The demand for premium organic produce from Australia to the markets of Asia continues to surge. Networking groups, particularly in organics, provide an easy transition into these markets.

The Central Victorian Organic Network CVON is one group that continues to receive considerable interest from organic and conventional producers looking to tap into the Asian export market. 

Craig Sobey, President of CVON says demand is outstripping supply. “Our target markets for export include Japan, China and many parts of southern Asia including India. The demand for premium organic produce in these parts is very high based on preliminary discussions by Austrade officials and business groups in these markets. The demand in the domestic market is reported to be growing at approximately 30% whilst production is only increasing at a rate of approximately 5 to 12%.” Craig says.

Craig believes that organic producers are desperately needed to not only fulfil the shortfall in supply, however to enable sustainable farming practices to continue to be able to capitalize on these demands.

“The domestic and export markets are estimated to be too large to satisfy for the foreseeable future; that is for at least 10 years”. Craig says.

“We need as many growers converting to certified organic farming as practical. This not only assists with supply of goods for domestic and export markets, by converting their land to certified organic farming they are improving water conservation, carbon capture, improving soil productivity and health, adding at least five percent to fenced off biodiversity zones and generally cleaning our rivers, streams and groundwater of harmful pesticides and fertilizers”, Craig says.

The producer network has just launched their brand ‘Puralia’, giving members a unique marketing tool through an umbrella brand. Craig believes this brand will enable producers to focus on providing quality product and take the work out of establishing connections in the market.

“Through our pooling of resources the network strengthens its base and allows us to scale up for engagement in markets that individuals would find difficult to supply.

Craig says that a change in the socioeconomic status of many Asian countries has been a factor in the increasing demand for good quality Australian beef. 

“World food scientists are reporting a projection that traditional food prices may treble in the next five years due to the emergence of a global middle class centre in Asia. There is no longer such a big division from rich to poor. Now there is an estimated three hundred and fifty million persons that enjoy a middle class ($30 to $35,000 USD annual income), in India and China alone.”

“Even conventional farmers will be unable to fully satisfy the demands of these major developments let alone the producers of certified organic food”, Craig says.

“The high end of the market in Asia is usually educated and well traveled and well informed of their food choices and tends to be at least five to ten years ahead of Australia in adopting to new trends generated in the US and EEC. Now is the time to get our quality organic produce under their noses”, he says.

For information on CVON visit www.cvon.com.au. 

Consumers could soon be paying more for milk, as competition for milk supplies continues to increase.

A recent RABO Bank report claims that “a combination of strong demand conditions, structural reductions in supply and a series of shorter term supply shocks have seen international dairy prices more or less double in 12 months – driving the value of all dairy commodities to record levels”.

Barambah Organics, a Queensland based organic dairy producer and processor are capitalising on this demand. Their milking herd ranges from around 220 -250 head, predominantly Holstein-Fresians as well as some Jersey. The cows graze on 700 acres at Glenarbon, just outside of Inglewood, and 1,000 acres at Murgon QLD. 

They process their milk from these properties and from a number of other A-grade certified organic farms from QLD and NSW directly through their manufacturing plant at Oxley, Brisbane. 

Nationally, seasonal conditions, extended dry periods and shortage of and high priced feed supplements have made it hard for many to capitalise on the market. Jane Campbell and her husband Ian are directors of Barambah Organics. Jane believes that although, like many others they have had tough times, that the situation has not hindered Barambah’s success in the market, saying “There is such a shortage of milk at the moment that any factory producing excellent quality products will definitely thrive”, she says.

Milk supply in VIC and the Goulbourn Valley are particularly under pressure at the moment due to extended dry periods. With many dairy farmers battling the drought, and the strong export market, many processors are paying more to farmers to maintain supply. At present Victorian farmers are receiving $.60c Litre for certified organic milk.

Jane is grateful for the water supply they have been experiencing. Many dairy operators, particularly those supplied by the Southern Murray Darling Basin have been hit with extremely low water allocations and temporary water values that have priced them out of the market. “Our water allocation has not been affected yet, but we have heard of so many instances where allocations for irrigation have been reduced. Milk output is currently at 20 litres/cow and we have been able to hold that”, Jane says.

Global milk prices are being particularly influenced by the increase in milk consumption in China and other Asian nations. “The milk price is increasing with processors like United Dairies offering greater money than the 3 large manufacturers. Competition for milk suppliers is hotting up”, she says.

The Australian
December 16, 2007 
MANAGED farmlands could help mop up much of the carbon emitted into the atmosphere, converting a hazard into a productive opportunity, some farmers and scientists say.

The scientists say Australia has the largest greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the world and carbon storage in soil has been largely overlooked as a solution for cutting the carbon footprint. 
According to Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), soil managed under organic and other regenerative farming systems could be a key tool to combating globally warming greenhouse gases. 

"Carbon can be stored in the soil in the form of stable humus fractions, which can last for more than a thousand years - longer than most trees live,'' said soil health technical advisor and BFA spokesman Greg Paynter. 

The Australian Society of Soil Science says about 1,500 gigatonnes of carbon is stored in soils worldwide, twice the amount that is stored in plants, and double the amount contained in the atmosphere. (One gigatonne is the equivalent of one billion tonnes) 

The director of consulting group Organic Knowledge, Alasdair Smithson, said the potential benefits from soil carbon capture and storage had not received enough attention from policy makers. 

"Well-managed soil is a highly effective method of storing carbon from the atmosphere,'' Mr Smithson said.

"It happens in real time - not like planting a tree, which can take 25 years to mature,'' he said. 
Mr Smithson said carbon soil storage could provide farmers with additional income via carbon credit trading schemes. 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has recently ratified the Kyoto Protocol and said a domestic carbon trading scheme would be in place by 2010. 

"Its benefits (ratifying the protocol) could be significant in the near future, with developments in carbon trading programs meaning farmers could be paid for sequestering carbon as an additional farm income in the future,'' Mr Smithson said. 

One such carbon facilitating program is the Australian Soil Carbon Accreditation Scheme, launched early this year in collaboration with 14 organisations. They include the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food and mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd. 

The scheme pays participants carbon credits for activities that reduce levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide by returning it to the soil. And some forecasters have suggested that carbon is poised to become the world's largest commodity market. 

According to the World Bank, the value of the global carbon market tripled in 2006 - to $US30 billion ($A32.2 billion) from $US10 billion ($A11.4 billion) in 2005. 

Ecologist and founder of Australian Soil Carbon Accreditation Scheme, Christine Jones, said that in a healthy ecosystem soils were a dynamic part of the carbon cycle.

"When people think carbon, they usually think trees, but in reality 82 per cent of carbon in the terrestrial biosphere is in the soil," she said. 

"A one per cent increase in soil carbon in just 10 per cent of Australia's farmland could remove 10 years worth of Australia's CO2 emissions, while a four per cent increase in soil carbon could remove 40 years' worth."

Dr Jones said putting carbon back in soil required the adoption of regenerative farming and grazing methods that resulted in the formation of new topsoil. 

Groundcover, which needed topsoil and included plants and crop stubbles, provides the channel between the atmosphere and the soil, providing the "way in" soil carbon, she said. 

"Carbon can not be sequestered in soils if we continue with the same forms of land management that cause the carbon losses in the first place,'' she said. 

"People cannot function without a skin, soil cannot function without cover." 
Agriculture accounts for 30 per cent of the world's carbon emissions and 17 per cent of Australia's total carbon emissions, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics.  

Source: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22932436-643,00.html

Findings from a co-joint report by the World Cancer Research fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research of a “convincing link between processed meats and colorectal cancer” is good news for Australian organic meat retailers. 

The report states there is solid proof that high levels of processed meat containing nitrite and other preservatives increase the risk of cancer in the colon and rectum; two key organs of the digestive system. 

Nitrites are barred from use in the processing of organic meat. 

The findings come as no surprise to Steve Povey, meat processor certified by Australian Certified Organic, and owner of Brisbane butcher shop, ‘The Meat-Ting Place’. 

He has specialised in the production of non-nitrite, preservative free and organically cured ham and bacon for the last ten years and says the benefits have brought in customers via doctor’s referrals. 

“People come to us after seeing their doctors, who have associated high nitrite levels with a range of problems; gout, shingles, nervous rashes and so on,” says Mr. Povey. 

“We receive customers from the age of eighteen and up wanting to decrease the chemical build up in their bodies. People consistently eating our meat say they feel better in themselves – and, some senior customers say it tastes like meat used to sixty years ago.”

Sodium Nitrite is added to conventional processed meat for preservation purposes and is the reason meat retains its recognisable red colour.

It is particularly high in foods such as ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, sausages and frankfurters; and fast foods. 
The report found the consumption of red and processed meats to increase with income and particularly high in western countries. 

Australia’s consumption of cured ham and bacon has almost doubled from 4.6kg to 8.7kg per person in the sixty years up to 1999, according to the last official records. 

Organically cured meat means Australians can bring home the bacon, minus the carcinogens. 

Link to World Cancer Research Fund Report ‘Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective,’: http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/?p=ER 

The proof is in the organic pudding, according to certified organic meat processor Stephen Povey from The Meat-ing Place who specialises in preservative free and organically cured Christmas ham. “Our senior customers say it tastes like meat used to sixty years ago,” he says. 

And organic turkey is renowned for providing a more tender feature of the Christmas lunch fare. “People say organic turkey is juicer than conventional,” says Matthew Jamieson, poultry producer from Sunforest in NSW. “Our birds take longer to raise, and they’re raised outdoors on very high standard chemical-free feed and that makes a big difference.”

Preparing organic Christmas meals and treats at home, or putting organic chocolates in the Christmas stocking is also one way to keep the kids hyper-activity levels at a low and possibly avoid some of the after-effects of indulging in overly processed foods. 

Natural colours and flavours, no harmful additives or preservatives, the prohibition of hydrogenated or trans-fats and fruit inclusions in organic processing all contribute to a healthier holiday nibble. 

On the alcoholic front, certified organic wine producer Scott Wright says organic wine is perfect for people with allergies who want the Christmas cheer to last. 

“Certainly lower levels of sulphur dioxides, if people have allergies, lead to lower levels of headaches. And of course there is the value in knowing the wines are produced without synthetic chemicals in an ethical way.” 

To extend organic past the dining room this season, there are plenty of options:
• For the tree, organic food or cosmetics hampers provide an environmentally friendly option. Hampers can contain everything from fresh organic seasonal fruits to organic chocolate, wine, nuts, jams, sauces, soap and shampoo. Make your own from your local organic market or shop online to save time.
• For Santa sacks try 100% certified organic cotton garments and sleep wear that won’t irritate the skin. Try visiting www.organicembrace.com.au.
• Take an organic break! Organic retreats are tipped to be the next tourism niche.
• Rediscover the wonder of outdoors and show the kids the value of food by taking time over the holidays to try your own organic veggie patch. There are plenty of organic garden inputs available in nurseries for natural growing and kids love learning the magic of garden life. 

When purchasing organic, shoppers should always look for a logo such as the recognisable BFA/ ACO "Bud" logo to be sure of the product’s organic integrity and the benefits of buying organic are 100% certified.

For further information on where to buy organic products and for answers to common questions about buying organic, visit www.bfa.com.au. 

The BFA has a vision for the organic industry in Australia - to grow organic food sales to 10 per cent of the food market in Australia by 2020. For 20 good reasons to buy organic and assist the organic industry to achieve its goal visit www.bfa.com.au. 

A last yet essential read to complete your organic advantage -
A young jackaroo from outback Queensland goes off to university, but halfway through the semester he foolishly has squandered all of his money.

He calls home. "Dad," he says, "you won't believe what modern education is developing. They actually have a program here in Brisbane that will teach our dog Ol' Blue how to talk."

"That's amazing!" his Dad says. "How do I get Ol' Blue in that program?"

"Just send him down here with $2,000," the young jackaroo says, "I'll get him in the course."

So his father sends the dog and $2,000.

About two-thirds through the semester, the money again runs out. The boy calls home. "So how's Ol' Blue doing, son?" his father wants to know.

"Awesome! Dad, he's talking up a storm. But you just won't believe this. They've had such good results with talking, they've begun to teach the animals how to read."

"Read?!" exclaims his father. "No kidding! How do we get Ol' Blue in that program?"

"Just send $4,500. I'll get him in the class."

The money promptly arrives. But our hero has a problem. At the end of the year, his father will find out the dog can neither talk nor read.

So he shoots the dog. When he arrives home at the end of the year, his father is all excited.

"Where's Ol' Blue? I just can't wait to talk with him, and see him read something!"

"Dad," the boy says, "I have some grim news. Yesterday morning, just before we left to drive home, Ol' Blue was in the living room, kicked back in the recliner, reading the Wall Street Journal. Then he suddenly turned to me and asked, 'So, is your daddy still messing around with that little redhead barmaid at the pub?'"

The father groans and whispers, "I hope you shot that bastard before he talks to your Mother!"

"I sure did, Dad!"

"That's my boy!"

The kid went on to be a successful lawyer.

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Your Organic Advantage
Editor: Holly Vyner

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