Certification & Legislation
OTA pushes for certified organic flavors
Wed, 15/01/20 - 13:30
By O.W.N News Network
The U.S Organic Trade Association has outlined its position on the use of certified organic flavors in organic products and that it is no longer appropriate to allow the use of non-organic natural flavors in organic products. The move comes as a new rule was published by
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Amazon fires turn deadly
Tue, 01/10/19 - 09:00
By O.W.N News Network
The Brazilian Amazon faces its worst spate of forest fires since 2010 with deforestation tripling. According to reports by Reuters and EURACTIV news, combatting forest fires, and slash and burn practices in Brazil should become one of the priorities of the new European Pa
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New Roundup trial started in California
Mon, 08/04/19 - 12:00
By O.W.N News Network
A third US Roundup trial started in California on March 28th. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, both with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, allege the disease was caused by their regular use of Monsanto's herbicides to treat their properties for several years.
On March 27th, a California ju
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Certified Grass-Fed Organic Mark to launch
Mon, 25/02/19 - 09:00
By O.W.N News Network
Hot on the heels of new plant-food and regenerative organic agriculture labels being launched, another new organic seal will hit the retail market in March 2019, after U.S. organic grower groups and brands Organic Valley and Maple Hill announced they would launch a new Ce
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Hemp’s US revival: the future is now
Wed, 23/01/19 - 09:10
By Adriana Michael
After 81 years of criminalization, US farmers can finally grow industrial hemp without fear of a DEA raid.
Last year on December 20th President Donald Trump signed the 2018 US Farm Bill, which for the first time differentiates between hemp and marijuana products and remo
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The US legalizes hemp
Fri, 21/12/18 - 12:00
By Adriana Michael
President Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill on December 20, which includes the legalization of cultivation and sale of industrial hemp, defined as cannabis that contains less than 0.3-percent THC.
Hemp will now be removed from the list of Controlled Substances to b
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Cannabis market heat ups in North America
Thu, 13/12/18 - 10:00
By Warren Beaumont
Canada, the USA and Australia are seeing a major increase in new product launches and acquisitions in hemp food and medical marijuana in 2018, with the market heating up after Canada became the largest country with a legal, recreational marijuana marketplace on October 17
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MadeGood® committed to zero waste
Wed, 27/06/18 - 08:30
By Adriana Michael
Canadian firm Riverside Natural Foods, producer of organic snack bar brand MadeGood®, was recently awarded Silver under the Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) certification system. Administered by Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI), TRUE helps facilities
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IFOAM appoints new executive director
Fri, 06/04/18 - 11:00
By O.W.N News Network
IFOAM – Organics International has announced the appointment of its next executive director, Louise Luttikholt, who will who will take responsibility for the role on 1 July 2018, while IFOAM and groups such as the US OTA, Oregon Tilth, and the Cornucopia Institute h
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OTA action over livestock rules
Fri, 26/01/18 - 10:10
By O.W.N News Network
While the US Organic Trade Association (OTA) had good news after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the OTA nearly $850,000 for 2018 market promotion, the OTA launched a campaign in December after the USDA announced it would withdraw the Organic Livestock and
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Raising the snack bar
Tue, 12/12/17 - 16:05
By O.W.N News Network
The Cornucopia Institute just released Raising the Bar, Choosing Healthy Snack Bars versus Gimmicky Junk Food a report exposing misleading marketing practices by large food industry firms that market candy-like snack and energy bars as wholesome and nutritious.
The repor
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France cuts subsidy for organic farmers
Wed, 01/11/17 - 20:44
By Warren Beaumont
French president Emmanuel Macron's ambitions to shake up the food sector and ensure producers are price setters rather than price takers, addressing the imbalance of power in the food sector that would return more money to farmers, are at odds with French government plans
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The State of Organics in Canada
Fri, 01/09/17 - 20:00
By Kelly Roesler
The Canada Organic Trade Association’s (COTA) recent publication, The State of Organics: Federal-Provincial-Territorial Performance Report 2017, provides a comprehensive and interesting read about the current level of development of the organic sector in each provin
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GI protection for EU-China special products
Mon, 14/08/17 - 08:00
By O.W.N News Network
The EU and China have published a list of 200 European and Chinese geographical indications (GIs) in June that are protected on their respective markets, as part of a bilateral deal that should be concluded by December, according to Italia Oggi in late July.
The move ca
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New rules for EU organic regulation must work
Fri, 11/08/17 - 10:09
By O.W.N News Network
New rules governing organic production and labeling in the European Union that are acceptable to and address the concerns of the organic movement were taken off the agenda until October 2017, after the European Parliament and the EU reached a provisional agreement for Eur
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Fair trade thriving in Germany
Tue, 24/01/17 - 07:00
By Annemarie Kruse
The fair trade sector in Germany is flourishing: the two big industry associations Forum Fairer Handel and TransFair have both announced double-digit growth for fairly traded and ethically manufactured products in 2015.
According to industry association Forum Fairer Hand
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IFOAM has a new look
Mon, 02/02/15
By O.W.N News Network
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM has decided to give its name and corporate logo a refreshing update. In December 2013, we contacted our affiliates to get input on a possible name change for IFOAM. After various brainstorming rounds affi
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Is fair trade just a marketing tool?
Fri, 03/10/14 - 13:35
By Warren Beaumont
The proliferation of fair trade certification schemes and multinational food companies using fair trade only as a labelling and marketing tool was a major point of discussion at a Biofach 2014 seminar, Does Fair Trade Certification Matter.
The discussion included concern
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America’s GMO Awakening
Sun, 02/02/14 - 19:25
By Kat Schuett
For years Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) have been quietly mixed into the US conventional food supply at alarming rates, their existence unknown to most consumers. 2013, however, marked a monumental year when mainstream Americans began to literally wake up and look
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U.S and Japan sign Organic Equivalency deal
Sun, 08/09/13 - 11:31
United States & Japan sign organic equivalence deal
The first organic equivalence agreement made in Asia by the United States and the first without organic standards exceptions was signed on September 26 between the U.S. and Japan at All Things Organic, Natural Produ
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The hidden costs of food
Tue, 05/02/13 - 05:30
By Adriana Michael
Our food system is dysfunctional, with conventional farming methods unsustainable and nutrient-deficient, according to journalist and food waste expert Jonathan Bloom. As a result, one-third of adults in the U.S. suffer from diabetes and other chronic diseases related to
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EU slows new GM crop approval
Tue, 05/02/13 - 05:17
By Warren Beaumont
More countries are rejecting and banning genetically modified (GM) crops and questioning the productivity or pest-resistance of GM crops as evidence grows that more chemicals being used in GM agriculture. EU countries issuing or renewing bans on GM crops recently included
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OPINION - Organic: Food Justice for the 99%
Sun, 13/01/13 - 22:22
By O.W.N News Network
By Charlotte Vallaeys, Director Farm and Food Policy, The Cornucopia Institute. Text edited to fit space.
As Americans become increasingly aware of the story behind conventional foods—the ecologically destructive monoculture fields, the petrochemical fertilizers, t
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GMO-free product sales on the rise
Tue, 13/11/12 - 22:48
By O.W.N News Network
GMOs are abuzz. Retail participation in the third annual Non-GMO Month reached an all-time high this October. And even though California’s Prop 37 did not pass the law for GMO labeling, it continues to score headlines. Around 6 million people or 48.5% voted YES, whi
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Nestle: GMOs unnecessary to feed the world
Mon, 15/10/12 - 14:04
By O.W.N News Network
Swiss food giant Nestle supports water sustainability and is a member of the SAI Platform for supply chain sustainability, and GMWatch in the U.S. reports that Nestle’s corporate head of agriculture, Hans Jöhr, is president of SAI Platform. Mr Johr says Nestl&e
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GM Food “Right to Know” vote under attack
Tue, 18/09/12 - 16:23
By O.W.N News Network
More Americans are questioning the health and environmental effects of genetically engineered or genetically modified (GM) organisms in their food. In California, the ‘Right to Know’ campaign to require that food from GM crops be labeled is headed for a Novemb
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EU-USA Organic Equivalence signed at BioFach
Mon, 07/05/12 - 15:13
By Warren Beaumont
The European Union and the United States announced at the BioFach World Organic Fair in Nuremberg on February 15 that beginning June 1, 2012, organic products certified in the EU or in the US may be sold as organic in either region. Formal letters creating this partnershi
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EU-US animal welfare are not equivalent
Thu, 03/05/12 - 08:45
By O.W.N News Network
Philip Lymbery, chief executive of the UK’s Compassion in World Farming has taken issue with U.S. organic animal welfare standards and the recent unveiling of the EU-USA organic equivalency agreement.
Back from the U.S. in May where he was working with CIWF’s
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Fair trade USA’s plans under attack
Sat, 10/12/11 - 03:23
By O.W.N News Network
While new research from world governing fair trade organization Fair Trade Labelling International (FLO) shows that recognition of the Fairtrade mark has increased since 2008, planned changes by United States fair trade accreditation body Fair Trade USA to split from the
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Quinoa: Organic certification not enough
Thu, 27/10/11 - 15:01
By Adriana Michael
The boom for quinoa continues. Beyond the natural health food stores, the rich golden grain is also finding a prominent presence at conventional supermarkets and trendy restaurants around the globe. Originally a South American staple grown in peasant farmer fields in the
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Amplified legal challenge to Monsanto GMOs
Tue, 11/10/11 - 14:05
By O.W.N News Network
Following a law suit filed by the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) on March 30 on behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agriculture organizations against the Monsanto company, challenging the chemical giant’s patents on genetically modified seed,
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RSPO hits back over sustainable palm oil
Sun, 12/06/11 - 16:36
By O.W.N News Network
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, the international non-profit sustainable palm oil association, announced in May that RSPO-certified palm oil production facilities produced their five-millionth tonne of certified sustainable palm oil. It also revealed that 9% of th
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Fairtrade Canada has new name
Sun, 05/06/11 - 10:50
By O.W.N News Network
Fairtrade products in Canada now have a new name to go with the new worldwide Fairtrade International logo introduced last year. TransFair Canada will be known as Fairtrade Canada. Rob Clarke, executive director of the organization believes the name Fairtrade Canada more
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Campaign calls for US labelling of GM foods
Sun, 09/01/11 - 08:21
By O.W.N News Network
A coalition of nearly 400 US businesses and organizations called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October to require labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods, which are those that are altered at the molecular level in ways that could not happen natur
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