Organic News Issue 2

Organic
THE GOOD NEWS
www.organicnews.eu
news
Issue 2
EU organic logo:
FULLY UP
AND RUNNING
SUPER BUG:
Nature rebels against biotech titan
New report:
GMO truth
vs myths
MEDITERRIAN MARKETS
A good model for
the European Union?
TURKEY
A succesful organic
market
RECOMENDED BOOK
A handbook of
Organic Farming

Organic
THE GOOD NEWS
www.organicnews.eu
news
Issue 2
Publisher: AgroMunch s.r.o.
Editing:
EU organic logo:
FULLY UP
AND RUNNING
SUPER BUG:
Nature rebels against biotech titan
New report:
GMO truth
vs myths
Krešimir Hranjec kresimir@organicnews.eu
Matej Moharič matej@organicnews.eu
Tehnical implementation: AgroMunch s.r.o.
Issue: 2 / August 2012
Address:
Agromunch s.r.o.
Bancíkovej 1/a, SK-821 03, Bratislava, Slovakia
MEDITERRIAN MARKETS
A good model for
the European Union?
TURKEY
A succesful organic
market
RECOMENDED BOOK
A handbook of
Organic Farming
e-mail:
web:
info@agromunch.eu
http:www.agromunch.eu
6
7
9
11
14
18
19
22
29
30
EU Organic Logo: Fully Up and Running from 1. July 2012.
Tunisia, Increased Demand For Organic Produce
France Bets on Organic
Spain, Organic Sector Booming
4th International Organic Sector Confrence - Declaration
Turkey, Great Success of Weekly Organic Markets
Mediterrian Markets - Model for European Union City Markets?
MedEmporion - World of Markets
Top 10 Superfoods
Organic Cooking
New Report - GMO Myths vs Truth
36 GMO - Is it Safe?
38
40
43
Monsanto Implicated in Bee Colony Collapse
Superbug vs Monsanto
UK - Organic Statistics
GMO Free Europe Conference
content

THE ENVIRONMENTAL
FOOD CRISIS
THE ENVIRONMENT’S ROLE IN
AVERTING FUTURE FOOD CRISES
A UNEP RAPID RESPONSE ASSESSMENT
SUPPORTED BY ORGANIC NEWS

e Good News
4
Organic News eMagazine
Dear reader,
Here we are with the new issue of Organic News e-magazine. At the
beginning, I want to thank all of you for your support. I have to say that
I’m pleasantly surprised with number of emails that we received, along with
compliments, advises, critics. Thank you. We are deeply grateful to everyone and
every company, which has contacted us concerning Organic News e-magazine.
Many thanks to our subscribers. Some of you are already using the
benefits of the Organic News and we want to give a special thank you for your
support. We will do our best to support you too.
In this issue of Organic News we bring you interesting news and topics
regarding state of organic farming and production in EU and abroad. On further
note we are presenting new report from genetic engineers on GMO food, talking
about city markets (especially organic food markets), super foods, super bugs,
super ideas, super projects and other interesting themes.
Once again, we are inviting you to join our Facebook page. Post
comments and share with others. Talk about your experiences, know how, create
interesting topics, and discuss them with others.
Spread The Good News. Explore the Organic World with us.
If you have any suggestion, question, comment or proposal, please write it to our
project coordinator Kresimir Hranjec at kresimir@organicnews.eu.
rganic News
Let’s get connected. Let’s work together, let’s help each other, let’s get united.
Join Us on Facebook
We started with Organic News facebook page. Please, join
our community on facebook and fell free to post anything
interesting or useful. Comment posts, tell us your story,
your difficulties or problems, as well as your successes.
Help us to help you.
Organic News facebook page
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

TransTeamLogistic Group was founded in 2010 and is based in Bratislava, Slovakia.
We are specialize’d in GMP bulk transport and trading of organic grain.
TransTeamLogistic Group represents synergy
of three companies and our group effort maximizes
our offer potential, services and meeting
our customer needs.
Our services include bulk GMP+ material transport
and organic grain trading. We also offer e-commerce
marketing, web design and development of
IT solutions.
Great business partnering, strong controllership,
and hard work, associated with enhanced
system implementation and integration, we
helped our company accomplish many of its
goals. We evolved and made great progress
and we continue to strive and maintain high
level of performance, which in turn is the key
value for getting great results.
Advice about the feasibility of bulk material
transportation.
Organization of loading and unloading of
bulk material goods.
Storage of bulk material goods.
Execution of customs related matters.
Agricultural trade.
WE MOVE GRAIN WITH NO LIMITS
www.ttlogistic.eu
ISSUE II 5

EU ORGANIC LOGO
FULLY UP AND RUNNING FROM 1 JULY 2012
The two-year transition period for the organic food sector to comply
with new EU labelling rules is reaching its end. As from 1 July 2012, the
EU organic logo will be obligatory on all pre-packaged organic food
products produced in EU Member States which meet the necessary
standards. The logo will stay optional for nonpacked and imported organic
products. Other private, regional or national logos will continue to be
allowed to appear alongside the EU label.
The “Euro-leaf” EU organic logo was introduced
on 1 July 2010, but in order to
help operators adapt to the new rules, and to avoid
waste of existing packaging, a 2-year transition period
was allowed before it was compulsory on all
products. The visual field of the logo should also
show the code number of the control body and the
place of farming of the agricultural raw materials.
A recent EuroBarometer report on “European Attitude
towards Food Security, Food Quality and the
Countryside’, to be published shortly, includes information
on the EU organic logo and provides the
encouraging indication that, since its introduction
in July 2010, the logo has already gained recognition
among a quarter (24%) of EU citizens.
ur hope is that the EU logo can fur-
develop into a widely recognised
“Other
symbol of organic food production across the EU, providing
consumers with confidence that the goods are
produced in-line with the strict EU organic farming
standards”, according to EU Commissioner for Agriculture
& Rural Development Dacian Cioloş.
The idea of fostering the organic farming
sector by introducing a compulsory EU
organic logo was backed by Member States in 2007.
In order to find an original design for this logo,
the Commission organised a competition in 2009
in which more than 3 400 art and design students
took part, and a public vote on the best 3 designs
in early 2010. EU consumption of organic products
has seen a steady rise in recent years and now
accounts for roughly 2% of the EU market. Production
has also increased considerably in the past
decade – with roughly 5% of EU agricultural area
and more than 2% of farms (more than 200 000
farms) now certified as organic.
Source
6
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

TUNISIA
INCREASED DEMAND FOR ORGANIC PRODUCE:
DATES AND CITRUS
Continually over the last ten years Tunisia has been specializing in organic
farming, whose area is increasing progressively. “Known under the hallmark Bio
Tunisia, organic products are becoming more and more important”.
Elke Peiler, project manager foodstuff sector of the
German-Tunesian IHK, talks about the increasing
demand of Tunisia organic produce on the German market,
“and also in international markets” – as reported by Freshplaza.com.
Dates are the most important product in the organic
sector. In 2011, 6,000 tons of organic dates were
harvested in Tunisia, of which 4,000 tons (67%) was exported.
68% of this went to Germany, 11% to the United States
and 7% to Morocco.
At present about 1,000 HA of date orchards have been
certified ‘organic’. Most of these are in the south-east
of Tunisia.
The north-east of the country is mostly suited for citrus
cultivation, especially the peninsula Cap Bon.
Seven producers have been successful in obtaining the certificate
and already export organic oranges and lemons. There
is the intention to increase the production consequently.
Also in the northern area the increase of the organic
cultivation is going in this direction. The certified
area last year increased by 2,500 HA to 6,000 HA and will
be used for the cultivation of fruit, vegetables and grain, but
also for medicinal plants and aromatic plants.
The organic sector is financially supported by the government.
The ministry of Agriculture actually has ambitious
plans: the area used for organic agriculture and the
number of organic companies must be increased. Up to 2014
the present export yields must be increased from 44 million
Euro to about 60 million Euro. With the present export value
of the organic sector, Tunisia ranks second among African
countries and 24th worldwide.
Source
FRANCE
FRANCE BETS ON THE ORGANIC,
CULTIVATED AREA OVER 1 000 000 HECTARES
The latest figures from Agence Bio show that, after the record year in 2010,
the organic area in France has increased again by 130,000 HA in 2011, a
rise by 15.3% that will allow to go beyond the 1,000,000 HA.
the end of 2011, France had 23,135 organic companies, 12% more than in 2010. In total,
At 4.5% of the French companies grow organically on a total of 975,141 ha at the moment.
Thanks to 811 new organic producers, the limit of 1,000,000 HA will be exceeded.
he double-figure growth of the French organic sector since 2010 is confirmed”, commented
“TElizabeth Mercier of Agence Bio. The aim of an 8% share of the organic agriculture will
not be reached, however. With a share of a little more than 3.5%, the present share is still quite low.
Source
ISSUE II 7

SUPPORTED BY ORGANIC NEWS

SPANISH ORGANIC SECTOR BOOMING
+ 12% PER YEAR UNTIL 2020
The Spanish market
for organic products
will grow around 12%
annually until 2020, when
it is expected to reach
a sales value of 12,182
million euros, according
to the comparative
analysis carried out by
Everis.
The survey is studying the potential of
Spain for the production and distribution
of these products by analyzing the current market
situation and the current and future habits of
Spanish consumers toward organic products. For
this purpose, a comparison was made ​with other
European countries such as Denmark, Germany,
France or England, where the green market is more
mature, and others such as Italy that are more similar
to Spanish.
Everis’ survey shows an exponential
growth in demand for organic products.
Factors such as health, taste and quality are the
main reasons for the purchase in Spain, while in
other countries of Europe environmental commitment
is the most relevant reason for the purchase.
The report highlights the potential of the
organic market in Spain, with an annual
growth rate in the last decade by 25%, above the
EU average (12%) and even compared to countries
with a strong tradition of ecological culture such as
Denmark or Germany.
However, despite the consumers’ will to
increase the consumption of organic
products (according to 65% of the population), a
high price, lte lack of knowledge / information and
difficult access to these products outside the specialized
shops are the main obstacles to their consumption.
The price gap between conventional and
organic products in Spain is 74% on average,
while in countries such as France and the
United Kingdom this margin is reduced to more
than half. Everis estimates that, if the price gap
can be reduced to 40%, the Spanish market could
triple its value and exceed 3,000 million euros.
Source
ISSUE II 9

Visit our website

Conference declaration
180 participants from 21 countries of the ‘4th International conference on the organic
sector development in Central/Eastern European and Central Asian countries’
that took place on April 13-14, 2012 in Izmir, Turkey, passed this declaration.
Countries of the region have either implemented or
are currently working on introducing organic regulations.
Still some countries have not taken any actions on developing
their organic sector.
Thus the needs of organic stakeholders are differing.
Regulations as well as private standards have provisions
for the inspection, certification and accreditation of all
entities involved in the supply chain. The guarantee provided
by these systems is based on nearly identical criteria. The
conference participants agree that the organic verification
system provides the highest integrity compared to non-organic
food systems. However, there is still room for improvement
in closing gaps, strengthening weak aspects and nonconformities,
and preventing loss of consumer trust.
The participants of the conference state that:
National or regional standards or regulations in line
with international organic guarantee systems shall be adopted.
Existing organic laws shall be enforced and the term
“organic” protected against any misuse.
Cooperation (local, regional, international) among
all actors (CBs, consultants, research, governmental and
NGOs, training institution, the trade at all levels and others)
shall be enhanced, thus employing all appropriate tools for
achieving integrity, including social control.
Consultancy on all levels of the supply chain should
get more attention as a tool for improving knowledge and expertise
of the organic system as well as solving critical issues.
Enhanced investment in capacity building is needed
at all levels for improving knowledge and expertise of the organic
system: in good agriculture practices for farmers, up to
date technologies for processors, analytical procedures and
result interpretation for CBs, and quality management for all
stakeholders along the supply chain.
Transparency between all actors in the organic value
chain must be enhanced and verified by CBs where possible.
Real-time public databases should be established
showing current certification status of operators. Where possible,
these databases should have interfaces with one another
to allow for data exchange and cooperation.
Manufacturers and especially (brand) companies are
encouraged to take on the responsibility for sourcing of each
of their products, thus closing gaps and reducing the risk of
fraudulent products entering the supply chain.
Perpetrators, and would be perpetrators, of fraud
must be shown that the organic market is no place for them
and they will not be tolerated. Training specific to possible
fraud indicators should be deployed throughout the organic
value chain. CBs and inspectors must be better trained in
fraud investigation techniques. Eventually, forensic fraud investigation
shall be undertaken by other entities.
Source
ISSUE II 11

Wheat
Spelt
Buckwheat
Since 1997, Bionatura produce and sells organic cereal grain, organic flour, pasta,
mushrooms, berries, cereals. The Bionatura organic grain and organic products is
certificated by Organic Control “OK”, an organization for the certification of organic
Healthy organic food produced from pure ecology organic farming on highest standards.
Rye
grain and organic products in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Forest fruits
IMPORTANT!
Bionatura is looking for strategic partner in the project -
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOREST FRUITS ORGANIC FARM - including
supportive fruit processing infrastructure.
Forest fruits would be delivered as fresh, frozen and dried.
The project is in large part funded by EU pre-accession funds for Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
FOR MORE INFO CONTACT BIONATURA ON :
Bionatura d.o.o.
Ul. Kahve bb,
71370 Breza
Bosnia and Herzegovina
www.bionatura.ba
email: info@bionatura.ba
phone: +387 32 782 468
fax: +387 32 782 468
cel: +387 62 200 930
+49 163 293 47 93

Agro-Servistrade
quality grain
All our grains are selected and inspected
by our trained staff, which guarantees
satisfaction of all our costumer’s
needs. We are constantly developing
in-depth tools to help better understand
our customers’ environment and
issues.
local goods
Our mission is to bring quality grains
from Croatia markets to EU and
abroad. The company is dealing with
agricultural commodities such as oil
seeds, milling and feed wheat, malting
and feed barley, corn, wheat bran,
feeds, etc.
quick access
Company headquarter is in Goričan,
Croatia. We are close to Hungarian
and Slovenian border and also to the
fifth highway corridor, which allows our
customers a fast tranpsport of cereals
in the EU and abroad.
agro-servis trade d.o.o.
skolska 48
hr-40324, gorican
croatia
tel: +385 99 2122 571

TURKEY
WEEKLY ORGANIC MARKETS
A GREAT SUCCESS
Author: Kai Kreuzer
After a year of preparation, the day dawned when, in June 2006,
the first weekly organic market was held in Istanbul-Sisli with 25
organic producers and retailers. A great success for Victor Ananias,
Batur Sehirlioglu and their compatriots from the organic association
Bugday. Even the organic farmers didn’t believed it would be
successful. By now, eleven big weekly organic markets have been
set up in Turkey, and each has become a magnet for customers. The
next one is scheduled to open in July 2012 in Konya. The weekly
market movement in Turkey is a superb example that could be
transferred to other countries in the east and south-east of Europe.
14
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

ow seeds and
“Ssee them grow“
a large-scale banner (picture)
with an image of Victor Ananias
and this quotation is the
first thing you notice when you
enter the biggest and oldest of
the weekly organic markets.
The Turkish organic pioneer
Ananias, who had the idea of
weekly organic markets, sadly
died in March 2011 at the age
of 40. However, his work lives
on more vigorously than ever
and continues to develop both
within and beyond the Bugday
group. In Istanbul,
Bugday has now set
up four markets,
and other organizers are behind
the establishment of another
three. Bugday similarly
created a market in Samsun
in 2008, and another is to follow
this summer in Konya.
In the capital Ankara and the
university town Eskisehir, the
local authorities have launched
weekly organic markets, and
in Izmir the driving force was
the Turkish organic association
ETO. Bugday has recently
increased its membership
and is pleased to have 2,200
people committed to the ecolifestyle
of “Wheat“, which is
what Bugday means.
The great success of
the markets can be
explained not just by the unsurpassed
freshness of the fruit
and vegetables but above all by
the fact that the prices are only
minimally above those for
conventional products. And
their trump card is the unbeatable
wide product range: as
well as a big variety of seasonal
vegetables, the 65 stands reflect
the whole offer of organic
products from all over Turkey.
A number of them offer ecotextiles,
imported household
and cleaning materials and
environmentally friendly and
attractive shopping bags.
ISSUE II 15

“I
n contrast to other
weekly organic
markets in Europe or the
USA, where producers from
a region gather, in the case of
Turkey they travel from across
the whole country,” says Batur
Sehirlioglu (on the right
in the picture of the Bugday
info-stand), who has worked
at Bugday since 1998. All they
have to do is bring their goods,
their organic certificate and
the blue table cloth with the
Bugday emblem.
The low tables (65 cm
high and 1 m deep)
are set up for a fee by staff at the
market. The local authorities
make only the comparatively
low charge of five Turkish lira
(2.20 euros) per day and table
and 300 lira (130 euros) a year
for a permit to sell goods at the
market. The organic market in
Sisli is held on Saturdays. The
market place (1,500 m²) is in
the basement of a multi-storey
car park. The other days are for
conventional weekly markets,
a clothes market or a secondhand
market.
To ensure that everything
on sale at
the weekly organic markets is
in fact organic, organic certificates
have to be produced for
checking, and random checks
of the flow of goods are carried
out with the help of Bugday’s
database. There are a few free
spaces, but producers are permitted
to occupy them only if
they fulfil special criteria - for
example, if new product variants
are offered that have not
been available at all or only in
insufficient volumes.
In the meantime, the
word has gone round
among the landlords of flats
that lots of people like shopping
at the weekly organic
market in Sisli, so their advertising
now refers to the good
shopping facilities and the
proximity of the market. One
of Istanbul’s weekly markets
that is not organized by Bugday
is held on the Asian side
of the city.
In the Moda district,
you see over 30 stands
set up in the open on the wide
paved paths of a park – a splendid
atmosphere and shopping
ambience, given the often sunny
weather in Istanbul.
100% ECOLOGIC MARKET
To ensure that everything on sale at the weekly
organic markets is in fact organic, organic
certificates have to be produced for checking,
and random checks of the flow of goods are
carried out with the help of Bugday’s database.
16
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

“We want to see a network of farmers and consumers being created.
It’s a question of getting to know each other and establishing trust,”
says Batur Sehirlioglu
When Bugday opens markets in other
towns, they have to fulfil certain
criteria. “We keep getting enquiries from local
authorities who would like us to be a cooperation
partner and organizer of weekly organic markets
in their towns,” says Batur. “The requirements
are a suitable space with a roof, sufficient parking
and continuous advertising of the market
for at least a year. It’s also important to integrate
our own employees or those of the local authority
into the work of supervising organic certificates.
What we prefer, however, is setting up a
so-called Participatory Guarantee System,” says
Batur. “After all, it’s not just a question of showing
your organic certificate and that’s an end to
it,“ he explains. “We want to see a network of
farmers and consumers being created. It’s a question
of getting to know each other and establishing
trust.” That’s the reason for a table covered
with a cloth and a few chairs where anybody can
sit down and have a cup of Turkish tea or coffee
– in Sisli next to a stand selling delicious organic
bakery goods and cake if you feel like something
to eat. The author indulged in an excellent tiramisu
sprinkled with Turkish coffee.
Source
ISSUE II 17

Are the Mediterranean markets,
a good model for the European Union?
In the Mediterranean cities, food markets are still a central element of
the trade and of the urban life. It is necessary to preserve them in their
traditional form and to modernize their services, logistics and infrastructures.
These are some of the conclusions of a colloquium by Le Conservatoire
International des Cuisines Méditerranéennes that took place in Marseille
In the Mediterranean cities, food markets
are still a central element of the
trade and of the urban life. They bring life in the
neighbourhoods and create spaces that allow the
dialog, the relationship and interaction among
the neighbours. Because of that it is necessary
to preserve them in their traditional form and
to modernize their services, logistics and infrastructures.
The Mediterranean model of market
can be useful in the construction of a healthier
Europe alimentary and commercially speaking.
It is important to create networks allowing markets
that can offer models of good practice on
management and modernization to their experiences.
These are some of the conclusions of a
colloquium of experts about the future of the
markets that within the framework of the of the
project MedEmporion took place in Marseille on
19 September 2009.
18
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

The activity gathered Alessandro Portinaro (Turin), Jordi Tolrà (Barcelona) Hassan Acanal
(Istanbul) and Mattia Sifredi (Marseille), moderate and presented by Bruno Héraud-Giraud, president
of the CICM (Le Conservatoire International des Cuisines Méditerranéennes).
Alessandro Portinaro highlighted, among
other questions, the importance that the
local markets broaden the number of foods for sale
produced in the proximity, for contributing in this
way to the alimentary sovereignty and to the sustainability.
The Conservatoria Del Piermonte and
the Town Council of Turin are promoting this trend
in the theirs markets and especially with the Torino
Food Market Festival that is celebrated annually.
Jordi Tolrà explained the Barcelona model
of modernization of the markets, a real success
programme thanks to joint efforts of both the
administration and the traders. Barcelona has modernized
and has remodeled in the last 15 years a total
of 16 of the city’s covered markets (market halls).
Mattia Sifredi, of the ADEAR 13 (Association
de Développement de l’Emploi
Agricole et Rural) of Marseille, he pointed out the
importance of introducing in the market mix a larger
number of biological products and food produced in
the proximity, as a way to stimulate the local agriculture.
The ADEAR has managed to create a total of 5
farmer markets in the last 10 years in the Department
13 (Bouches du Rhône)
Hasan Acanal, representing of the Egyptian
Market (Misr Bazar) of Istanbul, better
known as a Market of the Spices, explained how this
market creates neighbourhood ties and how the trade
stimulates all the zone. He also introduced the different
typology of markets in Turkey, the origins of
which are very antique even though they take the current
form in the Ottoman period.
http://www.medemporion.eu/index.php/contents/details/are-the-mediterranean-markets-a-good-model-for-the-european-union
MARKETS,
TOWARDS THE FUTURE
Food markets are an institution in Europe
and have existed for centuries. Europe’s history
is built upon the history of its markets and its great
traders, who traveled all over the continent exchanging
their products. The sea played a key role in trade development,
especially the Mediterranean. Sailors traveled
through a web of routes of unlimited scope, principally
for trading, but these trips also spread new ideas and
inventions.
According to historians, Phoenicians reached
Cornwall in Great Britain, where they
bought tin and exchanged products. Ancient Greeks
travelled all over Europe trading a wide range of food
products. Roman merchants hired huge vessels to carry
their valuable freight of wine, olive oil and grains. Many
cities were built up around their central markets during
the Middle Ages. Markets have at all times been a key
piece in the building of cities and also in the European
building process.
new Europe is being built. Its social model
A and foundation are currently being defined.
The vast experience of the EMPORION markets has
shown that investing in markets means investing in cities
and citizen’s the quality of life. Thus EMPORION
seeks to promote markets as a crucial, essential tool in
the Europe building project.
Public food markets are the best place to start
in order to promote public health by means
of adequate nutrition. As thriving social and commerce
centers, markets also contribute to a vibrant cityscape,
and promote contact between citizens. Markets are
closer and to the people than the shopping superstores
sales model, which add little to the liveliness or unique
character of city centers, and build stores on the outskirts.
M
arkets such as Porta Palazzo in Turin,
Központi Vásárcsarnok in Budapest, Borough
Market in London, the Markets of Lyon and La
Boqueria Market in Barcelona are good examples of
what markets can do for those cities that believe in improving
themselves and their citizens’ quality of life.
market
WORLD OF MARKETS
Source
ISSUE II 19

THE FUTURE WAS UNCERTAIN UNTIL WE DECIDED TO UNITE.
UNITE FOR BETTER, HEALTHIER AND MORE NATURAL
FUTURE FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN.
FINALLY, OUR FUTURE LOOKS GREEN.
BE ORGANIC
B E N A T U R A L
UNITE FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE
www.organicnews.eu
8

TOP 10
SUPERFOODS
We’re often fed news
about superfoods and superherbs
— and it’s tempting
to want to believe everything
we’re told. Some superfood
claims are backed by scientific
studies, while other enticing
claims turn certain foods
into fads, though the foods
have few proven benefits. We
looked at the studies of 10
pantry picks and give you
the real goods about their
disease-fighting powers.
Superfoods are a special
category of foods found
in nature. By definition
they are calorie sparse and
nutrient dense meaning
they pack a lot of punch
for their weight as far as
goodness goes. They are
superior sources of antioxidants
and essential
nutrients - nutrients we need
but cannot make ourselves.
We all may be adding more
salads and vegetables to our
diets, but concern over the
quality of foods grown on
mineral depleted soils makes
Superfoods an intelligent
choice.
22
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

Rhubarb
Rhubarb is frequently regarded as a fruit (based on how
we eat it), but botanically it is a vegetable belonging to
the same family as sorrel and buckwheat. Championed
for its phytochemical lindleyin, this nutritional all-star
makes the cut for its potential role in relieving hot flashes
in perimenopausal women. How the plant cools hot
flashes is not exactly clear. Researchers have identified an
extract in the root that may have estrogen-like properties.
Need another reason to eat rhubarb? The plant is rich in
potassium, vitamin C and dietary fibre.
Dietary uses: Canadiangrown
rhubarb is
available from February
to July in most grocery
stores but is most
flavourful in the spring.
Rhubarb is commonly
eaten cooked in jams or
spreads; baked in pies,
cakes and muffins; and
used in sorbet, ice cream
and punch. Further
studies are needed to
determine the safety
of medicinal amounts
of the extract — in
concentrated pill form
it may cause stomach
cramps and mineral and
electrolyte imbalances.
Rhubarb root should
not be consumed by
children, or women who
are pregnant or lactating.
This versatile seed, also known as pepitas, has long
been treasured by American aboriginal peoples for
its dietary and medicinal properties. Now these seeds
are receiving the superfood attention they deserve.
Of all the nuts and seeds typically consumed as
snacks, pumpkin seeds are among the leaders of
phytosterols — a naturally occurring compound with
an established reputation for cholesterol-lowering
properties. Phytosterols are also being studied for their
potential role in prostate health. Each 1/4 cup (50
millilitre) serving of the seed provides a healthy dose of
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and is a good source
of minerals, including phosphorus, magnesium, zinc
and iron, making it one of the most nutritious and
flavourful seeds around.
Dietary uses:
Pumpkin seeds are
available year-round
from grocery stores
but are freshest in the
fall when pumpkins
are in season. They
make a good snack,
either on their own or
mixed with walnuts,
almonds, peanuts and
dried fruit. High in
fibre, they lend crunch
and nutty flavour to
salads, vegetables, pasta
dishes, sauces and
casseroles. But watch
your portion size; one
cup (250 milliltres)
packs 750 calories.
Pumpkin seeds
ISSUE II 23

Goji berries
Hailed as the newest superfood, goji, a Himalayan berry,
has inspired a surge of interest for its use in treating
diabetes, hypertension, malaria, fever, cancer and other
ailments. Gram for gram, goji berries pack more vitamin
C than some oranges and more beta-carotene than carrots.
Unfortunately, though, there isn’t enough evidence yet to
confirm the health claims, since we only have testimonials
and animal studies to go by. And goji berries and goji juice
are costly.
Dietary uses: Goji
berries are similar in taste
to raisins but more tart.
They can be eaten raw
or cooked and are a tasty
addition to tea, soup and
hot cereal.
Valued in ancient times as currency and once considered
more precious than gold, cinnamon - one of the world’s
oldest known spices - has made the pilgrimage from spice
rack to science lab. Preliminary studies are investigating
its role in lowering blood sugar in people with type 2
diabetes, most likely due to the insulin-like effects of its
polyphenols (natural substances found in plants). It’s still
too early to know if cinnamon can help curb blood sugars,
but with studies suggesting its effects can be seen with
a daily dose of just half a teaspoon (two millilitres), it’s
worth keeping this spice in mind when reaching into the
spice cabinet.
Cinnamon
Dietary uses:
Cinnamon (the inner
bark of the tropical
cinnamon tree) comes
in the form of sticks and
powder. Sprinkle it on
toast, add it to oatmeal
or use it on desserts.
Make cinnamon tea by
pouring one to two cups
(250 to 500 millilitres)
of boiling water over
one- to 1-1/2-inch sticks;
steep for 10 minutes.
Caution: Ingesting four
tablespoons (60 mL) of
cinnamon oil has been
linked to serious sideeffects.
Best known as a liver tonic, the power ingredient in milk
thistle is silymarin, which may have protective effects on
the liver, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties. Differences in research design - variations in
the type and extent of liver disease, and dose and duration
of milk-thistle therapy - make it difficult to draw definitive
conclusions on the effectiveness of this herb.
Milk thistle
Dietary uses:
Milk thistle is available
at drugstores and health
food stores; take as
directed.
24
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

Regarded as a sacred food by the Incas, quinoa
(pronounced keen-wah) provides a wide range of
vitamins and minerals. This supergrain seed contains
more protein than most cereal grains (22 grams per one
cup/250 millilitres uncooked quinoa) and is considered
a complete protein because it contains all eight of the
essential amino acids we need for tissue development.
Quinoa is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,
potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc, and lower
in sodium compared with wheat, barley and corn. This
gluten-free grain also receives an honourable mention
for being low in saturated fat (one gram of fat per one
cup/250 millilitres uncooked quinoa).
Quinoa
Dietary uses: Quinoa
can be substituted for
most hot cereals and
is a good replacement
for rice. Cook it like
porridge, include it in
casseroles or stews, or
add it (steamed, toasted
or baked) to soups,
salads or desserts. You
can also use ground
quinoa in breads,
cookies, puddings,
muffins and pasta. It’s
available in most grocery
and health food stores.
Traditionally, psyllium is renowned as a laxative, since
it absorbs water and swells as it moves through the
digestive tract. But this all-star soluble fibre has many
health benefits: lowering LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol,
helping control diabetes (it reduces the post-meal rise
in blood sugar) and aiding in controlling appetite and
weight (it makes you feel full longer). Since psyllium
is a concentrated source of soluble fibre (with eight
times more soluble fibre than oat bran), it’s easy to eat
enough of it during the day to enjoy its potential health
benefits.
Psyllium
Curcumin — the active ingredient of the Indian curry
spice turmeric — may ease aches and inflammation.
In Ayurveda (the traditional medicine of India), this
herb has been used for thousands of years to treat
arthritis and other ailments. Some research suggests
that turmeric may help relieve some symptoms of
rheumatoid arthritis; however, the evidence to date,
while encouraging, is still far from conclusive.
Dietary uses: Just 1/3
cup (75 millilitres)
of Bran Buds with
Psyllium, available at
most grocery stores,
provides 12 grams of
fibre (almost half of
our daily fibre needs).
Caution: Incorporate
psyllium and other
high-fibre foods into
your diet slowly to avoid
abdominal pain and
bloating, and drink
plenty of water to avoid
constipation.
Dietary uses: Turmeric
is sometimes substituted
for saffron. Use in Indian
curries or dishes such
as chicken tangine and
chicken tandoori.
Turmeric
ISSUE II 25

This vegetable deserves an award thanks to its active
ingredient: fructo-oligosaccharides, a prebiotic that
some researchers have chosen as the hottest in
food and nutrition research. Prebiotics take centre
stage for their potential to promote gut health by
encouraging the growth and function of “good
bacteria” that live in our digestive tract.
Emerging research is also revealing an important
supporting role for flavonoids, antioxidants that
are abundant in shallots. Preliminary research is
investigating flavonoids for their preventive role
in cancer and heart disease, but further research is
still needed to support these potential benefits.
Shallots
Dietary uses: Shallots
are more subtle in
flavour than their
cousins, the onion and
garlic, and they do not
cause bad breath. Eat
them raw or cooked till
tender. Add shallots to
soups, stews, spreads
and stir-fries.
Borage oil, which is produced from the borage
seed, has made the nutritional spotlight for its high
content of gamma-linolenic acid — an omega-6
essential fatty acid with anti-inflammatory
properties. Evidence suggests that specialty formulas
that contain borage oil may reduce inflammation
of the lung in critically ill, hospitalized patients
with respiratory distress.
Dietary uses: Borage
oil is a component
of Oxepa — a
specialty formula
used in the criticalcare
unit to reduce
lung inflammation.
In concentrated (oil)
form, borage can
cause liver toxicity;
pregnant women
and nursing mothers
should avoid using
borage oil. The
medicinal plant can be
eaten raw or cooked.
Use fresh borage
leaves to add flavour
to cream cheese and
vinaigrettes.
Borage oil
Source
26 WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

ISSUE II 17

Contact: 0030 210 6836860, www.chfamily.gr, info@chb.gr, 151 25 Marousi - Greece

There are many ways
to promote good
organic cooking and
the next few lines will
attempt to describe a
few simple ways
Organic Cooking
Well what is organic cooking? This term refers
to cooking done with all organic ingredients
using the best of the organic food to create tasty and very
healthy dishes. This is possible today, because in many places
all over the globe, people are waking to the requirement of
consuming organic food. The market is now promoting diet
foods, low fat foods, etc. However, these are not at all necessary
if we eat good organic food and we eat in moderation
everything that we get in our daily routine. There are many
ways to promote good organic cooking and the next few lines
will attempt to describe a few simple ways:
Use normal salt not the standard iodized salt that
we have been using for ages. Use instead natural
sea salt or fleur de sel and notice the difference in the food
you are eating. The flavor of the food is far enhanced by this
simple addition.
Have a kitchen garden behind the house or side
where you can grow your own vegetables the
whole year round. A small 8x10 patch can cultivate sufficient
vegetables to last a family of 4-6 the whole year. In this way
you not only save some cash, you get to eat your home-grown
vegetables which are guaranteed to be fresh.
Use only organic ingredients like vegetables,
fruit, and all other ingredients like butter,
herbs, etc. It is splendid to know that you can consume only
fresh ingredients which have been hand-picked for you lunch
or dinner.
Do not use the microwave as the microwave can
distort the taste of the vegetables or fruit to a
great extent; in order to really check this fact, you could really
use your microwave to cook something and then you
cook the same thing on an open flame. Taste and mark the
difference in taste; the taste on the open flame is far more
flavor-full than the one cooked in the microwave.
Use organic butter, milk and other related ingredients
as there is a marked difference between
butter that is produced out the milk of cows that have only
grazed on grass; and those cows which were treated with hormones
and food fertilizers.
Use easy techniques to cook organically and improve
on the taste of the food while still maintaining
the nutritional value of the vegetables on the fire; you
need to take care and reduce the water content slowly enhancing
the flavor while ensuring that nothing is really wasted
into the air or water in which the vegetables are cooked in.
Do not use any additional preservatives. Whenever
you need a preservative you should only
use natural preservatives. Also whenever you need something
that requires preservation, use the natural way to do, so with
ingredients like lemon juice, salt, sugar, honey, etc. In this
way you can have your food preserved and it will last as long,
or may be longer than the chemically preserved ones and you
are now assured that you are consuming only the goodness
of the earth.
http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/health_food/organic_food/organic_cooking.html
29

earthopensource
PRESS RELEASE 17 JUNE 2012
NEW REPORT BY GENETIC ENGINEERS
WHY
IS DANGEROUS
Aren’t critics of genetically engineered food anti-science?
Isn’t the debate over GMOs (genetically modified organisms) a spat
between emotional but ignorant activists on one hand and rational
GM-supporting scientists on the other?
A new report released recently, “GMO Myths and Truths”,
challenges these claims.
The report presents a large
body of peer-reviewed
scientific and other
authoritative evidence of
the hazards to health and
the environment posed by
genetically engineered
crops and organisms
(GMOs).
Unusually, the initiative for
the report came not from
campaigners but from two
genetic engineers who
believe there are good
scientific reasons to be
wary of GM foods and
crops.
30
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

One of the report’s authors, Dr Michael Antoniou of King’s College London School of Medicine
in the UK, uses genetic engineering for medical applications but warns against its use in developing crops
for human food and animal feed.
Dr Antoniou said: “GM crops are promoted on the basis
of ambitious claims – that they are safe to eat, environmentally
beneficial, increase yields, reduce reliance on pesticides, and can
help solve world hunger.
“I felt what was needed was a collation of the evidence that
addresses the technology from a scientific point of view.
“Research studies show that genetically modified crops have
harmful effects on laboratory animals in feeding trials and on the
environment during cultivation. They have increased the use of
pesticides and have failed to increase yields. Our report concludes
that there are safer and more effective alternatives to meeting the
world’s food needs.”
Dr Michael Antoniou
Another author of the report, Dr John Fagan, is a former genetic engineer who in 1994 returned
to the National Institutes of Health $614,000 in grant money due to concerns about the safety and ethics
of the technology. He subsequently founded a GMO testing company.
Dr Fagan said: “Crop genetic engineering as
practiced today is a crude, imprecise, and outmoded
technology. It can create unexpected toxins or allergens
in foods and affect their nutritional value. Recent
advances point to better ways of using our knowledge of
genomics to improve food crops, that do not involve GM.
“Over 75% of all GM crops are engineered to
tolerate being sprayed with herbicide. This has led to the
spread of herbicide-resistant superweeds and has resulted in
massively increased exposure of farmers and communities
to these toxic chemicals. Epidemiological studies suggest a
link between herbicide use and birth defects and cancer.
“These findings fundamentally challenge the utility
and safety of GM crops, but the biotech industry uses its
influence to block research by independent scientists and
uses its powerful PR machine to discredit independent
scientists whose findings challenge this approach.”
Dr John Fagan
ISSUE II 31

The third author of the report, Claire Robinson, research
director of Earth Open Source, said, “The GM industry is
trying to change our food supply in far-reaching and potentially
dangerous ways. We all need to inform ourselves about what is
going on and ensure that we – not biotechnology companies –
keep control of our food system and crop seeds.
“We hope our report will contribute to a broader understanding
of GM crops and the sustainable alternatives that are already
working successfully for farmers and communities.”
Claire Robinson
About the authors
Michael Antoniou, PhD is reader in molecular
genetics and head, Gene Expression and Therapy Group,
King’s College London School of Medicine, London, UK.
He has 28 years’ experience in the use of genetic engineering
technology investigating gene organisation and control, with
over 40 peer reviewed publications of original work, and holds
inventor status on a number of gene expression biotechnology
patents. Dr Antoniou has a large network of collaborators in
industry and academia who are making use of his discoveries
in gene control mechanisms for the production of research,
diagnostic and therapeutic products and human somatic
gene therapies for inherited and acquired genetic disorders.
John Fagan, PhD is a leading authority on
sustainability in the food system, biosafety, and GMO
testing. He is founder and chief scientific officer of a
GMO testing and certification company. He is a director
of Earth Open Source. Earlier, he conducted cancer
research at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)
and in academia. He holds a PhD in biochemistry and
molecular and cell biology from Cornell University.
Dr Fagan became an early voice in the scientific
debate on genetic engineering when in 1994 he took an
ethical stand challenging the use of germline gene therapy
(which has subsequently been banned in most countries)
and genetic engineering in agriculture. He underlined his
concerns by returning a grant of around $614,000 to the US
National Institutes of Health, awarded for cancer research
that used genetic engineering as a research tool. He was
concerned that knowledge generated in his research could
potentially be misused to advance human germline genetic
engineering (for example, to create “designer babies”),
which he found unacceptable on grounds of both safety
and ethics. For similar reasons, around the same time, he
withdrew applications for two additional grants totalling
$1.25 million from the NIH and the National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). In 1996 he
founded one of the pioneering GMO testing and certification
companies after realising that this could be useful to assist
industry in providing consumers with the transparency
that they desired regarding the presence of GMOs in foods.
Claire Robinson, MPhil is research director at Earth
Open Source. She has a background in investigative reporting
and the communication of topics relating to public health,
science and policy, and the environment. She is an editor
at GMWatch (www.gmwatch.org), a public information
service on issues relating to genetic modification, and was
formerly managing editor at SpinProfiles (now Powerbase).
N
O
T
E
S
The report, “GMO Myths and Truths, An evidence-based
examination of the claims made for the safety and efficacy of
genetically modified crops”, by Michael Antoniou, PhD, Claire
Robinson, and John Fagan, PhD is published by Earth Open Source
(June 2012). The report is 123 pages long and contains over 600
citations, many of them from the peer-reviewed scientific literature
and the rest from reports by scientists, physicians, government
bodies, industry, and the media.
FULL REPORT (123 pages) you can find here.
32
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

TRUTHMYTH
Genetically modified (GM) crops are promoted
on the basis of a range of far-reaching claims
from the GM crop industry and its supporters.
They say that GM crops:
However, a large and growing body of scientific
and other authoritative evidence shows that these
claims are not true.
On the contrary, evidence presented in
this report indicates that GM crops:
Are an extension of natural breeding and do not
pose different risks from naturally bred crops
Are laboratory-made, using technology that is
totally different from natural breeding methods,
and pose different risks from non-GM crops
Are safe to eat and can be more nutritious than
naturally bred crops
Can be toxic, allergenic or less nutritious than
their natural counterparts
Are strictly regulated for safety
Are not adequately regulated to ensure safety
Increase crop yields
Reduce pesticide use
Benefit farmers and make their lives easier
Bring economic benefits
Benefit the environment
Do not increase yield potential
Do not reduce pesticide use but increase it
Create serious problems for farmers, including
herbicide-tolerant “superweeds”, compromised
soil quality, and increased disease susceptibility
in crops
Have mixed economic effects
Harm soil quality, disrupt ecosystems, and
reduce biodiversity
Can help solve problems caused by
climate change
Do not offer effective solutions to climate
change
Reduce energy use
Are as energy-hungry as any other chemicallyfarmed
crops
Will help feed the world.
Cannot solve the problem of world hunger but
distract from its real causes – poverty, lack of
access to food and, increasingly, lack of access
to land to grow it on.
Based on the evidence presented in this report,
there is no need to take risks with GM crops when
effective, readily available, and sustainable solutions
to the problems that GM technology is claimed to
address already exist. Conventional plant breeding,
in some cases helped by safe modern technologies
like gene mapping and marker assisted selection,
continues to outperform GM in producing highyield,
drought-tolerant, and pest- and diseaseresistant
crops that can meet our present and future
food needs.
Source: Earthopensource
ISSUE II 33

NATURE. OUR HOME. BEAUTIFUL.
BE NATURAL - Organic News
PLITVICA LAKES, CROATIA

Bio and Business is a trading company, based in Poland. Its mission is to bring quality grains from Poland markets
to EU and abroad. The company is dealing with agricultural commodities such as oil seeds, milling and feed
wheat, malting and feed barley, corn, wheat bran, feeds, etc. All of these grains are selected and inspected by our
trained staff, which guarantees satisfaction of all our costumer’s needs. We are constantly developing in-depth
tools to help better understand our customers’ environment and issues.
ABOUT US
Registered in 2011
Trading with goods from Poland
Specialized for bulk transport in Poland
Offering bulk services and logistics
WHY US
We care for your quality
Our grains are selected and inspected by ourselves
Satisfaction guaranteed
RENTING
TRANSPORT
We are interested in hiring your
trucks or repurchase your leasing
contracts. You provide us with
the price estimate for hiring your
truck and we take care of the rest.
STORAGE
We are looking for storage services
for grains also suitable for storage
or organic products.
PRODUCERS
We buy your products at
competitive prices, collect
the goods at your premises,
and offer timely payment.
We are looking for transport companies
with walking floor and kipper
trailers. We offer attractive rate
per km (full/empty), short payment
periods and constant loads.
http://www.biobusiness.com.pl/

GMO DANGERS
Genetically modified foods
ARE THEY SAFE?
The American Academy of Environmental
Medicine (AAEM) doesn’t think so.
The Academy reported that “Several animal studies indicate
serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility,
immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation,
and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. The
AAEM asked physicians to advise patients to avoid GM foods.
CAUTION! GENETIC MODIFICATION
GM IS A SPECIAL SET OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALTER THE GENETIC
MAKEUP OF ORGANISMS SUCH AS ANIMALS, PLANTS, OR BACTERIA.
COMBINING GENES FROM DIFFERENT ORGANISMS IS KNOWN AS
RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY, AND THE RESULTING ORGANISM IS
SAID TO BE “GENETICALLY MODIFIED,” “GENETICALLY ENGINEERED,” OR
“TRANSGENIC.” GM PRODUCTS (CURRENT OR THOSE IN DEVELOPMENT)
INCLUDE MEDICINES AND VACCINES, FOODS AND FOOD INGREDIENTS,
FEEDS, FIBERS AND ECS.
36
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

Before the FDA decided to allow GMOs into food without labeling, FDA scientists had repeatedly
warned that GM foods can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins,
new diseases, and nutritional problems.
They urged long-term safety studies, but were ignored.
Since then, findings include:
• Thousands of sheep, buffalo, and goats in India died after grazing on Bt cotton plants
• Mice eating GM corn for the long term had fewer, and smaller, babies
• More than half the babies of mother rats fed GM soy died within three weeks, and were smaller
• Testicle cells of mice and rats on a GM soy change significantly
• By the third generation, most GM soy-fed hamsters lost the ability to have babies
• Rodents fed GM corn and soy showed immune system responses and signs of toxicity
• Cooked GM soy contains as much as 7-times the amount of a known soy allergen
• Soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in the UK, soon after GM soy was introduced
• The stomach lining of rats fed GM potatoes showed excessive cell growth, a condition that may lead
to cancer.
• Studies showed organ lesions, altered liver and pancreas cells, changed enzyme levels, etc.
Unlike safety evaluations for drugs, there are no human clinical trials of GM foods. The only published
human feeding experiment revealed that the genetic material inserted into GM soy transfers into
bacteria living inside our intestines and continues to function. This means that long after we stop eating
GM foods, we may still have their GM proteins produced continuously inside us.
This could mean:
• If the antibiotic gene inserted into most GM crops were to transfer, it could create super diseases,
resistant to antibiotics
• If the gene that creates Bt-toxin in GM corn were to transfer, it might turn our intestinal bacteria
into living pesticide factories.
Although no studies have evaluated if antibiotic or Bt-toxin genes transfer, that is one of the key
problems. The safety assessments are too superficial to even identify most of the potential dangers from
GMOs. See also Health Risks brochure and State of the Science report for more details and citations.
RECENT HEALTH STUDIES PROVIDE GROWING EVIDENCE OF HARM FROM GMOs:
Source
GM Corn Damages Liver and Kidneys
Meat Raised on GM Feed is Different
Roundup Could Cause Birth Defects
Genetically Modified Soy Linked to Sterility
Damaging Effects of Roundup
GM Crops Do Not Increase Yields
GMOs Inevitably Contaminate and Persist
Industry Studies are Flawed
ISSUE II 37

MONSANTO BUYS LEADING BEE RESEARCH FIRM
AFTER BEING IMPLICATED IN BEE COLONY COLLAPSE
Amid all the controversy over genetically-modified (GM) crops and their
pesticides and herbicides decimating bee populations all around the world,
biotechnology behemoth Monsanto has decided to buy out one of the
major international firms devoted to studying and protecting bees.
Since 2007, Beeologics has been studying
CCD, as well as Israeli Acute Paralysis
Virus (IAPV), for the purpose of coming up with
intervention-based ways to mitigate these conditions.
And based on the way the company describes
both CCD and IAPV on its website, Beeologics has
largely taken the approach that intervention, rather
than prevention, is the key to solving the global bee
crisis.
Now that Beeologics is owned and controlled
by Monsanto, the company
is sure to completely avoid dealing with the true
causes of CCD and IAPV as they pertain to Monsanto’s
crop technologies -- GMOs and their chemical
counterparts. So going into the future, it seems
expected that Beeologics will come up with “scientific
breakthroughs” that deny any link between
CCD and GMO technologies, and instead blame
mystery pathogens and other factors that require
more chemicals to eliminate.
According to Anthony Gucciardi at Activist
Post, Beeologics has also long had
a cozy relationship with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), which is convenient for Monsanto.
The USDA, in fact, considers Beeologics to
be one of the foremost bee research organizations
in the world, as does the USDA’s Agricultural Research
Service (ARS), the mainstream media and
“leading entomologists” worldwide, according to
the company.
38
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

Monsanto to use Beeologics’
‘biological tools’ to develop
more GMOs, crop chemicals
Beeologics’ acquisition announcement
explains that Monsanto plans to incorporate
all the biological research that Beeologics
has conducted over the years into its own
programs for developing more GMO systems.
Monsanto has also seized control of a key product
that is currently in the Beeologics development
pipeline that supposedly “help[s] protect
bee health.”
onsanto will use the base tech-
from Beeologics as a part
“Mnology
of its continuing discovery and development
pipeline,” says the announcement. “Biological
products will continue to play an increasingly
important role in supporting the sustainability
of many agricultural systems.”
To translate, it appears as though Monsanto
plans to use even more chemical
inputs to supposedly solve the bee collapse
problem, even though it is these very inputs that
are largely the cause of the bee collapse problem.
Several recent studies, after all, have definitively
linked crop pesticides and herbicides, as well as
high fructose corn syrup, to CCD.
The future looks bleak for bees, in
other words, as Monsanto appears
poised to slowly gobble up all the competing
companies and organizations that threaten its
own GMO products, while pretending to care
about the dwindling bee populations. And unless
drastic action is taken to stop Monsanto in
its continued quest to dominate global agriculture,
the food supply as we know it will soon be
a thing of the past.
Source
WHAT IS CCD
(COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER)?
Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is a phenomenon
in which worker bees from a
beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly
disappear. While such disappearances have occurred
throughout the history of apiculture, the
term colony collapse disorder was first applied to
a drastic rise in the number of disappearances of
Western honey bee colonies in North America in
late 2006. Colony collapse is significant economically
because many agricultural crops worldwide
are pollinated by bees; and ecologically, because of
the major role that bees play in the reproduction
of plant communities in the wild.
European beekeepers observed similar
phenomena in Belgium, France, the
Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain,
and initial reports have also come in from Switzerland
and Germany, albeit to a lesser degree while
the Northern Ireland Assembly received reports of
a decline greater than 50%.Possible cases of CCD
have also been reported in Taiwan since April
2007.
M
ultiple possible causes of CCD have
been identified. In 2007, some authorities
attributed the problem to biotic factors
such as Varroa mites and insect diseases (i.e.,
pathogens including Nosema apis and Israel acute
paralysis virus). Other proposed causes include environmental
change-related stresses, malnutrition,
pesticides (e.g.. neonicotinoids such as clothianidin
and imidacloprid), and migratory beekeeping.
More speculative possibilities have included both
cell phone radiation and genetically modified
(GM) crops with pest control characteristics.
ISSUE II 39

Superbug Vs. Monsanto
NATURE REBELS AGAINST BIOTECH TITAN
The Cry3Bb1 protein, derived from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt.)
bacterium, was inserted into the corn’s genetic code. The embedded
protein was supposed to be fatal to all rootworms.
growing number of rootworms are now
A able to devour genetically modified corn
specifically designed by Monsanto to kill those
same pests. A new study shows that while the biotech
giant may triumph in Congress, it will never
be able to outsmart nature.
Western corn rootworms have been able
to harmlessly consume the genetically
modified maize, a research paper published in the
latest issue of the journal GM Crops & Food reveals.
A 2010 sample of the rootworm population
had an elevenfold survival rate on the genetically
modified corn compared to a control population.
That’s eight times more than the year before, when
the resistant population was first identified.
Experts are also noting that this year’s resistant
rootworm populations are maturing
earlier than expected. In fact, the time the bug’s
larvae hatched was the earliest in decades.
“
The Western corn rootworm ‘season’ is underway
at a pace earlier than I have experienced
since I began studying this versatile insect as
a graduate student in the late 1970s,” entomologist
Mike Gray wrote in The Bulletin, a periodical issued
by the University of Chicago’s Department of
Crop Studies.
40
WWW.ORGANICNEWS.EU

Studies in other states have also revealed
that the rootworm population is becoming
increasingly resistant to genetically modified
corn. Last year, Iowa State University researcher
Aaron Gassmann noted that a number of farmers
reported discovering, much to their dismay, that a
large number of rootworms survived after the consumption
of their GM crops. Gassmann branded
these pests “superbugs.”
Farmers and food companies in America
have increasingly been dependent on GM
crops, and many have abandoned crop rotation, a
practice that has been used to stave off pest infestations
for centuries. Some have even gone as far as
to ignore federal regulation, which require the GM
corn plantations be accompanied by a small “refuge”
of non-GM maize.
The recent findings have potentially devastating
ramifications for both farmers
and consumers. Genetic maize plantation would
easily come under attack from the swelling number
of “superbugs,” resulting in dwindling harvest
numbers for farmers. Ultimately, consumers will
pay the price not only for corn, an essential product
whose derivatives are used in a plethora of products
ranging from yogurts to baby powder, but for other
crops sold in the market. Rising corn prices would
mean that more farmers would plant corn, despite
the risks, and the yield for other crops would drop.
That would drive prices for virtually all food items
up, hitting hard on a population already smitten by
ongoing economic difficulties.
Monsanto launched its anti-rootworm
GM corm in 2003. The Cry3Bb1 protein,
derived from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt.)
bacterium, was inserted into the corn’s genetic code.
The embedded protein was supposed to be fatal to
all rootworms.
The recent findings came days after Monsanto,
along with other biotech companies,
got a major boost from a congressional panel,
which okayed the manufacture of GM crops despite
pending legal challenges. Many of the lawsuits that
Monsanto faces include assessments that its crops
are unsafe for human consumption and affect the
health of unborn children.
Monsanto has also been an active plaintiff
itself. Its primary targets include
entities that seek to label GM foods, and small
farmers, whom the biotech behemoth accuses of
using genetically modified crops patented by Monsanto.
Source
RECOMMENDED MOVIE
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO
Documentary, Directed by Marie-Monique Robin
How much outrage can a single multinational corporation inspire? How much damage can
they inflict? The breathtaking new film, The World According to Monsanto, features a company that
sets the new standard. From Iowa to Paraguay, from England to India, Monsanto is uprooting our food
supply and replacing it with their patented genetically engineered creations. And along the way, farmers,
communities, and nature become collateral damage.
The film is the work of celebrated award-winning French filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin,
whose three years of work on four continents exposes why Monsanto has become the world’s poster
child for malignant corporate influence in government and technology. Combining secret documents
with accounts by victims, scientists and policy makers, she guides us through a web of misleading
reports, pressure tactics, collusion, and attempted corruption. And we learn how the company systematically
tricked governments into allowing dangerous genetically modified (GM) foods into our
diet—with Monsanto in charge of determining if they’re safe.
YOU CAN WATCH FREE FULL MOVIE ONLINE HERE
ISSUE II 41

UNITED KINGDOM
Organic Statistics 2011
The total area of organic land in the UK has shown a decrease of 9 %
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published the latest national
statistics for the UK. The total area of organic land in the UK has shown a decrease of 9 %
between 2010 and 2011 to 656,000 hectares. The cereals area has seen a similar decrease of 8 % to 52,000
hectares, while the vegetables area (including potatoes) has shown a slightly larger decrease of 13 % over
the year to 16,000 hectares. Temporary and permanent pasture land make up the majority of organic land
and therefore drive the change between 2010 and 2011, with temporary pasture showing a decrease of 7
% to 116,000 hectares and permanent pasture decreasing by 9% to 435,000 hectares.
The number of organic producer / processors has fallen again (by 5%) to around 6,900 at the
end of 2011. There was mixed news for the livestock sector. The sheep sector showed an
increase of 18 % to 1,162,000 head, mainly due to large numbers of Welsh operators becoming fully
organic. Organic pig numbers rose by 11 % to 53,000 head. Organic poultry numbers showed a large
decrease of 27 % to 3 million in 2011 as high feed and energy prices continue to increase the pressure on
producers. Cattle numbers for the UK have fallen by 4 % to 335,000 head. More information is available
here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/
GMO Free Europe Conference 2012
The 7th European Conference of GMO free regions will
take place in Brussels on 4 and 5 September 2012.
Six years after the first GMO free regions conference in Berlin, the movement is stronger than
ever. The entry of the German federal states Thuringia and North-Rhine Westphalia into the
European Network of GMO free regional governments are examples for this trend.
Central topics of this year’s conference will be the upcoming seed legislation and the
right to a national ban of GMO cultivation, the import of GM soy in connection
with the approaching European CAP reform and the deficient risk assessment of GMO by the European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The preliminary program is available here. Registration is possible here.
Registration deadline is 22 August 2012.
Source
ISSUE II 43

RECOMMENDED BOOK
A Handbook of Organic Farming
Written by Arun K. Sharma
In the Handbook of Organic Farming, written by Arun
K. Sharma, many aspects related to organic farming have
been covered with a balanced approach. The handbook will help
the readers to discover easily the philosophical and technical
differences between organic and conventional farming systems.
The need and progress towards a sustainable farming system
is explained; various rules and regulation related to
soil and crop management for organic farming are described ;
basic information about soil environment in relation to plant
growth is given, and various basic and applied aspects of input and crop health management are discussed.
The author also raised several issues and concerns, especially on adoption, marketing and research
in organic farming. Considering the fast development in technology and marketing in organic farming,
a detailed list of electronic sources is included.
This handbook will serve as a complete source book for researchers, scientists, farmers and students
working on the organic concept. Arun K. Sharma is a graduate from G.B. Pant University
of Agric. & Tech., Pantnagar and is a founding member of the International Society of Organic Agriculture
Research (ISOFAR). He presently works as a scientist at the Central Arid Zone Research Institute,
Jodhpur in India. The book can be purchased here.
Leave Your Feedback
At Organic News we take your feedback very seriously. We
hope you can take a few moments to share your opinions with
us on how we’re doing. We’re constantly working to improve the
quality of service and support our clients receive. The feedback
we receive from you is vital in helping us do that.
Tell us what’s on your mind and how we can serve you better.
We’d love to hear from you ! Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Please leave Your feedback here: info@organicnews.eu

BY ORGANIC
NEWS
SUPPORTED

A Family Group.
Quality control and eficient logistic system.
• grains
• oilseeds
• seed protein
• oil
• oil-cakes
We trade organic
TopAgri Spa
It is the interface of the
holding with Europe. Top Agri
Spa is responsible for organizing
logistics and quality control
of the holding. The company
employs three external warehouses
with a total storage capacity
of approximately 35,000
tons and a daily capacity of
1000 tons of drying.
• Traceability of the goods from production to sale
• Full logistic organization. Top Agri can load kippers,
silo trucks, containers, big bags and ships
• It’s able to offer to its clients products with defined
and constant features in the goods
Contact Us
Top Agri Italia
via Cappafredda, 6/b
37050 Roverchiara (VR)
Italy
Tel +39 0442 685251
Fax +39 0442 685250
P. Iva: IT04023410238
Agricola Soave
Via Cappafredda 6/b
37050 – Roverchiara (VR)
Italy
Tel. +39 0442 685211
Fax +39 0442 685210
P. Iva: IT02254620236
Top Agri Romania
Str. Soveja
Nr. 96, Bl. 70, Sc. E, Ap. 73
900402 – Constanta
Romania
Tel. +40 241 613840
Fax +40 241 518930
P. Iva: RO12982421
www.topagri.it/it/

ITS
L O G I S T I C S
Our services include in particular bulk material transport, ftl
and the groupageservice in local and distance transport and all
that with gmp certificate.
WE CAN ALSO ARRANGE FOR YOU
• advice about the feasibility of bulk material transportation
• organization of loading and unloading of bulk material goods
• execution of any customs matters
• agricultural trade
ITS LOGISTICS
28 rue Paul Henri Spaak
26000 VALENCE
Tél : 00334 75 83 51 43
Fax : 00339 81 70 18 80
N° TVA : FR 65 515 401 693

A company with tradititon and future
As the BAGeno Raiffeisen eG company we offer you
Raiffeisen market - In our six BAGeno Raiffeisen markets you can get everything for
hobby, home and garden and advice from real experts
Agriculture - In agricultural products, farmers can rely on us!
Technology - we sale machines for professional use!
Building materials - selling professional building materials, disposal and recycling
and our rental fleet
Petroleum refueling - Mineral oil (refuel), heating oil and diesel
R+V Insurance Agency - our insurance experts offers from health and life insurance
to industrial and commercial insurance.
Energy - Heating with wood pellets - heat from the natural.
Organic products are gaining in popularity. BAGeno is strong supporter of organic farming.
Our marketer bears fruit and grain from organic cultivation or Demeter, the organic seal of approval
and is supervised by the BCS Ökogarantie GmbH.
Organic farming and BAGeno
fit together easily!
www.bageno.de

aw materials & organic seeds
The French partner of the German agricultural cooperative : BAGeno Raiffeisen eG
We have always been a responsibility to the growers of our two
unions affiliated regional wineries. We’re providing our customers
a complete range of pesticides, fertilizers, wine and wine making
equipment, along with instructions for use.
This also includes fertilizers and crop protection products
stored in our secure warehouses. Our technicians provide
expert advice and monitor your crop management. We are
attentive to the needs of our customers
We are GMP certified, GMP-B4.1, according to the standards QS
A Food and HACCP approved the principle for production of feed
and grain. Our administrative guidance, financial, technical and trade
is a rigorous and constantly trained on the latest technological and
European standardization.
Organic is a relationship of trust between people and a sustainable
partnership with nature. We are all one where everyone has a
function.The past, the future are our references. Transparency,
rigor and honesty arevalues ​that motivate men and women of our
networks.
QUALITY AT THE BEST PRICE
www.partnerandco.fr/

WWOOF
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
...LIVING,
LEARNING,
SHARING
ORGANIC
LIFESTYLES.
MORE INFO ABOUT YOUR LOCAL WWOOF ORG AT www.wwoof.org

WHAT IS ORGANIC NEWS?
Organic News gathers professional food buyers, wholesale producers, distributors,
industry suppliers and farmes in one dynamic newsletter. It is a revolutionary
way to connect with and get useful information about the organic business community
in Europe.
Each month the e-magazine will include important news, studies, interviews and
exhaustive listings of all the companies in Europe, who work in the field of the
organic industry; from the smallest farmers in Romania to well-known producers
in Italy.
WHY JOIN ORGANIC NEWS?
• Because you want to spend 5 minutes, and not 10 hours finding the perfect
shipment of grains
• Because when your next potential customer searches for a product, you want
your name and goods to stand out
• Because there has never been more interest in buying and selling organic
food.
HOW MUCH DOES ORGANIC NEWS MEMBERSHIP COST?
Nothing. It’s free.
HOW IS E-MAGAZINE FINANCED?
E-magazine uses donation and sponsorship based financing.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP?
Your company will be a part of large online community, which in turn will help you
get noticed. All along rural towns of Romania to coastal vistas of France.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Organic News gathers professional food buyers, wholesale producers, distributors,
industry suppliers and farmers
HOW DO I START?
Visit page »Sign in« on organicnews.eu and fill in the contact form.
DO I NEED A HIGH-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION TO READ THE E-NEWSPAPER?
Although it is recommended, a high-speed connection is not necessary.
ON WHICH DEVICES CAN I READ THE E-NEWSPAPER?
You can read the e-newspaper on computers and almost all mobile devices.
The Organic News team is committed to making this site useful
and relevant to you. For additional assistance please email
info@organicnews.eu or call +421-911-013-775 for assistance:
Monday – Friday, 8 am – 6 pm. We will get back to you
as soon as possible or in one business day.
ISSUE II 51