Organic Farm Bill

By Matthew Wilde, WCF Courier, December 16

It appears the federal government will finally deliver something to producers: Help. Congress has proposed hundreds of millions of dollars for organic farmers and consumers in the farm bill currently being debated.

To boost organic production, the House and the Senate have each proposed the industry receive a bigger piece of the farm budget.

The House passed a $286 billion, five-year bill in July. It includes $365 million for grants and research into such things as pest and disease management --- crucial for an industry that doesn't allow man-made chemicals --- and marketing and education. The House wants to spend $22 million in new funding to help farmers transition to organic agriculture and $3 million for organic marketing data collection and publication.

Senators, though, are still debating their version of the bill. The Senate wants to spend the same amount of money on grants and research and to help farmers get certified. Plus, $30 million for farmers market promotion and $24 million in new money for technical assistance to address export barriers for specialty crops. The Conservation Security Program would be funded and made nationwide instead of helping certain watersheds under the Senate version.

"It will reward organic farmers, who will prosper from payments for conservation practices such as long-term crop rotation ... including (planting) perennial prospect forages. Those are two key issues we're looking at," said Kathleen Delate, organic agriculture expert at Iowa State University.

read more (WCFCourier.com)

FDA Approval of Food from Cloned Animals Gets Stalled in Senate

A broad coalition of consumer, farmer, and animal welfare organizations last week applauded passage of a provision in the Senate's Farm Bill that would delay the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) endorsement of the use of food from cloned animals. This amendment calls for a rigorous and careful review of the human health and economic impacts of bringing cloned food into America's food supply.

"The passage of this bill with the amendment is like a gift for the holidays," said Joseph Mendelson, Legal Director of the Center for Food Safety. "The FDA's flawed and cavalier approach to cloned food and its potential impacts called for a truly rigorous scientific assessment. At a time when the FDA has repeatedly failed the public, this amendment will ensure that the American consumer is considered before any special interest."

The amendment requires that two rigorous studies be performed before the FDA is able to issue a final decision on food from clones. The amendment directs the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to convene a blue-ribbon panel of leading scientists to review the FDA's initial decision that food from cloned animals is safe. The amendment further requires the NAS to study the potential health impacts of cloned foods entering the nation's food supply, including the possible effects of lessened milk consumption (due to consumer avoidance of cloned food) leading to development of chronic diseases as a result. The bill also directs the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to examine consumer acceptance of cloned foods and the likely impacts they could have on domestic and international markets.

read more (Center for Food Safety)

The Story of Stuff

A new short film was released last week that takes viewers on a provocative tour of our consumer-driven culture -- from resource extraction to computer incineration -- exposing the real costs of this use-it and lose-it approach to stuff.

Throughout the 20-minute film, activist Annie Leonard, the film's narrator and an expert on the materials economy, examines the social, environmental and global costs of extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal.

From the limited life cycle of personal computers to changes in footwear fashion, Leonard demonstrates that products are either designed to be regularly replaced or to convince consumers that their stuff needs to be upgraded. This notion of planned and perceived obsolescence drives the machine of American consumerism year round.

The Story of Stuff Video

Federal Court Rebukes Auto Industry Challenge to Clean Car Program as "the Very Definition of Folly"

Federal district court Judge Anthony Ishii issued a strong rebuke to the automobile industry's attempt to derail the California Clean Car program that would reduce global warming pollution from motor vehicles. The car companies claimed that the nation's fuel economy law preempted the regulation of global warming pollution by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Clean Air Act.

"This is a huge win for clean air and a cooler planet. Judge Ishii's opinion leaves no doubt that the EPA must act now to pave the way for the innovative clean car programs being advanced by California and 16 other states across the nation," said Vickie Patton, senior attorney with Environmental Defense, a defendant-intervener in the case.

read more

Organic Connection to focus on In-Store experience:

No Longer Offering Home Delivery

Organic Connection began offering home delivery of organic foods more than five years ago. The business very quickly outgrew a home garage and expanded into warehouse space in South Salem.

Based around customers ordering online from our website, the process was simple and efficient. So efficient that often there was no need for direct communication between our customers and us. Place your order online; it's delivered to your home; done.

However, from the standpoint of our business philosophy, home delivery was somewhat unsatisfactory. Even with our weekly newsletter, we had limited communication with our customers, and limited opportunity to present a wider perspective that, we believe, embraces a Philosophy of food, environment and life-style choices that enhance our overall well-being, and that of our planet.

Hence the opening of our retail store in Brewster. We always planned to have our store be very, very different to other health & natural food stores:

• We are 98% organic with our food offerings (no other store comes close that percentage)
• We sell and use almost exclusively whole grains and flours (no white flour, no white rice) because they are higher in nutritional value
• We avoid offering any foods containing cane sugar (not even organic). All sugar processing uses Calcium Hydroxide to clarify - it also changes the pH of the cane juice. Not really a healthy choice
• We offer a hot & cold prepared food (Deli) department using 98% organic ingredients. Of course! Should it be any other way?
• We want your shopping experience to be pleasant, social and, even, fun. We try to avoid overstimulating your senses - we're very careful with background music and sales information and impulse buy candy racks.

There is so much more that we plan to offer and provide in our store (healthy cooking classes, documentary viewings & health presentations are just some of the things we have in mind). We would like to focus on Organic Connection becoming a social network hub for people interested in health, well-being and our environment.

We found that we couldn't provide that same focus through home delivery and on that basis are discontinuing that service. The resources that have gone towards order packing, delivery and website e-commerce maintenance will now be able to go towards improving and expanding our retail store environment.

We thank our home delivery customers for their support and encourage them to consider experiencing our retail store in person, and all it has to offer!

Ian Diamond & David Richard
Owners, Organic Connection

Position Available

Chefs Assistant

We have a part-time opening in our kitchen - ideal for a chef trainee assisting with all aspects of food preparation. Daytimes and weekend work involved.