organic certification, fair trade and air miles

Here's my take on the debate that's raging at the moment, on air freight and organic, which I've also briefly covered previously (Soil Association and Financial Times links available there). My own opinion of their move only really comes on in the last 2 paragraphs, where I deal with the protectionism or otherwise of the Soil Association's move. In the 2nd week of January, I'll have an article in the Examiner on the topic which gives it a specifically Irish slant: it will feature the opinion of IOFGA and an Irish organic importer and wholesaler.

The UK�s largest organic certification body, the Soil Association, has come up with an innovative but also controversial way to deal with the environmental impact of air-freighted organic food.

In a move being implemented over the next few years, air freighted organic food imported by the Soil Association will have to meet the organisations own ethical trade standards or the Fairtrade Foundation�s standards.

According to the Soil Association, �these standards apply to the whole supply chain, and require fair trading arrangements, ethical employment relationships including fair pay, and concrete social and cultural contributions to the local community or society more widely�.

This policy position comes after a large consultative process on the issues around air-freight and organic food, involving numerous participants: 100 representatives from industry, NGOs, and government were directly consulted; respectively, these organisations made 28 (industry) 24 (NGOs), and 5 (government and international agencies) submissions.

In addition, the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations, commissioned research to look at the social and economic implications of the Soil Association implementing an air freight ban.

The organisation claims that they are �also looking at how we can reliably and fairly assess the full carbon footprint of all organic products and are working closely with the Carbon Trust. We want all organic products to have a minimal or even mitigating contribution to climate change. Aside from air freight, we are reviewing our standards for heated glasshouse production and actively encourage people to eat less meat.�

Air freighting organic food implicates a range of environmental and social justice issues. According to the Soil Association, �Less than 1% of organic imports come by air freight, the vast majority coming by sea, but air freight has the highest global warming potential of any form of transport. Although less than 1% of the total UK food miles, air freight is responsible for 11% of the CO2 emissions from UK food transport.

�Air freight can generate 177 times more greenhouse gas than shipping�, they suggest.

They also point out that the oil supply may have peaked, and is thus too scarce to use importing food in such a wasteful way. Also, the negative effects of climate change are likely to be felt in the poorest countries first and hardest.

Others are not convinced. Some, such as the International Institute for Environment Development (IIED) think that focusing on such a minute cause of carbon emissions is wrong-headed.

It estimates that in the UK, passenger flights account for 90 per cent of emissions from air transport, and international freight for five per cent.

It also claims that air-freighting from sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 0.1 per cent of the UK's total carbon emissions, while around 65 per cent of emissions relating to food are caused by transportation within Britain. Production methods in Africa also involve lower emissions; in the UK, the use of production techniques such as heated glasshouses increases carbon emissions.

Others again have accused the Soil Association of an ugly type of protectionism. Under the amusing title �organic movement hijacked by Greens�, the Financial Times recently suggested that �attempts to impose such conditions on international trade is dressed up as a way of helping subsistence farmers in developing countries. In practice, it will penalise some of the poorest people on earth because they cannot adopt the same employment practices as their wealthy western competitors.�

To be fair to them, the Soil Association do seem to have many of their angles covered: they claim that this step is part of a broader process of investigating the entire carbon footprint of organic food; likewise, the synergy with fair trade isn�t so much a ban of air freight as a reward for air-freight that also carries some socio-environmental benefits. So what could be called protectionism could also be called value-adding through partnership, depending on your perspective.

It is also the case that, while they are the largest UK organic certifier, they are not the only one. This limits economistic fears of a protectionist monopoly: there will still be organic air-freighted food available that involves no guarantees of improved conditions for workers, the environment or the locale from which the food is flown, if that�s what you as a consumer really want.

Ollie's Christmas list: santy calling....

Dear Santy, Ollie again. I know some people think I�m a bit old for all this Santy stuff, but after last year, I can say with absolute conviction that I am a believer!

I mean, I wanted an overall majority for the Greens, and a Minister for as opposed to against the Environment. Now, I didn�t get the overall majority, but I did get a Green Minister in the Department of Ag with responsibility for organic, and a Green Environment minister.

And I wanted the Minister for as opposed to against the environment to at least watch the movie An Inconvenient Truth. Our new minister for the Environment met with Al Gore a few weeks back. I also asked for a dig out for the small organic growers. Fair play Santy, you really are a miracle worker.

And, while it�s tough for conventional farmers at the moment, with rising prices for all their agri-industrial inputs � the fertilizers, feeds, pesticides, fuel and all that, it just might encourage a few of them over to organic. Organic farmers� costs are also rising, but the playing field seems to be levelling a bit.

So it is with both hope and expectation that I�m writing this note to you. I feel a bit like the boy who has a fair bit and wants a fair bit more.

Anyway, the first one is fairly straight forward: I want the bits the Greens actually got into the programme for government to happen.

Especially 5% organic farming by 2012 and more support for farmers� markets. So if you could start working on that, Santy, great. I�d say the IOFGA manifesto is probably a good place to start, if you want to increase the organic acreage. There�s plenty of good advice in there; what�s more, I think the new Minister has already been listening to them. So, like most other kids these days, for me Christmas is just one big gift giving season.

You could add to his work by establishing a new organic development agency to kick start production, magic up a �20 million annual budget for the sector, encourage public institutions to provide organic food, and help out the tillage and horticulture sectors.

Minister Sargent, Santa�s little helper, has already done a bit for horticulture and tillage, but far more needs to be done.

He�s also started on the farmers� markets, but he really needs to start cracking the whip in a way befitting of a man with a double-barrelled authoritarian name; a minister and a sergeant.

He needs to get the county managers into a room, to tell them to tell their underlings to treat farmers� markets with the respect they deserve. And he needs to follow up on this by, with other Ministers like John Gormley, who has local government under his remit, setting local authorities targets to change their behaviour and attitude. In particular, all local authorities need to allow roadside advertising of farmers� markets. That way, you Rudolf and the rest of the Reindeers might actually find your way to one on your travels.

Here�s a real tough one for you now Santy: can you try to get some of our dusty old nutritionists to finally start accepting that, sometimes, organic food actually is more nutritious? What are they afraid of? There is so much recent research, especially into fruits, vegetables and milk, to suggest that it is more nutritious, that they�ll have to change their minds soon Santy.

In fact, if you could only stop them from trumpeting that ould broken record mantra �there is no evidence to suggest that organic food is more nutritious�, that�d be a start. It just keeps on popping up everywhere, so it does Santy, no matter what evidence comes out.

I know you have some sort of connection to Coca Cola Santy, which might colour your opinion, but even Coke are adding Green tea to a new product range of theirs, Diet Coke Plus. They advertise that this increases the antioxidants in the product, but really Santy, antioxidants are what all this new research is showing at higher levels in organic food.

So I�d recommend laying off the Coke Santy, and joining the reindeers in chompin on the organic carrots I�ve left out for you.

Yours in anticipation,

Dr. Ollie Moore

IOFGA Conference 2007

Leading food writer John McKenna has called for the resignation of Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) executives who recently described organic food as "a lifestyle choice".

Echoing ex-British environment minister David Milliband, the FSAI stated that organic food "is really a lifestyle choice. There is no bad food and no good food, but the key is a balanced diet."

McKenna, provocative and polemical in equal measure, labasted conventional agriculture, suggested that it was dressed up chemical farming.

These words and many more were uttered at the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association's (IOFGA) food seminar and AGM, held in Mellow's College, Athenry, Co. Galway, recently.

Well attended and upbeat, as many organic events are these days, it attracted about 150 people to hear an assortment of orators cover a diversity of topics, from GM and soil quality, to history, climate change and the benefits of the organic path.

Minister of State with responsibility for organic farming, Trevor Sargent, spoke of the need for better training to be developed in organic horticulture and tillage, of the fossil fuel dependency of conventional farming, and even of switching some departmental consumption of food over to organic. He also suggested at a recent local food conference that State institutions should consider serving some organic options. Dr Charles Merfield from Teagasc spoke about soil health. "Merf" � as New Zealander Dr Merfield prefers to be called � is knowledgeable and infectiously enthusiastic. Did you know that, according to Merf, a kilometer of ploughed soil contains 10 billion bacteria, 10,000 kilometres of fungal growth, and immeasurable levels of algae. And only 6% of soil life is categorised.

Considering how utterly dependent we are on soil, our understanding of how it functions is "heart stoppingly thin", said Merf. He suggested that soil science is only now coming of age. Previously it was just soil chemistry, whereas now it encompasses physics, biology, ecology and chemistry.

Soil is central to so much of what happens on the planet: the carbon cycle, life and ecoystems, maintaining landscapes, food production, water storage and filtration, and bioremediation (the locking away of toxins). According to Merf, science has come to agree with the organic movement's vision of soil; and society is hopefully following. "Never treat soils like dirt!" he concluded.

Peter Melchett, a former minister in the Labour administration in Britain, who is a 900-acre farmer and policy director with the Soil Association, spoke about the threat of climate change, and the role of organic farming in its mitigation.

He also referred to the global threat of genetically engineered food and the need for direct action to halt it. According to Melchett, comprehensive research had not been carried out to evaluate the impact of GM food on the environment, or animal and human health.

Michael Hickey spoke about the previous 25 years of IOFGA, as well as the future. He was one of the first native Irish members of the organisation, founded in 1982. Most members back then came from other countries and were described as "blow ins". Michael and a brave few others joined this merry band of homesteaders by the mid-1980s, when the organic movement was changing.

Around then, Irish farmers started to join, an era of professionalism was initiated, and governmental recognition began to emerge.

As ever, one of the first items on the agenda was a split, with Michael in the thick of it. And yet, the organic movement carried on, developed, and now, as Michael said, "IOFGA will no longer be an organisation acting on the fringes."

With 150 people turning up on a Sunday morning in November in Co. Galway to hear people talk about the challenge, the politics, the science and the history of organics, who can argue with him?

report on local food conference Mullingar November 2007

Here's an article on a recent local food conference, published a couple of weeks ago in Irish Examiner.

Local food is sexy. Last March Time magazine ran a cover story featuring a big red apple with a green leaf and a sticker on its side. This sticker provocatively proclaimed �forget organic: eat local�.

Whatever about the veracity or otherwise of the statement, if the attendance at the Local Food conference last week in Mullingar is anything to go by, then local food is fast become sexy in Ireland too.

The conference, organised by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Bord Bia, was on on a Tuesday evening, free to attend and consequently packed. Not only that, this was no academic talk shop: there were an exceptional number of inquisitive conventional farmers amongst the 250-odd attendees, farmers eager to find out about their options.

They heard that, according to newly commissioned research by Bord Bia, seven out of ten shoppers prefer to buy local food, with 93 percent of those that buy local doing so because they want to support the local economy.

This research, presented by Helen King, senior business analyst with Bord Bia, suggested that authenticity was key: health, naturalness and freshness are primary consumer motivators.

Helen King also made recommendations to the many producers present: maintaining the personal touch, and the feel of local food, even as you expand, is important. To do this, it makes sense to emphasise tradition and providence, and to try to keep genuine connections with consumers.

There were other positive stories for those considering setting up small food businesses to sell locally.

Minister of State for Food and Horticulture Trevor Sargent opened proceedings, emphasising the importance of the agri-food sector, but also the growing desire consumers have for �speciality, regional local and organic food�.

Tim Schlitzer from the FoodRoutes network presented on the situation in the US, where FoodRoutes has helped many farmers maintain and indeed develop their livlihoods. FoodRoutes have over 45 �buy fresh buy local� chapters, which aim to empower local economies, create healthy communities and thus healthy people.

Tim suggested that research in the US found that 71% of consumers would be willing to spend more on local food; that a �buy fresh buy local� campaign and guide in Philadelphia doubled local food purchases amongst a range of institutional players, including hospitals, retirement homes, restaurants, grocers and colleges; and that even a 1% shift �in consumer expenditures to direct purchasing of local food products could increase farmers� income by as much as 5%�.

A panel discussion followed Tim�s presentation. Because of the size, diversity and knowledge levels of the audience, the contributions from the floor were every bit as interesting as what came from the presentations and panels.

Perhaps the most striking question came from Michael Connolly, from a sustainability group in Monaghan. Michael directed a query specifically to Minister Sargent. He asked the Minister how much of our food is imported and how is Ireland equipped for energy descent? Energy descent refers to the depletion of oil reserves; in other words, how is Ireland equipped to cope in a world with ever less available and ever more expensive oil? The minister was quite forthright on both counts. He addressed the specific gaps in local availability: yes, the majority of the meat, milk and their derivative products we consume are Irish. You could be forgiven for asking � so what�s the big deal with local then? The big deal is that fresh fruits and vegetables are in dire need of support, both from a consumer health and food security perspective.

There are less than a handful of large conventional carrot growers left in Ireland, and even fewer brussels� sprout producers. And that�s before energy decent. So at the moment, he suggested, we haven�t a chance of surviving energy decent. And if we loose local food providers, in a context of energy decent, we risk social unrest.

There were also presentations, and indeed short films with a more specifically Irish theme.

To some extent, this is where the messages from the podium started to get a bit mixed. The presentation by Sharon Buckley, (Trading Director Musgraves group, which includes Supervalu and Centra) was ostensibly about local food and the Musgraves group: in practice, the presentation simply outlined the history and current business development of the Musgraves group, with occasional references to local food sourcing. A short film of a new large Supervalu store in Kells Co. Meath, in the middle of her presentation, did little to expand upon the local food theme either.

Sharon did suggest that the local ownership of Supervalu stores allowed these stores to be more a part of the community. There are indeed some standout Supervalus, stores with a plethora of quality food of local provenance, such as Scally�s of Clonakilty. Likewise, the next presenter, Mary Kelly of Kelly�s Organics in Mullingar, sell some of the produce through their local Centras and Supervalus. Overall however, the presentation did little to convince the audience that Supervalu were in any significant way relevant to or committed to developing a local food culture. From speaking to delegates after the conference, many felt that the aforementioned standout Supervalus are more exceptions than the norm.

Mary Kelly�s presentation and short film presented a genuine good news story for local food, however, and is covered in more detail in the Organic Diary in this farming supplement. But briefly, the Kelly�s Moonshine organics business signposted the way for others to follow: if you are a struggling but open-minded conventional dairy farmer, the Kelly�s story should interest you. Converting to organic, and initiating value-adding through an on-farm production and local distribution of yoghurts, fresh cheeses and smoothies changed their farming lives for the better.

There was then another panel discussion, with more contributions from the floor. The main queries and statements revolved around retailer policy. One beef and lamb farmer stated, to applause, �we can�t donate food to you any longer�; he compared the price he gets (�3.50 per kilo) to the price the lamb retails for (�13.99 a kilo) on the shelves. Sharon Buckley responded by stating that they have been paying increased prices for some categories, but still need to compete with other retailers.

There was also some discussion on whether there was in fact a limit on the amount of local food supermarkets would take in: some suggested that there was a 5% limit on locally sourced products, however there was no clear answer from the panellists. Mary Kelly did reiterate that her local Supervalu did take her products, however.

Others criticised the effect of central distribution and own brand labelling on local provisioning of local, as opposed to just generic Irish produce. Potatoes were cited as a particular example. Peter Ward, of Country Choice in Tipperary was typically eloquent when he welcomed Supervalu into the local provisioning world, after �meeting St. Paul on the road to Damascus�. He pointed out that before centralised distribution, you could get local potatoes easily, and wished them well on the long road they faced ahead, in convincing people of their local credentials.

Following these presentations, Minister Sargent announced the arrival of a new guide, published by Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, to selling through farmers� markets, farm shops and box schemes in Ireland. Details of this guide are in the caption box.

All in all, the mood at this event was very upbeat. Yes, there are serious obstacles to face in guaranteeing local supply of the range of foods we need to be healthy, and yes there is sometimes a gap between rhetoric and reality with regard to local. However, this part of the agri-food sector has a committed and knowledgeable Minister of State in Trevor Sargent. And with some of what is sometimes called blue sky thinking, including the conversion over to local provisioning by creative conventional producers, a la the Kelly�s of Mullingar, we may start to develop a genuine, deep and embedded local food culture.

Note:
The newly published �Guide to selling through farmers� markets, farm shops and box schemes in Ireland� as the name suggests, features sections on each of these local selling options: farmer�s markets, farm shops and box schemes. There are also some interesting sections including getting started at a farmers� market; your first day at the farmers� market; a pricing appendix and useful contacts. This 64 page A5 sized guide will certainly prove useful as an introduction to the potentialities of and for local food selling. Much of this information ,and plenty more useful information too, is also available on a new Bord Bia small food business website, which is far more user-friendly than the main bord bia website. See here (www.bordbiavantage.ie.)

This Sunday, why not visit...

The Italian School of Cooking in Dublin, where there is a a Christmas Artisan Food Fair on Sunday 9 December from 12 noon-6 pm. The Italian School of Cooking is in Rathmines Park at the rear of 175A Rathgar Road, Dublin 6. (You will see Santa at the entrance of the School on Rathgar Road (across from the Esso Garage at the Rathmines end).

This is being held to launch this site: da-daaa!
This new site is affiliated to one of those linked over there on the left, greatfood.ie

food labelling : what can the marketeers get away with?

Another non-organic article folks, though one surely of interest to organic types. Below is the full text of an article I had in the Examiner recently on food labelling.

Food labels and food labelling: the experts agree that it�s a minefield. Take E numbers. Legislation requires that they are listed on food labels.

According to the organisation that represents nutritionists and dieticians in Ireland, INDI, �contrary to popular belief, E numbers are additives that have passed EU safety tests. You should be more concerned if you see numbers without an E before them�.

However, a recent study has muddied the waters somewhat. Up until now, in the vast majority of cases, E numbers were tested individually, found to be safe and then labelled as such. But when a range of colouring additives and a particular common preservative were tested together for their combined effect, the results have proved to be worrying.

A recent University of Southampton study examined the effect of benzoate preservatives and the following artificial food colours: Tartrazine (E102) Ponceau 4R (E124) Sunset Yellow (E110) Carmoisine (E122) Quinoline Yellow (E104) Allura Red (E129).

According to professor of Psychology Jim Stevenson, who led the research; �We have now shown that for a large group of children in the general population, consumption of certain mixtures of artificial food colours and benzoate preservative can influence their hyperactive behaviour�.

In light of this research, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) have come out and stated that children who display symptoms of hyperactivity or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) should limit their consumption of these additives.

Whether all children or just those with these particular symptoms should avoid these additives is proving to be controversial. RedBranch is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes healthy lifestyle choices in Irish children and young people, primarily through schools. They suggest that the FSAI position doesn�t go far enough:

�The study found adverse effects in the general population, not just in children with ADHD, and this is not the first scientific study questioning the wisdom of adding cocktails of chemicals to children's food. We advise all parents to avoid these unnecessary additives�.

So even if it�s on the label, it may present a risk. So how exactly are food labels and labelling policed?

According to the authorities, labelling should not be false or misleading. The FSAI point to 11 key areas, some compulsory, some dependant upon other factors: Name of product, list of ingredients, quantity of certain ingredients, net quantity, date of minimum durability, special storage conditions, name and address, origin, instructions for use, alcoholic beverages and nutrition labelling.

Many of these areas are common sense. For example, the list of ingredients is in descending order of weight. However, there are provisos. Take origin. Origin only has to be labelled if it is considered that its absence might mislead the consumer. I asked Dr. Jeff Moon of the Consumer Protection Unit in the FSAI about this. Specifically, I asked Jeff about the Irish chicken:

�In simple terms, if you say something comes from somewhere it has to be from there. But where there is a lot of processing going on here then you would be able to say it�s a product of Ireland. Take for example Chicken Kiev. Chicken can be imported into here, and processed. A sauce can be put into it, breadcrumbs put onto it, it can be cooked and presented in a way that�s ready to eat; that can then be considered an Irish product. If there is an indication that the actual chicken was Irish, and it wasn�t, that would be misleading. Basically it�s to do with how much processing and transformation the product goes through�.

INDI�s factsheet, while claiming that food labelling shouldn�t be misleading, points out just how difficult to understand labels can be. They point out that sodium is often labelled rather than salt. To calculate the accurate salt level, the sodium figure needs to be multiplied by 2.5. �Salt should be salt� according to Margot Brennan of INDI: �if you are in a shopping centre, and suddenly you come across sodium, and you are trying to multiply it by two and a half, it�s hugely confusing for people�.

INDI�s factsheet also states that if a product is making an endorsed health claim, there are criteria. For example, a product must have less than 5% fat to be labelled low fat: so �90% fat-free� means 10% fat and thus high fat.

Marketers really do test the limits: According to Dave Burns from RedBranch: �If you look at breakfast cereals, they often advertise themselves as high in calcium. The calcium often comes from chalk�The manufacturer is then able to make a claim, by adding a very cheap ingredient to a highly processed food�.

But wait, there�s more: �some fruit drinks have only 10% fruit, but have fruit in the name, and pictures of fruit all over the packet. You�d have to drink 50 200ml bottles for one litre of actual fruit juice�.

As so often is the case, there is legislation on the way to try to catch up with these sorts of claims. But when, as Margot Brennan suggests, �the marketers will push it as far as they can� these very marketers seem to be leading the dynamic.

note: for more, see the new FSAI publication : The labelling of Food in Ireland 2007

Spot the hidden sugar:

Sports drinks and energy drinks are extremely well marketed. Sugar in the form of glucose and water are often the main ingredients. Glucose is one way sugar hides. Here are some others, all of which will raise your blood sugar levels:

Sucrose, fructose, glucose syrup, golden syrup, maple syrup, treacle, fruit juices, invert sugar, honey, dextrose, maltose.

buy nothing to save the world

Here's an article I had in the examiner last week, on the 23rd November, the day before international buy nothing day. The end product, in the paper itself, was very much shorter, so it's great to have the opportunity to get the full length version out there. And no, the very striking intro wasn't used in the paper itself. (Note: in the spirit of freedom, the day itself and the original 'share stuff for free' web ethos, most of the links below are to wikipedia)

here goes:

Don�t buy this paper tomorrow. Instead, go to the library and read it for free. Why? Because newspapers are available free to read in libraries, and tomorrow is International Buy Nothing Day. Tomorrow is a day where people in over 60 countries are, well, trying really hard to buy nothing.

I first came across buy nothing day walking down O�Connell Street in Dublin in the late 1990s. A smiling dreadlocked man was standing outside McDonalds, giving out what looked like discount vouchers for the fast food joint. Curious at the contrast between his dreadlocks and McDonalds discount vouchers, I took one of the vouchers and read it.

First things first: as a McDonalds voucher, it looked very realistic, right down to the glossy paper and uniform size of each and every one of the sheets. ��1 off the price of your burger� proclaimed the voucher. Nothing too unusual there. Then the catch: �each �1 comes off the wages of the person serving you!� Despite the obvious prominence of this wording � reasonably big font, front of the voucher - people were taking them, wandering in, ordering and presenting the vouchers at the counter. Needless to say, this wasn�t going down too well with the staff. The smiling dreadlocked man was, after a while, moved on by what were fairly bemused but nonetheless annoyed security staff.

Officially, buy nothing day began in Canada in the early 1990s, with the Adbusters Media Foundation being the day�s most prominent proponents since its inception. Adbusters, who manage a network of over 100,000 members, describe themselves as �a global network of artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs who want to advance the new social activist movement of the information age�. They produce a 120,000 circulation magazine and run a large website which in many ways acts as a hub for events like buy nothing day.

Adbusters and the �Culture Jamming� they carry out are an example of what sociologists call the cultural turn in social movements. Previously social movement theory suggested that movements are about �the hard and the obvious�: economics, politics, marches and joining organisations such as trade unions, Amnesty International and so on. Today however, sociologists suggest that movements can be as much about the everyday, the cultural and the life-world as they are about card-carrying and flag-waving. The way you do things is as important as the point of doing things. As Marshall Mcluhan said as far back as 1960: the medium is the message.

Culture Jamming is what happened to me and others on O�Connell Street that day in the late 1990s. It�s roots can be traced back to the Situationists (Marxist, Letterist and post-modern artists and agitators from the mid 20^th Century), to a band once sued for its U2 parody by Island records called Negativland, and to politicised practical pranksters everywhere, throughout time.

In large part, Culture Jamming is about using the recourses, imagery and the iconography of consumer culture against itself.

Perhaps Adbusters most striking work is their actual adbusting. Their subversion of well-known corporate imagery through spoof ads is a very prominent example of Culture Jamming. Adbusters are famed for taking an obvious advert, or brand logo, and tweaking it to tell a different story - a previously hidden, or less obvious story. So, for example, Adbusters have famously played on famous alcohol and cigarette adverts, icons or logos, from the clear bottle of Absolut vodka to Camel cigarettes� Joe Camel (referred to as Joe Chemo), to create searing images of drink driving and cancer. Often their aim is also on food, oil and environmental issues more generally.

Buy nothing day globally isn�t organised in a top down or command and control way. People do their activities and tell others about them through formal and informal channels. Shopping malls have been a key focus, with zombie walks, free credit-card cut ups, �free nothing� samples, fake parking tickets for SUV�s, die-ins at fast food joints and eco-orientated flash mobs.

A die-in is an event where a number of people, in a premeditated fashion, act as if they have just died, with varying degrees of theatrics and realism. A flash mob is a relatively large group of people who, aided by the use of modern communications technology, gather unexpectedly in a public place, perform an unusual act for a short period of time, then quickly disperse (Pillow fight clubs and mobile clubbing are perhaps the most well known of flash mobs).

In Ireland, Galway has been the main focus of buy nothing day activities over the last few years. This year if you happen to be on Shop Street tomorrow, you may stumble across the buy nothing day people. There are plans for street theatre from 2pm as well as events in the Galway One World Centre (2^nd Floor of Bridge Mills), including free films and a barter fair.

Films will include a documentary called Affluenza, a film about how the quest for affluence leads not to happiness but to ever greater affluence-chasing, very little actual happiness and an array of negative societal effects.

One of the issues buy nothing day comes up against is whether it is about literally buying nothing, or about changing consumerism. Should consumers buy different stuff, or less stuff? I asked one of this year�s Galway organisers, Somhairle MacAoidh, a vegetable market gardener, part-time student and local food, environmental and cycling activist.

�We should above all else reduce the amount of things we buy. Do we really need 3 TVs or 3 cars, loads of new clothes that may never get worn? That�s before everything else. But when we do buy, we need to consider things like local products. Personally I feel it�s important to support small local traders. Smaller companies tend to be friendlier, the money tends to be kept more in the community, and we have more control over where the product, for example food, comes from�.

Recently, there has been a slight shift in focus for the global buy nothing day. Tomorrow, Adbusters as an organisation suggest that buy nothing day has moved from being an escape from �the marketing mind games and frantic consumerism that have come to characterize modern life�, to focusing on �the new political mood surrounding climate change�.

Kalle Lasn is the co-founder of the Adbusters Media Foundation: �So much emphasis has been placed on buying carbon offsets and compact fluorescent lightbulbs and hybrid cars that we are losing sight of the core cause of our environmental problems: we consume far too much.�

He expands: �Buy Nothing Day isn't just about changing your routine for one day. It�s about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment. With over six billion people on the planet, it is the responsibility of the most affluent � the upper 20% that consumes 80% of the world�s resources � to set out on a new path.�

I asked Adbusters campaign manager, Paul Cooper, if choosing a specific ecological cause contaminated the purity of the original message: �I think buy nothing day supporters have always had in mind two components: a psychological one and an ecological one. The psychological component came be summed up by pointing out that economic growth, participation in the rat race, etc, has not caused people to feel generally happier. More consumption, less satisfaction. The ecological component points to the straightforward fact that consumption is the driving force behind industrial pollution and climate change. Some consumption is unavoidable--of course--but there's a lot of cheap plastic junk from overseas sweatshops moving through the malls that harms the environment, benefits no one, and is ultimately just a symptom of a culture-wide mental illness. You can help the shopaholics and help the planet at the same time, and there's no contradiction there�.

Inevitably, much discussion in Ireland on the merits or otherwise of buy nothing day is conducted on line. Voices claiming to be farmers market stallholders who only operate on a Saturday have occasionally criticised the day. For some, Saturday is their only day of trade, and they are, they would suggest, exactly the type of thing that buy nothing day is supposed to be about: buying stuff that is socially embedded and often better for the environment. What happens if you are one of the good guys, but you only trade on a Saturday?

What happens, activists claim, is that they send people who chat to them on the day towards the farmers� market anyway: In other words, if you are going to buy you may as well buy there, and then start replacing the supermarket with the farmers� market, on your way towards possibly even growing your own vegetables too.

The day can also be accused of being an exemplar of pointless tokenism in the face of massive obstacles, if you believe change should be primarily political and overt. But with oil prices going through the roof; climate change; land competition between grains, animals, biofuels and urban development; 12% of the Irish population having used STADs (sedatives, tranquilizers or anti-depressants) and the rapid rise in various strands of ethical consumerism, buy nothing day could also be seen as yet another reminder that, as never before, humanity is shaping what surrounds it, for better or worse.

For more free reading, go to:

http://olivermoore.blogspot.com

http://adbusters.org/bnd

http://www.indymedia.org and type in �buy nothing day�

http://youtube.com and type in �buy nothing day�

And finally, a few facts on consumption:

• The global organic market is worth an estimated �30 billion, rising at a rate of up to �5 billion each year. (IFOAM report 2007)
• The average UK citizen causes the emission of 750 tonnes of Co2 in their lifetime.
• The average avatar, or virtual alter-ego on the on-line world Second Life , uses up considerably more energy that the average real person in Brazil (1752kWh vs. 1015kWh) (The ObserverMagazine, May 20^th 2007 p. 75)

Organic foods: foods that fight for you

IF I asked you what fighting food was all about, you wouldn�t necessarily think of organic food. I haven�t mixed up my words, I�m not talking about food fights, or fighting about food. So what is fighting food?

Organic food has a fairly soft and cuddly image. Well, it turns out that food produced organically is actually fighting food, if the explanations suggested by some recent researchers are taken on board.

It turns out that there are two ways in which organic food can be seen to be fighting food.

But first, let me tell you about the research. A June 2007 publication in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (which is ranked #1 in total citations, impact factor and articles published in the agriculture multidisciplinary category) measured the amount of two flavonoids � quercetin and kaempferol � in dried tomato samples that had been collected as part of a long-term study on agricultural methods.

Foods containing flavonoids can be called fighting foods because research studies have consistently suggested an association between consuming them and reduced risk of cancer and heart disease. That's the first fighting food meaning.

Dr Alyson Mitchell, a food chemist at the University of California, and colleagues, found that on average they were 79% and 97% higher respectively in organic tomatoes than in the conventionally grown fruit.

Flavinoid levels for the organic tomatoes also grew during the course of the ten year study, but stayed the same for the conventional tomatoes.

More recently again, preliminary results from a large University of Newcastle study found that organic fruit and vegetables contained up to 40% more antioxidants (another substance which may play a role in the better cardiovascular health of those who consume more fruit and vegetables).

Organic milk produced in the summer contained up to 60 to 80% more antioxidants than conventionally produced milk; in the winter, it contained 50 to 60% higher levels. Along with this, organic milk also was found to contain higher levels of vitamin E.

In what has been hailed as one of the most comprehensive studies into organic production ever conducted, researchers on the Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) project grew fruit and vegetables and reared cattle on a 725-acre site at Nafferton Farm, Northumberland. They grew organic and conventional test crops side by side � including cabbages, lettuces, carrots, potatoes and wheat � and compared factors such as nutritional quality.

What makes this research especially fascinating is a theory being postulated to possibly explain why organic food is showing up so often with some very specific nutritional benefits.

The theory is that plants grown to certified organic standards have to fight harder to fend off threats, from nutritionally deficiencies to pests. To do this, they produce more of these very things scientists are finding in them, the antioxidants which are believed to help us fight cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

In the study on organic tomatoes and flavonoids, the researchers suggested, �Flavonoids are produced as a defense mechanism that can be triggered by nutrient deficiency, such as a lack of nitrogen in the soil.�

This is the second fighting food definition - plants fighting to exist. This point about plants fighting hard and difficult growing conditions to produce flavonoids reminded me of a book written recently by an expert in cardiovascular health and Professor of Experimental Therapeutics at the William Harvey Research Institute, Dr Rodger Corder.

This book has a brilliantly bamboozling title, �The Wine Diet: drink red wine every day, eat fruit and berries, nuts and chocolate, live a longer, healthier life�.

The book suggests that these foods and drinks are very high in polyphenols, which are a beneficial type of flavinoids. However, the production conditions have to be specific for these foods. Only some dark chocolates with over 70% coca solids were found to have these beneficial properties.

In the case of wine, some traditional, regionally embedded idiosyncratic wines produced in places like Crete and Sardinia, wines made with grape varieties such as Tannat, scored best in his research.

The best wines also came from grapes with plenty of seeds, seeds and skins left in contact for a longer time, fermentation in wooden barrels and, importantly for the point I�m making here, difficult, hilly growing conditions where low yields were usually produced. So the harder the vine fights, the more nutritious the wine. Hence the longest longevity rates in Europe for those islanders in the Mediterranean. This despite their isolation from a modern interventionist medical system and some other negative dietary and lifestyle habits � heavy consumption of saturated fats and cigarettes in particular.

So it turns out that naturally produced foods fight for us. Which makes them all the more worth fighting for.

local and organic food events

Things to do this November, starting tomorrow!

A conference themed around local food. This event, organised by the Department of Agriculture and Bord Bia, begins at the very specific time of 5.30pm, and is being held in the Mullingar Park Hotel, Dublin Rd, Mullingar on Tuesday November 13^th (go here to register).

Speakers: That man Trevor Sargent will be there again, this time opening the event and also launching a guide to box schemes, farmers� markets and farm shops. Bord Bia will do a presentation on local food, as will Tim Schlitzer of the FoodRoutes network in the US. FoodRoutes is a nonprofit organization that aids the development of local food distributional systems. It provides a range of resources, including communication tools, technical support, networking and information.

Both the local producer and the multiple retailers� perspectives will also feature. Mary Kelly of Moonshine organic dairy farm will speak about her business, which is apt as her family business is based just outside Mullingar. The Kelly�s turned a struggling conventional diary farm in Westmeath into a thriving organic food business, which now employs each of their six siblings. They produce organic diary products from their herd, which comprises of Ayrshire, Fresian and crosses of these. Their products include award winning soft cheeses, yoghurts and smoothies. Watch out for the distinctive churn style glass bottles their yoghurts and smoothies come in. I wrote about theme a while back. I'll post what I wrote here soon.

Sharon Buckley of Musgraves, Centra and SuperValu will outline local food from a multiple retailer�s perspective. There will be a choice of panel discussions featuring the above listed participants and other experts.

IOFGA�s AGM is also on soon. This is taking place on the November the 18th at Mellows College, Athenry, Co Galway. (for more, phone IOFGA on 043-42495 or email grace.maher@iofga.org). First things first, check out their new site!

Because they were established in 1982, all of 25 years ago, the IOFGA theme is �looking forward to the next 25�

The morning seminar is open to the public. IOFGA have gathered together a range of speakers from across the food system. These include Minister of State Trevor Sargent, under whose remit organic farming and food comes. The minister has been a solid supporter of organic farming, so it will be worth seeing what he reveals about future government plans for the sector, now that he actually has the power to affect change.

Dr. Charles Merfield of Teagasc will discuss soil fertility in the organic system. Charles is developing quite a name for himself as a conference speaker, as he combines those two key traits � genuine enthusiasm and comprehensive knowledge. If you get him going on the high tech machinery end of things there will be no stopping him.

Peter Melchett, director of the Soil Assocation will discuss GM and also
give the UK perspective on organic farming. With the UK being such an important market for Irish organic produce, and with the GM threat to organics ever present, this too should prove interesting.

Michael Hickey will also take to the podium. Michael, an organic beef farmer from Tipperary, was one of the first native born Irish members of IOFGA, joining the fledgling organisation in the mid 1980s. Michael is both impassioned in his support for organics and holistic in his thinking about how food and society should be. All things considered, another perspective well worth hearing.

Their last morning speaker will be the food writer John McKenna, who will speak about the role of organic food in the future in Ireland. John is well known for both the well written and informative Bridgestone guides, and his uncompromising comments on what he sees as the problems with food and hospitality in Ireland.

All in all, this is a well rounded set of speakers who will surely offer up that most apt of culinary clich�s; food for thought.

awards for irish organic companies

Two organic companies have recently won awards at major food events in Ireland. A smallish one and a bigger one. St. Tola's organic goat's cheese wins awards as regularly as buses come along. Along with winning a bronze at the British cheese awards this year, they also won best organic chilled/frozen product at the SHOP awards, a Bord Bia initiative. Considering that they produce a raw goat's cheese, and were up against industry stalwarts, this represents good going for the wee company from the west.

Interesting factoid: raw organic goats cheese is often cheaper than cheese strings! (cheese strings are actually about �25 a kilo!)

Meanwhile Glenisk have just won an award called "making a difference"; the strange name come from Bord Bia's research into what consumers are after, apparantely. I'll post a Glenisk article here soon.

I've written about St. Tola's before, for both Organic Matters and the Irish Examiner (fun game - find them amongst the clutter of labels on your left!). Below is an article I wrote in early 2006 for the Examiner on St. Tola's.

In a world where quality and taste are ever more important, farmhouse cheeses have a great image. They successfully create an impression of being small-scale, clean and green, made by committed gastroactivists who fight for local, authentic, environmentally-friendly produce.

In many cases this is indeed true. To take just one example; the makers of Gabriel and Desmond cheese, Sean Ferry and Bill Hogan of Scull, west Cork, have fought long and hard for the right to make raw milk cheese, in the face of stiff departmental opposition.

And many farmhouse cheeses have both a terroir, a location, and a persona, an individual maker. This is, in European terms, quite unusual.

Some of the bigger names in the game, however, now buy in milk. But with clever branding and, compared to certified organic, a looseness in technical requirements, the rustic image remains.

It may surprise readers to learn that there are only four fully certified organic farmhouse cheese producers in Ireland: Kate Carmony�s Beale, Ralph Haslan�s Mossfield, Harry Van der Zaden�s Derreenaclaurig and Siobhan Garvey�s St.Tolas.

Originally made by Meg and Derek Gordon 20 years ago, St.Tola�s derives its name from the French tradition of naming a cheese after a local saint.

The farm was in conversion to organic when Siobhan Garvey took it over in 2000. They achieved their full certification in 2001.

Along with Siobhan, there are a total of six staff, comprising fulltime, part time and seasonal.

Based in Inagh country Clare, the St.Tola's crew makes a range of certified organic goat milk cheeses. I spoke to Grainne Casey, who deals with marketing and sales, when I took a group of school kids out for a look last week.

�We farm 24 hectares, and have 220 goats here.160 are milkers and rest kids and pucks� according to Grainne. �The breeds we use are Saanen for volume of milk, and Toggenburg and British Alpine for the higher fat content�

I asked her how the year pans out regarding milking: �There is some staggering of the milking: most are milking from March to September or October, but some are also milking from October through to March. We get between 2-3 litres of milk per goat per day, and they are milked twice a day, 300 days a year per goat for milk�

It follows from this that the milkers kid in March, with a lesser number kidding in September and October for winter milk.

They sell their cheeses through wholesalers, who in turn sell it on to restaurants, delis and wholefood stores. They also sell direct to some delis and wholefood stores locally, while they also wholesale their produce to the UK, Europe and the US.

St.Tola is perhaps best known for their award-winning soft cheese log. This smooth and creamy cheese has a range of undertones: personally I taste a slight but distinctive citrus presence.

Kids (the human kind!) love it. What makes this all the better is that many parents use goat milk and cheese as a substitute for dairy produce, because they are worried about allergies.

Soft goat cheese is also great for baking. Many good eateries have baked St.Tola soft cheese as a starter on the menu. They also supply a Crottin, which is a smaller portion of the same cheese.

Along with these, they also have a Feta and a more seasonal Hard cheese; the latter sadly won�t be available for a few months.

Siobhan tells me how, even over the relatively short time she has been in operation, Irish consumer tastes have changed:

�When I started out doing tastings, I would offer people the milder cheese, the St.Tola log, and even then I�d only say it was a goat cheese afterwards. I�d just tell them it was a fresh, organic farmhouse cheese. People told me that they loved it, but if they�d known it was a goat cheese, they wouldn�t have tried it! But with travel and other things, people are now going for the more mature flavours�

For St.Tolas own site, click here (E) info@st-tola.ie (T) 065 6836633 (F) 065 6836757

the socio-environmental weight of air freight

Plenty of organic news out there at the moment, including yet more research to suggest that organic food is better for you than other food....discussion on this research to follow soon....
However, I came accross an interesting perspective on the Soil Association's decision to move towards fair trade for their certified organic air freight produce. (there's more going on there too, in relation to heated glasshouses and the overall caron footprint of the produce
Has the organic sector been hyjacked by greens? Is this one of the ugly faces of protectionism, as the FT suggests? Or is it a socio-ecological synergy, a win-win situation to help consumers whilst improving the planet?

feile bia, eurotoques and quality Irish food

Here is the full text of the article I had in the The Examiner last week, on the Feile Bia pullout by the chef's organisation Eurotoques. (I also had a side bar on what Eurotoques do and promote, but I won't include that here. Instead, why not have a look at their site youself? Link at end of article.)

�Naturally, we�re very disappointed�. So say�s Aidan Cotter, chief executive of Bord Bia, on the fact that Euro-toques Ireland have pulled out of the Feile Bia Scheme.

So he should be. Euro-toques Ireland represent some of Ireland�s highest profile chefs. Amongst their 200 members includes Nevin McGuire of McNean�s bistro, Darina Allen of Ballymaloe House and Ross Lewis of Chapter One. The organisation, as the name suggests, are a pan-European one, with over 3,500 members throughout Europe. As in the Irish situation, the membership includes many of the most highly regarded chefs in each country. This is reflected in the fact that the organisation was founded by chef Pierre Romeyer chef from Belgium�s Le Maison de Bouche, itself a three-star Michelin star restaurant.

What makes the withdrawal all the more noteworthy is the fact that the aims of Euro-toques seem, on the face of it, to chime with those of Bird Bia and the Feile Bia scheme in particular. Euro-toques aim to support culinary traditions and quality food. And Bord Bia are the Irish food board, who promote and market Irish food. According to Bord Bia: �Central to the F�ile Bia concept is that members source the maximum amount of freshly available produce. In addition to promoting traceability, F�ile Bia aims to encourage sourcing from artisan producers and small butchers and highlighting this supplier information on menus�.

Indeed Feile Bia was a joint initiative in the early days. Brid Torrades currently runs and chefs in two establishments in Sligo: the Atrium caf� in the Model Arts Centre and Osta caf� and wine bar. Brid has been a commissioner with Euro-toques, and was so when the Feile Bia concept was first mooted:

�Feile Bia was actually a Euro-toques initiative. It came from fete de la cuisine in Europe, which was to bring our culinary heritage back to everybody�. Brid suggests that they, Euro-toques, gathered the relevant players together, including Bord Bia. Following a brainstorming session, the name Feile Bia was settled upon.

According to Brid, Feile Bia was supposed to �support and save our local producers and through them our culinary heritage and raw materials. We felt that the original Feile Bia did just that while at the same time encouraging chefs and hotels who would not have before then considered this idea to do so.�

From then on, Euro-toques claim, Feile Bia has moved away from this position. According to their letter of withdrawl, the Feile Bia tagline change from �A celebration of Irish Food� to �a celebration of quality food� and then �certified farm to fork� is indicative of the move towards traceability scheme support and bureaucratisation.

�Feile Bia is now essentially a traceability scheme, which favours larger suppliers and larger catering operations, who can bear the burden and cost of increased bureaucracy. As traceability legislation already exists, and Euro-toques members conform to this and go far beyond it, a scheme which essentially only guarantees traceability is superfluous and only adds to the growing bureaucracy which food businesses are now subject to�.

They also suggest that their own guidelines �go much further than Feile Bia. We aspire to sourcing in season, locally, with sustainable agriculture practices and good animal husbandry; elements which cannot be guaranteed by a �Quality Assurance Scheme�. Furthermore, we believe that people should have the freedom to produce and supply quality food without being forced to be part of any scheme which may contribute to the high costs and bureaucracy which are already crippling so many producers.�

Another major issue for Euro-toques is GM. As the letter of withdrawal states: �We also have serious concerns�about the use of GM feeds in the production of meat and dairy in Ireland. We are not be happy to endorse a branding which �quality assures� such products�.

I put these concerns to Aidan Cotter, chief executive of Bord Bia. I asked him about Feile Bia and the Quality Assurance scheme: ��.the principle condition is that it has to be based on Quality Assurance�we have to have Quality Assurance as a platform on which to promote in order to stay on the right side of state aid rules.�

He also suggested Quality Assurance is about more than just safely, its about broader issues too, such as environmental health (e.g. salt levels in pork) and animal welfare.

In relation to the small producer, Aidan suggested that �We do believe that it supports small producers�. He also pointed out that the scheme itself does not cost money to join and mentions that it supports both small and large producers. Also, Bord Bia do promotional work for small producers, including the new launch of a centre of excellence to support these producers.

I then put some of these points to Lorcan Cribben, commissioner-general of Euro-toques Ireland. According to Lorcan, �it�s not difficult if you have money. If you are making a nominal amount of money, and then someone comes in and tells you to upgrade your production, and it�s going to cost twenty of thirty grand, more and more people are falling by the wayside because they can�t afford to do it.�

I also spoke to a small-scale producer. Ann O� Donovan supplies eggs to Brid Torrades. Ann�s main issues with Feile Bia are bureaucratic: the amount of hassle, paperwork, inspections and the like that the scheme would involve make it unattractive for her. Especially in a situation where she has no need or desire to upscale her production.

Ann, who just keeps 600 hens, is already overburdened with inspections: �We�d a batch of hens in May, and within 4 days we�d an inspector out. The department sent the inspector out to check the hens. Then another one checks the facilities. Another checks the feed. Possibly another for the packing house. Jan 2008, we�ll have to send away samples of hen manure for salmonella. The amount of paperwork we have means we employ an accountant. We don�t want to get in any deeper. I can�t see Feile Bia being any advantage to us - our customers have come through word of mouth�.

Brid was one such customer, who found Ann�s eggs at the local farmers� markets in Sligo: �the farmers� market has been a great outlet. I�ve got restaurants through that�.

So it seems that, from the small producer�s prespective, even if something doesn�t technically cost money, there are still costs involved. Time is money - time spent filing in forms, sending off samples and being inspected is time not doing all the other work you need to be doing, the work that actually makes money. So sometimes the only way to keep up with the regulations and bureaucratisation is to upscale production.

On GM, Euro-toques claimed that they �wrote to Bord Bia about these concerns in March last year and the response we received from Chief Executive Aidan Cotter was that �the production conditions for Irish beef are fully transparent and I am satisfied that the product continues to enjoy a strong, positive image and the full confidence of customers in the European Union, who now represent 93% of our beef export market�.�. They suggested in their withdrawal letter that �This is blatantly untrue, as few consumers are aware of the use of GM feeds in Irish food production.�

So I put this point to Aidan Cotter of Bord Bia: �what they say is correct: most consumers don�t know that most animals are fed feed that happens to be GM. It�s not deliberately GM, but it just so happens that so much of the maize and soya beans that comes across from the US and south America is GM and is not segregated. So farmers tend not to have a choice. That goes not just for Ireland, but also the UK and contintental Europe. So consumers in Europe are choosing meat locally, whether in France or Italy, that is generally fed on the same feed animals are fed on in Ireland. So when I say conditions are transparent, what I mean is that the conditions of production in Italy or France or wherever are the same, but our animals are fed to a greater extent on grassland�.

I put it to Aidan that, according to our new Food minister, this may involve a risk of the market: if consumers found out about this feed, they might be concerned. �If there is a risk, that risk is shared by all meat producers throughout Europe. Would consumers have a problem with it? We don�t know. But we have close relations with 40 retailers around Europe� and we�ve asked many of them for their view in regard to GM feed; we asked them would they be interested in a source of GM free beef products, and their answer is no.�

So consumers don�t know, and retailers are to an extent representing consumers to those who represent food producers. This retailer feedback is interesting, in a context where large retailers often claim to be GM free in their own label products, because of consumer feedback: According to Tesco, �our policy on Genetically Modified (GM) foods is driven by the view of our customers. They continue to tell us that they are not yet convinced of the benefits of GM. We do not therefore have any own-brand GM foods on our shelves�.

It is also the case that there is a body of research, including research by Teagasc, to suggest that the majority of consumers do not want GM foods.

The GM debate will obviously roll on, but Feile Bia will have to carry on without the support of the Euro-toques organisation. Last word with Lorcan Cribben: �if you do let all these artisan producers slip through the net, in 10-15 years time, Ireland will be a far poorer place for it�.

for more on Euro-toques click here....you didn't did you? click back there, on the blue word...eurotoques....

GM and media bias

You could be forgiven for presuming that the liberal media would behave in a typically liberal fashion with regard to GM...that the Irish Times might be a bit like The Guardian or some other similiar (insert random statement on pinko lefto whales here)....well, not so according to some research from DCU: here

inconvenient youths

I'm looking for parents and kids for an article I'm writing for the Examiner at the moment: It's about what are sometimes called 'inconvenient youths' - ie kids who hassle their parents to do good things for the environment. (Name a play on the Al Gore movie).
If you have one of these, and would like to talk about the various issues, positive and negative, post sth here and I'll get in touch. Or email me on moore.oliver@itsligo.ie
There are a lot of issues - the rights of kids to be a bit autonomous, to protect their planet from our destruction, but then also the limits to being forced into doing stuff you can't necessarily afford. Should animal rights, or foodie or environmental groups target kids to hassle us parents?
Are you in fact one of these ppl who works for an organisation that does this? If so, what's your take?
Questions questions....but post sth here if you are interested in this issue ....

national organic week: things to do

Five of the best things to do for national organic week:

1: Clare: Visit an award winning organic goat's cheese farm
First up, there�s a chance to visit the place where multi-award winning organic goat�s cheeses are made. St. Tola�s organic farm is in Inagh, Co. Clare. There will be an opportunity to see the herd of goats, to learn how the cheeses are made, and of course to taste them. This is a good one for the kids, and who knows, they might even be tempted to try the soft cheese while they are there. This event is on Thursday 25th October from 11am to 4pm (065 6836633 or here).

2: Leitrim: Go the organic nine-yards
The Carrick branch of the Western Organic Network are holding an event called �A Taste of Organic Living�. The aim is to �celebrate and showcase all that is good in local organic and artisan produce, holistic and naturopathic medicine, healthy and sustainable living, and local creativity�. Expect events talks and demos. They are making a special effort to hold a �pushing organic farming and food forward� forum, which should prove interesting. This is on Monday 29th October 11 am - 6 pm. (contact WON on 071-9640688 or e-mail info@westernorganicnetwork.com)

3: Leitrim and Limerick: Get an organic job
The Organic Centre, Rossinver Co. Leitrim are holding an event for anyone with an interest in learning more about producing organic food. This is called �Training and Education Opportunities in the Organic Sector� and is open to all. The staff of the Organic Centre will be on hand to answer questions about the 2008 programme. This event is on Wednesday 24th October 2pm � 6pm. (phone 071 9854338 info@theorganiccentre.ie or click here)
or
National organic week Information Day in Dromcollogher. On Tuesday Oct 23 2pm
Tour of the college gardens, including the polly-tunnels, herb gardens, compost areas, vegetable plots, green manure beds and the bee hives. Plenty of advice and assistance, from growing to grants. And, a potato tasting to finish off the day! Phone 063-83604 or click here for more

4: Dublin: Check out the new place where the Dublin food co-op now lives:
And finally, for events, there�s the launch of the new Dublin Food Co-op�s premises. This will be by Minister John Gormaley, �who has been a member for about 20 years� according to Pauric, the development officer with the Co-op.
This new venue is fully twice the size of the previous place, and has excellent, dedicated booths for stallholders. There are few if any places in Ireland with as much variety in organic food and other organic options: there are not that many places where you can buy organic yoga suits for the yummy mummy who has it all. But you can in the co-op. The new venue is 12 Newmarket Dublin 8, off Cork Street, in the heart of the Liberties. You may have missed the launch last weekend, but there's always the lunch to be sorted. So why not drop by this Thursday (2-8pm) or Saturday (9.30-4.00pm). (for more try here or ring 01-873 0451 - check out the domain name!)

5: All over: Who says organic food is expensive? Git yer self some free top scram at 3 tastings of organic food for the week

There are also some organic food tastings being held all over Ireland. Watch out for them at your local supermarkets or farmers� markets. Let�s face it, farmers� markets are more interesting places to hang around than supermarkets, so there isn�t much point in listing the tastings at supermarkets here. Though it's listed as such, eating strawberries in a supermarket is not a 'what's on' event, by any stretch of the imagine.
Friday 26 October 11.00am Carrick-on-Suir Farmers Market, Heritage Centre Grounds, which will be an organic cook-in:
Thursday 25th October 9.30-2.00pm �Omega Beef Direct� Christmas Gift Voucher Launch with Joe Condon of Omega Beef. All recipes from Scott Walsh of award winning restaurant Q82 in Dungarvan Omega Beef Organic Meat Stall at Dungarvan Food Market, The Square, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford:
Saturday 27th October 9am-2pm multi-tastings at the Oracle Farm and Coolanowle Organic Farm Stands at Carlow Food Market, Potato Market, Carlow Town.

so, what is a farmers' market then?

you have to see this to believe it.....blatant!

organic milk in the US

Occasionally here I've commented on or pointed out some of the differences between US and EU organic standards. I've also commented on US organic standards with particular reference to milk.
Well, there has been a new twist to the story, and you can read all about it here
it seems a class action against aurora organic dairy corporation is on the cards....

udder places: where to find irish organic food and farming news

Ok, I seem to be getting v bloggy at the mo, but I've decided to tell you about some of the links I've put over there on your left.
I'll just do some of the Irish foodie ones for now:
greatfood.ie is big, non-biased and full of Irish foodie news. There's an organic tab there too, with standalone organic foodie articles
Plan organic is in many ways the origin of the species when it comes to organic food sites....not as regularly updated as it was, but this place has been the standard-bearer for organic news and views with an irish twist for many moons. Great archive for organic info from 2000-2004 esp
Glenisk dairies are Ireland's leading organic company, and have big plans - for Ireland and the world! Their site will probably be a central part of this process, and has a whole range of areas - farmer profiles, press section, a (potential) blog, a parenting section with many experts, a 'why organic' secton...this site has a lot of potential and is already v useful...
amanda's blog is an irish foodie blog focused primarily on organics. Which is great! Amanda runs an organic hamper company, and finds the time to get her organic wanderings (e.g. electric picnic) and musings (how do you know its organic?) out there....
organic matters is the site of an irish organic food and farming magazine. This mag has a long and quite amazing history, which I must tell y'all about some time. However, a brief history: 1976 - a muddy field in north leitrim, a festival... some blow-in, pure as the driven snow hippies decide to print a mag....the mag expands, history moves on, new people come, occasional 'musical differences' occur, and the mag eventually spawns another mag - about 15 years later...the original mag was common ground, and organic matters is the one that has survived the longest (common ground ended in 1996 - it ran for 20 yrs only once missing a print run, and according to an editor i interviewed a couple of years ago, at one stage in the early 1980s had 2,000 subscriptions - twice what Vogue had at the time).
Anyhoo, more on this history stuff later - organic matters site carries lots of organic feature articles.
then, further down and away from the organic irish ones at the top, there's a pure foodie one, which will lead you into loads of other pure foodie one's too...it's the slightly strangely-titled humble housewife blog . This really is a foodie blog!
Happy meandering!

organic austria and a stong name

Our minister is in Austria at the mo, checking out how they've gotten to such a rate of organic land area....wee bit here about it and also you can just click on Austria over there on the left and see what I've written on the place.
In fact, there's plenty being said about organics by minister sargent (now there is a name soaked in authority...minister and sargent all in one)
here's one recent statement amanda pointed out on her site last week
O

national organic week

National organic week is coming up.
Let me say that a bit louder, cos it seems to be a bit of a secret at the moment!
NATIONAL ORGANIC WEEK IS COMING UP
nothing as of yet on the bord bia site, but there are a couple of events well worth checking out. I have a list of events, and mostly it's just tastings, and some more specific promotional work. However there are at least 2 special events - on the 29th Oct which is a civic holiday (ie bank holiday) - there's the "taste of organic living" in the Dock, carrick-on-shannon. Organised by WON (western organic network). This will have something for the mind, the body and the soul, with a forum, tastings, stalls, screenings etc.
And also Saturday 20th in Dublin - launch of a new orgnaic premises. The Dublin food co-op has, finally, gotten a new premises.
I remember shopping, or more specifically participating in the place in the late 1990s and early 00's, and all the talk, even then, was of a new premises. To finally find out that it actually has a new place is great news. In an ocean of rampant consumperism, this place is a becon, a lighthouse shining brightly, leading the way....

Interestingly, as a market, it has a dedicated manager, which may be the way to go for other farmers' markets.

Their site is here and their new premises is 12 Newmarket, Dublin 8 (off Cork Street)

lastly today, here's a one for the actual farmers out there - a story about organic stores

farmers' market conference report 2007

FARMERS� MARKET CONFERENCE: FOOD FAD OR FOOD FUTURE?

Report by: Oliver Moore, Irish Examiner, Sligo I.T., Greenbox (http://olivermoore.blogspot.com)

(note: a word version of this report is available here

at the rural food company training network's site)

This one day, all Ireland farmers� market conference was held in the Radisson SAS hotel Athlone on Monday the 2nd July. It was organised by the Rural Food Company Training Network, the Western Organic Network in association with Comhar LEADER na hEireann - the Irish LEADER Network and supported by Atlantic Organics. The event itself was very well attended, having booked out well in advance. Along with the conference itself, there were some excellent stalls of interest to delegates ranging from specialist food producers, equipment and seeds to food development and training.

Opening Addresses:

John Bowman (Questions and Answers, RTE), who chaired the conference, opened proceedings. He suggested that the conference agenda was very important. It was about putting resources and wealth back into the countryside, about healthy food and about the health and survival of rural Ireland. In that context, he felt that it was very appropriate that Minister Eamonn O� C�iv, from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was opening the event.

Minister O� C�iv (Department of Ccommunity, Rural and Gaelteacht affairs) began an upbeat event in upbeat fashion, aptly starting as Gaeilge. The importance of farmers� markets to development and sustainability in rural Ireland was the topic broached in the native tongue. The minister then switched to English and the new governmental arrangement: he was happy that his new ministerial colleague, Trevor Sargent, minister of state for food and horticulture, would also be attending. Likewise, he looked forward to working with Minister Sargent. Being from the west, he pointed out that Galway market was one of the few to survive from his childhood. He was delighted to see some of the pioneers who spearheaded the drive towards farmers� markets in attendance, including Darina Allen. He also saw growth potential in the sector, which he claimed was a �niche rather than small� sector.

Isobel Fletcher (small food business co-ordinator, Cle � the Irish LEADER network) followed on from the Minister. Isobel spoke of the agri-food sector: While the figures suggest that agriculture is less prominent than in the past, the agri-food sector maintained its importance, both for exports and employment. She also addressed other issues: the need for diversification and the opportunity farmers� markets provide; farmers� markets and the importance of values to consumers; the opportunity for new migrants to contribute; the importance of presentation and traceability; food miles and finally tourist desires for authentic local foods. The need for safe food at farmers� markets got a special mention, both as a necessity and a topic that needed to be broached with discernment.

Minister O C�iv returned to the podium to make two final points. He dealt with the local context farmers� markets find themselves in. Good planning and local authority buy-in were important. The Cl�r programme was established to help with the latter, and he was disappointed to see some resistance from local authorities. The need for protocols to insure the local provenance of the foods and the producers was emphasised, otherwise local shopkeepers would be rightly annoyed at the wholesaling of goods. He referred back to a previous speech he made, when he joked about not seeing oranges at a farmers� market he was opening, only to see oranges inside. A quality mark is needed, he suggested, to allow farmers� markets to become a window for all that is good about rural Irish food.

Diane Dignam (Programme Manager with Accel) closed the opening addresses. Along with thanking the previous contributors, she spoke of the training Accel provide, in conjunction with the Eilish Broderick of the Rural Food Company Training Network and Sean McGloin of the Western Organic Network. Diane also mentioned that their work would be further developing in September.

Opening presentations:

The first of the main speakers of the day was Darina Allen (Ballymaloe house, Chef and Writer). Darina gave a typically impassioned speech about both the historical development and current state of farmers� markets in Ireland. Her San Francisco �light bulb moment� in 1995 when she saw a farmers� market and the opportunities it offered to Irish food producers. The Coal Key market in Cork herself, Caroline Robinson and others established, Midleton market, and then some �thorny issues� were all addressed. She addressed the issue of localness � while you clearly want as much of it as possible, you also need variety, she suggested. The other thorny issues were: Inconsistencies of quality, low standards and the lack of both farmers and homemade goods at some farmers� markets; the need to bring country markets, which maintain high standards, into the loop; the price of stalls at privately-run farmers� markets; inconsistent local authority attitudes and behaviour, in particular in relation to their interpretation of the casual trading act; Environmental Health Officer (EHO) consistency; attracting more farmers in, in particular getting the IFA involved. This latter point got the first spontaneous round of applause of the day, and was emphasised by Darina pointing out that three farmers in Midleton are still on the land because of its market. She then spoke of opportunities and trends she saw in food terms: local, seasonal, rare and foraged foods such as honey, apples, wild garlic, her best selling organic nettles, rare breed meats and more. Cookery demonstrations were attractive at a farmers� market, while fishermen�s� markets were likely to emerge in the near future. Finally, grants for refrigerated trailers and the educational dimension of a farmers� market were presented as opportunities.

Questions from the floor dealt primarily with the issues of the management and the frequency of Ms. The use of an employed manager to represent and organise the farmers� market was suggested from the floor. In relation to queries on frequency, going weekly and running through all kinds of weather were suggested as the best options by Darina, for the consumer. She also suggested allowing in seasonal sellers, such as Autumnal soft fruit sellers.

And in response to Darina�s request for the IFA to get involved, a representative of the IFA�s horticultural section spoke from the floor. He pointed out that the horticulturalists were under severe pressure; their numbers were down to 200 from 1000 just a few years ago. However, literally in the last year, the IFA has started to take farmers� markets seriously. While this has been a solitary campaign, the representative suggested that if they are approached, they will now be supportive.

Michael Gleeson (EIRI Corca Baiscinn) spoke of the practicalities of establishing rural farmers� markets. The four key elements are:
Physical location - be central, visible and have good parking.
Have a core of dedicated producers
Have a solid structure: the rules of the market are a tool to prevent poor quality or unsuitable produce in, but they also need to be somewhat flexible, especially in rural under-populated locations. Shop around for the best group insurance deals.
Work hard and decently at it: Have an inability to take �no� for an answer, while keeping key people on-side

Along with these points, Michael emphasised local embeddedness and consumer relations: he referred to consumers as (following the Slow Food Mantra) Co-producers who should get what they want: tofu salad won�t go down as well in small isolated rural towns as bacon and cabbage, he suggested. He also suggested that one person could be appointed as a farmers� market development and support officer in each local authority, and that sustainable farming should be taught in Agricultural courses in Educational Institutions.

Questions from the floor brought up the balance between duplication of stalls and healthy competition. While it should be possible to figure out the balance between the two, John Bowman offered a note of caution: what if someone says that their version of a particular product is better? Location also emerged as a discussion point: in towns with no central focus, it can be hard to attract people in, it was suggested. Michael replied that he has had to deal with the same issues, but they are surmountable. Essentially it just takes time, he suggested � three years is the measure, and the second year is often the hardest. The option of evening markets, and the further need for training in educational institutions also emerged from the floor.

Panel Session: Comparing and contrasting different models of markets:

The open forum discussion that followed featured a panel consisting of Ray Dunne, Quarry mount free range meats; John Brennan manager, Leitrim organic farmers� co-operative; Jackie Spillane, market manager, Dublin/ Wicklow; Michael Peters Nuffield Scholar; Emer Duffy, Vice chair, Country Markets ltd.

The discussion revolved around the following key issues: the varying degrees of local authority support, insurance, language used to describe markets and, related to this latter point, the presence or otherwise of farmers at �farmers�� markets.

With regard to local authority support, inconsistencies were again mentioned with regard to council attitudes to signage. A lack of general support from local authorities, and the need for supports to increase incomes which are otherwise too low received a round of applause.

Insurance and the Casual Trading Act were discussed in detail. It was suggested by a representative of the Irish Food Market Traders Association (IFMTA) that there may be no need for insurance. This representative suggested that the relevant person to liaise with is Will Coventry in the Department of Trade and Enterprise, who has the guidelines to the Casual Trading Act. A representative of the Insurance industry pointed out that we live in a litigious society, and suggested caution. He also pointed out that the company he represents, FBD, have a useful specific policy: if you have farm insurance, you have product liability and you can sell at no extra charge. He also pointed out that if there is processing involved you need to make sure that your processor is insured too. In a point which links the first and second of these together, it was also suggested from the floor that some local authorities want both individual stalls and the farmers� market itself to be insured, with Public Liability of up to �6.5 million required. The speaker suggested that neighbouring local authorities do not require this. Jackie Spillane mentioned that the cost of Insurance does act a useful filter against �flighty vendors�. The notion of group insurance for farmers� markets was also mentioned.

Language also caused a stir. Farmers� markets being described as �organic farmers� markets� are bad for consumer confidence, according to Jackie Spillane, if they only have one or two organic stalls present. She also made reference to the fact that cocos, the county council run model of farmers� market she�s involved in, have a high percentage of producers present as vendors. From the floor, it was suggested that the term farmers� market is often a con. The producer and vendor who suggested this also suggested that the consumer was starting to realise this. She also suggested that the lack of IFA support for farmers� markets put people off getting involved. Others suggested Teagasc also need to get involved in training people to produce for direct selling. John Brennan, however, suggested that the name farmers� market was worth maintaining. The job was to attract farmers, not change the name, in his opinion. He also suggested that certified organic produce on sale at farmers� market has a form of quality assurance, through the organic certification scheme. A discussion also developed on the issues around local slaughtering and waste disposal, on the benefits of co-op structures and finally the need and opportunity for a national representative farmers� market organisation.


Marketing presentations:

Different farmers� markets and farmers� market models were then analysed. Kate Burns (Senior partner, First Western) examined the Origin farmers� markets. She studied farmers� markets in Boyle, Manorhamilton, Sligo, Ballybofey, Letterkenny, Omagh, Strabane and Ballymoney. Regeneration, encouraging enterprise and the integration of social, economic and environmental goals were LEADER and Action 2�s aims in funding these farmers� markets. There were market, production and locational issues, along with marketing/branding issues, concerns around agency consistency and resources. However there were also lessons learned: There is no �one size fits all model�: cultural and social factors make farmers� markets in different towns quite different. Kate compared Colraine farmers� market�s circumstances to Ballymoney�s: Colraine is a university town, tourist-orientated, with both retired people and people on relatively high incomes and the council have been very supportive of the farmers� market, through attitude and funding. Ballymoney has had the opposite experience. She also suggested that farmers� markets with small target populations need to be in operation weekly and fish, meat, bread, cheese and vegetables are a must at any farmers� market. Kate also suggested that pricing, selling techniques and labelling tend to need greater consistency; that networking between producers and host communities is invaluable; that markets in areas of a low population base and challenging economic factors probably need on-going support; and that markets do best where host communities are engaged in complementary activities.

Aisling Roche (ARMS food marketing specialists) presented her research on Roscommon farmers� market. She presented a positive �before and after� story, whereby the farmers� market implemented her recommendations and are benefiting from so doing. A combination of interviews, observation; customer survey of 100 customers, workshop and finally a marketing action plan were conducted. Signage and product labelling were major issues. However the consumer survey elicited many positive responses. Aisling had a range of recommendations for the stallholders: meet regularly, develop an action plan, recruit new stallholders, display information and make it a more cosy experience through the use of music, heaters, lights and improved layout; form an association, use name badges, have a code of practice, tell and re-tell their customers their positive stories, consider their market segments such as local businesses having their lunch there, advertise and generate PR locally and finally use branded boxes and bags. Much of this advice had been taken on board. Novel approaches included inviting the French Market in as guests and placing one stall outside the entrance each week to entice people in.

Una Fitzgibbon (manager, small business, Bord Bia) also presented her research. Her first tip was to let people know where your market is. She then presented some consumer trends: Consumers now want to live life to the full, but are busy; they want to make an ethical difference and choose healthy options; they also want trustworthy, authentic food. She suggested that Irish consumers eat together as a family, that half consider localness and that quality is important to them. Specifically in relation to farmers� markets, her research revealed the following: consumers felt that feeding the family was a complex task, with many mixed signals coming from the media; consumers want good food that is organic in style � natural, fresh, unprocessed. Various consumer quotes were then presented, featuring adaptable consumers seeking natural foods; busy consumers and consumers seeking simple food without too much hassle. So consumers want simple, unprocessed food and feel that the local dimension has a myriad of positive aspects which induce a feelgood factor. She concluded by suggesting that trust, the quest for natural foods and sociability were the three fundamentals that need nurturing, protection, enhancement and promotion. Una also presented more marketing tips, including providing freshness and quality; using publicity (especially roadside signage, newspapers, visibility/passing by and reputation/word of mouth); being sociable and community-orientated; build direct relations with consumers (from email addresses and phone numbers to other direct selling options). She then pointed out the range of work Bord Bia do for the small food business sector in general and on farmers� markets in particular, including both sponsoring and featuring quality Irish foods at events, publishing a farmers� market guide, and organising the taste council.

Keynote presentation:

After this, Trevor Sargent, (Minister of State for Horticulture and Food) took to the podium. He firstly suggested that he was booked in before he became minister, but that he was delighted to attend in this new capacity. He pointed out that farmers� markets are important for regional identity, they excite the public and they excite the department, the later of which he cited as an achievement. He then spoke of his plans for farmers� markets. He wants farmers� markets to be genuine; to create clear a plan to remove obstacles to direct selling; to liaise with local authorities while also encouraging them to be supportive and consistent; to make planning regulations clear, consistent and minimal; and finally to improve food production facilities.

Food production also emerged as a key theme. The steady decline in vegetable growing in Ireland is a particular concern for him, especially in light of food security issues. He notably mentioned that he would press release the seasons, to help people reacquaint themselves with the natural growing times for vegetables. He also spoke of achieving GM free status, of providing local abattoirs and of reaching 5% target of organic production by 2012. He concluded by suggesting that he was ready to listen to and lead the sector.

Questions from the floor revolved around achieving organic status and the misleading use of the word organic at some farmers� markets, as well as the difficulty in being a viable food producer with the costs of food production rising all the time. This latter point struck a chord with many attendees. He minister agreed and emphasised with these floor statements. He also stated that, despite the (selectively interpreted) WTO rules and their effect of food production, farmers� markets were a lifeline for farmers, and food security was bound to become an issue for the future.

Panel discussion: Successful Farmers� Market management for best results:

Annemarie Mullan, (chair, St George�s food and garden market, Belfast)
Ted Murphy, (market manager, Midleton market)
Caroline Robinson, (chairperson, Irish food Market Traders Association)
Patricia golden, (Origin farmers� market, Boyle Una Bhan tourism)

The discussion initially revolved around the need for and availability of training. Then, the focus shifted over to models of farmers� market. From the floor, the notion of having a market or market�s manager was posited. Anne-Marie Mullan agreed that this has helped in her situation. Trevor Sargent pointed out that the successful and long running Dublin Food Co-op also has a manager. He also pointed out that local authorities should have a person on this issue and other related town centre issues. Ted Murphy and Patricia Golden pointed to their own situation, where successful farmers� markets have liaised well with local authorities and with funding agencies. However, it was also suggested that funding is no guarantee for success: a LEADER funded farmers� market in Cork was one of the few of the 30 or so that failed, according to Caroline Robinson. Darina Allen suggested that there was too much emphasis on funding: all you need is good produce, a table, boiling water, soap and a towel to get started, she suggested.

Standards, image, price, trading days (traditional town market days or separate days), the price the producer gets and should get, availability of produce, and opening times of the farmers� market were discussed. Hot ethnic foods, strategic use of crafts to fill dead areas, musicians and lobbying tourism agencies to promote self-catering holidays all emerged as positive opportunities for farmers� market development.

When it emerged that two Castlebar town councillors and the town Clerk were in attendance, eager and actively seeking a farmers� market to be established, the crowd reacted with both surprise and enthusiasm.

Remaining presentations:

Oliver Moore (Irish Examiner, Sligo I.T., Greenbox) presented on how farmers� markets deal with the problems of distance and disconnection, and on the important role organic food plays in the farmers� market. Distance and disconnection refer to the effect of inevitable economic processes, especially involving increasing scale, which reduce how local either the people or the produce at farmers� markets actually is. Traded, processed goods sold by vendors rather than farmers are an example. There are, however, numerous ways farmers� markets deal with these otherwise inevitable problems. These include: The cumulative aspect to the development of farmers� markets in Ireland, whereby newer models of farmers� market enrol greater stakeholders, including rural development workers. That said, privately run farmers� market in operation in and around Dublin avoid these issues by simply offering a huge array of produce; the value-adding opportunity the farmers� market offers to producers � essentially producers can turn their hard work into a good story to help their product sell; the organisational interests of organic farmers - organic farmers have been to the forefront of developing farmers� markets, because they like the idea of controlling the means of distribution; consumers deliberately seeking out ever more local and natural produce as and when it becomes available. Possible problems to consider, however, include inconsistency in the treatment of farmers� markets by local authorities; over institutionalisation, whereby local authorities and rural development organisations become so involved that they control and stifle the farmers� markets; overstretching capacity �many farmers� markets have less than 10 stalls, the UK has 550 farmers� markets for 60 million people, Ireland has over 120 for just 6 million on the island; and broader town planning and retailer-relationship issues. Overall, however, he suggested that the outlook was relatively positive: in broad terms, the interests of producers, organisers and consumers resonate.

Joanne Lorriman (senior Environmental Health Officer with the Health Service Executive) pointed out that the law in relation to food trading had changed from being prescribed to being about guidelines. She suggested that voluntary engagement with the EHOs was beneficial, so stallholders can get advice on what they need to do. Two specific aspects of the responsibilities of food traders were covered: hand washing and temperature control. There are three categories of risk - high medium and low - and each has a different set standards. High risk requires a designated wash hand basin, an adequate and instantaneous supply of hot and cold water at the stall, soap and disposable paper towels or other suitable hand drying facilities. Medium risk requires a designated wash hand basin, an adequate supply of hot and cold water at the stall, soap and disposable paper towels or other suitable hand drying facilities. Low risk requires that the stallholder demonstrate there is adequate means of cleaning hands. She also discussed equipment and training. With regard to temperature control, Joanne stated that the guidance required a 5 degree temperature to prevent rapid microbiological growth and refrigeration or a suitable alternative is needed. Factors to consider include type of food and duration of market, food management techniques, equipment and training. Overall Joanne suggested that the standards were higher than three years ago, but that greater exchange of information was needed.

The first statement from the floor pointed out that some EHOs seem to come with a negative attitude before even the market has opened. A lack of consistency in EHOs was suggested. Joanne replied that they too are inspected, meet to discuss best practice and consistency and have a formal complaints procedure. The need for communication, in the face of a feeling of �helplessness� was emphasised from the floor.

Gareth Jones (Managing Agent FARMA - the UK�s national farmers� retail and markets association) presented a practical case study on certification and accreditation of farmers� markets. He first compared Parisian and US farmers� markets, before suggesting that the first of the 550 modern certified farmers� markets in the UK began in Bath in 1997. To be certified by FARMA, the farmers� markets have to either have farmers selling the produce or they must follow the FARMA guidelines: Stallholders sell only their own products; principal stallholder is involved in production; produce must be from the locality. Currently they have 230 farmers� market members. They offer a certification scheme based on three elements: certification of farmers� markets; verification of producers; diploma for farmers� market organisers/managers. Gareth then outlined the initial 12 week process of certification, as well as the procedures for year two and three, FARMA's training of inspectors, media work, advisory work and so on.

Facilitated discussion: Isobel Fletcher, Trevor Sargent and Michael Gleeson then facilitated a discussion on whether the certified farmers� market approach was possible in the Irish situation.

The first suggestion from the floor pointed out that differing regions in the US have a different experiences: California has a great growing climate, is abundant and has large population centres. By comparison, upstate New York has different conditions, and does not have a certified system. Gareth suggested, however, that these very people have said to him that they now wish they had started with a certified system years ago. He also said that the locality rule is set by the farmers� market itself, not the certification company. Others also suggested that the UK model was based on a country with larger population bases and monthly rather than weekly farmers� markets, whereas some farmers� markets in Ireland are in towns with two to three thousand people and on weekly. It was also suggested from the floor that most of the problems with the authenticity of farmers� markets occurred in the Dublin region. An alternative suggestion was for farmers� market-led certification, and to not only certify farmers� markets, but to tie funding to having a certified standard. Likewise, other speakers suggested that there were too many traders and not enough farmers, that high standards involving farmers or local farmed produce need to be maintained, that people involved in farmers� market are being too short sighted in how they view farmers� markets, and that control and answerability are both missing. The potential for a system of derogations, similar to the certified organic derogations was also suggested, whereby the specific circumstances of each farmers� market could be taken into account: the day of the week, availability or otherwise of various products in the town itself, availability of suitable produce for selling at the farmers� market in the region, and so on.


The activities or otherwise of the producers was also discussed. Certifying producers rather than markets was suggested. It was also suggested that a so called fisherman could have a boat but never use it. The value of a co-operative approach amongst farmers, of giving certified farmers preferential, central locations within the market, and using the skills of regional sellers was also pointed out. Farmers are not always natural sellers, and are busy, it was suggested.

The fact that farmers� markets are in the public good and are often held on a traditional day in a traditional place was pointed out by Michael Gleeson.

The bureaucratic and paperwork potential of yet another certification scheme clearly worried a large number of delegates. A fish monger suggested that there was an �industry in regulation� which was �driving producers to the wall�, which resonated with many delegates. Duplicate inspections were also an annoyance. The potential for organisations such as Cl�r, for local authorities to appoint and support someone to help develop farmers� markets, and a mentoring approach to help develop skills, rather than an inspection only approach, were also all suggested.

Trevor Sargent suggested that these are frustrating problems, but we live in a country with exceptionally high multiple retailer dominance and suffer from the effects of years of poor planning, which makes us very car dependent. Both of these factors lead to a predominance of out of town shopping centres. However, he pointed out that his Green Party ministerial colleague John Gormley was wiling address these issues.

Some key themes that emerged included:

Farmers� markets as an important and growing part of the retail landscape, both from a rural development and consumer perspective
The need for local authority consistency in relation to their treatment of and work with farmers� markets
The need for farmers� markets to provide high quality produce with authenticity, but also to be more internally coherent: be aware the benefits of more professional presentation
The need for training both in sustainable farming and the specific area of farmers� markets
The benefits of working with other stakeholders in a constructive way: e.g. seeking advice and recommendations from EHOs
The need for more stakeholders again to start getting involved in a more serious manner, e.g. the IFA
The benefits of more people working for farmers� markets, whether as market managers or as local authority representatives
The range of consumer wishes: quality, naturalness, simplicity, cheapness, contact with local people and local food, variety and more.
There is no clear agreed position on certification of farmers� markets as of yet, though there is a palpable interest in having high standards. Bureaucracy, frequency, climate, regional socio- cultural factors, provenance, population, conflicting consumer expectations, rate paying shops, broader town management issues, a legacy of bad planning, the lack of farmers at farmers� market, and the misleading of consumers in the current, less regulated environment are all issues that feed into the dynamic.


Ends. Oliver Moore July 2007 (http://olivermoore.blogspot.com/)