Tea is very important in Japanese culture. Although a wide variety of teas and tisanes are routinely enjoyed, it is green tea, or nihoncha, which receives most attention in Japan. Many festivals, celebrations and ceremonies are associated with the production, harvesting and consumption of green tea. Interestingly, organic green tea has, largely due to Japan’s vibrant youth culture, become very popular in recent years. By way of example, Itoen’s organic ryokucha (pictured), a fragrant green tea with a wonderfully clean taste, is now available throughout Japan. Its quality, at least in my opinion, is much higher than the non-organic “to go” varieties currently on the market. And for around 160円 it represents good value for many Japanese...

Some very disturbing news from Brazil regarding the death of a father of three who was attempting to protest GMO field trials in Brazil has just come in. In a press release issued today The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) has condemned the recent violent actions attempting to solve problems relating to GMO conflicts. The incidents reported in the press release from Via Campesina about Syngenta’s armed militia that killed a peasant farmer and Via Campesina member in Brazil protesting GMO field trials are shocking. A group of 150 farmers related to Via Campesina occupied Sygenta’s field trials October 21st with the aim of turning it into a gmo-free center for Agroecology. Syngenta responded with arms, resulting...