>>To
those of you who are certified organic growers, this article was stated to be
an article on "organics."
Following
this email will be another email that questions the author's article &
the confusion he has created and then his response to my questions. We
have a lot of educating to do if his main intention was to do an article on
"organics."
Feel
free to write a response if you are interested. Grand Rapids Press.
Peace,
Nancy Jones Keiser
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Farms Without Harm [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>>Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 1:16 PM
>>To: farms without harm
>>Cc: gail
>>Subject: GR Press article on local organic boom
>>
>>
>>
>>In case you missed it...
>>
>>
>>
>o?<
>>
>>Picks of the crop regarding organic foods
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Sunday, July 09, 2006
>>
>>By Matt Vandebunte
>>
>>The Grand Rapids
Press
>>
>>
>>
>>A pair of bumblebees buzzed amid the chirping birds as Mary
Jane
>>Halloran emerged from a field with a bag of freshly picked peas
in
>>her hand and a black dusting of dirt on her legs.
>>
>>"Look at that soil," she marveled and held up the garden
produce.
>>"You can take your kids here and show them 'Hey, this is where
this
>> stuff comes from. It doesn't come from a
supermarket.'"
>>
>>The Grand Rapids woman and 250 other
customers are making weekly
>>treks this summer to buy organic food at Trillium Haven Farm in
>>Georgetown
Township.
>>
>>U.S.
organic sales have increased by close to 20 percent annually
>>for several years, as much as 10 times the rate for conventional
>>food.
>>
>>Annual sales of certified-organic food reached nearly $14
billion
>>in 2005, making up 2.5 percent of all retail food sales.
>>
>>And that's not counting the farm-direct buying done at "chemical-
>>free" growers such as Trillium Haven.
>>
>>From street markets to health-food stores to restaurants,
>>businesses are finding expanded outlets for their organic products.
>>
>>Jim and Barb Loe, of Grant, began their business in the
backyard.
>>Now, Funny Farm Organic Produce grows about seven acres of
>>certified-organic vegetables that are sold at farm markets
and
>>Harvest Health Foods stores.
>>
>>"We started out basically as a garden for the family, and it
just
>>grew from there," said Jim Loe, who installed roofing and
siding
>>before becoming a farmer. "We just didn't want chemicals in
the
>>food for our family.
>>
>>"(At first) every time we'd go to market, people would ask us
'What
>> does organic mean?' More people are becoming aware."
>>
>>
>>
>>Companies jump in
>>
>>Organic -- a method of producing food that does not use
toxic
>>pesticides and chemical fertilizers -- has moved beyond farm
>>stands.
>>
>>Old Orchard Brands in Sparta
joined the movement in 2004. Now the
>>nation's sixth-largest producer of bottled juice, it received
its
>>USDA certification that year for organic apple and grape juices.
>>
>>Up in the Leelanau Peninsula, Leland Cherry Co. announced last week
>> its tart-cherry products will be distributed by Whole Foods
>>Market, the Texas-based grocery chain that is a leading
>>distributor of natural and organic foods.
>>
>>Multinational companies and retail giants are taking notice.
>>
>>Wal-Mart Inc. has asked suppliers to increase organic
product
>>lines, and Kellogg Co. has launched organic versions of
Rice
>>Krispies, Frosted Mini-Wheats and Raisin Bran cereals.
>>
>>Michigan's
largest grocery chain, Meijer Inc. stocks 40 to 60 fresh
>> organic produce items and 15 to 20 dry organic products
such as
>>raisins, croutons and dressings, said Jim Spilka, vice president of
>> produce.
>>
>>"It's more than a niche," he said. "You have organic
customers in
>>all markets. It is one of our fastest-growing categories."
>>
>>Shoppers are driving the surge in demand, said Ronnie
Cummins,
>>national director of the Organic Consumers Association.
>>
>>"Health is cited by two-thirds of (consumers) as their
primary
>>reason for starting to shift to organic," he said. "It's a
one-way
>>street that very few consumers ever go back, and over time they buy
>> more and more."
>>
>>Organic foods generally cost more to produce because they are grown
>> without pesticides and chemical fertilizers. But it also
tends to
>> give farmers a bigger return on investment since it sells
for
>>higher prices.
>>
>>Many farms are labeled "organic" for meeting U.S. Department
of
>>Agriculture regulations, while others abide by the organic
>>philosophy without pursuing certification.
>>
>>"There's no reason to use poisons if you're going to grow food
to
>>eat," said Nancy Keiser, a certified organic grower at
Agriculture
>>& Health Alive LLC in Marne.
"We want to do things according to
>>God's plan."
>>
>>
>>
>>Price squeeze possible
>>
>>As supply aims to get in line with demand, some smaller
farmers
>>worry about the impact of large-scale retailers getting into the
>>game.
>>
>>Greater availability might lead to more awareness of organic
food,
>>but it also could drive down prices and reduce the profit
margin
>>that enables small, organic farmers to survive.
>>
>>For example, 2004 wholesale prices for organic broccoli were
153
>>percent higher than conventional broccoli, according to a
USDA
>>study. Organic carrots brought a 148 percent premium.
>>
>>"I'm afraid the 'organic' word is going to become diluted,"
said
>>Cathy Halinski, who farms seven acres of organic fruit at EverGreen
>> Lane Farm in Fennville. "It's a whole different
philosophy of
>>growing. It's a relationship with the land and the people we
feed
>>from it."
>>
>>Susan Smalley, a specialist
at Michigan State University's
>>Extension Service, said large growers are becoming curious
about
>>making the switch to organic.
>>
>>"Ten years ago, if you even heard the 'O' word in a group
of
>>conventional farmers, you'd get dirty looks," Smalley said.
"In a
>>number of cases, farmers can do better growing and
marketing
>>(higher priced) organic."
>>
>>But that margin could get squeezed by price-conscious
retailers
>>such as Wal-Mart, Smalley said.
>>
>>"There's a big question in many people's minds about what's
going
>>to happen to the market," she said. "At least in other
product
>>lines, they (Wal-Mart) seem willing to go across the globe to
find
>>what they want."
>>
>>Cummins fears Wal-Mart and other large retailers might push organic
>> supply chains overseas to drive down prices.
>>
>>He argues farm subsidies should be given to help U.S. growers
make
>>the transition to organic.
>>
>>"We're still subsidizing conventional crops, but we're not
looking
>>to the future," Cummins said. "The writing is pretty much on
the
>>wall. (Organic growers) are the small farms that are making it.
>>
>>"(After three years), they don't really need any subsidies
because
>>they get a fair price for their product."
>>
>>Some towns are doing their part to support those farmers.
>>
>>For example, Woodbury County in Iowa
this year enacted a policy
>>requiring purchase of organic food grown within 100 miles
for
>>county functions that include food. The county also provides
tax
>>incentives to farms for organic conversions.
>>
>>Though conventional food might be cheaper, the organic
industry
>>argues the costs associated with pollution from pesticides,
>>government crop subsidies and diet-related health problems make
it
>>pricier in the long run.
>>
>>
>>
>>Room for everyone
>>
>>The Organic Trade Association thinks the alarm is unwarranted.
>>
>>Large food corporations will play a role in growing the
organic
>>business. As they increase demand, more growers will make
the
>>switch, said Barbara Haumann, spokeswoman for the group
which
>>represents 1,700 farmers, retailers and corporations like Kraft and
>> Dole.
>>
>>"Somehow, 'large' has gotten a bad rap," she said. "Some
people
>>think the sky is falling for the small farmer.
>>
>>"There's room for all size farmers in organic."
>>
>>At the other end of the retail spectrum is Harvest Health Foods.
>>
>>It is a small family business that sells organic products,
>>including ice cream, chocolate bunny grahams and dog biscuits,
at
>>its three stores in Grand Rapids, Cascade Township and Hudsonville.
>>
>>It does not even try to compete with Wal-Mart or Meijer. A
gallon
>>of organic milk at its Hudsonville store fetches $4.99 and
grapes
>>go for $4.59 per pound.
>>
>>"We'll continue to be a niche player," owner Henry Atsma
said.
>>"Everything you see in a conventional store you'll find in
a
>>natural store, but it's not going to have the chemicals and
>>additives.
>>
>>"Our belief is that it is much healthier. (Comparing prices)
is
>>kind of like how does a 200-mile-per-hour Ferrari compete with
a
>>Chevette?"
>>
>>
>>
>>Freshly picked
>>
>>Dave and Helen Lundberg have operated Ingraberg Farm east
of
>>Rockford
for 18 years, and still use a rototiller and push-behind
>>planter to farm about 22 acres.
>>
>>They believe global organic-supply chains cannot compete with
the
>>freshness of farm-direct produce.
>>
>>"I'm not fearful because I have 100 percent confidence in
the
>>quality and flavor and nutrition of our produce," Helen
Lundberg
>>said. "(Customers) know it has not been on a truck for seven to
10
>>days."
>>
>>Among Ingaberg's customers is the popular Grand Rapids restaurant,
>>Bistro Bella Vita.
>>
>>About 20 percent of the menu there featured organic
ingredients
>>when the restaurant opened in 1997. That portion now stands
at
>>about three-fourths, general manager James Berg said.
>>
>>Organic costs the restaurant about 20 percent more than
>>conventional food, Berg said, but buying locally saves on
the
>>middleman and transportation costs.
>>
>>Especially as gas prices rise, farmers will find growing
demand
>>from restaurants for locally produced, chemical-free produce,
he
>>predicted.
>>
>>"In another five to six years, this will be the norm,
especially
>>with what's going on with energy," Berg said.
>>
>>At Trillium Haven, Anja Mast talks about how time is running out on
>> a gasoline-based conventional food system. And taking the
organic
>> label and "ratcheting it up to the industrial food
model" is no
>>solution, she said.
>>
>>"The thing that will save us all is small farms," said the
38-year-
>>old Mast, who six years ago started the 50-acre farm on Maplewood
>>Lake with her husband, Michael
VanderBrug.
>>
>>"We don't need to talk about this as a moral, ethical
problem.
>>Let's talk about energy use. It's all about efficiency.
>>
>>
>
