The U.S. Department of Agriculture on January 17 announced it is seeking public comments to a proposal for a nationwide research and promotion check-off program organic.
News Bites from the Organic Industry
Business Milestones
Ardent Mills has expanded its producer program to a total of seven U.S. states and a Canadian Province while adding more organic certified milling and packaging locations along with storage since announcing efforts to help U.S. wheat growers double organic wheat acres last December.
Check out the newest organic products
From infant formula to organic chicken stock, check out new organic products from Winter 2017.
Update on OTA Sector Councils
Farmers Advisory Council
The Organic Trade Association’s (OTA’s) Farmers Advisory Council (FAC) is growing its organizational and direct member participation. Numerous farmer organizations across the country have expressed interest in joining FAC, and OTA looks forward to working with each organization in facilitating their involvement. Similarly, as OTA continues to grow its direct farmer membership, we expect participation on FAC to develop in both its breadth and depth.
Gallery of organic facts: A resource for promoting organic and correcting misinformation
If you’re looking for social media content to showcase the value of organic, you’ve come to the right place. Despite organic sales reaching all-time highs, the organic community is still often asked to prove the value of organic and defend it from innacurate claims. We have all heard the misleading statements that organic cannot feed the world, or that it’s not really better for your health. To combat this misinformation, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) has created a collection of visually engaging graphics that are chock-full of facts proving organic is worth it.
An introduction to organic ‘bioponics’ and containers
Bioponics and containerized production were a significant topic of discussion at the Fall 2016 NOSB meeting in St. Louis, MO. Hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, bioponics, and containers are all buzzwords that are used to describe different production systems, but what do these various terms and definitions mean, and what do these systems look like?
National List Criteria: Inside the review process
Organic regulations require certified operations to demonstrate they are promoting ecological balance, conserving biodiversity, managing livestock to meet health and wellness requirements and using only approved farming and handling inputs. Organic agriculture is also governed by the basic rule that natural and organic inputs are allowed while synthetic inputs are prohibited. In some cases, however, synthetic or non-organic inputs are the only option available because of the absence of a natural or organic alternative.
Urban Ag and Food Waste Bills considered in Congress
This past September, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, who serves on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, introduced a bill that would make urban farms of all types eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and would set up an office of urban agriculture within the agency. The Urban Agriculture Act of 2016, as envisioned by Senator Stabenow, would help create new economic opportunities, giving urban families greater access to healthy food and creating a healthier environment in cities and towns across the country.
The Millennial Face of Organic
Millennials are adopting organic in a big way: on the farm and on the Internet, in the kitchen and in the board room
When 32-year-old Carolina King takes her toddler Camila grocery shopping in their Washington, D.C., suburb, little Camila is on the lookout for organic. If the three-year-old doesn’t spot that organic seal, she announces to all within earshot, “If it’s not organic, we don’t buy it,” and the item doesn’t get into her mom’s shopping cart.