Organic E-News - June 2007 - PEI Certified Organic Producers Co-op

PEI Certified Organic Producers Co-op Newsletter - Dec 2007

In this issue:

MARITIME ORGANIC PRODUCERS REVEAL VIEWS IN OACC STUDY

A recently released study by OACC provides a good overview on the needs and views of Maritime organic farmers. The survey found that producers were very interested in collaborative research performed on-farm and not at regional research centers. The importance of integrated pest management and Maritime marketing challenges were also emphasized.

Under crop production, Maritime organic farmers ranked the top three needs as: enhancing natural insect controls, cultural insect controls, and beneficial rotations for specific problems. This reflected the importance Maritime farmers
place on the use of integrated practices for pest control, whereas the use of organic pesticides and insecticides were ranked low.

Lack of access to markets was sited by organic farmers as a significant barrier to the growth of the Maritime organic sector. Many farmers commented that there is a need for a coordinated marketing plan and more advertising by local and larger supermarkets of organic produce. Lack of labour, buyers and brokers, processing facilities and high transportation costs were also listed as barriers to additional growth.

Full report:http://www.oacc.info/FriendsE-zines/january2009.asp

GROWING SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS CAUSE AUTISM

The number of new cases of autism in California each year has risen to 3,000, compared to 205 new cases in 1990. Scientists studying why have concluded that exposure to pesticides, viruses, and chemicals, individually and in combination, are likely among the reasons why. The most rapid increase is in newly diagnosed cases involving children 0-4 years old.

Exposure to metals and pesticides during pregnancy are emerging as leading causes and are now the focus of intense research across the country. Mothers who used pet shampoos containing pesticides were twice as likely to give birth to children afflicted by autism.

Despite growing consensus that environmental factors, and in particular chemicals, are pushing autism rates higher, the government is spending 10 to 20 times more research funding on assessment of possible genetic factors leading to autism.

Source: Marla Cone, Environmental Health News, January 9, 2009
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/

A TURKEY OF A DECISION

Many consumers are looking towards free-range or organic poultry production. It is a growing niche market that many family farmers are entering to provide a product to citizens who often will not normally buy poultry products. Given the choice between conventional poultry production there are a significant number of consumers who will choose not to buy poultry products if their only option is conventionally raised birds. It would be foolish for the powers to be to throw that market away for farmers who could fill it. The Turkey Farmers of Ontario are trying to deal with concerns around avian influenza. The thing is, though, there is little credible analysis that links free range poultry to the spread of avian influenza. In fact, there are studies that have shown that it is in the footprint of Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai and Cambodian massive commercial poultry operations (that do not follow the kinds of rules farmers here follow) that avian influenza seems to take hold.
Full story: Simcoe.com

PROFESSOR UPSETS LOCAL APPLE CART

Full story: Mississauga News
Pierre Desrochers freely admits to being the "resident contrarian" in the geography department at University of Toronto Mississauga. In his latest foray into upsetting conventional wisdom, Desrochers and his wife, economist Hiroko Shimizu, have published a paper that debunks the theory that buying locally-grown food is a major boon to the environment. Called Yes, We Have No Bananas: A Critique of the 'Food Miles' Perspective, the paper was published by the Mercatus Centre in the United States, an academic site that "publishes stuff that people will actually read," says Desrochers. "Long-distance food transportation by highly-efficient diesel container ships represents only a tiny percentage of total energy expenditure in agricultural production," he says. "Cold storage or greenhouses have much more significant expenditures. North Americans somehow forget that we have seasons."Back to top

"ORGANIC GREEN REVOLUTION" CAN SOLVE GLOBAL HUNGER

In a new report, the Rodale Institute calls for a dramatic shift from costly, chemical-intensive industrial farming systems to regenerative organic systems, which it says can help the world feed itself. The report cites a study of small-scale farmers in 57 countries whose yields increased by an average 79 percent when they used sustainable agriculture techniques and other research in developing countries that found organic farming was two to three times more productive than conventional farming. Organic farming methods restore nutrients and carbon to the soil, resulting in higher nutrient density in crops and increased yields. Organic soils also contain more beneficial microorganisms, are less vulnerable to erosion, and retain moisture better to help plants survive drought conditions. A 28-year side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional practices on Rodale's research farm in Pennsylvania has found that organically grown corn and soybeans are more resistant to drought, outperforming conventional crops by 30 percent and 50 to 100 percent respectively. Read the report at http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=VWgJl2gTuenO7TncX1BtCA.. (pdf).

AGENCIES REBUFF CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATORS ON ENGINEERED CROPS

Three federal agencies turned down a recommendation from congressional investigators to monitor genetically engineered (GE) crops after they are commercialized. In a recent report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, criticized the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency for allowing unapproved GE crops to enter the food supply and recommended several steps they should take to prevent further contamination. However, the agencies rejected the GAO's most important recommendation--to monitor GE crops after they are approved for commercial production. Unapproved GE crops are known to have contaminated the food supply six times since 2000, not counting the most recent incident in which an experimental GE variety of cottonseed was allowed to contaminate animal feed (see http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=LbLX6Re7kSM0I8oLxZ0mYw.. ). Read the
GAO report at http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=3kTKtNIQq4mnRuHBt7DdfA..

HOW WILL ORGANIC FOOD HOLD UP IN THE RECESSION?

Full story: AP-FoodTechnology.com
Market analysis have expressed concern that demand for organic food will shrink in the tight economic situation, as consumers become less willing to part with a premium. Organic certifiers have started considering ways to reduce the impact of higher costs and lower demand on farmers; for instance, one plan would allow farmers to give animals conventional feed for a limited period, without compromising their organic status in the longer term. But Mark Waugh, spokesperson for Organic Farmers and Growers [a UK certification body], said that so far "the talking down of organics has been more serious than the reality. We are not feeling huge waves of panic from licensees." He [added] that they are "feeling the pain, but hopefully they can ride it out."
AP-FoodTechnology.com - 12/23/08

GM OPPONENTS FIGHT OVER TRIAL DATA

Gregor Heard, National Grains Writer
19/01/2009 2:37:00 PM

There was a boost for those against genetically modified canola last week when National Variety Trial data was released showing that GM canola yielded less than conventional canola in most cases in the two trial sites at Horsham, Victoria, and Forbes, NSW. However, those in favour of GM said the lower yields were to be expected, as work on GM canola had been severely interrupted by the moratoria on GM crops from 2003-2007, and that the lines were outdated.
Agronomist and proponent of GM canola Bill Crabtree, Crabtree Agricultural Consulting, also said that the results came only from two sites, and trials suffered both from frost and drought. However, Network of Concerned Farmers spokesperson Julie Newman said she had anticipated the results. "While the results sent shockwaves among farmers expecting higher yields, the NCF expected this result," she said. "It is clear evidence that GM canola is not what it is promoted as."
Mrs Newman claimed the results showed GM canola yielded 17pc lower than conventional lines, based on overall yields of 0.7t/ha for GM and 0.8t/ha for conventional cultivars. There have been various claims as to the percentage difference between GM and conventional lines depending on how the NVT data has been interpreted.

Monsanto has gone into bat for its Roundup Ready varieties, saying that the NVT work did not take into account the weed management benefit of GM canola. "It's important to understand the context of the NVT Trials and how they are run. Their aim is to have a weed-free trial so that weed competition does not compromise the yield of the lines in the trial," a Monsanto spokesperson said. The spokesperson also said that Monsanto was working on new varieties and anticipated there would be significantly higher yielding varieties incorporating Roundup Ready technology in coming years. However, Mrs Newman said the results only highlighted the narrow range of benefits of GM technology in canola, and even said the weed management benefits were overstated, and came largely from the use of trifluralin, safe to use on conventional canola.

MOVE OVER GERBER: CHICAGO MOM WHIPS UP ORGANIC FOOD FOR BABIES

by Julia Hawes
Jan 15, 2009

The Chicago-based Maddy's Organic Meals is named for Maddy, Dori Boneck's 3-year-old daughter. Boneck started making organic baby food when she was pregnant with Maddy.

When Dori Boneck was 20 weeks pregnant with her daughter, Madeleine, she learned her daughter had a kidney disorder. Boneck immediately started wondering how she could improve her daughter’s health.

For Boneck, her pregnancy led to two births: that of her daughter and of her start-up, Maddy’s Organic Meals, an all-organic baby food company run by Boneck and her husband, Carson.

“Having a kid brings things into focus—things that weren’t that important when it was just you,” Boneck, 34, said.

Maddy’s Organic Meals joined the growing organic baby food industry, from the national staple Gerber Organic to Earth’s Best. Boneck’s company is of the personal, local variety, as the owner also devises new recipes and oversees the cooking process.

full story http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=111699

IS THAT OLIVE OIL ORGANIC? CHECK WITH THE LADYBUGS

Full story: Scientific American
Organic isn't only winning over the eco-chic set. It turns out that ladybugs (a.k.a. coccinellids) also have an affinity for the sustainable. Researchers from the University of Granada in Spain have discovered that friendly pest-chomping ladybugs prefer pesticide-free olive orchards to conventional ones, paving the way for them to be used as markers of organic crops. The scientists report in the journal Ecological Indicators that there were consistently more ladybugs in an organically cultivated orchard than in those that had been sprayed with insecticides. The finding suggests that ladybugs, which gobble petite pests such as crop-devouring aphids, may serve as an indicator species, which are animals or plants that give a quick measure of an ecosystem's health - like the proverbial canary in the mineshaft. "Ladybirds (ladybugs in North America) fulfill all the requirements for a useful bioindicator," the study authors write.
Scientific American - 01/12/09

ORGANIC FERTILIZER INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE

By Don Schrack

Another California-based organic liquid fertilizer supplier may be in trouble with federal and state agriculture officials.

Federal agents searched Port Organic Products Ltd., Buttonwillow, Calif., on Jan. 22, according to an article by the Sacramento Bee. Industry sources, the Bee reported, estimate the company produced up to half of the liquid fertilizer used on the state’s organic farms in recent years.

The GreenPeople Web site and others indicate family owned Port Organic Products is a leading producer of fish-based liquid organic fertilizers. The only company product certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute, Eugene, Ore., according to the institute’s Web site, is Marizyme 4-2-2 Fishilizer. It is identified as a fertilizer containing a variety of ingredients including ground fish.

The source of the nitrogen in Marizyme 4-2-2 may be the reason for the federal action. The Bee reported it had obtained documents indicating California Department of Food and Agriculture officials suspected in fall 2007 that Port Organic was using synthetic nitrogen. Kern County records reveal the company has in the past three years purchased substantial amounts of aqua ammonia, a source of synthetic nitrogen.

full story: http://thepacker.com/icms/_dtaa2/content/wrapper.asp?alink=2009-93016-755.asp&stype=topnews&fb=

Smile Awhile :)

A man owned a small farm in Indiana. The Indiana State Wage & Hour Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to interview him.

"I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them," demanded the agent.

"Well," replied the farmer, "there's my farm hand who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week plus free room and board. Then there's the half-wit who works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night. He also sleeps with my wife occasionally."

"That's the guy I want to talk to, the half-wit," says the agent.

"That would be me," replied the farmer.

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