Can You Justify the Cost of Organic Produce?

Maybe, maybe not. Buying organic produce selectively makes perfect sense to some people. Take the banana, for instance, which has a peel that is thick and is thrown away. It absorbs fewer pesticides than thin-skinned fruit, like the strawberry, which is a veritable sponge for pesticides.

Laboratory tests performed by the United States Department of Agriculture have proven that certain fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of pesticides, even after being washed.

Vegetables and fruits that retain the highest levels of pesticides are among the following: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries. For these items, it would be very beneficial to go to the extra expense of buying organic. The ones with the lowest concentration are: asparagus, avocado, banana, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mango, onion, papaya, pineapple, and sweet peas.

Whenever you buy organic produce, you're supporting a reduction in the use of pesticides and herbicides, as well as any other chemicals that can be released into the environment, particularly the ground water. But that may not always be sufficient cause for a family to spend the extra money in these difficult economic times. Some people believe organic foods to be healthier, and this is their justification for the extra expense of buying organic.

People can be overwhelmed by the data on the harmful effects of different chemicals, particularly because it will often contradicts itself. We know that over time, some potentially carcinogenic pesticides and chemicals accumulate in our bodies as we ingest them, but practically no studies exist that examine the long term consequences of this. Be that as it may, in 1996 a new federal law was passed, making it a requirement for pesticides to adhere to safety standards for children. Since that time, more than twelve pesticides that had been in broad use have been banned, restricted, or withdrawn voluntarily by the manufacturers.

The developing immune, central-nervous, and hormonal systems of children are particularly susceptible to damage from chemical toxins. Although the scientific community previously believed otherwise, a 2005 study found that if a woman has pesticides in her bloodstream they can be passed to a fetus in utero. When the umbilical-cord blood of fetuses was tested for pollutants by the Red Cross, 21 pesticides were discovered. It seems to be a good idea for children and pregnant women to eat organic, thereby controlling their chemical intake.

Right now in America, there are continuous drawn out fights over banning additional pesticides that are known to be harmful and that have been banned by the European Union. But there are several other countries, like Mexico, that are far worse. Chemicals banned in America, and water from the sewage, are frequently used to irrigate and treat crops in Mexico. It would be wise to buy locally-grown fruits and vegetables when purchasing produce that is non-organic. For both conventional and organic products, locally grown produce will be fresher and better tasting. Going to a farmer's market to shop for vegetables is a terrific means of supporting your local produce farmers and saving big bucks on organic produce. In-season produce, which is fresher and more flavorful, is the only kind sold at farmers markets.

Aside from their reduced amount of exposure to chemicals, it has recently been discovered that organic produce is higher in nutrients and antioxidants. In the largest study of its kind in the European Union, organically grown produce was shown to be 40% higher in antioxidants than regular produce -- another clear benefit to buying organic produce. Scientists think this may be due to the fact that plants grown organically experience more stress and, lacking the chemicals that help to reduce this stress, they produce antioxidants as a means of defense.

The decision of whether or not to buy organic produce, or how much to buy, is entirely up to the individual. Evidence indicates that the switch to organic produce would be especially beneficial for children and for pregnant women. Another reason for buying organic is to support local farmer's markets. You should seek the organic alternatives for the types of produce that are the most easily contaminated and retain the most pesticides even after washing. Finally, it can be a good idea when you do purchase conventional produce, to avoid things from third world countries that have lax regulations regarding the use of pesticides and chemicals.

About the Author
Ethan Mantle is an accomplished chef who uses organic produce and fresh, seasonal ingredients both at home with his family and at work. He currently owns Componere Fine Catering, a gourmet San Francisco catering business for those looking for spectacular Napa wedding caterers or San Francisco corporate caterers.

Using Crushed Limestone in Agriculture

Let us talk about organic fertilizers. They have been used by farmers for too many years; however, not a lot of people get to realize their negative effects on the soil. When they are overused, they can be extremely dangerous to plants and even in microorganisms that tend to add more nourishment. Fortunately, a new method of agriculture is being introduced, and it is with the use of crushed limestone. What's more, agricultural lime seems to hold more benefits than organic fertilizers.

The Benefits of Crushed Limestone
An agricultural lime is commonly called pellet. From a huge stone, it has been pulverized to resemble more like a powder. For those who do not know yet the many possible benefits of crushed limestone, it is time for you to get a very good idea of its many blessings:

1. Their size makes it easier to use by farmers. Crushed limestone is very convenient to spread into the soul, and you can even mix it together with some dust. Moreover, the pellets, when combined with water, become so fine that their minerals are easily absorbed by plants.

2. You can use it anywhere. Just when you thought that an agricultural lime is only useful when you have such huge hectares of agricultural products, think again. It can still be perfect even if you are only maintaining a plant box. If you want to make sure that you can minimize the use of fertilizers right into your own garden and food crops, you better make sure that you can get hold of this limestone.

3. It contains calcium. Calcium is not only excellent for human beings, but this mineral is also highly needed by the soil, though indirectly. When there is no calcium, the pH level of the soil will decrease, which will then not be ideal for your crops. A crushed lime contains high level of calcium, which can help in increasing the pH level of the soil. It will also prevent the development of surface crusting and soil erosion, as well as improve the retention of water for the plants. Moreover, this limestone can make any kind of soil more suitable for planting, and the plants will be more tolerable to extremely hot or wet conditions.

4. It can reduce the level of toxicity in the soil. This limestone can minimize the level of aluminum, iron, and manganese in the soil. These trace minerals can have negative impact to the soil and to the crops. For example, iron and manganese can bring down the pH level of the soil. Aluminum, on the other hand, can hinder the complete and effective development of the plants and the roots.

There are a lot of sources you have for crushed limestone, but not all of them are trustworthy. You have to make sure that you can make the proper research before you decide to buy something from them, such as agricultural lime. You do not want to damage your crops with substandard materials.

About the Author
Barker Lime has been in the business of selling crushed limestone for so many years. Thus, you are assured of high-quality products for your agricultural business. They are also products of intensive research and scientific innovation, which then allows them to bring out the real benefits of agricultural lime.

National Conference On Organic Agriculture 2008

04 -06 November 2008, Sheraton Subang Hotels and Towers

Organic farming is a system of farming which avoids the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators, feed additives and other chemicals. The farming system makes use of crop rotations, animal manure, recycling of farm waste, composting, biodiversity, and soil erosion measures. The ultimate aim of organic growers is to turn the soil into a ‘living soil’ - a system with high level of organic matter and biological life. Food safety concerns have sparked the global growth of organic agriculture worldwide with a growth expansion of 15–20%. Other concerns include providing a more profitable farm income and promoting environmental stewardship by:

i) protecting and improving soil quality

ii) reducing dependence on non-renewable resources, such as fuel and minimizing adverse

impacts on safety, wildlife, water quality and other environmental resources

iii) promoting stable, prosperous farm families and communities

Who Should Attends?

• Researchers
• Academicians
• Postgraduate students
• Entrepreneurs
• Extension agents
• NGOs/Public Sectors

For more info click here: National Conference On Organic Agriculture 2008

National Food Technology Seminar 2008

Snack foods are foods taken in between main meals. They can generally be classified as baked snacks (e.g: cookies, crackers, pies, tortillas etc), salty snacks (e.g: potato chips, corn chips, popcorn etc) and specialty snacks (e.g: extruded snacks, dried fruits, pizza, ice cream novelties, yoghurt, chocolates, candies etc).

A wide range of modern and traditional snacks can be found in the market in various forms and packaging. Many companies are introducing new processing technologies to create products which are different from their competitors and also to upscale their production. Companies now recognise the need to produce healthier alternatives with the increased consumer awareness on health.

With a nutritious product, effective quality control, nutritional labeling, halal and ISO certification, attractive packaging and the use of proper technologies, snack foods can be a major product exported to other countries to generate wealth for the nation and further diversify the food processing sector.

The National Food Technology Seminar 2008 will highlight the developments and advances in the snack food industry as well as explore new business and networking opportunities.

For more information, click here...National Food Technology Seminar 2008

MAHA 2008 Is Back Again!

Following the success of MAHA 2006, Malaysia is once again set to host the region's largest exhibition showcasing the latest Technologies and Innovations in the Agriculture, Agro-Based, Horticulture and Agrotourism Industry - Malaysia, Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition 2008 (MAHA 2008).

Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry and organised by Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), MAHA 2008 is expected to be the biggest event of the year serving the Agro-Based Industry.

Being awarded by The Malaysian Book of Records as the Largest Exhibition in Malaysia, MAHA 2008 is undoubtedly the largest industry gathering in the South East Asia region.

MAHA 2008 is regarded as a 'must attend' for the industry to be updated with the latest innovations and solutions and to do business. Over 950 local and international exhibitors are expected to showcase their latest solutions to the industry.

The info are as the belows:

Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), Selangor.
11 - 23 Ogos 2008
10 pagi - 7 malam

For more info, click here...

The world's most expensive food

In the chair's summary of the last G-8 conference in Heiligendamm, Germany, there was no mention of food prices or agriculture.

What a difference a year makes.

Since the G-8 last assembled in June 2007, food prices have reached unprecedented heights, threatening to push millions into poverty.

Earlier this month, the general director of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Jacques Diouf, said the rising prices of basic foodstuffs have added 50 million additional people to the ranks of the hungry. And World Bank President Robert Zoellick has estimated that the surging prices could push 100 million more people deeper into poverty.

Aid organizations are strapped for cash. Soaring prices forced the U.N's World Food Program, based in Rome, to embark on a massive fund-raising campaign to combat what executive director Josette Sheeran called a "silent tsunami" - a global crisis that, in some fashion, will strike every nation.

Overall, countries like Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Haiti, which import most of their food, stand to hurt the most. And in the poorest countries, the rising prices are causing hardship for farmers, whose production volumes are simply too small to reap a windfall.

One long-term solution is improving agriculture in the developing world so that more countries can one day feed themselves. In fact, 2008 has been dubbed the International Year of the Potato as part of an effort to boost production of the tuber globally. Potatoes are high energy and easy to grow, and experts consider them a good crop for food security because they are not widely traded. But potatoes can only do so much so fast; for many countries, harvests that fill the national stomach are still years away. Nobody expected food prices to rise so high so quickly.

"It caught the world by surprise, to be honest," says Nancy Roman, the director of communications and public policy for the World Food Program. "We were early in identifying rising food prices as a problem, and that was last summer, before this was on the front pages everywhere. But we didn't anticipate just how far this would go."

By all accounts, it's gone too far. The World Bank estimates that 41 countries have suffered losses of between 3% and 10% of their gross domestic product because they've been hammered by soaring prices of food and fuel. More than 30 countries have experienced rioting over food shortages, according to the World Bank.

The humanitarian need to ease the crisis is obvious; people shouldn't be starving. Perhaps less obvious is the global economic threat: Stagnant or collapsing growth in the developing world combined with political instability has the potential to drag down growth everywhere.

People living on a dollar a day are likely spending almost their entire income on food. If the prices double, the amount of food they can afford is halved.

To measure the world's most expensive food, we looked at data from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Rather than look at the most expensive food in absolute terms - of course, Beluga caviar and hippopotamus steaks are more expensive than rice - we looked at everyday commodities whose prices have soared the most in the last year. The average family's grocery bill is expanding because of these goods, like rice and butter.

Using information from the commodity prices database maintained by the Commodities and Trade Division of the FAO, we averaged the price of various commodities from January 2008 to April 2008 (the most recent month for which data were available on a wide range of food items) and compared these figures with prices during the same period one year ago.

Some commodities have peaked, and their prices seem to be easing. The costs of rice and wheat, which had nearly doubled, have slacked some. But they are still dramatically higher than a year ago. Some crops, like corn and the grain sorghum, continue to climb.

Prices for food can be highly inter-related. Increased demand for corn, largely driven by production of ethanol as an alternative fuel to gasoline, has caused American farmers to plant less soybeans in favor of corn fields. But fewer soybean fields mean less soy oil, driving up not only the price of soybeans but also other oilseeds.

Using this data, we found that sunflower seeds and its products have experienced the most dramatic increase in prices--up nearly 150% from last year.

Behind the price increases, one sees a perfect storm of factors fueling the "silent tsunami": unexpected bad weather, from floods to droughts, pillaged fields across the world; soaring oil prices lifted costs of producing and transporting the crops; prices rose along with demand from both an ever-growing global population and a rapidly expanding American ethanol industry; and as global prices soared, a number of countries implemented beggar-thy-neighbor export curbs, driving up prices even further.

Global leaders cannot do much about the weather. But the remaining factors in the food crisis are manmade. Heads of state have the ability, and the forum, to address the problems. The question is - do they have the will?

Punjab paddy acreage seen up 2.3 pc to 2.7 hectares

MUMBAI: Paddy acreage in the northern state of Punjab may rise about 2.3 per cent to 2.67 million hectares (6.6 million acres) this year, a state farm department official said on Thursday. "We expect an increase in the total area under paddy. Transplanting of basmati and other late varieties like PUSA 1121 is underway and should be completed by end of July," said Gurdial Singh, joint director with the state's farm department. As on July 16 the crop covered about 2.5 million hactares, the state farm department said. The farm department estimates paddy and rice output of 15.85 million tonnes and 10.6 million tonnes respectively, up from 15.63 million tonnes paddy and 10.49 million tonnes of rice in the previous year. Punjab is India's fourth biggest rice producer, behind West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Beta-carotene helps to protect against sunburn

If "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", a carrot a day might help to keep the sun burn away. That is the conclusion of a recently published analysis by Professors Wolfgang Köpcke and Jean Krutmann, of Münster University Hospital and the Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung in Düsseldorf, Germany, respectively.

In a paper published in Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2008, 84, Köpcke and Krutmann analyzed seven reports on clinical trials exploring the relationship between the consumption of Beta-Carotene and skin resistance to the ultraviolet (UV) radiation present in the sun's rays. Beta-Carotene is an orange natural pigment important for photosynthesis in plants. It is also responsible for the characteristic red-to-orange colors of carrots, tomatoes, and many other green leafy vegetables and fruits.

"We found that a diet rich in Beta-Carotene significantly protects the skin against sunburn if it is consumed for a long period of time," explains Professor Köpcke. "It does not offer the same powerful and almost immediate protection against UV radiation offered by modern sunscreens, but it can provide a basis of protection which should be 'topped up' with sunscreen when intensive exposure to the sun is planned." "This form of 'nutritional' protection against UV has two important advantages," continues Professor Krutmann. "It is permanently present in people who have enjoyed a diet rich in Beta-Carotene for many years, and it also benefits every part of the skin.

"While Beta-Carotene occurs naturally, it can also be synthesized. Nature-identical synthetic Beta-Carotene has an important role to play in many fortified foods and beverages as well as in dietary supplements. Manfred Eggersdorfer, Head of R&D at DSM Nutritional Products, a leading producer of Beta-Carotene, comments: "These findings show the importance of a nutritionally rich and balanced diet. We are quite literally what we eat, and a healthy portion of Beta-Carotene should certainly be on our daily menu."

US Strawberries: Do growers sacrifice taste for size?

When American Greetings introduced the rag-doll style character Strawberry Shortcake in 1980, she generated $500 million in sales for the company over the next two years, according to the company's Web site.

If that character hadn't been introduced at that time, and someone had the idea of creating a similar character today, I don't think the marketing people would approve.

Why, you ask? Because strawberries aren't cute anymore. Commercial strawberries that you get in the grocery store look more like goblin noses or deformed animal hooves. I can hardly look at them.

Some googling of how these monstrous strawberries came to be is revealed in an informative piece in The Boston Globe from 2006, where members of the California Strawberry Commission said they've gotten bigger because they've been bred to be bigger, because that's what people supposedly want.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also pointed out that with bigger berries, a smaller amount can fill a pint, meaning fewer individual berries need to be picked, saving labor time.

They say larger strawberries don't taste different, but I wonder. Often varieties of produce bred to suit the producer - easier to pick, better for withstanding travel, etc. - lose their taste genes.

So what can we do? Support local berries. Apparently 88 percent of berries sold in America come from the West Coast. But handfuls of orchards and family farms still grow their own strawberries, and they're worth seeking out.

Strawberry festivals should be popping up at local churches during the next few weeks. Check them out, and ask where the strawberries came from. See if you can taste the difference.

Indian banana sets sail for Saudi Arabia

India's banana exports crossed a new milestone Friday when a container load of the fruit bound for Jeddah left this industrial town in Gujarat's Bharuch district. About a thousand farmers, who produced the fruit on a contract basis for Desai Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd (DFV), cheered as the 18-tonne special reefer container moved out from the company's cold storage complex. The consignment is being sent as part of a multi million-dollar contract signed with Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Adallah Sharbatly Co. Ltd.'

This is in effect the 51st container which is going. The previous 50 containers were sent on a trial basis,' said P.K. Khandelwal, CEO of DFV. Bananas were till now exported through merchant exporters and this is the first time a container load is being shipped away. The company is planning to dispatch container loads of fruits to seven more countries within a month. With this, India will join Latin American countries and the Philippines in the Far East as a global supplier of bananas.

A large retailer in India has approached DFV for the supply of premium quality bananas at a good price. This will be finalised in the next two months. India is the largest producer of bananas in the world with 23 percent of the global production, which is estimated at 72.5 million tonnes a year. Brazil, China, Ecuador and Philippines are the other major producers. Export bananas are the developing world's fourth most important commodity and rank first as a commonly eaten fruit.

DFV, founded in 2001 by Ajit Desai, a Gujarat farmer, pioneered banana exports from India. With earnings of $750,000 in 2006-07, the company has become India's largest banana exporter. Desai has created India's first multi-fruit integrated infrastructure and his DFV has now become one of the largest fruit logistics firms in India and works with close to 2,500 farmers spread across 23 villages in Gujarat and 16 villages in Maharashtra. This has made DFV one of the largest contract farming exporters in India.

DFV has a model farm where a tree yields 35 kg per plant compared to the normal output of 17 kg in others. Desai said: 'DFV assures a promise of a minimum price and underwrites initial investment in seeds. Then there is a central labour bank for specific harvesting and post-harvesting of banana cultivation. Any of our contract farmers can ask for skilled labour from this bank.'

Apart from assured income, the Desai farm-certified farmers are getting a taste of hi-tech and best practices. Desai has converted migrating tribal villagers in Surat district to farmers producing fruits and vegetables. He offers cold-chain logistics at the grass root level in various villages.

The company operates at international best practice benchmarks and has cultivated for itself a good customer base including supermarkets as well as leading importers, distributors in Europe, the US, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. DFV's 2007 turnover was close to $8 million. The company's equity holding is in the nature of 80:20. While 80 percent is owned by Contract Farming India, a firm based in Zug, Switzerland, Desai owns 20 percent.

Malaysian Agriculture Office In Dubai To Boost Agro Product Exports

The Malaysian Agriculture Office in Dubai is conducting market studies and meeting interested parties with a view to increasing the export volume of Malaysia's agro-based products to the emirate and beyond. Agriculture Counsellor Abdul Razak Ahmad said among the areas to be looked into include demand and supply factors as well as pricing to make such products more competitive. "What I've observed is that there are many agro-based products from countries like Thailand and the Philippines in Dubai. And Malaysia too would like to make its presence felt here," he told Bernama.

He said the office would serve as a matchmaker between Malaysian companies and those in the UAE intending to do business in the agricultural sector together. The Dubai office is part of a chain of bureaus opened by the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry in an effort to promote Malaysian agro-based products abroad. The rest are located in the Netherlands, China, Thailand, Japan, Australia and United States. Abdul Razak said that Malaysian papayas and jackfruits were available in Dubai albeit in small quantities.

He said he was in the process of meeting local companies already importing agro-based products from Malaysia to encourage them to increase the volume. Being a big producer of pineapples, he said, Malaysia should also be looking at exporting the fruit to this part of the world. "We also have fruits like guava, dragon fruit and star fruit that could be marketed here," he said, adding that seasonal fruits were also an option. Abdul Razak noted that Malaysia exported fruits in large quantities to places like Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and parts of Europe.

He said he had met senior United Arab Emirates agriculture officials who expressed support over the setting up of the agriculture office in Dubai. "Being a wealthy country, UAE and Dubai can buy anything from all the four corners of the world," he added.

Rice cartel to benefit regional, global food security

An organization of rice exporting countries (OREC) will help make regional and global food price more stable in the future, said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday at a university graduation ceremony.
Unlike the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), OREC would contribute to ensuring food price stability not just in individual countries, but to addressing the problem of food shortage in the region and the world, he said.
OREC won't hoard rice to raise prices when there is shortage, so people shouldn't be worried about the creation of OREC, he said.
Meanwhile, he clarified that he himself was the original creator of the OREC concept, as he first mentioned it in 2005 during a meeting of the OREC countries, namely Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.
After all, Cambodia has two million tons of rice for export each year, while Thailand has 9.5 million tons, he added.
On April 30, in response to ever spiraling rice price, Thailand highlighted the idea to establish OREC, which quickly resulted in widespread mixed reactions.
Cambodia surely appeared positive. Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Chan Sarun told a rural products exhibition in southern province of Takeo on Sunday that OREC aims for common price of rice in order to enhance their capability of rice production, help settle the world food crisis and increase incomes for their farmers.
During a meeting in Indonesia on Sunday, the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) countries, including OREC themselves, agreed for cooperation to stabilize rice price.
However, on the same day during a meeting in Spain, Asian Development Bank's senior officials clearly opposed establishment of the OREC, citing that it contradicted the free spirit of market economy and would bring about disadvantages to both sellers and purchasers.
According to earlier reports, the OREC are now planning to meet as soon as possible to materialize the concept.
The rice exports of Thailand and Vietnam used to account for some 40 percent of the world's total annual export of rice. If Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are also included, the percentage will rise over 50 percent.
Rice price has been spiraling since 2008 and high-quality rice currently sells some 1,000 US dollars a ton.

Grocers introduce their hot new products

VANCOUVER - If the lineup of new products on display at Grocer Showcase West is any indication, you can expect to see flax hitting store shelves by the pallet-load in the weeks and months to come.

The colon-friendly grain is on display at the exhibition of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers in chunks, hunks, flakes, flours and every cereal and cracker shape you can imagine and a few you probably can't.

There's so many, in fact, that the T-bone filet-mignon flavoured dog biscuits tasted pretty good after sampling a few too many super-fibrous snacks.

The grocery showcase is a chance for the nation's storekeepers to see and sample new products and place orders for the ones that capture their imagination or fill a void in their local market. What will be the next big thing? Cheese-filled bagels shaped like Twinkies? What about Bodacious Ketchup in a foil bag?

McCain wants to help consumers join the slow food revolution . . . instantly.

Their Slow Cooker Solutions are all-day simmered stews that you just open and tip into the Crock Pot.

None had the immediate curb appeal of the flax products.

Flax is the latest craze of the health conscious eater as it promotes "digestive regularity" and is said to have potent cancer-fighting qualities.

The Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch is a rustic-looking breakfast cereal being promoted by food giant Acosta Foods. Across the aisle, the Weetabix Minibix Chocolate Crisp is a disconcerting combination of chocolate chips and fibre in a puck form that took a full minute to chew.

Leaping Lemurs is a new breakfast cereal that is refreshingly devoid of colon-cleansing seeds, instead opting for tried-and-true Cap'n-Crunch-like balls of crunchy peanut butter and chocolate.

Such confections are noticeably rare among the new market entries with their obsession for digestive health.

The independent grocers, whose ranks include Stongs, Save-On Foods and Choices Markets, were also presented with a number of unique B.C. products including sweet fruit and pepper jellies from Campbell River and dips and spice mixes from Kelowna. Both were among the mom-and-pop B.C.-based operations that were cheek-by-jowl with the major food conglomerates vying for new customers and bigger markets

Karen Pattison has been running Bite Size Specialty Foods for seven years. Her preserves run from jams made from local fruit and berries to blistering fruit and pepper jellies. A large yellow card warned of the incendiary nature of the habanero jelly samples.

Pattison grew the business slowly after a back injury forced her to leave her job as a bartender. She still runs the business on her own, but that could change if she lands enough orders at the exhibition.

"I still do most of it myself, but I am getting really busy," she said. "Yesterday was just great. I have seven people interested in placing orders."

Maple Leaf Spices is run by Dee Mole, who started her business four years ago in her Kelowna kitchen. She sells dip mixes and spice mixes at the Kelowna farmer's market and 150 stores across the country.

"At the farmer's market you get people tasting and that helps build the brand," said Mole, who was a human resources manager for 25 years before following her dream in the food industry.

"I'm a one-man show still," she said. "And I love this."

Organic Farming - Introduction

Organic cultivation of mixed vegetables in Capay, California. Note the hedgerow in the background.

Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on ecosystem management and attempts to reduce or eliminate external agricultural inputs, especially synthetic ones. It is a holistic production management system that promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.

In preference to the use of off-farm inputs, organic farming emphasizes management practices, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems. Utilizing both traditional and scientific knowledge, organic agricultural systems rely on agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods (these may require external inputs of nonrenewable resources, like tractor fuel), as opposed to using synthetic materials, to fulfill any specific function within the system. Organic farming is also associated with support for principles beyond cultural practices, such as fair trade and environmental stewardship, although this does not apply to all organic farms and farmers.

Field-Grown Tomatoes

Field Grown Tomatoes
The two types of round field tomatoes are "mature green" and "vine ripen." The main type of tomatoes grown in Florida and California and are the backbone of the U.S. fresh field tomato industry is mature green tomato. Mexico only offers minimal production of mature green tomatoes.

Mature Green Tomatoes
Mature green tomatoes are harvested early; while still green however, still sufficiently mature to continue ripening after harvest when treated with the plant's natural ripening agent, ethylene gas. Mature green tomatoes have a long shelf-life, slice well, firm and generally cost less than other types of tomatoes. Mature green tomatoes dominates the food service industry, especially the fast food service industry.

Vine-Ripe Tomatoes
While mature green tomatoes are harvested before peak ripeness, vine-ripe tomatoes are picked when fully ripen -- eliminating the need for ethylene treatments. Mexico is the main supplier of vine-ripe tomatoes during winter seasons. Florida does offer vine-ripe tomatoes, however, they are only a minor supplier during winter. Southern California and Baja California are the main suppliers of vine-ripe tomatoes during summer months. Round tomatoes exported from Mexico are usually all vine-ripe. In general, vine-ripe tomatoes appeal to some high-end food service firms, however, most sales are generated through the retail market due to generally higher cost than mature greens.

During the fall of 2004, food service buyers were willing to try other types of tomatoes as substitute, while the mature greens were in short supplies - possibly leading to food service preference change over time.

Plum Tomatoes
Fresh Roma Tomatoes (Plum Tomatoes) grew fast in the 1990s because of retail demand from the expanding Mexican consumer segment. More recent demands for plum tomatoes are from the food service industry. The main supplier of plum tomatoes is Mexico. California and Florida are also playing the market as well.

Other Field-Grown Tomatoes
Other type of field-grown tomato includes specialty varieties such as cherry, grape, pear, organic heirloom tomatoes. Some of the tomatoes are grown in greenhouses, however, most are field-grown crops. Grape tomatoes are one of the newer variety of available field-grown tomatoes

What You Need To Know About Chili Pepper

According to new research, the chili pepper has been found to be the oldest spice in use in the Americas, and one of the oldest in the world. Described in a February 2006 report in the journal Science, the research findings provide details about early plant cultivation and the use of chili peppers for food and ceremonial purposes.

Peppers are in the botanical family Solanaceae, an edible family flowering plants like tomatoes, eggplant and tobacco.•

The research shows that the study of microscopic starch granules stuck in the crevices of cooking implements and in bowl-scrapings can reveal foods that originally weren't thought to have enough starch in them to be traceable.•

"The usual idea is that the tropical lowlands were mostly on the receiving end, that they were not areas of innovation. Now our findings are beginning to cast doubt on that," said J. Scott Raymond, an archaeologist at the University of Calgary.•

Chili peppers are thought to have been domesticated at least five times by prehistoric peoples in different parts of South, Central and North America.•

Chili peppers have been part of the human diet in the Americas since about 7500 BC. •

Evidence of chili peppers at archealogical sites in the Americas show they may have been domesticated over 6,000 years ago. •

Within decades of European contact, the New World chili pepper was carried across Europe and into Africa and Asia, adopted widely, and further altered through selective breeding.•

They are now grown around the world and are widely used as medicine, and as or vegetables in cuisine. The chili pepper is an essential cooking ingredient in places as diverse as Hungary, Ethiopia, and China.