What is driving the growth in organic apple production in WA state? First and foremost, consumer demand. Over the last five years or so, most of the fruit buyers for major supermarkets, food companies, restaurants, and exporters have been pushed by their customers to expand the diversity and quality of organic apple offerings. Since Washington […]
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Part I: A Tipping Point for Organic Apples in the Pacific Northwest? The remarkable growth since 2016 in organic apple production in Washington State has received almost no attention in the media, food industry, and public health communities. I paste in below a recent update from two Washington State University faculty members who follow closely […]
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Blog by Chuck Benbrook and Don Davis We started our research in 2011 comparing the fatty acid profile of whole milk from cows managed conventionally and on organic farms, and now in our new paper, on grassmilk farms. Our first paper in December 2013 describes how organic management improves the fatty acid levels and quality […]
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Note — The following comments were submitted by Chuck Benbrook to the AMS/USDA today, in response to the Department’s proposal to withdraw the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule. I am writing to urge the Department to quickly finalize the OLPP rule, rather than withdraw it. If the USDA continues on its proposed course of […]
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Out west in Washington State, Stemilt is rapidly expanding the acreage producing organic apples. Its supply of organic apples will be up 55% in 2017, compared to the 2016 crop. Honeycrisp volume will rise 250%, and fuji volume will be up 90%. Today, about 30% of Stemilt’s extensive apple acreage is managed organically. Virtually all […]
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My good friend Brian Baker joined Urs Niggli, Christian Andres, and Helga Willer of FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture) in assessing the state of organic farming research around the world. Their paper is entitled “Building a global platform for organic farming research, innovation and technology transfer,” and was published August 16, 2017 in Organic […]
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Hunter College’s New York City Food Policy Center recently interviewed Hygeia Analytic’s own Dr. Charles Benbrook, who they label a “maverick organic movement expert” in a piece published online this week. The NYC Food Policy Center works to “make New York a model for smart, fair food policy.” The interview covers several pointed questions about the influence of […]
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National Geographic ran a June 15, 2017 story by Sarah Gibbens entitled “Renewable Energy Record Set in the U.S.” It’s opening paragraph reports the good news – “The U.S. set a new renewable energy milestone in March, in data released Wednesday. For the first time, wind and solar accounted for 10 percent of all electricity […]
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Guest Blog Note to Readers: In May 2017, a series of messages were posted on organic_ipm@googlegroups.com and the e-list for the Northeastern IPM Center (see the Join the Conversation link on the top right of this News and Information page). Fred Kirschenmann of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and the Leopold Center for Sustainable […]
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Note to Hygeia Analytics Readers — I sent the following May 13, 2017 letter to individuals in the Sherman County government and the local weed control district. These individuals are responsible for acting on an almost unbelievable new policy, given April Fool’s day is long past. Sherman County, located in north-central Oregon near the great […]
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