Give children organic fruit, urges professor

An Ulster professor has urged parents to consider buying organic after new tests revealed potentially cancer-causing chemicals were found on fruit given to millions of children each day.

Technorati tags:organic food

Qualifying organic ... what does it mean?

How do you buy organic?

The answer isn’t simple anymore, because now that large corporations have co-opted the term, “organic” doesn’t mean what it used to.

Technorati tags: organic food

U.S. Low On List of Organic Acres

It's not too often that Liechtenstein can lord it over the United States.

But the Alpian principality of 160 square miles and 34,247 people can claim the world's top spot on the percentage of arable land - 26.4 percent - devoted to organic farming, according "The World of Organic Agriculture," a 2006 report issued by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements in Bonn, Germany.

Technorati tags: organic food, organic farming

Happy Earth Day!

Specials and Recommendations
Yes, it's that time of year again here in the U.S....Earth Day, April 22. Since so much of our decision to buy organic is about what's best for the planet, as well as what's best for ourselves, why not take a look at the Sierra Club this Earth Day? If their mission of protecting air, earth, water, and natural beauty isn't enough, then maybe the nifty free travel bag is. This offer is good through April.

Once Earth Day is past, our next holiday is none other than Mother's Day. If you're not going to be able to visit Mom in person but will send her a gift instead, the Web is the easiest way to do it. Save yourself the trip to the post office and have her gift shipped straight to her door.

So, a few ideas for Mom:

If Mom likes her organic wine, check out the specials at wine.com. Save 15% on gift baskets with promo code LSAPRGB and 10% off any order of $150 or more with promo code LSAPR10. Both of these are valid till the end of April.

And Cellars Wine Club offers 10% off with promo code mom07. They've been a little weak on their organic selection lately, but give it a try.

In the UK, try drinkon.com for an assortment of organic spirits.

If you'd rather send a wine gift than the wine itself, check out the Wine Enthusiast sale page.

If Mom likes other kitchen gifts, Sur la Table has all kinds of stuff on sale.

For fun gifts in Australia, remember Rainbow Designs. They're adding special items just for Mother's Day and have put their Easter leftovers on sale, in case you just didn't get enough. All prices include shipping throughout Australia.

Back to the US for a minute: if you like the traditional flower gifts, remember Organic Bouquet. All their flowers are grown using sustainable practices. They have chocolates and gifts as well.

On a non-holiday topic, for UK meat eaters: Save the Bacon has another competition going. This time, you can enter to win £100 by All you have to do is to selecting in order of importance the reasons why you buy from Save The Bacon. Visit their website to answer.

Ever willing to take one for the team, I found some organic chocolate from Seeds of Change. I tried two varieties: the La Dominicana dark chocolate and the Narragansett dark chocolate with candied pecans, cranberries, and orange oil. Even the La Dominicana had a slightly sweet, almost fruity, flavor to it. The Narrangansett was even more so, of course, with tiny pieces of cranberry and nuts. I'd recommend either one if you like dark chocolate. You can see the chocolate and more Seeds of Change products at amazon.com.

Feature Article: The End of Organic Coffee...and chocolate...and...
When we talk about organic products, there's always the consideration of buying local. Is it better to buy imported organic food, that's been transported thousands of miles, adding the resultant pollution? Or is it better to buy locally, even if the food isn't organic? We could go in circles on that one.

For most of us in the developed world, though, there are products we can't buy from local producers. Coffee, for example. Demand for organic coffee has been growing, like the demand for other organic goods, and Third World coffee producers have been eagerly working on meeting it. Since much organic coffee is also Fair Trade certified, these growers are fairly compensated for their crops, and they receive support for their communities.

Is this about to change? The United States Department of Agriculture issued a ruling that tightens the requirements for organic certification. In a nutshell: Within the U.S., organic certification requires on-site inspection for compliance with organic requirements. Most organic farms in the developing world are actually cooperatives, since the farms themselves are so small. Due to the large number of small farms, however, inspecting every farm every year just isn't practical. So each year the USDA has inspected a representative sample of farms in a co-op, usually 20% of them, and certified all farms in the co-op based on that sample. The remaining farms would be self-policed by the co-op, and they'd all be inspected within a five-year period.

In its recent ruling, however, the National Organic Program has determined that all farms must be inspected annually. This decision wasn't random; it came from the discovery that a Mexican grower group was failing to detect both the use of insecticides and the storage of organic food in fertilizer bags. So in the face of this violation, the USDA has tightened the requirements for all. Unfortunately, this could make organic certification cost-prohibitive for grower groups. This will affect not only coffee, but tea, bananas, cocoa, spices, and more.

For more details, read the full Salon article.

In the meantime, here are some recommendations for organic coffee, while it's still easy to find:
B & D Gourmet Coffee
Coffee AM
Nectar of Life
Coffee for Less
Joffrey's Coffee and Tea Company

Technorati tags: organic food, organic wine, organic chocolate, organic coffee, fair trade, organic meat, organic flowers

Chemicals giving way to organic farming in South Africa

A quiet revolution is taking place in the orchards of the Western Cape. After decades of trying to coax fruit onto the trees with the aid of chemicals, fruit farmers are packing in the pesticides and deciding to grow green.

Organic Standards talks to begin next month, says expert

The inaugural meeting of a new committee to establish guidelines for domestic and imported organic foods in Australia will take place next month, even without full industry representation, says an industry expert.

After Recall, Dog and Cat Owners Seek Out Organic Food

The health-conscious customers at the store in the trendy South End neighborhood want wholesome food: vegetable and fruit chews; high-protein, low-carb nuggets; and organic meals containing cottage cheese.

The nutritious fare, however, is not for them; it is for their dogs and cats.

Biodynamic wines join big league

The biodynamic farming movement, for those who know it exists, would more likely be associated with moon worship than an exclusive Bordeaux wine futures tasting — but this year they are as one.

Is this food organic? New test may tell

A new test could help identify fraudulently labelled organic food, say UK scientists.

It's based on testing the food for signs of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers, which are banned in organic farming methods.

Much-in-demand organic meat being held up by shortage of feed

DEMAND for organic food is on a steady upward course, but the supply of organic animal products is being held up by shortages of feed, including grass, says the Soil Association, the umbrella body for the movement.

How beneficial is organic food?

Food products using chemical fertilizers and pesticides or growth hormones and antibiotics appear to be healthy but contain residues of the chemicals used, which are often present in high concentrations and toxic. This rings true if a pesticide is applied before harvesting, or antibiotics and hormones are given intensively.

Australia still number one for organic farming

Australia still has the world's largest land area under organic farming, a report has found.

The report shows that Australia has nearly 11.8 million hectares certified according to organic standards.

Organic Foods: Worth The Extra Cost?

There are literally hundreds of items labeled, "organic," everything from spinach to snack foods.

So, what does it really mean to say something is "organic," and is it worth it to pay the higher prices organic foods command?

What to look for when buying organic

When you pick up a head of lettuce, a tray of tomatoes or a bag of apples in the produce aisle of your local grocery store that claims to be "natural" or "organic," do you know what you're buying? What exactly does it mean when a product claims to be organically grown? If it says natural on the label, doesn't that mean the same thing?

It's not just a fad - organic food is better for you, say scientists

New evidence has emerged showing that organic food does contain nutrients that deliver health benefits, contrary to the view put forward earlier this year by David Miliband, who said it was only a "lifestyle choice".

Organic fruit has more vitamin C, study finds

Further evidence in support of the health benefits of organic fruit and vegetables has been published by an international team of researchers.

They found that organic carrots, apples and peaches contained higher levels of vitamin C and flavonoids, compounds with antioxidant properties said by some scientists to protect against heart attacks and cancer.

Organic wine: Uncorking a purer pleasure

What is the difference between an organic carrot and an organic grape? Both should be grown according to certain well-established principles, without the use of chemical fertilisers and so forth.

With the carrot, pretty much what you see is what you eat. But an organic grape being turned into wine undergoes a range of processes, which, when it comes to the taste, demand an entirely different set of criteria.

Ready for the big dinner?

We're all about deals this round. I've found a few, but you'll need to hurry to take advantage of some of them. But if you're a procrastinator like me, with Passover or Easter preparations still ahead of you, you're just in time!

CoffeeAM is offering a free four-ounce sample of its Tortuga rum cake with any order. They have a good selection of organic coffees, including the unusual Galapagos Island Estate coffee.

Rainbow Designs, "the quirky alternative to flowers," has all kinds of edible and non-edible Easter gifts and goodies. Shipping throughout Australia. Check them out - they have a lot of fun stuff.

Wine.com is offering 15% off any gift basket. Use code LSAPRGB at checkout. Or use code LSAPR10 to get 10% off any purchase of $150 or more. Both of these offers are good till April 30.

Here's a new find: Organic Bouquet. As the name implies, they have flowers as well as gifts and chocolates. They have a nice selection of Easter bouquets. Shipping to the U.S.

And for you U.K. meat-eaters, our friends at Save the Bacon are offering a long list of items in a £49.19 package. Free delivery and 10% off your first order besides.

And last, but as usual not least, there's always our own organic store at amazon.com. Visit our storefront - if you don't see anything you like there, use the link on the right to browse the entire site.

Americans 'skeptical' about organic food

Demand for organic produce is on the rise but many Americans are still skeptical when it comes to taste, The Organic Center has said.

Taste plays a huge factor in converting people to try new foods and according to a Minnesota Opinion Research survey, 43 per cent of consumers say taste is a major reason why they purchase organic fruits and vegetables.

International organic food not always best environmental option

A barrage of signs proclaiming organic food as the "healthy choice" on a recent grocery trip left me wondering how to feed the Canadian consumer demand for organics. Demand for organic products is growing faster than farmers can grow it.

Consumer Watch: Going Organic Good For Infants?

Organic food costs more, but sales are booming -- up to $15 billion a year. It's not just for adults, there's organic baby food, too. Our partners at Consumer Reports took a look at organic foods to see if the extra cost yields benefits for little ones.

Organic IS healthier, say food scientists

As the debate rages on about whether organically grown food is better for us than the "conventional" produce we have become used to, a new study sides firmly with organic.

Scientists found that some organic food is more healthy after tests on kiwi fruit grown by both methods.

Organic kiwis healthier than non-organic?

he nutritional profile of kiwi fruit grown organically is healthier than conventionally grown fruit, American researchers have reported.

The research, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, compared kiwi fruit grown on the same soil type and environmental conditions, and could re-ignite the debate between conventional and organic fruit that has raged with claim and counter-claim from both sides.

Is going organic worth it?

When I appear at speaking engagements around Long Island, the question I get asked most frequently is: "Should I eat organic food?" It's a question I ask myself, as well. Organic food is usually more expensive and harder to find. Is it worth the extra money and the extra effort?

There are no simple answers to these questions. But we can start by looking at the two benefits supposedly conferred by organic food: 1. It's better for you and, 2. It's better for the world.

Avoid misconceptions about organic foods

Q:Are organic foods better for you?

A:There's no denying it. Organic foods have been gaining momentum for the past few years. With the buzz out there, one would think organic food is a mainstay.

Dilemma is only natural

Two apples. One has a few bird nibbles and a tiny bruise. The other is perfect. The color is deep red, the peel shiny and unblemished.

Which would you choose?

Pat Henegar would take the shiny one, the one grown with fertilizer and pesticides, thank you.

Ronay criticises organic sector

Hungarian food critic Egon Ronay has criticised the organic food sector and has called on the British government to provide clearer information about the industry.

Grassfed, Organic Meats Continue To Gain Market Share

Pennsylvania is a state where country meets city. With more than 12.5 million people, opportunities abound for the state’s producers to meet the diverse needs of its residents. One of those opportunities is grassfed beef.

Eat To Live: Healthier: organic or local?

Poor Prince Charles. He always seems to be the butt of someone's joke.

Disparaged as a "tree hugger," he has done a massive amount to support organic farming across Britain. And he's demonstrated, against everyone's expectations, that sustainable farming can be profitable.

Europe is ready for Indian organic products

Europe is looking forward to organic products from India. The European Union's Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mariann Fischer Boel said that now that Indian organic products conform to EU standards, India should look at exporting organic products to European markets.

March 8 Newsletter

U.S. coffee drinkers, I found some free coffee for you. Mother's Organic Coffee will give you a free sample of Mother Earth News Organic Coffee, as well as a 30% off coupon on your next purchase.
Also in the U.S.: I recently ordered Organic Fair Trade Mexico Altura Tollan and Organic Fair Trade Sumatra Gayo Mountain whole-bean coffee from CoffeeAM. I'm a dark -roast gal, not a coffee connoisseur but I know what I like, and I'm very happy with the Mexico coffee so far (haven't gotten to the Sumatra yet.) CoffeeAM has a good selection of organic fair trade coffee and usually has a free half-pound to throw into the bargain. Its current bonus offering is Irish Mocha Mint flavor.

Hickory Farms is offering 25% off, all the way through Tuesday, April 3. Just use the code SAVE25 when you check out.

Chocolate Source is doing its part with 10% off all orders of $10 or more, through March 31. Use coupon code 87632 for this one. They ship in the US and Canada.

For those of you in the UK, here's something a little different: Save the Bacon is running a children's Easter drawing contest. The winner gets a family outing to see your favorite film, not to mention the honor of having his or her drawing on the Save the Bacon home page over Easter. Send entries to doug@savethebacon.com by 30 March. For you grownups - maybe this is more your creative style - they're asking for your creative efforts in writing their new slogan. Write a slogan on why you like organic meat, send it to them (use their contact form on thier Web site) and you could win a voucher for £100. They're also offering 15-20% off Aberdeen Angus beef and free shipping.

Feature Article: Food or Fuel

Democrats and Republicans rarely agree here in the U.S., but they've found common ground in alternative fuels. President Bush first called for increased ethanol production to replace imported oil in his State of the Union address in January 2006, and made it more definite this year as he called for 35 billion gallons of renewable fuels per year by 2017 - a hefty increase over the estimated 4.9 billion gallons produced last year. He's not alone; Europe is requiring that that 5.75% of diesel fuel come from plants by 2010.

Why the interest? Two reasons. One, the security threat implicit in relying on the Middle East and other unpredictable sources for something so crucial as oil. Two, the environmental impact of replacing high-emission fossil fuels with cleaner-burning plant fuels.

The projected demand has made ethanol processing the capital investment du jour. In addition to the 116 ethanol plants in production, and the 79 under construction, at least 200 more ethanol plants, with a capacity of 3 billion gallons a year, are in the planning stages. That's just in the U.S. 90 biodiesel plants are under construction in Malaysia and Indonesia.

So what's the problem? In Southeast Asia, forests are being burned to clear land for oil palms. In Brazil, it's sugar cane. Does it really make sense to destroy ecologically valuable terrain to make better fuels? Is that a net gain?

In the U.S. and Canada, the chief raw material for biofuel is corn. According to a February 5 article in Business Week, "Food vs. Fuel," some 20% of the American corn crop in 2006 went to ethanol production. That's with just the 112 plants currently in production. If construction of new plants continues as planned, they will absorb as much as 50% of the country's corn harvest by 2008. That's corn that would otherwise go to feeding livestock or people, in the U.S. and outside it

Corn farmers are not only giddy over the high demand, but confident that they can meet the increasing need. As the market price for corn increases - and it certainly has, jumping from $1.86 per bushel at the end of 2005 to over $4 - farmers will be encouraged to shift production to corn and away from other crops.

That's well and good, but what happens to those other crops? Soybeans, barley, rice - the laws of supply and demand are just as efficient with those crops as with corn. Drop the supply with no reduction in demand, and the price goes up.

And it ripples. High-fructose corn syrup is a leading ingredient in everything from Pepsi to Power Bars. Even more dramatic, most of the livestock grown in the developed world is grain-fed. Some of their feed can be replaced by distiller's grain, a by-product generated from ethanol plants, but a grain-based diet still requires a certain amount of corn. Chicken producers estimate that the industry's feed costs are already up $1.5 billion per year.

A ready example of the effects in the developing world is in Mexico, where tortillas are both a dietary staple and a source of national identity. Poor Mexicans get more than 40 percent of their protein from tortillas, and a family of four will consume as much as a kilo (2.2 pounds) per day. In a nation where the daily minimum wage is less than $5, the price of tortillas has increased from 63 cents per kilo a year ago to between $1.36 and $1.81 in early January 2007. This has already led to civil unrest. As the U.S. and Canada divert their own production to fuel rather than food, the situation can only get worse.

What to do? Clearly alternative fuels are a worthwhile pursuit. But relying on corn may produce as many problems as it solves. What has this to do with us, you wonder? One thing I haven't seen mentioned in any of the articles I read was switching livestock feed from grain to grass. I'm not sure of the source, but one article I read stated that as much as 55% of the country's corn production went to factory-farmed hogs, chickens, and cattle. There is some evidence to suggest that feeding livestock grain, which their digestive tracts weren't made for, produces toxic bacteria (resulting in an increased need for antibiotics) and the dreaded E.coli, which caused the problems in humans in recent months. Seems that a grass-based diet might address a multitude of ills.

Eating Better Than Organic

Not long ago I had an apple problem. Wavering in the produce section of a Manhattan grocery store, I was unable to decide between an organic apple and a nonorganic apple (which was labeled conventional, since that sounds better than "sprayed with pesticides that might kill you"). It shouldn't have been a tough choice--who wants to eat pesticide residue?--but the organic apples had been grown in California. The conventional ones were from right here in New York State. I know I've been listening to too much npr because I started wondering: How much Middle Eastern oil did it take to get that California apple to me? Which farmer should I support--the one who rejected pesticides in California or the one who was, in some romantic sense, a neighbor? Most important, didn't the apple's taste suffer after the fruit was crated and refrigerated and jostled for thousands of miles?

Organic certification loophole makes scams possible, farmer says

An Alberta farmer is pushing the province to create its own organic certification system, saying some growers could take advantage of a loophole in the new national regulations.

Organic farms growing at a healthy pace

BUSINESS is booming for Scotland's organic farms.

New figures published today show Scottish farmers are now producing enough to meet 70 per cent of the demand for local organic food - twice the level five years ago.

Healthy Living: When To Buy Organic Food

In this Healthy Living report, millions of Americans are buying organic produce, no doubt because they’ve heard it’s healthier, but it’s also more expensive.

So is it worth it? A new report shows the answer is both yes and no.

How green is your trolley?

THERE'S a connection between what we consume and the state of the planet. So let's lighten the load.

A famous frog once said, it's not easy being green. Unfortunately, the same can still be said for grocery shopping.

Price tag: Organic produce

Farmers market regulars could see higher prices for organic produce this spring, partly because demand is fueling an increase in the cost of certified plant food.

Passing On Some Organic Products Can Save You Money

When you compare apples to apples, organic products can cost consumers up to 30 percent more than their non-organic cousins.But there are some ways to save money while still eating healthy, reported NewsChannel5 consumer specialist Angie Lau.

China develops taste for organic produce

The Chinese population is developing a growing taste for organically grown food, figures from the Ministry of Commerce show.

According to the latest statistics, about 60 per cent of the country's estimated 550 million city dwellers are prepared to pay more for organic produce.

Income not always factor in buying organic produce

When organic produce flies off the grocery store shelf, it's not necessarily the upper class doing the picking. In fact, in a recent study, University of Georgia professor Chung-Liang Huang found that income seems to have little effect on organic produce purchases.

How Fairtrade really works

With the launch of Fairtrade Fortnight on Monday drawing attention to how our food is produced, poor farmers are urging more consumers in Britain to switch to Fairtrade to help them build better lives for themselves.

Organic food purchases are on the rise

Organically grown foods continue to increase in popularity. In 2002 the retail sales of organic foods totaled $9 billion. In the local area organic food products are available in most of the local grocery stores and can also be purchased directly from the farmer. While the demand and availability of organic foods is on the rise, confusion remains over what makes a food "organic."

Virtuous Vino

You've mastered the which-are-the-good-and-bad vintages, learned the difference between a Cabernet and a Merlot and can finally pronounce Gewürztraminer. But now the casual wine drinker has a new label to grapple with: biodynamic.

UK: Why going organic could cost the earth

Organic food could actually be worse for the environment than produce grown using pesticides and fertilisers, say scientists.

A government report claims that, despite its eco-friendly image, some organic farming creates greater pollution and contributes more to global warming.

Organicize Me

I've made more failed New Year's resolutions than Charlie Sheen and Courtney Love combined. Lose a dozen pounds, quit smoking, slow down, speed up, get organized, drink less, exercise more—all abandoned within hours of the drunken promise. But this year, my editors at Seattle Weekly came to me with an offer I couldn't refuse: Go the opposite of Super Size Me and eat only organic food 24/7 for the month of January—and be paid handsomely for it. No Doritos, Big Macs, Starburnt coffee, brewskies, Red Bull, or Frankenfoods of any kind. And, if by going organic, I help save the planet, all the better.

Keep it real: Stores jump on organic bandwagon

When Fox Farm Whole Foods started selling organic foods more than 10 years ago, it was considered a fringe market.

Now, retailers such as Wal-Mart and Food-4-Less have opened up their aisles to products made without pesticides, hormones or synthetics.

Natural/Organic Meats Rise Among Trends Identified In Survey

The steady rise of natural and organic meats and the continuing dominance of the conventional supermarket when it comes to meat purchases are just a couple of trends uncovered in a study released by the American Meat Institute and the Food Marketing Institute this morning at the 2007 Annual Meat Conference.

Organic growth

FASHION HAS its trends and, apparently, so does produce. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, buying organic is the latest craze among health-conscious individuals. According to the Massachusetts-based Organic Trade Organization, North America has nearly 3.7 million acres of farmland under organic management.

Since 1997, U.S. organic food sales have grown between 17 and 21 percent and represent about 2 percent of total food sales.

Imports crowding organic food market, conference told

Organic farmers and retailers say the market is filled with imported products, as few Canadian farmers are willing to convert their crops because of high costs and modest consumer demand.

Valentine's Vintages: Organic, Biodynamic and LIVE wines

Drinking wine is a sensuous experience, and paired with the right food, a fine red or white will light up with the subtle flavors of the earth that birthed its grapes while enhancing the tastes of your dishes. But like the well-prepared meals it accompanies, fine wine is about more than eating—it's to be savored during dinnertime conversation with our loved ones on Valentine's Day or any other. And in the dark of winter, fine wines will taste of the summer rain on the grapes, the sunlight that fell on the vines and the warm minerals in the soil. Scott Pactor, owner of Appellation Wines, a Manhattan store specializing in organic and biodynamic varietals, advises wine bibbers to seek out "products with a sense of place that use minimal or no inputs and let the vineyards speak for themselves." Biodynamic and organic vintages are particularly adept at bringing out this sense of place. Below are labels to look for.

Organic-food Opportunities Expand Fast, Nuremberg Fair Says

Opportunities to sell organic foods in Germany are expanding fast, with imports picking up practically all of the growth, according to organizers of the Biofach organic-food fair Wednesday in Nuremberg.

Bulgaria – Organic food for thought

The village of Aheloy on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria is perhaps best known for its fertile soils, healthy climate and flourishing pastures, orchards and vineyards. Tasty red and white wines are locally produced and farms grow organic fruit and vegetables.

Study: Organic not necessarily better option

Organic became the nation's fastest growing food segment largely on claims it's safer and healthier than conventional fare, but such conclusions are premature, according to a new report.

Going organic or even home-grown is easier than you may think

STEP into any major supermarket and you cannot fail to notice the marketing frenzy surrounding organic, fair-trade and eco-friendly products.

It's now big business, with environmental and health issues at the forefront of political and news agendas.

Organic may not be healthier

Organic became the nation's fastest growing food segment largely on claims that it's safer and healthier than conventional fare, but according to a new report such conclusions are premature.

Going Organic

When Kim Ripper's mother died seven years ago, it was a life changing experience for herself and her business.

Living through her mom's bout with environmental cancer taught Ripper to respect her health and body.

More Iowans go organic

Jule Dirksen has tunnel vision in the supermarket.

She doesn't see products in the "conventional'' food aisles.

When she shops at a Hy-Vee Food Store, Dirksen sees only what is on the shelves in the HealthMarket area.

Organic farming policy for Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh will soon have a state policy on organic farming.

The decision to formulate the policy was taken at a cabinet meeting held recently. It was chaired by chief minister Gegong Apang and attended by officers from agriculture, horticulture and the forest department, water resources development minister Tako Dabi said yesterday.

Egon Ronay says consumers conned over organic food

ONE of the country's most respected food critics has called on the government to provide clearer information about organic food.

Egon Ronay said shops and producers were profiting from public confusion about the issues surrounding organic produce.

New-Age consumers striving to wear organic

Organic is the buzzword for the new age. From organic vegetables, meat and eggs to wheat, cotton, tea, coffee, cosmetics and more. It’s not back to the future but ahead into the past, as more and more agri products go for the no-pesticide, no chemical fertiliser approach. With New-Age consumers striving to wear organic, eat organic and, logically, drink organic, more and more companies are jumping onto the bandwagon.

End organic confusion, says Ronay

Restaurant critic Egon Ronay has called on the government to provide clearer information about organic food.

Shops and producers were profiting from public confusion about the issues, he told the BBC.

Catholics called to build a better world, one cup of coffee at a time

Catholics can build a better, more just world one cup of coffee at a time through helping ensure farmers earn a fair price for the labor, according to the U.S. Catholic Church’s official international relief and development agency.

£5 cost of going organic

Swapping a basket of supermarket own-brand groceries for organic adds around £5 to the cost, researchers found. It rises by nearly £10 when supermarket economy items are upgraded to pesticide free, according to Which? magazine.

Specials, specials, and more specials

My select group of tasters and I covered two categories for you: wine and chocolate. Not a bad way to to business, I'm thinking...The chocolate was Trader Joe's organic. We tried both dark and milk chocolate varieties. Have to say both were unimpressive, with little flavor. Have to find something better there.We had better luck with the wine, a shiraz called Natural Blonde. This is from Fetzer in Mendocino County. You might notice the screw top before anything else. (Not up on screw-top news? Here's an article to start with; you will probably be seeing more and more of them.) A downside of screw tops is they can result in a rotten-egg smell when you open them, which can be cured by decanting. No such problem with this wine, the nose was fine, and the wine was pleasant, kind of a lighter weight wine. This one I'd have again.

In Australia, check out Definitely Chocolate. They have several selections of gift packages of organic chocolate, in a range of prices.

Actually, if I were buying for someone in Australia, I'd look at Rainbow Designs. Sure they have chocolate, but they also have gift packages including stuffed animals, bubble bath, all kinds of things that last longer than flowers.

In the U.S., try Mission Orchards or Hickory Farms for fruits and nuts, if your Valentine isn't a choc-aholic. Hickory Farms is offering 15% off your entire purchase through February 28 - just use promotion code 15OFF.

Of course, whatever your heart desires, so to speak, Amazon.com is always a good place to look. If there's nothing you like in the storefront itself, follow the Search option or the Go to Amazon link on the top right to access everything Amazon has. Try Belgian chocolate truffles ($22) or a truffle assortment from Sjaak's Organic Truffles ($7.93.) I even found a dark chocolate heart filled with vegan chocolates!

Coffee drinkers: CoffeeAM has introduced two new coffees, Organic Fair Trade Bolivia and Organic Fair Trade Guatemala to their lineups. Both are lighter roasts. With every CoffeeAM order, you currently get a free half-pound of chocolate mint coffee too.

Meat eaters: In the UK, Save the Bacon is so confident that you'll like what they send you that they'll waive shipping charges on all orders placed by 9am next Monday, 5 February.

And in the US, Lindauer Farms will send $20 of tenderloin tips as a gift when you purchase any steak pack.

Accessories: International Wine Accessories is offering free shipping on any of their glasses or decanters, as well as 20% off their new Schott Zwiesel Tritan Diva line of glasses.

Wine Enthusiast is offering 75% off decanters and decanting accessories. Why decant? Decanting mature wines removes bitter sediments, while decanting young wines softens tannins and develops aromas. Hurry on this one - it's only till February 5. They have a lot of other items on big sale too.

KegWorks is offering $10 off its Deluxe Portable Bar Set and much more, through February 28. Check this one out if you're having a party - they have all the high-end bar items plus the little party goods.

Wherever you are, you always have a good source of organic tips and tricks in Ideal Bite. Check out their Web site for a sample tip and give their newsletter a try - it doesn't cost anything, and you just might like it!

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.