Veena Annadana
Well-Known Member
1. BioFach Japan 2011 to take place
“At the present time, we can say that BioFach Japan will take place this
year despite the earthquake,” reports Frank Venjakob, Director
International Exhibitions, NürnbergMesse. “Although slight damage to the
Big Sight Exhibition Centre was reported after the earthquake in mid
March, this has now been repaired. Official exhibition operation was
resumed in May and the hotels and infrastructure are fully available.
The first exhibitors have already registered for the biggest Japanese
exhibition for organic products, natural cosmetics and eco-textiles.
BioFach Japan takes place in Tokyo from 1–3 November 2011.
BioFach Japan - Press Releases
2. European-wide transparency for organic inspections from 2013
The organic certificates issued by certification bodies for companies in
the organic food industry must be published on the Internet from the
beginning of 2013, as recently announced by the European Commission. 14
German certification bodies currently post data on bioC, the only
Internet platform of this kind in Germany. The aim is to provide all
certificates from Germany over bioC in future. The directory will be
expanded on a European-wide basis at the same time.
The background to the new EU standard: Before purchasing products, a
manufacturer of organic food must be convinced that his supplier is also
certified. Besides the company address and the responsible certification
body, the company certificates contain information about the product
groups for which the company is certified. The customer can thus check
whether an organic certificate is issued correctly and not forged.
bioC.info - das Internetverzeichnis der zertifizierten Unternehmen des ökologischen Landbaus
3. Norma tests fair trade brand
The discounter Norma with its over 1,250 German outlets started an
action week for products with the recognized fair trade label on 6 June
2011. The campaign focuses on the “Think Fair” private label developed
by Norma, which stands for fair trade products like coffee, tea, rice,
orange juice or roses. Six of the 13 articles are from organic
production. For example, coffee specialities like organic coffee or
organic café crema are offered with the “Think Fair” label. Organic
Darjeeling tea, jasmine rice, orange and multivitamin juice with fruit
from Brazil and Cuba, and roses from Kenya and Zimbabwe also carry the
label. Norma has its headquarters in Nuremberg and over 1,400 outlets in
Germany, Austria, France and the Czech Republic.
Lidl currently stocks a good dozen “FairGlobe” articles and started
selling fair labelled products five years ago.
Fairer Handeln mit NORMA / "Denken Sie fair und genießen Sie mehr" | NORMA | Presseportal.de
4. Organic market in Czech Republic recovering
The organic sector in the Czech Republic is recovering. After three
economically difficult years – due to the economic crisis throughout
Europe – the organic market is now on the up again, according to Ottakar
Jiranek, Managing Director of Country Life in Prague. Besides a
wholesaler, a farm shop and an 80-hectare organic farm in Nenacovice
near Prague, the biggest organic company in the Czech Republic operates
three organic food stores, two vegetarian restaurants and a natural
cosmetics shop. Sales were increased by 5 % in the first months of 2011.
Country Life turns over some 10 million EUR a year in the wholesale and
retail trade and celebrates its 20th anniversary on 24 June 2011.
5. Oxfam calls for start in a new age
The aid and development organization Oxfam Germany has published the
report “The Dawn of a New Age” at the start of the worldwide “Enjoy Your
Meal!” campaign. The consequences of climate change will cause world
market prices for food to rise by 120 % to 180 % by 2030 compared with
2010, according to calculations by Oxfam. “We are on a collision course
with the ecological system. Our way of producing and consuming exceeds
the ecological limits of our planet and is driving more and more people
to hunger,” explains Oxfam’s agricultural expert Marita Wiggerthale. A
fundamental change is called for towards future-orientated agriculture,
a new ecological age and fairer distribution of food.
Deutsche Kurzfassung der Studie: Aufbruch in ein neues Zeitalter | Oxfam Deutschland
6. Thailand: Project for growing “health rice”
The health benefits of gamma-aminobutyric acid Gaba rice (also known as
germinated brown rice, GBR) have become more widely known among urban
consumers in recent years.
Gaba rice contains anti-oxidants that are said to help prevent cancer,
alleviate high blood pressure and diabetes and could treat insomnia,
reports the Bangkok Post.
Currently, the group has 30 members growing organic rice on a combined
area of 80 ha, where the traditions associated with preparing the grain
date back 200 years.
During the production process the brown rice is soaked for 24 hours and
then left to germinate for 24-36 hours. Later it is dried before
entering the mill.
Ms Wisoot Srisurapol (57), who began growing various organic jasmine
rice varieties three years ago, expects the products will soon find a
larger market among health-conscious consumers.
Bangkok Post : Innovation on the menu
7. Bihar invites global experts to boost organic farming
The Bihar government has decided to invite farm scientists from across
the world to popularise organic farming in the state. The meeting from
June 22-24 with experts from France, England, Cuba and some European
nations is aimed at exploring how organic farming could be promoted in
the context of Bihar's ecology, reports the information portal MSN
India. “The effort is part of the preparation of a progressive
agriculture road-map for the state for the next five years,” said
Principal Secretary Agriculture A K Sinha. While popularising
chemical-free farming, the utmost care would be taken to avoid
compromising the productivity and profit of the farmers, the officer
said.
Bihar to call global experts to boost organic farming in state - Business News - News - MSN India
8. Back to the wine garden
Vine after vine, planted in straight lines on bare ground: monotonous
pictures like these have characterized vineyards for decades. The
Austrian organic winery Meinklang is now adopting new ways. The
winegrowing Michlits family has created 27 eco-islands of some 150 m²
each in the largest continuous area of ten hectares in its vineyard.
These islands shaped like giant drops of water cover several rows of
vines and break up the monotonous vineyard architecture. The centre of
each island is formed by a fruit tree, including almond, plum, quince
and rowan trees. Other trees are planted around them based on the
principle of Celtic tree circles. Large apple trees are also included
and provide habitats for many species of birds, small mammals and
insects. Shrew and field mice, hedgehogs, stone martens and garden
doormice live around the orchard fruit trees.
9. Sustainable Foods Summit concentrates on carbon footprints
Carbon footprints and the evolution of eco-labels are a major feature of
the upcoming Sustainable Foods Summit, taking place in Amsterdam on
23-24 June 2011. The summit will bring together leading organisations
involved in carbon management projects in Europe, including Alpro, Sekem
Group, Soil & More, Carbon Disclosure Project, SAI Platform, Migros and
Royal Ahold Group.
The aim of the Sustainable Foods Summit is to discuss and debate the
major issues the food industry faces concerning sustainability and
eco-labels. The first two editions of the Sustainable Foods Summit were
hosted in Amsterdam in 2010 and 2009 and brought together senior
executives involved in sustainability from across the food industry.
Sustainable foods summit
10. Weleda expects weaker growth
Weleda slipped into the red in 2010 despite appreciably rising revenues.
The company’s revenues rose to 308 million EUR (2009: 269 million EUR)
with a loss of 3.8 million EUR. The year before the company had still
managed a profit of 3.1 million EUR. Weleda expects weaker growth for
2011 than in the previous years, reports the magazine Pharmazeutische
Zeitung online. The group has its headquarters in Arlesheim near Basel
in Switzerland, but the main production facility is located in
Schwäbisch Gmünd in Germany. 785 of the some 2,000 worldwide employees
work in Germany.
Pharmazeutische Zeitung online: Weleda rechnet mit abgeschwächtem Wachstum
11. USA: Federal regulations allow organic textile labelling
There has been a recent change in the National Organic Program of the
USA concerning the labelling of eco textiles. Wool, cotton, flax or
other agricultural products certified by third party certifying bodies
are now allowed by the USDA to be labelled as "organic" if the fibre was
certified to the NOP regulation at the farm level. The memo specifically
mentions the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which is a private
sector standard that meets this requirement. But organic textiles can
not carry the USDA seal for organic food.
In Europe the EU regulation does not (yet) cover organic textiles.
http://redirect2.mailingwork.de/red...=&PCT=false&x64446f634e616d65=STELPRDC5090967
“At the present time, we can say that BioFach Japan will take place this
year despite the earthquake,” reports Frank Venjakob, Director
International Exhibitions, NürnbergMesse. “Although slight damage to the
Big Sight Exhibition Centre was reported after the earthquake in mid
March, this has now been repaired. Official exhibition operation was
resumed in May and the hotels and infrastructure are fully available.
The first exhibitors have already registered for the biggest Japanese
exhibition for organic products, natural cosmetics and eco-textiles.
BioFach Japan takes place in Tokyo from 1–3 November 2011.
BioFach Japan - Press Releases
2. European-wide transparency for organic inspections from 2013
The organic certificates issued by certification bodies for companies in
the organic food industry must be published on the Internet from the
beginning of 2013, as recently announced by the European Commission. 14
German certification bodies currently post data on bioC, the only
Internet platform of this kind in Germany. The aim is to provide all
certificates from Germany over bioC in future. The directory will be
expanded on a European-wide basis at the same time.
The background to the new EU standard: Before purchasing products, a
manufacturer of organic food must be convinced that his supplier is also
certified. Besides the company address and the responsible certification
body, the company certificates contain information about the product
groups for which the company is certified. The customer can thus check
whether an organic certificate is issued correctly and not forged.
bioC.info - das Internetverzeichnis der zertifizierten Unternehmen des ökologischen Landbaus
3. Norma tests fair trade brand
The discounter Norma with its over 1,250 German outlets started an
action week for products with the recognized fair trade label on 6 June
2011. The campaign focuses on the “Think Fair” private label developed
by Norma, which stands for fair trade products like coffee, tea, rice,
orange juice or roses. Six of the 13 articles are from organic
production. For example, coffee specialities like organic coffee or
organic café crema are offered with the “Think Fair” label. Organic
Darjeeling tea, jasmine rice, orange and multivitamin juice with fruit
from Brazil and Cuba, and roses from Kenya and Zimbabwe also carry the
label. Norma has its headquarters in Nuremberg and over 1,400 outlets in
Germany, Austria, France and the Czech Republic.
Lidl currently stocks a good dozen “FairGlobe” articles and started
selling fair labelled products five years ago.
Fairer Handeln mit NORMA / "Denken Sie fair und genießen Sie mehr" | NORMA | Presseportal.de
4. Organic market in Czech Republic recovering
The organic sector in the Czech Republic is recovering. After three
economically difficult years – due to the economic crisis throughout
Europe – the organic market is now on the up again, according to Ottakar
Jiranek, Managing Director of Country Life in Prague. Besides a
wholesaler, a farm shop and an 80-hectare organic farm in Nenacovice
near Prague, the biggest organic company in the Czech Republic operates
three organic food stores, two vegetarian restaurants and a natural
cosmetics shop. Sales were increased by 5 % in the first months of 2011.
Country Life turns over some 10 million EUR a year in the wholesale and
retail trade and celebrates its 20th anniversary on 24 June 2011.
5. Oxfam calls for start in a new age
The aid and development organization Oxfam Germany has published the
report “The Dawn of a New Age” at the start of the worldwide “Enjoy Your
Meal!” campaign. The consequences of climate change will cause world
market prices for food to rise by 120 % to 180 % by 2030 compared with
2010, according to calculations by Oxfam. “We are on a collision course
with the ecological system. Our way of producing and consuming exceeds
the ecological limits of our planet and is driving more and more people
to hunger,” explains Oxfam’s agricultural expert Marita Wiggerthale. A
fundamental change is called for towards future-orientated agriculture,
a new ecological age and fairer distribution of food.
Deutsche Kurzfassung der Studie: Aufbruch in ein neues Zeitalter | Oxfam Deutschland
6. Thailand: Project for growing “health rice”
The health benefits of gamma-aminobutyric acid Gaba rice (also known as
germinated brown rice, GBR) have become more widely known among urban
consumers in recent years.
Gaba rice contains anti-oxidants that are said to help prevent cancer,
alleviate high blood pressure and diabetes and could treat insomnia,
reports the Bangkok Post.
Currently, the group has 30 members growing organic rice on a combined
area of 80 ha, where the traditions associated with preparing the grain
date back 200 years.
During the production process the brown rice is soaked for 24 hours and
then left to germinate for 24-36 hours. Later it is dried before
entering the mill.
Ms Wisoot Srisurapol (57), who began growing various organic jasmine
rice varieties three years ago, expects the products will soon find a
larger market among health-conscious consumers.
Bangkok Post : Innovation on the menu
7. Bihar invites global experts to boost organic farming
The Bihar government has decided to invite farm scientists from across
the world to popularise organic farming in the state. The meeting from
June 22-24 with experts from France, England, Cuba and some European
nations is aimed at exploring how organic farming could be promoted in
the context of Bihar's ecology, reports the information portal MSN
India. “The effort is part of the preparation of a progressive
agriculture road-map for the state for the next five years,” said
Principal Secretary Agriculture A K Sinha. While popularising
chemical-free farming, the utmost care would be taken to avoid
compromising the productivity and profit of the farmers, the officer
said.
Bihar to call global experts to boost organic farming in state - Business News - News - MSN India
8. Back to the wine garden
Vine after vine, planted in straight lines on bare ground: monotonous
pictures like these have characterized vineyards for decades. The
Austrian organic winery Meinklang is now adopting new ways. The
winegrowing Michlits family has created 27 eco-islands of some 150 m²
each in the largest continuous area of ten hectares in its vineyard.
These islands shaped like giant drops of water cover several rows of
vines and break up the monotonous vineyard architecture. The centre of
each island is formed by a fruit tree, including almond, plum, quince
and rowan trees. Other trees are planted around them based on the
principle of Celtic tree circles. Large apple trees are also included
and provide habitats for many species of birds, small mammals and
insects. Shrew and field mice, hedgehogs, stone martens and garden
doormice live around the orchard fruit trees.
9. Sustainable Foods Summit concentrates on carbon footprints
Carbon footprints and the evolution of eco-labels are a major feature of
the upcoming Sustainable Foods Summit, taking place in Amsterdam on
23-24 June 2011. The summit will bring together leading organisations
involved in carbon management projects in Europe, including Alpro, Sekem
Group, Soil & More, Carbon Disclosure Project, SAI Platform, Migros and
Royal Ahold Group.
The aim of the Sustainable Foods Summit is to discuss and debate the
major issues the food industry faces concerning sustainability and
eco-labels. The first two editions of the Sustainable Foods Summit were
hosted in Amsterdam in 2010 and 2009 and brought together senior
executives involved in sustainability from across the food industry.
Sustainable foods summit
10. Weleda expects weaker growth
Weleda slipped into the red in 2010 despite appreciably rising revenues.
The company’s revenues rose to 308 million EUR (2009: 269 million EUR)
with a loss of 3.8 million EUR. The year before the company had still
managed a profit of 3.1 million EUR. Weleda expects weaker growth for
2011 than in the previous years, reports the magazine Pharmazeutische
Zeitung online. The group has its headquarters in Arlesheim near Basel
in Switzerland, but the main production facility is located in
Schwäbisch Gmünd in Germany. 785 of the some 2,000 worldwide employees
work in Germany.
Pharmazeutische Zeitung online: Weleda rechnet mit abgeschwächtem Wachstum
11. USA: Federal regulations allow organic textile labelling
There has been a recent change in the National Organic Program of the
USA concerning the labelling of eco textiles. Wool, cotton, flax or
other agricultural products certified by third party certifying bodies
are now allowed by the USDA to be labelled as "organic" if the fibre was
certified to the NOP regulation at the farm level. The memo specifically
mentions the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which is a private
sector standard that meets this requirement. But organic textiles can
not carry the USDA seal for organic food.
In Europe the EU regulation does not (yet) cover organic textiles.
http://redirect2.mailingwork.de/red...=&PCT=false&x64446f634e616d65=STELPRDC5090967