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.