Court Rules Organic Farmers in Minnesota Can Sue Conventional GMO Farmers

GLOBAL

POSSIBILITIES

Court rules organic farmers can sue conventional, GMO farmers whose pesticides ‘trespass’ and contaminate their fields. Story here.

Can Organic Farming Feed the World?

EcoWatch

Forty five years have passed since Earl Butz, then U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, asserted, “Before we go back to organic agriculture in this country, somebody must decide which 50 million Americans we are going to let starve or go hungry.” Time has proven Butz very wrong. Story here.

Dig Deeper - Crop Performance in Farming Systems Trial

RODALE

INSTITUTE

In its 35th year of existence, the Farming Systems Trial (FST) at Rodale Institute continues to demonstrate, through scientific research data, that organic farming is superior to conventional systems with regard to building, maintaining and replenishing the health of the soil. This is the key to regenerative agriculture as it provides the foundation for its present and future growth. Story here.

Organic Producers Could See Net Profit Levels Of Up To $300 Per Acre

Manitoba Co-Operator

Know your cost per bushel, not just per acre, says farm management specialist. Details here.

There's A Way to Save Our Future. So Why Aren't More People Talking About It?

CommonDreams

PinP blogger, Larry Powell, 

plants a cover crop on his organic 

acreage in Manitoba. (Circa 2000) PinP photo.

Transitioning to organic regenerative agriculture practices 'offers the best, and perhaps our only, hope for averting a global warming disaster.' More here.

This Country Is Already Carbon Neutral and Now Plans to Go 100% Organic and Zero-Waste

care2

It has been hailed as one of the greenest countries on Earth. Currently, the country’s carbon emissions rate is a negligible 0.8 metric tons per capita, according to the World Bank. Not only is it carbon neutral, it’s also a carbon sink—making it one of the few countries in the world to have negative carbon emissions. Story here.

Organic Farm Sales Soar in the US

Common Dreams

Organic onions on their way to market. PinP photo.
"We need a higher rate of growth in order to get close to meeting the demand," said Laura Batcha, chief of the Organic Trade Association. Story here.

A Promising Organic Opportunity in Manitoba!

Dear Readers, 

I'm taking the unusual step of placing an ad on this blog - for a very good reason. The property advertised here (a 6-acre rural site near the Town of Roblin, in west-central Manitoba), holds wonderful promise for anyone interested, either in starting up or expanding an existing organic operation.

See Google map here. 

This location is roughly midway between Dauphin, MB and Yorkton, SK and not far from major recreational centres such as Duck Mountain Park, Asessippi Ski Resort and Lake-of-the-Prairies.

I inherited the property from my parents many years ago. I sold it in 2013, for health reasons. My efforts to find a buyer who would continue our tradition of organic market gardening on the site, were not successful. The buyer at the time, who simply wanted a quite place to live, is now selling it again. 

I would personally like nothing more than to see someone passionate about organic production, take it over and carry on a tradition I had observed for many years. 

The organic movement needs to expand and thrive! Here is a chance for someone who feels the same, to begin an exciting new career in a beautiful location. The farmers' market in nearby Roblin is booming, as are ones in Yorkton, Dauphin and Winnipeg.

If you are interested, please check out the realty company ad here. 

Sincerely, 
Larry.

Demand Pull Nature of Organic Foods Can’t be Ignored - Editorial

Laura Rance - Manitob Co-Operator

The market for organic foods continues to grow in spite of naysayers. Story here.

Kate Storey of the Green Party Nails it on GMO and Glyphosate

by Tony Mitra

Kate is an organic farmer based in Manitoba. She is also the Agriculture critic of the Green Party and an aspiring politician that is standing for the coming federal and provincial elections, hoping to be either an MP or an MLA. Story here.

The New MacDonald (Video)

Obesity-Related Cancers on the Rise, Especially in Developed Countries

United Nations News Centre

A veggie basket from an organic farm in Manitoba, CA. 

Larry Powell PinP photo.

A healthy diet can help to alleviate risk factors for a range of chronic diseases linked to obesity. Details here.

Related: "Research Suggests Our Past, Prolific Use of the Insecticide DDT May Still Be Contributing To A Scourge Of Modern-Day Diseases Related To Obesity."

The Next Steps for an Organic Planet Are Yours To Take

by

Mark 'Coach' Smallwood - 

CommonDreams

 I walked 160 miles to promote regenerative organic agriculture that can save our soil and reverse global warming. Here's what comes next. Story here.

Agroecology: The Capitalist Elephant in the Room

Our Food Future

The benefits of agroecological methods are extremely broad, from the human health benefits of eating food grown in healthy and biologically diverse soils, to drastically reduced input costs for farmers... Story here.

Related: The Solution Is the Soil: How Organic Farming Can Feed the World and Save the Planet 

A farmers' market on the farm. 

Larry Powell P in P photo.

The Solution Is the Soil: How Organic Farming Can Feed the World and Save the Planet

CommonDreams

One man, backed by many, marches on Washington to tell lawmakers and the world that 'there is hope right beneath our feet.' Story here.

Health Canada's "Vitamin Police" Begin Raiding Health Food Retailers

Citizens for Choice

In early 2012 Health Canada's Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) had already spent over one billion dollars of taxpayer's money regulating an industry that was on record as having caused zero deaths. Two and a half years later, the taxpayer's bill is still climbing.but the death toll isn't. It's still zero! Yet, as of September 1st, in the name of safety,
Health Canada has sent out inspectors to force all products not possessing a natural product license off health retailer shelves.

"P in P" photo

Evaluating Soybean Varieties for Suitability in Organic Production Systems in Manitoba, Canada.

Manitoba Co-Operator

Organic growers in Manitoba have limited options right now. Story here.

A soy crop in Manitoba, genetically-engineered to resist the herbicide, Roundup. 

An estimated 90% of all such crops are manipulated in this fashion, 

resulting in copious use of such chemicals. P in P photo.

CBC Covers Organic Food Issues Well. Conventional? Not So Much!

by Larry Powell

The CBC is to be commended for breaking the story about phoney organic products being sold in Canada, including the infamous bakery in BC. It has given this matter extensive coverage, and rightly so.

In 2 1/2 Minutes, a Child Shows Us Why We Should "Go Organic!" (Video)

UpInspire

This 3rd grader shocked everyone with her experiment that shows the difference between organic and conventional. It changed my mind forever. Watch video here.

Are Weeds Healthier Than Farmed Veggies?

Mother Jones

Here's why you might consider replacing that romaine salad with dandelion greens. Full story here.

Please also read; Dangerous Ditches - Manitoba’s “war on weeds” comes complete with powerful herbicides, questionable spraying practices and collateral damage.