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| Jeff Moyer, the newly elected chair of the USDA's National Organic Standards Board. |
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Hello: Joining the new leaders in Washington, D.C., is Jeff Moyer, farm director of the Rodale Institute, who was elected chair of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board this week. The board members’ vote elevated Moyer from his vice-chair position held during 2008, his third year of a five-year term on the organic community’s high-profile advisory body to the National Organic Program staff, who are employees of the USDA. Congratulations, Jeff, as you serve as an honest broker among the cooperating and contending visions on how to strengthen and deepen the real organic movement in the United States. Read more >>
Rodale Institute and The Organic Center have partnered to launch a national awareness campaign showing how growing, buying and eating organic food can be a significant solution to the problems of global warming, declining human health, ecological damage and worldwide hunger. The kick-off event—“Ripe for Revolution, the Organic Solution”—drew more than 400 business, media and thought leaders to Manhattan’s Chelsea Art Museum. They shared organic food, science-based information, fellowship and inspiration at the evening event that also raised funds for both groups to further their research, education and outreach. Visit the Ripe for Revolution page where you can read first-hand coverage of the event and see a photo album of the evening’s festivities as well as some of the science that was presented at the event.
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| Rodale Institute CEO Tim LaSalle (right) and The Organic Center Director Steve Hoffman (left). |
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“When we really return to biological and natural systems—that is, organic—we really just start to bring environmental health and human health back at the same time,” Rodale Institute CEO Tim LaSalle told media representatives at a press briefing that proceeded the event. Joining him in the call to organics was Maria Rodale, chair of Rodale Inc., who said, “Organic is the number one way to stop global warming, it’s the number one way to protect our health and it’s the number one way to protect our children.”
Other host committee members who spoke at the briefing included pediatrician and author Dr. Alan Greene, supermodel and health spokeswoman Emme, television personality Sara Snow, founder and CEO of Nature’s Path Foods, Inc. Arran Stephens and David Zinczenko, the editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine. Well-known author and lecturer Dr. Andrew Weil was also on the host committee
On the same night, dozens of organic policy leaders were meeting in Indianapolis to learn how hard-won wins for the organic farming movement in the 2008 Farm Bill might evolve into practical policy through the USDA. Farmers need to take quick action now at their local ag services offices to access new incentives in 2009 for organic conversion—up to $80,000 over six years for related conservation practices—that will come through USDA’s Natural Conservation Resource Service (NRCS).
Other great reading this update:
Looking ahead to the next generation of farmers, Rodale Institute intern Kaitlin Harrigan writes about talking organics to scores of young vocational agricultural students who attended the 2008 FFA convention in Indianapolis. Read more >>
Economic incentives for conversion to organic farming make sense at many levels, Rodale Farm Manager Jeff Moyer says in his column written originally for a small-business development journal. Read more >>
For gifts that give more than a good read, check out our reviews on books about grilling pasture-raised meat, wrapping your life around farming heirloom tomatoes, and seeing the profound agricultural impact of the pesticide industry’s insidious message that farmers are forever forced to wage a “war on bugs.” Read more >>
Whatever your state of mind, remember to give thanks for what is good in your life, and for the ability to appreciate it and work with others to make it better.
Greg Bowman and the
Rodale Institute editorial team
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Jeff Moyer
Jeff Moyer seems to my by this article a perfect man for a perfect job, I personally don't know him and after reading here I can tell you that I feel inside my heart a good feeling about it :)
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