Organic & Fair Trade News

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chocolate lovers in growing numbers are discovering how to pander to their addiction and simultaneously help the environment by buying organically certified chocolate.

With $70 million in annual sales, organic chocolate is a tiny part of the estimated $6 billion U.S. market, but like organic coffee, it's rapidly becoming mainstream, said Chris Samuel, spokesman for Green & Black's USA Inc., at the 9th Annual New York Chocolate Show on Friday.

Organic chocolate industry revenue is growing by 40 percent a year, with Green & Black's controlling about 20 percent of the U.S. market, Samuel said.

"Taste is what started it but the press on health benefits has stimulated more interest in the natural organic market," Samuel said. "Now there is an explosion of interest."

Large and small chocolate companies are following the organic wave. A unit of Hershey Co. (NYSE:HSY - news), maker of Hershey's Kisses and Reese's peanut butter cups, purchased Oregon-based Dagoba Organic Chocolate in October.

Hershey's move followed the acquisition by British-based Cadbury Schweppes (CBRY.L) of Green & Black's in May 2005.

Jeff Shepherd, chocolatier and owner of Oregon-based Lillie Belle Farms, started offering organic chocolate, some flavored with berries, four years ago. Selling from the trunk of his car he made $500 his first year. He has since opened a small factory that generated gross revenues of $400,000 in 2006, and he estimates he will do $1 million in 2007.

"People are starting to pay attention to what they put into their bodies," Shepherd said. "And they also look at the little organic treats they put into their bodies."

While most consumers focus on taste and health, manufacturers also point out the environmental benefits.

Made from cocoa grown in sustainable rain forests, free of herbicides and pesticides, and purchased from farmers who receive guaranteed prices under fair trade agreements, organic chocolate helps protect the environment, proponents say.

Organic chocolate costs more. A one-and-a-half-ounce (43 g) bar of Shepherd's chocolate is about $2.50 compared with less than $1 for a regular chocolate bar from a corner store or vending machine.

Shepherd is undergoing the organic certification process and will spend an initial $7,000 for approval and then annual fees.

ECOSAFE PRODUCTS provides unique biodegradable non-polluting colloid-active cleaning products for home and industry.  Thier products do not contain any detergents or harmful chemicals.

Our products are certified, registered, or  licensed by:

* California State Water Resources Control Board

* United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

* United States Navy

*State of California Department of Fish and Game

* State of California Department of Health Services

Our products are non-fuming, non-toxic, people safe, ecologically safe, environmentally safe, non-hazardous and non- flammable.

Organic food offers many benefits, which is why so many people are switching to all organic diets. Organic basically means food that is grown or raised without the use of artificial chemicals such as pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. Organic food tends to be more flavorful and of a higher nutritional content. Those seeking to lose weight are often drawn to organic food for this reason, given the fact that one can receive more nourishment from smaller portions of organic food.

Organic is also connected to concepts of sustainability and environmentally conscious practices. Organic meat, for example, should always be "free range." Free range food refers to animal livestock such as chickens, turkeys or cows which are raised in humane and natural conditions. Free range and organic go hand in hand. For example, it is mostly the confined quarters that makes the use of antibiotics on animals necessary, because of the high occurance of disease that arises in these conditions. Free range allows for the use of only organic feed to nurture the animals.

 

Organic-Fair-Trade.com strives for transparency regarding the production of all of the goods sold or promoted on this website. We do not believe that a product must be "certified" organic or fair trade in order to be a consciously- and responsibly- produced product. However, we do feel that it is important that we make this type of information clearly visible, in order to allow our customers to make an informed decision.

The following explains the meaning behind the various designations we apply to products on this website:

• Certified Organic: In order for a product sold in the United States to be listed as "certified organic," it must be approved as such by at least one private or state organization designated by the U.S.D.A. Basically, certification involves adhering to certain standards such as sustainable soil practices. "Certified Organic foods" are minimally processed to maintain the integrity of food without artificial ingredients or preservatives. Certified organic requires the rejection of synthetic agrochemicals, irradiation and genetically engineered foods or ingredients. Farms wishing to become certified must submit to annual inspections, in which the farms compliance will be evaluated. It is something like the mixture between an IRS audit and a health code inspection.


• Eco-Friendly: Eco-Friendly is a term used on Organic-Fair-Trade.com to describe goods that, to the best of our knowledge are produced with significant attention being paid to the short- and long-term environmental consequences of the product, thoughtfully considered from the production to the disposal phase. The use of synthetic chemicals should be minimal to non-existent.


• Certified Fair Trade (TM): Unlike organic food certification, there is no government body assigned with the task of adapting standards with regard to designation of fair trade upon goods such as food, clothing or other handicrafts. The Certified Fair Trade (TM) logo is the work of a private non-profit which seeks to establish such standards and communicate them to the market by use of branding. The presence of this logo does say something about the social consciousness of the producers as well as the importers-however, as producers must pay the cost to maintain this certification, it is not always practical for smaller production facilities. Even more so than in the case with organic, there are many products produced in "fair" conditions that are not officially designated as such.


• Worker-Friendly: Term used by Organic-Fair-Trade.com to designate items that have been independently verified to be produced in conditions which respect the autonomy and the equality of all people involved in every aspect of the production, culminating in the setting of prices. Those working in a "worker-friendly" production facility are understood to be earning a living wage, in safe conditions, working for a reasonable amount of time each week.

Holy Lamb Organics offers a unique line of natural bedding products. They feature all organic cotton fabric and pure wool fill instead of synthetics or down. In business since 2000, they are a women-owned operation located in Olympia, Washington.

The goal is to provide a high quality product using only the finest materials possible, to institute efficient and ecological practices, and to provide a high level of customer service to
exceed your expectations.

                       "No dyes, no chemicals,
                   No synthetic fill and

Making the decision to start commiting your life to an organic lifestyle is a big one.

Today almost every product that is produced non-organically has an organic counterpart that you could begin replacing in your home. From the kitchen to the bathroom, there are so many options for organic products that you should never be without supply.

So, why go organic? Why should you begin replacing your tried and true household products and foods for a brand that produces it organically? There are more than plenty of reasons why this is the choice your family needs for a healthy future.

The reason the term “organic” was even coined has been to represent a type of product, intially foods, that were produced without using any synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides. It was just over fifty years ago that it was uncommon to have fruits, vegetables and even meat that was put on the dinner table that was not “organically” raised and prepared, however at that time, it was the norm and there was not a need for such a term.

Today, due to the immense amount of modification we do to most anything natural, we must separate our “processed” foods and our “organic” foods. Our very fast-paced, immediate gratification driven society now requires foods that need to be modified to also fit our schedule, therefore the nutrional value which our natural bodies require has slowly diminished. Our fruits and veggies now contain just as much chemical as they do vitamin and this is what our children and ourselves comsume daily unless we have made the choice not to.

It doesn't take an expert to see that the rise in cancer rates, heart disease as well as many psychological disorders have sky rocketed over this same amount of time. The scary thing is that it seems as though we are now putting the extra money into medications to treat these side affects rather than countering them with healthier lifestyle choices. The choice for you and your family to go organic can be your first step in actively pursuing a more conscious way of keeping your bodies clean.

There are endless benefits to going organic. When you decide to start buying organic products you also choose to protect your family's health. The conventional farming methods used today require the use of various pesticides to insure that many aspects of the way a food “looks” and how long it lasts once it hits the produce stands is beyond natural expectation.

Out of the 28 most commonly used pesticides used in everyday conventional practices, it is proven that 23 of them are carcinogenic, which means they are highly likely to cause a cancer of some sort. The going statistic, according to the National Academy of Sciences, for pesticide related cancer deaths is around 20,000 a year not to mention the amount of newly forming cancers we are learning of every day. The fact that the standard regulations for any product associated with the label “organic” must be free of such pesticides alone is enough to make the switch.

Another aspect associated with the pesticides and herbicides being used is the manner in which they effect our water supply. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pesticides contaminate the groundwater in at least 38 states. This means that over half of the countries waterways, which are our primary source of drinking water are filled with pollutants that are very harmful to our bodies. No wonder three out of four households today own some sort of water filtration device or system for their families.

The one thing most of these sytems (unless it is set to run through every water outlet in the home, as some are) will not be able to provide you with is uncontaminated water that you can cook your vegetables in, soak your rice in, and give your child a bath in.

Furthermore, the majority of these low budget priced filters and systems tend to contaminate the water even moreso if not properly cleaned on a very regular basis, which is only outlined in the very tiny print on the packaging for the system itself, if outlined at all.

So as the current water supply becomes more contaminated with these pesticides, and this is the water in which we recycle to be used again and again, the potential for the amount of toxic chemicals contained in our drinking water is abundant. The sooner we begin to clean up our water, the sooner we can clean up our own health. If not for ourselves then for the future of our children's children.

If these toxic chemicals make it into our water supply and create such hazards, how is it you think they get there? They are constanttly being absorbed into the soil. This causes the soil to ultimately disintegrate and erode at a more rapid pace than it would if it were treated organically. Organic practices are geared towards aiding and protecting the quality of the soil in order to sustain it's health and stability.

There is so much effort and consciousness put into maintaining an organic farm. A farmer that chooses to grow his produce organically is well aware of the amount of time and work it takes to support such practices. Generally, organic farms are run and operated by a family working with less than 100 acres. This is literally their lives work, putting their blood, sweat and tears into creating foods that they are convinced are better for the health of their community.

Supporting these farmers helps to encourage our economy here in the United States and secure a workforce and lifestyle for future generations.

It should not fail to be mentioned that as the soil and water supply maintains a balanced, natural state while producing food the wildlife and foliage all around it does as well. All together it is a system working harmoniously to create the most balanced ecosystem possible.

With all of this hard work put into growing and maintaining such healthy crops it is no wonder that once it gets to your table the taste you experience is beyond par! There has been no processing with unnatural chemicals to interfere with the texture, moisture and nutrition, leaving you with a product full of flavor and health benefits!

These are just a few reasons why the choice to go organic can be such a healthy one for you and your family. It seems that America is beginning to catch on to the benefits of organic foods and products.

The estimated annual growth rate has been rising between 20-24 percent each year since 1998 and is expected to continue to grow at this rate throughout the next decade. The reason is supply and demand. The higher the demand, the more the supply will be made affordable and accessible. Fot the first time in generations our economy is affording itself to be consious consumers.

Call it the rise of obesity, cancer or heart disease in the past twenty years or simply just an elevation in consiousness but we are certainly moving towards creating a more healthy lifestyle for our families.

Help support your health, your economy and our earth by going organic one step at a time. Each step in a better direction.

Here in America, the average household has the choice and blessing of sitting down to nice meal with our families. A meal that is generally well balanced by most standards and quite possibly followed by dessert. Even if you are considered to be within a lower financial bracket this is still fairly normal. This however, is not the case in many other countries.

Most of the food that we put on our tables has been grown and raised by farmers in other countries who cannot make enough money to feed their own families. The lack of immediate access to a market place, high market prices and weak organizational business skills often leave them selling their crops for less than it takes to produce them.

This ultimately creates a cycle of debt and poverty that reigns over the innumerable hours put into reaching often unreachable goals. More often than not, to help with the heavy work load children are expected to not attend school in order to tend to the crops.

These farmers and their families are not only left without a profit to improve their health and financial status but their farmland continuously goes without being properly improved upon. There is also no money to put into learning and practicing sustainable methods for the life of their crops. Leaving the very children that dedicate their lives to this land no insurance that it will be producing when they are old enough to take it over.

It seems only fair to offer these individuals the same respect that we want for ourselves. To recognize their value as not just human beings but also those that are working very hard to make their way in life.

By making the decision to support Fair Trade and buy certified products you are helping to invest in the life of these farmers and their families. Once a farmer begins receiving fair price for his crops, he is then able to gain more access to the outside markets. This in effect, allows him to eventually rise above poverty and reep the benefits of his crops and land.

If you believe that we are all created equal and are subject to the same treatment as we would ask for ourselves then make the choice to buy fair trade. Just look for the label to ensure that it is a qualified fair trade product and put your money where your mouth is.

Over the past decade the rise of information about the benefits of organic food has driven a lot of people to buying organic products for their homes. It is no surprise to know that farmers who also dedicate themselves to crops other than food are taking the effects of organic farming very seriously as well.

It is reported that cotton crops are the 2nd largest user of agricultural pesticides in the world. Only second to coffee internationally and to corn here in the United States. This means that 25% of the world's insecticides and 10% of the world's pesticides are dedicated to cotton.

Even scarier than this is the fact that at least four of the top nine pesticides used in treating this cotton is considered by the EPA to be highly carcinogenic. These are cyanide, dicofol, naled and propargite.

The problem is that when the crops are sprayed it is estimated that only 25% of those chemicals actually get absorbed into the plant. The rest is drifting up to miles and settling on crops that we eat and into water that is a drinking source for humans and animals.

On top of this, there is also the problem that in time the insects that these chemicals are supposed to repel are becoming immuned to these synthetics. This requires that more be dumped onto the plant in attempt to produce the highest yield possible. So, ironically all of these chemicals are doing nothing more that contaminating the human food chain and the wildlife that is ingesting them.

Organic cotton is grown on land that is certified to be free from any pesticide, insecticide  and defoliants for at least three years. The farmers maintain their crops using time-old methods of crop rotation, cover crops, beneficial insects and human labor (not to mention organic fertilizers) to care for their plants. This not only assures them safer working conditions but also safer products for those who enjoy them.

The solution to the problems conventional cotton farming presents is to support organic practices. For the benefit of the workers. For the benefit for our environment. For the benefit of yourself and your family.  I once read that, "you should never put anything on your skin that you would not put in your mouth," with all of these unsettling facts about toxic chemicals, I can definetely see where this person was coming from.

After spending over 18 years in the gourmet coffee industry, Thom Fuhrmann believes he has found the perfect combination of the finest certified fair trade organic coffees and the ultimate roasting process. Monkey and son utilizes a Northern German style of roasting that involves “smoking” and then air-cooling the beans at the end of the roast. This “smoking” step, allows the beans to linger in their own aroma, recapturing much of the flavor and aroma released during the roasting.

 Just as importantly, they have the peace of mind in knowing that all of their coffees are grown without chemicals or pesticides and the growers of these fine coffees are being fairly compensated. All of our coffees are 100% certified fair trade organic.

    

The Wholefood Farmacy opened for business in March 2003 with a mission to supply healthy, convenient, whole food based meals & snacks, non-toxic personal care items, and to educate the public regarding a preventative based lifestyle. 

Over the past century, we have seen enormous advances in medical technology. We now have more doctors, more pharmaceutical medicines, and more hospitals than ever before. We also have the sickliest generation of Americans in history.  The number one culprit: THE AMERICAN DIET.

The processed food and fast food industries are serving it up, Americans are gulping it down, and wide spread obesity and chronic disease is the result. From there, the masses are driven into the "waiting hands" of the highly profitable pharmaceutical industry. We're offered pills that alleviate our symptoms while the simple underlying causes are ignored.  What incentive does the pharmaceutical industry have to focus on prevention?  If disease rates decreased, so would their profits.  

The ingredients to health, happiness, vitality, and longevity are no secret.  Every major non-profit health organization in the world has been offering the same advice for many years.  Eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water, exercise on a daily basis, lose weight if you need to, don't smoke, avoid toxins, & reduce stress.

To that end, they have combined delicious, healthy foods, with convenience and affordability.

                                                                        

                                             

Natural Zing, is a company dedicated to feeding the mind, body and spirit. Through two decades of research and consulting with numerous nutritionists and vegetarian specialists they have gathered the best products to develop your natural energy and health, your natural zing. 

In Natural Zing's Market they sell organic food, raw food, vegetarian food and vegan food as well as related chef's tools and personal care products, only the healthiest products for you and the Earth. Natural Zing specialize in raw foods, living food, vegan food, organic foods and other products to promote health, including personal care, juicers and kitchen equipment. Their products and resources meet the needs of various dietary and lifestyle choices.

Natural Zing uses 100% recycled paper for its office and printers (e.g. receipts, packing slips, letters and shipping documents). Natural Zing recycles boxes and uses mainly corn based water soluble green packing materials.

Natural Zing gets its electricity from a 100% Green Bio-Mass generation facility. This is offered via Electric Choice through Pepco Wash DC.

Natural Zing uses a diesel VW which will be converted to bio-diesel, see http://www.greasecar.com for more information. They are taking steps to get off the grid in every way we can.

Natural Zing employees love and prefer to wear hemp clothing, shoes and accesories. They believe in living by example and voting with our dollars. Lift your spirit with hemp.

Founded in 1999 by Densie Obermeyer, Obermeyer Naturals is a family owned and operated business based in Minnesota. They create pure, safe and gentle, organic bath products that nurture your skin and respect the environment.

Each product ingredient list  is short and natural. There are no harsh chemicals, toxins, detergents, animal products or by-products, or artificial ingredients, colors or fragrances in any of our products. And, they don't test on animals.

Since Denise's first organic soap formulas -- Lavender Fields and Mint Garden -- their product line has grown to include a full range of bar soap scents, bath and shower gels, bath salts, aromatherapy misters and bath accessories.