organic
Comment period for organic checkoff is extended by 30 days
The government said it will allow an additional month for comments on a proposed checkoff program for the organic industry, the first based on a production method rather than a specific farm product such as beef, cotton or pork.
Organic check-off stirs debate within the industry
"A battle is brewing in the organic food industry," says Harvest Public Media in a story about the expected request for a check-off program for organic products.
If it’s dollars, not yield, organic can top conventional farms
A comprehensive study by two Washington State U scientists "finds organic agriculture is more profitable for farmers than conventional agriculture," says a WSU release.
Organic industry takes “big step,” asks for checkoff program
The rapidly growing organic industry petitioned the USDA for a referendum to create a checkoff program to pay for research and promotional work to expand production and sales. The checkoff, to be called the Generic Research and Promotion Order for Organic, or GRO Organic, would be the first such program dedicated to a production method. Two-dozen checkoffs, focusing on products from pork, cotton and popcorn to mangos and watermelons, are in operation and have spawned advertisements such as "Got Milk?" and "Beef - It's what's for dinner."
Demand for fresh, local food pinches Big Food
The big-name international food companies "are in the position of having to rework, reshape and re-imagine themselves" in response to consumer demand for fresh, local and organic foods, says the Guardian.
USDA to consider practices for organic hydroponics
The Department of Agriculture set a May 8 deadline for nominations to a task force that will "examine hydroponic and aquaponic practices and their alignment with the USDA organic regulations" and the underlying law.
Organic dairy farms – high costs, high consumer demand
Consumer demand for organic milk continues to grow. Annual sales growth is "still in the high single digits," write USDA economists Catherine Greene and William McBride in Choices, the agricultural economics journal.
From football field to community garden
After Paul Quinn College ended its football program, the historically black college in Dallas converted its football field into a massive organic garden. College president Michael Sorrell "decided that the college would grow its own food," writes Amy McCarthy at Civil Eats.
U.S. organic cotton plantings, while small, are on the rise
Organic cotton is a tiny part of the U.S. production, a bit more than 10,000 bales out of the total of 16 million bales. But organic growers said in a survey that they intend to expand plantings this year, to nearly 19,000 acres.
Performing “seed CPR” for organic agriculture
Seed banks are a well-known way to preserve genetic diversity through preservation and propagation of rare food crops or varieties that have fallen out of favor.
Organic vs conventional yield gap is smaller than thought
A meta-analysis of 115 studies by UC-Berkeley researchers finds the yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture is smaller than thought, around 19 percent.
Healthy food at low price is difficult goal for grocer in Detroit
When Whole Foods, "the world's leader in organic and natural foods" with 360 stores, opened a store in Detroit in June 2013, top executives said they wanted to reach "all of Detroit" with lower prices and to encourage healthier diets.
On America’s grocery list – more fresh food, less processed
Grocery shoppers are spending less time, and money, in the center aisles of the supermarket, where the processed foods dwell and more time in the dairy case, meat counter and produce bins, says the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
“I’d like to cock him one”
Sixty years after the Double T dairy farm went into business in California's Central Valley, owner Tony Azevedo sold his cattle, partly due to unrelenting drought and partly out of frustration over disagreements with his son on transfer of the business to a new generation.
US organic food standards on the menu for debate
USDA's organic food label, the gold standard for shopper wanting food free of genetically modified organisms and chemical pesticides, "has come under increasing attack as a handful of consumer groups question the USDA’s handling of the National Organic Standards Board," says Roll Call.
EWG releases food scorecard, foodmakers call it misleading
The Environmental Working Group unveiled its Food Scores database that rates 80,000 foods on a scale of 1 to 10 based on nutrition, ingredients and how much processing it received.
McDonald’s may sell more McOrganic food
Fast-food giant McDonald's may sell more organic food to hold on to its customers, says chief executive Don Thompson, according to Bloomberg.
USDA- $83 million for local and organic food, healthier diets
The Agriculture Department tapped five grant programs to provide a total of $52 million to support local food systems and organic agriculture. Some $27 million came through a new program to build a local distribution chain for small farmers as well as a longstanding program to aid farmers markets and other direct farmer-to-consumer outlets. Food hubs, aggregators and local processors can be pieces of a regional food system. Small and medium-size producers often are at a disadvantage when potential customers want large volumes of goods.
USDA launches program promoting organic dairy products
Agriculture Undersecretary Jenny Moffitt announced a $15 million program to expand sales of organic dairy products to schools and youth programs on Monday. “Expanding access to a variety of organic dairy products in schools and community programs promotes healthy consumption habits and strengthens local dairy markets,” said Moffitt during a trip to southeastern Vermont.