Here’s a speech delivered by HRH The Prince of Wales at the inaugural “Food for Life” Awards in London recently. It’s so insightful that I thought it should be included in full. This is the kind of support the organic movement needs to combat the assault from industrial agricultural concerns. Enjoy.

Ladies and gentlemen, if I may say so, it really is a huge pleasure to be here this afternoon to present these inaugural “Food for Life Partnership Awards”. 

I know from Peter Melchett and Emma Noble, who have worked so tirelessly on this campaign, that they are immensely heartened that so many schools have met the criteria to be award winners in this first year of the awards. 

The fact that there is no gold winner this year proves just how tough the standards are and I can only congratulate all the silver and bronze winners – and, particularly, the “School of the Year”. 

I know you are all longing to find out which one of you has won this prestigious title, but I hope you will forgive me for prolonging the suspense a little longer because I just wanted to say a few words about precisely why I believe it is so crucial to follow the example you are all setting and to transform the food culture in this country… 

Over the last forty years it would appear that we have managed to create a whole generation – the parents of the children you teach – whose understanding of where food comes from and how it is produced is severely limited. 

And it is causing real harm.  The over-reliance on packaged, processed food is not just damaging our own health, but damaging our bio-diversity, our soil through agro-chemicals and our water-table through pesticides. 

And, linked to all this, our family farmers have seen ever-diminishing returns on their produce, which means that rural communities have suffered from the loss of local distinctiveness, traditions and culture.

So we have much to mend, but the prize if we succeed is enormous.  And what is so encouraging is that there are signs of real optimism.  Things are beginning to change, not least as a result of the heroic efforts of a really remarkable man, Jamie Oliver.  But at the heart of the progress which has been made is the work of the “Food for Life Partnership”. 

I am proud to say that two organizations of which I am patron – the Soil Association and Garden Organic – are members, together with the Focus on Food Campaign and the Health Education Trust.

I was reflecting over the weekend that it was only in 2004 – just four years ago, long before this had become a public issue – that I spoke to teachers, school cooks and farmers at a Soil Association “Food for Life” event in Skipton. 

Everyone agreed that radical change was needed, but there was a real sense that it was probably too difficult because even if caterers could be persuaded to put fresher, healthier food on the menu, pupils would not eat it. 

However, there were two people at that meeting who knew it was possible because they had done it and it had worked.  One was Steve Hatcher, the Deputy Head of St Aiden’s, a secondary school in Harrogate, who had brought in a restaurant chef with the result that the numbers of pupils eating school lunch increased massively, there was a significant improvement in behaviour and concentration and far fewer pupils were going out into the town at lunchtime.  In other words, the food was better on the inside than the outside! 

The second pioneer at that meeting was the most extraordinary dinner lady, Jeanette Orrey, who had revolutionized the school meals at her primary school, St Peter’s in Nottinghamshire.  I am so pleased to see her here today since I can only say she is owed the greatest possible debt of gratitude because she inspired the creation of Food for Life which has led the revolution in school food.

But, of course, what everyone here knows is that it isn’t enough just to offer healthy food.  The Food for Life Partnership has shown that the take-up of school meals rises – on average by 16 per cent across the award-winning schools that are here today – when school meal changes are supported by practical food education like learning to cook, growing food and visiting farms to learn where food actually comes from. 

So it is crucial that we teach children about the link between the soil, the countryside and food production; we must allow them to discover the joys of planting a seed in the earth, to see it grow, to harvest it themselves and then to eat what they have grown.  Above all, they need to learn to cook it.  This is the only way to educate children about healthy eating – about slow food, not fast food. 

How else can we possibly expect children to care about the food they eat unless they understand how it is grown?  If they don’t know that milk comes from a cow and carrots from the soil, how can they make judgements on what is good or bad for them?  That is why I was so pleased that my own Duchy Originals food company developed a programme with Garden Organic to encourage children to grow their own food.  Any school can do it.  As St John the Baptist school in Hackney – represented here today – has shown, even inner city schools on very restricted sites can find somewhere for pupils to grow food – all they need to do is tear up some of that endless, depressing black tarmac!

And if young people can begin to learn the skill and care which goes into producing food then perhaps we can begin to tackle the appalling waste of food in this country – £10 billion worth every year; that is over £600 a year for every household with children.  It is nothing short of criminal and obscene, but is a symptom of our “throwaway society”.  Some of it, at least, you might have thought, could be used to feed to pigs instead of importing hideously expensive grain and some to be anaerobically digested to provide a clean source of power and heat.

But I think we need to ask ourselves a more searching question, not least about the cause of some of the anti-social behaviour of some young people.  Many of you here today would attest to the clear link between the quality of food that young people eat and their behaviour.  I was interested to hear one of the headteachers here today say “The change in children’s behaviour when we changed the food from processed to freshly prepared and organic was incredible!  They’re much happier and more attentive in class now.” 

But I wonder if there is something deeper here?  Do you think, perhaps, that the disconnection from the land, from the natural world and from understanding the rhythms of Nature, is part of the cause too?  There was some research published at the beginning of the Year of Food and Farming, of which I was patron, by Dr Aric Sigman which showed that children who have contact with Nature score higher on tests of concentration and self-discipline; that exposure to natural environments improves children’s cognitive development and that schools with outdoor education programmes have better academic results and classroom behaviour. 

This, I can only say, is one of the reasons I have for so long been such a committed supporter of school farms.  For those that find academic studies more of a struggle, they learn practical skills and they also tend to respond extremely positively to working with farm animals.  The great thing is that every child can be a success at something and this gives an enormous sense of self-confidence and self-worth.  Incidentally, I don’t know how many of you know that a few years ago The Royal College of Physicians did a report on allergies.  I am sure you know that there is an epidemic of allergies and the Report found three causes: a lack of exposure to animals, chemicals in products and hermetically sealed buildings.

Now we are beginning to make progress with healthy eating in schools, we need to tackle – yes –  you have guessed it! – we need to tackle how we feed patients in our hospitals.  As we are what we eat and as we know that the sort of food we eat makes a difference to our health even when we are not ill, it would seem sensible that the food hospital patients are given helps, rather than risks hindering, the process of recovery.  So we need to encourage them to source locally, seasonally and, where possible, organically.

There are some shining examples already in existence, not least at the Royal Brompton Hospital here in London, which is sourcing its food from a local farmers’ hub thus bringing benefit to the patients through better quality food, to the farmers through a reliable and local market, and to the environment through lower food miles and less waste.

In the best tradition of meddling, it has occurred to me that if it could be organized – and I cannot see why it couldn’t – the ideal would be to create local hubs, not just of hospitals, but schools too which would buy local food from hubs of local farmers.  This would massively reduce transport costs and food miles, while contributing greatly to local economies and to patient and pupil health.  In other words, it would be possible to create a genuinely virtuous circle.

I know that there are caterers we are celebrating here today who are beginning to do just this.  “Local Food Links” is serving a “Food for Life” Gold menu to twenty-four schools in Dorset, and “Shire Services” has successfully launched a “Food for Life” Silver menu with seasonal, local and organic food to 130 primary schools in Shropshire.  This has to be the way forward and I do hope that others will be inspired to follow the lead you are giving.  Incidentally, the Home Farm at Highgrove has been supplying a local school in Gloucestershire with potatoes and carrots for the last four years.

Ladies and gentlemen, please be under no illusions about the importance of the mission in which you are engaged.  It is about rescuing today’s generation of over-industrialized children; about instilling in them a life-long appreciation of food and the way it is produced and reconnecting them with Nature so that they may have a better understanding of why it is so precious to the health and well-being of each and every one of us.  It is about transforming attitudes to food and farming and, in particular, the fortunes of Britain’s family farmers.  My warmest congratulations to all the winners.

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, opportunities and, in no small part, through what the media tell us!

Unfortunately, in a world where bad news sells it’s often easier for mainstream media interests to throw stones than promote constructive discussion. This is best highlighted by the speed at which any bad news story concerning the organic industry travels.

That’s why the work performed by The Organic Center is so important. The Organic Center advances peer-reviewed, verifiable scientific research and information behind the human health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming. They then communicate these benefits to society. In doing so, they provide both growers and consumers alike with the confidence they need to continue their support for the organic industry.

I don’t believe it to be an overstatement to say that, without The Organic Center, the organic industry would not have grown anywhere near as quickly as it has. And it certainly wouldn’t be enjoying anything like the level of consumer support that it now does.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with The Organic Center’s site I strongly encourage you to pay it a visit. For those of you who are, there are some neat things going on there that are well worth checking out…

The Organic Center Blog – with some of the sharpest minds in the organic community contributing to it, including Dr. Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., this blog is set to become a really useful addition to the blogosphere.

Organic Essentials – a free pocket guide explaining how to reduce dietary exposure to toxic pesticides.

Serious Science, Serious Benefits – a new educational video providing a comprehensive overview of why living organically is so important.

Without confidence, there is no organic industry!

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, Bates College recently received a $2.5 million donation that is to be used to increase the college’s use of local, organic and natural food.

The gift, which was received from an anonymous alumni donor, carries with it the requirement that it be used to meet the additional costs associated with serving more local, natural and organic food at Bates. Since 1986 about 22 percent of the Bates annual food budget had been spent on local, natural and organic food.

The gift has allowed the College to increase that number to 28 percent in the past fiscal year. For context, the national student initiative “Real Food Challenge” has as its target to redirect 20 percent of all food purchased by colleges and universities (currently $4 billion) toward “real food” by 2020.

In remarks prepared for delivery at Convocation on Wednesday, Sept. 3, Bates President Elaine Tuttle Hansen said: “In their own characteristically ambitious yet modest way, so many Bates faculty, students, staff members and alumni are clearly part of a quiet movement — national and international — that is tackling the problems of our food system. By contemplating food, we want to celebrate and share even more widely many powerful stories about Bates and food.”

Besides celebrating and making visible what already occurs at Bates, the initiative has a second objective, Hansen explained.

“We want to add to the understanding and knowledge about food on campus — where our food comes from, the food system at Bates, the larger food system in which Bates is embedded. So we don’t want to forget in celebrating how we all eat, that there are growing social problems associated with the food system. We want to raise consciousness. We want to educate ourselves. We want to dispel our own ignorance and complacency by considering these issues. We want to explore why, for Bates, a strong and healthy food culture is so important to the educational mission.”

Bates’ focus on food has included a summer reading assignment for this fall’s incoming first-year students and plans for a variety of panels and presentations throughout the academic year.

Bates’ exploration of food took root last spring when President Hansen gathered a small number of students, faculty and staff who share an interest in food and eating to consider the concept.

The group, she said, was “overwhelmed by how much was already going on at Bates. We felt we should develop a kind of clearinghouse, making it all more visible. With food as the thread that connects us, to each other and to our larger community, we will spend the next year celebrating and contemplating more deeply the ways that gathering together around food enhances and supports the college’s mission,” she said.

Everyone here knows that China produces lead toys, flame attracting pyjamas and the odd gyoza (savoury dumpling) made from boiled cardboard. But who knew that pesticide tainted ginger would be added to the list???

Now I know a lot about China and I must say, having visited the place many times, consider myself a friend of China. But to tell the truth, I really don’t trust Chinese organic producers. I think that is because I know the country – money is king. Now, I don’t blame the people. Why if you were living on around a dollar and a half a day, you’d probably boil cardboard and sell it too. You may not even care for the environment, as the folk over at thenvironmentalblog.org point out often enough (check that link out – 460,000 Chinese a year die from pollution – aaaargh). But my cross-cultural understanding ends when it comes to this.

Basically, there are a lot of smart capitalists in China, and they know that organic produce is big over here – so beware. My tips are as ever – buy local organic first. Know your farmer and know what you’re eating!

You know it kind of makes me a little angry that the candidates can play to the image while doing as little as possible to support the cause. Probably unknown to them, the ‘Organic Food Bar’ is the only consumer brand name product that is available at both the Democrat and Republican conventions. Obviously this is a huge scoop for the makers of Organic Food Bar – and I congratulate them on that. It’s important that organic food reaches a wider consumer base, which will ultimately make access easier and cheaper for all of us.

But as for policies that support organic consumers and industry… well hold back – both parties have little or none! What I am really worried about is that the next administration will inevitably have to make some major policy decisions, which will have a huge impact on organic consumers. Will organics be in the hands of your local farmer or in the hands of the major corporations? Will there be regulations in place to ensure that both are protected? Will there be regulations that ensure that WE ARE PROTECTED?

We should all be aware of these choices. Over at the Organic Consumer’s Association (OCA) they are prepared for these choices. We as consumers should get behind them, or at least be aware of what they are saying. You don’t have to agree with them (and many don’t) but at least know what they are saying!

Mikey Azzara is the Outreach Coordinator for the North East Organic Farming Association of New Jersey. Mikey’s an inspirational young man who’s performing some really important work connecting New Jersey’s organic farmers with the local communities they serve. In his quest to learn more about how our food is grown, as well as the sustainable practices needed to support future generations, Mikey has studied extensively and has also travelled to Italy to learn from Italy’s much-respected organic farmers. Mikey’s rightly proud of his New Jersey roots and with his obvious leadership capacity and stated desire to bring organics to the youth generation, he’s someone we’re bound to hear a lot more of. Keep going Mikey – we’re right behind you!

There are some exciting models emerging within the organic community. Some of these aim to connect local farmers with schools. A wonderful – and hugely successful – example of this type of model exists in Marin County. Marin Organic are an association of farmers, ranchers, agriculture advisers and marketing experts. The organization serves the local community by linking growers with local consumers. In this video, Scott Davidson, School Lunch Program head, explains how Marin Organic is forming a bridge between organic farmers and local schools. Apart from helping to provide approximately 12,000 children each week with nutritious locally produced food, the program also enables children to learn about, and connect with, where their food comes from. Great stuff!

With the global demand for organic food continuing to outstrip supply, it comes as no surprise that India is emerging as an important supplier of staple and commodity-based organic food items. However, with the dramatic increase in the number of farms coming under organic management in India, the country’s training systems are being stretched to the limit. This video looks at the increasingly important role India is playing in global organic markets and how, through the formation of large family-based partnerships, it intends to continue its growth. The video also addresses the often-overlooked reasons regarding why chemical intensive agriculture was becoming untenable (and unsustainable) in many regions within India.

Andrew Moore is an organic farmer from Balladoole on the Isle of Man. Concerned with the quality of food available, Andrew switched to organic farming several years ago. In this video he explains why he made the switch from conventional to organic farming, what the switch entailed for him, as well as the traditional seven year crop rotation cycle he now uses to maintain soil fertility. We’re also introduced to the beautiful Belted Galloways he rears on his farm. I think this video will make you wish you lived on the Isle of Man. At the very least, I’m sure you’ll be left wishing you could routinely access the wonderful fresh produce (spuds, beetroots, cabbages, and turnips) Andrew sells at the local farmers’ markets. This is great viewing!

Shade grown coffee requires higher levels of commitment to sustainable land management practices than conventional coffee growing. In this video, Gary Stenlin introduces us to La Patriana, the only certified bird friendly organic coffee plantation in Costa Rica. As Gary explains, shade grown coffee requires significantly higher labor inputs than conventionally grown coffee. This benefits the local community of San Ramon in a number of important ways, not the least of which is through its capacity to deliver employment and training opportunities to local people. If you’re someone who is contemplating a semester abroad, you might like to check out some of the experiential learning opportunities provided by Earth Education International.

The main threat to black pepper crops is the fungus Phytophthora capsici. This particular fungus causes root and crown rot in black pepper crops. In this video, Jose Elanjhimattam, an organic farmer from Kerala, India explains how, by applying the liquid captured from his compost heap, he is able to effectively eliminate the impact of the fungus on his organically grown black pepper crops. He also explains how the worm castings from the compost heap provide a rich source of soil nutrients.

Like many organic farmers, Jose Elanjhimattam is both a practical and abundantly resourceful man. Starting with cow dung, Jose has created an ingenious system that simultaneously captures and separates nitrogen-rich organic manure and methane gas. Unlike dried cow dung, which tends to lose nitrogen throughout the drying process, the liquefied organic manure produced through Jose’s slurry provides soil with far higher levels of nitrogen. Additionally, the methane gas removed is used as a form of fuel. Jose estimates that the dung from two cows is sufficient to provide enough biogas to support the cooking requirements of a family of four. Resourceful, intelligent, simple – great stuff!

Michigan State University’s Student Organic Farm is a 4-season farm that was started in 1999 by a group of students (and dedicated staff) keen to put into practice the concepts they were learning (and being taught) in the classroom. The farm provides students with an opportunity to learn the principles of organic farming through completion of a certificate program and by participating in a range of community supported agricultural initiatives. This short video, accompanied by some neat toe-tapping music, gives us a look at this beautiful farm. Not surprisingly, the farm relies on volunteers to remain viable. If you’re keen to volunteer, or if you’ve been thinking about taking a course in organic agriculture, please check out their website. MSU certainly looks like a great place to study organic farming.

Cotton is grown from Brazil to West Africa. Unfortunately, the conditions for cotton growers in many of the world’s poorer regions are not the same as those enjoyed in, for example, the United States. Organophosphate and organochloride pesticides are routinely applied to conventional cotton crops in many developing countries. This is despite the fact that these chemicals have long since been banned in Western countries. It is estimated that 220,000 farmers die from pesticide poisoning each year, while approximately 1 million farmers suffer from adverse health consequences as a result of pesticide exposure. The following documentary, which was produced by the UK’s Pesticide Action Network, looks at the differences between organic and conventional cotton production. Many of the conventional cotton farmers interviewed were afraid to discuss their experiences. Those that do talk recount the burning sensation in their lungs, arms, and faces following pesticide application on cotton fields. It’s good to see leading fashion designers support organic cotton production.

Jose Elanjhimattam is an organic farmer from Kerala, India. He is one of a growing number of Indian farmers who are making the switch from chemical fertilizers to organic principles. In this video, Jose explains how the loss of soil nutrients arising from past chemical fertilizer misuse had rendered his land sterile. During the three year transition phase Jose’s soil was incapable of supporting crops. Armed with an academic background in agriculture as well as knowledge of traditional Indian farming practices, Jose has been able to successfully reinvigorate his farmland into a productive asset supporting organically grown black pepper crops.

In terms of enduring popularity, many species of prawn, shrimp, lobster, crab, scallop, abalone, mussel, and oyster are highly rated. This is particularly apparent in regions of North Asia, where the ability to source exotic seafood is frequently seen as an important status symbol. In the wild, these creatures depend upon a clean environment with plentiful stocks of marine plankton, fish and other organisms. Many of the crustaceans are natural scavengers, living among floating sea grasses, rocky shelves and reefs. They provide an essential service by consuming marine detritus before it spoils and alters water quality. The bivalves, including clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels, obtain most of their nutrients through fluid filtration, leaving them particularly vulnerable to adverse changes in water quality. Many of these creatures are harvested from the wild by commercial and amateur fishers. There is also captive rearing which has been practiced for centuries in many regions of the world.

Prawn farming

Commercial prawn farming attracts levels of controversy similar to that of farmed salmon. While their food conversion efficiency is almost twice that of salmon, they are dependent on the same unsustainable supplies of fish meal and oils.

As an industry, some of the largest commercial prawn farming operations have been established in developing countries with extensive coastal access. In attempts to increase their efficiency and profits, prawn farmers have encroached upon important marine habitats such as the coastal wetland and mangrove forests of tropical Asia. These habitats which are also destroyed by other forms of land reclamation and development are among the most ecologically diverse on the planet. Within Asia alone, several million acres of pond have been developed for the farmed prawn industry. This enables several hundred thousand tons of prawns to be produced each year along with jobs and income for the respective regions.

The impact on coastal environments

From an environmental perspective, these short term economic advantages are often outweighed by their lack of sustainability and negative impact on other natural resources. The damage caused by poorly managed farms is often dramatic. When biological waste and other pollutants get drained from concrete ponds into coastal waterways, they influence water chemistry by increasing salinity and reducing the oxygen carrying capacity. At the same time, untreated prawn effluent encourages disease and bacterial organisms to multiply.

It is however unrealistic to avoid the fact that the prawn industry has enabled some previously isolated regions to develop an infrastructure of housing, roads, hospitals, and schools.

The most practical solution at this point appears to be a combination of industry restructuring and the implementation of tighter controls. From an environmental perspective, an efficient and effectively regulated farming sector is required since the demand for prawns cannot be attained by other sustainable means. Net trawling not only kills several endangered species of fish and turtle, it rakes sediment and can alter the normal growth of natural corals and kelp plantations.

Oyster and mussel farming

For centuries, oysters and mussels have been raised in captivity either as a food source or for the cultured pearl industry. Unlike farmed prawns, they gather their nutrients directly from seawater and have minimal impact on the surrounding environment.

In recent times, some of the food scares associated with edible farmed bivalves have resulted in stricter hygiene regulations and increased monitoring of water conditions.

On a regional basis, the farmed oyster industry has experienced difficult times. This has been attributed to climate change, decreased water purity, and the social and economic factors which influence such labour intensive operations.

The traditional model of building farms along the harbours and tidal rivers of populated areas is rapidly declining. Despite numerous restrictions which have resulted in cleaner waterways with improved safety, there are still too many risks for farms situated near population centres. This has resulted in a gradual shift toward species which can be accommodated in remote cooler regions with less exposure to industrial discharge, sewage, and other forms of pollution. They are reared in seawater enclosures and distributed directly to fresh produce markets and restaurants.

Organic certification and the future of farmed shellfish

Organic standards for farmed shellfish are slowly coming into effect, and there are predictions that bivalves such as oysters and mussels will be highly successful in terms of their sustainability, cost efficiency and popularity with consumers. Organically farmed prawns are currently available in Europe and the United States. There is increased investor interest in prawn farming precipitated by the development of cost effective organic feeds and a water sterilisation system based on ultra violet radiation.

Consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental damage and health risks associated with conventional farming practices. They are looking for healthy shellfish raised in controlled environments, unaltered by chemical toxins, genetic modification, or antibiotics.

Until recently, ocean based aquaculture has focused on a limited range of fish species. Atlantic salmon remains the predominant species, with smaller stocks of ocean trout, sea bass, cod, and halibut.

The farmed salmon industry began in Scotland and Norway during the seventies and the technology was gradually distributed to other locations, including the southern hemisphere. Today, salmon are intensively farmed in the cool coastal regions of Iceland, North America, Ireland, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand.

When affected by deficient planning or management, seawater farms have the capacity to severely threaten coastal environments and disrupt their natural ecosystems. Choosing an appropriate site is probably the most critical consideration for effective waste management and pollution control. From the perspective of raising large fish with minimal losses, well-protected bodies of water were originally preferred. In many cases their lack of tidal movement caused steady accumulations of uneaten food and fish droppings. A release of nitrogen and other alterations in water chemistry resulted in algal blooms which suffocated and poisoned the fish and other living creatures by depriving them of oxygen. When affected regions were surveyed, their aquatic habitats were often found to be significantly altered. As a result of this, stocks of wild fish were depleted, with several important species failing to recover.

Burdening marine habitats

Like other primary sectors, the aquaculture industry is subject to numerous restrictions imposed to limit the risk of environmental damage and depletion of wild stock species. While several of these restrictions are clearly inadequate or poorly enforced, progress is limited by the small amounts of research undertaken each year. Even when there is conclusive evidence of problems, it may still require years before all of the concerns are addressed in the manner which enables a practical ban or restriction to be imposed. When uncertainties or differences of opinion occur, the process may drag on indefinitely. With the exception of some organic representatives, the conventional aquaculture industry has failed to address many of the concerns raised by scientists monitoring marine habitats and wild fish populations.

Ocean based aquaculture has the potential to influence the health and diversity of wild fish populations in several ways: As described above, the biological waste and pollutants can alter the habitats of wild fish species. There is the ongoing risk of disease and parasites transferring from farmed fish to wild fish stocks. This has already occurred with infectious anaemia and sea lice. Despite best efforts to contain them, farmed salmon do escape in significant numbers. It is assumed that some of these escapees will eventually breed with wild fish of the same or related species. Because farmed salmon are selectively bred for production purposes, their genes can potentially interfere with the process of natural selection occurring among wild stocks.

The real cost of processed pellet food

The Atlantic salmon is largely a carnivorous species, normally dependent on a diet of crustaceans and insects. During their accelerated growth cycles in captivity, they consume several times their adult weight in fish meal and oils which are usually processed as a pellet feed. The raw materials for this are removed in vast quantities from the North Atlantic and Southern Pacific oceans. An excess of five million tons of small pelagic fish are currently required to feed captive salmon stocks every year. The species involved include sardines, herring, anchovies, and mackerel. While still considered abundant, the slow decline for many of these populations is undoubtedly impacting on their natural predators in the ocean. These include many pelagic fish species, migratory birds including penguin, albatross, and the oceanic mammals like seal and dolphin.

It has been suggested that every kilogram of farmed salmon requires two and a half kilograms of fish to be taken from the ocean and processed into farmed stock feed. The apparent inefficiency of salmon farming suggests that ocean resources are being utilised in an unsustainable manner. While several attempts have been made to identify and utilise alternative feed sources, salmon farming remains largely dependent on fish meal.

The future may lie in developing farming technologies for other ocean species, particularly those which provide superior food conversion efficiency.

Despite its emergence as a newly developed primary sector, fish farming can trace its origins to regions of china where it was first practiced several thousand years ago. Edible carp, eel, and catfish, were cultivated in reservoirs linking the canal networks used for crop irrigation. These farms were low intensity by today’s standards and had the advantage of collaborative resource efficiency. Because they used natural materials and sought to maintain the biological integrity of their product the farms were, in effect, organic.

On account of global competition and economic rationalisation, most fish farms are now designed to deliver high yields. In order to meet their production targets, conventional aquaculture farms frequently engage in husbandry practices which are harmful to their stock and potentially unsafe for the consumer.

Controlling the lifecycle of farmed fish

In the wild, fish of the same species will grow and reach sexual maturity at different rates, depending on their local conditions. Water chemistry, temperature, food availability, and population size are some of the factors which contribute to this variable growth.

For commercial fish farmers, there is considerable incentive to control the growth and sexual development of stock. Upon reaching sexual maturity, fish lose weight and decrease their stores of fat. Because this reduces the value of their stock, many conventional producers seek to influence the course of nature. In addition to growth and sexual development, interventions are applied to restrict the physical damage caused by overcrowding, to prevent disease, and to effect alterations in the colour, texture, and flavour of their farmed seafood. In theory, the capacity to control these factors should help to facilitate the most efficient application of resources. With these efficiencies in place, the anticipated outcome is a standardised fish product which can be promoted to consumers as a dependable source of fresh protein.

The reality of conventional fish farming

When stressed by overcrowding, pollution, or changes in their regular environment, farmed salmon are susceptible to disease and parasitic organisms. Infestations of sea lice (lepeophtheirus salmonis) are very common. They interfere with feeding, lower immunity and eventually break down the mucus layer which provides external protection against bacterial infection. Without treatment, fish usually succumb to a slow and agonising death.

Most conventional fish farms treat serious infestations with organophosphate pesticide. Despite claims to the contrary, these chemicals contaminate a significant proportion of conventionally farmed seafood. They contribute to a combined toxic load which can include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and heavy metals like mercury. Sea lice are less problematic when fish populations are restricted to environmentally sustainable levels. Salmon raised on overcrowded farms may require antibiotics and other medications to control inflammatory tumours which debilitate and kill large numbers of fish every year. Seriously contagious diseases such as infectious anaemia have the potential to wipe out significant stocks of farmed fish. In the United Kingdom, outbreaks of this disease must be reported. Since no effective treatments are currently available, the usual obligation is to destroy the afflicted stocks.

Wild salmon eat a varied diet which is particularly rich in crustaceans. Their natural red colouring comes from the keratin protein of shrimp, crabs, and other shelled creatures. When farmed on a diet of processed fish meal, their flesh becomes pale pink or an unpalatable grey colour. Since consumers expect their salmon to be brightly coloured, most conventional farmers supplement their feed with artificial colouring agents like canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. Some organic farmers use a yeast compound to enhance the colour of their product while others achieve a brighter colour by including crustacean shells in their feed.

Genetic modification

In recent years, several fish species have been genetically modified in efforts to improve their cost efficiency and manageability as commercially farmed stock. The biotechnology scientists have experimented with gene manipulation to alter food conversion efficiency in farmed salmon and trout. They have attempted to increase the fish’s capacity to withstand extreme cold by inserting mammalian growth hormone genes into fertilised fish eggs to encourage accelerated growth and weight gain. These technologies are often widely condemned when applied to conventionally farmed land animals. In the case of fish, many consumers are confused or genuinely surprised to be informed of them. Unless there is an adequate evaluation of the health and environmental consequences of these technologies, consumers are advised to avoid them. The alternative is to obtain unaltered seafood captured from the wild, or to consider farmed products with an organic certification.

Organic Dairy FarmingIn Keeping Organic Dairy Traditions Alive, we were introduced to Jon Bansen, an organic dairy farmer. Jon’s knowledge and insights regarding what it means, and what it takes, to be an organic farmer are wonderfully captured in Part II of Cooking Up a Story’s video weblog entitled, Organic Dairyman: The Farmer.

Jon Bansen, and other organic farmers like him, will in time prove to be the future of food. Human beings can’t – and shouldn’t be aiming to – change natural processes. Whenever we do, we generally have to deal with the oftentimes unfortunate consequences of the guesswork masqueraded as the scientific underpinning for our interference with natural processes. Fortunately, the pendulum is swinging back in favour of organic farming practices. Why is this the case? It would be hard to say things any more eloquently than Jon has himself in this video.

Agriculture is a biological process; not an industrial process. Somewhere along the way, we missed that whole idea. That’s the wonderful thing about organics. Organics is about bringing biology back to our food.

I’m fast becoming a huge fan of Cooking Up A Story. Their video stories avoid the monotonous narration and self-absorbed opinion and introspection delivered by the presenters of some other video blogs. By allowing their interviewee to speak openly and honestly, and through careful editing, Cooking Up A Story manages to succinctly capture the essence of their subject matter. In doing so, they provide their audience with a slice of life that would otherwise be inaccessible. Great stuff! I strongly recommend that you take a look at the other wonderfully captured stories on their website.

Many consumers are choosing to put an organic turkey on their tables this festive season. There are some good reasons for them choosing to do so. For a start, organic turkeys are raised more humanely than their conventionally reared cousins. Instead of being force fed in cramped conditions utilising an intricate system of tubes and intravenous delivery mechanisms to provide sustenance, organically certified birds have access to open spaces. This enables organic birds to forage for natural sources of food such as worms, bugs and insects.

When organic turkeys are fed grain to supplement their natural diet, the grain itself must be from certified organic sources. In contrast, conventional turkeys are fed conventional grain. Conventional grain, which tends to be cheaper than organically certified grain, is sprayed with industrial agricultural chemicals (pesticides, herbicides and fungicides) and grown in soil requiring significant quantities of synthetic chemicals (chemical fertilizers). Many pesticides in particular, once consumed, are stored in mammalian muscle, fat, and organ tissue. Consuming conventionally reared protein sources provides our bodies with a concentrated intake of industrial agricultural chemicals.

Because conventionally reared birds live in cramped conditions, disease outbreaks tend to spread fast among the immunosuppressed birds. To arrest disease before it takes hold, antibiotics are routinely administered to conventional turkeys. In contrast, organic birds must not be given preventative antibiotic treatments. Fortunately, due to their superior diet and the natural conditions the birds enjoy, organic turkeys tend to be less stressed, better nourished, and relatively disease free. Consequently, there is no need for organic farmers to constantly rely upon preventative antibiotic treatments. The increased prevalence of preventative antibiotics in our food chain is sought by many medical professionals to be responsible for a rise in both the quantum and severity of antibiotic resistant outbreaks within our hospitals in recent years. 

While it’s great to see consumers getting behind the dedicated – generally small scale – farmers responsible for bringing organic turkeys to our tables at this time of year, the bird flu crisis, which appears to be worsening in the UK, has taken its toll on organic farmers in East Anglia. The Daily Mirror reports that Waitrose, a major UK department store, will be left without any organic turkeys this year. Apparently, Waitrose’s supply of organic turkey was to be sourced exclusively from East Anglia. Although reports indicate that other major retailers shouldn’t be impacted, it might pay to pick up that organic turkey soon.

Speaking of picking up an organic turkey, you might like to consider sourcing your turkey from one of the following:

Australia: Sunforest Organic Farm

Canada: Organa Farms

England: Woodlands Organic Farm

Ireland: James Whelan Butchers

Scotland: Jamesfield Farms

United States: Diestel Turkey Ranch

Wales: S & J Organics