OrganicAg News issue #9 8 March 2014
Hi,
Autumn is now upon us, the leaves are starting to change in my part of the world.
Fonterra have a round of meetings with their organic suppliers/shareholders and we trust in the information to date that this will in fact be the new spring of the organic dairy sector rather than the 2011 autumn!
The world certainly seems to be embracing organic certification as concern over food surity continues to grow.
So to the news from around the world this week.
Congratulations;
A Te Aroha goat farmer took out the award for Champion Cheesemaker at this year's New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards.
Jeanne van Kuyk, who runs Aroha Organic Goat Cheese with her husband John, won the Milk Test NZ Champion Cheesemaker Award on Tuesday.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/business/9797065/Te-Aroha-couple-wins-supreme-cheese-award
USDA Organic Programme;
The USDA National Organic Programme (NOP) is often cited as unclear and dictatorial. The latest issue of the NOP Insider issued by the USDA has a very good link to a PDF slide-show explaining the USA's organic system from the 1990 Act to today and all parts in-between.
........On February 4-5, AMS and the National Organic Program (NOP) held training for the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) in Washington, DC. NOSB members represent all segments of the organic community, come from all parts of the United States, and bring diverse perspectives and interests.
Topics covered at the training included: The Organic Foods Production Act, Federal Advisory Committee Act, revised sunset process, rulemaking life cycle, best practices for developing recommendations, and annual ethics and conflict of interest refresher training......
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5106577
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5106584
Soil as Carbon Storehouse.
....... but a key consequence of that transformation has largely been overlooked: a massive loss of soil carbon into the atmosphere. The importance of soil carbon — how it is leached from the earth and how that process can be reversed — is the subject of intensifying scientific investigation, with important implications for the effort to slow the rapid rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. ......
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_weapon_in_climate_fight/2744/
for more NZ related info connect with;
NZ Bio-Char;
AllBlackEarth is the website and blog for the Biochar Interest Group in New Zealand. BIG-NZ is an independent, voluntary group interested in the production and application of biochar in NZ. We welcome your interest in this group and your participation in biochar related activities in NZ..............
CHICAGO, March 6, 2014
CHICAGO, March 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world celebrates the International Year of Family Farming, Food Tank: The Food Think Tank (http://www.FoodTank.com) highlights new research in a report, Food Tank by the Numbers: Family Farming, that features original research from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and draws on dozens of experts. The report proves that family farms—farms or ranches owned and operated by families—are not only feeding the world, but also developing effective ways to address global food security, increase income, protect biodiversity, and conserve the environment for a growing population........
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1776286#ixzz2vJSFwjcc
Food Think Tank is the featured website this issue.
Organic Strawberries;
DUETTE -- An older couple turned up at Wish Farms' strawberry fields in a strawberry red Ford SUV. Johnny and Linda Carson, bean and corn farmers from Missouri, were curious about Wish, which has the largest organic strawberry operation in Florida.
Wish Farms takes risk on organic berries
This season, Wishnatzki planted 470 acres of conventional strawberries and 180 acres of organic strawberries, which represent about 75 percent of Florida's organic strawberry production.
Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2014/02/17/4997831/manatees-wish-farms-bucks-trend.html#storylink=cpy
New Board for a new era at IFOAM EU
The organic sector is calling for a new era, Organic 3.0, at BioFach this year – calling for and exploring the conditions for the sector's future development. In Europe,
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/117969/New-Board-for-a-new-era-at-IFOAM-EU#SlideFrame_1
Korean access update.
Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is the first and only internationally approved certification body to gain accreditation to the South Korean organic standard.
The accreditation means ACO can provide organic certification for both raw and processed food in accordance with the Korean regulations administered...............
http://www.aco.net.au/blog/?p=274
GMO Inside calls on Starbucks to source organic milk from cows not fed GM feed
By Elaine WATSON, 05-Mar-2014
Activist group GMO Inside has turned its attention towards Starbucks in the latest phase of its campaign to persuade big brands to move away from GMOs.
events
Go Green Expo.
April 4-6.
New Zealand's Premier Sustainability, Efficiency, Organics, Natural and Green Products & Services Expo
Celebrating the International Year of the Family Farm.
Aroha Organic Goat Cheese is Certified Organic, GE free and the very first Cheese Co in NZ certified by MPI to produce raw milk cheese. We offer customers a choice of pasteurised or raw milk cheeses, all are hand crafted here on the farm from our own goat milk.
http://www.organicgoatcheese.co.nz/html/index.htm
web site of issue;
Initiated by the Philippines and World Rural Forum, the UN GA declared 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming. Against this background, the FAO and the Hungarian Ministry of Rural Development organised a Global Forum to identify the various political, policy, business and social elements that play a role in the complex environment in which family farms operate. The overall objective was to find ways in which economies and communities could benefit from the values that family farms represent in food production, management of natural resources, biodiversity, human relations and the preservation of cultural heritage.
http://familyfarming.kormany.hu/
Today, Food Tank is releasing a new research report called Food Tank By the Numbers: Family Farming. You can share an article about the report with a link to the complementary download by clicking HERE.
The report proves that family farms—farms or ranches owned and operated by families—are not only feeding the world, but also nourishing the planet. Family Farms are developing effective ways to address global food security, increase income, protect biodiversity, and conserve the environment for a growing population.
http://foodtank.com/
Quote of issue.
"The Earth,that's Nature's Mother,is her tomb;
What is her burying grave,that is her womb."
Romeo and Juliet.
Be sure to forward this to those you think may be interested. They can sign up themselves at;
Regards,
Bill Quinn,
Organic Promotions.
R.D.4 Paeroa. 3674.
www.organicag.co.nz
Organics'---integrity through transparency!
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