The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

War in Ukraine slashes global supply of sunflower oil

The impacts of rising costs and shrinking supply of sunflower oil from Ukraine is causing “supply pain” across the globe as war continues there. Until three months ago, Ukraine had supplied nearly 50% of the world’s sunflower oil supply; together with Russia, that percentage reaches 75%. “Supply chains, already disrupted by Covid-19, have been further […]

Organic expands “carbon farming” to much more than storing carbon, IFOAM says

The EU branch of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) wants to recognize organic’s status as a “carbon farming” practice, beyond its ability to store carbon in soil. “Practices…common in organic farming are already contributing to higher soil carbon stocks…while providing benefits for soil health, water quality, and biodiversity protection,” said Jan Plagge, IFOAM Organics […]

Syngenta CEO blasted for comments saying that organic farming is contributing to global hunger

In a move that the Syngenta boss says is “in no way linked to Syngenta’s business objectives,” CEO Erik Fyrwald recently called for an abandonment of organic farming to focus on increased yields to avert rising global food insecurity. The solution, in his view, is for rich countries to improve yields to better feed the […]

As the organic industry booms, grower challenges and seed needs loom large

Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) and Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) are proud to announce the release of the National Organic Research Agenda (NORA) and State of Organic Seed (SOS). The two reports, published every five years, examine organic farming challenges in the U.S., identify research needs, and assess the organic seed needs of producers. 2020 organic sales surpassed $56 […]

USDA accepting applications to help cover costs of organic, transitioning producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) and Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) are two initiatives that help producers and handlers cover the cost of organic certification, along with other related expenses. Applications for OTECP and OCCSP are both due October 31, 2022. OTECP builds on support offered through OCCSP to […]