When: Thursday 13 August, 6pm (with free locally grown organic refreshments starting at 5.30pm).
This forum will provide information about Organic food. What it is and how it's grown. How is it different from food grown with synthetic chemicals? Is it really better for us and it is better for the environment? What issues is the worldwide organic industry facing? There will be organic produce to examine and food to taste with locally grown organic food provided.
Speakers
- Dr Kristen Lyons is a Senior Lecturer with the Griffith University School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences.
- Marg Will the General Manager of the organic certification body Organic Food Chain will provide an insiders look at the organic industry in Australia and worldwide, as well as international legislative requirements.
- Les Nichols, an organic farmer from Sandy Creek Organic Farm will share his wealth of experience and knowledge about organic farming.
Email: L.Malcolm@griffith.edu.au
Phone: (07) 373 57992
Reply before: 11 August 2009
I attended this forum in the hope to learn a bit more about the organic food movement. I myself feel that the general Australian society doesn’t know enough about benefits of and how to identify organic foods. To my surprise I realised that Australia, although we may perceive our nation as a clean and green country, are in fact lagging in the organic foods movement compared to the rest of the world. The average Australian will continue to eat foods with colouring additives even though it is banned in the rest of the world. From a regulatory perspective, if we export a product with an organic label, it has to meet the national standard however, not if we send it to the local Woolworths. In fact, there are no labelling laws in Australia. There is nothing stopping a company from putting an organic label on a product that is actually pumped full of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and additives. I feel that consumers should have the basic right to know what they are eating and that truthful labelling of foods should be practiced.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that the current organic standard relates to exported products,rather than organic produce destined for the domestic market. This perhaps reflects the emphasis of Australian agriculture on export markets. However, having said that, it is still possible to be sure you are getting organics by
ReplyDeletebuying certified organic (indicated by the logo - eg. the Biological Farmers of Australia's "bud logo", NASAA, or a range of other certification organisations logo's), or by buying direct from farmers who you feel
comfortable are complying with organic standards.