OrganicAg News issue#13 1st May 2014
April has come and gone and things only seem to get busier.
To a catch up on the international news.
Access to the Chinese Organic market.
In January this year the Chinese government announced it would allow foreign auditors to be trained to the Chinese organic standard
http://www.aco.net.au/blog/?p=295
World's Number 1 Herbicide Discovered in U.S. Mothers' Breast Milk
Moms Across America Founder and Director, Zen Honeycutt, stated Monday, "When I was told by several doctors and labs that I could not test my own or my children's urine for the most widely used herbicide in the world over a year ago, I became determined to find a way. Parents and citizens deserve the ability to be able to take care of themselves and their families by finding out if herbicides could be impacting their health. The purpose of this glyphosate testing project is to shed light upon the presence of glyphosate in our water, children's bodies and mother's breast milk, hopefully inspiring further scientific studies to support the world in being a healthy, safe place to live.
Organic groups criticize Cancer Research UK report
Organic groups and campaigners have criticized a study funded by Cancer Research UK that has found that women who eat organic food are no less likely to develop cancer than women who eat a conventional diet.
When looking at the results for 16 individual types of cancer the researchers found a small increase in risk for breast cancer but a reduction (21%) in the risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in women who mostly ate organic food.
http://www.naturalproductsonline.co.uk/organic-groups-criticize-cancer-research-uk-report/
Corporate Clout Chips Away at Organic Standards
By Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins
Organic Consumers Association, April 2, 2014 Without any input from the public, the USDA changed the way the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) decides which non-organic materials are allowed in certified organic. The change all but guarantees that when the NOSB meets every six months, the list of non-organic and synthetic materials allowed in organic will get longer and longer
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_29653.cfm
USDA Guts National Organic Law.
In a move decried by consumer and environmental groups as severely weakening the meaning of the organic label, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this week that the agency had changed the process for exempting otherwise prohibited substances (such as synthetics) in food that carries the "organic" or "made with organic" label. No public comment period was provided for the changes to this policy, which had been in place since 2005.
http://consumersunion.org/news/u-s-department-of-agriculture-guts-national-organic-law/
Russia will not import GMO products - PM Medvedev
Russia will not import GMO products, the country's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said, adding that the nation has enough space and resources to produce organic food.
Moscow has no reason to encourage the production of genetically modified products or import them into the country, Medvedev told a congress of deputies from rural settlements on Saturday.
"If the Americans like to eat GMO products, let them eat it then. We don't need to do that; we have enough space and opportunities to produce organic food," he said.
http://rt.com/news/russia-import-gmo-products-621/
A follow up from OrganicAg News issue#8
French Winemaker fined.
A French organic winegrower who refused to spray his Burgundy vineyard with pesticide was ordered on Monday to pay a €500 fine for flouting official regulations
Organic revolution in Thailand.
In the grow-sell-consume cycle for fruit and vegetables, farmers are seldom in touch with those who eat their produce, while the consumers have little or no information on how farms are maintained and how crops are grown. An organic produce market that is now thriving in Nakhon Pathom Thailand is filling in the gaps and raising health levels for all.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/403520/organic-revolution-takes-off
Walmart aims to drive down price of organic food.
In the US starting this month Walmart aims to drive down the price of organic food nationwide with its new in-house line of 100 or so products in exclusive partnership with Wild Oats, a pioneering health brand of the 1980s.
Organic Industry Achieved 25 Years of Fast Growth Through Fear and Deception
A 3,400-percent increase in sales in 24 years makes organic the fastest-growing consumer food and lifestyle trend in modern history, say independent researchers looking into the industry's strategies and marketing practices.
What they've found, though, isn't pretty. Those robust sales, they say, were built on the backs of American taxpayers with deceptive practices involving the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a willing participant
GAIA; Green Agriculture Innovation Awards.
Applications close 7th May 2014.
With ten sections these awards offer something for everyone in the Green Agricultural field.
Be sure to encourage your organic farmers, youth, input suppliers, consultants etc to apply. Be a shame for high petrochemical input food and fibre participants to gain all the awards because organic farmers/support did not even enter!
http://www.biologicalfarmers.co.nz/gaia-awards.html
Events;
Biodynamic Conference,
23 - 25 May 2014 in Palmerston North
All who are interested in biodynamics are welcome at this conference. We have aimed to make this conference practically orientated and relevant to a wide spectrum of people. Whether you have been using biodynamics for a long time or know little about it, there should be plenty to interest you.
http://www.biodynamic.org.nz/conf.html
Organic Sector Forum 2014;
June 16-18th 2014.
For all Primary Producers and support services.
The program update will be released next week.
Major sponsors are Pacific BioFert Ltd, AgriSea Ltd and Natural Sugars Ltd.
Celebrating the International Year of the Family Farm.
Broadlands Farm and Kiwi Organics.
Mike and Bridget Parker have set up their Kiwi Organics farming operation on land owned by the Parker Family for more than 50 years. The area, on the East Coast of New Zealand (1 hour north of Gisborne), is long established for farming and is bounded by areas of virgin native forest, mountain streams and prolific birdlife. Their farm 'Broadlands', is one of the oldest Certified Organic farms in New Zealand and Mike has won NZ Organic Farmer of the Year.
http://www.kiwiorganics.com/about.html
http://nzlifeandleisure.co.nz/the-miller-his-wife/
Website of Issue;
Dot-BIO
.BIO has been created for the organic food and farming industry. Indeed, in many countries like Germany or France, the short term "bio" means organic. As 'bio' is the prefix of many words like biography or biology, registrations are also open to companies and individuals willing to share biography-related contents or biology-contents.
.BIO domain names will be available in May 2014.
Quote of Issue;
"I chose a ".bio web" address because it is innovative. It's brilliant that you can show that you're part of the organic world in your URL! I also really like how ".bio" domains are differentiated from ".fr" domains as they have an actual meaning. It simply is the ideal domain name for organic businesses."
Stéphane Lagarde, founder of Filéane.France.
Regards,
Bill Quinn,
Organic Promotions.
R.D.4 Paeroa. 3674.
www.organicag.co.nz
Organics'---integrity through transparency!
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