Cows and ethanol

I've been reading a lot lately about the pending corn shortage. Corn has been used for centuries to feed both humans and livestock. But recently the demand for it has grown as a biofuel, using it to make the gasoline substitute E85 (an ethanol blend). George Bush's call to reduce the use of gasoline in the US just fueled (so to speak) the fervor over ethanol as a substitute, as will the report on global warming coming out this week.

But the supply of corn isn't unlimited. Peasants in Mexico are uprising over a sharp increase in the price of tortillas, a dietary staple, the result of a shortage of their primary ingredient: corn.

I doubt that anyone is going to suggest we curb the use of biofuels. Nor are we likely to give up corn (in all its forms, including the ubiquitous corn syrup) as people food. So what's the obvious change? Livestock.

Cattle didn't always eat grain. Their stomachs are made to digest grass, and some theorize that it's the bacteria spawned by their unnatural diets that both force farmers to feed them antibiotics and create the E.coli that can cause so much havoc in humans. Switching cattle to a grass diet - how many problems might that solve?

Sexy farmers and the end of organic?

Michael Ableman dreams of a world that has abandoned Doritos, Twinkies and individually wrapped Kraft Singles.

The farmer, author and photographer sees a system in which everybody buys vegetables from a local farmer – a profession he hopes will be elevated to that of a rock star as a global food crisis creeps closer.

I'm food -- don't fly me

Just as organic food was losing its exclusivity image, it's having to grapple with the detrimental effect on the environment of importing it in the quantities we now desire.

Airfreighting organic food faces UK ban

UK processors may forced to source organic foods closer to home after a certification body proposed an outright ban on airfreighting such products.

A ban is just one of the measures the Soil Association may introduce to respond to the increasing criticism of the environmental damage caused by transporting foods great distances.

Local groceries adhere to organic regulations as Wal-Mart faces suit

Calcium propionate. Disodium EDTA. Potassium metabisulfite. More so than fat and calories, preservatives and pesticides are the new bad guys in grocery store aisles.

But critics say that as the industry grows, quality may be suffering.

ORGANIC RUSH

Organic farmers used to find it an easy enough task to paint themselves as participants in a David-and-Goliath struggle against conventional agribusiness.

These days, said Claire Hope Cummings, things aren't so simple.

Will the term organic still mean anything when it's adopted whole hog by behemoths such as Wal-Mart?

Marin Sun Farms, in Point Reyes, is a collection of ranches on more than 2,000 acres of rolling, certified organic pasture. All year long, cattle and chickens speckle the hills, free to roam and graze at their leisure.

'Fair trade' and 'organic' goods must meet criteria

What does it mean when something claims to be "fair trade" or "organic," or when products are said to be made under conditions that protect workers and the environment?

And how can you be certain that the claims are true?

Even foes of proposed plant see potential in organic meat

While proponents and critics of the Powell meat plant project have debated the merits of the proposed site, management team and public funding, many on both sides of the issue are in agreement on the potential of the organic and natural market.

THE RISE OF ORGANIC MEAT

Every day, Ben Pate herds his chickens to new pastureland on his poultry farm.

While Pate goes through the trouble of moving his bottomless chicken coops each day, his customers go to the trouble of driving out to his Gulf City Road farm to buy the chickens because they believe naturally fed chickens taste better and are better for you.

You are what you eat, eats

Trying to wrap your brain around this title? Let me explain. The meat of animals that you may consume can be either very healthy for you or very much not so, depending on what that animal was fed, or allowed to eat.

Organic advocates accuse Wal-Mart of fraud

Wal-Mart stores continue to label non-organic food as organic, according to a Wisconsin-based coalition representing the organic food industry.

When staff at The Cornucopia Institute of Cornucopia, Wis., surveyed Wal-Mart stores around the country last September, analyzing the giant retailer's decision to sell a wider variety of organic food, they said they discovered widespread problems misleading signage.

Convenience and health make organic food a big sell in Seattle

It's lunchtime on a weekday afternoon in downtown Seattle and a growing line of men and women in business attire is snaking inside the lobby of an Organic To Go deli in the One Union Square Building.

As potential customers walk by in the bustling corridor, a woman in an apron hands them organic soup samples to draw them inside to the soup bar where there are seven choices.

Sales of organic red meat are growing in Great Britain

The sales of organic red meat increased by 12 per cent in the year to 5th November, a report of the analyst Julie Fisher at the Meat and Livestock Commission showed. But Mrs. Fisher also pointed out that the organic market still remained small in relation to total meat sales, with a volume of less than 5,000 tonnes per year, representing less than 1 per cent of the total. The value over the same period was £36 million.

When buying organic makes sense and when it doesn't

Grocery-store shelves are increasingly crowded with pricey organic versions of everything from milk and eggs to hot dogs and beer. But some of the options pitched as healthier may not always be worth their higher price tags.

Sales of organic products have increased sharply, and experts predict the trend will continue

Dramatic increases in the sale of organic goods could make it difficult for supermarkets to keep the green goods on their shelves, industry insiders forecast.

Organic food items in particular are being ripped from store shelves. Keeping fresh stocks available will require increased production and even importing more organic foodstuffs.

Retailing trends and innovations in 2007

Despite comments made earlier this month by UK Environment minister David Milliband that organic foods are not superior to cheaper more conventionally produced foods, the organic sector is expected to maintain its steady growth.

Fishing for Answers About 'Organic' Fish

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

In the United States, the term "organic" has a legal meaning set by the Department of Agriculture. The department has an official label to mark products that have met the requirements of its National Organic Program.

Organic labelling better late than never

When I go shopping at my local health food store, I make sure I have money in the bank. The cost of organic produce is high. I often pay twice as much for organic raisins as I do for regular ones at the local supermarket. But I make the decision to spend the extra cash because I am told that organic produce is better for me. It's produced with fewer herbicides and pesticides than non-organic. Up until now, I simply took the wording on the label as true.

Miliband accused of back-pedalling in organic foods clash

THE Environment Secretary has admitted he eats organic food, despite having declared it a "lifestyle choice" without any proven health benefits.

David Miliband angered organic farmers with his comments earlier this month, which were seen by some as a rebuke to those who criticise conventional farming practices.

New edition of the newsletter!

In the U.K. Save the Bacon stocks up big for the holidays...and now they're willing to share their leftovers. Organic duck, turkey, venison...check it out.

If your holiday gatherings found you a little short on party supplies, now's the time to stock up. Wine Enthusiast is currently running a sale of up to 70% off on holiday accessories and up to 75% on selected glassware.

Beyond wine, if you're looking for some really classy kitchen goods, Sur la Table is also running specials on all kinds of things.

Need to fill those glasses? In the US, Jeriko Estate is offering cases of their 2002 Merlot at 40% off, at $186 plus tax. Contact me if you'd like the tasting notes.

Feature Article: Organic Chocolate

Chocolate. Just the word gets the imagination running and the mouth watering. How fortunate that something so pleasant comes with health benefits in the form of bioflavonoids and antioxidants. But of course this pleasure is double-edged - the fat and sugar prevents us from enjoying this treat as often as we'd like (or it should, in any case!)

Given its downside, it makes sense to choose as wisely as possible when you choose to enjoy chocolate. Make it even more special. Why should organic chocolate be your choice?

The amount of certified organic ingredients in organic chocolate must equal at least 95% of all those used in the production process. As with all organic products, there must be no chemical substances like pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides used on plants and no growth hormones or irradiation in animals. Since chocolate contains both plant- and animal-based ingredients, and additives used on those ingredients ultimately end up in your body, both of these matter. They would also end up in soil, waterways, and even air, so the effects multiply. When you buy certified organic cocoa you can be sure that beans aren't fumigated with methyl bromide, which depletes the ozone layer and is dangerous when inhaled.

Organic farming means also no use of genetically modified ingredients. In the case of cocoa, the beans are cut open and in most cases removed by hand from the open pods, some 400 of which are required for a pound of chocolate. No chemical substances are used during further fermentation and production process. Fine organic chocolate also contains no cocoa-butter vegetable fats or cocoa butter enhancers.

As always, the choice to buy organic affects more than your own body. The producers of organic chocolate care for the environment, encouraging biodiversity of rainforests that are not only the perfect places for raising cocoa plants but also serve as shelter for migratory birds, butterflies and other species.

Much organic chocolate is also fair trade. The world's best regions for growing cocoa, cane sugar and vanilla are Central and South America and Africa. Consider that in Ghana, for example, a cocoa farmer receives about a penny for his contribution to a candy bar that sells for 60 cents. Fair trade chocolate not only creates a market for small farmers in such economically disadvantaged regions. It guarantees both a fair price to the farmers and the assurance that no child or slave labor is used.

Producers of organic chocolate give you more than just that delightful feeling of chocolate melting in your mouth - when you buy it, you do something good for the environment and hard-working Third World farmers.

A shameless plug

This isn't organic, but it's still a good cause! My nine-year-old niece Caitlin has a friend who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Caitlin wanted to help somehow. She's quite an artist, and she and her mom have made note cards out of some of her drawings. They're selling 10 assorted cards for US$10, and net proceeds go to benefit their local pediatric cancer hospital. Check out Caitlin's web site for more information: http://geocities.com/cardsbycaiti.

Organic alternatives catching on

Organic products are popping up everywhere from the local fruit stand to supermarket shelves. Organic alternatives are available for almost every conventional food product — fruits, vegetables, cereal, coffee, milk, meat, and even pet food.

Organic food IS best, producers tell minister

Cumbria’s organic growers have defended their produce after the Environment Secretary David Miliband said there was no conclusive evidence that it was better than conventional food.

Is organic food worth the bigger price bite?

That slightly shrivelled plum, bruised apple and less-than-perfect tomato in the organic produce section of the supermarket might not look as fetching as their non-organic counterparts -- and they almost always cost more. But an increasing number of shoppers are gravitating toward them, especially when it comes to feeding their children.

Still room for growth in organics

When Jasch Hamilton got into the organic produce business in the 1980s, it was a thinly distributed commodity.

So when the University of California-Santa Cruz philosophy grad started an organic farm in Diamond Hill, Maine, he served the hotel and restaurant trade, but found himself most often purchasing from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, which generated most of the available organic products at the time.

Britain's agricultural industry split over 'organic' claims

Britain's agricultural industry is split over claims there is no conclusive evidence that organic food is healthier than products grown by conventional methods.

Organic food 'legally guaranteed'

The organic farming community has fought back against claims their produce is no healthier than food grown by other methods.

Is It Worth Buying Organic?

We all know the old saying "You are what you eat." Possibly no group is more aware of what they put into their bodies than athletes. Who are constantly braking down and then rebuilding muscle, powered predominantly by what they eat. Athletes are well aware of the fat, carbohydrates, protein, sodium, and the plethora of other ingredients in their grocery bags. Some athletes even spend 1.5 to 2.5 more on their monthly grocery bill to purchase organic food, but is the extra cost worth it? The demand for organic foods has grown by 20% annually over the last several years. Many cite the health benefits as well as environmental responsibility they perceive in buying organic. This raises the question, what exactly does it mean to buy and eat "organic" and does it make a difference?

Setting organic standards

New Canadian regulations will take the guesswork out of the decision to shell out an extra 20 cents a pound for those organic bananas.

Is it worth the extra cash? What does organic mean, anyway?

UK: no evidence organic food is better for our health, says Minister

Highly-priced organic food is no better for us than conventionally-grown farm produce, a Minister claimed. Environment Secretary David Miliband said consumers who opted for chemical-free, naturally-produced food did so as a 'lifestyle choice' rather than because science had proved it was healthier.

S. Florida farmers see a fresh profit in organics

As the market for organic produce expands from health food stores to mainstream groceries, farmers are taking notice.

While no statewide records are kept on organic production, Florida farms devote an estimated 12,000 acres to organic cultivation of rice, citrus, watercress, blueberries, mangoes and avocados, said Marty Mesh, executive director of the Florida Organic Growers Association. And organic farming is exploding in Southwest Florida, according to Gene McAvoy, a Hendry County-based extension agent.

Cameron: Farming should go green

Growing crops for bio-fuels, promoting the UK's good animal welfare standards, demand for local food and organic produce all present opportunities for farmers in the years to come - the Conservative leader told the Oxford Farming Conference today.

The Food Politics: Change the world just by buying certain foods

HAS the supermarket trolley dethroned the ballot box? Voter turnout in most developed countries has fallen in recent decades, but sales of organic, Fairtrade and local food-each with its own political agenda-are growing fast. Such food allows shoppers to express their political opinions, from concern for the environment to support for poor farmers, every time they buy groceries. And shoppers are jumping at the opportunity, says Marion Nestle, a nutritionist at New York University and the author of "Food Politics" (2002) and "What to Eat" (2006). "What I hear as I talk to people is this phenomenal sense of despair about their inability to do anything about climate change, or the disparity between rich and poor," she says. "But when they go into a grocery store they can do something-they can make decisions about what they are buying and send a very clear message."

Forum urges Jews to think how did this food get to my plate?

David Frank graduated from New York's French Culinary Institute without ever tasting a single morsel.

As a culinary student, he braised, flambeed and sauteed - then stepped back to allow his classmates to taste and judge the food over which he labored.

An Orthodox Jew from Forest Hills, NY, Frank is a sales and events manager and consulting chef for a kosher caterer. He always dreamed of becoming a chef, but feared his traditional lifestyle might get in the way.

The buzzwords for 2007 are all synonymous with green

Green hasn't gone away. In fact, green -- as in energy efficient, sustainably harvested, nontoxic, organic -- will be one of the public watchwords of 2007, as "green design" has been with an ever-growing number of designers, architects and builders in 2006. Thanks to a steady media drumbeat and celebrity pushes, such as Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," global warming (what was called the greenhouse effect in the 1980s) has finally moved into the common consciousness. Even those who don't intend to give up their Hummers or stop burning their fireplaces are nodding and agreeing that something must be done.