Writer: Ghana doesn't need frankenfood

Issac Kusi writes in the Ghanian Chronicle that the African country should strengthen its organic farming program and reject the influences of western corporations such as Monsanto, which are championing the use of genetically modified (GM) food. " If a company like Monsanto sets up offices in Africa and promotes GM foods it's a new form of colonization with profits as the ulterior goal," he writes. "Some of the GM seeds have insecticides inserted in them; some of them have identification tags inserted that will enable owners to identify their crops. Is this what we want to eat?"

Read Kusi's opinion piece at AllAfrica.com.

Group helps distribute excess produce

The Grateful Gleaners of Willits, California was organized this summer to help local organic farmers dispose of excess produce that would otherwise go to waste. They distribute the food to organizations who provide for those in need or to those who will process it later.

Read more about the Gleaners at The Willits News.

Hain Celestial post profits for the year

The Melville, New York-based company reported net annual sales of $620 million, up 14 percent from 2004. Net income for the year increased 23 percent to $33 million, from $27 million in 2004. Hain's products include Celestial Seasonings®, Terra Chips®, Garden of Eatin'®, Health Valley®, WestSoy®, Earth's Best® and Arrowhead Mills.

Read more on the company's performance at The Hain Group.

Nature's Path donates food to Katrina victims

Blaine, Washington-based Nature's Path is trucking about 100,000 boxes of its organic breakfast foods to help feed the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The shipment represents nearly 500,000 portions. Nature's Path partnered with logistics company C.H. Robinson Worldwide to make the delivery.

Read more on this story at Business Wire.

Push to keep organics pure in Britain

In the face of the growing popularity of organic food, British authorities this fall will launch a crackdown against food producers who label conventionally grown food as organic. The government's Food Standards Agency also announced new, so-called fail-safe tests to determine the presence of pesticides and antibiotics in food.

For more on this story, see This is Money.

Survey: Too may organic products in UK are imported

A survey of organic consumers by the Henry Doubleday Research Association reveals that many consumers are concerned about the lack of home-grown British organics offered for sale in supermarkets. The survey also showed that the most-often purchased organic items were carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli and onions. About 40 percent of the respondents said that more than 80 percent of their produce purchases were organic.

Read more on this story at Fresh Plaza and SeedQuest.

Equity firm buys West Coast organic bakery

New York-based Charterhouse Group has acquired a majority stake in Rudi's Organic Bakery of Boulder, Colorado. Charterhouse will add Rudi's to its current stable of organic bakeries, The Vermont Bread Company and New Jersey based Adams Baking Company. The new company will be known as Charter Baking Company. The new company is expected to generate about $50 million in sales this year.

Read more on this story at Rocky Mountain News.

Rodale to close Organic Style magazine after four years

The lifestyle journal's October issue will be its last, according to a story in MediaWeek. The magazine was plagued with a succession of editors and publishers, and had trouble meeting its financial projections.

Read more on this story at MediaWeek.

Uganda leads all of Africa in organic production, export

With 28,000 farmers and 122,000 hectares (301,469 acres) of organically farmed land, Uganda's organic industry leads the effort on the African continent. About 15 percent of Ugandan companies export organic products, up from about 5 percent in 2001.

To read more on this, see All Africa.com

Ghanians look to organics for improved health

Representatives from the African country traveled to Benin recently to learn about the country's Regenerative Health Project Centre and see if its philosophy -- basically urging people to disavow Western influences and eat foods of their ancestors such as fruits and nuts -- could be imported. A key ingredient of that formula, one official said, would be to encourage organic farming among Ghanaians.

Read more about this story on the Ghanaweb.

California entrepreneur trying to boost interest in organic flowers

A Marin County, California florist says his company could gross $3 million in five years. The businessman, Gerald Prolman, says his business, Organic Bouquet, will spark the interest of consumers in sustainable flowers. The business has been operating for four years, and Prolman says he'll bring in about $3.5 million this year.

Read more on this story at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Scholar: Thailand not doing enough to promote organic farming

The recipient of this year's Thai Education Council's local wisdom award in agriculture charged that the Bangkok government could do more to promote the changeover from chemical-based to organic farming. The scholar, Thongmor Jamjang, said that the government's practice of encouraging farmers to use organic fertilizer is a start, but more needs to be done. Pilot projects in organic farming have begun in 22 Thai provinces.

Read more on this story at the Bangkok Post.

British organics giant shakes up product line

J Salinsbury, once the largest retailer of organic food in England, will announce a major shakeup in its product line, according to the British Independent Onlilne. According to the report, Salinsbury will add 100 new products to its SO Organic line and cut prices on about 25 percent of its products. The company was dislodged from its place atop the mound of British organic retailers by less-pricey competitors.

Read more on this story at the Independent Online.