Organic products

MORE ORGANIC IN THE SUPERMARKETS
Thursday, August 28
Organic food once was the domain of specialty grocery stores, but big box chains are getting into organics in a big way.

Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Wal Mart and WinCo are among the big names that carry certified organic versions of shopping cart staples, from milk and meat to cookies and crackers and just about everything in between.

Supermarkets now account for more than 60 percent of the organic food market, said Albertsons spokeswoman Donna Eggers.

'It's becoming more mainstream,' said Melinda Merrill, Fred Meyer spokeswoman. 'People are trying to eat healthier, or watching what they feed their family. It's a huge growth area for us.' Despite recent setbacks tied to the economy, Whole Foods, the natural foods chain, has seen its income and stock value plummet this year, U.S. organic food sales are projected to reach an all time high of $23 billion in 2008 and continue increasing 18 percent a year through 2010, according to the Organic Trade Association.

Yet organics are still a hard sell, especially in a stagnant economy where people are responding to rising gas and food prices by switching to cheaper brands and discount stores.

Prices for organic items can be double (or more) those of conventional brands. But don't have a cow just yet: As the organic food market continues to grow, stores and manufacturers are starting to court shoppers with more affordable prices.

Albertsons and Fred Meyer sell organics under their own store brands, and the prices, generally 10 cents to $1 higher, are often comparable to conventional products.

'There are more producers of organic products, so it makes it easier for us to get it, and it's closing the price gap,' Merrill said.

Though instances are rare, organics are sometimes the same price or even less than nonorganic products.

In general, expect to pay more for organics, but shop around to find the best deal, especially with regularly purchased items.

By Chad Dryden

THE LATEST ORGANIC SUPERMARKET NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC SECTOR REMAINS STRONG
WHILE the credit crunch may be forcing people to cut back on their spending, organic producers and farm shops have told how sales in their sector have not been adversely affected.

Organic sales continue to grow with no apparent dip in demand, according to the Soil Association, which certifies more than 80% of the UK's organic food.

The charity expects to see a healthy 10% growth for sales of organic products this year, which it says is four to five times higher than sales growth for the general food market.

In Suffolk, producers have attributed the sustained growth to the idea that those who choose to buy organic produce will stick with organic goods, regardless of the current economic climate.

Alison Youngman, owner of The Grange Farm Shop in Hasketon, near Woodbridge, said: 'We haven't seen a real change in sales of organic food, at the moment we haven't noticed a pull away. I think people that choose organic food will still buy it regardless.'

Oliver Paul, director of Suffolk Food Hall in Wherstead, near Ipswich, said: 'The credit crunch isn't really affecting us.'

'We haven't seen a drop in the sales of organic produce, sales of organic fruit and veg have actually increased by 31% from June to July this year'.

'We have seen that people are being more discerning about their shopping, rather than buy everything in supermarkets people are tending to buy the bulk of shop at the bigger stores but are coming to farm shops for select items, like meat and fruit and veg. People are being choosier about where they are buying their food from.'

Predictions are that as oil prices continue to push up the price of chemical fertilisers and energy costs, organic farming will gain a competitive advantage and become a more viable option for more farmers.

Patrick Holden, director of Soil Association, said: 'It's important to note that Government funded research has shown that organic uses 26% less energy than non-organic per kilogram of food, largely because we do not use energy intensive artificial fertiliser.'

Organic farming does not use artificial fertilisers, instead building soil fertility through crop rotations and the use of clover that fixes nitrogen naturally from the atmosphere using the sun's energy and photosynthesis.

A spokeswoman from Sainsburys said the impact of the economic slowdown on its organic sales had also been minimal.

She said: 'We haven't noticed a huge change. Organic food is very popular with Sainsbury's customers, if people choose to buy organic products they will continue to do so.'

By www.eadt.co.uk

THE LATEST ORGANIC MARKET SECTOR NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC IN IRELAND
Organic farmers are calling on the Government to take stronger measures to boost the production of organic food in Ireland.

In a pre budget submission, the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association says Irish produce could make up 80% of organic food sales in the domestic market within the next four years.

At present, up to 70% of organic products sold in Ireland are imported from abroad.

Elsewhere, the association is also calling on local authorities to provide more land for organic allotments and for a consumer awareness campaign to educate people about the benefits of growing their own food.

By www.fingal-independent.ie

THE LATEST ORGANIC IRELAND NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC ADVISORY COUNCIL
Standard Process Inc.(R) recently hosted the Wisconsin Organic Advisory Council's (WOAC) first field tour. WOAC brings together a diverse, forward thinking group of organic farmers, businesses, consumers and government agency representatives to provide leadership and vision for the future of Wisconsin's organic agriculture. The group advises the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and other agencies on issues that will further the organic industry in the state.

The Organic Advisory Council was established in 2006 to help grow Wisconsin's organic agriculture sector. Wisconsin ranks second in the nation for number of organic farms and processors, having increased over 90% in the last five years. The Council works with a team of state and federal agency representatives to guide this growth and provide education, technical assistance, and other resources for farmers and companies wishing to produce organic products.

Christine Mason, Farm Manager for Standard Process, was selected by Secretary of Agriculture Rod Nilsestuen to be an inaugural member of the WOAC in 2006 when the group was formed. When the opportunity arose, Christine gladly spent a day hosting the council in Palmyra. During theirJuly 23 visit, Mason showed how Standard Process produces 80% of its raw materials on 420 organic acres with the help of only a six person team.

While the WOAC toured the farm, they learned how Christine and her crew use organic farming techniques to ensure the quality of the farmland is maintained for years to come.

Preparations for the planting season on the Standard Process Farm begin in January, long before the snow melts. Seed orders are placed early in the year to ensure the large amounts of organic seed needed to meet the upcoming year's harvest goals are still available. Finding organic seed is not always easy or affordable, so the company focuses each year on harvesting their own seeds for planting. The tour group learned the process the farm crew follows each year in an attempt to get as much seed from the crops as possible. When they don't get enough seed yield from a crop, untreated and GMO free seed is purchased from organic vendors.

Controlling and limiting weeds is an ongoing battle on any farm, so WOAC members were interested to know how the certified organic Standard Process Farm eliminated weeds without pesticides. The Standard Process Farm crew adheres to strict organic weed control standards, such as cultivating, mowing, hand weeding and using a crop flamer. Cover crops, a source of nitrogen and a way of returning organic matter back to the soil, are also utilized on the farm. The members of WOAC could look at the fields and see how effective these methods were when put into practice by knowledgeable staff.

As WOAC members surveyed the land, many asked how Standard Process coped with the June floods. From their vantage point, it looked like the farm was bordered by a lake. What they were really seeing were the neighboring farms, still under several feet of water. While Standard Process lost about half of what it had planted for the 2008 season, the farm is unique, because planting and harvesting occurs in rapid succession all summer long in order to meet the company's needs. Every day, the farm sends raw material to the plant for processing. Standard Process focuses mainly on short-season crops, such as buckwheat, kidney beans, Spanish black radish and barley grass. These crops require a shorter growing season than traditional row crops, such as field corn. Production schedules at the plant may need to be adjusted on a daily basis, but there will be crops to harvest and no major negative effects of the flooding should be felt.

There were two more areas on the farm WOAC members were curious about, the two greenhouses and a small cluster of experimental test beds bursting with a variety of vegetables and plants. The greenhouses allow Standard Process to stretch out Wisconsin's short growing season. Many of the cruciferous crops, such as Brussels sprouts and cabbage, get their start here. When planting time arrives, the team transplants robust plants into the ground. The headstart inside the greenhouse gives these crops time to mature in an optimal environment, which helps them to better withstand disease and insects, naturally.

While experimental test beds are not typically found on large farms, the test beds at the Standard Process Farm provide a wealth of information to both Mason and Standard Process's Research & Development department. The farm crew and company scientists work together to determine which plant varieties are the hardiest and will survive and grow in our climate. The scientists also observe and test certain plant species to determine which will provide the most nutritional benefit.

Standard Process was happy to host the WOAC and is honored to have its own Christine Mason as part of the Council. The company welcomes every chance to help educate others on the benefits and challenges of organic farming.

For more information on DATCP's Organic Advisory Council, contact Laura Paine, Organic Agriculture Specialist, at 608 224 5120 or laura.paine@wi.gov. For more information on Standard Process, contact Annie Gentil, public relations coordinator, at 800 848 5061 or agentil@standardprocess.com.
SOURCE: Standard Process Inc

By www.marketwatch.com

THE LATEST ORGANIC ADVISORY COUNCIL NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME