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Natural Products Expo West, BIOFACH, and MOSES Organic Farming Conference draw nearly 140,000 people as interest in organic food and farming continues to grow worldwide.
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The organic food market continues to surge: where will it go next?
The U.S. organic food industry is projected to grow by 14 percent per year until 2021. But the industry faces challenges from supply shortages, import fraud concerns, and competing labels including new organic labels.
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Real Organic Project add-on label hopes to enhance organic integrity
Opposing the use of hydroponics and large confined
animal feeding operations in organic food production, a group of organic farmers and advocates believes that the National Organic Program has lost integrity. In response, they created the Real Organic Project as an add-on label to organic.
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Research confirms milk from organic grass-fed cows more nutritious than conventional
Data show that organic, grass-fed, grain-free cows produce milk that has 147 percent higher omega-3s and 125 percent higher Conjugated Linoleic Acid.
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Woman-owned organic cotton clothing company supports Indian farming communities
Satva is dedicated to improving the livelihood and economic prosperity of small and marginal organic farmers in India. A portion of all proceeds is invested back into its local communities and agricultural programs.
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Organic food booming in Germany
One quarter of all food and drink products launched in Germany in 2017 had organic labels, according to market research firm Mintel. Fifty-eight percent of Germans buy organic because it is GMO-free.
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Matthew Raiford: Sixth generation Georgia farmer, award-winning chef
“CheFarmer” Matthew Raiford cultivates heirloom vegetables on his centennial Georgia farm and creates delicious organic meals at his two restaurants and for the annual Organic Center Dinner.
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How Indiana farmer earned 20% more growing non-GMO corn instead of GMO
Can farmers profit by switching from genetically modified to non-GMO corn? Yes, according to Josh Richey, president and CEO of Spectrum Non-GMO.
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Vermont Non-GMO Cookbook
highlights farmers, producers, and food democracy
The Vermont Non-GMO Cookbook
honors the state’s mission to connect with its local organic farmlands and the farmers who nurture and care for them. It also serves as a guide for eating organically and non-GMO in Vermont.
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The New Primal achieves Non-GMO Project verification for marinades and cooking sauces
The New Primal recently announced Non-GMO Project verification for their entire line of The New Primal Marinades and Cooking Sauces.
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Regenerative Organic Certification aims to raise the bar on organic standards
The Rodale Institute, Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia recently introduced their Regenerative Organic Certification program, which aims to improve upon organic standards with a focus on soil health, carbon sequestration, animal welfare, and worker fairness.
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Former USDA employee urges agency to embrace regenerative agriculture
Ron Nichols, former employee of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has an important mission for the agency: focus on healthy soil.
“Soil Matters”: General Mills promotes regenerative farming with Annie’s products
Annie’s Limited Edition Organic Mac & Cheese and Organic Honey Bunny Grahams contain organic wheat and oats from Montana farmers who practice regenerative farming practices.
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Senator McConnell to introduce legislation to legalize hemp production in the U.S
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U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently announced that he would introduce legislation in the United States Senate to support the burgeoning hemp industry.
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US, EU approve Bayer-Monsanto merger
The U.S. Department of Justice and European Commission have given approval to the proposed merger of Bayer and Monsanto, a union described as the “Marriage Made in Hell” by opponents who fear a mega monopoly of GM seed and pesticide giants.
GMOs, glyphosate contamination of food products widespread in Mexico
A study published in
Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
found extensive GMO and glyphosate contamination in processed foods and tortillas made from industrial corn throughout Mexico.
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China in no hurry to approve GM food crops
China is taking a cautious approach to approving genetically modified food crops. The country is prioritizing consumer opinion on GMOs and currently the public is very wary of eating them.
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GMOs failed to impress—GMOs 2.0 may be even riskier
New genetic modification tools like gene editing—“GMOs 2.0”—are being touted as faster and more precise than earlier methods. But a closer look reveals they have the same risks as older GM methods.
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GMO 2.0 stevia hits the market, unregulated, unlabeled
Cargill and Evolva have introduced a stevia-like sweetener called EverSweet made using synthetic biology or “GMO 2.0” techniques.
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Dicamba damage 3.0 coming this spring
Drift from dicamba herbicide has damaged several million acres of farmland the past two years and even more is likely this year, according to university researchers and government officials.
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EPA loosened dicamba restrictions based on misleading Monsanto research
A classic example of how big corporations influence bad government policy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency eased its restrictions on the use of dicamba herbicide based on misleading research conducted by Monsanto, which led to the dicamba herbicide drift disaster of 2017.
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Why are farmers spraying glyphosate on their crops right before harvest?
Roundup/glyphosate herbicide is used extensively with GMO Roundup Ready crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton, and others. What is not so well-known is that Roundup is sprayed on crops like wheat, oats, and barley just before harvest to kill and dry them down.
Judge: No warning label needed on Roundup in California
A federal judge has overturned a January 2017 opinion, stopping a California decision to require designation of glyphosate as a carcinogen and placement of a warning label on products containing it.
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Portable pesticide sensors for produce coming soon
Imagine going into a store and pulling out a handheld device to test the pesticide levels in produce you want to buy. This could soon become a reality thanks to the work of a University of Texas scientist.
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New book links industrial food, GMOs, and pesticides to chronic childhood diseases
Vincanne Adams, Ph.D., professor of medical anthropology at the University of California, San Francisco discusses how chronic disease in a growing number of children can be traced to industrially produced foods and genetically modified crops and associated pesticides. Adams is co-author of the new book
What’s Making Our Children Sick? How Industrial Food Is Causing an Epidemic of Chronic Illness, and What Parents (and Doctors) Can Do About It
with Michelle Perro, M.D.
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