Organic farmers need long-term contracts, research to succeed
|
To meet the current supply shortages in organic food production, more organic farmers are needed, and long-term contracts to minimize farmers’ risk, along with research to highlight the nutrient density of organic foods.
These were some of the key takeaways from a discussion among noted organic industry leaders recently at Natural Products Expo East in September.
|
|
|
|
Regenerative agriculture with its focus on soil health is a growing trend in the U.S. But
a new report
published by Friends of the Earth says that pesticides damage soils and have no place in regenerative agriculture systems.
|
|
|
|
Non-GMO Project rolls out 10th annual Non-GMO Month with 1,000 North American retailers
During the 4-week campaign, retailers will share information about old and new GMOs, promote Non-GMO Project Verified products, and help consumers “make their mother (Earth) proud” by encouraging them to shop their sustainability values.
|
|
|
|
Organic farmers to harvest record acres in 2019
Organic grain farmers will harvest a record number of acres across the U.S. this year despite the weather and trade challenges plaguing agriculture in 2019.
|
|
New method developed to detect organic fraud
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a new approach that helps public agencies and commercial interests combat fraudulently-labeled organic foods.
|
|
|
|
|
Anheuser-Busch is latest large company aiming to increase U.S. organic farming acres
With demand for organic foods and beverages in the U.S. exceeding the supply of organic grains and ingredients, major companies, including Anheuser-Busch, General Mills, Costco, and others have launched initiatives to increase organic farming acres
|
|
Georgia cooperative forms to market organic peanuts
The Georgia Organic Peanut Association recently launched a farmer-owned cooperative to help southern Georgia organic peanut growers market their product.
Organic policy experts form watchdog agency for needed oversight
Failure of the USDA and its National Organic Program to protect the integrity of the organic label and tackle fraudulent organic imports prompts team of organic industry experts to assume leadership.
|
|
|
|
|
Non-GMO Project growth “extreme and consistent”
By providing consumers with non-GMO food options, the Non-GMO Project has seen tremendous growth, having verified an estimated 60,000 products owned by more than 5,000 brands since 2010. Annual sales of Non-GMO Project verified products now exceed $30 billion.
|
|
Nestlé, Chipotle involved lawsuits over non-GMO claims
Food manufacturing giant Nestle USA, Inc. and fast casual restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill have had to fight lawsuits over promoting their foods as being non-GMO.
|
|
|
|
|
Hormel Foods, Kellogg’s introduce non-GMO plant-based meat alternatives
Move over Beyond Burger: Hormel Foods and Kellogg’s are the latest big players to enter the fast-growing meat-like burger market by introducing new non-GMO soy-based meat alternatives.
|
|
Non-GMO is major trend at world’s largest food and beverage trade show
Anuga
, the world’s largest trade show for food and beverages, will be held in Cologne, Germany in October, and non-GMO and organic categories are among the leading trends at the show.
|
|
|
|
|
Regenerating rural communities with regenerative agriculture
A new movement has started from the grass roots to challenge the way that we think about farming. In key ways Regenerative Agriculture pairs what we have learned from the past two phases of farming into a single resilient and profitable system. It is called Regenerative Agriculture, and it is the future of food production.
|
|
Soil health: Combatting climate change from the ground up
As farming communities reel from floods and drought, soil health can provide more water and carbon storage, improved nutrition, reduced runoff, and a more sustainable ecosystem. States are eagerly mandating soil health measures to support farmers and the land, over the long term.
|
|
|
Nineteen major companies join forces to step up regenerative farming practices and protect biodiversity
“One Planet Business for Biodiversity” (OP2B), a business-led, agriculture-centric coalition, was launched recently at UN Climate Action Summit in New York, aiming to scale up regenerative agricultural practices and protect biodiversity.
|
|
|
|
PURIS pea protein receives $75 million boost from Cargill
Leading producer opens large facility in Minnesota to double capacity, as plant-based burger companies using the protein see soaring profits.
|
|
|
|
Hemp industry is poised for growth but regulatory uncertainties remain
Industrial hemp has great potential as a food and fiber crop in the United States but regulatory issues remain uncertain and need clarification. This was a key message at educational sessions on hemp at the Organic Trade Association’s Bold Ideas + Critical Conversations conference.
|
|
Hemp acres quadrupled in 2019
The number of acres of hemp licensed across 34 states totaled 511,442 in 2019—more than quadruple the number of acres licensed from 2018.
|
|
|
|
|
Germany bans glyphosate weedkiller, phase-out complete by 2023
Bayer’s home country bans the company’s herbicide to protect insects, the food supply, and people’s health
|
|
General Mills aims to cut glyphosate use by encouraging regenerative agriculture
Looking to the future and alert to consumer preference, the cereal giant is hiring organic oat growers and pushing cover crops, diverse crop rotations, and integrative pest management.
Market pressure forcing Canadian farmers to stop using glyphosate on dry beans
Market forces amid the controversy over glyphosate is forcing Canadian farmers to abandon the practice of spraying the herbicide on dry beans to dry them down prior to harvest.
|
|
|
|
|
Glyphosate herbicide: threat to human and animal health and the environment
A growing body of research is finding negative impacts to human and animal health and the environment from glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup herbicide. The number of lawsuits over glyphosate’s link to cancer is also increasing.
|
|
|
|
Gene-edited cattle have a major screw up in their DNA
Gene editing animals is not “precision breeding” after all; failed experiment shuts down some of the techno-hype and shows need for regulation of the technology.
|
|
Gene-edited animals will intensify factory farming and the climate crisis, could harm human health
A new report from Friends of the Earth and Logos Environmental reveals that the use of gene editing in farm animals poses risks to human health, the environment and animal welfare.
|
|
|
Pro-GMO Center for Science in the Public Interest raises concerns about FDA review of Impossible Burger’s GMO ingredient
The Center for Science in the Public Interest is the latest consumer advocacy group to raise questions about the safety of the faux meat product, the Impossible Burger.
79 organic farm organizations send letter to USDA opposing possible use of genetic engineering in organics
The Organic Farmers Association (OFA) recently delivered a letter of opposition to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue, in response to a statement made by Department Under Secretary Greg Ibach concerning opening a dialogue about the use of gene-editing in organic agriculture.
|
|
|
|
|
GMO mosquitoes spreading out of control in Brazil
According to a new scientific
publication
, genetically engineered mosquitoes produced by the biotech company Oxitec (Intrexon) have escaped human control after trials in Brazil. They are now spreading in the environment.
|
|
Brazilian scientist called for suspension of GM mosquito trial, said Oxitec treated local population exposed to mosquitoes with contempt
An
article
in the Brazilian newspaper Rede Brasil Atual said that Dr. José Maria Gusman Ferraz, a member of Brazil’s biosafety commission (CTNBio), which approved the GM mosquito project, called on his fellow regulators to suspend the release of the mosquitoes until further health and environmental impact studies were done.
|
|
|
Is the bollworm growing resistant to the last defense of Bt corn and cotton?
Entomologists in southern states are reporting that earworm/bollworm caterpillars are feeding on genetically modified Bt corn and Bt cotton designed to kill them, and surviving.
|
|
|
Holland turns bus stops into “buzz stops” with plants atop shelters attracting honeybees
Utrecht city initiative employs bees and plants to capture dust and rainwater, plans for electric buses and clean transport by 2028, and encourages residents to plant green roofs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
