www.ofa.org.au
IN THIS ISSUE
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| OFA Board Member Presents at Sustainable Agriculture Conference in China |
In September OFA board member, Andre Leu, presented a keynote
presentation at The Second International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture
for Food, Energy and Industry in Beijing, China. The focus of his speech was
to show that organic agriculture is the most sustainable of our current agricultral
systems. About 400 scientists and researchers from around the world attended
the conference. The main organisers were the Food and Agriculture Organisation
of the United Nations (FAO), The International Council for Sustainable Agriculture(ICSA)
and the Institute of Botany, Chinese Acadamy of Sciences (IBCAS).
Following is an extract of his presentation. The full presentation can
be found here.
Introduction
According to a study from the University of California, agriculture will be a major driver of global environmental change over the next 50 years, rivaling the effect of greenhouse gases in its impact. "The global impact of agriculture will be at least as great as climate change," writes lead author David Tilman, a visiting researcher at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the University of California at Santa Barbara
The study authors believe that the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as well as habitat destruction have caused a major extinction event and predict that this trend will continue to lower the world's biodiversity and change its ecology.
"Neither society nor most scientists understand the importance of agriculture,"
said David Tilman. "It's grossly misunderstood, barely on the radar screen,
yet it is likely as important as climate change." He stated "We have
to find wiser ways to farm." Tilman (2001)
Numerous studies around the world have found that organic agricultural systems
are the most environmentally sustainable and have the least off farm impact
of our current agricultural systems. These studies show, due to not using soluble
fertilizers, building high soil humus content and soil conservation techniques,
that there is minimal soil and nutrient run off from organic farms. Reganold
(2001), Zimmer (2000), Drinkwater, (1998) Welsh (1999).
A long term study conducted by the Washington State University, published in
the science journal Nature, showed that the total environmental impact of conventional
farming systems was 6.2 times higher than organic systems. In other words conversion
to organic agriculture would see a greater than 500% improvement to the environment.
That is a spectacular result and for this reason alone, governments around the
world should be actively encouraging all farmers to convert to organic agriculture.
Reganold (2001)
The full presentation can be found here.
| Researcher Warns Against Altering Foods |
From ABC News Online www.abc.net.au
Tuesday October 15, 2002
Research Backs Need to Eat Your Greens
A food researcher says the strong taste of certain vegetables, such as broccoli
and brussels sprouts, could be a powerful guard against certain types of cancer.
A gastro-enterology conference in Adelaide has been told that moves to manipulate
the taste of some vegetables to make them more appealing could destroy their
cancer-fighting benefits.
Professor Ian Johnson from the Institute of Food Research in the United Kingdom
says vegetables contain enzymes which detoxify carcinogenic chemicals in the
body.
Professor Johnson says scientists have also identified a strong chemical in
vegetables belonging to the brassica family which can kill pre-cancerous cells.
"They are precisely the same chemicals that give them the characteristic
flavour, so if we choose those vegetables which don't have such a strong flavour,
or if we produce varieties of that type, then we may be modifying these protective
effects in ways we don't really understand," he said.
Professor Johnson says vegetables are beneficial in ways that scientists are
yet to discover.
"There's a whole range of compounds in these fruits and vegetables,"
he said.
"But I think we're all agreed that eating a high level of fruits and vegetables
is a very effective way of preventing cancer."
| New Coalition Formed to 'Keep Victoria GE Free' |
A group of interested people from around Victoria met in Melbourne on October 5th to plan a strategy to make Genetic Engineering a state election issue. A loose organisation called Keep Victoria GE Free was formed to coordinate the movement. The convener of the group is Gill Rosier of Bendigo.
The aim is get the Victorian government to exercise its right to bring in a 5 year moratorium on the commercial release of GE crops. Under the (federal) Gene Technology Act 2000 each State and Territory has the power to determine whether GE crops can be commercially released in that state or Territory.
The (federal) Gene Technology Regulator is currently considering the application by Monsanto to commercially release GE canola next year. If the Regulator approves the application, and the Victorian government has no objection the crops will be released in February 2003. There is not much time. The Victorian government can stop this release. Our job is to make sure that it does.
Each region of Victoria will set up a Keep Victoria GE Free action group leading up to the Victorian elections which are likely to be called for late November or early December. The role of these groups will be to:
We are writing to you to urge you and your members to initiate a Keep Victoria GE Free group in your area, or become involved in an existing group.
Alan Broughton & John Liddicoat
Organic Agriculture Association, 25 Princes Highway, Bairnsdale 3875
Phone 5156 8547 (AH), 5156 5546, 5152 2276 (BH)
egoaa@hotkey.net.au
Keep in contact with the Coordinator of Keep Victoria GE Free:
Gill Rosier,
Phone 5435 3669
Email: grosier@origin.net.au
| OFA Now Presents 'The Organic Marketplace' |
After a long wait, the much anticipated Organic Marketplace is now available on the OFA website. Through co-operation with the Organic Super Site and Greentrade.net, we are pleased to be presenting this highly accessible trade service that carries so much potential for our industry. Traders can now go on to the web and view hundreds of offers to buy and sell, from only certified organic traders, locally, regionally, and globally. The offers are categorised into product groups for ease of use, and viewing the listings is free.
At present all the listings to buy and sell can be viewed at the site, and registration to present your own offers will be available very soon. The Organic Marketplace is a completely transparent listing facility - all available information is presented, allowing you to make informed choices when contacting the vendor.
We believe this is an excellent facility for assisting trade connections at
many levels, and we encourage you to become familiar with and periodically visit
these pages. View offers to buy and offers to sell by going to www.ofa.org.au
and following the relevant links. If you would like to learn more about the
Organic Marketplace contact the webmaster at webmaster@ofa.org.au
| Reminder - Australian Organic Industry Directory - Available Now |
The OFA has released the first hard copy edition of the Australian Organic Industry Directory. It has been compiled by OFA with the assistance of several certification bodies, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and other industry affiliates.
At present there are some 2000 listings of certified growers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, plus industry affiliates and organic organisations, in the directory. The basic entries were compiled mainly from the OFA database of current and past members, and from the databases supplied by some certifiers.
Future editions will contain more comprehensive details of growers, products, and services. The current issue is intended to raise revenue for future editions and to be an interim resource to assist trade within the industry.
You can assist OFA in improving the directory for next year by filling in your
details on the form at the back of the directory. Directories are available
for FREE to OFA members and $10 for non-members. For more information, to become
listed, or to update your listing, contact webmaster@ofa.org.au
| Minutes of OFA Annual General Meeting |
The minutes of the OFA AGM are available on the website. To view them click here
|
Horticulture Report - by Horticulture Representative Andre Leu |
This is my first report as the OFA Board Member, representing horticulture so I would like to introduce myself. My name is Andre Leu. I am married with 2 children and farm tropical fruits in Daintree in Far Northern Queensland.
I have been involved in organic agriculture for 30 years. I have been part of a group of people who introduced new tropical crops to Australia and have pioneered many of the techniques to grow them organically in commercial quantities.
My expertise is not confined to tropical horticulture. Over the last 30 years, I have gained an extensive knowledge of many aspects of organic agriculture, from horticulture to broadacre cropping systems. I have visited and examined farming systems across Asia, Europe, North America, South America and North Africa.
I am also a university qualified Adult Educator and have been teaching in the TAFE system for 14 years.
Due to a growing demand for better quality information on commercial organic horticulture, I have helped to develop and present a series of six workshops to teach Queensland farmers best practice organic agriculture. This has been in partnership with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, the Queensland Fruit Vegetable Growers and the Organic Producers Association of Queensland. These workshops, titled ‘Organic Futureprofit’, have been designed for current organic farmers looking to get higher yields and returns and farmers wishing to convert.
The series covers the following topics:
· Soil Health and NutritionThe workshop series have proved to be very popular. They have been presented to hundreds of farmers throughout Queensland from Nambour to Cooktown. Due to the strong demand we ran several workshops series concurrently. Presently, I am working with organic sugar cane growers, advising on and helping to solve various production issues to achieve higher yields.
I can be contacted on leu@austarnet.com.au or 07 4098 7610
Best regards,
Andre Leu
| OFA Website Report - by Co-opted Member and Webmaster Dom O'Brien |
A priority for the OFA this year has been to further develop the website and related services. In May this year I was contracted to take over the role of website maintenance and development on a part time basis, and to provide through the OFA, some of the news and trade services that are available on our own website, the Organic Super Site. There has been much behind the scenes work in getting the OFA site up to date, functioning well, and adding the new facilities, and I am pleased to report some of the progress that has been made.
OFA Newsletter
An important part of my role has been to develop and produce the monthly OFA
newsletter. Communication with the industry is something that we recognise needs
to be improved and the newsletter is one important way that we are doing that.
It is also an resource for members of the industry to distribute company and
product news, or contribute reviews of products and events. This is the fourth
edition and feedback has been encouraging and positive. I welcome your input
into how we can make it the best newsletter for you.
Directory
The Australian Organic Industry Directory was greatly improved, just prior to
my involvement, with the assistance of several certification bodies, the Rural
Industries Research and Development Corporation and other industry affiliates.
The OFA directory exists as an industry wide resource, with around 2000 business
listings. We encourage all members of the industry who are not listed to do
become listed. Either submit an entry at the www.ofa.org.au
or contact me at webmaster@ofa.org.au
for more information. We also strongly encourage listed members to update the
information in their listings as many contain limited information about the
products that you grow or produce.
As a result of this co-operation, the directory is now available in hard copy also (see Industry News above)
News and Trade Services
Most of you will have noticed the new services that are available on the OFA
site. For those who haven't, here is a brief introduction to them.
Advertising
Banner advertising is now available on the OFA website, to raise revenue for
the OFA, and to provide a focused advertising market for the Australian industry.
If you are interested in advertising your business on the OFA site, and in future
in the printed directory, please contact us at webmaster@ofa.org.au
We are working on projects to provide communication facilities for different sections of the industry in Australia, product availability features for consumers, better resources and improved communication with the media, resources for growers markets and local trade networks, and much more.
My role is to continue to improve the effectiveness of the OFA website as a tool for communicating the work that OFA is undertaking and has achieved, and at the same time develop services that support industry communication, trade, and news distribution. I believe there is a long way to go before the OFA site reaches it's potential as a complete organic industry resource, and I am happy to be involved in guiding that process. To exist as an industry body it needs the support of members of the industry, and I appreciate the openness that so many people have shown towards making the OFA website an important industry resource.
I am always happy to hear comments and suggestions that you have about the OFA site. Don't be afraid to put in your two cents worth ! Your ideas may not be able to be put into action immediately given our limited resources but they will be taken on board and could be a seed for future development !
I can be contacted at webmaster@ofa.org.au and on (02) 9523 6134 (usually between 10.00 am and 2.00 pm weekdays). Also at
PO Box 1212
Bondi Junction
NSW 2022
Regards,
Dom O'Brien
| New Vegetarian Restaurant 'Nomu' Opens in Sydney |
Nomu, a new organic vegetarian restaurant opened in October in the beach suburb of Cronulla in Sydney's south. This is the third restaurant that Jeff and Libby Tarrant have owned over the past ten years or so, the first also in Cronulla before they opened a vegetarian restaurant in Berry, NSW. After both of those were successfully developed and sold they have returned to Cronulla where they say there is now a market for both organic and vegetarian cuisine.
In the first two weeks they say business has been excellent, and not surprising given the long list of tempting gourmet treats on the menu. Too many to list but the Tomato Chilli Beans and the Roasted Vegetable Pasta are the first on my list, with an organic apple and grape juice on the side ! Or pehaps you prefer an organic coffee or herbal tea...... . The interior is simple and open with a pleasant atmosphere and just outside is a large park area, very compatible with the organic theme. Afterwards it is just one minute stroll to the beach.
Libby says they experience the usual difficulty in sourcing some fresh produce, but still manage to use over 85% certified organic ingredients, with some herbs and spices coming fresh from their own garden.
Nomu is located at shop 5 Beach Park Arcade, Cronulla, just across from
the train station. make a booking or just turn up.
Phone / fax: 02 9523 1530
Dom O'Brien
Editor
| 1 Year Anniversay for Kabi Organic Golf Farm |
November 1st marked the first anniversary of the Kabi Golf Farm at Boreen Point in Queensland. The golf course, which also produces a range of fruits, nuts, herbs, spices, and native bush tucker, serves light organic meals in the clubhouse, is certified by the BFA. There are 35 acres of golf course and 55 hectares of indigenous flora conservation areas. The course has also developed a waste water program, uses environmentally friendly cleaning products, and has installed composting toilets.
The course was designed by Graham Papworth (Noosa Springs designer) nd features 18 different, challenging par 3 holes, huge fast rolling Bermuda greens, a historic 19th century clubhouse, and orchards. The name Kabi come from the indigenous Kabi-Kabi tribe that once populated the region.
To make a booking or find out more information contact:
Kabi Golf Farm
59 Kabi Road, Boreen Point (via TEWANTIN)
PO Box 1119
TEWANTIN
QLD 4565
TEL: (07) 5485 3494
FAX: (07) 5485 3455
Editor
| Organic Farming Open Day Hosted at Rosnay Organic Farms |
From 'Organic Farming', newsletter for Rosnay Organic Farms
This years October Long Weekend heralded the inaugural Organic Farming Open
Day in the Central West of NSW. Hosted
at Rosnay Organic Farms, at Canowindra, the day showcased the growing organic
movement of farmers and consumers, in a
heartland of intensive agriculture - the Belubula Valley.
On a perfect Spring day, the producers began arriving early, setting up tents
with the ease of regular Farmers
Marketers. Karen and Mark Haeartsch, who grow certified organic herbs and vegetables
at Canowindra and now run the
Cowra Farmers Market, were the first to arrive, with a delicious display of
food for tastings. Like so many other
organic growers, they love this sort of thing - talking to the people off the
street about organic farming.
But the Open Day is different to a Farmers Market. Selling produce is secondary
to the basic acts of meeting, tasting,
talking, relaxing, and appreciating organic food and farming. It's almost the
reverse - farmers going to market
is replaced by consumers coming to the farm. Hosted at Rosnay Organic Farms,
visitors took tours of certified
organic vineyards, olive groves, a market garden, and a strawbale house. All
day long groups were taken on a 2 hour
tour with either Sam or Richard Statham, looking at worms and insects, tasting
herbs fresh from the earth, smelling
the sweetness of good compost...
Over 130 people turned up on the day, many from the local area, and many driving
from Canberra (2.5 hours), Sydney (4
hours), Newcastle (7 hours), and beyond. Entering the Statham family garden,
they were treated by local organic farmers with:
---Boutique organic wine and brine pickled kalamata olives, from the Stathams
and their new partners in the Rosnay
organic farming project, Herb and Jenny Gardner, from Sydney. BFA certified.
"Rosnay", Canowindra, (02) 6344 3215
---Delicious organic vegetables from Rosnay grower Russell Morris... Apart
from the seasonal veg (silverbeet, spring
onions, radish etc etc), the dried chillis were a big hit. BFA Certified. "Rosnay",
Canowindra, 0427 135 197
---Freshly picked organic herbs and veges from Karen and Mark Haeartsch, from
down the road, who brought their
usual, but were also showcasing, for the very first time, their new organic
feta cheese (to die for!) OHGA certified (02) 6344 3261
---Soothing, "spiritually enhanced" Oolong Tea from Jen Shuen Farm.
This Buddhist network of farms produces organic
food for the Australian Buddhist community. The main farm is at Gallston, Western
Sydney, (02) 9653 2702, with a new
one under development at Billimari, near Cowra. An exception to the rule, this
tea is not certified - but if you can't trust your local monk, who can you trust?
---New season, organic asparagus from the rich alluvial soils of Cowra, the
source of Australia's finest asparagus.
William and Rebecca Bennett ran out in the rush for more tastings. BFA certified.
"Raintree", Cowra (02) 6342 9463
---Locally cold pressed mustard oil were tasted, though Kay Wetherall of Yandilla
Mustard Oils could not be with us on
the day. As the mustard crop was grown at Rosnay last year, it was still special!
BFA Certified, "Yandilla", Wallendbeen 6943 2516
---Lamb like we'd never tasted before - spit roasted organic Dorper lamb from
Mark Heinzell. Mark has sheep,
cattle, and winter crops on his beautiful biodynamic farm at Eugowra, and he
even brought a few of his tame, wool-
shedding south african sheep for us to see. BFA Certified. "Kia Ora",
Eugowra 6859 2310
---Natural health supplements, extending the organic movement to health and
lifestyle...We all learnt much from
the healthful insights of Phillip Blowes, who had a range of his natural health
supplements. Yeoval (02) 6846 4152
---Permaculture, cooperative buying and sustainable living was also on show
with members of the Cowra Permaculture
Group, who gained several new members to their new Food Buying Group, which
tries to buy organic wherever possible.
Marion Mitchell, Cowra (02) 63429448
The event was cross promoted with the O'Dea family, of Windowrie Estate, just
5 km from Rosnay. The day after the
Organic Open Day, many people completed their perfect October Long Weekend with
an afternoon of fine wines, jazz
and comedy at the annual "Romance of Vine to Wine", in the O'Dea gardens.
Next year, we hope to have even more people, and more producers, with a wider
selection of the organic foods and
wines from the organic movement of the Central West of NSW. The Statham family
welcomes your input and participation
for next years Organic Farming Open Day, on Saturday October 4, of the October
Long Weekend, 2003. Bookmark the
Rosnay website, for more information about organic farming and other regional
events... www.organicfarms.com.au
| Bowan Island Bakery |
I was highly impressed when I first tasted the Bowan Island fruit loaf. The flavour almost jumps into your mouth and the strong aroma of fruits seeps out of the bag and fill the car as you drive home. The bread is baked using traditional methods, without the use of commercial bread improvers and other additives. Co-owner Richard Wong-See says that they are one of the very few bakers who hand make their bread, and it certainly comes across in flavour. I also receommend their 'Ireland Bread', which the fruit loaf is based on.
David Cummings and Richard Wong-See learned their wholesome, nourishing cooking techniques in the natural surroundings of Bowan Island, of the shores of British Columbia, Canada. Hence the name. They make a range of loaves, pies, pastries, and muffins which are available in their cafe. The breads are also wholesaled to a number of gourmet and organic outlets around Sydney.
All the flour used is certified organic, water is filtered, and other ingredients are carefully selected for their freshness.
You can visit the Bowan Island Bakery Cafe at
183 Victoria Rd Drummoyne
Opening hours: Wednesday through to Sunday 7.30 am to 4.00 pm
Alternatively, call them to find out where the bread retails on 02 9181 3524
| Bathurst Hosts First National Farmers' Market Conference |
Market Forces: Australian Farmers' Market Conference
Across Australia a powerful revolution is taking place led by farmers and food
producers drawn to participate in a network of Farmers' Markets that are popping
up in towns and cities like perpetual spinach.
From 21-23 November 2002, key players, stakeholders and farmers in this movement, will meet in Bathurst for Market Forces the first Australian Farmers' Market Conference.
From Dubbo to Pakenham, from Carnarvon in northwest Australia to Bathurst, from McLaren Vale to Mudgeeraba - in paddocks, showgrounds and parks, farmers are pitching their tents and selling out of trailers piled high with farm-grown produce.
There are now 40 Farmers' Markets trading regularly across Australia, a rapid uptake since the first market was envisaged in 1999.
The inaugural Australian Farmers' Market Conference will provide a forum for participants in this agricultural and community development sector as well as others seeking to break into this successful initiative.
The two-day conference will deliver practical advice on how to start a Farmers' Market, explore the economic development and business incubator options, networking spin-offs, alternative supply chain options and community health and nutrition benefits.
The conference has attracted expert speakers from across Australia and overseas including:
Bernadine Prince - Director of FreshFarm Markets, Washington DC - a benchmark
Farmers' Market organisation posting over US $1 million turnover each season
Ian Thomas - one of New Zealand's biggest free-range egg producers
Jonathan McKeown - Chief Executive of the NSW Farmers' Association
Trevor Sargent - Economic Development Officer for Hastings Council, Port Macquarie
- home of the highly successful Wauchope Farmers' Market.
"This forum is critically timed to facilitate the sustainable growth of Farmers' Markets and will highlight the myriad economic and community benefits that derive from the direct supply of fresh food to consumers," said Jane Adams, Conference Chairperson.
The Conference is expected to attract more than 100 delegates drawn from state and local government, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, food processing and production, food marketing and community health.
The conference has been convened by Bathurst City Council in conjunction with Central Ranges Food and Wine and the support of NSW Department of State and Regional Development, NSW Farmers' Association, Regional Express Airlines and local food and wine producers.
Conference convenor and Bathurst City Councillor Lisa Schofield, said interest in the conference has been very strong.
"We have been overwhelmed by the response from people all over Australia wanting to take part in the event, both as delegates and speakers.
"While still a relatively new phenomenon, the level of interest in the Farmers' Market movement represents an increase in demand from consumers for 'real food' and as such has become a pivotal part of the food chain and key driver in community development, particularly in regional Australia," Cr Schofield said.
"The importance of this conference is also reflected in the support we have achieved from the NSW State government and regional wine and food producers.
"The conference will also provide an opportunity to showcase some of the best food and wine from the Bathurst region and will lead into the Bathurst Farmers' Market on Saturday 23 November at the Showground."
For a full program and registration form for the Australian Farmers' Market Conference go to Bathurst City Council's website http://bathurst.local-e.nsw.gov.au/ and see the special events link on the homepage.
Market Forces: Australian Farmers' Market Conference
21-23 November 2002
Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
Bathurst NSW
For more information:
Jane Adams - Conference Chairperson
Jane Adams Communications
Phone - (02) 9360 9380
Mob - 0417 733 715
Email: jacom@bigpond.net.au
Or
Lisa Schofield - Bathurst City Council
Phone - (02) 6332 4506
Mob - 0419 447 290
Email: lisa.schofield@bathurst.nsw.gov.au
| You will find more OFA and other industry services in the links below. |
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The OFA is the peak industry body for the Australian organic and biodynamic industry. Visit our webpage at www.ofa.org.au , or for organic industry and product enquiries click here . For information or help with this newsletter contact the OFA webmaster at webmaster@ofa.org.au . Feedback is always welcome !
