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OPN Connect Newsletter 52 · February 22, 2018

Weekly Top 5: Organic News You Need to Know 


Future Looks Bright for Organic Produce Growth

The demand for organic foods is on the rise as consumers seek out an every increasing diversity of fruits and vegetables grown organically. It has been one of the fastest growing sectors of U.S. agriculture for years.

The Organic Trade Association tracks demand through its annual Organic Industry Survey, which reported sales of organic food at about $47 billion in 2016. That reflected an increase of $3.7 billion in sales from 2015. With those sales, organic food now represents 5.3% of all food sales in the country.

Read more here.  

John McKeon Appointed to CA Organic Products Advisory Committee

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The California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC) has welcomed 17 year organic industry veteran, John McKeon, Senior Manager of Organic Compliance and Sustainability for Tanimura & Antle, as a producer alternate to the committee. 

Cathy Calfo, Executive Director & CEO of the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), nominated and endorsed McKeon, and Karen Ross, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), officially appointed him to the committee. 

Read more here. 

Gina McCarthy, Former EPA Head, to Headline Climate Day

Gina McCarthy, Former EPA, will headline Climate Day on Wednesday Maych 7, 2018.  has probably done more to advance U.S. environmental interests in the past five years than any other American.

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As head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under President Obama,McCarthy gained international recognition as she led historic progress to achieve the administration’s public health and environmental protection goals and Climate Action Plan. In 2015, she signed the Clean Power Plan, setting the first-ever national standards for reducing carbon emissions from existing power plants and spurring international efforts that helped secure the Paris Climate Agreement. 

Learn more here. 

Chile: Demand for Organic Blueberries Increases Every Year

The North zone of the Chilean blueberry production has finished its harvest and the North-Central zone is contributing less, still the Central-South and the South zone continue with great activity. The Chilean Blueberry Committee report of last week, states that 6,615 tons of fresh blueberries were exported from Chile during week 6, of which 72% went to North America, 20% went to Europe and 8% to China.

Read more here.

Rosmann Family Farms Awarded Organic Farmers of the Year at MOSES Conference 

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Rosmann Family Farms near Harlan, Iowa, was honored today as the 2018 Organic Farmers of the Year at the annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wis.

This prestigious award recognizes Midwest farmers for outstanding land management, innovative farming practices, and the outreach they do to teach others how organic farming works. Fellow farmers nominate candidates, and the winner is chosen by the board of the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES). MOSES organizes the annual conference, the country’s largest event focused on organic and sustainable farming practices. This is the 16th year for the award.

Read more here. 

 

"Organic isn’t just a niche or new-age fad like it was 40 years ago. It’s a force of agriculture that can mitigate some of the most pressing challenges facing us today. "

Melody Meyer
UNFI

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