According to the Springfield News-leader, in an article dated March 1st 2013, Michelle Obama visited and toured the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market on Glenstone in Springfield, Missouri on Friday March 1st 2013. She was there as a follow up on her “Let's Move” campaign that she started three years ago. When the campaign was launched in 2010 Wal-Mart agreed to be apart of it. Since that time they have decreased sodium and sugar content in a lot of their products and taken certain products off their shelves replacing them with organic products and much healthier food products. If you regularly shop at Wal-Mart stores you might agree that there has been a big change in what is usually seen on their shelves.
Just three years ago you didn't see organics in Wal-Mart. In fact, Obama said, the American people said they could not afford to eat healthier back when she began her campaign. But today, she says, “These companies are showing us that what is good for kids and what is good for families' budgets, can also be good for business”. Back three years ago when she started her campaign the mentality was that good health is great but there is no money in it, higher profits were found elsewhere. Today however that mentality has changed and in fact, so has the demand. People are wanting healthier choices, they want to know what is in their food and more people are eating a lot more organic foods. Just like anything else in the world, if the demand goes up the prices go down.
It is less expensive today to eat healthier than it used to be. During the official words from Obama, Wal-Mart talked about their new program that follows the guidelines of the “Lets Move” campaign called “Great for you” icon. It will be a green icon that will be placed on certain food items that they feel earns the seal. For instance they say, 1% milk will carry the icon, but 2% will not. Although there will be plenty of controversy with this new program from those that are experts on food nutrition and health, the program will help those that are looking to eat better some. Also present at Mrs. Obama's tour and visit were board members for Ozarks Food Harvest and city council members from the Springfield area.
The relationship between Wal-Mart and OFH was talked about during the official speech as well. Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs from 28 Ozark counties donate 3 million pounds of food to the food bank, including fresh produce every year.
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