'Green' consumers push for organic cocoa

The burgeoning organic chocolate market is taking off thanks to an increase in ethical consumerism and the willingness of confectionery makers worldwide to exploit the trend.

According to the Pesticide Action Network, cocoa is second only to cotton in its high use of pesticides, however organic production of the beans entails natural methods of pest control and has been praised for its contribution to sustainable farming.

Organic meat group aims for consistency

Caledonian Organics, an independent producer group set up to market organic beef and lamb in Scotland and northern England, has brought consistency of supply to the market while improving returns for its farmer members.

Was the organic option worse?

I don't know if this story has gone worldwide or not, but if you're in the US you've undoubtedly heard of the E.coli issue with bagged spinach. If you haven't heard, there's been one death and multiple illnesses reported from E.coli present on spinach in bags. This has led to widespread recall of fresh spinach from supermarkets and restaurants alike, and will have a huge impact on the spinach growers, most of whom are in California.

What makes this especially relevant to us is that the spinach in question was grown organically, and it's being postulated that the natural fertilizers are in some way the culprit. They can carry the bacteria where chemical fertilizers wouldn't.

So, my question to you...does this affect your attitude about organic produce at all?

Kiwis not buying into 'ethical' goods

New Zealand consumers are falling behind their international counterparts who are embracing the wave of "ethical consumerism", critics say.

Humboldt beef products setting new standards

Humboldt County has long been home to ranchers raising livestock off the fat of the land, but times are changing and grass-fed and organic meats appear to be the wave of the future.

'Organic' label little more than a marketing tool for food, critics say

At the local supermarket, the organic fruit and vegetable display is a frequent stop for health-conscious consumers. But turn to the next aisle and shoppers are likely to find a different array of "natural" and "organic" foods.

All-natural potato chips. Organic breakfast burritos. On the frozen-food aisle, a shopper can unearth multiple varieties of organic three-cheese lasagna.

(Debbie's comment...Don't know about this. "Natural" is a marketing term, and could mean almost anything. Poison ivy is natural [all right, it's probably organic too, but you get my meaning.] And the article makes the point that "organic" doesn't necessarily mean "healthy", as in organic tortilla chips. But if sustainable farming and kindness to the environment remains part of the goal, then we're all still better off supporting the tortilla chips made with organic corn than the ones that aren't, right?)

'To stay in farming we have to do something different'

A FARMER is shifting 240 hectares of his land outside Harpenden to organic production, the first major conversion in the St Albans area....He said: "It is a simple matter of pounds, shilling and pence.

Farmers question value of 'responsible' coffees

Coffee farmers at Guatemala's small Chanmagua cooperative opened their land and growing methods to stiff scrutiny last year, in the hope an "environment-friendly" seal would bring them higher prices. The fifteen farmers who entered the program let inspectors see their accounts, raised wages for contract workers and cut down on fertilizers and pesticides so their coffee could be labeled environmentally and socially responsible. But after all the hard work the farmers, who grow high-grade coffee on mountains close to the border with Honduras, say they are disappointed with the small premiums over market price fetched by the coffee.

Organic on the Rise

Interest in organic wines is on the rise as environmentally aware consumers increase. Moving from niche product to supermarket regular, organic wine is now stocking the shelves of British supermarket chains Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, which have seen sale increases of 492.9% and 7% respectively.

GO ORGANIC

TODAY'S supermarket shelves are filled with ethically-minded products for the green consumer.

As people become more aware of the impact their shopping choices can make on their bodies and the environment, organic food has slowly gained a foothold in this country....

But beyond the fact organic fruit and vegetables are more expensive than their non-organic counterparts, what do we really know about them? Here are our top 10 reasons to go organic.

Govt. wants change of 'grass-fed' rules

Meat-eaters usually assume a grass-fed steak came from cattle contentedly grazing for most of their lives on lush pastures, not crowded into feedlots.

If the government has its way, the grass-fed label could be used to sell beef that didn't roam the range and ate more than just grass.

Your choice of coffee could save songbirds

The only connection you may see between coffee and birds is the obvious one: To be out there at the crack o' dawn when the birds are most active, you need that wake-up jolt that comes in a cup of caffeine. But there's another connection, much less evident, much more important.

September is the peak of southbound songbird migration. Have you ever thought about where your migrant songbirds are going and how they're going to survive? Most of them are going to where your coffee is coming from, and they need trees and insects there. If you want to continue enjoying their spring and fall passages, I'd like you to consider buying only "shade-grown" coffee.

Will Czechs go organic?

According to a recent Agricultural Ministry survey, a mere three percent of Czech consumers regularly buy products with a bio label. At the other end of the scale, nearly 50 percent of Czechs are not at all familiar with organic products. Most of those polled cite the popularity of traditional brands and the considerably higher prices of organic goods as reasons for staying away from the new organic trend.

Sales of organic produce up 30% in year

Sales of organic produce in the UK have jumped 30% in a year and are now worth £1.6bn annually.

All the leading supermarkets have expanded their range of organic food rapidly in the last year and report dramatic growth in demand. Supermarkets accounted for £1.2bn of the total market for organic produce in 2005.

Sales of organic foods, beverages make small dent in total U.S. sales

"Organic" is a hot topic in the food world, as in other areas of life, and myriad products bear the term on their labels.

But it's not always as simple as the word may lead one to believe.

Nuns help impoverished Mexican Indians develop coffee trade

If not for a home brew of tequila and garlic, two nuns dispatched to the remote highlands of Southern Mexico might not have had the stomachs for what became the project of a lifetime.

One in three buying organic food

More than one in three Britons will buy organic food over the next month, research has revealed.

One in 10 will buy organic fast food, such as pizza and ready meals, while 14% will pick up organic peanut butter and 11% will buy organic chocolate and biscuits.

Organic wine joins the chemical-free dinner party

Organic wine, once viewed as one of the most marginal outposts of the organic movement, is getting the nod from the public.

Retailers are reporting strong sales of organically produced wine from shoppers concerned about how their drink affects the environment and their health.

(Where to find organic wine? Start with Organic Food and Drink's wine section for a list of wineries and wine suppliers.)

Activism begins at the dinner table

Whether it is protests on Bascom Hill, marches down State Street or rallies on the Capitol Square, Madison has long been known for its activism. One of the most powerful statements many Madisonians make, however, is silent.

Lydia Zepeda, a UW-Madison professor of consumer science, signs her e-mails with a twist on the well-known idiom: We are what we eat.

Hog plant looks to upscale markets

Instead of being swallowed up in the commodity world, P.E.I. hog producers are hoping a bold new venture to market natural meat to niche markets worldwide is the wave of their future.