Organic products

IN THE ORGANIC DAIRY
Friday, July 3
Fourth generation dairy rancher George Gambonini was born into a pioneer ranching family with local roots extending back to the 1860s.

His beautiful and modern organic dairy in the Lakeville District, the only place he's ever lived, has been in his family since 1914. In the unpredictable world of dairy ranching, where milk prices never seem to keep up with expenses, the Gamboninis, through perseverance, resourcefulness and continuous adaptation to modern technology, have continued to prosper.

To meet the growing demand for organic dairy products, the ranch converted to organic less than two years ago, a move into the niche market that Gambonini predicts will keep the dairy, which milks 250 cows a day, thriving for years to come.

'Ten years ago, I wasn't sure there would be a future for us, but organics opens a new door. Today ranching is a professional job that requires education and dedication; it's not menial labor anymore. We've come full circle, back to organics the way it all began, except with much more work involved,' explained Gambonini, 69, who along with his son, Frank, runs the 540 acre Gamlake Dairy and stock operation.

By HARLAN OSBORNE

THE LATEST ORGANIC MILK NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC IN OHIO
Rows of lush lettuce and other assorted vegetables are growing in the summer sun.

"I was always around small farms and small producers and I started to gain more and more interest," said Adam Welly, owner of Wayward Seed Farm.

That interest has turned into a full time job. Welly cares for acres of crops. He himself is part of a new movement of farmers going green and growing organically.

"That's what the consumer is starting to want, particularly in the urban areas," Welly added.

He is meeting the demand for organic by following strict stipulations to keep the crops green in more ways than one.

"We cannot use herbicides and petrochemicals, or pesticides on the crops," he said.

Instead, Welly uses alternative methods to keep his crop healthy.

"We choose varieties that are more pest resistant and also time our crops up for certain time of the year when pests are not as prolific."

The crops are also weeded by machine, but the most delicate crops get some special attention. That means Welly gets down on his hands and knees and rolls up his sleeves to pick weeds by hand. Welly said there is an increasing demand for organic. He intends on maintaining his green ways while others jump on the bandwagon.

"As long as the consumer wants it, I think that you're going to see the organic method grow here in the state of Ohio," Welly said.

By Harrison Hove

THE LATEST ORGANIC OHIO NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC VALLEY PARTNERS
Organic Valley Family of Farms joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) WasteWise Program in February 2009. WasteWise is the country's first national voluntary solid waste reduction program that encourages organizations to reduce municipal solid waste through waste prevention, recycling, and buying or manufacturing recycled content products. The WasteWise program focuses on waste prevention actions that minimize or eliminate the generation of waste before it is created with the goal of decreasing the amount of material that must be managed through recycling or landfilling. WasteWise partners have saved millions of dollars in purchasing costs and waste disposal fees by reducing, reusing and recycling solid waste materials.

In 2008, through a general waste reduction program, including composting and recycling efforts at its headquarters, distribution center, butter creamery and cheese cut and wrap facilities, Organic Valley reduced waste by 25 percent by diverting more than 100,000 pounds of waste from landfills.

By Natural Products

THE LATEST ORGANIC VALLEY NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME

ORGANIC IN UGANDA
Thursday, July 2
Over 700 of Africa's best agricultural research scientists crammed the arrival and departure lounges at Entebbe International Airport last week.

One group, under the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Producers, promoting organic farming, rushed to Sheraton Hotel in Kampala and started "fast tracking" how the continent can tap into the vast potential from organic farming.

Another group under the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, (CGIAR) pitched camp at Imperial Beach Hotel in Entebbe, a few kilometres from the airport, deliberating on how to deliver agricultural biotechnology to African farmers.

The experts often don't see eye to eye and accuse each other of telling lies to small holder farmers. But both groups, well-funded and cruising air conditioned four wheel drives and globe trotting, claim to work for the ordinary small holder farmers, who constitute the bulk of rural Africans. Each looks at the other with profound suspicion.

By Kikonyogo Ngatya

THE LATEST ORGANIC UGANDA NEWS, FROM THE ORGANIC HOME