Organic News, Events, Certification Updates, Member Profiles and More! MAGAZINE www.ccof.org Winter 2010 CertifiedCertified OrganicOrganic Change from the Ground Up: Organic farming as a solution to global warming IN THIS ISSUE: $4.95 Member Spotlight Tips for Exporting Certification Updates Organic News ISSN 1940-8870 ® ®® BioFlora biological solutions take crop yields to the next BioFlorBioFloraa nurturesnurtures level—naturally. Synthetic fertilizers alone can’t thethe partnershippartnership create the microbially diverse soils needed to maximize yields and achieve the highest profits. betweenbetween cropscrops Maximum crop yields always come from fertile, bio-active, carbon-rich soils. andand soil.soil. The world’s best soil fertility programs start with BioFlora® biological solutions, which are scientifically formulated to create microbially diverse soils, increase soil humus, and add carbon-rich organic acids. BioFlora® products create bio-active soils that stimulate microbe proliferation — converting soil organic matter into plant-available forms and storing nutrients and moisture for plant use. Highest yields come from this symbiotic relationship between soils and plants. The reciprocal arrangement between crops and soil results in increased crop production, improved synthetic fertilizer conversion, and long-range soil fertility. Contact BioFlora® and create the perfect partnership today. E-mail: [email protected] Toll-Free: 1-888-bioflora Web: www.bioflora.com 16121 W. Eddie Albert Way Goodyear, Arizona 85338 14902 04.23.09 Global Organics Final 2009 CCOF Certified Organic Mag 1 Dave/Brian Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Printed Printed Color Color MAGAZINE CCOF Inc. CCOF Certification Contents BoardCertified of Services, LLC Organic Directors Management Committee First Words 4 Emily Brown Rosen Will Daniels, Letter to the Editor 5 Chair/Treasurer Ron Enomoto Member News 6 Malcolm Ricci, Karen Klonsky, Ph.D. Vice Chair Peggy Miars Member Spotlight 8 Stephanie Alexandre, Sean Swezey, Ph.D. In The News 10 Secretary CCOF Foundation Change from the Ground Up 12 Grant Brians Board of Trustees Exporting Organic 21 Allen Harthorn Certification News 24 Steve Koretoff Cathy Holden, Chair Shawn Harrison, Vice Chair Education & Promotion 26 Cindy Lashbrook Cindy Lashbrook, Secretary Advocacy 29 Neal MacDougall Jim Zeek, Treasurer Carl Rosato Film Review 32 Monte Black Claudia Smith Member Listings 34 Allen Harthorn Paul Underhill Classified Ads 41 Events Calendar 42 Magazine Production: Editor-in-Chief: Peggy Miars ([email protected]) Publisher: CCOF, Inc. Jane Baker ([email protected]) “Certified Organic” is published quarterly by CCOF and serves Production Manager: Bridgett McGrath CCOF’s diverse membership base and others in the organic Writers: Matt Auerbach, Elizabeth Barba, Megan Heskett, community including consumers and affiliated businesses. Letters Tim LaSalle, Jake Lewin, Bridgett McGrath, Peggy Miars, to the editor should be sent to [email protected]. CCOF reserves Claudia Reid, John Taylor, Rosemary Quinn, Sarah Watters the right to edit or omit submissions and letters received. Eric Fraser (Group Leader), and Kurt West (Design/Production). Feature Article: Advertising Sales: Eric Fraser, Teamworkx llc, Soil health plays a vital role in mitigat- (707)921-6152, [email protected]. ing climate change and developing policies that work towards a healthy environment and food system. New Leaf Paper has provided us with Researcher and organic spokesman, an ecologically sane and cost-effective Tim LaSalle, Executive Director of the magazine. This edition of Certified Organic Rodale Institute, lays out what needs is printed on New Leaf Sakura Silk 71# to be done to protect our planet. text, which is made from 100% de-inked Read the full article on page 12. recycled fiber, processed chlorine free, and designated Ancient Forest Friendly. Interested in writing for “Certified Organic”? Learn more at www.newleafpaper.com. Please contact [email protected] ISSN 1940-8870 © CCOF 2010 CCOF Certified Organic Magazine—Winter 2010 3 First Words COF’s board, keen interest in climate change and acreage and in number of certified Ccommittees, its impact on agriculture. We know operations. Since implementation and staff have been that organic farmland sequesters more of the National Organic Program in busy working on carbon than non-organic land and that 2002, CCOF has seen overall growth several certification healthy organic soil holds water more of nearly 400% in organic acreage and policy matters at efficiently than non-organic soil, result- and more than 127% in certified the state and fed- ing in less water and nutrient runoff. operations! You’ll find more interest- eral level. New NOP Read Tim LaSalle’s feature article begin- ing statistics like this in CCOF’s 2010 Deputy Administrator Miles McEvoy ning on page 12. Tim’s article directly Organic Directory and Resource Guide, has produced a number of draft policies leads in to CCOF’s Annual Convention which was mailed together with this and guidance documents for certifiers. in February, where he will give the key- magazine to all CCOF members. Be sure to read the Certification and note speech on “Healthy Soils, Healthy I anticipate that 2010 will continue Advocacy columns on pages 24 and 29 Food” and where CCOF members can to be a tight year for CCOF and for for an overview of the issues. continue this important discussion. the organic marketplace overall. Our CCOF has embarked on its stra- If you export organic products, strategic plan is designed to guide tegic planning process to determine you’ll want to read John Taylor’s tips our work and is flexible enough to our future direction. CCOF’s current on exporting organic on page 21. As allow us to make changes based on strategic plan runs from 2008 through more countries develop their own internal needs and external forces 2010. This new plan will address independent organic standards, it’s criti- impacting organic. I’ll continue to CCOF’s activities in 2011 and be- cal for you to stay on top of changing report on our strategic plan as it’s yond. CCOF members will have an regulations and requirements to ensure developed. Please feel free to contact opportunity to give input to this plan that your organic goods get to their me at [email protected] with your ques- during our Annual Meeting on February destination with minimal challenges. tions, comments, and suggestions. 6th. See page 42 for more details. CCOF’s growth slowed during 2009, As a member of the Executive when poor economic conditions finally Committee of the California Climate caught up with us. Even so, CCOF still and Agriculture Network, I have a experienced growth of 8% in organic CCOF Executive Director From OMRI listed fertilizers and pest control to organic cover crop seed, our prices just got even better for farmers. Since 1976, farmers have trusted us to get them everything they need grow organically at the very best prices. This year, we are happy to roll out a new program that goes even further. Substantiate that you’re a larger commercial farm and we’ll show you the very best prices available on our vast product line. PMS 463 PMS 576 Since 1976 Call Hope at x100 or email [email protected] for more info. (888) 784-1722 Grow Organic... For Life! GrowOrganic.com 4 CCOF Certified Organic Magazine—Winter 2010 Letter to the Editor This letter was received in response to the First Words and Advocacy columns in the Summer 2009 edition of “Certified Organic” magazine that referenced the work CCOF had been doing to reform and improve the California State Organic Program on behalf of our members. Nov. 2, 2009 Dear CCOF Magazine: Your recent update on the State Organic Program gives Organic Program (NOP). The NOP to my mind is much me the opportunity to respond to your thoughts. No matter better equipped to do this job. It was created to police how many reforms you make, the point is that this pro- the organic world. And it has money and law behind it to gram is a total waste of our time and money. Every year fulfill its mission. we all dutifully fill out the State’s time-consuming forms, So why I ask you are we duplicating this function? I have send them money, and get “registered”. In some strange repeatedly asked CCOF to help the organic farmers GET twist of fate, the state then sends back most of this money RID OF THIS USELESS ADDITIONAL COSTLY BUR- about 6 months later because they wish to help organic DEN. I for one am tired of replicating information, and farmers. sending money to the state so they can refund it to us. And what exactly does the State Registration program Our State is in sad shape. I am sure they would be happy do for organic growers? Is it supposed to keep fraudulent to let this program go. After all, it must make very little, farmers from selling their goods to the unsuspecting pub- what with cutting those checks to send back to us every lic? Are they supposed to be some kind of advocate for year… I have no desire to repair this program; that is not us? No one really seems to know what they do, EXCEPT the action we need. that you, as a grower, are obligated to become registered with the State, before you can be certified organic. Actu- I ask the membership to help the Southwest Chapter ally I once asked Mr. Greene (the recently retired direc- to encourage CCOF to repeal this taxpayer’s waste of tor) HOW MANY people were processed under the State money. And think of the time we would all save, (not to program. That year he told me that at least ONE… mention money). I further ask CCOF to put this on the agenda for the Annual meeting in winter. It needs a thor- Does anyone think that ONE farmer is worth an entire ough discussion.