MAHO is a 15-state regional trade association committed to supporting the natural products industry
MAHO EXPO “SUMMER SPLASH”
CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
July 24-26, 2026 – Hilton Columbus at Easton
Membership
MAHO members are Independent Natural Products Industry Retailers, Manufacturers, Brokers and Distributors throughout the Midwest.
Trade Show
The MAHO Expo and Summer Splash Convention is the annual premier event bringing association retailers, exhibitors and industry professionals together.
Advocacy
With your participation we continue to effect policy change and ensure that we maintain your right to sell products, and the rights of your customers to make healthy choices.
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A survey in Minneapolis found that 95% of park users support less mowing. Cities that cut back save up to 36% on maintenance. And the fireflies are coming back.![]()
In the early 2010s, researchers at the University of Minnesota surveyed park users in Minneapolis about mowing frequency. The result was striking. Ninety-five percent of respondents supported less mowing in parks. They preferred natural spaces with longer grass and wildflowers over closely cropped turf. The finding has been cited repeatedly in conservation literature as evidence that public opposition to natural landscaping is weaker than municipal maintenance departments assume.![]()
The financial argument is equally compelling. Studies indicate that park managers can save up to 36 percent on maintenance costs by reducing mowing frequency from 15 times per year to 10. Fewer mowings mean less fuel, less labor, less equipment wear, and lower emissions. It also means less noise. City parks become quieter places.![]()
The ecological benefits extend beyond bees. Fireflies, which have declined across the eastern United States, require undisturbed vegetation and moist soil. Frequent mowing destroys their habitat and disrupts their life cycle. Parks that mow less report increased firefly activity. The connection is direct. When grass is allowed to grow, the insects that depend on it return.![]()
Minneapolis is not an outlier. Cities across the country are experimenting with reduced mowing regimes. In Appleton, Wisconsin, the birthplace of American No Mow May, park participation has grown every year. In Iowa, the Department of Natural Resources encourages landowners to mow roadside ditches only after August 1 to protect nesting birds and pollinators.![]()
The 95% figure matters because it gives city councils political cover. Park managers often worry that residents will complain about tall grass. The Minneapolis survey suggests the opposite. Residents prefer it. They find it more beautiful, more interesting, and more alive. The challenge is not public opinion. The challenge is changing maintenance schedules that have been locked in place for decades.![]()
When a city mows less, it saves money, reduces emissions, and creates habitat. And at dusk, the fireflies start blinking again. That is not a small thing.
Your spider plant does more than decorate your home. In sealed-chamber studies, it helped remove formaldehyde by working with root microbes that break it down into compounds the plant can use. Nature's recycling system at work.![]()
#SpiderPlant #IndoorPlants #CleanAir
🚨 A shocking new study presented at ENDO 2026 reveals that one of the most common chemicals in everyday plastics may be rewiring children’s brains before birth. ![]()
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The effects can last a lifetime. ![]()
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The culprit is DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), the invisible plasticizer used since the 1930s to make rigid PVC plastic soft and flexible.![]()
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This chemical lurks everywhere: in shower curtains, rubber toys, IV bags and medical tubing (posing extra risks for premature babies in NICUs), flooring, raincoats, food packaging, cosmetics, fragrances, and more. ![]()
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It readily leaches into fatty foods, oily products, and even indoor air.![]()
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Researchers from the University of Buenos Aires exposed pregnant rats to DEHP daily from the first day of pregnancy through weaning. ![]()
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When the male offspring reached adulthood at 70 days old, they displayed significantly higher anxiety levels. ![]()
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This happened long after the chemical had left their systems. ![]()
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In the elevated plus maze test, these rats spent far less time exploring open spaces, lingered longer in enclosed arms, and froze in place more often. ![]()
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These are classic signs of persistent anxiety.![]()
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Lead researcher Dr. Osvaldo Juan Ponzo explained, “This research demonstrates that one of the most widely used plasticizers worldwide is capable of causing behavioral changes when the subject is exposed during the prenatal and immediate postnatal developmental stages, with this effect lasting over time.”![]()
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The mechanism involves DEHP disrupting GABA (the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter) and testosterone signaling during critical fetal brain development windows. ![]()
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This essentially rewires neurological architecture. ![]()
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Strikingly, treating the adult rats with GABA agonists or testosterone reversed the anxiety-like behaviors.![]()
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Phthalates like DEHP are established endocrine disruptors. ![]()
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Human studies link prenatal exposure to attention problems, behavioral challenges, and impacts on brain development. ![]()
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While the EU has heavily restricted DEHP and California banned it in certain medical devices in 2024, the U.S. lags behind. ![]()
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Safer alternatives with far better safety margins are available.![]()
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Practical steps you can take today to protect your family: ![]()
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• Switch to glass, stainless steel, or silicone for food storage and baby products. ![]()
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• Never heat food or drinks in plastic. ![]()
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• Avoid soft PVC items around pregnant women and young children. ![]()
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• Opt for phthalate-free personal care items, and exercise caution with medical plastics for hospitalized infants.![]()
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The health of future generations depends on the choices we make now. ![]()
Awareness is the first step toward change.
MAHO Member News!
Calling all Independent Natural Product Retailers... It is time to register for the 2024 MAHO Expo!
Call the MAHO Office and register today @ 614-798-1117. We have a sold-out show floor with many brand-new exhibitors just waiting for you - with fabulous discounts!