefore, I was surprised to read a story about Kaiser Permanente’s pilot program to offer its employees a box of locally grown organic produce each week.
No health professional can dispute the value of including more fresh fruits and vegetables in our diets. However, not everyone agrees on the value of produce grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Therefore, I was pleased to hear about the way Kaiser acknowledges the need for its employees to not only eat more fresh fruits and vegetables for their health, but takes the extra step in ensuring that fewer toxic chemicals get into the environment and people’s bodies.
This program is necessary at a time when food costs are soaring, and individuals must seek out the least expensive alternative at the grocery store, which may not include organic choices. When people unfamiliar with locally grown organic produce discover the superior flavor and quality of these fruits and vegetables, they are likely to seek them out again. I hope other employers take note of this innovative employee benefit, and follow suit.