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Organics

Consumers are showing a huge appetite for organic food. But converting land and gaining certification is no overnight process. The major challenge is securing sufficient supply of organic produce and ingredients to keep up with demand.

US and Canada compromise on organic equivalency for certain meats, dairy

02-Feb-2012 - The United States and Canada have taken another step toward organic equivalency, with US organic standards for dairy, beef, sheep, goat and bison now considered equivalent to Canadian requirements.

‘Free from’ top-of-mind for health-conscious consumers, survey finds

04-Jan-2012 - Health- and eco-conscious consumers are just as interested in the ingredients their foods do not contain as those that make it onto the ingredient list – but price remains a top priority, according to a new survey.

Local and organic logos influence women more than men, study suggests

23-Nov-2011 - Local and organic certification labels may increase the likelihood that women will purchase a product, as well as their willingness to pay a premium – but men are less likely to be influenced by logos, according to a study published in HortScience.

SunOpta profits hit by commodity costs, despite 25% sales increase

09-Nov-2011 - Canadian natural and organics group SunOpta has reported a 25% increase in sales compared to Q3 last year but lower profits, citing higher commodity costs, which hit its sunflower business in particular.

CFI urges industry engagement but says there is ‘no silver bullet’ to gain consumer trust

08-Nov-2011 - There is “no silver bullet” to reverse the growing trend of alienation from today’s farms, according to the Center for Food Integrity (CFI), a non-profit industry-backed group that aims to ease consumer fears about the US food supply.

Growing organic market prompts new USDA research grants

03-Nov-2011 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded 23 new grants to organic agriculture research projects as part of its National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), in response to increased adoption of organic practices.

Hain Celestial breaks new ground in dairy-free with almond milk yogurt

13-Sep-2011 - Hain Celestial is planning to break new ground in the dairy alternatives sector with the introduction of an almond milk-based yogurt, its chief executive has revealed.

Organic tomato juice more ‘nutritious’ than conventional juice?

02-Sep-2011 - Juice from organically grown tomatoes contains higher levels of bioactive polyphenols than juice made from conventionally grown tomatoes, says a new study.

Forget organic, reduce meat consumption to save the environment, says study

22-Aug-2011 - In order to protect the environment, consumers should forget about switching to organic foods and concentrate on eating less meat, according to new research.

Frutarom gets organic certification for natural antioxidant ingredient

28-Jul-2011 - Frutarom USA has received organic certification from certification body Secal Israel for its Origanox ingredient, designed to combat lipid oxidation in foods – allowing it to market the ingredient in the United States and around the world.

Organic market growth still outpaces conventional

12-Jul-2011 - US sales of organic foods and beverages continued to outpace conventional grocery sales in 2010, with the market growing 8.5 percent to reach $23.2bn at retail, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.

Canada and EU agree organic equivalency

24-Jun-2011 - Canada and the European Union have reached an agreement on equivalency of organic products, in a move expected to significantly boost organic food trade between the two markets.

Building consumer awareness about GM foods

06-May-2011 - The non-GMO symbol is a useful reference point for consumers, many of whom still have gaps in their knowledge of genetically modified (GM) foods, according to natural and organic food companies.

Food and agricultural policy needs compromise, says new organization

04-May-2011 - Stakeholders in the food and agriculture industry have formed a new coalition organization intended to bring together groups that have not traditionally worked together to tackle long-term policy issues.

Link strengthens between organic and Fair Trade imports

27-Apr-2011 - Demand for organic Fair Trade certified food imports increased significantly in 2010, with especially strong growth for vanilla, coffee, citrus and cocoa, according to Fair Trade USA’s 2010 almanac.

Study reveals the ‘health halo’ of organic foods

12-Apr-2011 - Consumers may consider organic cookies, yogurt and potato chips to be tastier, healthier and lower in calories because they carry an organic label, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Cornell.

CRN: Don’t force consumers to choose between organics and good nutrition

12-Apr-2011 - An ‘overly restrictive’ policy on the fortification of organic foods with non-organic functional ingredients such as omega-3s could stifle innovation in the organic sector and damage consumers, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has warned.