Organic Sector Forum 2014.
Organic Promotions can now confirm Mai Chen, respected lawyer, is to speak on legal aspects of GE crops as part of The Right to Farm session at the Forum in June. It ishugly important to have people of this calibre engaging in the debate around farm practise.
Bart Arnst from the wine sector will join Dr Mike Joy in the session Organic vs Imitator and the chair of Organic Farm NZ will join the certification panel.
http://www.organicag.co.nz/index.php?page=forum
By Elaine WATSON, 09-May-2014
As anti-GMO activists celebrated their first major victory in Vermont this week with the passage of GMO labeling bill H112 , the GMA said it would mount a legal challenge within weeks. But while big food companies may well win the courtroom battle ahead, they are losing the battle to win hearts and minds, says one market watcher.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Markets/Vermont-GMO-labeling-bill-presents-packaged-food-companies-with-a-serious-quandary-says-Rabobank-analyst
more on the same topic at;
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/5/8/vermont-gmo-label.html
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/08/vermont-first-us-state-gm-labelling-food
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/08/vermont-gmo-labeling_n_5290485.html
Organics in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Pakistani growers are turning to organic farming as a way to adapt to climate change, boost food security for their families and increase their income.
http://www.trust.org/item/20140509104351-rndtj
Organic growth in LA
Nationwide sales of organic products continued to experience healthy growth last year, jumping 11.5% to $35.1 billion, according to the Organic Trade Assn.
The Washington-based group representing organic businesses said growth rates are expected to at least keep pace the next two years.
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-organic-sales-20140515-story.html
Colombia seeks international recognition as a producer of organic food
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development received a delegation from the European Union that will assess a request made by Colombia to ensure that its national standards are on par with the European ones so that they have better opportunities of exporting organic products to this important market and achieve the opening of international markets for certified organic agricultural production.
The country's aim is to be a part of the select list of third countries that the European Union recognizes implement organic production principles and a control system equivalent to theirs
Controversy Erupts Over Process of Allowing Non-Organics in Organic Agriculture
By Cookson Beecher | May 12, 2014
Rumblings over a new USDA policy about which synthetic (non-organic) materials can be used in organic agriculture sparked heated blowback on legal and political fronts during a four-day meeting late last month of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) in Texas.
Paddington Markets is going organic for a day
In addition to the knock-off wayfarers and handmade leather goods of the usual markets, a one-off event is set to showcase local producers of organic food, wine and textiles.
Not to be confused with Industrial Hemp!
The first legal certified ‘pot’ cannabis in the world ready to go in Canada...........
The company is awaiting certification from the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association, and owners are confident they’ll have that ticket by summer, potentially making it the first commercial organic medical pot producer in the world. - See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/whistler-pot-producer-aims-to-be-canada-s-first-organic-grower-1.1056694#sthash.MPKEQJLI.dpuf
The company is awaiting certification from the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association, and owners are confident they’ll have that ticket by summer, potentially making it the first commercial organic medical pot producer in the world. - See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/whistler-pot-producer-aims-to-be-canada-s-first-organic-grower-1.1056694#sthash.MPKEQJLI.dpuf
Whole Foods suffers as organic niche goes mainstream.
Whole Foods shares dropped nearly 19 per cent on Wednesday – their largest one-day fall in more than five years – after the upmarket US grocer warned of increasing competition in natural and organic foods from mainstream rivals.
Financial Times. New York.
Whistler pot producer aims to be Canada’s first organic grower
Company hopes to gain official certification
- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/whistler-pot-producer-aims-to-be-canada-s-first-organic-grower-1.1056694#sthash.MPKEQJLI.dpuf
Whistler pot producer aims to be Canada’s first organic grower
Company hopes to gain official certification
- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/whistler-pot-producer-aims-to-be-canada-s-first-organic-grower-1.1056694#sthash.MPKEQJLI.dpuf
or from the Wall Street Journal;
BioCultura
Spain largest EU organic producer with lowest consumption
According to Angeles Parra, director of BioCultura, the organic produce and responsible consumption fair, Spain is the European Union's largest organic producer, but at the same time, it also registers the lowest consumption levels of such products.
Parra called Spain "Europe's great granary", as 80% of the country's organic production, grown on more than 1,800,000 hectares, is exported overseas.
"Organic agriculture and livestock farming gives employment to 50,000 people in Spain, but it is a sector that could generate still more work because it is based on small and medium enterprises," stressed Parra, who added that the Spanish average spending on these products is 20 Euro per person per year, while in countries such as Switzerland, Denmark and Germany this figure rises to 160 Euro.
After being held in Valencia, and before going to Bilbao and Madrid, BioCultura arrived this weekend to the Catalan capital. The event was held at Palau Sant Jordi, where it attracted over 60,000 visitors with its 400 activities and 700 companies invited.
Nigeria: Organic Farming - Is Nigeria Lagging Behind?
By Ahmed Dio Agbo, 8 May 2014
This trend is as well finding its way into the developing countries, including Nigeria. The use of inorganic fertilizers, which is injurious to the soil and human health as a result of consumption of foods produced using the fertiliser, is being gradually discouraged in Nigeria
rganic farming is widely thought to be the healthy choice - not only nutritionally but because organic farmers are required (in general) to keep their crops chemical- and pesticide-free. But in poverty-stricken Gaza, people are more frequently buying conventionally-grown foods. - See more at: http://www.greenprophet.com/2014/05/organic-farming-gaza/#sthash.C41pbVUt.dpuf
rganic farming is widely thought to be the healthy choice - not only nutritionally but because organic farmers are required (in general) to keep their crops chemical- and pesticide-free. But in poverty-stricken Gaza, people are more frequently buying conventionally-grown foods. - See more at: http://www.greenprophet.com/2014/05/organic-farming-gaza/#sthash.C41pbVUt.dpuf
Organic Mangoes Recalled for Listeria
Wed, May 7, 2014 at 11:05 AM
If you think "organic" means safe, think again. Organic, "Purity" brand mangoes are being recalled because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a nasty organism that can make people very ill and cause miscarriages.
Organic and the World Football Cup
The enterprises that will sell the family farm products in kiosks Campaign Organic and Sustainable Brazil during the World Cup , have already been selected
The owners don’t want to give away their trade secrets, as they are likely soon to be Canada’s only legal supplier of organic cannabis under the new federal licensing system that came into effect April 1. There are very few competitors in the organic market, given how difficult it is to use this method to grow pot. - See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/whistler-pot-producer-aims-to-be-canada-s-first-organic-grower-1.1056694#sthash.MPKEQJLI.dpuf
North American Organic Brewers Festival celebrates 10th anniversary
More than 15,000 beer lovers, music fans and supporters of sustainable living will come together at the North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF) the last weekend of June to “Drink Organic, Save the Planet, One Beer at a Time.” The 10th annual event will take place June 26 through
Organic Food Companies Greening Their Supply Chains,
Says Sustainable Food Trade Association
SFTA members have an overwhelming commitment to organic agriculture and food. In fact, 87 percent of the total product weight managed by reporting SFTA manufacturers and distributors is certified organic. This means that the reporting companies alone bought more than 1.5 billion pounds of organic food!
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.
http://www.organicag.co.nz/index.php?page=forum
National Agricultural Fieldays.
June 11 –14th Hamilton.
Some 16 companies are listed as organic for this event...............
http://www.fieldays.co.nz/findinfo_sbt_st=224_.html
Organic Expo.
Auckland July 5th & 6th.
New Zealand's Consumer and Trade Sustainability Show, 4th year in 2014, unveils "4 shows under 1 roof". It will showcase the range of creative and responsible products, organic, services and innovation already available and soon to be, which can help us all live a healthier lifestyle and achieve a healthier planet. -
http://www.organicexpo.co.nz/
Celebrating the International Year of the Family Farm.
Clive Sinclair (deceased) had a vision about soil nutrient and how to farm, his son Bill Sinclair now runs the company started in 1987 and has the BioGro number 171. Read more about this family business supporting the family farm.
http://www.biofert.co.nz/
Quote of Issue;
‘every time you take a step in a mature Oregon forest, your foot is being supported on the backs of 16,000 invertebrates held up by an average total of 120,000 legs’
Dr Andrew Moldenke, Oregon State university.
Regards,
Bill Quinn,
Organic Promotions.
R.D.4 Paeroa. 3674.
www.organicag.co.nz
Organics'---integrity through transparency!
