DISPATCHES FROM THE FARM

National Organic Week (NOW) is happening NOW (Oct. 16 - 25) and is in its second year. The Centre for Organic and Resource Enterprises (CORE) in collaboration with Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) are hosting and promoting NOW.

                                        

The whole idea is to raise broader community awareness of the benefits of organic products and farming systems and hopefully accelerate the uptake of clean, safe, sustainable (i.e. organic!) products Australia wide, via 10 days of targeted media and locally-staged activities throughout communities. 

NOW is not only an opportunity for organic growers, food manufacturers, retailers and all others associated with producing and selling certified organic food to spruik organics but also for all who appreciate organic produce to pay tribute to all of us hard working farmers who strive to feed Australians top quality, clean food, driven largely by our desire to make a positive difference to the Australian farming community and our lands and waterways.

Organic family farms produce more and more Australian food each year, even while many conventional farmers are having to walk away from farming (due to the effects of drought, increased chemical costs, land degradation, cheap imports etc). Organics is seeing an increase in the volume and varieties grown and overall quality of produce. We all genuinely care whether consumers are enjoying our products and appreciate the more direct relationship many of us have with consumers, rather than faceless mass production and distribution. The feedback we get from chefs and at farmers' markets especially, not only about our own produce, is that people are loving the organic goodies they now have access to more and more often. Vive la difference!