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With more than 70 years of collective experience in building successful dairy and organic companies, there isn’t too much Mark Retzloff, Chairman, Aurora Organic Dairy, and Mark Peperzak, CEO, Aurora Organic Dairy, don’t know about the organic dairy industry. Five years ago they co-founded Aurora Organic Dairy. Bringing knowledge and expertise, as well as an unwavering commitment to accessibility and affordability, they have managed to position Aurora Organic Dairy as one of the leading suppliers of high quality organic milk to average Americans. By focusing on organic stewardship, sustainable farming practices, innovative business models, and practical community involvement, Aurora Organic Dairy is well placed to bring organic milk into...

If you’re a farmer, why do you grow organic food? If you’re a consumer, why do you buy organic food? I’m guessing that you do so because you feel confident that it’s a better option. If you’re a farmer, it probably gives you more opportunity, either directly or indirectly, to market and sell your produce. And if like me you’re a consumer, organic food provides you and your family with an opportunity to enjoy food the way it’s meant to be – free of GMOs, pesticides, hormones, and other nasties. But where does our confidence in the organic industry come from? Is it something that’s intuitive? For some the answer to that is probably yes. But for most of us, myself included, our confidence in organics is gained through experiences,...

Local organic producers are receiving some wonderful support from colleges throughout the U.S. What am I talking about? There’s a new blog out there called Organic on the Green. Its purpose is to support the development of organic food programs on colleges nationwide. The initiative, which has been brought to life by Nina Merrill, a senior at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, provides a wonderful insight into the hearts and minds of the organic industry’s future leaders. Whether it’s a personal account of involvement in the SAFE program or a discussion about the relative merits of organic certification for a large university dining service, the posts are well-written, thoughtful and interesting. Well worth checking out! In other news,...

Agriculture is not only affected by climate change, but also contributes significantly to it. Greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors related to agriculture are estimated to contribute up to 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. According to Dr. Timothy J. LaSalle, CEO The Rodale Institute, “…agriculture is an undervalued and underestimated climate change tool that could be one of the most powerful strategies in the fight against global warming”. Unfortunately, conventional agricultural practices exacerbate rather than alleviate the effects of climate change. Organic agriculture on the other hand – with its emphasis on closed nutrient cycles, biodiversity, and effective soil management – appears to have the capacity to mitigate...

Many schools are benefiting from the natural learning environment provided by the introduction of a school garden. In a joint project involving Growing Communities, Brisbane’s Northey Street City Farm and Health Promotion Queensland, many of Queensland’s local State schools are being encouraged to foster learning environments emphasizing gardening, healthy food choices and outdoor activity. Critical to the success of these projects is the involvement of as many community participants as possible. Each school aims to involve staff, students, P&C, as well as numerous other groups from the broader community. Children participating in school gardening projects enjoy hands on learning, physical activity, fresh air and clean food...