organic

After a six-year legal battle GMO crop contamination, organic farmer Steve Marsh has lost his bid for a higher court to hear his case and the appeal which would have allowed him the chance to argue his side one final time.
Michael Baxter, Steve Marsh’s neighbor in Australia, grew genetically modified canola on his farm, but it wasn’t long before his crops contaminated Steve Marsh’s organic farm. Baxter says that the two men could have just had a conversation over the fence, but now it seems this legal battle is coming to a close, in Baxter’s favor.

Two Midwestern states in the U.S. are offering farmers three years of support to move to organic crop production. Farmers would ditch GMOs along with their toxic pesticides and herbicides. The aim is to boost acreage of organically-grown crops in the U.S. once the upper Midwest is well on its way to sustainable farming.

Got organic cannabis? If you live anywhere near CBDRx, a Longmont, Colorado cannabis farm, you’ll be one of the first to enjoy USDA approved, certified organic, industrial hemp.
In an email correspondence obtained by KUNC, Penelope Zuck, the USDA’s organic program accreditation manager, said:

“As long as the industrial hemp is grown according to the Farm Bill, it can be certified organic to the USDA National Organic Program.”

Tackling homelessness, joblessness, and food insecurity all at once can seem like a daunting task, but Verde Farms in Miami, Florida is managing to do all three. The community farm has one saying: “For people, not for profit,” and they stay true to that credo.
All money spent at the Verde Community Farmers Market and restaurant go toward hiring and training at-risk community members to work on the farm and in the market, and to build infrastructure to support the program. Special consideration is given to Carrfour Supportive Housing’s Verde Gardens community.

The term “generally recognized as safe” was the basis for a federal judge’s decision on January 29 to order Greek yogurt-maker Chobani to stop airing ads that insinuated that competitors’ products were “unsafe or harmful” and contained chemicals used to kill bugs or clean swimming pools.
Judge David Hurd of the U.S. District Court for Northern New York called the ads “misleading” and ordered Chobani to halt the ads.

Aldi Inc., a German grocery chain that is rapidly expanding in the United States, is making great strides to offer healthy foods at an affordable price.
The discount grocer plans to introduce Healthier Checklanes in select stores. Instead of candy and chocolate, Aldi will offer an assortment of nuts, trail mixes, dried fruits, and granola bars at its registers. The company says it will roll out the program to its nearly 1,500 stores by year’s end.

As part of the growing need to find sustainable ways to provide organic, quality food for ourselves, our families, and our neighbors, more young people have become interested in organic farming. Now new programs are teaching children the importance of self-sustainable farming, and how to farm using age-old techniques.

Sharing the thoughts and feelings of millions in the country, 27-year-old Luke Saunders wanted to help bring forth healthy, organic food to a junk food nation. But when he told his boss he was turning down a substantial raise so that he could create a vending machine that would sell only organic, restaurant-quality salads and snacks, he likely didn’t imagine he would end up with 5-star Yelp ratings and a bevy of Chicagoans who rave about his company, Farmer’s Fridge.

Next week, “Organic Ambitions: An Action Plan for organic food and farming in Scotland 2016-2020” will be unveiled in Scotland. The plan for organic food production is designed to help build a more sustainable farming future and stimulate the rural economy.
The January 27 launch will coincide with the first day of the Organic Research Center’s annual conference, being held in Bristol.

In a first for this fast food provider, Chick-fil-A is venturing into the world of organic foods, having launched its first organic menu option on Jan. 18.
Honey Kids’ Appley Ever After juice drink can now be found across the country following a test in Orlando that proved to be successful. The beverage, which contains no added sugar, won’t cost any more than the establishments’ other children’s drinks. [1]
Children also have a choice of low-fat regular and chocolate milk, and fresh-squeezed lemonade. [2]