By Hugh Lovel I REMEMBER when recombinant DNA technology emerged. Genes, previously foreign to an organism, could be duplicated and injected past the nuclear membranes of reproductive cells, and these genes would imbed themselves in the chromosomes of that organism’s DNA. They would thereafter be present in every cell. This was a stunning discovery, perhaps … [ MORE ]
BIOLOGICAL Farmers of Australia (BFA) unveiled significant changes for the voice of Australian organics at their Annual General Meeting on October 27, 2012, the date the group also celebrated its quarter of a century establishment. Major outcomes of the AGM: The membership of BFA voted in favour of a company name change from Biological Farmers … [ MORE ]
Andre Leu, President, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), is pictured above delivering his opening speech at BioFach 2013, Nuremberg, Germany. Mr Leu spoke on the theme of ‘Partnership and International Cooperation’. He said the organic sector has several very positive messages for these troubled times. “In a time of prolonged global economic crises the organic … [ MORE ]
The 2013 BioFach World Organic Trade Fair, and the parallel Vivaness, Trade Fair for Natural Personal Care and Wellness exhibition attracted 41,500 trade visitors from 129 countries this year. BioFach convenors said visitors were delighted with the high-quality, varied and innovative range of products from the 2,396 exhibitors. Italy, Austria, France and the Netherlands made up the … [ MORE ]
An autumn biodynamic workshop with Peter Proctor in what was an abandoned apple orchard in the Himalayan foothills of Uttaranchal. The golden delicious trees were reclaimed from advanced neglect using biodynamic management and biodynamic tree paste. By Hugh Lovel A legacy of Peter Escher IN the US back in the 50s and 60s most … [ MORE ]
Doug Haas – his leadership style – his clear direction, ability to cut to the chase, unshakable dedication and intolerance of poor attitudes – has contributed greatly to Australian Organic’s success. AUSTRALIAN Organic (formerly Biological Farmers of Australia, BFA) was less than 10 years old in the mid-1990s and organics was a cottage industry, giving … [ MORE ]
Andre Leu, IFOAM President (left), with Zambia’s First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda, patron of Organic Producers and Processers Association of Zambia (OPPAZ). THE world trade fair, BioFach, has a very important role in the global organic sector, according to one of the event’s major sponsors, IFOAM (the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements) president Andre … [ MORE ]
The New Zealand Ooooby (Out of our own backyards)network has staff and volunteers (mainly suppliers and customers) who man the distribution centre in Auckland, New Zealand, each week to pack individual produce orders. WHEN Pete Russell was growing up in Australia, dinner at his grandmother’s was often prefaced by her comments about where the meal’s … [ MORE ]
Peter Heineger and Sally Hookey accepting the Small Business of the Year award at the 2012 Sunshine Coast Excellence in Business Awards. LAST year was a busy, successful and milestone year for Queensland certified organic feijoa farmers Peter Heineger and Sally Hookey of Hinterland Feijoas at Belli Park on the Sunshine Coast. After their first two … [ MORE ]
Martin Duncan, of Freestyle Escape Group, hosted an informal gathering for Season of the Sun members to discuss upcoming events, workshops and initiatives. It’s the informal networking, such as this get-together, which is also ensuring the continued success and growth of the group. WE have all heard the old adage: build it and they will … [ MORE ]
Bhutan is landlocked between India and China and is just 38,394 sq km in size. THE Kingdom of Bhutan, in the eastern Himalayas, is on track to develop a 100 per cent organic sustainable agriculture industry to boost the country’s economy and food security, and relieve rural poverty. In the past few years, the Royal … [ MORE ]
The JPH4 – JPH seeders can also be adapted to some tilling machinery to enable working the soil and seeding in one pass. SUPERIOR seeders are now being sourced by Fix Engineering from Jang Automation, a South Korean company. The company is producing roller types that are able to seed from very small seeds to … [ MORE ]
ABOVE: IFOAM President Andre Leu, second from left, with conference delegates at the ‘Mainstreaming Organic Agriculture into the African Development Agenda’. Photo Courtesy of UNCTARD AFRICA’S organic agricultural future was under the spotlight at the 2nd African Organic Conference in Lusaka, Zambia last year, with attendees lobbying for greater government support of the industry and the … [ MORE ]
Scott Edwards, of Diamondvale Pasture and Farm Improvements, fertilises a second paddock on the farm with the liquid organic soil conditioner diluted in a 200-litre drum of water and sprayed through hoses attached to the tynes of a tractor’s Yeoman ripper. FOR more than a decade organic soil specialist Bevan McLeod has been criss-crossing the … [ MORE ]
By Hugh Lovel VITICULTURE and dairy are two of the best areas of agriculture for revealing the virtues of biodynamics – viticulture because quality is what wine excellence is all about and dairy because every tank of milk is tested for quality. Biodynamics is about quality and self-sufficiency. Both depend on life force to attract … [ MORE ]
THE International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) has been working towards establishing an IFOAM Asia member group to bring independent Asian member countries under the one umbrella. IFOAM president Andre Leu attended talks in the Republic of Korea last year to map out a timeline to establish this history-making IFOAM Asia. After two days … [ MORE ]
THE Organic Federation of Australia (OFA) has been very active over the past year on behalf of the entire organic sector. The AGM on December 13, 2012 saw some changes with two directors retiring and the new constitution approved by members attending the meeting. Retiring directors were Alexandra Mitchell and Bernie Von Pein. Directors Andre … [ MORE ]
The number of consumers of organic products in South Korea has grown from just over 31,000 in the year 2000 to 300,000 in 2011. SOUTH Korea, the 11th largest economy in the world, has an agricultural history that is more than 5,000 years old. It is a small country with a total area of about 98,480 … [ MORE ]
‘Eco-villages are intentional communities with the goal of becoming more socially, economically and ecologically sustainable . . .’ CHINA is embracing a new green, organic revolution with one of the world’s first dedicated organic eco-villages in the Chengdu region. Chengdu is home to a dedicated developing 1,000-hectare organic eco-village, called Sunshine Earth Organic Eco-Village, at Xing-Yi … [ MORE ]
FOR more than 17 years, organic fertiliser company TNN Industries has been going head to head with the chemical fertiliser industry to reduce the amount of chemicals being released into our environment and food chain. Managing Director, Max Hansford, said the company was constantly searching for ways to improve human, soil and animal health. “After 17 … [ MORE ]
