Green shoots of the green recovery?

Much of the media claimed the recent Defra stats about the organic farming sector as evidence that the sector was in terminal decline.

Well here's the good news to contradict this analysis. Whole Foods Market, the US organic retailer, announced it would be opening a further new store in Cheltenham.

As a major retailer of organic products this is not a business that invests where it cannot see a return on that investment and so to announce this decision shows they believe that there are still plenty of people who are looking for organic products to buy.

Rather than looking at rather historic data about the sector and drawing rather hackneyed conclusions they are analysing their retail data and looking at opportunities to expand their business.

Despite what some may feel about large organic retail businesses this is a new opportunity for shoppers to buy organic products and for suppliers to expand their sales and should be welcomed.

New store announcement Cheltenham UK:

Harvest Reports August 2011

It's still early days and many organic farmers still have a way to go with harvest but here are a few early thoughts on how the harvest is progressing.


Yield
Reports are mixed but generally yields are better than most had been feared.  Reports of 5t/ha for wheat in the western counties would put yields at about par.  The story in the eastern counties is generally less encouraging with yields down about 5% on budget although this is better than was predicted back in the spring.  Best yield reported was over 7t/ha for some Tybalt spring wheat on un-irrigated land in Suffolk where it out-yielded the irrigated field next door.  This crop followed a vetch green-manure which it is assumed meant moisture retention in the soil was good.


Interesting comment from some trial sites of rye out-yielding wheat.


The variety trial data for the Organic Seed Producer trials will be available shortly.


Quality
So far hagberg levels seem good.  Protein levels are the usual mixed bag with levels between 9.5%and 11% being tested.    First sample of Panorama has reported at 9.5%, Hereward ranging from 9.5 to over 11% and Magister at 11%.  I am yet to be convinced that variety has a huge influence over protein level and am of the opinion that the soil and season have a far greater influence.


Bushel weights do seem good.  Several samples of wheat are testing at 83kg/hl, barley at 67 kg/hl and oats are testing at 54kg +.


This is an early refleaction on the 2011 harvest and I'd be glad to hear from anyone with either yield or quality comments to get a broader picture of how things are progressing.


Happy Combining!

Farmers turn away from organic as sales drop | Environment | guardian.co.uk

As interesting as the article is, it does not perhaps tell us anything we weren't aware of. Read the comments too. They give an insight into the fractured view of organic production that persists.

Responses seems to be very emotional rather than rational and show the work that needs to be done to show sceptical buyers the benefits of organic farming systems.

The debate within the comments section focuses mostly on pesticide residues and taste with minimal comment on environmental benefit or animal welfare.

The Why I Love Organic campaign has a lot of work to do to get these messages across to our customers.

Farmers turn away from organic as sales drop | Environment | guardian.co.uk