permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 100,000 Organic Farmers in US by 2013
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 08:22:46 -0700
From: Michael Straus <Michael@STRAUSCOM.COM>
Reply-To: Michael@StrausCom.com
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

For Immediate Release
May 22, 2003

Media Contact:
Michael Straus, Straus Communications
(415) 777-1170 or (415) 519-8343
Michael@StrausCom.com

100,000 Organic Farmers in US by 2013
The Rodale Institute® Announces Major Initiative, Launches NewFarm.org
Portal

Austin, TX - In the single-most ambitious agricultural initiative of this
century, Anthony Rodale, chairman of Pennsylvania-based The Rodale
Institute® and founder of www.NewFarm.org, declared a broad new vision for
organic farming in the United States.

Addressing leaders of the US organic industry gathered for a trade show in
Austin last Saturday to accept the OTA Organic Leadership Award, Rodale
called for 100,000 farmers, about 5% of America's remaining 2 million
farmers, to transition to Certified Organic by 2013.

Currently, 12,200 farmers are certified organic (just over ½ of one percent
of all US farmers), according to Rodale.  This would represent a 750%
increase in the number of certified organic farms and ranches.

The Greenfield, Mass.-based Organic Trade Association reports that the
market for organic food and products is more than $11 billion in annual
sales, and growing an estimated 20-30% per year.

Rodale, whose grandfather J.I. Rodale coined the term "organic" in 1942,
called on leaders to pool resources and work together towards a common,
quantifiable vision.

"Are we willing to sit back and witness the degeneration of our environment,
and quietly lose control of the quality of food we eat every day?" asked
Anthony Rodale at the OTA ceremony.

"Organic farming is a good business decision for farmers, " added Rodale.
"It's time for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to affirm and promote
organic as an economically viable form of agriculture."

To achieve his vision, Rodale officially announced the launch of
www.NewFarm.org, the nation's first organic farmer-oriented information
center, providing articles, marketing tools and expert resources on crop and
livestock production, direct marketing, and timely policy issues.

NewFarm.org is the modern incarnation of The New Farm® magazine, the widely
read print publication started in 1979 by Robert Rodale (son of R.I., and
father of Anthony Rodale).

NewFarm.org recently made national headlines when it demonstrated the new
Organic Price Index^(TM) (OPX^(TM)), the first and only service offering 
farmers
critical and timely market pricing data for no charge.

In addition to the OPX, NewFarm.org will also feature:

·       Organic farming on-line training courses - teaching basic and advanced
organic agricultural techniques.

·       1000 Stories of Regenerative Agriculture - success stories about
innovative farmers and ranchers all across the U.S.

·       News and Research - Scientific reports, and news related to the 
economics,
politics, social issues and environmental impact of agriculture.

·       New Farm International -first-person accounts from around the world,
including Cuba, Guatemala, India, Japan, Kenya, Laos, New Zealand, Thailand,
and Switzerland.


About The Rodale Institute®

The Rodale Institute® is a not-for-profit educational and research
organization committed to sharing information globally about successful
agricultural solutions to health and environmental problems.  The Rodale
Institute has worked for sixty years, bringing to life the philosophy of J.
I. Rodale, the founder, that "Healthy Soil = Health Food = Healthy People®".

The Rodale Institute provides information and forums for learning and
dialogue for farmers worldwide through www.newfarm.org. The Rodale
Institute, on its own and with various research partners, also engages in
and supports a wide variety of scientific trials and experiments of
regenerative farming methods in the United States, Senegal, Japan, and
elsewhere throughout the world.

# # #

For more information about The Rodale Institute®, NewFarm.org and related
programs, please visit www.newfarm.org, www.rodaleinsitute.org,
www.kidsregen.org, or contact Michael Straus, (415) 777-1170,
Michael@strauscom.com.  Also, visit www.newfarm.org/pressroom.

Press release archived at:
www.newfarm.org/pressroom/pressreleases/press052203.shtml


_____________________
Michael Straus, President
Straus Communications
28 2nd Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94105
Office: (415) 777-1170
Cell: (415) 519-8343
Fax: (415) 777-4045
Michael@StrausCom.com
www.StrausCom.com



--
L.F.London
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech