Year 3 | Number 26 | December 2009
ARGENCERT NEWS
Responsible consumptio - Eat Organic
ARGENCERT endorsed the creation of awareness of responsible consumption.
NEWS FROM CHILE
* SIMPOSIUM ‘INPUTS FOR ORGANIC AGRICULTURE’ Exhibitions by different producers and marketing of inputs for organic agriculture in nutrition, pest and disease control, among other inputs. Read more
* CHILE: ECOLOGIC PRODUCTS OFFER IN INTERNET GREW 105 % DURING 2009. The number of ecologic products offered in Internet during 2009 has grown 105%. Read more
* ‘VALLE DEL LIMARI’ BETS ON THE PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC AND BIODYNAMIC GRAPES. The organic grape business in Chile is clearly growing. Read more
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIC POLICY
* ORGANIC FARMERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE OBSERVE THE WORLD FOOD SECURITY SUMMIT Starvation is not a question of world food production but of the poverty of the hungry. FAO admits that Organic Agriculture contributes to alleviate hunger and poverty and deserves promotion. Read more.
* FAO SUMMIT: WITHOUT CONCRETE ADVANCES ON FIGHTING HUNGER. The final declaration, disappointing. Read more.
* OBAMA’S VISIT TO CHINA ANTICIPATES THE FAILURE OF COPENHAGEN. The two countries are not ready to commit a reduction of their emissions. Read more.
* EE.UU. PROMISE TO REDUCE 17% ITS CO2 EMISSIONS. Tthe White House revealed that US plans to announce a concrete reduction of its emissions for 2020. Read more.
* THE EU DEEMS INSUFFICIENT THE EMISSION TRIMING OFFERED BY OBAMA FOR 2020. The European Union considered that the 17% trimming for 2020 announced by the White House is insufficient, although it admits that they are more ambitious than those contemplated by the EU itself. Read more
* FOOD FIRMS SHOULD TAP OPPORTUNITIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES But the CEO's of the food firms stressed the 'strong commitments' needed by national governments to establish predictable regulatory frameworks. Read more.
* PRICE PITCHED HIGH FOR ORGANICS IN FRANCE Price of organic products sold in France brings the price-organic debate into sharp focus. Read more
* CLIMATIC CHANGE AND THE FORESTS: ¿AN UNCONFORTABLE TRUTH? In future stages forests can turn in CO2 emitters, because the increase of temperatures would increase plant and soil respiration. Read more
* ETHICAL ECONOMIC MODEL SPELLS OPPORTUNITY FOR FOOD FIRMS The suggestion from panelists is that moves into sustainability can help companies thrive in the marketplace. Read more
* THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO FEED THE WORLD Percentage losses of crops to pests before harvest is exactly the same as what was being lost in 1942 before large-scale use of pesticides. Read more
* GREENPEACE: AGRICULTURE AT A CROSSROADS None of the major global challenges ahead will be met without profound and lasting changes of today’s dominant agricultural practices and food policies. Read more
NATIONAL NEWS
* ARGENTINE FRESH ORGANICS TO USA: A&A ORGANIC EXPANDS OFFERINGS FROM SOUTH AMERICA Lots of fresh organic products from Argentina and South America. Read more
* BIODIVERSITY FOUNDATION (FUNDACIÓN BIODIVERSIDAD) SUPERVISES IN PARAGUAY AND ARGENTINA THE ADVANCES IN THE ENVIRONMENT COOPERATION PROJECTS. Protection of the Atlantic Forest of Alto Paraná and the harmonization between the productive activities of the local communities and the conservation of the Iguazu National Park. Read more
* ARGENTINA IN BIOFACH JAPAN AND NATURAL EXPO 2009 The country pavilions from Austria, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and – for the first time – France also created a strong impression. Read more
* LAUNCHED THE ARGENTINE WEEK IN BEIJING, CHINA. Celebrated in the only Argentine restaurant in Beijing. Read more
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
* CONDOLENCES Vivien Hodgkins, partner of Rod May, NASAA President and appreciated colleague and personal friend, died tragically in the Samoan tsunami. We extend our most sincere condolences to Rod.
* CLEARING A PATH FOR SUSTAINABLE TRADE: GLOBAL ORGANIC MARKET ACCESS PROJECT STEPS FORWARD IFOAM informed of a new project with its partners, FAO and UNCTAD, to continue working on organic trade simplification with respect to standards and regulatory requirements. Read more * FIRST ASSEMBLY OF THE INTER-AMERICAN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE COMMISSION (CIAO). Will gather the competent authorities of the 15 countries of the Americas to contribute with the development of the organic activity in the countries of the region and facilitate Trade. Read more
* US: GOOD SEASON FOR ORGANICS The economic crisis has had an effect on business but things are going better into the holidays this year than last. Read more
* US: FIRST AND ONLY ORGANIC RESEARCHER AT A.R.S. The position was created about eight years ago to be based on California's Central Coast. Read more
* USA: SENATE PANEL APPROVES FOOD SAFETY BILL The approval was welcomed by a host of consumer and industry groups. Read more
* HOLLAND: NEW MARKETING CONCEPT FOR SPECIALIST ORGANIC STORES IN THE NETHERLANDS After the recycled store reopened, the number of customers rose by just under 20 % from 3,000 to 3,500 a week, and they are anticipating a further rise of 10 % over the next 12 months. Read more
* MÉXICO: ORGANIC AGRICULTURE GROWS BETWEEN 20 AND 25% The country has over 120,000 organic producers. Read more
* LATIN AMERICA: ADVANCES IN PARTICIPATIVE CERTIFICATION The Latin American PGS Forum was founded with one representative from each country present in the meeting, to promote PGS in each country and link them at an international level. Read more
* NZ: SAMOA’S AGRICULTURE MINISTRY WELCOMES ORGANIC PRODUCE VENTURE Samoa’s agriculture ministry says growing organic produce is a good option for families having to rebuild their livelihoods after the tsunami. Read more
* Wind power supplied 50% of demand and that day was the leading electricity source in Spain. Read more
* PERU: FAIR TRADE PILOT PROGRAM SYSTEM IN TEXTILE CLUSTER This is the first experience of a multilateral financial organization and a government body to implement the Fair Trade System in the Peruvian textile and clothing sector. Read more
* COMMENTS ON ORGANIC CHINA EXPO (OCEX). The Fifth Organic China Expo Beijing 2009 showed organic foods as well as textile products and natural and organic cosmetics. Read more
GMOS, hormones, nanotechnology, and not accepted Technologies
* BRASIL APPROVES CULTIVATION OF ANOTHER TWO GM CORNS They are MIR162 and Bt11xGA21, both from Syngenta. Read more
* UK: CONSUMERS WANT BETTER GM LABELING; REPORT Consumers think labels should flag all GM processes in foods; the report raises implications for the FSA in terms of information, communication, labelling and regulation. Read more
* FRANCE: CLOSE TO A DEFINITION OF “WITHOUT GMO” The ministers in charge of the dossier announced that the government will prepare a decree draft defining the labeling of the products in the “without OGM” chain in order to allow consumers and producers to have a free choice. Read more
* FSA ANNOUNCES GM STEERING GROUP MEMBERS The FSA named the group group that will manage the forthcoming consumer dialogue work on genetic modification (GM) in food. Read more
* AUSTRALIA: FOUR MAJOR FOOD BRANDS WILL AVOID GMOS In Australia foods aren’t required to declare GM on labelling, and consumers end up unwittingly consuming GMOs; their options are food guides or look for certified organic alternatives. Read more
* EXPOSURE TO NANO TITANIUM DIOXIDE COULD UP CANCER RISK, SAYS STUDY In addition to warning against occupational exposure, the study, warns against the ingestion of food additives and spray-on sun screens with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Read more
* NEW STUDY SHOWS INCREASE USE OF AGROCHEMICALS IN THE USA AFTER 13 YEARS OF GM. Explosion in the use of agrochemicals in the US linked to the massive introduction of GM crops and the appearance of herbicide resistant weeds based on glyphosate. Read more
TECHNICAL NEWS
* PRODUCTION OF MILKS WITH FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Through strategic feeding of dairy cows and goats it is possible to obtain milk with natural aterogenic power. Read more
* PARTICIPATORY GUARANTEE SYSTEMS The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) has just published a study titled “Organic Farming in Brazil - Participatory certification and local markets for sustainable agricultural development”. Read more
* ITALY: PROJECT BIOBIO BEGINS European Project for the development of biodiversity indicators within organic production systems in low input farms. Read more
EXHIBITIONS, CONGRESSES, COURSES
* CHRISTMAS ORGANIC FAIR Mapo andl Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires announce the CHRISTMAS ORGANIC FAIR with the exhibition and tasting of a wide variety of nuts, deserts, cookies and champagne, everything for the Christmas table. Read more
* RURAL TOURISM: 11th. Promotion of the Post Graduate Course of Rural Tourism Advanced Management. Celebrating ten years of rural tourism in the School of Agriculture of the University of Buenos Aires. Read more
* VIDEOCONFERENCE: "Sustentability in Organic Production in California” By Ron Strochlic, Executive Director of California Institute of Rural Studies, Davis, Ca. (arosol@minagri.gob.ar) Read more
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