7 July '10:   Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett has predicted factory farming will end by 2050, as a radical and revolutionary change occurs in UK farming.
See the Meat Info website .

7 July '10:  How Goldman gambled on starvation.  "For over a century, farmers in wealthy countries have been able to engage in a process where they protect themselves against risk. Farmer Giles can agree in January to sell his crop to a trader in August at a fixed price. If he has a great summer, he'll lose some cash, but if there's a lousy summer or the global price collapses, he'll do well from the deal. When this process was tightly regulated and only companies with a direct interest in the field could get involved, it worked.
Then, through the 1990s, Goldman Sachs and others lobbied hard and the regulations were abolished. Suddenly, these contracts were turned into "derivatives" that could be bought and sold among traders who had nothing to do with agriculture. A market in "food speculation" was born."  Read the rest of the horrifying story in The Independent website.
 

7 July '10:  Birthplace of 'drive-thru' turns its back on fast food. "In a bid to combat rampant obesity levels – almost half the town's 90,000 inhabitants are overweight and a third are classed as clinically obese – and decrease the traffic congestion and dangerous pollution being caused by long queues of cars idling outside burger and fried-chicken restaurants, the city's law-makers voted last month to impose a moratorium on new fast-food outlets. The ban, which took affect at the weekend, will initially last for nine months."
See the Independent website.

7 July '10:  Soil pesticides linked to ADHD.  See the Environmental Technology website for more details.

15 April: Are regulators dropping the ball on biocrops? Recent findings by Robert Kremer, a US government microbiologist, and other agricultural scientists are raising fresh concerns about Monsanto's products and the Washington agencies that oversee them. The same seeds and chemicals spread across millions of acres of U.S. farmland could be creating unforeseen problems in the plants and soil, this body of research shows.
Reuters

15 April '10:  Soil Association Organic Award Winners 2010. Director of the Soil Association, Patrick Holden, won The Natural Products Outstanding Achievement Award at Natural and Organic Products Europe alongside The Soil Association Organic Award winners 2010 – see press release below for details.
Soil Association Organic Award Winners 2010

13 April '10:   Rural shops wanted for local food initiative. A lottery funded scheme to encourage rural shops to sell more local food and drink is looking to triple the number of stores involved over the next two years. The Look For Local scheme is run by the Plunkett Foundation educational charity with support from organisations such at the Soil Association.
Independent Retail News (9 April)

13 April '10:  Giant dairy farm plans withdrawn. A controversial plan to build the UK's largest dairy farm in Lincolnshire has been withdrawn, it emerged. Under proposals submitted by Nocton Dairies Ltd, more than 8,000 cows were to produce up to 250,000 litres of milk a day for the East Midlands milk market. The Soil Association, which has likened the planned super-dairy to "battery chicken farms for cows", said it was "very pleased" by the withdrawal of the planning application.
Grantham Journal

1 April '10:   Farm pesticides linked to deadly skin cancer. Sun exposure has always been considered the driving force behind rising rates of melanoma. But new research suggests that workers who apply certain pesticides to farm fields are twice as likely to contract melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, according to a new scientific study.
Environmental Health News  

24 Mar '10:  Organic sector moves to end culling of male dairy calves. Organic farmers are preparing to end the practice of culling male dairy calves at birth. The association felt that ending the practice, together with an existing prohibition on exporting live calves, will further elevate organic animal welfare standards. Director of farmer and grower relations at the Soil Association, Phil Stocker, said: “Most of our members agree that culling and disposing of young calves is wasteful and a symptom of an unsustainable farming system. The change is also in line with the government’s food security agenda and calls from animal welfare organisations.”
Read the press release here

24 Mar '10:   Daylesford boss aims to treble organics harvest. Daylesford, the upmarket organic food business owned by the Bamford family, who made their fortune from the JCB mechanical digger empire, is on the verge of a surge in growth, according to its new managing director. Jamie Mitchell, formerly the managing director at smoothie firm Innocent, said he planned to at least triple Daylesford's £10m turnover in the next five years.
For the full article go to the Financial Mail 

21 Mar '10:  Year old McDonalds - The Happy Meal that refuses to age naturally. Pictures of the same McDonalds Happy Meal, photographed 12 months apart, show the true power of preservatives. Where any other food might be a mouldy, decomposing mess after a year, the McDonalds Happy Meal shows few signs off going off apart from the beef patty shrivelling and the stale burger bun cracking.  Proof, says Mrs Bruso, the American nutritionist who took these photographs, that it contains so many preservatives that it is bad for the children.  “If flies ignore a Happy Meal and microbes don’t decompose it, then your child’s body can’t metabolise it either.  Now you know why it’s called junk food.”
For the full article go to the Daily Mail 

14 Mar '10:  Farmers could pay levy on saved seed. Farmers could be forced to pay royalties on farm saved seed under new EU proposals, the Soil Association has warned. The organic lobby wrote to Defra Secretary Hilary Benn on February 22 urging him to oppose the proposals which it said would have particular impact on small-scale farmers. Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director, said there was a growing practice among conventional and organic farmers to use and re-sow seed.  He said the proposal to pay seed royalties would add a financial and regulatory burden on small farmers already struggling to survive.
See the Farmers Guardian

14 Mar '10: Conman jailed for selling millions of battery eggs as free range and organic. Keith Owen, former managing director of Heart of England Eggs of Bromsgrove, was jailed for three years and ordered to pay £3 million in confiscation of his assets after admitting three charges of false accounting. For an 18-month period from June 2004, over 100 million of these supposedly “premium” eggs on sale in supermarkets, such as Tesco and Sainsburys, and corner shops were from chickens reared in battery cages. It is the biggest food fraud case to have been brought by Defra and is estimated to have cost about £1 million.
Krishan Rama, spokesman for the British Retail Consortium, said: “This was an exceptional situation. At the time a shortage of free-range eggs forced suppliers to top up from other sources. Customers should be reassured that this fraud was spotted. Suppliers of eggs are routinely checked by independent assessors to ensure that the legal standards are being met.”
For the full article see The Times 

3 Mar '10:   Need for better regulation of pesticides. Report on how farmers have got to change the way they use pesticides following the discovery of higher than legal levels of pesticides in water this winter, and following the discovery that farmers were using banned herbicides.
Farmers Guardian (26 Feb, p. 19)
The NFU person running the voluntary pesticide scheme says that only a small number of farmers are breaking the law and that this does "not mean that voluntary stewardship is not working."
Farmers Weekly (26 Feb, p.30)

3 Mar '10:  Why I Love Organic Website. The Organic Trade Board has launched a new consumer website to encourage people to eat organic food. www.whyiloveorganic.co.uk , which went live last week and will act as the focal point for OTB's new marketing campaign. The group hopes the campaign will grow sales of organic food by 15% over the next three years. As well as presenting news, social media activity, industry updates and research on consumer attitudes to organics, the site will contain links to organic bloggers and look to explode popular myths about organic food.
The Grocer (27 Feb, p.32)

1 Mar '10:  Battery farm for cows: 8,000 animals to be housed in milk factory
A factory farm housing more than 8,000 'battery cows' will be built in the English countryside. Under the controversial plans, Britain's largest ever dairy herd will be kept in industrial scale sheds with little access to pasture or sunshine. The Soil Association’s Patrick Holden said the farm is a wake up call: ‘Will consumers be happy to know that they are drinking the milk from one of 8,100 cows that will never get out to grass? There is also a greater risk of disease – and the spread of new diseases, as we saw with BSE.'
For more information go to the Daily Mail.

20 Feb '10:  'Sky Delights' has just opened in Leopold Street, Nairn. It's a vegetarian, 100% organic shop with a small cafe/takeway. Do visit it.

17 Feb '10:  Macleod Organics pork and lamb meat freezer packs. From around the 23rd of this month Macleod Organics, Kylerona Farm, Ardersier; email macleod.organics@virgin.net ; tel 01667 462555 will have some pork meat freezer packs available. Those of you who took the last batch of half pigs will I'm sure remember how delicious they were. The pigs are of a similar size to the last batch (adults) and that experience tells us to, first, have smaller joints cut, second, have more sausages made !!! - they were bootiful! and third, we have decided this time to sell them as quarter pigs. They will therefore end up costing around £110-£140 (approx 16kg of meat) but if you would like a half pig we can offer a 10% discount, or 20% for a whole pig.
A quarter pig pack will contain approximately: 2 Leg joints (bone-in), 2 Shoulder, 2 packs diced pork, 3 packs mince, 2 packs chops, a few ribs and 4? packs of sausages (£7/kg + £15 slaughter and butchery)
Macleod Organics will also have half lamb packs on the go soon as well (£5.75/kg + £17 slaughter and butchery (maybe 12Kgish)).

13 Feb '10:  Cuba plans city farms to ease economy woes. Cuba has launched a project to ring urban areas with thousands of small farms in a bid to reverse the country's agricultural decline and ease its chronic economic woes. Part of the conditions of the programme is that farmers must grow everything organically.
Read the full article in The Guardian

10 Feb '10:   Badger culls fail to halt cattle TB, survey finds. "Managing badger populations to stop them spreading TB to cattle cost more than the impact of the disease, researchers from Imperial College and the Zoological Society of London said."
For the rest of the article go to The Guardian

9 Feb '10:  Thousands of school children at risk from pesticides. The health of thousands children is being put at risk by the widespread use of toxic pesticides in Scottish schools, according to a new survey by environmental groups. Local authorities across the country have admitted spraying chemicals suspected of causing cancers and other health problems on playing fields, paths and playgrounds to control weeds. They have also laid poisonous bait to try and get rid of rats. Reducing the exposure of children to pesticides linked to cancers was an “urgent priority”, according to the Soil Association, which promotes organic food. “We should take all reasonable steps to avoid and minimise risks,” said the association’s Scottish director, Hugh Raven.
To read more go to the Sunday Herald.

3 Feb 10:   Fast food? I think I’ve had my fill. The interviews Eric Schlosser, co-producer of the film Food, Inc. The film criticises the industrialisation of the food system that has made America’s chow unhealthier. Given the waste that cows tramp through in the nation’s feedlots (where they are fattened before slaughter), and the multitudes passing through the mega-abattoirs, that’s hardly surprising. It also questions the power that the biotech giant Monsanto now wields over farmers; it exposes the terrible conditions endured by meat-packing workers; and it asks why Washington seems so uninterested in change.
To read more go to The Times

4 Feb '10:   Supermarket using bullyboy tactics says farmers’ leader. The president of the National Farmers Union accused the big supermarkets today of "bullyboy tactics" by trying to renegotiate contracts and reduce prices. Speaking at the Soil Association's two day annual conference in Birmingham he said: “The supermarkets were trying to pre-empt a code of practice designed to give farmers and suppliers increased protection from such abuses of power. The groceries supply code of practice (GSCOP) comes into force tomorrow. This week should have been marked by a sea change in grocery supply chain relationships with our farmer and grower members but instead in the past 10 days I have heard how suppliers to major retailers have faced some of the most unreasonable demands for retrospective payments and changes to trading terms that we've ever seen."
To read more go to the The Guardian (4 Feb, p.13)

29 Jan '10:  Farmers 'jury' voices agricultural research concerns. [BAMAKO] Agricultural researchers should spend more time improving local seeds and less time developing hybrids from "outside", farmers in West Africa have said earlier this month at a citizens jury.
To read more go to Sci Dev Net

29 Jan '10:  Green and Black's to go 100% Fairtrade. The move, to be completed by the end of next year, will make Green & Black's the world's leading manufacturer of organic Fairtrade chocolate.
Taken from the Guardian

28 Jan '10:   It’s time to think inside the box. Riverford Organic has launched a campaign to help counter slowing box scheme sales during the downturn. The company, the third largest veg box company in the UK, thinks helping people to make the most of their veg is the best way of retaining loyalty among customers and is recruiting an army of cooks from around the country to help tech people how to ‘think inside the box’.
The Times ,  (28 Jan, p.10)
Soil Association box scheme directory: Sign-up to an organic box scheme. Get local, seasonal and organic fruit and veg delivered straight to your doorstep, and get excellent value for money while you're at it. 

27 Jan '10:   Why I'm taking my campaign to protect the public from pesticides to Europe. Georgina Downs comment: 'Britain controls pesticide use to protect animals, wildlife and the environment, but not for people. This has to change...'
The Guardian   (25 Jan)
Taken from the Soil Assoc daily news bulletin. 

25 Jan '10: Fears over use of chemicals to castrate pigs. Meat from pigs that have been chemically castrated could soon be on sale in Britain, with no label to warn shoppers that it contains a controversial drug. An injection to prevent puberty in male pigs was licensed for use in Britain and most of Europe last year, and has gone on sale to farmers who produce pork. Mature male pigs release a hormone that causes boar taint, a taste many consumers dislike. In Europe many pigs are physically castrated.
The Observer (24 Jan, p.14)
The Guardian (24 Jan)
NBN (23 Jan)
Soil Association comment: Chemical and physical castration of pigs is banned under Soil Association organic standards. Most British pigs bred for meat are killed at an earlier age than those reared on the continent, avoiding the necessity for castration
Taken from the Soil Association daily news bulletin.

22 Jan '10:  Antibiotics 'may have spawned MRSA'. Early use of antibiotics in the 1960s may have given birth to one of the most common strains of MRSA, a study has found. A new genetic method of tracking infection suggests that the superbug emerged five decades ago in Europe, just as antibiotics were being widely introduced for the first time.
Press Association (21 Jan)
Read more about the negative effects of overuse of antibiotics on the Soil Association website, click here .
Soil Association report (2007): ‘MRSA in farm animals and meat’ PDF, 1.5 MB
This report focuses on a major new antibiotic-resistance problem in farming, which may have serious consequences for human health. In some countries MRSA has been found in a large number of farm animals and in retail meat. 

21 Jan '10:   Why Kraft must keep organic cacao farmers sweet. The creator of Green and Black comments: "today, looking at Kraft's track record, what can we expect its takeover to mean for the commitment of Cadbury and Green & Black's to socially and environmentally-progressive policies such as Fairtrade and organic ingredients? In 2005, we sold the business to Cadbury.The press was full of speculation as to what would happen with the brand and journalists asked me if it would go on being organic and whether Cadbury would continue to follow our collaborative relationships with cacao growers. Some of our customers flipped completely and vowed never to eat Green & Black's again. I would write to them asking them to consider the farmers who grew the cacao – all of whom were delighted that they now had a secure relationship, but now with a partner of much more solid financial status. In addition, I could assure them that Cadbury had asked me to stay on as president and as director of the Green & Black's subsidiary – if I resigned it would be an indicator that things were not going as well as I hoped. . . . If Kraft screwed up with Green & Black's it would damage their reputation and cast a shadow over their competence. But there is no reason to expect them to goof. They have converted US household names like Oreos and Ritz crackers to organic and even do an organic macaroni-and-cheese dinner. . . . I have no idea if Kraft will ask me to stay on as president, but if they don't that could be your canary in the coal mine." For the rest of the article go to the Guardian .

14 Jan '10:  Organic sector dissatisfied with European logo designs. Up until the end of January everybody can vote on a website for one of three suggested European organic logos and the winning design will be compulsory on all organic products in addition to existing national organic logo's.
Gazet van Antwerpen 

14 Jan '10:  Go-ahead for supermarket ombudsman. The government ended long-running speculation over plans for a supermarket ombudsman yesterday by promising to set up a new watchdog to protect suppliers and farmers from abuses of power by large retailers. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said it had accepted the Competition Commission’s recommendation to create the new body to monitor supermarket behaviour. But the scope and powers of the new ombudsman remain unclear, and will be determined as the result of a forthcoming consultation.
For further information go to The Guardian

10 Jan '10:  Non-peat compost turns a new leaf. A trial of garden compost by consumer group Which? Gardening showed for the first time that peat-free compost made of food and garden waste, which is much better for the environment, can grow healthy plants. Which? tested 24 different types of compost. The best germinated 42 per cent more seeds on average than the worst, which in some cases produced just a few sickly looking plants.
The Daily Telegraph 8 January 2010 page 6.

10 Jan '10:   The abolition of the Milk Marketing Board did not help us dairy farmers.
Anthony Bradley, former dairy farmer, comments on the plight of dairy farming. He points out that farmers who are still dairying have often intensified their systems and are feeding their cows with soya grown on land that was formerly the rainforest of South America. He writes: “The supreme irony is that as farmers we now receive environmental payments to maintain the biodiversity of our farms.”
To read more go to The Guardian.

10 Jan '10:   Peers criticise food industry secrecy over nanotechnology. The UK food industry comes under attack from peers today for being secretive over its development of nanotechnology in food and drink. The Lords science and technology committee is urging the government and research councils to carry out more checks into the use of nanomaterials in food and in particular the dangers for the human body. Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, said: “The report is good in drawing attention to the huge risks and uncertainties of nanotechnology. This is a ticking time-bomb.” Peter was also interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Scotland.
For further information go to The Guardian, The Independent and the Daily Mail .

31 Dec '09:   "Monsanto is the winner of the Angry Mermaid Award 2009, announced by award-winning writer and journalist Naomi Klein at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen today is the biotech giant Monsanto with 37% of the total vote.
Oil giant Shell took second place (18%) in the Award for lobbying to sabotage effective action on climate change, followed by the American Petroleum Institute (14%).
Ten thousand people voted in the Angry Mermaid Award, named after the iconic Copenhagen mermaid who is angry about corporate lobbying on climate change."
For more information go to the FoE Europe website .

28 Dec '09:   Clean and Green Naturally. We all appreciate beautiful clear waters and healthy marine life. However, if you’re not using cleaning products that are phosphate-free and with reduced toxicity, you are contributing to the pollution of our seas and waterways… To help identify which products really are natural, look out for an organic certification such as ECO Garantie or Soil Association. Taken from  Surfgirl, December.  See the Soil Association Daily News .

28 Dec '09:   Animal Aid withdraws SA farm claim. Animal Aid has withdrawn claims that a farm next to an abbatoir where it filmed alleged chicken cruelty is Soil Association certified. For further information go to MeatInfo.co.uk .

17 Dec '09:   Do agribusiness giants fear organics? A University of Michigan study found that organic farming can yield up to three times as much food per farm in developing countries as conventional farming. Ivette Perfecto, professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, said, “My hope is that we can finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea that you can’t produce enough food through organic agriculture.” For the full article go to  Checkbiotech.org

17 Dec '09:  Asda’s imported Turkeys are a shameful betrayal of British farmers. “British farmers have reacted with fury after it emerged that Asda has been importing frozen turkeys from Brazil this Christmas. They view the decision – the first time a major supermarket chain has sourced its Christmas turkeys from Brazil – as a shameful betrayal of British agriculture… Asda has been crowing in recent days after it won an independent price comparison survey showing it was able to provide the cheapest Christmas dinner this year.” For the full article see the Daily Mail.

17 Dec '09:  Monsanto named worst corporate climate lobbyist. Monsanto wants its GM crops to be given carbon credits and to be at the forefront of tackling climate change despite link to deforestation. The US firm has been criticised for its aggressive corporate lobbying. In a public vote organised by an alliance of NGOs, including Friends of the Earth and Spinwatch, the US agricultural company came out ahead of oil giant Shell and the American Petroleum Institute as the worst corporate climate lobbyist. Read the full article in The Ecologist.

10 Dec '09:   Organic and Fairtrade increasingly important in the cosmetics world. The acquisition of Earthoil has helped flavour and fragrance company Treatt move into the cosmetics industry - acquired in 2007 the business segment is now one of the best performing of the whole company. Earthoil is a key brand for the future of the group, Finance director for the company Richard Hope explained…organic and fairtrade which are two key characteristics of the Earthoil brand are becoming increasingly important in the cosmetics world. Consumers are increasingly keen to know where their products have come from, who made it and the conditions in which they worked, Hope said. Read more in Cosmetics Design Europe.com (9 Dec)

10 Dec '09:   $2 million verdict against Bayer CropScience. Bayer CropScience LP must pay about $2 million for losses sustained by two Missouri farmers when an experimental variety of rice the company was testing cross-bred with their crops, a federal jury ruled. For the full article see St Louis Today (5 Dec) .

8 Dec '09:  The truth about British turkeys. In his ‘Consuming issues’ column, Martin Hickman takes a look at facts and figures on turkeys. He writes: ‘Around 90 per cent of turkeys are kept in intensive sheds, up to 25,000 birds a time, with heavy use of lighting to keep them feeding almost round the clock. Fast-growing species are used. There's little stimulation. They eat, get bored, get excessively large upper bodies, get killed. Compassion in World Farming is concerned about this and points out that there is no specific legislation governing turkeys, and the government-backed code of conduct is voluntary.’
The Independent (5 Dec, p.69)  The answer is to eat organic turkeys.

8 Dec '09:  Commission launches on-line vote for the new EU Organic Logo.  Go to the Europa Press Releases Rapid website before 31 January 2010 and vote for the European Logo.

3 Dec '09:  New evidence shows huge price rises for GM seed – a stark warning to UK farmers. Against a background of continuing calls from the GM lobby for the Government to back the growing of GM crops in the UK, a new report published today (3 Dec) shows that GM seed prices in America have increased dramatically, compared to non-GM and organic seeds, cutting average farm incomes for US farmers growing GM crops. For the full article see the Soil Association website.

3 Dec '09:  Soil Association organic turkeys are recommended as ‘top of the range’ in a feature on festive food. BBC Good Food magazine (Dec issue, p.195) 

2 Dec '09:  Organic wool. A discussion on Woman’s Hour explains the differences between organic and non-organic sheep farming and wool production. They speak to three Soil Association licensees: Liz Scambler of Bosigran Farm who supplies organic wool to Cornish Organic Wool, Julia Hopson of Cornish Organic Wool and Sue Blacker of The Natural Fibre Company.
Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4, listen again (1 Dec, about 27 mins)

2 Dec '09:  The Royal Society of Chemistry hosted a debate on genetically modified (GM) crops. More than 13 million farms around the world use the controversial food technology. Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, and Dr Colin Merritt, sustainability communications manager at Monsanto UK Ltd, debate the future of GM. This debate was on at 7.22am 2 December.  To listen to it again go to the BBC website.

2 Dec '09:   "Spanish eggs blamed for two salmonella deaths. Two people have died and scores have fallen ill following a food poisoning outbreak linked to cheap eggs from Spain. Some 144 cases of Salmonella enteritidis have been confirmed since the summer in the 14 recent outbreaks. They are in addition to more than 400 reported illnesses linked to this strain of the bug in England and Wales this year."
Read more in the Daily Mail.
Organic eggs are less likely to be tested positive for salmonella.  See this article in the World Poultry website .  "According to an article on Natural Choices, The Association states that this study showed that 23.4% of farms with caged hens tested positive for salmonella compared to 4.4% in organic flocks and 6.5% in free-range flocks. The research also apparently showed that the highest prevalence of salmonella occurred in the largest holding size category (>30,000 birds). This was over four times the average level of salmonella found in flocks closer to the maximum size allowed under Soil Association organic standards."

26 Nov '09:  Soil Carbon – the missing link in COP 15
New research from the Soil Association reveals that if all UK farmland was converted to organic farming, at least 3.2 million tonnes of carbon would be taken up by the soil each year - the equivalent of taking nearly one million cars off the road. Patrick Holden, Soil Association Director, said:
“Unless we are successful in tackling climate change, we won’t be able to feed the world’s growing population, however we farm. This report shows that agriculture can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while producing food sustainably.
“Our findings add fresh evidence to the strong case for agri-environmental farming made in the IAASTD Report, produced by 400 international scientists and endorsed by the UK Government.”
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 89% of agriculture’s global greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential is from carbon sequestration – a fact that Governments seem to be ignoring in the critical run-up to climate change talks in Copenhagen (COP 15) in December.
The research’s key findings are:
*On average organic farming produces 28% higher levels of soil carbon compared to non-organic farming in Northern Europe, and 20% higher for all countries studied (in Europe, North America and Australasia).
*In the UK, grasslands and mixed farming systems also have a vital role to play, and soil carbon may go a long way to offsetting the methane emissions from grass-fed cattle and sheep.
*The widespread adoption of organic farming practices in the UK would offset 23% of UK agricultural emissions through soil carbon sequestration alone, more than doubling the UK Government’s pathetically low target of a 6-11% reduction by 2020.
*A worldwide switch to organic farming could offset 11% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Raising soil carbon levels would also make farming worldwide more resilient to extremes of climate like droughts and floods, leading to greater food security.
Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director said: This research underlines the immediate and profound effect that organic farming techniques could have in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK and globally. Climate change means that business as usual in our food and farming systems is no longer an option. To minimize tropical deforestation and maximize soil carbon sequestration we need to move to healthier diets based on unprocessed, seasonal produce and grass-fed meat in moderation rather than intensive poultry and pork. With dietary shifts we could feed the world sustainably, address the health and diet-related ill-health time bomb, and help meet our GHG targets. This should provide a no-brainer basis for inclusion in the COP15 treaty.”
To read the full report and summary of findings go to the Soil Association website .
*Soil carbon facts & figures:
*Soil is a major store of carbon, containing three times as much carbon as the atmosphere and five times as much as forests. About 60% of this is in the form of organic matter in the soil.
*The large size of this store means that soil carbon changes can have significant effects on the level of atmospheric CO2. Each 1% increase in average soil organic carbon levels could in principle reduce atmospheric CO2 by up to 2%.
*Soil carbon losses account for a tenth of all the CO2 emissions by human activity since 1850. However, unlike the losses of carbon from the burning of fossils fuels, the soil carbon store can be recreated.
*The principal component of the soil carbon store is humus, a stable form of organic carbon with an average life-time of hundreds to thousands of years.

23 Nov '09: Organic food booms despite the recession. Organic food and other green goods are selling surprisingly well, despite the recession, it seems. Supermarket sales of environmentally sustainable or ‘ethical’ products are set to rise by 8.7 per cent to nearly $38 billion this year, says a new study by a market research company.  To see the full article go to the Telegraph.co.uk .

23 Nov '09: Small is beautiful for food security. "Governments at the world summit on food security at the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome last week took few of the required steps to respond to rising hunger . . . Recent research confirms that globally more than two-thirds of food is provided by small-scale producers, not global food companies, though they claim – and would wish to control – more. These small-scale food providers – farmers, livestock keepers, fisher peoples – many using resilient ecological approaches which have been proven successful in helping them adapt to climate change, need increased recognition and inclusion in decision-making at all levels, including in the FAO. This will have a high impact on eradicating hunger now." See the Guardian for the full article.

22 Nov '09:  Animals fed on GM feed are not GM-free. In a landmark ruling, the NZ Commerce Commission has accepted evidence from Prof Jack Heinemann, from an exhaustive review of the literature and on the basis of his own extensive professional experience, that animals fed on GM components ARE different from those which are reared using non-GM feed.  This is a direct challenge to EFSA and FSA, who have maintained consistently that there are no differences between GM-fed and non-GM-fed animals, and that there is therefore no need for labelling or segregation of feed supplies to meet consumer demand for GM-free products.
To read the report go to the following pdf file :
The poultry producer Inghams Enterprises (NZ) Pty. Limited (Inghams) has received a warning from the Commerce Commission that it risked breaching the Fair Trading Act with claims that its chickens contained no genetically modified ingredients.
To read more go to the NZ Commerce Commission website :

22 Nov '09: Copies of the Council’s various plans: revised draft Allotment Policy; Inquiry into Future Support for Agriculture in Scotland and Draft Highland Biodiversity Action Plan can all be seen on the council website . The Land Environment and Sustainability Strategy Group discuss these on Thursday 26 November and members of the public can attend.

21 Nov '09:  The 515 chemicals women put on their bodies every day. According to a new report, by Bionsen, a natural deodorant company, most of our favourite cosmetics are cocktails of industrially produced and potentially dangerous chemicals that could damage our health. The use of parabens, preservatives in shampoos, hair gels, shaving gels and body lotions is becoming increasingly controversial - a range of different studies has linked them to serious health problems including breast cancer, as well as fertility issues in men. Beth Neil recommends becoming a savvy shopper by checking product ingredients and asking questions. She says: "There are lots of affordable organic products which are certified by the Soil Association and are a quality alternative to more mainstream cosmetics."
Daily Mirror (20 Nov, pp.28-29)
Daily Mail (20 Nov, p.23)
Soil Association comment: Parabens are banned under Soil Association organic health & beauty standards. Read more about our new Cosmos standard - the first harmonised standard for organic health and beauty.

10 Nov '09:  Two-year-olds at risk from 'gender-bending' chemicals. A report says that two year-old children are being exposed to dangerous levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in domestic products, according to an EU investigation being studied by the government. The 327-page report says that while risks from "anti-androgen" and "oestrogen-like" substances in individual items have been recognised, the cumulative impact of such chemicals, particularly on boys, is being ignored.
Soil Association comment: Phthalates and parabens are both banned under organic standards.
The Guardian (7 Nov, p.19)

9 Nov '09:  Monsanto falsely advertised Roundup as being 'biodegradable' and that it 'left the soil clean'. France`s highest court has ruled that Monsanto lied about the safety of its weed killing herbicide Roundup. The decision came just days ago and confirms an earlier court judgment in France finding that Monsanto had falsely advertised Roundup as being "biodegradable" and that it "left the soil clean."
For further details see the Natural News website.  

28 Oct '09:   The dates for the next Rural Priorities Assessment Rounds have been finalised for March 2010.  See the Scottish Governement website .

27 Oct '09:  Winners of this year’s Williamson Foodservice Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards were announced on 24 October. Two which have organic products are: Aquascot Ltd who control and co-ordinate the supply of Select Farm Salmon, Organic Salmon and Sea Grown Trout products to Waitrose supermarkets won the Innovation Award, sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink
Gordon & MacPhail: Benromach who produce an organic whiskey won the Distance No Object Award, sponsored by Scottish Development International.  For more information go to the Scotland Food and Drink website .

26 Oct '09:   Cream coloured organic carrots are grown by farmer Steven Jack in the Moray Firth.  These carrots, Creme de Lita are on sale now in Marks & Spencers.  See the Mail Online website .

26 Oct '09:  Organic techniques produce more food per acre than chemical-based agriculture in developing countries says Geoffrey Lean in the Telegraph of 7 August 2009 . 

4 Oct '09: The Highland Wide Local Development Plan can be seen on the Council website and events are being held from 10am to 6pm at:
5 October  Inverness Town House
6 October  Dingwall Town Hall   
9 October  Golspie Community Centre
Closing date for responses to the plan is 9 November at 5pm
The Plan is maybe not very sustainable, ignoring the importance of agriculture and concentrating more on consumerism, but do look for yourself and comment.

8 Sept '08: The UK Government is considering reinstating a pesticide, aminopyralid, which has caused huge amounts of damage to fruit and vegetable crops, and which was withdrawn from the market last year. See the Guardian article . Patrick Holden says: “This pesticide has not been reformulated, nor made safer in any other way. There is no evidence to show that the ‘stewardship’ proposals made by the company producing the pesticide, Dow AgroSciences, will work. The proposals – which include only selling the product in large containers to make it ‘too expensive for casual use’ - provide no guarantee that further damage can be prevented. Indeed, Hilary Benn already knows that this approach does not work. There were already guidelines in place to prevent the use of manure from land treated with aminopyralid from being used for vegetable growing, which did not stop serious contamination incidents from occurring.” To sign the petition go to the no 10 website . 

8 Sept '09: Living Food at Cawdor Castle is on Saturday 26 September 2009. It is a celebration of organic food and local produce. For further information contact David Broadfoot, Administrator, Cawdor Castle; tel: 01667 404401 email: info@cawdorcastle.com  

13 Aug '09:  Take an Organic Vegetable Box from Macleod Organics.  Macleod Organics are delivering a third of the boxes they were delivering two years ago and must find more buyers to survive.  They sell not only vegetables and fruit but also groceries, as listed in their website: www.macleodorganics.com and go to 'Other Items'.  Imagine how wonderful it is to have heavy items delivered to your door.  It's especially great for older people, so why not treat that elderly relative or friend or treat yourself.  Contact Stevie at Kylerona Farm, Ardersier, email macleod.organics@virgin.net or tel 01667 462555.

13 Aug '09:   Allotments in Inverness.  The Inverness Council is running a consultation about allotments in Invereness.  Do add your support for allotments.  Go to the website: http://www.highland.gov.uk/socialwork/healthimprovement/allotments/   to see how.  Consultation responses are invited before the deadline of Friday 11th September, in writing to Keith Walker, Policy Officer, Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX or by email to keith.walker@highland.gov.uk

3 Aug '09:  Read Joanna Blythman's article "A cancerous conspiracy to poison your faith in organic food" in the Mail Online

1 Aug '09:   FSA report on Organics. "Carlo Leifert, a professor of ecological agriculture at Newcastle University and the co-ordinator of a major EU-funded study which recently found nutrient levels were higher in organic foods, said the conclusions of the (FSA) study were selective".  "The appendix of the FSA report shows that some nutrients, such as beta-carotene, are as much as 53% higher in organic food, but such differences are not reflected in its conclusions." "they (FSA) are so blocked by not wanting to say positive things about organic farming." See the article in the Guardian .

23 Jly '09:   Do watch the film 'Pig Business' on IPlayer .  It will be there for nine days from 20 July and see the article about the film on the Ecologist website and hear about the enormous lengths the lawyers are going to stop it from being shown.

8 July '09:   New Film: Big AG Shudders at "Food, Inc". In the wake of the US release of the film Food, Inc., an expose of industrialized food production, corporations and corporate-supported groups from Monsanto to the National Chicken Council have created sections of their websites in an attempt to counter the facts that the film is bringing to light.  For more websites see HIOA's GM News page. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paula-crossfield/food-inc-gets-rave-review_b_214766.html

8 July '09:   Are you interested in a Beef and Lamb Grading Workshop? In conjunction with McIntosh Donald, SAC are planning on holding Beef and Lamb Grading Workshops. Sessions will include training for both live and “on the hook” grading and how to achieve optimum grades. These events will be free of charge and open to all organic producers. Caroline Bayliss is trying to establish the level of interest from producers so please call or email her to let her know if you’re keen to attend one of these workshops later in the year - email Caroline.Bayliss@sac.co.uk or tel 01224 711073

14 Dec '08:   Organic cafe and organic shop in Inverness. Do visit the Riverdale Centre in Church Street - it also offers complementary therapies. You'll find it next to the lane which comes up from the Greig Street bridge.

14 Dec '08:  Future Farmer Award.  Each year a Scottish farmer, who is trying to manage their farm in ways which promote environmental sustainability, is awarded £4,000 and a package of practical support to help them communicate their ideas to other land managers.  The cash can be used either to fund a specific project or simply to allow the winner take time away from thier farm work to speak at events or host farm walks.  Full details of the award are at www.futurefarmer.org.uk or you can contact the Award Co-ordinator, Anna Ashmole on 01899 830536 or email anna@ashmole.org.uk

22 Oct '08:   Introducing the Larder. The List, Scotland's leading lifestyle magazine, announces plans to publish The Larder, a major new publication about Scotland's food and drink: what we produce, where it comes from and where to get hold of it. The Larder, £7.95, is to be published March 2009, 160 pages. ISBN 978-0-9557513-1-8.  For further information please contact: Claire Ritchie, larder@list.co.uk , 0131 550 3050

27 May '08:   Reason for health benefits of organic milk discovered in new study see the Soil Association press release . 

2 Apl.'08: “Genetic Roulette” If you feel the opposition is wearing you down and you need revitalising, or if you would like a book to recommend to GM supporters, then please do remember Jeffrey M. Smith's new book, “Genetic Roulette”. In his rational and very easy to read style he covers all the documented health risks of genetically engineered foods, showing the very worrying way in which all signs of risk are covered up. He discusses the flaws in the arguments which state that we need GM; illustrates that the regulations which are in place are inadequate to protect public health and demonstrates that, right from the beginning when US FDA made the claim, counter to the belief of the scientists involved, that there was no difference between GM food and normal food, that there have been no studies, or very poor studies, by the GM industry, into the safety of GM Food.  Ask your public library to order it.

23 Mar '08: Small farm shop has opened outside Klondyke's (Howdens) near Inverness Retail Park. Leanne and Gordon Whiteford from Highland Eggs have started a small shop to the right of the entrance to Klondykes.  They are selling organic vegetables from Macleod Organics; their own organic eggs and locally produced meats and preserves etc. 

7 Mar '08:   Organic feed makes the immune system more alert.  For further details see the FQH - Organic Food Quality & Health website. 

2 Mar '08:   Kirkhill Village Market is held every second Saturday from 10 am to 12pm and is run by Real Organics and Kirkhill Eco Schools.  They sell fresh organic salad, crops, root veg, bread, cheese, eggs, preserves etc.  Coffee, tea, homebakes for a small charge, book stall, bring and buy.  See the Winter edition of An Arainneachd, newsletter of the Highhland Environmental Network

7 Jan '08:   Scottish Food & Drink ExcellenceAwards 2008 which has awards for Direct Marketing, Healthy Eating, Retail, Food Service Product & Brand Development. Closing date 22 February. Please see websites in early January for electronic entry forms. www.royalhighlandshow.org   and www.scottishfoodanddrink.com  

3 Nov '07:   New Partnership Will Deliver Consumer Insight To Scottish Farmers And Small Food Producers. SAC has launched an initiative to provide consumer insight to Scotland’s farmers and small food producers, to help them compete more effectively in the market. The initiative is being delivered by SAC on behalf of the industry leadership organisation Scotland Food and Drink, with funding support from Scottish Enterprise. For further information, see the SAC website  

2 Nov '07:   Organic food is healthier for you.  See the results of a four year study which is showing that there are more antioxidents and nutrients in some organic food.  See the Soil Association website.  

21 Oct '07:   'Dairy cattle suffer less from lameness when reared on organic farms' .  See the full article from Saturday 20 October 2007's The Herald.

15 Sept '07:   Shetland Organic Producers' Group have just updated their website with their September 2007 Newsletter.  There are updates on the following: the Organic Native Shetland Wool Project; Shetland Aets & Bere Living Heritage Project and Native Shetland Hill Bred Lamb.  See their website.  

9 Sept '07:  Tio Ltd, the Forres-based organic vegetable producer, is planning an expansion which could create up to 20 new jobs after a getting an enterprise grant. HIE Moray approved a £266,300 award to Tio Ltd to market the organic vegetable produce of Mid Coul Farms. The company, which was established in 1998, supplies Tesco with its organic root vegetables. For further information, see their website  

19 Aug '07: New Black Isle Farm shop open in the main street of Fortrose selling organic and local food. 

8 June '07: The Organic Growers Alliance (OGA) membership was launched at at Cirencester in December 2006, commercial growers and others who wish to support organic horticulture are invited to join. The objectives of the Alliance are to bring growers together to promote common interests and to share and benefit from both individual and collective opportunities and experience. See the Garden Organic website.

7 May '07:  Perthshire Organic Gardeners are looking for new members - see their website for further information. 

3 May '07:  By collecting tokens from packs of Yeo Valley organic milk and natural yoghurt, customers will be able to support the Woodland Trust’s vital woodland conservation work across the UK.  See the Woodland Trust's website: http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/yeo/index.htm

7 April '07:  Caledonian Organics, www.caledonianorganics.com recently launched their new website with a link to their organic stores and breeding stock search website, www.organic-stores.co.uk This search and email facility is open to all organic producers. 

7 April '07:   The SAC is proposing to facilitate a 4-day HAWL course (see below) to be held in Aberdeen during the summer. It will be held on 4 separate days, approximately 3 – 4 weeks apart. The cost for the 4-day course is estimated to be about £400 per person. To make this course viable commitment from between 15 and 18 participants is needed. Contact Caroline Baysliss directly on 01224 711073 if you are interested in participating in this event. 

7 April '07:   The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo), is to offer funding to members who wish to attend homeopathy courses. In a move, that is the first of its kind by a dairy cooperative, OMSCo has agreed to pay half of the fees towards Homeopathy at Wellie Level (HAWL) three day courses.  See their website to find out details. 

7 April '07:   More research is appearing which shows that organic food is better for you.  See the Guardian article.  

24 Feb '07:   Connage Highland Dairy, near Inverness, was runner up in the NFU Scotland Innovation Award - they have moved beyond traditional farming and into a new and innovative business.  See the Scottish Food and Drink website. 

28 Jan '07:  Entries for the Scottish Food & Drink Excellence Awards are due in by Wednesday 21 February.  See the Scottish Food & Drink Excellence Awards website  

21 Jan '06:  The Soil Association has appointed a certification offficer for Scotland. This new post, which has been filled by Marjorie Grant, a graduate of the Scottish Agricultural College’s distance-learning Masters Degree in Organic Farming, will provide Scottish licensees with a dedicated officer based in Scotland and is the direct result of the steadily increasing number of Scottish farmers who are choosing organic certification with the Soil Association. Her role will also extend to some parts of northern England. For more information contact David Mowat, Producer Certification Manager, on 0117 914 2412, email dmowat@soilassociation.org, or Indira Mann, media and information officer on 0131 666 2474 email imann@soilassociation.org 

12 Jan '06:   Soil Association Conference 'One Planet Agriculture: Preparing for a post-peak oil food and farming future' is now fully booked. 

20 Dec '06:   December's edition of An Arainneachd, the newsletter of the Highland Environmental Network can be downloaded from the website www.highlandenvironment.org.uk  

3 Dec '06:   Buy Organic Olive Oil from Iberialba, based in Skerray, by Thurso.  As a company, Iberiialba is committed to co-operation, fair trade and sourcing pure, natural and healthy products.  See their website www.iberialba.com 

3 Dec '06:   Co-op shops sell organic food from Highland Wholefoods.  The Co-ops in: Carse, Inverness; Church Street, Inverness; Beauly and Fortrose in the Black Isle, Ross-shire are all selling a small selection of organic food from Highland Wholefood. 

25 Nov '06: Organic Burns Supper 24 January 2007 at Inverness High School, Montague Row, Inverness. Soil Association Scotland, in partnership with the REAL (Real Education Active Lives Project) are organising this event.  The pupils will help to grow, cook and serve the food.  See the Soil Association's website

7 Nov '06:   Award given to David Younie, SAC Organic Specialist, at the Royal Northern Agricultural Society's annual awards lunch on Friday 3 November.  This award recognises David's “years of hard work, dedication and commitment” to organic farming.  See the SAC website.  

5 Nov '06:   Nominations for the Seafood Awards 2007 have to be in by 30 November 2007.  For more information and nomination brochures see the Scottish Food and Drink website.  

5 Nov '06:   The BBC Good Food Show is to be launched at the Scottish Exhibition Centre Glasgow next year on 2-4 November 2007.  For more information on exhibiting at the show see the BBC Good Food Show website.  

5 Nov '06:   Simmers of Edinburgh withdraw batches of Nairn’s Organic Herb Oatcake products due to possible glass contamination.  See the Food Standards Agency website. 

5 Nov '06:  HIOA's AGM is on Thursday 7 December at 7.30 at Anam Cara. 

31 Oct '06:  Tesco is to pay the costs of organic inspection and technical support for all existing and new organic dairy farmers in its supply chain for the next three years as a part of its commitment to develop the sector.  See Tesco's website . 

20 Oct '06:   Tamar Organics seed catalogues can be obtained by going to their website 

2 Oct '06:   Do you want to know how to use your compost bin from the council? Go to Ask Organic's website and click on "Composting Daily (PDF file, 3MB) - New leaflet for Borders households." to see Ask Organic and Scottish Borders Council's information leaflet. 

30 Sept '06:  The Organic Statistics for the United Kingdom for 2006 can be seen Scottish Food and Drink website.  

30 Sept '06:   Loch Ness Organic Meat Co Ltd had its debut at the 'Living Food' festival at Cawdor Castle today.  Local organic meat producers Donnie McLeod, Willie Wilson, Andrew Fraser have joined with the experienced butcher, Shaun Smith, to form Loch Ness Organic Meat Co Ltd..  They are operating from Unit 5 Cromwell Units, Lotland Street, Inverness - telephone 01463 716264.  Contact them for a price list and purchasing details. 

16 Sept '06:   The Soil Association, the UK’s leading environmental organisation promoting organic farming and championing human health, is celebrating its 60th anniversary year.  See the Soil Association website for further information. 

16 Sept '06:   Organic school meals for all children in Arran.  Today's Herald is running an article on The Food for Life programme which is now being extended to all eight schools in Arran.  See Saturday 16 September's edition of the Herald. 

2 Sept '06:   Some Scottish winners of the Soil Association Food Awards are: A Bronze award for David Gladwin, Black Isle Brewery, Ross-shire for his Blond Beer.  A Bronze award for Ian Chapman from Gordon & Macphail, Elgin for a Single Malt Scotch Whisky. A Silver award for Lucy Maclean from Inverawe Smokehouses, Argyll for Gravadlax (Salmon marinated with dill). 

2 Sept '06:   The Soil Association Organic Food Awards have been announced.  Out of 948 entries 110 awards were presented.  There are also special awards, the results of which can be seen on the Soil Association website.  

27 August '06:   The Highland Environmental Network's August edition of An Arainneachd is out and you can get your free copy from admin@highlandenvironment.org.uk or by contacting Glachbeg Education Centre, Allanglach Wood, North Kessock, IV1 3XD.  They have a short article on HIOA and there is an update on their Plot to Plot project which is encouraging a small number of schools to grow fruit and vegetables. Also information on Lochaber Larder's pilot accreditation and marketing scheme which informs customers of the biodiversity advantages of buying from them.  Plus future events in the Highlands and many other articles.

17 July '06:   "Living Food". An organic festival at Highland Games Field Cawdor Castle on Saturday 30 September 2006. There will be no charge to get into the Games Field this day and it is the one day in the season when the Castle is open for free.  For further information see HIOA's Events page or contact Info@cawdorcastle.com or tel: 01667 404401 fax: 01667 404674 

8 July '06:    The Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Forum Awards 2006 are now open for entries from businesses in the Highlands and Islands region.  See the Scottish Food & Drink website.  

30 June '06:     Jamesfield Organic Farm are offering an Organic Lamb Pack £60 incl.delivery.  Contents are: Gigot leg chops 6 x 200gr; Loin Rack 1 x 400gr; Rolled Shoulder 2 x 1kg; Lambs Mince 2 x 500gr; Cubed Lamb 2 x 500gr;
See their website or email jamesfieldfarm@btconnect.com or phone 01738 850498

30 June '06:     Caroline Baylis's Organic Market Link Producer Newsletter no 8 is out with lots of optomistic news for organic producers.  If you want to see a copy of this very informative organic newsletter then contact Caroline.bayliss@sac.co.uk  

12 June '06:   Poyntzfield Herb Nursery is offering a workshop on how to make medicines from plants and also giving a guided tour.  See their website www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk  

7 June '06:   Poyntzfield Herb Nursery's herbs were used in the Silver Award winning garden, 'A Highland Retreat', at Chelsea Flower Show.   See the write up in  Friday 2 June 2006's copy of The Inverness Courier.

3 June '06:   Garden Organic won a silver award at Chelsea Gardens with their display of dying flowers and rotten vegetables.  They were promoting composting. See their website .

3 June '06: Supply of ‘local food’ to Scottish food service outlets is being encouraged, with part funding by SEERAD, by a new SOPA led initiative.  See the SOPA website . 

3 June '06:   Organic Works.  See the Soil Association webiste for a report based on the first national survey of labour on UK organic farms by the University of Essex. Organic farming in the UK provides 32% more jobs per farm than equivalent non-organic farms.  It's attracting more and younger people into farming and organic farmers are more likely to be involved in on-farm processing, marketing and retailing, building on the trust and connection between farmers and consumers of organic food.  

3 June '06:   Organic article in The Big Issue, 1-7 June 2006.  This week's Big Issue has a brief article on the problems of supply of organic produce in Scotland and the need for box schemes - Roger Beecroft and Christine Jones are quoted -  to import.  James Withers, deputy chief executive of the Scottish national farmer's union is quoted at the end saying that there would be more organic farmers if there was a "strengthened supply chain to ensure farmers get a fair reward" 

14 May '06:   No Catch Organic Cod, produced by Johnson Seafarms at Vidlin in the north of the Shetland islands, has taken the supreme prize in the 2006 Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Awards.  Taken from the Scottish Food and Drink website.  

8 May '06:   Review Of Organic Farming’s Benefits For Scotland’s Natural Heritage.  SAC's Dr Christine Watson has recently led a successful tender for a £25K project which will review evidence for the potential for organic agriculture to provide natural heritage gains in Scotland, within the context of UK and international farming systems. Collaborators include the British Trust for Ornithology, the Centre for Environment and Hydrology, the Organic Centre Wales, Elm Farm Research Centre and the Scottish Organic Producers Association.  For further details see the SAC website.

27 April '06:  Caledonian Organics Ltd are recruiting a Market Development Manager. A dynamic individual is sought for challenging and pivotal role developing integrated supply chains for organic red meat in Scotland and the UK. Proven business and marketing skills will be essential. Key duties include recruiting members, negotiating supply contracts and coordinating all procurement. Fulltime, flexible basis , Home-based. c £22.5k with company car (full driving licence necessary). Apply to calorgboard@smartgroups.com or Eunice Mole, c/o SAOS, The Rural Centre, West Mains, Ingliston, Newbridge, EH28 8NZ. The closing date is 5 May 2006. This is taken from the SOPA website. 

22 April '06:   New leaflet out from Pesticide Action Network UK giving advice to anyone with concerns about the health effects of pesticide exposure, or whose health has been affected by pesticides.  For further information see the Elm Farm Research website . 

22 April '06:   The results of the Soil Association's annual Supermarket Survey for eight different organic: fruits, vegetables and meat produced in the UK can be seen on their website . Five of the eight main supermarkets now source over three quarters of key staple organic foods within the UK, compared to just two in 2003. On average, supermarket availability of UK, seasonal, organic food staples has risen by 10% - from 72% two years ago when the survey started, to 82% currently. 

22 April '06:  Pillars of Hercules (Fife), a remote, grass roots company which has fought against the odds has won one of the Soil Association's Seven Organic Industry Awards. These were given out at the Soil Association's Organic Trade Conference 2006 on 9/10 April 2006.  See the Soil Association website for more details. 

22 April '06:   New deal for Organic Meat from Sainsburys.  Sainsburys have announced a new drive to issue contracts to its British organic beef suppliers, with the first signed this week – and another fifty to follow within the next four months. This is the start of a drive between the company and Anglo Beef Processors to support and provide a long standing template for British organic meat supply.  See the SOPA website from where this came.

18 April '06:   Gordon and Leanne Whiteford of Highland Eggs have won £1,000 and been named Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Highlands and Islands.  They will also go forward to the Scottish finals in June.  See Tuesday 18 April 2006 edition of the Inverness Courier. 

10 April '06:   Soil Association's Organic Food Awards  Entries have to be in by 28 April 2006.  You can nominate yourself or anyone else for the following categories: Product Award (up to 29 different categories); Producer of the Year; Box Scheme of the Year or Local Food Initiative of the Year.  Judging will take place on 5/6 July. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall will present the awards at a ceremony on Friday 1 September 2006 at Bordeaux Quay in Bristol.
For further information see the Soil Association website.
Send or fax completed forms to the following address by the deadline 28 April 2006: Feona Horrex, Events Officer, Soil Association, Bristol House, 40–56 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6BY; tel 0117 314 5000; fax 0117 925 2504 

9 April '06:    The Black Isle Brewery are now offering: boxes of 12 X 500ml bottles at £31.50, delivered anywhere in mainland Britain; Heather Honey beer; top quality Organic Brewery T-shirts, made with 100% Organic Cotton and they are completing an extension to their Brewery shop and this year will be selling beer by the pint straight from the cask to take away and enjoy – pick up one of their 4-pint containers or bring along a jug!
For more details see our Sales and Wants page or their website: www.blackislebrewery.com

9 April '06:   West Highlands’ first Slow Food Fair is on Easter Saturday, 12 noon to 3pm at Ardtornish House, Head of Loch Aline in Morvern. Around twenty of the finest food producers from Lochaber and North Argyll will set up stall to provide lunch to an expected crowd of some two hundred in Ardtornish House’s great hall. This promotional event is open free of charge to the public.
Contacts: Pam Rodway of Slow Food Moray and Highland convivium; tel 01309 676566
Jane Stuart of Smith of Ardtornish; tel 01967 421394 or 07884 361545 (until Tuesday 4 April and from Wed 12 April)
Bill and Sukie Barber of Bluebell Croft, Strontian; tel 01967 402226
Robert Linton of Lochaber Enterprise; tel 01397 704326

6 April '06:   Death of wild swan confirms bird flu - the bird was found in Cellardyke, Fife. See the Soil Association's website for background information. 

3 April '06:   New Organic Easter Lamb pie from Simple Simon's Pies in Biggar at £3.50. Organic black faced hill lamb from Easton Farm is marinated in olive oil, white wine, carrots, onions and rosemary before being casseroled and finished with crab apple, mint and redcurrant jelly. The finished casserole is then encased in light puff pastry on a bed of steamed potatoes They can be shipped directly to your door within 48 hours of ordering on-line.  See Simple Simon's website. 

3 April '06:   Are organic techniques suitable for you on your Nature Reserve?  See the decision tree which has been developed under contract to English Nature to help you decide.  Revised edition came out in March 2006.  See the Organic Research Centre's website.  

31 Mar '06:   The Co-op in the Carse, Inverness has started selling Highland Wholefood's organic produce.

30 Mar '06:   New and improved fee payment for Soil Association Certification. There is a certification fee freeze for existing licensees and from 1 April 2006, all new applicants to Soil Association Certification will pay a one-off application fee of £199, covering the first six months of organic certification and their initial inspection. They will then benefit from a fixed minimum fee for the next two years – irrespective of land area.  For more information see the Soil Association website. 

29 Mar '06:   The Video of 'Biodynamic Man' - Philip Carr, a WWOOF host in the South East - which was shown on Community TV Channel can be downloaded from the WWOOF website 

29 Mar '06:   A target date of 2010 has been set by which time all fish meal and fish oil incorporated into Soil Association organic fish diets should come exclusively from Marine Stewardship Council's certified sources. The Soil Association, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Waitrose and  Aquascot have launched a unique and unprecedented partnership to develop these feeds. See the Soil Association's website . 

28 Mar '06:   A one-day organic salmon conference hosted by the Soil Association, with partners Waitrose and Aquascot, had a hundred delegates.  "The Soil Association, the UK's leading champion of organic food and farming, is pioneering the development of standards for organic salmon farming in the UK. Sales of organic salmon have increased steadily since certification started in 1999."  "Aquascot is one of Scotland's leading fish processing companies, and, as a business acutely aware of sustainability issues at every stage of the supply chain, has been an invaluable source of expertise to the Soil Association. It is the sole supplier of farmed salmon to Waitrose.
Waitrose was recently named as one of the leading retailers of sustainable seafood by both Greenpeace and the Marine Conservation Society. It has recently announced that it will shortly, and for the first time, be opening two stores in Scotland – both in Edinburgh, in Comely Bank and Morningside."  Taken from the Soil Association website.  

21 Mar '06:   Organic vegetable market continues to grow.  The UK organic vegetable market grew a further 13 per cent during the 2004-2005 season, according to a study by HDRA, the organic organisation.  The UK Organic Vegetable Market study, funded by DEFRA, reports that 152,100 tonnes of organic vegetables were traded during this period, representing a total retail value of £223 million. The rate of growth in the UK organic vegetable market exceeded the growth rates of both the conventional vegetable and total organic food markets. Additionally UK self-sufficiency in organic vegetables increased to 64 per cent whereas self-sufficiency in conventional vegetables decreased.   This is taken from the Garden Organic website

19 Mar '06:   Glasgoforest is tops for organic silage and yields.  Glasgoforest is a 260 acre lowland unit just out side of Aberdeen with 110 Holstein cross Friesian milking cows. They regularly win in silage competitions at the Royal Northern Spring Show, at Thainstone, and in the North of Scotland Silage competition.  See the Scottish Farmer 18 March 2006  

19 Mar '06:  Organic Aid Scheme 2005 application results are summarized in the SOPA website . 

19 Mar '06:   Caroline Bayliss's SAC Organic Market Link Project Producer Newsletter No 6 and her SAC Organic Market Project Producer Survey, Summary Report have now been distributed and give good news for organics in Scotland for the coming year.  Lamb, beef and grains are all in demand.  APB are now killing in Perth for Sainsburys. For further information see the SAC website or contact Caroline at caroline.bayliss@sac.co.uk  

18 Mar '06: New - 100% organic dog treats called De'lish Organic is now being produced by the already established organic pet food manufacturers, Pet Organics - a Scottish family business located in Edinburgh.  See their website www.petorganic.com

12 Mar '06:  Toxic 'cocktail additives' in children's foods    The Soil Association presented, on 8 March 2006, to the offices of Rt. Hon Patricia Hewitt MP, the Secretary of State for Health, the results of a three-year study on the effects of combining the following four food additives: E133 Brilliant Blue, E621 monosodium glutamate (MSG), E104 Quinoline Yellow and E951 L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester. The research suggests that specific combinations can have a neurotoxic effect.
The mixtures of the additives had a much more potent effect on nerve cells than each additive on its own. The effect on cells was up to four times greater when Brilliant Blue and MSG were combined, and up to seven times greater when Quinoline Yellow and Aspartame were combined. The study shows that when the nerve cells were exposed to MSG and Brilliant Blue or Aspartame and Quinoline Yellow the additives stopped the nerve cells from normal growth and interfered with proper signalling systems.
See the Soil Association's website .

5 Mar '06:  In common with several other EU Member States the UK takes the view that the organic status of poultry flocks would not be affected as a result of measures which operators were required to take under the law to restrict access to open-air runs as a precaution against avian influenza so long as all other requirements of the Compendium of UK Organic Standards continued to be met.  See the SOPA website .

19 Feb '06:  A major global boost to organic farmland area has been clocked at the annual world organic food fair - Biofach - in Nuremberg, Germany.
According to the figures from an IFOAM survey, currently more than 31 million hectares of farmland are under organic management worldwide, a gain of around five million hectares in a single year.  The major increase in organic land has taken place in China, where nearly three million hectares of pastoral land were recently certified.
In terms of organic land, excluding wild collection, Australia leads the pack with 12.1 million hectares, followed by China (3.5 million hectares) and Argentina (2.8 million hectares).  Most of the world's organic land is in Australia/Oceania (30%), followed by Europe (21%), Latin America (20%), Asia (13%), North America (4%), and Africa (3%) The countries which have the largest percentage of organic farmland in comparison with the total agricultural area are Austria, Switzerland and much of Scandinavia.  In Switzerland, for example, more than ten percent of the agricultural land is managed organically.  In 2004, the market value of organic products worldwide was reckoned at 27.8 billion US$ (23.5 billion EUR), the largest share of organic products being marketed in Europe and North America. This is taken from the Elm Farm Research Website . 

19 Feb '06:  Market research study into the market penetration of Scottish organic produce.  Website publication date 8 February 2006.  See the Scottish Executive's website for the full report. 

19 Feb '06: Ask Organic is a company run by a couple in the Borders and they offer advice and help on home composting and organic gardening.  See their website www.askorganic.co.uk - we now have a link to them on our website as well.

16 Feb '06:   "MSP Robin Harper challenged Jack McConnel to explain what the Executive was going to do to get organic agriculture back on track, after it was revealed the budget for promoting organics to farmers had been slashed from £8.44m to £2.3m."  See the Scottish Farmer 18 February 2006.

16 Feb '06:   A Major Reason Why Organic Food is Better: Healthy Soils and Animals Mean a Healthy Diet.  Read Robin Maynard's article from The Guardian (London) 14 February  2006 in which he discusses Felicity Lawrence's report on the need to look at soil health before deciding on what is a healthy diet. Mineral levels have sharply decreased in the last 60 years coinciding with the increase in fertilizer dependent agriculture.  See the full article on the Organic Consumers Website. 

16 Feb '06:  The proposed revision of the EU Council regulation governing organic food and farming gives grave cause for concern.  See, on their website, the Soil Association's response to it.

16 Feb '06:   The Borders Organic Gardeners newsletter - BOG News, February 2006 has a number of interesting articles in it.  An update on their slug trials at Woodside - their organic garden; information about their Potato Day on Sunday 5 March 2006 and a useful article about the solitary Red Mason Bees which can be encouraged into your garden by giving them nest sites and which will pollinate flowers earlier and more productively than the honey bee.  To join BOG see their website bordersorganicgardeners.org.uk at £5 it's worth it for the newsletter alone. 

12 Feb '06:  SOPA's Winter 2006 Newsletter came out a couple of weeks ago. It outlines the Organic Aid Scheme 2006; has an article on the scientific approach to overwintering - food, housing and health - of cattle; gives details of the SOPA/SAC Conference which has now been; includes general SOPA and Market news and ends with a plug for Caledonian Organics. If you're interested in joining SOPA, phone 0131 333 09490 

11 Feb '06:  The first director for Soil Association Scotland - Hugh Raven - has been appointed.  Those employed by the Soil Association, Scotland, have increased from two full-time emplyees in 2002 to twelve.  See the Soil Association website. 

11 Feb '06:   "Half the demand for organic produce in Scotland is now being met by Scotland's own organic farmers according to a report published today (8 February 2006). As part of Environment week, Deputy Environment and Rural Development Minister Rhona Brankin today announced Scotland's Organic farmers are on target to provide 70% of demand for home-grown organic food, and are also succeeding in UK and international markets.  The Minister also announced that payments to organic farmers will increase, and some will even quadruple, as the Executive assists them in converting to and maintaining organic farm land."  Taken from the Scottish Executive's website.  

11 Feb '06:  The Islay Health Living Project has been loaned the old walled garden/orchard from the owner of Islay House (on Islay) and they have started to restore it as an organic project 

11 Feb '06:  Organic Aid Scheme 2006 - deadline extended until 30 April 2006.  See the SOPA website. Also, the Organic Aid Scheme 2006 Explanatory booklet is now available from the SEERAD website.

11 Feb '06:   WTO Draft report on the Trade Dispute between the US and Europe - see our 'GM News' page

1 Feb '06: One of the finalists for the NFU Scotland Farmland Biodiversity Award is an Organic farm ie Michael Johnston from near Keith in Banffshire.  The winner will be decided on 2 March at the NFU AGM and will receive £500 plus a Biodiversity Farm Audit and night in the St Andrews Bat Hotel.  See 'The Scottish Farmer', 28 January 2006 or look at their website www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk  

31 Jan '06: Green Health Watch Magazine, Winter 2005 is now out and giving the other side of the story to many health issues including articles on Organic food and GM crops. See their website www.greenhealthwatch.com .  The publishers are based in Forres. 

31 Jan '06: Connage Highland Dairy have their website on the net - have a look at www.connage.co.uk

22 Jan '06:  Cadbury's buy up Green & Blacks.  An old piece of news, but in case you missed it, see the BBC website Friday, 13 May, 2005, 

16 Jan '06:  Vacany for an organic gardener at Earthshare.  See our 'Sales and Wants" page. 

15 Jan '06:  Chemical treatments of fruit and vegetables give cause for alarm.  See the centre page of the Highland News for the week ending 14 January. This article, entitled "Sins of the fresh",  has Donnie McLeod featured along with the Soil Association.  It explains that 'Smartfresh', a chemical called 1-methylcyclopropene which is "pumped into cold stores where apples, bananas and tomatoes" are kept and allows the fruit to remain 'fresh' for up to a year and also that bagged salads washed in chlorine can stop the leaves from going brown.  Grapes are put on pads containing carbon dioxide to stop fungal attack etc.  None of these are mentioned on the label and they are not allowed with Organic food. 

5 Jan '06: New Organic Aid Scheme Rates for 2006 see the SOPA website  

3 Jan '06: Simply eating better could cure deprssion.  See the article in The Scottish Farmer , December 31, 2005.  Industrialised farming  introduced pesticides and altered the body fat composition of animals because of the diet they were fed.  "As a result, the population's intake of omega-3 fatty acids had decreased whilst the consuption of omega-6 fatty acids had increased.  According to the research, this unequal intake, combined with a lack of vitamins and minerals, is associated with depression, concentration and memory problems." 

26 Dec '05: HBS Ring Ltd run training courses using funding from the SAC.  Training is available throughout the winter on such things as operating your forklift, ATV, chainsaw or working your computer or managing your staff (or yourself!).  For further information see their website .  Don't forget, HIOA members can get discounts at HBS Ring Ltd.

26 Dec '05:  The Organic Catalogue can meet all your gardening needs for the coming year ie seeds, fertilisers, pest and disease controls, books and tools.  Order on line or have a copy of the catalogue sent to you, free. 

19 Dec '05:  Ardersier based Leanne and Gordon Whiteford have started a company, Highland Eggs, which  produces organic eggs for Peebles based Glenrath Farms.  See Saturday 17 December 2005's copy of the Press & Journal.  

17 Dec '05: Crofting Courses are being run in the Highlands & Islands over the winter, starting in January. Funded by he European Social Fund and organized by the Scottish Crofting Foundation, the Crofters Commission and the SAC.
Courses do include animal husbandry and welfare. See the SAC website for further details.

5 Dec '05:  Coulmore farm is selling boxes of beef and lamb - see our 'Sales and Wants' page. 

25 Nov '05:  Organic food sales growing by £2.3 million a week as local markets boom.  A news release by the Soil Association - see their website . 

21 Nov '05: EFRC (Elm Farm Research Centre)  - A sense of proportion in a world gone Avian Flu mad.  See the SOPA website . 

21 Nov '05: The Press & Journal article on Caledonian Organics, the newly formed, farmer run, organic meat group can be seen on the P&J's  website . 

17 Nov '05:  Grazing available for overwintering sheep on the Black Isle - 7.5 hectares - contact Duncan Ross at info@poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk or 01381 610352