Group protests in Iowa City against Eden Foods

A group of protesters gathered Saturday morning at New Pioneer Co-Op in an effort to get the community-minded organization to stop carrying Eden Foods, an independent organic food producer that doesn't cover birth control for its employees.

Radically Organizing Against Rape, an activist group, organized the protest at New Pioneer's Iowa City store.

Members of the group, who also are members of the co-op, submitted a letter to New Pioneer asking the company to pull Eden products off its shelves. New Pioneer replied to the letter stating that the company does not have any political purchasing policies, which spurred the protest.

'I think it's crazy when a progressive grocery store refuses to listen to its member's concerns about women's rights, women's health care and women's bodies,” said Kelly Gallagher, a protester and member of the activist group.

In July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that owners of private companies can object on religious grounds to a provision of President Barack Obama's health care law that requires employers to provide insurance covering birth control for women.

According to Reuters, the decision, which applies only to a small number of family or other closely-held companies, means an estimated several thousand women whose health insurance comes via such companies may have to obtain certain forms of birth control coverage elsewhere.

New Pioneer issued a statement July 9 to address Eden's stance regarding birth control coverage. The statement said although the co-op does not agree with Eden's stance on birth control, they would continue to sell Eden products because many customers appreciate Eden's commitment to 'strict organic standards.”

But with the increased attention from the protest, Jenifer Angerer, New Pioneer marketing manager, said the co-op could remove Eden products from its shelves.

'We're an owner-based organization, and we will do what our owners want us to do,” she said. ' This will definitely be a topic of discussion on Monday.”

Angerer said New Pioneer generally tries to stay out of political and religious controversies. She said the co-op didn't remove the brand when they received the letter from Radically Organizing Against Rape because, at the time, they had not heard concerns from other members.

Protesters handed out fliers Saturday that said 'Eden Organics is the Hobby Lobby of organic food.”

One of the two cases brought to the U.S. Supreme Court was by arts-and-crafts retailer Hobby Lobby Stores Ltd, which is owned and operated by David and Barbara Green and their children, who are evangelical Christians. The other case was brought by Norman and Elizabeth Hahn, Mennonites who own Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp in Pennsylvania.

Customers could sign the bottom of the flier and submit it to New Pioneer cashiers as a way to ask the store to stop selling Eden Foods' products.

Angerer said the flier system 'is a great opportunity” for New Pioneer to gauge the community's stance on the issue.

The protest also gained attention from community members attending the Iowa City Farmers Market.

'I'm not against the co-op, I'm against Eden Foods,” said Blair Frank, an Iowa City resident. 'I love the co-op, but I think they need to be responsible.”

Reuters contributed to this story.

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