The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

Your “organic” restaurant meal may not be entirely organic

Unlike farms and manufacturers offering organic fare, “organic” restaurant offerings aren’t required to be certified organic. According to the USDA’s National Organic Program, owners simply need to make a “reasonable effort” to use organic ingredients—and many owners and customers are fine with that. Gil Rosenberg learned by happenstance that the burger he ate at Bareburger […]

Transitional farming gains traction, as organic consumers prioritize ecosystems

The Hartman Group’s Organic and Natural 2018 report sheds new light on consumer food attitudes. Core consumers seek an idealized notion of farming—going beyond chemicals in food, to embrace strong ecosystems, biodynamic and sustainable farming, and farmers as stewards. While “humanely raised,” “hormone-free,” and “organic” remain important descriptors, a new label, Certified Transitional, is gaining […]

Organic Trade Association hits back on the Wall Street Journal’s claims on organics

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) recently took contributors of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) to task over a series of op-ed pieces, which target the FDA and the organic industry. The OTA noted that the articles were “misleading and derogatory attacks,” and the association published a full-page ad in the Journal—the nation’s best-selling newspaper—refuting those […]

Farmers mentor farmers to make the transition to organic more manageable

In rural Iowa, George and Patti Naylor are a rarity—organic farmers in a landscape dominated by corn and soybeans. George Naylor, a strong voice against GMOs and a former Sierra Club member, has been growing non-GMO corn and soybeans on his family farm in Churdan since 1976. But five years ago, he and his wife, […]

Agroecology the only solution, says Farms of the Future

To feed the world’s people while maintaining a viable planetary ecosystem, French campaign group Farms of the Future believes agroecology—including organic and biodynamic agriculture—is the only way to go. Technology-minded futurists might envision drone-managed precision farming and hydroponic crops grown underground, but FAO rapporteur Olivier de Schutter said we need to adapt our economics to […]