Fair-trade coffee price unchanged after 10 years

Coffee drinkers who prefer a shot of social justice with their morning java might be surprised to learn that the minimum price paid to fair trade coffee-growers hasn't changed in 10 years.

Africa: Organic Food Exporters Risk Loss in British Markets

The International Trade Centre is taking a strong stand against a proposed ban on airfreighting organic fruits and vegetables from developing countries to Britain.

Britain: Organic Sales hit ₤ 2 billion mark

On the occasion of the Organic Fortnight 2007, the Soil Association’s annual Organic Market Report was published. It showed that organic food and drink sales in the UK hit the £ 2 billion mark (€ 3 billion) for the first time in 2006, equalling a market growth rate of 22 % during that year. The retail market for organic products has grown by an average of 27 % a year during the last decade.

Special from Save the Bacon

For organic meat in the UK - The new outbreak of foot & mouth disease has let to restrictions on animal movements. At this time, Save the Bacon has a limited amount of Chateaubriand available on offer at 20% discount on a first come basis. They also have fresh game and a series of specials, but encourage you to order early to ensure supply.

Grouse
Partridge
Wild Duck
Rabbit
Pigeon
Venison
Guinea Fowl


They have the following special offers on free range turkey and chickens:

Whole Free Range Chickens 21% off
Free range chicken leg quarters 30% off
Free range chicken mince 20% off
Turkey mince turkey diced 30% off
Turkey Mince 30% off

Green Grapes Grow On Oregon

Simply put, growing good grapes requires planting the right vines in the right soil in the right climate and letting nature do its work.

Of course, it's never that simple. Growers are at the mercy of weather, soil conditions and pests in a never-ending quest to control a patch of ground that can produce fruit that will make good wine.

Put your cash where your principles are

Sales of organic products are soaring, and so is the performance of some of the "green" funds that invest people's money in these businesses. Organic food and drink sales in the UK nudged the £2bn mark for the first time in 2006, and more than half of us have bought organic fruit and vegetables within the past 12 months, according to a new report from the Soil Association.

Today's Specials and Recommendations

Those of you in the UK - did you know that September is Organic Harvest Month? Even better, the two weeks from 1 September to 16 September is the Soil Association Organic Fortnight. What better time to stock up on organic goodies!

Coffee drinkers: The latest from CoffeeAM is a 1/2 pound sample of its Chocolate Strawberry coffee, complimentary with an $15 purchase. It's not organic, but CoffeeAM has a number of good coffees that are.

More for coffee drinkers: Mother Earth is offering free shipping with the purchase of any three bags of their Conscientious Coffee. That's good through September.

Coffee for Less is another good source right now. Coffee for home, coffee for the office, tea, stuff that goes with it - they're showing quite a nice organic selection. Use coupon code CFL to get 5% off too.

Lake Champlain Chocolates has organic, fair trade hot chocolate as well.

Meat eaters: Save the Bacon in the UK has all kinds of specials running - more than I can comfortably put in this newsletter! They often run one-day specials, so if you're interested, I'd recommend subscribing to their email list.

Are you in San Francisco or New York City? Ideal Bite is starting local versions of its eco-tips newsletter later this month. Subscribe to their regular email tips and you'll be able to get local tips as well starting September 24 (San Fran) or September 25 (NYC.) Even for those of us who don't live in those local areas, the free newsletter is worth a look.

Found some great deals on kitchen items too. Wine Enthusiast is clearing out a lot of inventory and is highlighting its Vintage Chart Appetizer Plates - a $29.95 value now at just $5.00 Sur la Table is hitting the sales pretty hard too.

CyberCucina is always worth a look - organic olive oils, spices, all kinds of goodies.

If these don't pique your interest, I know something else will:
Organic wine
Organic coffee
Organic produce
Organic meat
Organic chocolate

Organic or conventional food? Choice hinges on your goals

Just in time for the celebration of September as Organic Harvest Month, a report by the British Nutrition Foundation catapults back into the spotlight the debate over whether organic foods are more nutritious than their conventional counterparts.

Growers label their crops organic ... sort of

A major fruit company has decided to convert 100 percent of its stone fruit trees to organic farming practices, part of the ongoing push to meet consumers' insatiable demand for healthier food.

But Stemilt Growers Inc., a bit player in the stone fruit industry but one of the nation's leading apple suppliers, isn't waiting two years to capitalize on the switch. The company has created a new label — Artisan Naturals — to sell its naturally-farmed fruit, an effort to get a higher price for the fruit even if it can't yet come with an "organic" sticker.

Organic a serious commercial option for NZ food industry

New Zealand's Minister of Agriculture, Biosecurity Fisheries and Forestry Jim Anderton, gave full backing to the organic food sector at Organics Aotearoa New Zealand's national conference.

Future bright for organic farming

Sunday's Advertiser report on Certified Organic Operations verifies the slow but steady increase in organic farming in Louisiana. It also emphasizes the ongoing debate over whether organic food - produced in operations that avoid or largely exclude the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators and livestock feed additives - is actually healthier.

Change Your Entire Dietary Lifestyle with Organic Meats

Not everyone knows about the fact that you can get not only organic produce but also organic meats. This enables you to change your entire dietary lifestyle if you so wish, without having to compromise on such things as organic meats and organic dairy products, substituting the non-organic stuff instead.

Court finds egg packer substituted organic with conventional eggs

An egg packer and supplier has been found to have substituted and sold non-organically produced eggs as organic eggs over a two year period.

Fairtrade: Is It As Fair As It Sounds?

The term "Fairtrade" has been gaining steady acknowledgment since the 1940s - and justifiably so. After all, when consumers pay just a little more for products like organic coffee, bananas, chocolate and even clothes, farmers are guaranteed a fair price for their goods and labour. So, the fact that over 2,500 product lines in the UK now carry the Fairtrade mark - not to mention that Britain spent over £290 million on fair trade coffee, food, furniture and clothing last year (an increase of 46% on the previous year) - should seem like a good thing, right?

What it means to be organic

Organic isn’t just something we eat. It’s something we live. Organic means that you care enough about your health and the health of those around you, including insects, animals, plants, the earth, the air and water, to change the way you live in order to protect them. I suggest that Acton is in a position to be a model for how a small piece of the universe can wake up and make a difference in the health and well-being of its residents by more conscious consumption and disposal. Here are some examples.

Organic Farming: Growing Green

From Oregon-grown apples to snake fruit from Indo-nesia, supermarket shelves in the UAE overflow with fruits and vegetables from all over the world.

But do you really know what is in, or on, the food you eat?
With numerous pesticide-related horror stories popping up everywhere, it’s no wonder more farmers are switching to organic methods of farming, and consumers are noticing the difference.

Eco-friendly wines

Many consumers are seeking an organic alternative to conventional wines.

As a result, more and more wineries are discovering added benefits of catering to public demand for organic. Biodynamic growing methods produce healthier vines and, in some cases, the wines are less costly to make. And there’s more: the wines can be more flavourful and more distinctive to the specific region and vineyard.

(want to know where to find these eco-friendly wines? There are lots of places listed in the wine section.)

Organic tomatoes are healthier: US study

A United States study comparing organically-grown tomatoes with conventionally-grown tomatoes has found significant health benefits in the organic produce.

Peruvian coffee eyes international market

Peruvian coffee is seeking its place in the international market with a seal of quality backed by 10 years of sustained production.

Not a traditional part of the diet in this Andean nation, Peruvian coffee is grown in the tropical forest region, at altitudes of between 800 metres and 2,000 metres on the eastern slopes of the Andes, the Spanish news agency EFE said.

More Del. farmers putting their eggs in organic basket

A hen with a crooked beak and one good eye roams Carolyn Donald's front yard in Georgetown, foraging for stray bugs, grass and grain.

Donald, an artist turned organic farmer, has set aside her front yard as a respite for stressed hens such as 8-month-old Giggles, who got pecked too often by other hens. A few other hens who are molting hang out in the yard regaining strength before resuming egg production.

Save a few bucks on organic produce

Save $20 off $100+ order, $30 off $150+ order, and $50 off $200+ order. Expires September 1, 2007. Promotion Code 845608.

And...

Save up to 33% on Premium Pfaelzer Brothers Steaks and Gourmet Foods.

Organic Olympic vegetables growing in importance

Most of the organic vegetables to be delivered to the athletes' village and press center during the Beijing Olympic Games and ensuing Paralympics will be grown in the village of Donglongwan, about 100 kilometers northwest of Beijing.

Organic growers feel left out of green campaign

It's hard for many of us living in this clean green South Pacific paradise to fully comprehend. But in the industrialised nations of the northern hemisphere a consumer revolution is taking place – for an increasing number of those city dwellers the green values of the food they eat is more important than price.

Rethinking Organics

Few things make you feel better about your health than eating organic fruits and veggies. A diet high in produce is commendable enough, but organic produce? That's a double dose of virtue. What's less clear is how much good that virtue does you. Are there real benefits to going organic? If so, are some organic fruits and vegetables better than others? And how do you choose?

If you shop at Whole Foods...

If you have bought organic chocolate from Whole Foods Market, this message is for you. Whole Foods has issued a recall of their 365 Organic Everyday Value(TM) Swiss Dark Chocolate Bars because they may contain undeclared almonds. If you're sensitive to nuts, this could be very serious.

Read all about it here.

Deciphering markets' new eco-friendly labels

Efforts to go green are becoming more and more widespread, and one place that's evident is on supermarket and department store shelves. Nowadays, labels on foods and other household products often display seals and certifications vouching for their eco-friendliness, but what do those emblems mean and which ones can you trust?

Global Fairtrade sales increase by 40% benefiting 1.4 million farmers worldwide

Consumers worldwide spent 1,6 billion Euros on Fairtrade Certified Products in 2006, according to Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO). This is a 41% increase on the previous year, directly benefiting over 1,4 million producers and workers worldwide.

Organic meat and dairy linked to better quality breast milk

The breast milk of mothers consuming organic meat and dairy contains higher levels of beneficial fatty acids, and has an overall improved quality, suggests new research.

The new study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, reports that obtaining at least 90 per cent of dairy and meat products from organic sources increases levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Is organic better and can it feed us?

Due to consumer demand, organic agriculture is now growing faster than any other sector. It is finally starting to be taken seriously by researchers who are doing studies comparing yields and nutritional analysis of foods grown with modern synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and those grown organically.

Organic, With Pesticides (Extended)

The word "wholesome" doesn't exactly spring to mind when describing Chinese exports these days. But for years now, Chinese farmers have fed soaring global demand for organic foods. China's organic exports totaled $350 million in 2005 (the most recent data available)—up from $150 million the previous year—according to China's largest organic food certification agency.

A growing movement toward green food

Green. Green. Green. It’s the color of the year, maybe even of the century. And rest assured we are not talking about painting your walls or buying a new T-shirt or pair of shoes.

Buying imported food may actually be more energy-efficient

FOR the conscientious, food shopping now poses yet another ethical dilemma: is it really better to buy locally rather than shipping meat, fruit and vegetables around the globe?

A conference of experts yesterday heard that importing food from the other side of the world can actually be more energy-efficient than buying British produce and helps developing countries tackle poverty.

China Quietly Muscles In on the Organic Food Market

Consumers turning to organic food in the wake of warnings about antifreeze-laden toothpaste, poisoned pet food, and antibiotic-laced fish may be in for a surprise. The same country blamed for those scares, China, is quietly muscling in on the organic market.

Vintages that won't cost the earth

Wine can be a tricky subject. The number of wine-producing regions in the world is growing by the year (keep an eye out for Brazil and China, by the way) and the proliferation of the latest flavour-of-the-month grape varieties and blends that they send out into the world is bewildering.

Children's meals from Save the Bacon

After much hard work and having built great business partnerships, Save the Bacon in the UK is offering Juniorganic children’s organic ready meals.

Each dish provides a complete meal and contains sufficient vegetables to count towards the “5 a day” recommended by experts. All meals are suitable for children from one year upwards. Meat is cooked from fresh, sourced from selected British farms and fish is fresh Scottish Salmon. Vegetables are British and purchased locally where possible.

Our meals are blast frozen for increased shelf life – up to 12 months. Meals are simple to prepare in a microwave or conventional oven.

Efforts to curb climate change may hurt African farms

A bid to slow global warming by reducing the tonnes of food air freighted around the world ran up on Tuesday against the worries of poor African growers who fear it will hurt their business.

Organic farming is historically more common than it is now

It is an argument that has been used by large food corporations for so long now that most people come to regard it as fact. The corporations say: Organic farming is great and all, but it just can’t feed the world and its growing population.

Yet recent studies from the University of Michigan and Iowa State University show that organic farming can produce a yield as high of, if not higher for certain crops, as conventional farming. It is time that we see that organic can feed the world, and that it is not a type of food only for the wealthy.

Buy Organic Without Breaking the Bank

ORGANIC FOODS MAY be healthier for you, but they can have a sickening effect on your wallet.

Produced without pesticides and other chemicals, organic produce, meat and dairy products can cost 50% to 100% more than their conventional counterparts, says Urvashi Rangan, a senior scientist and policy analyst with Consumer Reports' Greener Choices. Despite those mark-ups, studies touting the health and environmental benefits of organic foods have made them more popular than ever before. More than 70% of consumers have at least one organic product on their shopping list, according to market research firm Hartman Group.

There is no demand for ecologically safe produce in Lviv region

Only 2-3 farms in Lviv region grow ecologically safe produce. The situation is a little bit better throughout Ukraine - around one hundred farms grow plants without the application of toxic chemicals. But still, even chemical-free fruits and vegetables do not possess an international quality certificate now. This information was discussed on July 13th during the press-conference "Realities and perspectives of ecologically safe produce growing in Lviv region" held in Lviv Reform Press-Club.

GM push vilifies organics

Recent attacks on the organic food industry are about discrediting it to soften up the public to accept genetically modified (GM) crops, Dr Maggie Lilith of the Conservation Council of WA and the Say No to GMO campaign told Green Left Weekly.

Cocktails get a 'health' makeover

On Monday around 9 p.m., three young Brooklynites stopped into Counter, a vegetarian restaurant in the East Village. Laughing and chatting, they sampled organic raspberries, poached pears, fresh pineapple and strawberries.

That this bounty was found not tableside but at the bar, where the restaurant's menu of organic cocktails has been steadily expanding, only heightened the appeal.

Public backs call for better labels

DEMAND for locally grown produce is on the rise as customers want to know more about where their food comes.

Farmers and traders at the show were questioned closely by visitors to the North's premier agricultural event in Harrogate as hundreds signed petitions backing Yorkshire Post campaigns calling for better labelling of British food and protection for Wensleydale cheese.

Demand grows for organic wine

Have you ever had an organic wine?

Chances are you've had a bottle or two and didn't even know it because they don't always put the word "organic" on the label, but that's starting to change.

Organic Products Worth Price Tag?

In an age in which Americans are becoming more environmentally aware than ever, organic products are everywhere. Consumers can purchase not only organic foods but also organic mattresses and cosmetics. It seems that everything available in grocery stores has its own organic counterpart. But it begs the question: What makes organic "organic"?

Chocolate is latest U.S. organic heavy-hitter

Organic chocolate sales are booming as more U.S. consumers seeking untreated natural ingredients are choosing the sweet treat to satisfy their cravings, and mainstream companies are entering what was once considered a high-end market.

Save the Bacon - for you UK carnivores

Save the Bacon has just announced a huge promotion for organic cooked meats and much more. Here's what they're offering:

PIES
Classic Chicken Pie
Moroccan Lamb Pie
Pork Pie
Steak & Kidney Pie
Steak & Red Wine Pie
Salmon Fish Pie

ORGANIC SOUPS
Carrot & Courgett e Soup
Chicken & mushroom Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Cream of Tomato Soup
Leek & Potato Soup
Lentil & Vegetable Soup

ORGANIC MEALS
Beef Provencal
Beef Stroganoff
Meatballs in Tomato & Herb Sauce
Lasagne
Chicken Nuggets
Chicken Mango
Coq Au Vin
Thai Chicken
Lamb Tagini
Shepherd's Pie

ORGANIC VEGETARIAN MEALS
Cheese & Tomato Pizza
Mushroom Stroganoff
Spinach & Ricotta Lasagne
Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

ORGANIC PUDDINGS AND CAKES
Baked Almond & Apple Pudding
Bread & Butter Pudding
Chocolate Bread & Butter Pud
Luxury Rice Pudding
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Custard Sauce
Gingerbread
Chocolate Brownies
Traditional Flapjack

The top organic and Fairtrade coffees - and how to taste them

John Weaver, coffee buyer for Cafédirect, knows his Palenque from his Kilimanjaro and his Machu Picchu. The rest of us are not so sure.

(Note from me: This is a good article about vocabulary - what is organic, what is fair trade, that sort of thing. But are these the best? You decide- you have plenty of choices!)

McDonalds' milk goes organic

Organic dairy farmers could benefit from increased demand for their milk after McDonalds has announced it is switching to organic milk for its coffee and hot chocolate drinks.

The move could account for 5% of the UK’s organic milk supplies.

Organic tomato boosted at UCD

In another tantalizing suggestion that organic produce may be more nutritious, UC Davis researchers have found that tomatoes grown organically in a campus test field packed an extra punch.

The organic tomatoes were richer in two types a flavonoids, compounds believed partly responsible for lower rates of cardiovascular disease and some cancers in people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

technorati tags: organic, organic food, health food, natural food, organic vegetables, organic produce

Organic food under threat

A path leads around Bwlchwernen Fawr farm, through the fields and past a wood that is home to kites, buzzards and tawny owls. The trail twists at a stream feeding the river Aeron before bubbling underground beside a badger sett which local schoolchildren are encouraged to visit.

To outside eyes, Bwlchwernen, in West Wales, appears to be an idyll of peace and tranquillity. From the inside, however, it is anything but.

Fourth of July Wine Tasting

First, happy Fourth of July to all of us who consider it a good thing. Slightly belated Happy Canada Daty to our neighbors to the north.

Today is my dad's birthday, so I wanted to find some higher-quality organic wines for our tasting. I went to my local Bev-Mo thinking I'd have a better selection. Well, maybe, but it was like the proverbial needle in the haystack. They have lots to choose from, but without reading the fine print associated with every bottle it was hard to figure out what was organic. I settled on two:

Bonterra Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a silver medalist in Monterey. Very smooth and not too tannic. Very nice with the tri-tip.
Naked (from Snoqualomie Vineyards) 2006 Riesling. Definitely sweet and more of a dessert wine, but smoothly sweet, not cloying. Rated 90 points.

Both of these are from organically grown grapes, rather than being fully organic wines.

technorati tags: organic, natural, organic wine, natural wine, organic red wine, organic+white+wine

Specials today

Wine lovers: Wine Enthusiast is giving free shipping on its racking kits.
All kinds of food lovers: check out the summer sale at Sur la Table.
One of my own favorites, CoffeeAM, is currently offering chocolate raspberry coffee as its bonus. They have a good selection of organic and fair trade coffees.

What is Organic Coffee?

This is the process of growing crops without the use of fertilizers and other substances. This means farmers will work in the fields, let the water give the plants its nutrients and then watch it grow with the help of the sun.

Pesticides In The Body - Don’t Look, Don’t Find

When the government tests for chemicals people carry around in their bodies, it doesn’t check for the pesticides most commonly found on fruits and vegetables sold in grocery stores.

Trace amounts of agricultural chemicals — so-called “pesticide residue” — show up on many fruits and vegetables grown with conventional farming techniques. Some of the most contaminated produce includes seasonal favorites like peaches, apples, nectarines and strawberries.

UK ENERGY SAVING SHOCKED AT EU DECISION TO ALLOW GM CONTENT IN ORGANIC PRODUCTS

UK Energy Saving was shocked to learn of the EU’s decision to allow up to 0.9% of organic products to be genetically modified (GM) whilst still being labelled as GM free. Organic food in particular, along with other organic products, is becoming more popular as consumers realise the potential health and environmental benefits, and UK Energy Saving dedicates a section of their website, www.uk-energy-saving.com, to organic products.

ACCC secures $270,000 boost to organic food

Moves to develop a national Australian standard for organic and biodynamic produce has been given a financial boost following an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission action against a fraudulent company.

Washington Organic Acreage Output Continues Growth

Noting there may be some inconsistencies in reporting numbers, Washington State University researchers believe the state's certified organic acreage may have increased by 70% since 2002.

More specials!

Seems like a lot of current specials are taking advantage of barbecue season!

In the UK, Save the Bacon has a long list of specials on meats as diverse as wild boar, pheasant, and venison.

In the US, check Niman Ranch for its range of specials, including sausages, steaks, and more. Lindauer Farms is also offering $20 of tenderloin tips free with the purchase of any steak pack.

For everything else you need for that fine outdoor mean (or an indoor one, for that matter) CyberCucina is still offering 10% off all grilling and barbecue items, through the end of June.

If you're in the mood to grow your own organic garden, don't miss this ebook for excellent tips.

More good stuff: igourmet, with all its specialty foods, is offering 5% off any purchase with code KGB5, all the way till the end of July. They also have a whole section of specials, including buy one, get one free.

Wine: I've found specials on a Chilean cabernet, among others, at wine.com. They currently have a nice selection of organic wines.

What a "Muscle-Head" Bodybuilder Says About Organic Food (part 1)

This is a long enough article that I'm breaking it up in the newsletter, but here it is in its entirety.

What a "Muscle-Head" Bodybuilder Says About Organic Food
by: Tom Venuto

Last week I was talking about nutrition with one of my workout buddies and when I mentioned grass fed beef and "organic food” he asked, "Do you mean like what you get at Whole Foods Market?"

I said, "Yes, exactly... that's a natural food and organic supermarket." He said, "Yeah well, that place costs so much, I call it Whole Paycheck!"

I was rolling on the floor laughing, but the truth is, organic food really is expensive and so is grass fed beef and free range chicken, so it's a valid question to ask, “Is it worth it?”

After researching the subject and doing some personal experiments with my own diet, let me offer you my take on it from a bodybuilder’s viewpoint. This is a perspective on organics you may not have heard before.

First, look at it this way - if you put the cheapest fuel in your luxury car, how well is it going to run and how many miles are you going to get out of it?

While I'm on car analogies, health and fitness author and educator Paul Chek once wrote about how ridiculous it is to watch how many $75,000 + cars pull up to the Mcdonald's or Burger King drive through window to buy $1.99 hamburgers.

I would say that's a serious case of screwed up priorities, wouldn't you? The driver has no problem shelling out the $1,100 monthly car payment, but it's too much to ask him to put premium fuel into his own "bodily vehicle."

How can you put ANY price tag on your body and your health? You can buy another car, but you've only got one body.

Now, as for the grass fed beef and organic foods question….

For best results in body composition improvement, which I define as burning fat and or building muscle, (and I'll even go as far as to say for optimal health as well), I am a believer in including animal proteins, including lean meats.

I have no wish to take up the vegetarian debate in this article. I respect vegetarians and acknowledge that a healthy and lean body can be developed with a vegetarian diet if it is done properly, although it may be more challenging for strict vegans to gain muscle for various reasons.

However, in recommending animal protein as part of a healthy fat loss and muscle building nutrition program, I do agree that we all need to give some serious thought to what is in our meat (and in the rest of our food).

Some people say that meat is part of our “evolutionary” diet and it’s the way we were intended to eat and I wouldn’t argue with that. But is the meat we’re eating in today’s modern society the same as what was hunted and eaten many thousands of years ago, or has some “toxic stuff” found its way into our beef, poultry and fish that wasn’t there before?

I also think we should consider what is *missing* from our commercially grown food, that is supposed to be in there, that probably used to be there in the past, but may not be today.

A lot of people are not paying any attention to this... even people who should know better. I admit it - I was oblivious to this for a long time myself. Here’s why:

I am not your typical "health and wellness" or "weight loss" expert. I am also competitive bodybuilder. We bodybuilders are well know for eating very clean diets with lots of lean protein and natural carbs, as well as for looking like "the picture of health" with our ripped abs and impressive muscularity.

We eat our oatmeal and egg whites for breakfast, and proudly walk around with our chicken breast, rice and broccoli or our flank steak, yams and asparagus, and boast about how perfect and clean our meals are and how our diets are already “clean” and could not be improved.

But how many bodybuilders or fitness enthusiasts are there - even serious, dedicated and educated ones - who don't give a single thought to the poisonous chemicals that might be lurking in our supposedly "clean" food?

The Food and Drug Administration lists more than 3,000 chemicals that can be added to our food supply. One billion pounds of pesticides and farming chemicals are used on our crops every year.

Depending on what source you quote, the average American consumes as much as 150 pounds of chemicals and food additives per year.

Does ANYBODY out there think that this is good for you?

Didn't think so.

If you had a way to avoid all these chemicals and toxins, would you at least explore it, even if it cost a little more?

Although this topic is controversial and hotly debated, organic food is gaining in popularity and seems to fit this bill.

Food grown on certified organic farms does not contain:

Pesticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, Hormones, Antibiotics or Chemical fertilizers

It is also not:

Irradiated or Genetically modified

Beyond the "certified organic" label, grass fed beef and free range chicken (and eggs), have other advantages.

Not only can there be tons of antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals in our meat, but also commercially raised beef is fed grain or corn and yet that is not what the animals were meant to eat.

The result - aside from sick, drugged animals - is a higher overall fat, higher saturated fat and a screwed up ratio of omega three to omega six fats, which is a very big problem today - even when you think you're eating "clean." Most people accept the idea that “you are what you eat,” but they forget that the animals we eat are what they ate!

Last but not least, proponents of organic food suggest that the vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient content of commercially grown foods can be anywhere from a little bit low to virtually absent.

So... if organic and or grass fed beef and free range chicken can help us avoid some of these problems and dangers, then I'm all for it and the extra investment.

I started eating grass fed beef almost exclusively (except for my occasional restaurant steak), quite a few years ago and started eating more and more organic food. I can't say I eat entirely organic. I eat a lot of it, but not 100%. If I'm eating an apple or some blueberries, and it doesn't happen to be organic, I don’t freak out over it.

When you really study deeply into the subject of food processing, industrial pollution and commercial farming, it can almost scare you half to death, but I don't recommend getting "alarmist" about it.

Sometimes it's the people who live in fear of a disease who are most likely to get it. I for one, am not going to live in a plastic bubble to isolate myself from a "toxic world"… oh, wait... make that a ceramic bubble, plastics are really bad for you.

All joking aside, the fear of toxins can be taken to the point where the fear itself is unhealthy, but the more I study this subject - from a variety of sources and perspectives - the more the organic argument does make sense to me. I’ve built my career in fitness based on being a natural bodybuilder, which means no steroids or performance enhancing drugs, so why would I expose myself to other chemicals if I can avoid them?

Honestly, I can't say I noticed any dramatic change in my physique or in the way I feel – at least not yet. I have always eaten clean and I was a successful bodybuilder for many years before I started eating more organic food and grass fed beef.

However, I feel confident about my decision to spend the extra money on grass fed beef, free range chicken (and eggs), and an increasing amount of organic food, knowing that I am avoiding toxins and getting more of the nutritional value I need to support my training and my health long term.

I'm certain this is the type of nutritional lifestyle change that can accrue benefits over time, even if you don't see an immediate "transformation."

One thing I would suggest before you run out for organic fruits and vegetables or grass fed beef and so on, is to consider what kind of shape your diet and your lifestyle are in right now. If your diet is currently such a total mess that you’re drinking a lot of alcohol, smoking, abusing coffee and stimulants, not even eating ANY fruits and vegetables to begin with...

And if your idea of lean protein is the processed lunch meat you get in your foot long sub, then I think it might be a little moot to worry about whether your fruits and veggies are 100% certified organic or whether your beef is grass fed. Just start cleaning up your diet and establishing new healthy habits, one step at a time. Focus on nutrition and lifestyle improvement, not perfection.

There are some very strong opinions on this subject. I am aware of that, and I'm not going to stand up on a pulpit and preach either way. What I have done here is simply share what I have found from my own research and what I decided to do in my own personal health and bodybuilding regimen.

My advice to everyone else is to become as educated as possible about what is really in your food, including how it is raised or grown, and to continuously seek ways to improve your nutrition above the level it is at now. Whether the next step in improving your nutrition is to go organic will be up to you to decide.

Copyright 2006 Tom Venuto

About The Author Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and author of the #1 best selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to burn fat without drugs or supplements using the little-known secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your metabolism by visiting: http://www.burnthefat.com. To get Tom's free fitness newsletter, visit http://www.tomvenuto.com.

Organic sales break £1 billion mark but farms can't keep up

SALES of organic food have broken through the £1 billion barrier as record numbers of health-conscious Britons choose pesticide-free meals, according to a consumer report.

But as farmers struggle to keep up with demand, growth in the sector is slowing, market analysts warned.

Five Ways to Buy Organic Cheaply

If you think eating organic on a budget means making do with a handful of grapes or rationing portions from a single hormone-free chicken, starve not. With these five shopping tips, you can stock your shelves with no-pesticide, free-range, shade-grown goodies -- and still have money for those coveted hemp shoes.

Is organic food really more nutritious?

The overall body of science does not support the view that organic food is more nutritious than conventionally grown food, says a new review from the British Nutrition Foundation.

U.S. assesses the use of nonorganic ingredients in organic foods

The latest battle in the United States over what can be called organic involves beer and gelatin, food colorings and casings for sausage.

The Department of Agriculture, the final arbiter of all things organic, is poised to approve a list of nonorganic ingredients that can be used in food stamped with its green-and-white organic seal.

Farmers hope 'Canada organic' label will help them tap foreign markets

Organic growers across the country are busy filling out applications for federal certification — a program that could see Canadian-grown organic produce peddled further afield, including in Parisian markets and Tokyo grocery stores.

If it's organic, EU labels will tell it like it is

EU ministers ended 18 months of squabbling on Tuesday over new rules for organic farming and came up with a labeling system that will tell consumers exactly what they are buying on the supermarket shelves.

Farmers who sell produce containing at least 95 percent organic ingredients will use a special EU logo, along with a label to indicate the product's origin. Below that, there will be labeling of the organic ingredients present.

Ministers vote favourably on new EU organic regulation

European agriculture ministers yesterday reached agreement over new organic regulation and labelling that will simplify the sector for farmers and consumers and is expected to help drive further development.

Organic food helps revive fortunes of Europe's farmers

The organic revolution is sweeping across Europe, with the area of land dedicated to environmentally-friendly, pesticide-free food production more than doubling in the last decade.

EU's organic labeling vote upsets Italy

Several Italian constituencies expressed ire at an EU vote allowing producers to label "organic" genetically modified organism-contaminated foods.

The EU Council of Agriculture Ministers voted to set an accidental-contamination threshold of 0.9 percent for organic produce, meaning produce can be labeled and sold as organic as long as its GMO content is below 0.9 percent, the Italian news agency ANSA said. Representatives of Italy, Belgium, Hungary and Greece were against extending this limit to organic food.

Growing a Conscience

A movement to “buy local” has shoppers scouring for food grown close to home.  Are farmers’ markets headed for a revival?

Bio-wine sets down some roots

Production and consumption of organic wine in the Czech Republic is still in its infancy, but observers say the sector is rapidly growing to meet the demand of environmentally conscious consumers.

While foreign wine importers are adding new organic wines to their Czech portfolios, local organic wine producers are enlarging their vineyards hoping to secure sales in more restaurants and major retail chains.

technorati tags: organic wine, natural wine

How organic should you go?

The confusion about organic foods begins, for most people, in the produce department: Is that organic Granny Smith apple from Chile really worth 30 cents more than the one grown in Washington state? Is it healthier for my kids? Will buying it save a struggling family farmer? Will it help the planet?

technorati tags: organic+food, natural+food

Oxygen trick could see organic costs tumble

A simple, cheap treatment using just oxygen could allow growers to store organic produce for longer and go a long way towards reducing the price of organic fruit and vegetables, reports Lisa Richards in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI.

technorati tags: organic food, natural food, organic produce, organic fruit, organic vegetables

Wal-Mart Model Comes to Organics

Organic farming is based on the principle that using natural methods and eschewing all artificial inputs such as pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers and genetically modified organisms is better for the land, the farmer and the consumer. The organic movement flowered in the Seventies, a product of the environmental and countercultural movements, and influenced by the Whole Earth Catalog and books such as Silent Spring and Diet for a Small Planet.

technorati tags: organic food, organic farming, natural food

UAE: Organic food producers hit by lack of sales

Stunted sales of organic food in some supermarkets will not deter organic agriculture in the UAE and more home-grown organic produce will be widely available to residents regardless, say officials. While three specialty organic stores are now open in Dubai and Sharjah, some supermarkets with an organic section are reporting decreased sales.

technorati tags: organic food, natural+food, organic produce

Spin Cycle: Label Anxiety

When you consider that the green marketplace, for food at least, has reached $30 billion, it's easy to believe that, as one New York Times columnist put it, living and thinking "green" has hit Main Street. And as the bandwagons, hybrids of course, start rolling through town, it's also easy to believe that their heightened visibility will lead to a little road rage.

technorati tags: organic food, natural food

Organic food still leaves environmental footprint: study

While organic farmers may tout the environmental benefits of food produced without pesticides, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted through shipping is about the same as with non-organic food, University of Alberta researchers suggest.

technorati tags: organic food, organic, produce, organic farming, natural food

Organic shortage holds back high-potential market, analyst

Europe's first Whole Foods Market is set to open in London in two weeks' time, but the vast potential of the organic market is being curtailed by a shortage of organic produce, according to Organic Monitor.

technorati tags: organic food, natural food, organic produce

Long-haul veg may lose organic status

A SOIL Association proposal considering the removal of organic status from food flown into the UK should be seen as a business opportunity for Scottish farmers, according to the director of its Scottish branch.

The leading organic campaign group, which also certifies organic producers in Britain and around 30 other countries, will outline five options this week, including an outright ban. The consultation document is in response to a growing demand to reduce the carbon footprint of air-freighted food, which emits high levels of carbon dioxide, a major contributor to climate change

Technorati tags: organic food, organic produce, organic vegetables, natural food

Food scares help China's nascent organic market

Fish could give you cancer, snails meningitis and baby milk may kill your children -- barely a day goes by without some new food horror story in China. This is helping drive sales in another, though still tiny, food sector in China -- organic produce.

But a loose regulatory framework and sometimes just plain confusion about what exactly constitutes organic food has proved a stumbling block, experts say.

Technorati tags: organic food natural food , organic produce organic farming

Organic Foods for Longer Living

People who are serious about their health are aware of all the chemical additives and hormones that are added to foods today. They want to decrease the amount of unhealthy foods they take in and are therefore switching to a totally organic way of life.

Organic food selections are the new trend that has taken the nation by storm. Everywhere you go, you can now see an organic section in stores. Many health food stores are popping up and selling all organic foods. From meat and poultry to eggs and milk, as well as vegetables and fruits, organic foods are making headway in grocery and health food stores across the country.

Technorati tags: organic food natural food

Rules for the organic food industry

THE ORGANICS industry is finally to have a single standard that many hope will protect shoppers from being duped by false labels.

No longer a cottage industry, organics are worth $500million a year in Australia, with consumption growing at 25 per cent to 40 per cent every year.

Technorati tags: organic food natural+food

What does GREEN mean?

When Mount Holly resident Lisa Frame became a mother seven years ago, she struggled to find stores that sold organic and hormone-free baby food for her son. She also had trouble finding stores that sold unbleached tissue and personal care products that wouldn't trigger her allergies.

Not anymore.

Technorati tags: natural food, organic food

Shocking News About Meat

Not long ago, most of our fresh meat was handled by butchers in local supermarkets and meat shops. Beef was dry aged in coolers  for up to four weeks, which made it more tender and flavorful. Aging also allowed water to evaporate, intensifying the flavor and reducing the meat’s weight by up to 20 percent. But skilled butchers were expensive, and the dry aging process required lots of cooler space. So, dry aging is becoming a thing of the past, and that, as well as other cost-cutting aspects of industrial meat production, have brought about major changes in the way beef, pork and chicken are handled before reaching our kitchens.

Technorati tags: organic meat, natural meat, organic food, natural food

A growing appetite for organic produce

There was a time when organic food could only be found in health food stores and farmers' markets -- sold alongside herbal medicine, hemp clothing and biodegradable shampoo.

But with a growing number of people taking an active interest in tracking their food from field to table, the organic business is booming.

Technorati tags: organic food, natural food, organic produce

Bid to boost organic slaughter

A new drive has been launched to increase the number of abattoirs registered to slaughter organic livestock.

Organic certification body, Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G), said it is responding to concerns among its farmer licensees about a lack of capacity for organic slaughter in many areas.

Technorati tags: organic food, organic meat

Things You Don't Know About Organics

It's an organic world out there. After eating a meal of organic fruits, organic vegetables and organic pasta, you can wear organic jeans and roll around on organic carpet. With organic perfume, furniture and even pizza and beer, you might think there would be no surprises left for an entrepreneur hoping to make a statement in the organics industry. But you'd be wrong.

Technorati tags: organic food, natural food

Canadian consumers push up popularity of organic foods, survey finds

Over half of Canadian households bought organically grown food last year, citing use of pesticides and fertilizers as their top concern, according to a Certified Organics Report released Monday.

Studies Indicate GM Crops Are Safer and Healthier

Organic foods are often considered the "gold standard" of safety and healthfulness to which all other foods should aspire. This carefully crafted perception is used by the organic food industry to justify the higher price of organic produce. This industry has also campaigned against genetically-modified crops, using terms like "Frankenfoods" -- claiming that they are unnatural creations of technology, dangerous for human health and bad for the environment.

An increasing number of scientific studies have established that these claims have little merit and that GM foods are actually better.

Tags: organic food, natural food, organic farming, GM food, genetically modified food

Federal court orders first-ever halt to planting of a commercialized genetically-altered crop

A Federal judge today made a final ruling that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) 2005 approval of Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE) "Roundup Ready" alfalfa was illegal. The Judge called on USDA to ban any further planting of the GE seed until it conducts a complete Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the GE crop.

Tags: organic food, natural food, organic farming

Federal court orders first-ever halt to planting of a commercialized genetically-altered crop

A Federal judge today made a final ruling that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) 2005 approval of Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE) "Roundup Ready" alfalfa was illegal. The Judge called on USDA to ban any further planting of the GE seed until it conducts a complete Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the GE crop.

Tags: organic food, natural food, organic farming

OrganicBouquet.com Predicts Green Tipping Point for $6.2 Billion US Floral Market

This Mother's Day, with nearly 75% of U.S. consumers expected to purchase flowers, environmentally-conscious consumers now have a choice. More than 500 million certified stems of sustainable flowers -- including roses, tulips and gerberas -- will be grown in 2007, according to Veriflora, the new eco-certification program for the fresh cut flower trade.

Tag: organic flowers

Standards Australia asked to hold off on developing an organic standard

Today the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) (and subsidiaries Australian Certified Organic & Organic Growers of Australia), called on Standards Australia to postpone the development of an organic standard at the first meeting of the Standards Australia organic technical committee in Sydney.

Tags: organic food, natural food, organic farming

Fair trade coffee for the birds & the planet

We hear mostly bad news about the environment these days. Problems such as global warming can appear to be so challenging, it’s hard to believe individual actions will make a difference.

But they do, and one way you can make a difference is in choosing the type of coffee you drink.

Technorati tags: organic coffee, fair trade coffee

Organic food sales are growing as consumers weigh their options

Go organic or not?

Experts say go with your comfort level. And for many people, that comfort level may have as much to do with their conscience as their health.

The sweet smell of an organic coffee victory

Organic coffee is safe, for now.

In a victory for organic farmers in the developing world and organic coffee drinkers here, the USDA's National Organic Program has backed down and said that there will be no immediate change in the way these farmers are certified.

organic coffee, fair trade coffee

Is the organic label worth the cost?

Organic food is one of the fastest growing categories in the food industry. In most cases, it can cost more than conventional food purchased at a grocery store, but is it worth it?
A farmer must go for four years without applying any pesticides to his land or crops to grow organic foods. Once they do that, they have to undergo an extensive and expensive certification process.

organic food, natural food, organic farming, organic fruit, organic vegetables, organic produce

Organic farms grow naturally

It's the time of year when empty fields across the Eastern Shore get some color. Crops are growing.

Traditional growing methods are still acceptable to most consumers, but more and more farmers are going organic to meet market demands.

organic+food, natural+food, organic+farming

Indonesian church goes organic

Nuns, priests and a seminarian have joined a group of Catholic farmers in southern Java, Indonesia, to promote organic food crops and assist the farmers to commercialise their products.

Technorati tags: organic+food, natural+food, organic+farming

More for Mom

It's May...and that means Mother's Day for most of us, and full spring for those of us north of the equator. So I have some recommendations and sources for both of those.

Specials and Recommendations

First, the springtime stuff. Even those of you south of the equator can take a look at this, especially if you're in a temperate climate. And if you're not, spring will return! If you're in gardening mode and looking to develop your own organic garden, I've found some resources for you. Here's a guide book called "Companion Planting: Complete Guide to Healthy Plants." It's by an Australian woman who goes over things like what plants to grow together, how to attract the beneficial insects, how much to plant for your family, and more.

For more information on living an organic lifestyle year-round, including in gardening season, try "The Ultimate Organic Lifestyle." Not just food, but clothing, furniture...things I wouldn't even thought of.

Both of these ebooks come with guarantees, so be sure to take a look.

Now...on to Mom.
Flowers, gifts and such: In the U.S., take a look at Organic Bouquet. They have all kinds of wonderful Mother's Day ideas, and are even offering a free vase with your Mother's Day flowers.

In Australia, there's my perennial favorite, Rainbow Designs. All kinds of gifts, and free shipping throughout Australia.

Chocolate: In the U.S. and Canada, Chocolate Source is offering 10% off any purchase over $10 - just use coupon code MOM2007. That's good all the way through the end of July. Try Lake Champlain Chocolates if you're looking for kosher.

In Australia, try Definitely Chocolate. They have chocolate that's not only organic but vegan, wheat free, gluten free, even dairy free.

Fruit, etc.: GotFruit is about the easiest and has a good variety of boxes and baskets with fruits, nuts, and other goodies. U.S., free shipping too. There's always Hickory Farms, Mission Orchards, Pfaelzer Brothers, and Almond Plaza as well, and while they may have a wider variety in general, they don't have as much that's organic.

And if you need to browse, there's always amazon.com. If there's nothing interesting on the store front, browse the whole site.

I know I haven't covered everything. Browse the web site...there are pages and pages on wine, meat, produce, chocolate, and coffee, plus sources for wine and kitchen accessories. If you have any favorites or requests, let me know, or post them here.

Technorati tags: organic food, organic chocolate, organic fruit, organic gifts, organic gardening, organic flowers

Update on the USDA certification uproar

On April 26, representatives from Equal Exchange met with the USDA and presented their concerns and their petition about the recent ruling for certification of farm cooperatives. As we expected, this isn't over yet. The USDA assured the Equal Exchange team that they have heard from organic advocates "loud and clear" and that in "two or three days" they would issue a statement that they thought would make us "happy". Watch this space - we haven't lost our coffee yet.

For more details, visit the Equal Exchange site.