The Farmers Are Local, the Products Exotic

Many farms in Connecticut are specializing in exotic foods, like Caribbean grapefruit, manzano peppers and brown Indian cucumbers.
Read More... [Source: NYT > Organic Food - Posted by FreeAutoBlogger]

Understanding the essence of using organic sugar

Effort et Esperance in Madagascar

"Why aren't you in school?" Albertine Razafimahatratra asked some children in her neighborhood. Their answer was short. "No money," they told her. Many were the sons and daughters of pousse-pousse (rickshaw) drivers, who earn very little.Albertine decided to do what she could to remedy the situation. She paid for 15 children to go to school, and then she began teaching children in her father's house. This was when Albertine, backed by supporters in France, started Association Zazakely to...
Read More... [Source: Fair Trade Federation : Articles - Posted by FreeAutoBlogger]

Naked Organic Spirits - Fairly Traded Organic's new project

Fairly Traded Organics (FTO) is working hard to bring to market our own organic distilled spirits label: Naked Organic Spirits

We have had the pleasure of supplying our raw organic alcohol and rums to our wonderful customers. These customers include Ocean Vodka www.oceanvodka.com and Maison Jomere - http://www.maisonjomere.com/papagayowhiterum.htm

There is a real opportunity to provide the organic rums we produce in Paraguay to the U.S. Currently, there is no organic rum being offered to the U.S. market. Furthermore, we control the only organic certified rum in the world (the only to be certified NOP, EU and JAS organic and Kosher. We have developed some very strategic relationships which will enable us to redistill our organic rums, bottle, and distribute in the U.S.

We plan to first offer both organic white and gold rums. Then, we will offer an organic spiced rum and organic flavored rums such as coconut, vanilla, pineapple, citrus, banana, etc. Further down the road, FTO could expand our organic distilled spirits offerings to also include our own organic vodkas, gins, etc.

We are actively seeking investment for this project. For more information on investment opportunities please contact David Schroeder at dschroeder@fairlytradedorganics.com

OTA offers ground-breaking report on attitudes about organic products

Contact: Barbara Haumann
413-376-1220
bhaumann@ota.com

GREENFIELD, Mass. (June 10, 2009)� Findings from the 2009 U.S. Families� Organic Attitudes and Beliefs Study to be released next week at the Organic Trade Association�s (OTA�s) All Things Organic� Conference and Trade Show in Chicago show that U.S. families are not giving up their purchases of organic products despite uncertainty over the economy.

In the study jointly sponsored by OTA and KIWI Magazine, three in ten U.S. families (31 percent) indicated they are actually purchasing more organic foods compared to a year ago, with many parents preferring to reduce their spending in other areas before targeting organic product cuts. In fact, 17 percent of U.S. families said their largest increases in spending in the past year were for organic products.

Read More... [Source: Organic Trade Association's Organic Newsroom - Posted by FreeAutoBlogger]

New study: Nearly three-quarters of U.S. families buy organic products

Contact: Barbara Haumann
802-579-9317
bhaumann@ota.com

GREENFIELD, Mass. (June 16, 2009)�Tightening their spending habits amid economic uncertainty, U.S. families, however, are not giving up their purchases of organic products. In fact, nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of U.S. families buy organic products at least occasionally, chiefly for health reasons according to a new study to be unveiled this week.

Findings from the 2009 U.S. Families� Organic Attitudes and Beliefs Study, jointly sponsored by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and KIWI Magazine, also show that three in ten U.S. families (31 percent) are actually buying more organic foods compared to a year ago, with many parents preferring to reduce their spending in other areas before targeting organic product cuts. In fact, 17 percent of U.S. families said their largest increases in spending in the past year were for organic products.

�These findings reinforce the data collected in OTA�s 2009 Organic Industry Survey that showed continued healthy growth in U.S. sales of organic products,� said Christine Bushway, OTA�s executive director.

Read More... [Source: Organic Trade Association's Organic Newsroom - Posted by FreeAutoBlogger]

Organic Label Remains Trustworthy and Relevant

Contact: Laura Batcha
(413-376-1227; lbatcha@ota.com)

Media Alert:

GREENFIELD, Mass. (July 4, 2009) � The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and its members are organic advocates. We believe in, support, and advocate for the integrity of the organic label and strict enforcement of federal organic standards because this is fundamental to living up to the contract with consumers who choose or who are considering choosing organic products.

At the June 17 annual meeting of the OTA membership, Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, announced �the new era of equivalence and enforcement of organic standards.� She was met with a standing ovation from the packed house.

It is unfortunate the Washington Post article, �Purity of Federal �Organic� Label Is Questioned�, July 3, 2009, focused on old news and urban legends. The article also chose to reinforce rhetoric that is not only inaccurate but serves a narrow agenda whose motivations go unquestioned in the article.

OTA, on behalf of its members, would like to correct some inaccuracies and try to move the debate beyond narrow rhetoric and toward a more fact-based perspective.

Read More... [Source: Organic Trade Association's Organic Newsroom - Posted by FreeAutoBlogger]