In This Issue:
- Breaking Science
- In The News
- Do You Know?
- Commentary
- Events and Presentations
- Core Truths
- The Art of Giving
- Join Mission Organic
- About THE SCOOP
- About The Organic Center
New Study Reinforces Need to Critically Assess Research Design
A study just out in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture is entitled "Effect of plant cultivation methods on content of major and trace elements in foodstuffs and retention in rats." The Danish research team compared the retention of nutrients in rats fed a diet composed of organic and conventional dried fruits and vegetables. Only trace mineral levels were compared; no results were reported on vitamins, polyphenols, and antioxidants (nutrients that routinely are present at higher concentrations in organic food).
No differences were found in nutrient levels, leading the authors to suggest that such findings might dampen consumer demand for organic food. Some media outlets have picked up this finding, and have dramatically broadened it to support headlines and statements like “Organic food no more nutritious than conventional.” A review of the study’s experimental design, however, raises serious questions about whether this study’s results actually support the more narrow conclusions stated by the authors.
The team grew the fruits and vegetables in both the “conventional” and organic plots on soils that were previously managed organically. Accordingly, the conventional crops enjoyed all the nutrient-enhancing and plant-health benefits of heightened soil quality from prior organic soil management. Given the series of studies published in the U.S. in the last three years pointing to soil quality enhancement in organic systems as the major cause, or explanation of observed differences in nutritional quality, it is not surprising that this Danish study found no statistically significant difference in mineral levels in the organic and “conventional” crops that were harvested and fed to the rats.
In addition, the organic plots were grown under limited nitrogen, whereas the conventional crop was not. On the basis of the criteria the Center developed to judge the scientific validity of comparison studies, and used in completing our March 2008 report on the nutrient content of organic food, this Danish study is clearly “invalid” for purposes of comparing the nutrient content of conventional and organic foods.
The study was carefully conducted and valid for testing the impacts of the production conditions embedded in its experimental design, but by virtue of this design, little weight should be placed on its findings in terms of the differences in conventional and organic management on crop nutritional quality.
Source: Mette Kristensen, Lars Ostengaard, Ulrich Halekoh, Henry Jorgensen, Charlotte Lauridsen, Kirsten Brandt, and Suzanne Bugel. "Effect of plant cultivation methods on content of major and trace elements in foodstuffs and retention in rats," Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 2008
Building Soil Quality Could Play Major Role in Slowing Global Climate Change
One of the world’s most respected authorities on agriculture’s role in combating global climate change, Dr. Rattan Lal of Ohio State University, has published a provocative and easy-to-understand overview entitled “Promise and limitations of soils to minimize climate change” (Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, July/August 2008).
Lal projects total global carbon emissions this decade at 9.4 petagrams (Pg) of carbon per year, up from 7.1 Pg carbon per year in the 1980s. Currently, he projects that terrestrial (land) carbon sinks can absorb 2.7 Pg/year, or 28.7%. Just under one-quarter is absorbed by the ocean – and hence, about 44% is released to the atmosphere.
The potential of the world’s soils to absorb additional carbon by increasing soil organic matter levels is enormous, and dwarfs several times annual carbon losses from all sources. Lal argues that –
“…increasing the soil organic carbon pool is also essential in improving water quality, reducing nonpoint source pollution and hypoxia, advancing the global food security; increasing biodiversity, controlling desertification, and improving water quality.”
“Despite all its potential, cost effectiveness, and ancillary benefits, the strategy of soil carbon sequestration has not gained wide acceptance, especially among policy makers…”
Editor’s Note –
We agree with Dr. Lal, and in response, The Center is forging a partnership with the Rodale Institute to expand research on the benefits of organic farming systems in sequestering carbon in the soil. One of the proven strategies for building soil organic matter is no-till planting systems. The work of Rodale Institute scientists on organic no-till systems has taken on new importance and could soon pave the way for impressive gains in carbon sequestration on organic row and small grain farms.
For conventional farmers, the combination of Roundup Ready crops and no-till can also build soil carbon levels, but at the expense of yields, costs, and rising herbicide use. Despite all the marketing and PR promoting RR crops and no-till, Lal reports that only 5% of global farm acreage is planted using no-till and other forms of advanced conservation technology. No doubt $4.00 diesel has kept some iron out of the field this season, and interest in reduced tillage systems is bound to grow.
Developing agronomic systems that sustain yields, farm profits, food and environmental quality, and sequester carbon is emerging as the great challenge for the next generation of farmers, scientists, and conservationists. The Center and the Rodale Institute plan to push the envelope hard in this quest, and will insist that the proven benefits of organic farming are given full and fair consideration as the search for solutions intensifies.
Clear Evidence of the Health-Promoting Benefits of Vitamins and Antioxidants
Between 25 and 40 million people in Bangladesh rely on water contaminated with natural sources of arsenic, increasing the prevalence of skin lesions and a range of cancers.
A U.S. team of researchers has found that individuals in Bangladesh consuming diets rich in vitamins and antioxidants enjoy up to a 68% reduction in risk of skin lesions triggered by exposure to arsenic in drinking water.
Source: Lydia B. Zablotska et al., “Protective Effects of B Vitamins and Antioxidants on the Risk of Arsenic-Related Skin Lesions in Bangladesh,” Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 116, No. 8, August 2008
Editor’s Note –
The Center is often asked whether there is any solid evidence that shows that consuming a diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants actually improves health. Despite hundreds of studies that suggest they do promote health, skeptics remain. Studies like this one in Bangladesh answer this question in another way – by focusing on the impact of diet in a population with a clear cut, easy to measure health problem. In many cases, this sort of study produces solid evidence of a protective effect of some drug or intervention in the face of a recognized health problem.
But does this study in Bangladesh have any relevance to environmental risks and diet-health connections in the U.S.? Very few Americans are drinking arsenic-contaminated water, so no, there is little direct relevance. Still these findings are significant, because they show the great potential in promoting health and preventing disease from attainable increases in vitamin and antioxidant intakes.
While few of us suffer from arsenic in our drinking water, the American public is far less healthy than should be the case, given our wealth, health care system, and access to abundant, high quality foods. While calories are consumed in excess by most American, vitamins and antioxidants are not. Indeed, the average American ingests only about one-third the antioxidants needed on a daily basis to maximize the chances of healthy development and graceful aging.
Consuming organic fruits and vegetables will likely increase average daily vitamin and antioxidant intakes by at least a third, in contrast to eating the same conventional fruits and vegetables. Couple choosing organic with new determination to seek out brightly colored or dark, antioxidant-rich foods, picked ripe and consumed fresh, and a person can easily more than triple daily antioxidant intakes and by doing so, go a long way toward preserving good health, even in the face of the bugs, stresses, contaminants, and strains of modern life. Maybe not arsenic, but surely something else.
Length of Crop Season Emerges as Key Variable in Nitrogen Isotope Testing of Organic Crops
Several research teams are exploring the use of stable nitrogen isotope tracers to determine whether a certified organic fruit or vegetable was indeed grown using organic practices. A New Zealand study has concluded that the method appears reliable in short-season crops that mature in less than 80 days, but must be augmented with other methods in crops that take longer to mature.
This approach is based on the significant differences in N isotopes in nitrogen fertilizers synthetically manufactured from natural gas or other petroleum sources, compared to nitrogen from organic sources.
One weakness of the approach is that it can identify situations in which only some prohibited fertilizers have been used in organic production, but cannot distinguish between organic farms on which permitted sources of nitrogen were properly incorporated in an organic production system, in contrast to organic farms that improperly applied permitted sources of nitrogen.
Source: Karyne Rogers, “Nitrogen Isotopes as a Screening Tool to Determine the Growing Regimen of Some Organic and Nonorganic Supermarket Produce from New Zealand,” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Vol. 56, No. 11, June 11, 2008
Cold Plasma Technology Shows Promise as an Alternative to Chlorine
By adding energy to a gas, scientists have created what is called “cold plasma,” a promising new option to kill pathogens such as E. coli O157 and Salmonella on the surface
of fruits, vegetables, and many other foods. Ionized gas has been used for years to sterilize delicate electronics in satellites, and some day might find valuable new uses down on earth.
The food applications under study by a USDA team use air as the gas. Energy is added to the air, creating cold plasma, and then the energized gas is used to treat, for example, sliced apples or other produce. The energy is transferred to the pathogen, killing up to 99.9% of the pathogens that are present.
Much work needs to be done to assess the impacts on food quality, and the costs of the technology are not yet known, but early results are promising.
Source: “The Packer,” August 4, 2008.
Editor’s Note –
Cold plasma technology is one of dozens of new technologies under development to help achieve food safety goals. Many of the new technologies currently in play are not likely to gain approval under the National Organic Program, but some surely will. The troubling increase in the frequency and magnitude of major food safety scares means, among other things, that more and more food is being wasted because of questions about safety.
Much progress can be made by more effectively applying old and new technology in the storage and preservation of food. Over one-third of all food produced worldwide is lost to pests, molds, bacteria, and rot, and increasingly, recalls. Lowering this share is “low hanging fruit” in the quest for global food security.
28% of China’s Arable Land Devoted to “Eco-foods”
The August 2008 Environmental Health Perspectives includes a major story entitled “Recovering the Good Earth: China’s Growing Organic Market.” It reports that 28% of China’s arable land – some 34 million hectares – is producing certified organic, China “green,” or “hazard-free” categories of food.
According to the report, “Organic farming in China is largely an export-oriented industry.” Domestic demand in China is held back by premiums in China for “eco-foods, “ which can reach 700% of conventional prices, an average much higher than in the U.S.
Organic Ginger from China Takes a Fall
A national “mandatory Class 3” recall of imported organic ginger products is underway after the discovery of aldicarb insecticide in the ginger. The USDA’s National Organic Program has urged all 95 certifiers to alert customers who may have purchased the products. Several companies are recalling the products.
The presence of aldicarb in organic ginger from China was first disclosed by a Washington D.C.-based TV news program. The station first ran a story about two months ago, focusing on the presence of imported organic food products from China in a D.C.-area Whole Foods store. Strong consumer reaction to the piece led the station to sponsor pesticide residue testing of about two-dozen imported organic products for sale at the Whole Foods store. Only one out of 24 tested positive for any pesticide – organic ginger from China. While the focus has been on the one positive sample, it is reassuring that no residues were found in all other samples.
Source: Sustainable Food News, August 7, 2008; August 6, 2008 Memo from Barbara Robinson, NOP, to “All USDA Accredited Certifying Agents”
Editor’s Note –
Aldicarb is the most acutely toxic (to mammals) pesticide ever registered. It works through systemic action, by moving into a plant through its roots. This is why residues are likely to be present whenever aldicarb is used on a food crop.
The EPA should have banned all uses of aldicarb years ago, since this carbamate insecticide has triggered so many serious human poisoning episodes, killed millions of birds and fish, and slams populations of beneficial insects. Fortunately, few food uses remain. The recent EPA decision to ban all remaining uses of carbofuran – a similar, very toxic insecticide – is encouraging, and may signal long overdue EPA action to put aldicarb out to pasture once and for all, at least in the U.S.
Dealing with illegal aldicarb uses abroad, like an application to a ginger crop in China, is going to take concerted international effort. In the meantime, random testing of foods – organic and conventional – will be needed to catch those who are willing to break the rules, or are victims of others that are breaking rules.
How could a consumer shopping at Whole Foods who bought the Chinese ginger product, Whole Foods itself, QAI, the ultimate certifier of the ginger product, and the farmer growing the ginger crop in China ALL be victims of someone else “breaking the rules”?
Pyrethrin insecticides are allowed for organic production, but are costly, since the active ingredient is extracted via a labor-intensive process from flowers grown mostly in Africa. An unscrupulous company might decide to forego buying the expensive pyrethrin to put in an organically approved pesticide product, and instead formulate the product with aldicarb as the active ingredient. Assuming the company formulating this fraudulent product did so with some sophistication, the now-fraudulently labeled product would work just as well, if not better, and would cost the company less than a tenth as much to manufacture.
Sound farfetched? Recall from last month’s “The Scoop” that 5% to 7% of the pesticides sold in the EU are mislabeled, and that most of the mislabeled products are coming from China.
Which leads to a question – whose job is it to police the purity and authenticity of inputs used by organic farmers?
Critique Stirs Media Interest in the Center’s March 2008 SSR on Nutrient Content
In mid-July, the American Council for Science and Health (ACSH), an industry-funded organization that works on behalf of the pesticide, biotechnology and drug industries, issued a critique of the Center’s March 2008 report “New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-Based Organic Foods.” The ACSH report was written by Dr. Joseph Rosen of Rutgers University.
On July 23, Barry Estabrook of Gourmet Magazine posted a story on the critique, which provides a concise summary of Rosen’s comments. His piece is entitled "Politics of the Plate -- Fighting Words”.
The response by the five co-authors of the Center’s report covers the major points of the ACSH critique, and has been posted on the Center’s website. Excepts appear below.
“The American Council for Science and Health (ACSH) report by Dr. Joseph Rosen seems to accept, and does not argue with the factors we identified to screen published nutrient content studies for scientific validity. “
“But as he goes through the various sections of our report, he criticizes us for ‘cherry-picking’ results, excluding matched pairs where the results favor conventional food. That is not what we did. He misrepresents our methodology and offers inconsistent and illogical suggestions to correct what he perceives as ‘bias’ in our selection of the matched pairs of foods that were then used to compare nutrient concentrations. “
“We applied the screening method and selection criteria consistently, and in fact eliminated more results favoring the organic food in a matched pair than the conventional food. Without our screening methods and criteria, the nutritional advantage of organic food would have been greater.”
Organic Center Appoints New Board Members
Four new members have been appointed to the Organic Center board –
- Sara Snow, Discovery Networks, media, consumer advocate
- Ken Cook, President of EWG, an environmental non-profit
- Margaret Wittenberg, Global VP for Quality Standards and Public Affairs, Whole Foods Market, representing retailers
- Timothy Escamilla, VP for Procurement, Ready Pac, fresh produce industry
Current board members Michelle Goolsby and Anthony Zolezzi, were re-elected to new three year terms on the Board. Michelle Goolsby is the Board Chair-elect, and will take over as Chairperson in November 2008. Alan Greene is the current Board Chair.
Founding Board members Katherine DiMatteo and Walter Robb will be leaving the Board in November after many years of service. Their many contributions to the work of the Center will be sorely missed, but fortunately they have agreed to join former board member Michael Funk as the first “Advisory Directors” of the Center.
EU Says “No” to Cloned Meat
The European Union’s Food Safety Authority has issued a generally negative opinion on animal cloning, citing several of the same scientific concerns raised in the Organic Center’s report on animal cloning written by Jim Riddle entitled ”Is the FDA’s Cloning Proposal Ready for Prime Time?“
The just-released EU report emphasizes the adverse impacts of cloning on the health of surrogate mothers and offspring, and the potential for as yet unrecognized food safety risks to enter the food supply.
Herbruck Poultry Ranch Expanding Organic Egg Production
A major poultry operation in Michigan is investing $13 million in new facilities to house 300,000 organic laying hens. The farm sells conventional and organic eggs to several major chains, as well as all MacDonalds franchises east of the Mississippi. Plans call for expanding organic egg laying capacity to one million birds.
Source: Katie Merx, Detroit Free Press, July 20, 2008
Editor’s Note –
This major investment in organic egg production capacity is good news for consumers looking for more nutrient dense, heart-healthy eggs, as well as for the birds. Organic feed grain producers in the region will also benefit from another steady source of demand.
It will be interesting to watch how this farm addresses bird welfare issues. A number of state initiatives are on the ballot this year requiring extra space for birds to carry out natural behaviors. Will the new organic facilities built by this Michigan farm comply with, or even exceed the welfare standards driving these new initiatives?
Produce Tracking System Offered
A system using “Electronic Product Code” (EPC) and “Radio Frequency Identification” (RFID) tags to trace produce from the shelf back to the field has been developed by a Texas-based company, Organic Alliance. The system has been applied mainly to organic tomatoes, onions, garlic, and avocados, but is likely to be used on several more produce and meat products in the future.
Source “US organics company using tracing system to allay safety concerns,”: Food Navigator, August 8, 2008
Editor’s Note –
This sort of trace-back system is fully in place for many products in different countries, and has proven cost-effective in improving record keeping, inventory control, market research, in addition to obvious benefits in the event of a recall. The basic electronics needed are simple and increasingly affordable. An added challenge with fresh produce is the need to tag individual pieces of fruit. Novel approaches are emerging to deal with this problem.
In the wake of the devastating outbreak of Salmonella this summer, and the two-month long effort to trace the contamination to its source in a pepper field or packing house in Mexico, there should be intense commercial interest in this sort of a system.
There is another reason, however, for the nation to invest in trace-back capability – advancing the ability of scientists to quickly understand what is triggering outbreaks. We have made much less progress than possible in definitively proving what is causing food safety outbreaks because the “crime scene” is both cold and contaminated by the time CDC and FDA specialists arrive.
A well-designed trace-back system should allow investigators to assess conditions in the field within hours, or at most a day of an outbreak. In some cases, the actual cause of the outbreak will still be readily apparent to a trained team of investigators. But three days later, the critical evidence may be gone, like dust in the wind.
A Reality Check for the Biotech PR Industry
Every year or so, the prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology publishes editorial comments that turn heads around the world. Its latest issue contains an editorial entitled “Join the dots.” Its abstract states: “Pushing biotech as the ‘solution’ to the world’s problems is doing more harm than good.” Some excerpts –
“Biotech is now the solution to feeding developing nations…renewable supply of energy…reducing the carbon footprint and global warming. Although biotechnologies can certainly help solve these problems, ramming that message down people’s throats is hardly likely to convince the doubters.”
“ “Take a recent case in point: the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) slogan for its annual meeting in San Diego in June was ‘Heal, fuel, feed the world.’”
“There are hundreds of thousands of acres of genetically modified (GM) crops being grown around the world, but they are not at present addressing key agricultural problems for poor farmers.”
The editorial goes on to say that belief that biotechnology alone is going to “Heal, fuel, feed the world” requires “…an outrageous act of faith bordering on the religious.” Amen.
Source: Nature Biotechnology, Vol. 26, 2008
Monsanto Pulls the Plug on Posilac
In an August 6, 2008 press release, Monsanto announced it is looking to sell off its Posilac (rbGH/rbST) business. Monsanto explained the unexpected move as allowing the company to focus on its core seeds and traits business.
Much will be said and written about this decision by Monsanto, and its ripple-effects are likely to rock more than one boat. To really understand what is behind this move, watch for whether any buyers step forward and for the details of a sale.
Research Tightens Linkage between Feeding Cattle Distillers Dried Grain and E. coli O157 Shedding, While Also Raising New Questions
A major story in the July 21, 2008 issue of Feedstuffs provides an intriguing 
overview of recent research on the impact of feeding distillers grain (DG) from ethanol plants to cattle in feedlots. The basic messages are clear –
- Some feedlots almost certainly have incorporated DG into rations in ways that have increased E. coli O157 shedding;
- DG can be fed in ways and circumstances that do not trigger a sustained increase in E. coli shedding; and
- Complex, interactive factors determine when and under what circumstances the feeding of DG will increase shedding of E. coli, but in general, the higher the rate of DG feeding in a ration, the greater the risk.
Government subsidies for biofuels will rise from $11 billion in 2006 to $25 billion in 2015 in the U.S., E.U., and Canada.
Source: Feedstuffs, July 21, 2008
Cost of corn seed needed to plant an acre in 1975 -- $9.51
Cost of corn seed needed to plant an acre in 2008 -- $59.00
Cost of the high-rate insecticide seed treatment on conventional corn seed in 2008 – about $15.00 per acre.
Sources: “Farm Economics Facts and Opinions,” Farm Business Management, University of Illinois Extension, FEF 07-17, November 6, 2007. USDA Economic Research Service series on corn production costs and returns. “Seed tech titans,” Farm Industry News, July 1, 2004.
“The collapse of the WTO talks stems principally from an intransigence in the U.S. position regarding ethanol tariffs.”
Source: Nicholas Hollis, quoted in a July 30, 2008 Associated Press story.
One expert’s breakdown of the percent of foodborne illness cases triggered at each stage of the food supply chain –
- Primary producers – 20%
- Manufacturers – 20%
- Retailers – 10%
- Foodservice – 40%
- Consumers – 10%
Source: Tom Karst, “Blame for foodborne illness gets spread evenly,” The Packer, July 21, 2008
“Redefining Sustainability: From ‘Greening’ to Enhancing
Capacity for Self-Renewal”
By: Dr. Frederick Kirschenmann
Excerpts follow from a provocative commentary by Fred Kirschenmann that first appeared in the July/August 2008 issue of “The Networker,” the electronic newsletter of the Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN). Thanks to SEHN for permission to share Fred’s piece.
The full text of this commentary is posted on the Center’s website.
All social and biophysical systems are constantly changing.
The basic message from the resilience thinkers is that doing more of the same -- new technologies, greater efficiency, more control and command, more intensification, more single tactic strategies -- without addressing the resilience of systems will not lead to sustainability. A central problem is that the kind of efficiency that leads to optimization tends to eliminate redundancies -- the key ingredient of resilience. Additionally, the achievement of such efficiencies tends to cause rebound effects. More fuel-efficient cars inevitably lead to more driving.
So the kind of greening that pushes the pedal to the metal a little harder -- more efficient technologies, better command and control, input substitution -- ends up creating the problem we intended to solve. We delude ourselves into believing that working smarter will solve the problem but more often it simply reinforces the problem, since we have not approached it from a dynamic social/ecological perspective.
The central issue here is that we can never control whole systems, nor can we totally control any part of a system in isolation. Consequently, while greening may bring about desirable short term results, it will never lead to sustainability. Our world is a complex adaptive system which is interconnected, interdependent and constantly changing. Accordingly all systems are unpredictable and proceed in a nonlinear fashion. In the end we can never hold a system in an optimal sustainable state. We can only design systems to enhance their capacity for self-renewal.
Sustainability from a resilience perspective operates at two levels. All systems (biophysical and social) proceed within a certain structure and function. Given a certain degree of shock or disturbance, any system will cross a threshold that pushes it into a new structure and function. A recent Associated Press article by Deanna Martin, for example, described the kind of "disturbance" that recent flooding in Indiana caused for Jim Lankford, a farmer who raises corn and soybeans 30 miles southwest of Indianapolis. The current "stable" form of agriculture that most farmers in the corn belt have evolved to is monoculture corn and soybeans, leaving large swaths of soil vulnerable to soil erosion. The unusual amount of rain that fell in a short period of time caused the river that flows by Mr. Lankford's farm to erode "a new route for itself during June’s flooding" leaving ditches with "12-foot banks at the edge of some of Lankford’s corn fields" and large swaths of crop and soil washed out of his fields. If such flooding continues in coming years (which is likely as a result of climate change) these fields will clearly "cross a threshold" that will of necessity push these fields to a different kind of structure and functioning.
“FDA: Children are Not Little Adults”
Dr. Murray MacIntyre Lumpkin
Deputy Commissioner for International and Special Programs
Food and Drug Administration
August 4, 2008
[Excerpts follow from Dr. Lumpkin’s piece, available in full on the FDA website. The comments below mirror some of the major findings of the 1993 NAS report Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children.]
Hello. Welcome to this week's version of Andy's Take. I am Dr. Murray Lumpkin. I am a pediatrician and serve you and the FDA as the FDA Deputy Commissioner for International and Special Programs.
Did you know that, until recently, approximately 75% of medicines used in children did not have prescribing information on how to use these medicines safely in children? FDA efforts to implement special pediatric legislation over the past decade has led to a significant amount of new, science-based, ethically-obtained information that helps parents and physicians to more safely and more effectively use medicines in our children.
My Take is that:
Children are not simply "little adults." Their reactions to medications can be very different from adults, and simply cutting down an adult dose and giving that to a child just doesn't work – in fact, it can be very dangerous.
Our children deserve better…New pediatric information has now been developed for over 200 drug products. New or enhanced pediatric safety information is available for 48 drugs commonly used in children. New, more accurate pediatric dosing information is now available for around 150 drug products, and over 20 new formulations have been developed specifically for children that allow parents to give a more accurate dose. This is all a tremendous step forward.
FDA remains firmly dedicated to actively facilitating and fostering the development of sound data to guide the safest and most effective use of medicines and medical devices in our children. Children are not little adults. They are not second-class citizens. They are not guinea pigs. They are our most precious gift. Children deserve medical care based on the best data science can give us. That's my take today on FDA and its role in protecting and promoting the health of our next generation.
Kathleen Merrigan Reports from the IFOAM Organic World Congress
Organic Center board members were very active at the 16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, held in Modena, Italy June this year and attended by 1,700 people from 108 countries. Alan Greene gave a keynote plenary talk, speaking to a room of more than 1000 people; Mark Retzloff participated in the multi-day organic fibers and textiles conference; Katherine DiMatteo spoke on the issue of group certification, in the midst of her election campaign that culminated in her ascendancy as President of IFOAM, and former board member Theresa Marquez gave a talk on community building and marketing strategies, a video of which is featured on IFOAM’s website. For my part, I attended the 2nd Scientific Conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR) and the workshops of the Integrated Project on Quality Low Input Food (QLIF), both held in conjunction with the IFOAM world Congress.
Over 400 papers were submitted to ISOFAR in preparation for the conference. A team of excellent editors produced a two volume set of these papers, all of which are four pages long, consistently formatted, and organized by topic. Nearing 2,000 pages, I choose not to purchase the volumes while at the conference because of the weight, but left knowing that a pdf file is available from FiBL for 24 Euros (www.fibl.org). I have used the volumes over the summer, both for the research content, and as a source to find colleagues from other institutions and countries working in areas overlapping mine. The articles themselves vary in quality but overall the volumes are well worth the investment. The first volume is primarily crops, while the second volume includes articles on animal husbandry and socioeconomic issues. As might be expected, the majority of articles come from European scientists and the least from scientists in the developing world, but overall it is fair to describe this as an international effort.
Concurrent ISOFAR sessions were held over two days and many of the published papers were presented for discussion; I moderated a session on food quality and was able to present TOC findings from our March 2008 State of Science Review on the nutrient content of organic food. In addition to ISOFAR, five QLIF workshops were held in which draft papers were presented on several topics for audience input. Three of the papers – “Product quality in organic and low input farming systems”; “Safety of foods from organic and low input systems”; and “Performance of organic and low input crop production systems” cited findings from TOC publications. These and two additional QLIF papers on livestock systems and resource efficiency will be redrafted based on the feedback and published in October.
Altogether, TOC was omnipresent at the Modena events. The crowd’s enthusiasm was great, the balsamic vinegar delicious, and the presentations of many excellent scientific studies on organic systems left me convinced that research on organic food and farming is becoming a vibrant sector sure to attract young scientists.
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Organic Center Fundraiser at ExpoEast to Feature Major Program Announcement
Join us on Friday October 17th from 5:30 to 7:30 for a special event associated with the Expo East Natural Products show in Boston, Massachusetts. The event will be held at the Westin Waterfront Hotel, with culinary delights by Christina Pirello.
We will be announcing at this event a new program of “local” research sponsored by The Organic Center, while also thanking past donors and inviting both new and current donors to help grow the Center’s programs.
Keep Up with Events by Visiting the Organic Center Blog
Managing Director Steven Hoffman has started an Organic Center blog that will help readers of “The Scoop” stay current on the activities of the Center, events, and other breaking developments.
Core Truths on the Major Benefits of Organic Food and Farming
Core Truths is a ground breaking compilation of the most current research on organic agriculture. This highly readable and graphically stunning 108-page coffee table book documents the verifiable health and environmental benefits of organic products.
Core Truths includes fascinating research about why:
- Organic often tastes better
- Organic produce contains, on average, 30 percent higher levels of antioxidants
- Organic farming can cut mycotoxin risk by over 50 percent
- Organic food dramatically reduces pesticide exposure
- Organic farms typically use less energy
Order your copy now! Only $30 (plus $5 shipping and handling in US).
Click here for a preview of the book.
Click here to order.
Donate $100 Now! Receive Free Copy of Core Truths
Be a part of supporting vital research about the science behind organic. Make a gift of $100 to The Organic Center now, and we'll send you a free, hard-cover copy of our ground-breaking book, Core Truths (a $35 value.)
Email Seleyn DeYarus for details.
The Organic Center Features Jerry Garcia Artwork Do you or someone you know love The Grateful Dead? Do you enjoy beautiful original works of art? If so, select a giclee of Jerry Garcia original artwork and benefit The Organic Center. This unique fundraising initiative to benefit The Organic Center is made possible through the generosity of filmmaker Deborah Koons Garcia and features the series, "In the Garden," by the late Jerry Garcia. Individual prints are $250, or get the full series for $1,000. To order your Jerry Garcia art, click here. |
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The Organic Center's on-line fundraising program - Become a Friend of The Organic Center
We can now accept secure on-line donations with both yearly and monthly giving options. We also have wonderful gifts to say thank you for your support – including a free one-year subscription to Organic Gardening magazine, organic t-shirt, organic tote bag, our book, Core Truths and Dr. Alan Greene's new book, Raising Baby Green. We have many ways to say thank you for supporting our work.
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Informed consumers drive the organic marketplace. Help The Organic Center reach consumers with the latest science on the organic benefit by:
- Join Mission Organic 2010 as an individual
- Distributing or reprinting excerpts from our studies
- Making a donation to our communications program
For companies, The Organic Center's Mission Organic Affinity Marketing Partnership Program provides resources and tools to help educate your customers about the personal benefits of organic food and farming. Become part of an effort to grow the U.S. market for organic from 3 percent to 10 percent by 2010.
- For more information about our affinity marketing program, email Seleyn DeYarus
- Learn more about the health and environmental impacts of Mission Organic 2010
"The Scoop," is an electronic newsletter published monthly by The Organic Center. For a free subscription, visit www.organic-center.org.
© 2008, The Organic Center. All rights reserved. Permission for reproduction of these materials for educational purposes will be granted by contacting The Organic Center at info@organic-center.org.
Editor: Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, The Organic Center
Design: Karen Lutz Benbrook
Circulation: Matthue DeYarus
Backed by the world's leading scientists, physicians and scholars, The Organic Center is committed to two goals.
1) RESEARCH: providing free, peer-reviewed, credible science that explores the health and environmental benefits of organic agriculture.
2) EDUCATION: helping people and organizations access and better understand science that sheds light on the organic benefit.
To access free downloads of the latest in organic science, or to Join the Mission, go to: www.organic-center.org.
Managing Director: Steven Hoffman
Development Director: Seleyn DeYarus
TOC Board Chair: Alan Greene, co-founder DrGreene.com
Chair Elect: Michelle Goolsby, Consultant to Dean Foods
Treasurer: Mark Retzloff, President, Aurora Organic Dairy
Secretary: Katherine DiMatteo, Senior Associate, Wolf, DiMatteo & Associates
The Organic Center
P.O. Box 20513
Boulder, CO USA 80308
tel 303.499.1840
fax 419.858.1042
www.organic-center.org