ARGAN OIL – History and Origin
The history of the beloved argan oil is long. Argan trees are among the oldest trees in the world and are also considered a relic from the Tertiary period. That was 80 million years ago. While it used to grow from North Africa to what is now Central Europe, today, the argan tree only thrives in a desert-like region of about 8,000 square kilometres in south-west Morocco. This area has been recognised by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve, and the centuries-old knowledge and practices of using the tree and its fruit, as well as the production of argan oil, as UNESCO World Heritage. The tree, which has spiky branches, can grow to a height of about ten metres, but the diameter of the tree crown can be up to 50 metres. Its distinctive roots reach up to 30 metres into the soil – thus preventing soil erosion by wind and water. The drought-resistant evergreen argan tree, also called argania, is able to withstand long periods of drought and temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius without any problems. Its life expectancy is up to 400 years.
Today, argan oil is one of THE beauty best-sellers, but the argan tree and thus its oil had a kind of shadowy existence until the mid-90s: Little value was placed on the argan tree, argan oil was poorly marketed. The consequence: During the 1970s and 1980s, hundreds of hectares of argan trees were felled to make room for other crops. Today, this is shocking. But over time, the value of argan oil was recognised due to its special composition: Rich in various fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega 6, the argan fruit, which looks like a yellow plum, tastes extremely bitter. Their shell is as thick as a hazelnut and quite hard. Hidden in the flesh are seeds as big as sunflower seeds. The most valuable and expensive oil in the world is extracted from these. Around 30 kilograms of kernels have to be pressed to obtain one litre of argan oil. This also explains why argan oil is called “Gold of Morocco“.
Goats and the production of argan oil
Anyone who has ever been to Morocco has certainly seen them: Goats nimbly climbing argan trees and enjoying themselves at lofty heights. Do they break the trees? No! But goats are an important part of argan oil production! Since the goats live in a desert-like region, there is hardly any grass and other ground plants. Despite thousands of hard thorns, the goats manage to eat the leaves and the calorie-rich fruits of the argan tree. It has to be said that goats are truly hardy, very intelligent and true survivalists. Of course, the goats also eat the seeds of the argan fruit – from which the oil is extracted – but do not digest them. The seeds come out the back end undigested. Thus, the goats provide a great help to humans. Due to the large number of thorns, harvesting by hand is impossible. So the Berbers, the Moroccan peasant and nomad people, only have to wait until the seeds are excreted by the goats or the ripe fruits fall to the ground. The seeds can then simply be picked up from the ground and further processed. On the other hand, the Berbers would have to laboriously harvest, peel, grind and process the fruits. The harvest time is mainly between July and September – a very short period. As you can see, the production of argan oil is very elaborate and time-consuming – of course, this is also one of the reasons why argan oil is expensive.
The sun-dried seeds, which contain up to 60% oil, are broken out of the shell by the Berber women with two stones. The shells are stored and used as animal feed after the drying period. The almonds, as the seeds of the argan fruit are called, are then either cold-pressed to produce argan oil for cosmetic purposes or roasted for culinary purposes. Cold-pressed means that the almonds do not come into contact with water.
Nowadays, argan oil production hardly ever takes place in painstaking manual labour. The argan oil is extracted industrially using the most modern methods and machines, whereby the addition of water is completely omitted. The quality of the oil is in no way inferior to conventional hand pressing and the yield even is somewhat higher. In total, there is an annual yield of about 11 million litres of argan oil – in comparison: There are around 2.3 billion litres of olive oil!
Why Argan Oil
There are many things in nature that we do not know or that we cannot find. Argan oil, which is extracted from the argan fruit of the argan tree in southwest Morocco, is a true miracle of nature. Not only is it of great benefit to our health, but also to our beauty.
Argan oil is not only a blessing for the hair, but it is the most natural moisturiser for oily, sensitive, normal or dry skin. In addition, it provides fast healing for acne and pimple problems, has great anti-ageing properties, prevents the formation of and reduces stretch marks, is the best solution against eczema, psoriasis and rosacea diseases, nourishes the eyelashes, makes them thick and is the perfect care for hands, feetand lips. It is suitable for care, as well as for cleaning and taking off make-up. There is no more all-round care product that is more natural. Unlike many other oils, argan oil does NOT have a drying effect, even with long-term use, and it is NOT comedogenic.
Why Arganim Argan Oil?
Argan oil is often sold under the guise of “organic argan oil”, although it is not pure at all and therefore brings harm instead of benefit. Unfortunately, quality does not play a role for many manufacturers. But if the argan oil is not of good quality, it will not work.
For many years, we as a family have been using argan oil and have experienced the many positive effects ourselves. This made us want to produce our own argan oil of the best quality and with the hope that it would give everyone these wonderful results. It is not easy to control every stage of the production process. We closely monitor every process from fruit collection to drying, pressing and packaging. It may sound like a cliché, but Arganim Argan Oil is the best quality you can find on the market – it is 100% pure, contains no chemical additives or perfume. We have it freshly pressed and import it directly to Germany. Read more
Several thousand people already place their trust in our young brand and experience their own argan oil miracle. We are looking forward to you trying it out for yourself and appreciating the benefits of argan oil.


Diversity in terms of shape, flavour and uses encourages consumers and professional chefs to include more vegetables in their dishes. Rijk Zwaan stimulates vegetable consumption by continually launching new and innovative products. With Cubelli, Rijk Zwaan offers a range of tomatoes that stand out in terms of shape, flavour and convenience. Cubelli inspires growers and retailers alike to make optimum use of these characteristics to the benefit of their own activities.
Cubelli tomatoes have a unique, slightly blocky shape. The tomatoes remain firm and their shape does not change when heated. Therefore, they are ideal for stuffing or baking in the oven.
The full, herby flavour sets them apart from other tomato varieties. The Cubellis score significantly better in consumer research thanks to their higher Brix value. Their flavour remains constant even as they continue to ripen.
Cubelli tomatoes are available both as loose tomatoes and as truss tomatoes.
Cubelli: inspirational brand
Rijk Zwaan has created the Cubelli label to help growers and retailers to market these tomatoes by bringing together the sales arguments for growers, retailers and consumers.
The label supports and inspires customers’ own activities. They can use some or all aspects of Cubelli to highlight the strong traits of the tomatoes, such as by using our photos and recipes as a source of inspiration for consumers or professional chefs. Meanwhile, retailers can draw on aspects of Cubelli to reinforce their own private label.
More information on Cubelli tomatoes
- Cubelli inspiration booklet Pdf file 1.07 MB


Bitter cold and strong winds are supposed to arrive on Thursday. Lows are forecast to be around 10 degrees Friday morning and temperatures will remain below freezing for 24-36 hours.
Because temperatures will be so low over an extended period of time, we will be covering the greens to protect them from cold desiccation. Based on the forecast, current plan is to close the golf course at 10:30 am on Wednesday, December 21, following "The Shorty" golf event.
We will spend the remainder of the day covering the greens to protect them. We anticipate leaving the covers on the greens until Monday, December 26. We will update the status of the course re-opening on Monday morning.


In this program, you will have the opportunity to experience local agricultural practices in Uganda, help the farming community with additional hands and effort, as well as immerse yourself in the local culture and engage with the community.
Kyamazima is renowned for its tea plantations. Besides offering incredible landscapes, the tea fields provide employment to many local farmers. Tea was introduced to Uganda by the Indians, which is why a significant portion of the plantations is controlled by Indian entrepreneurs. However, there are also various plantations managed by local farmers. It is in these latter ones where you will have the chance to participate in activities such as:
1. Harvesting tea leaves.
2. Cutting and clearing weeds to promote better growth of tea plants.
3. Processing tea leaves by boiling and drying them.
4. Packaging the tea.
Additionally, Kyamazima also has coffee plantations. The coffee cultivated in Kyamazima was imported from Ethiopia, the leading coffee producer in Africa. In the coffee plantations, you will be able to engage in the following activities:
1. Picking coffee cherries (coffee harvesting season: from June to July and from November to February).
2. Processing coffee beans by drying them, removing the layers that cover the coffee seed, roasting, and grinding.
3. Packaging the coffee.
IMPORTANT: It is recommended to bring gardening gloves for the program.


Yellow mustard is used as a spice. The hot, burning taste of mustard comes from the essential oils inside the seeds.
Brown mustard seeds are used as condiment, but also in medicine. Their colour ranges from dark brown to black.
Oriental mustard contains tannins that demonstrate activity against microorganisms (bacteriae and viruses).
Piast Agro Sp. z o. o.
tel/fax +48 14 66 309 40 biuro(at)piastagro.pl
We specialise in mustard seeds distribution.
Piast Agro Sp. z o.o. is a Polish family-owned enterprise operating since 1990s. We have always cooperated with farmers and production companies in terms of contracting, purchasing and supplying mustard seeds.
Over the course of many years we have established reliable partnerships with producers based in Poland as well as abroad, i.e. Czechia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary, Canada and Germany.
In order to meet the highest expectations of our clients, our grain undergoes an additional cleaning process using state-of-the-art technology. We are also IFS Food (ver. 7) certified.
Our offer includes: yellow mustard seeds, brown mustard seeds, oriental mustard seeds, mustard seeds for catch crop, industrial mustard seeds, and mustard seeds for therapeutic purposes.
We are your go to supplier for all types of mustard seeds.


Bumblebees Are Losing Their Buzz...
Chronic exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides significantly reduces the number of pollen grains a bumblebee is able to carry. That’s the conclusion of a research project led by Dr Penelope Whitehorn and Associate Professor Mario Vallejo-Marin from the University of Stirling.
The research, which was conducted by the Faculty of Natural Science, examined a complex type of pollination in insects called ‘buzz pollination’, which is used to dislodge pollen from flowers. The study focussed on captive colonies of bumblebees visiting buzz-pollinated flowers, which were monitored using sensitive microphones to detect and measure foraging buzzes.
The findings of the study, which were published in the journal ‘Nature.Com’, have found that field-realistic doses of neonicotinoid pesticides directly affects the behaviour of foraging bees, by interfering with the type of vibrations they produce while collecting pollen, thereby reducing the number of pollen grains carried by bees. Interestingly, by the end of the experiment, bees exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides were noted to be collecting up to 56% less pollen compared to un-exposed (control) bees, which gathered more pollen as they gained experience throughout the experiment.
Given the concerns the global scientific community has regarding the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollination services, further research into this issue will be crucial to better understanding the mechanism by which the pesticides effects bees.
This blog was informed by research undertaken by the University of Stirling, which was published in the journal Nature.Com.
Image Credit: Tim Hill (Pixabay)


Jasmine Oolong Tea Information
Farming Methods: Hand picked. Low pesticide
Production: 15-20% Oxidized. Ball rolled Oolong process scented with Jasmine flower
Four Seasons Oolong tea was founded accidentally by a tea farmer in the Mu Zha area in Taipei, almost like a tea growing wild in his garden. Interesting to note that one characteristic of this tea is its somewhat strong vigor and wildness. This farmer happened to notice that some of his tea plants were growing exceptionally fast while his other regular tea plants were not even beginning to bud. So he nurtured & planted a field of this tea and discovered he could get up to 7 or 8 harvests per year. It could even be cropped in early or late winter. Thus the name Four Seasons Oolong. Because Four season plants yield a large quantity of tea each year, more and more tea farmers have started to grow Si Ji Chuan (Four seasons) tea plants
Four Season Oolong has a natural fresh flowery aroma. Some people say it is similar to Chinese Tie Guan Yin, probably partly because of its strong aroma & possibly because Tie Guan Yin also possesses a somewhat “wild”& vigorous characteristic. Four Seasons Oolong is very suitable Oolong variety for blending and scenting with jasmine.


image of track to pear house (Pear House field is outlined in blue at the upper central part of the picture)Pear House is a derelict house and field above the village of Gunnerside in Swaledale, North Yorkshire. The field has been traditionally grazed for sheep and is categorised as “unimproved grassland” habitat at the lower limit of the uplands moorland. We acquired the house and field in 2009/10 and in November 2010 we planted (with the help of children from the local primary school, and friends and relatives) around 250 native broadleaved trees in a fenced off area of around 1 acre at the eastern part of the field (the whole field is 1.28 hectares, around 3 acres). In March 2012 we planted (again with help from the local school children) 20 mixed fruit trees as a traditional orchard in an area below the house at the western end of the field. This website is a record of the planting, survival and growth of these trees, and a record of renovations to the house and observations on the local farm activity and wildlife.


This harvest, U.S. soybean farmers will spend countless hours in the fields gathering a portion of the food and feed for the rest of the world. Seeing that tank on the combine fill up quickly with high-yield soybeans and pushing the button on the master control lever to pour part of a season’s worth of work into the bin is sure to bring a smile to any farmer’s face. While farmers are taking to the fields, armed with the latest reports, technology and most of all, eager determination—the World Soy Foundation (WSF) is kicking off a new year of the Acre Challenge and is looking to partner with all those farmers “pushing the button” as they harvest their acres. The campaign’s slogan “Push the Button. Give Your Acre. Be Part of the Solution.” relates back to their deep roots in agriculture. The Foundation was founded by farmer leaders that believed in the power of their soybean crop to be part of a solution to relieving world hunger and malnutrition.Those farmers posed a challenge to their fellow growers through the Acre Challenge. They challenged other growers to give the value of just one of their acre of soybeans and be part of the group of U.S. soybean farmers helping to alleviate hunger around the world. The fiscal year and one of the WSF’s most successful Challenge campaigns in their history just ended. Nearly 570 U.S. soybean farmers from 31 states accepted the Challenge and helped them raise approximately 101 percent of their $100,000 goal.The WSF would like to specifically recognize Iowa, the top supporting state of the 2013-2014 Challenge. The generosity of 70 farmers raised over $16,605 to help the WSF continue reducing malnutrition through the power of soy! It is not without farmers like the Iowa farmers that WSF can continue addressing one of the gravest issues of our world today.While farmers look to their next planting season in the coming months, the WSF is also planning for this year’s Acre Challenge and kicking off with their “Push the Button” campaign. The campaign urges farmers to consider joining the WSF and the Acre Challenge during their harvest. As that button is pushed to pour out acres and acres of soybeans, the value of just one of those acres could make a world of difference to a hungry, malnourished child in countries across the world like Guatemala, Honduras or South Africa. Click HERE to watch a video on the campaign and the WSF.“Farmers and industry together, as partners, can help feed young hungry kids around the world by introducing soy and soy protein into their diets through the work of the WSF,” said Scott Fritz, WSF Board Chair and Indiana grower. “A young child lacking protein in the formative years can never recover and helping kids develop healthily is something we can all feel and understand.”So, during this harvest, consider the campaign’s motto and “be a part of the solution” to reducing malnutrition and hunger—push the button for the WSF and share the value of an acre. Click HERE to check out an infographic, “Hunger vs. the Power of Soy,” to learn how the value of an acre is more than just dollars and cents.To “push the button,” simply calculate the value of an acre of soybeans in your operation (yield multiplied by price), or visit www.worldsoyfoundation.org/supportus/donate to give securely online. A check can also be mailed to: World Soy Foundation; 12125 Woodcrest Executive Drive, Suite 100; St. Louis, MO 63141.


Tarocco Ippolito Orange (Citrus sinensis) is one of the most quality Tarocco oranges known.
Why? Because of its colour, its consistence and its taste.
-Tree features: Branches tend to fall, because they get really long.
-Leaves: Leaves are big, green, lanceolate to round shaped.
–Shape: Tarocco Ippolito Orange is round to oblate according to how it grew.
-Taste: It’s so sweet! One of the sweetest Tarocco oranges we have in our collection.
-Colour: Skin is usually orange to deep orange, pulp, according to the climate, can pigment more or less.
Sometimes it becomes so bloody inside, and it’s a pleasure to see it.
SEASON OF RIPENESS
It starts to ripen from December to February, but it helds well on the tree for several months.
It usually blooms during Spring.
HOW TO USE IT
-In the Kitchen: You can squeeze it to make a traditional and red orange juice. It’s also great eaten like usual.
Zest can be used to make cakes and liquors. Marmalades are a great choice too.
-Ornamental: It’s a vigorous and strong plant to grow.
According to our tests, in the Greenhouse, or in a covered area, it can resist to a temperature of -8°C.
This variety needs to be grown like a normal Lemon.


Vorstadtgarten and Transition Day at the annual Lendwirbel Street Festival - Graz
Since 2013 the local Transition Town Initiative organizes Transition Day(s) at the Lendwirbel Festival together with the Forum Urbanes Gärtnern. The main focus is to raise awareness on sustainability issues and the creation of an open space resp. a focal point where people can meet. The Vorstadtgarten, which are raised beds and bed-seat-table combinations mostly made of recycled wood, invites people during the first week in May to come together - in the most of the years the beds are in the public space until autumn.
The Lendwirbel festival - originally started as neighbourhood initiative - meanwhile attracts many people from all over the city and beyond to provide a cultural program consisting of (popup) activities, stands and installations and a culinary offering as well as a discourse program.
For a few years the association Transition Graz (TG) and its network organize the Transition Day on the second weekend of May. The idea of Transition Towns is to create vital, resilient neighbourhoods to challenge carbon dependencies (depletion of fossil fuels and climate change) and to decrease the impact on the environment.
Since the beginning the Transition Day was connected to food related topics and has been asking the question how people can collectively provide their own food, e.g. by cooperatives from local farmers or by urban gardening (local production on the balcony or a community garden). To foster communication among people TG together with the Forum Urban Gardening (FUG, an association to support and foster urban gardening and urban food production) and Jugendpark (a project of Jugend am Werk which aims for young people to learn handicraft and gardening) created the Vorstadtgarten at one of the most central squares of the Lendwirbel Festival.
Transformational Measures and Activities
The Vorstadtgarten is an area consisting of raised beds with mostly food plants (vegetables, herbs…) and occasions to sit in-between. It’s a mobile construction: it’s temporary (not the whole year) and can be re-arranged creating a vital public space. During the Transition Day(s) additional program like workshops, exhibitions and talks provide background information for kids and families as well as everybody else.
- interventions to address the wider public
- creation of space where people can meet and talk without the obligation to consume
- seed and plant swapping
- workshops and talks to inform about sustainable food and one of it’s basic: good social bondings and relations resp. neighbourhoods
workshops for kids: to (re)connect them to food (like heirloom and traditional varieties) and the environment
- during the week - as long as the weather is fine - people use this space to come together for chatting, eating, playing ...
during the weekend (transition day) people are curious about the installations, plants and seek for background information; kids are having fun if there’s something they just can try out
Challenges, Opportunities and Transferability
- the idea of having raised bed - seat - table combinations is easy transferable - people will use these space; main challenges can be to convince local authorities and to place information about the project; considering vandalism and care of the plants the connection to the near-neighborhood (private households but also restaurants) is important
- accompanying program is important: workshops, talks and e.g. seed or plant swaps gain attention
- the Transition Day especially address the wider public - the visitors of the festival - the program has to fit the audience (during the week: rather locals, during the weekend: the wider public)


Considering the momentum from COP28, the FAO Liaison Offices in Geneva and New York and the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) will jointly organize a hybrid briefing to discuss the outcomes from COP28 and their implications for agrifood systems. The main objectives of this joint briefing are:
- To inform stakeholders of the outcomes of COP28 related to food and agriculture sectors;
- To raise awareness of the technical support available including roadmaps, guidelines, tools and other resources that can support Members with developing clear pathways to achieve SDG 2 within a 1.5 scenario; and
- To promote dialogue on agrifood systems and their critical role in providing solutions for climate change.


On tuesday, Luxembourg's Minister for Agriculture, Viticulture and Consumer Protection, Fernand Etgen, visited Luxembourg's seed co-operative in the Agerscent Centre in Mersch to discover for himself the results of the 2017 grain harvest.
After visiting, Minister Etgen, together with LSG Director Steve Turmes, discussed the 2017 harvest. The year 2016/2017 was characterised by extreme dryness in the spring and early summer. In addition, the precipitation distribution in 2017 varied regionally. Due to the dry weather conditions, the crop of 2017 was 10 to 15 days earlier and cereals were generally harvested dry.
Consequently, the quality of the crop, above the summer grain, was above average. The yields, however, were very heterogeneous in terms of dryness, depending on soil conditions as well as rainfall distribution, and the average country average. Especially in summer cereals and in the south of the country, due to the lack of precipitation, there were considerable losses in earnings.
Minister Etgen stressed that regionally, enormous earnings fluctuations are also an indication of climate change. He pointed out that the conclusion of harvesting insurance schemes is a very probable tool for insuring agricultural crops against the risks of extreme weather conditions and therefore financially supported by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Serge Turmes addressed producer prices in the cereal market and added that cereal prices have not developed satisfactorily in 2017. In the end, 2017 was a difficult year for cereal farmers.


We deliver basic needs, #food, #agriculture material and supplies on a weekly basis to places all over the #world. We will work with western agriculture professionals who providing lost knowledge to locals how to build up #farming again. But we also need definitely to rethink regarding our own reckless consumer behavior! #Food #waste as just one example! We can have everything and can buy everything at any time, but don’t need it really, but we take it away from others. We have to learn again what it means to share, how something grow and get cultivated, and from where our food is coming from (not from supermarket!). And we need to point out the #respect for our food again. The #nature is changing, #catastrophes are on the rise and become more and more stronger. Therefore, the world need new and more alternative ideas in this sector. And #Moonlight Air #Organization is ready to transport your #solution.
Given by the UN:It is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food.If done right, agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting people-centred rural development and protecting the environment.Right now, our soils, freshwater, oceans, forests and biodiversity are being rapidly degraded. Climate change is putting even more pressure on the resources we depend on, increasing risks associated with disasters such as droughts and floods. Many rural women and men can no longer make ends meet on their land, forcing them to migrate to cities in search of opportunities. A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish today’s 795 million hungry and the additional 2 billion people expected by 2050.
The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development, and is central for hunger and poverty eradication.


About Sirtanio Organik Indonesia
Sirtanio Organik Indonesia is the leading organic rice producer in Indonesia. We sustainably supply the needs of the market of red rice and mix organic rice.
Our Products Sirtanio Organic Indonesia which can nourish the people and the business model increases farmers’ welfare and also to improve the environment.
Sirtanio Organik Indonesia increase farmers’ welfare by reducing the cost of rice cultivation by reducing inputs with organic rice cultivation technology. The purchase price of the harvest is determined by a contract by a margin of 25-30% above the purchase price of the common.
Organic rice can also reduce health care costs for customers who consume it. Eating organic food, health consumers are more awake and several testimonials of consumers say that organic rice has been a cure for some illness, such as diabetes, constipation, cancer.
Improving the rice farmers welfare – Healthier world
Meet our team
A.R Jauhari, S.E
Shohib Q D, S.TP
Ahmed Tessario, S.T
Sirtanio Organic Indonesia has received various quality assurance certificates as supporting the way of organic rice business in Indonesia.
- Certificates Organic Agriculture
SNI No: 6729 2010 from LeSOS No Reg: 048-LPO-005-IDN-12-15
- Certificates Chemical residue free
from Sucofindo No 3508880
- Certificates Adequacy of Nutrition
from Laboratory Department of Science and Technology of food, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, IPB Bogor No : 014-12/FL/4.2.3/LDITP
List of the latest highlights per year Sirtanio Organic Indonesia
- Started to develop organic red rice on 1.6 Ha of land in banyuwangi
- The land succeeded in harvesting with satisfactory results and expanding organic land on 16 Ha
- The rice produced in the name of red healthy rice Seblang Banyuwangi and get a very good respon market from local consumers Banyuwangi
- The land that cooperates with the company reaches 42 Ha with productivity per Ha 3.5 tons in July 2012, but due to irregular planting schedule and the market is not ready to receive the product so the company is over stock.
- The Company obtained KUR loan from Bank Jatim amounting to Rp.500,000,000
- Sales in 2012 reached 24,064 Kg
- Employees employed only on the processing division of 5 people.
- Obtaining PSBI assistance from Bank Indonesia in the form of milling machine, drying floor and plastic packaging
- Getting Organic Certification from Seloliman Organic Certification Institute (LESOS)
- Sales increased up to 102,197 kg increased 3% per month.
- Products Already sold under the brand of Merah Organic Rice Seblang Banyuwangi with Vacum Package
- Inaugurated as a cluster for Bank Indonesia
- The market distribution of red rice covers 25 regions in Indonesia starting from Java Island, Kalimantan and Sumatera
- Sales increased to 107,674 Kg
- Inaugurated as Sirtanoo Organic Indonesia
- Conducting integras starting from the cultivation division, processing to marketing so as to extend the land up to 74 Ha per planting season (4 months)
- Begin to open Investment opportunities in terms of funding
2015 - 2016
- Initiating International Organic Certification by Biocert
- Partnering drengan 128 farmers with 103 ha of organic land on which production base – location of land begins to develop out banyuwangi (Situbondo, Lumajang, Jember and Bondowoso)
- The products have been distributed to 35 regions in Indonesia with 2 export destinations (China and Australia)
- Land productivity increased to 5 Ton GKS / Ha
- Sell 350 tons of organic rice with a sales turnover of Rp.5.9 M
Our best partner to develop better Sirtanio Organic Indonesia


It takes work to obtain and maintain a beautiful, healthy and thick lawn. Truesdale offers our Lawn Care Program – lawn fertilization and disease applications – for just that reason. We provide six fertilizations throughout the year, grub preventative, crabgrass preventatives, lime, and flea and tick control. With these treatments, your lawn will respond and be lush and healthy.
Truesdale also offers Core Aeration and Over Seeding in the fall to allow nutrients and water to penetrate to the roots and to thicken up the lawn.
If you would like to have our Agronomics specialist meet with you, then head over to our Contact page and fill out our short form. Additionally, feel free to contact us directly by calling 908-834-2675.


Creating a Garden in a Term: Mid-April to Mid-July
This resource shows how you can quickly create a simple school garden within just the summer term.
Gardens can take many years and many acres to develop, but some gardens, full of different colours, scents and textures, can be created in just three months in any space, no matter how small or large. The aim of Garden in Term is to inspire schools to create their own gardens from which they can harvest produce or flowers or both in just one term. The garden may carry on through the autumn term, or be started again, depending on the plants chosen. Other aims of Garden in a Term include demonstrating life processes and encouraging thought, contemplation, shared responsibility, shared treats and discussion.
The garden should touch on as many aspects of the school curriculum as possible. For example, a plan for the garden can be drawn by hand or using a computer. The numbers of plants needed can be calculated and the success or failure of individual varieties can be recorded using ICT. What do the scientific terms included in the text below — such as germination and propagation — mean?
There are many ideas below for creating a Garden in a Term. Depending on the size of the site, the size and the class, the ages of the pupils and the time and resources available, all or one of the ideas can be used.
If you do not have the time or the facilities to sow seeds, most of the varieties mentioned are also available from gardens centres and mail order nurseries as small plants.
- Flowers - to bring colour and scent to a garden.
- Vegetables - as delicious as they are decorative.
- Herbs - easy to grow and very tasty.
- Potatoes - a chance to get your hands dirty.
- Runner bean wigwams - when plants become structures.
- Sprouting seeds - quick, compact gardening.
- Harvesting seeds - a way to perpetuate your garden.
- Grass maze - ephemeral, low maintenance design.
You can also consult the Garden in a Term calendar for information about what to do and when.
See information and credits for this resource.


28 May 2019 Go back to News
Glyphosate detected in drinking water in Newport
Users urged to be responsible when spraying pesticides
An exceedance for the pesticide glyphosate has been detected in the public drinking water supply in Newport, Co. Mayo. Glyphosate is a broad spectrum herbicide used mainly for the control of annual broadleaf weeds and grasses and is found in a number of weed killer formulations used by gardeners and growers.
Carefully follow guidelines when applying chemicals
We are working in partnership with the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG), is appealing to farmers, sporting organisations and other users of pesticides to carefully follow the guidelines when applying these chemicals to their lands. A single drop of pesticide can breach the drinking water limit in a small stream for up to 30 kilometres. This clearly highlights the potential risk facing many of Ireland’s drinking water sources.
The efforts to reduce the incidence of these detections are being coordinated by the NPDWAG. This group is chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. All of the key stakeholders are represented in this group and include other Government departments and agencies; local authorities; industry representative bodies; farming organisations; water sector organisations; and amenity sector organisations.
Dr Pat O’Sullivan, Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist
“In Co Mayo, the exceedance of the drinking water regulations for Glyphosate was noted in the Newport supply in May. While the HSE has advised that the levels seen do not represent a threat to public health, it is however undesirable and it is therefore imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when spraying their lands."
“Irish Water is continuing its extensive investment programme to improve water and wastewater services in Ireland. Providing safe, clean drinking water for all is our first priority.”
Dr Aidan Moody, Chair of NPDWAG
“The continued engagement of all stakeholders, working in partnership, is needed to tackle this issue. Users of pesticides should make sure that they are aware of the best practice measures that should be followed to protect water quality."
Certain pesticides being detected more frequently
Recent Drinking water monitoring results for Ireland show that a number of pesticides commonly used such as Bentazone, MCPP, MCPA, Clopyralid and Fluroxypyr, are being detected more frequently.
We are working in partnership with the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group and would like to remind farmers and professional users of pesticides to follow best practice in the application of pesticides on land, particularly near lakes and rivers used as drinking water sources.
The basic steps in reducing pesticide risks are
- Choose the right pesticide product
- Read and follow the product label
- Determine the right amount to purchase and use
- Don’t spray if rain or strong wind is forecast in the next 48 hours
- Make sure you are aware of the location of all nearby water courses
- Comply with any buffer zone specified on the product label to protect the aquatic environment. Mark out the specified buffer zone from the edge of the river or lake or other water course
- Never fill a sprayer directly from a water course or carry out mixing, loading or other handling operations beside a water course
- Avoid spills, stay well back from open drains and rinse empty containers 3 times into the sprayer
- Store and dispose of pesticides and their containers properly.
Information leaflets on pesticide use are available to download from the Teagasc website. A recently produced video on the correct use of MCPA can be viewed below.
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Mônica Macedo (*)
introdução de Organismos Geneticamente Modificados (OGM) na agricultura é um assunto que vem gerando discussões entre cientistas, empresários, governo e representantes da sociedade civil em todos os países do mundo. Desde a década de 70, quando se conseguiu representar um gene da insulina humana na bactéria Escherichia coli, vários grupos de cientistas (sobretudo nos EUA) vêm trabalhando sobre a manipulação genética de organismos vivos para adaptá-los a condições ambientais específicas. Evidentemente, nesse processo, nem todas as variáveis estão já bem estabelecidas e controladas, e a aplicação das pesquisas em biotecnologia tem conseqüências significativas para a saúde humana, o meio ambiente e a economia, as quais devem ser avaliadas por toda a sociedade.
No Brasil, um pedido recente (junho de 1998) da empresa Monsanto <www.monsanto.com> à Comissão Técnica Nacional de Biossegurança (CTNBio) <www.mct.gov.br/ctnbio>, órgão do Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia, provocou algumas manifestações de membros da comunidade científica brasileira, mas não tem recebido a atenção devida dos meios de comunicação. O pedido diz respeito à desregulamentação de um tipo de soja transgênica (chamada Roundup Ready) com base na Lei de Biossegurança (Lei 8.974/95), para que a empresa possa, cultivar, registrar, utilizar, testar, transportar, armazenar, comercializar, importar e descartar a referida soja no país.
A Roundup Ready recebe essa designação por ser resistente ao herbicida de mesmo nome (Roundup), que é produzido pela mesma empresa (Monsanto) que fez o pedido de desregulamentação. Os herbicidas são produtos utilizados para eliminar ervas daninhas e outros agentes que prejudicam a plantação. Porém, freqüentemente, essas substâncias, além de eliminar os agentes indesejáveis, matam também a cultura principal. No caso da soja Roundup Ready, o herbicida pode ser utilizado em altas doses sem prejudicá-la. Com isso, a produtividade obtida é muito maior. Mas o agricultor fica dependente do uso do referido herbicida, o que, evidentemente, para a empresa produtora é um grande negócio.
Porém, há outra característica da soja transgênica que é ainda mais séria. A Roundup Ready, assim como outras variedades de plantas transgênicas, é estéril, ou seja, suas sementes não podem ser reutilizadas, como é feito tradicionalmente na agricultura, sobretudo nos países subdesenvolvidos. Por exemplo, em uma plantação de milho, as melhores espigas são selecionadas para serem plantadas na cultura seguinte. No caso das sementes transgênicas, as espigas não podem ser utilizadas novamente, simplesmente porque não são férteis. Com isso, o agricultor é obrigado a comprar um novo lote de sementes da empresa fornecedora a cada plantio. Um detalhe: poucas empresas, no mundo, detêm a tecnologia de produção de sementes transgênicas. A ampla liberação para o cultivo dessas plantas lhes garante, portanto, grandes mercados consumidores.
Outras implicações de igual importância também estão associadas à Roundup Ready. Algumas variedades de soja transgênica já demonstraram relação com processos alérgicos em seres humanos. É preciso saber se essa variedade tem ou não tal característica. Além disso, as plantas transgênicas podem ter conseqüências para a fixação de microorganismos cujo papel na fertilidade do solo e no equilíbrio ambiental é importante. Na verdade, o que os cientistas estão exigindo é que se apresentem estudos mais detalhados sobre esses efeitos, e que os resultados possam ser amplamente discutidos antes de se tomar uma decisão sobre o assunto.
A repercussão do caso na grande imprensa foi pequena diante do interesse público sobre o tema. Pouco se publicou para levar ao conhecimento da sociedade os vários aspectos da questão e incentivar o debate, embora a comunidade científica discuta o assunto há algum tempo. Celso Ming, em sua coluna de 9/8/98 no Jornal da Tarde, chama atenção para a falta de consenso entre cientistas, ecologistas e empresas, e lembra que “diversas entidades, entre elas a Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (SPBC), manifestaram-se contra a liberação”. O programa Opinião Nacional, da Rede Cultura, também realizou um debate entre Rubem Nodari, professor da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Luiz Abramides, agrônomo da Monsanto, e Luís Antônio Barreto de Castro, presidente da CTNbio, no dia 13 de agosto.
No Jornal da Ciência <www.sbpcnet.org.br/jc/jc395.htm> de 14/8/98, o professor Nodari publicou artigo sobre o pedido da Monsanto, no qual examina com mais detalhes as possíveis conseqüências da liberação da soja Roundup Ready no Brasil e defende a necessidade de um debate mais amplo e consistente sobre o assunto. Nodari ressalta que os efeitos dos OGM sobre a saúde e o meio ambiente devem também ser examinados à luz da Convenção da Diversidade Biológica (CDB), da qual o Brasil é signatário, que prevê, entre outros, reparação de danos causados à população e ao meio ambiente pelo uso de produtos biotecnológicos. No caso da Monsanto, a empresa comprometeu-se com a CDB, caso a soja transgênica cause problemas.
O pedido da empresa será apreciado pela CTNBio nos dias 15, 16 e 17 de setembro. Os meios de comunicação, que se dizem defensores da volta do jornalismo investigativo, e que, para outros assuntos, demonstram gosto particular pela polêmica, deveriam dar maior cobertura ao desenrolar dos fatos no caso da soja Roundup Ready, em vez de ignorá-lo como, em grande parte, vêm fazendo. Se é verdade que a mídia pode ser reconhecida como um serviço de utilidade pública, que dê mais atenção a assuntos que são de interesse da sociedade.
(*) Jornalista e pesquisadora do Labjor
Panos London (*)
anos would like to call attention to an important development in the worldwide growth of the biotechnology business. Major agrichemical company Monsanto has asked African leaders to endorse genetic engineering as an essential contribution to the world?s food supply in the next century. Their endorsement is due to be published as an advertisement in the European press, as part of a PR campaign by Monsanto to overcome the European public?s opposition to genetic engineering in food.
A number of senior African scientists and agriculturalists who oppose the spread of privately-owned biotechnology plan to publish a counter-statement, also in the European press. Panos feels that the public in African countries and elsewhere in the South should be aware of this debate.
This report constains: a summary of some key facts behind the present development; the text of one sample advertisement from Monsanto?s current advertising campaign in the UK press; the text of Monsanto?s invitation to African leaders to support genetic engineering including Monsanto Factsheet on the Green Revolution; the text of the Monsanto statement due to appear in the European press – Let the harvest begin – with the endorsement of some African leaders; and the text of a counter-statement, “Let nature?s harvest continue”, criticising Monsanto?s “aggressive publicity campaign” issued by African delegates to FAO.
As an independent, non-campaigning organisation, Panos?s role is neither to support nor oppose Monsanto?s position. We do believe, however, that people have the right to accurate information that can enable them to debate this critical issues for themselves.
Panos background briefing
Genetic engineering – manipulating the genetic structure of organisms – is a new field of biotechnology and already a multimillion dollar global business. Genetically Engineered (GE) food and cash crops are being promoted rapidly all over the world: 3.5 million ha of GE soya have been planted in the US in 1998; Monsanto expects 1.4 million ha of GE soya to be grown in Argentina in 1998.
Proponents of genetic engineering claim it will help solve world food supply problems (as well as having many medical and other applications), by developing seeds that will produce higher and better quality yields using fewer chemicals. Important crops in which GE seeds already exist include maize, soya, rape, sugar beet, and cotton. Other food crops – rice, wheat, cassava – are being explored.
In many parts of the world there is considerable opposition to GE, on a number of grounds: religious (tampering with God?s creation); dangers to the environment including increased loss of biodiversity; potential dangers to human health; disempowerment of small farmers as major seed-production companies expand their role in the world?s agriculture; and finally that GE is not the solution to food security problems – which, critics argue, result not from lack of food but from factors such as lack of purchasing power and failures of distribution.
One of the biggest players in plant genetics is US-based company Monsanto, the world?s second largest agrochemical corporation, with total 1996 revenues of $9.26 billion. Monsanto is growing rapidly through mergers and takeovers of other major companies covering crop cultivation, biotechnology and seed production, processing and distribution.
These include, in May 1998, Delta and Pine Lands Co., developer and patentee (in March 1998) of the so-called “terminator technology”, which prevents a plant reproducing; in June 1998, the developing country [incluindo o Brasil] seed operations of Cargill, one of the world?s largest grain and oil seed companies; and India?s biggest seed company, Mahyco. Monsanto also announced in June a partnership with the Grameen Bank – Bangladesh?s world-famous microcredit agency – to bring modern technology to the poor o Bangladesh. Grameen Bank President Muhammad Yunus has recently announced, however, that his organisation is abandoning the idea of a Grameen Monsanto partnership.
Monsanto also produces “Round-up ready” seed, engineered to require the use of Monsanto?s own herbicide to kill weeds without harming the crop. What is happening now?
Monsanto has invested $1.6 million in an advertising campaign to win public support in Europe – where there is considerable consumer opposition to GE foods and crops. Monsanto is also seeking to win acceptance in Africa and other countries of the South. Africa?s leaders and eminent persons – including Julius Nyerere, Yoweri Museveni, Graça Machel and Wangari Maathai – have been asked to sign a declaration supporting genetic engineering, called “Let the harvest begin”. [abaixo].
This declaration, published in the European media in late July, aimed to add weight to Monsanto?s claim that the world?s poor need GE crops. African experts who do not believe GE crops are safe, nor that they are the solution to food security, have issued a counter-statement, “Let nature?s harvest continue” [abaixo]. This has been coordinated by a UK-based NGO, the Gaia Foundation <firstname.lastname@example.org>, and was published at same time as the Monsanto declaration.
Has the acceptance of GE seeds been debated? Do the public, or parliament, have the opportunity to understand and discuss it? Opponents believe that accepting privately controlled biotechnology could herald a major shift in production patterns and loss of independence for the world?s farmers, as well as loss of crop biodiversity and dangers to the environment. Proponents say it will increase food security and save lives. Who is right?
“This strawberry tastes just like a strawberry. Funny how we all suspect fruit and vegetables don?t taste ?as they used to?. Year-round demand, forced ripening times and early harvesting are to blame. Plant biotechnology offers the potential to produce crops that not only taste better, but are also healthier.
Monsanto is a leading biotechnology company. Our modified seeds are a new development of traditional cross-breeding, which has been employed for centuries. Each one is rigorously tested for safety and nutrition. The foods they produce have been approved by over 20 government regulatory agencies including those in the UK, Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Likely future offerings include potatoes that will absorb less oil when fried, corn and soybeans with an increased protein content, tomatoes with a fresher flavour and strawberries that retain their natural sweetness.
Monsanto believes you should be fully aware of the facts before making a purchase. We support the efforts of retailers and others to provide you with labels about the use of biotechnology in food.
We encourage you to look out for them. For more information, ask for a leaflet at your local supermarket, call us free on 0800 092 0401, write to us or visit our website at www.monsanto.co.uk.
We urge you not just to accept our views. Please listen to other opinions, call Iceland on 0990 133373 or visit their website at wwww.iceland.co.uk. Read what the Genetics Forum think at their website, www.geneticsforum.org.uk.
Monsanto Food . Health Hope”
Let the harvest begin – 1
(Text of letter inviting African leaders to endorse Monsanto and GE with Monsanto fact sheet):
“Letter from Global Business Access, Ltd., International Square, Suite 400 1825 1 Street, N. W. Washington D.C. 20006 Tel: 00 1 202 429 2702 Fax: 00 1 202 466 6249.
From: Dr Donald B. Easum, Vice President, Global Business Access Ltd., 801 West End Avenue, Apt 3A, Ph.212-666-9609, Fax 212-666-1106 New York, NY 10025.
Subject: Monsanto and Biotech for Agriculture.
[…] I want  to invite you to join other developing country leaders in endorsing Monsanto company’s attached statement, ?Let the harvest begin?. Monsanto plans to publish the statement, with the names and titles of its signers, in major European newspapers in early June. […].
As Vice President of Global Business Access, a continuing company devoted to assisting U.S. trade and investment in Africa, I and several of my colleagues have been engaged by Monsanto company to assist them in publicising the company’s efforts to promote the role of biotechnology in increasing the food supply and protecting the environment in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Central Europe.
Our deadline for submitting endorsements of the Monsanto statement is Monday, June 1 […]. The statement has already been signed by such African leaders as Babacar N’Diaye (former Director of the African Development Bank), Dr Adebayo Adediji (former Executive Director of the UN Economic Commission for Africa), Dr Esther Ocloo of Ghana, Dr George Benneh (former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Cabinet Minister), Dr Abdoulaye Conteh (former Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Justice of Sierra Leone) – and we are in contact with ex-President Masire, Graça Machel, Chief Bisi Ogunleye of Nigeria, Julius Nyerere, Eritrean President Isias Afwerki, Eritrean Agriculture Minister Arefine Berhe and President Museveni’s office in Kampala. In addition I have sent the statement to Dr Thomas Odhiambo, who has expressed interest in endorsing.
In the event the rationale of the statement appeals to you and you believe it worthy of your support, we invite you to sign the enclosed endorsement form and fax it as indicated to our Global office in Washington D.C. (Enclosed is a Monsanto fact sheet on the Green Revolution and its relationship to expanded food needs of increasing populations.
Sincerely yours, Donald B. Easum, Vice President, GLobal Business Access Ltd. Ambassador (ret.) US Foreign Service.”
- Document on the Green Revolution
“Food needs and global benefits
Within the context of a burgeoning global population lies the most significant challenge facing political leaders and agricultural producers throughout the world: utilising existing limited resources to feed people while grappling with the continued diminution of arable land.
The food needs of an entire planet
* More than 80 percent of the population of the developing world now have access to adequate diets compared with only 64 per cent in the 1970s. The number of undernourished has fallen from over 940 million in the 1970s to around 800 million today.
* More than 840 million people in developing countries – 20 percent of the combined population – are without access to enough food to meet their basic daily needs for nutritional well-being. Disproportionately, this population is made up of women and over 200 million children, with approximately 18 million children dying annually of starvation.
The impact of the ?Green Revolution?
* The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that due to the ?Green Revolution?, per capita food supplies in the developing world rose from 1,900 calories per day in the early 1960s to 2,500 calories in the early 1990s, even though global population doubled during this period.
* In 1950, the world produced 692 million tons of grain for 2.2 billion people; by 1992 production was 1.9 billion tons for 5.6 billion people – 2.8 times the population. The 692 tons of grain produced in 1950 came from 1.7 billion acres of cropland. The 1992 output of 1.9 billion tons came from 1.73 billion acres – a 170 percent increase in production from one percent more land.
Agriculture and the current food situation
* While more than 500,000 edible plants and a wealth of animal products are used for food around the world, only 15 crop plants provide 90 percent of the globe’s food energy intake.
* During the 1990s, the world’s 1 billion farmers produced cereals, meat, and other food products that provided the globe’s population with the equivalent of 7.5 quadrillion kilocalories annually – if distributed equally that is enough for about 3,800 calories per person per day, well over the minimum daily calorie requirement.
* Crop productivity now appears to be slowing – falling below the ?Green Revolution? levels, examples include:
– Wheat yields up 1.4 percent, more slowly than population in many areas, and down from 3.3 percent annually in the early 1980s;
– Rice yields at 1.1 percent annually, less than one-half the rate of the early 1980s;
– Both coarse grain and oilseed yields could grow faster than population in many areas (1.7 percent and 1.5 percent respectively), but even for these crops, the rates expected would provide little margin for shortfalls, whether weather related or from other causes.
* In the 1990s, world grain and oilseed production and use came into much closer balance than at any time in recent years. The huge grain stockpiles of the mid-1980s are gone, and by the mid-1990s, consumption had exceeded production for seven of the past 12 years.
* In the 66 developing countries where 2.3 billion people live, and where current food supplies are inadequate, productivity growth is barely 2 per cent annually (just slightly faster than population growth), constrained by lack of inputs, lack of crop protection products, poor management and numerous other problems.
* For the immediate future – the next quarter of a century – some 800 million people will be added each decade. Food production must grow 1.4 percent to 1.6 percent annually, just to maintain the status quo.”
Let the harvest begin – 2
(Text of Monsanto’s declaration, appeared in European press in late July):
“Across the vast farms of Europe and the United States, crops grow plentifully, providing an over-abundance of food. But in other parts of our world, hunger still confronts the population every day.
Finding new ways to meet our global need for food, while maintaining ecological balance, might be the greatest challenge we face in the next century.
We all share the same planet – and the same needs. In agriculture, many of our needs have an ally in biotechnology and the promising advances it offers for our future. Healthier, more abundant food. Less expensive crops. Reduced reliance on pesticides and fossil fuels. A cleaner environment. With these advances, we prosper; without them, we cannot thrive.
As we stand on the edge of a new millennium, we dream of a tomorrow without hunger. To achieve that dream, we must welcome the science that promises hope. We know advances biotechnology must be tested and safe, but they should not be unduly delayed. Biotechnology is one of tomorrow’s tools in our hands today. Slowing its acceptance is a luxury our hungry world cannot afford.
To feed the world in the next century, we need food that is more plentiful and more affordable than it is today. With more productivity needed from less tillable land, we need new ways to yield more from what is left – after development and erosion take their toll. To strengthen our economies, we need to grow our own food as independently as we can. Agricultural biotechnology will play a major role in realising the hope we all share. Accepting this science can make a dramatic difference in millions of lives.
The seeds of the future are planted. Allow them to grow. Then let the harvest begin. Because securing food for our future begins a better life for us all.
Signer Signer Signer Signer Signer
———–, ———–, ————,——–
A message from some of the world’s most respected voices, made possible by some of the world’s most respected companies, including Monsantocommitted to finding better ways to feed the world’s people.”
Let nature?s harvest continue
(Statement from all the African delegates (except South Africa) to FAO negotiations on the International Undertaking for Plant Genetic Resources, June 1998; published in the European media in late July 1998):
“During the past few weeks European citizens have been exposed to an aggressive publicity campaign in major European newspapers trying to convince the reader that the world needs genetic engineering to feed the hungry. Organised and financed by Monsanto, one of the world?s biggest chemical companies, and titled ?Let the harvest begin?, this campaign gives a totally distorted and misleading picture of the potential of genetic engineering to feed developing countries.
We, the undersigned delegates of African countries participating in the 5th Extraordinary Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources, 8 – 12 June 1998, Rome, strongly object that the image of the poor and hungry from our countries is being used by giant multinational corporations to push a technology that is neither safe, environmentally friendly, nor economically beneficial to us.
It is time to look at some of the facts about the company behind this campaign: Monsanto is one of the world?s largest pesticide companies. During the past two years only it spent over US$6000 million to take control over other seed and biotechnology companies and is now the major industrial player in this field. Its major focus is not to protect the environment, but to develop crops that can resist higher doses of its best-selling chemical weedkiller “Roundup”.
Rather than stretching a helping hand to farmers, Monsanto threatens them with lawsuits and jail. In the USA, the company employs detectives to find and bring to court those farmers that save Monsanto soybean seeds for next year?s planting. Backed by patent law, the company demands the rights to inspect the farmers? fields to check whether they practise agriculture according to Monsanto conditions and with Monsanto chemicals.
Rather than developing technology that feeds the world, Monsanto uses genetic engineering to stop farmers from replanting seed and further develop their agricultural systems. It has spent US$18000 million to buy a company owning a patent on what has become known as Terminator Technology: seed that can be planted only once and dies in the second generation. The only aim of this technology is to force farmers back to the Monsanto shop every year, and to destroy an age old practice of local seed saving that forms the basis of food security in our countries.
In ?Let the harvest begin?, the Europeans are asked to give an unconditional green light to gene technology so that chemical corporations such as Monsanto can start harvesting their profits from it. We do not believe that such companies or gene technologies will help our farmers to produce the food that is needed in the 21st century. On the contrary, we think it will destroy the diversity, the local knowledge and the sustainable agricultural systems that our farmers have developed for millennia and that it will thus undermine our capacity to feed ourselves.
In particular, we will not accept the use of Terminator or other gene technologies that kill the capacity of our farmers to grow the food we need. We invite European citizens to stand in solidarity with Africa in resisting these gene technologies so that our diverse and natural harvests can continue and grow.
We agree and accept that mutual help is needed to further improve agricultural production in our countries. We also believe that Western science can contribute to this. But it should be done on the basis of understanding and respect for what is already there. It should be building on local knowledge, rather than replacing and destroying it. And most importantly: it should address the real needs of our people, rather than serving only to swell the pockets and control of giant industrial corporations.
Jean Marie Fodoun, Cameroun; George A. Agbahungba, Benin; Paul Therence Senghor, Senegal; Koffi Goti, Cote d?Ivoire; Mokosa Madende, Congo Democ; Jean Jacques Rakotonalala, Madagascar; Juvent Baramburiye, Burundi; Worku Damena, Ethiopia; Gietaturn Mulat, Ethiopia; M.S. Harbi, Sudan; Eltahir Ibrahim Mohamed, Sudan; Maria A. Calane da Silva, Mozambique; Kohna Nganara Ngawara, Tchad; Nkeoua Gregoire, Congo; Mugorewera Drocella, Rwanda; H. Yahia-Cafrif, Algeria; Abebe Demissie, Ethiopia; G.P. Mwila, Zambia; Dr S.H. Raljtsogle, Lesotho; Naceu Hamza, Tunisia; Hambourne Mellas, Morocco; Elizabeth Matos, Angola; Tewolde Berhane Gebre Egziabher, Ethiopia.
Additional statement by Zimbabwean delegate:
?Africa should not be used as a testing ground for technologies and products which have been developed elsewhere. We reserve our sovereign right to test these technologies ourselves, examine their effectiveness and compatibility to the environment in our region.?”
Copyright Panos Intitute, julho de 1998
(*) O Panos Institute, de Londres (www.oneworld.org/panos), é uma ONG dedicada à informação e à comunicação sobre o desenvolvimento sustentável
Sites de interesse em biotecnologia:
Comissão de Cidadania e Reprodução (*)
elas mãos de um psicanalista – homem e latino -, o prazer da mulher despontou nas páginas dos jornais brasileiros em julho de 1997. O aquecimento do tema ficou por conta da novela O anatomista, do escritor e psicanalista argentino Federico Andahazi. O livro tornou-se assunto de extensas resenhas no JB e, particularmente, na Folha. Além de resenha, este jornal publicou uma seleta de poesias sobre os genitais femininos (caderno Mais!, 20/7/97). O alvoroço não só deu visibilidade ao tema como contribuiu para que se descobrisse um absurdo: a ablação (ou corte) do clitóris estava, “por engano”, incluída na lista de procedimentos médicos remunerados pelo SUS (O Estado, 26/11/97).
O psicanalista Contardo Calligaris, na resenha do Mais!, afirmou que o livro não trata da descoberta do órgão do prazer, mas de sua “invenção”, ou seja, de uma nova representação do corpo feminino. Este entendimento é crucial, pois apenas uma forte determinação ideológica pode explicar por que o Ocidente sempre obliterou a existência do clitóris.
Esquecimentos (ou ocultações) também puderam ser identificados no discurso da mídia, em relação a O anatomista. Marilene Felinto lembrou, na Folha, que o clitóris foi “reinventado” em 1976, pela sexóloga americana Shere Hite. Mas não citou a bíblia da anatomia para o feminismo contemporâneo – A new view of a woman?s body (Simon & Shuster, 1981), obra fundamental. No Jornal da família (O Globo, 20/7/97), publicou-se matéria relacionando o livro a discussões sobre o clitóris e o ponto G. E, em artigo da seção Saúde (JB, 17/8/97), dedicado ao biólogo Robin Baker, a sexualidade humana ainda foi comparada ao instinto animal – o que chega a ser grotesco.
Calligaris citou John Donne, poeta inglês do século 17, como o autor da expressão “minha América”, que Andahazi atribui, na novela, a Mateo Colombo. Mas se esqueceu de dizer que Elogio – poema de Donne inspirado na descoberta anatômica de Colombo – foi traduzido por Augusto de Campos, musicado por Péricles Cavalcanti e vem sendo cantado por Caetano Veloso desde 1979.
Finalmente, é curioso notar que, em meio a tantas falas psicanalíticas, não se tenha feito a evidente analogia entre a “América”, descoberta por Mateo Colombo no corpo de Inês de Torremolinos, e a metáfora do “continente negro” elaborada por Freud, no início do século 20, num texto clássico sobre a sexualidade feminina.
Um olhar sobre a mídia, número 5, dezembro de 1997
(*) Entidade civil multidisciplinar criada em 1991 com o objetivo de defender o respeito à liberdade e à dignidade no campo da saúde e dos direitos sexuais e reprodutivos
O tamanho do clitóris, artigo


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Cultivate Tech’s GrowtechX 240 is a 240W, full cycle LED grow light designed to target only the parts of the spectrum your plants need to thrive through both vegetative and flowering cycles. At 240 TRUE LED watts, the GrowtechX240 is the equivalent to approximately 450 HPS or metal halide watts, meaning, it runs on nearly half the wattage of traditional grow lights. Importantly, all fixtures in the GrowtechX Series carry an ETL label, meaning they are thoroughly tested and in compliance with North American safety standards and carry a 5 year warranty at no extra cost.
Growtech X’s Full Spectrum Spectral Diode Mix offers a perfectly balanced mix of 660nm red diodes and full spectrum 3000 + 6500K white diodes. This thoroughly tested light spectrum is designed for complete plant development (full cycle indoor light for seed germination, clones/cuttings/mothers, and for both vegetative and flowering cycles).
With the use of passive cooling technology, Cultivate Tech fixtures produce virtually no heat so no additional air cooling is required for your grow space. This also eliminates the need for additional fans (internal or external), so running a Cultivate Tech fixture will be virtually silent and drastically increase the longevity of the fixture. The lower temperatures from lighting results in an ideal, easier to control grow environment for your plants to flourish in. Without the threat of “leaf burn”, Cultivate Tech fixtures can be placed mere inches from the plant canopy which is ideal for optimal light absorption and necessary for vertical grow application.
The GrowtechX 240's small footprint makes it compact, easier to transport, and easier to install. This means no wasted space on 2ft wide rows, as none of the light will crowd walkways.
If you’re not happy with your purchase, return within 30 days to receive a full refund of the product cost.
Our fixtures come with a standard 5 year warranty, included at no extra cost. Any fixture purchased from us that fails within the warranty period will be replaced free of charge.
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By purchasing the optional Zigbee gateway and controller, the grower will have the ability to adjust light intensity, group multiple fixtures together to be controlled simultaneously, and program timers all via WiFi.
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With our Zigbee gateway and controller, all of our products in the GrowtechX series are 0-10V dimmable. The Zigbee gives the grower the ability to adjust light intensity, group multiple fixtures together to be controlled simultaneously, and program timers all via WiFi. Timers can be stacked to adjust light intensity several times throughout the day to mimic a sunrise/sunset cycle. The Zigbee gateway plugs directly into your router via ethernet cable, and the controller plugs easily into your GrowtechX fixture. The gateway syncs easily with the controller and with the iLightsPro app you will have full control over your fixture(s) on any mobile device. Multiple fixtures can be connected together using a single power supply and then grouped together to be controlled simultaneously.
Growers armed with Cultivate Tech fixtures will be able to reduce their electrical consumption, keep their rooms quieter and cooler, and remove the need for additional room control equipment thus simplifying their grow rooms overall and make them much more cost effective.
By using the fixtures Bluetooth controlled App, the grower can be assured they will have the right spectrum delivered to their plants in all stages of the grow cycle and be able to select the fixture on/off times without the need for an external manual timer. Most importantly, the grower will experience a significant increase in quality and quantity of their crops.
Ready to take your growing operation to new heights? Contact us to learn more about our products and how we can work together to supply you with the lighting and products that work best for your plants.


Discover more about exciting developments regarding our products in the Philippines and how we are moving towards our goals.
CRIPTHUM is a concentrated liquid suspension of encapsulated humic and fulvic acids, all of them fully-active and extracted from carefully-selected natural leonardite.
A granulated humic acid to improve soil quality and structure
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Suite 901A, Chinachem Golden Plaza, 77 Mody Road, Tsimshatsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Email: email@example.com Tel: (852) 27212257 Fax: (852) 27216614
Tel: (852) 27212257
Fax: (852) 27216614


After the US-based Monsanto had won a patent victory in India regarding their Genetical Modified cotton seeds earlier this week, the Indian farmers appeared to be optimistic that the Monsanto might now launch their next-gen GM seeds.
In order to transform the country’s agriculture and to boost cropping industry, the Indian government had first approved Monsanto’s GM seed traits in 2002 and later on 2006, the government also approved an upgraded variety of that cotton seed.
After that, during the past decade, the company had not been making the newer traits available for the Indian farmers and they also had withdrawn an approval-seeking application for their latest variety in the wake of a royalty dispute with the government, alongside worries over the patent claims.
However, earlier this week, the High Court of India had ruled that the Monsanto would be able to claim patents for their genetically modified cotton seeds, which rekindled a sheer anticipation among the Indian farmers, that the latest variety of genetically modified cotton seeds of Monsanto might soon be available to them.
Urging for newer technologies in the Indian cropping industry, a cotton farmer in the western state of Maharashtra, Shrikant Kale said, “We don’t understand legal issues but we want new technologies. “If the court verdict helps seed companies in bringing new technology, then it would be good for us as well,” added the cotton grower.


نرحب بك بصدق للاتصال بنا من خلال الرسائل الفورية مثل الدردشة عبر الإنترنت أو النماذج.
Close to 9 million tons of FGD gypsum was put to beneficial use while the remainder was landfilled. Of the amount used approximately 80 percent was used in wallboard products and about 2 percent (168 190 tons) was used in agriculture with most of the rest being used in concrete and cement applications. In the future FGD gypsum may find
Agritopic Gypsum Page 1 of 14 AGRITOPIC November 2021 GYPSUM 1. INTRODUCTION Gypsum is the common name of hydrated calcium sulfate which has the chemical formula CaSO 2 O. Gypsum is mainly used as a soil ameliorant to improve the structure of sodic and magnesic soils. Gypsum may also be used at lower rates as • a sulfur fertiliser
Gypsum combined with leguminous residue may extend rootability and improve growth and grain yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of gypsum and leguminous residue on soil rootability in the root zone and on grain yield in a cohesive tropical soil. We used seven treatments (i) control (ii) urea (iii) leguminous (iv) 6 t/ha of gypsum with leguminous or
Growth of cowpea plants inoculated with Rhizobium in a saline . English pdf middot English epdf middot Article in xml format Article references How to cite this Growth of cowpea plants inoculated with Rhizobium in a saline sodic soil after cultivar pele de moça inoculated with Rhizobium strain BR3267 was used Results of research into the effects of gypsum on the growth of the cowpea nbsp
Effect of gypsum on growth of groundnut. magnesium and potassium as well as vitamins E K Number of bran and B. Plant height (cm) ches plant1 Treat 30 60 90 30 60 90 The primary nutrients calcium and sulfur also ments DAS DAS DAS DAS DAS DAS plays an important role in enhancing production and T0
Abstract. Gypsum is a relatively common mineral that is widely available in agricultural areas and has a number of specialized agronomic uses principally as a Ca source on legumes and as a soil conditioner on sodic soils. Recent research has suggest that the utility of gypsum may extend to a greater range of soils and crops than previously
Department of Food Agricultural and Biological Engineering FABE
Gypsum as a Preserver of Nitrogen In pioneering work by Heiden "Gypsum has great power in preserving the volatile nature of manure. It does this in large part by transforming the volatile ammonium carbonate into the nonvolatile ammonium sulfate with the formation of calcium carbonate."
Full text of The use of lime and gypsum on California soils. 1 Gypsum exerts a similar physical effect to that of lime on the clay and adobe soils see above 2 Gypsum like lime serves as a source of the element calcium see above 3 Gypsum like lime stimulates the beneficial soil organisms in the nodules on roots of leguminous plants like the peas vetches alfalfas and clovers 4
Gypsum is used as fertilizer. 2. Gypsum prevents soil erosion improves soil composition helps the movement of water and air and facilitates root growth. 3. Gypsum balances micronutrients like zinc iron etc. 4. Gypsum powder is also used in making drywalls. 5. Also different types of tofu are prepared with gypsum powder.
Leguminous plants are of great interest in agriculture. They are used in parallel with food crops to enrich the soil with natural fertilizers (ammonium). These natural fertilizers are in fact produced by bacteria found in the roots or rhizosphere of leguminous plants.
Gypsum use in Agriculture Gypsum plays an important role in the agricultural sector. It acts as a soil additive and fertilizer. The mineral consists of two main ingredients necessary for healthy plant growth calcium and sulphur. While calcium helps to absorb nutrients via the roots sulphur improves the overall production of crops.
the nitrogen of the air is absorbed so that it can be used by the clover or by other legumes. There is thus a peculiar interrelation estab lished between the leguminous plant and the bacteria. The latter obtain their principal nourishment from the legume while in turn they provide nitrogen from the air which can be used by the host plant. rrs
Working with rhizobia ACIAR . ISBN 978 1 925436 18 1 PDF Editing by Kate Langford Text design by Peter The other major uses of legumes are for soil fertility improvement through cover crop protection of the soil from fertiliser gypsum or lime have been accumulated as residues of these can af fect the consistency of plant performance
evidence for gypsum s use in agriculture by the peerreviewed literature mentioned above. Additionally Watts and Dick (2014) provide a summary of potential gypsum uses in agriculture citing the researchidentified benefits (Table 3). Table 3. Summary of potential gypsum uses for agricultural and other land application uses (Watts and Dick 2014)
It helps loosen up compact or clay soil and provides calcium and sulfur which are essential for the healthy growth of a plant. It can also be used for removing sodium from soils having excess salinity. ★ Gypsum is used in toothpastes shampoos and hair products mainly due to its binding and thickening properties.
Casulphate in gypsum formed in experimental soil columns and the pH of input water lowered by 23 units. In the field only minor soil gypsum was observed and instead Mgsulphate and Cacarbonate were found more readily on evaporation surfaces. Additional terrestrial effects of soil dilution leaching and plant uptake of sulphate are
gypsum uses in leguminous plants pdf. Release Date T05 04 31 00 00. Gypsum as an Agricultural Amendment General Use Guidelines. Gypsum is the most commonly used amendment for sodic soil recla mation and can be included as a component in synthetic soils used in nursery greenhouse and land scape applications. These multiple uses
Uses of Gypsum. Gypsum uses include manufacture of wallboard cement plaster of Paris soil conditioning a hardening retarder in portland cement. Varieties of gypsum known as "satin spar" and "alabaster" are used for a variety of ornamental purposes however their low hardness limits their durability. Gypsum wallboard and plaster Wallboard
Application of gypsum (CaSO 4 .2H 2 O) altered soil properties including pH and electrical conductivity and increased calcium manganese copper aluminum and sulfur content in the soil which


Mon, Jul 25|
Manny Eats x Richwine
Village Garden Tomato Dinner
It's summer and tomatoes are in. We are excited to bring you all things tomatoes and we are not talking about BLT's or ordinary gazpacho's. Come see for yourself.
Time & Location
Jul 25, 2022, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Manny Eats x Richwine, 405 Brook Rd, Richmond, VA 23220, USA
About the event
A tomato-centric, five-course dinner with wine pairings from Barboursville Winery. Village Garden grows the most delicious tomatoes and I'm super excited to partner with them and Richwine to host this dinner.


Date(s) - 2014-08-23
Wildwood Community Garden
Category(ies) No Categories
The Wildwood Community Garden Children’s Gardening Program will introduce children, ages 4 – 12, to the fun of caring for a garden and growing food together with friends, old and new! There are four dates planned with special gardening themes and interesting guest speakers:
Watch for more details in upcoming Warblers!
What should we bring
- Water and a snack
- Hat and gardening gloves
- AND a parent. Yes, parents will enjoy this too! (sorry, this is not a drop off program)
How do we sign up for one or more dates?
Please email: email@example.com with the name(s) and age(s) of your child(ren).


Elbow Sprayer - Handle Pull Out - White with 6' Hose
This standard elbow sprayer is as reliable as it is functional.
- White sprayer with a 6 ft. white nylon hose
- The included counter-top holder leaves the sprayer in a ready-for-action position
- The sprayer handle features a trigger sprayer for on/off control or a flip-up lock for continuous water flow
- Water Connection: 3/8 in. BSP-F fitting
- Material: Glass reinforced plastic sprayer with nylon or chrome plated brass hose
- Mounting Hole: 1-1/16 in.
- Shipping Weight: 4 lbs.
*The "P" within the part number indicates retail packaging


Agriculture occupies animportant place in the economy of North-East India.More than half of the total workforce is engagedin it. A serious constraint for agricultural development is itsunfavourable topography and geographical isolation from mainland, India, which leadsto lack of communication infrastructures. This has reduced market access by the farmers for their produce.As such, the scenario of agriculture marketing in most of the states is generallyunorganised in nature wherenetworks of intermediaries are at work. Consequently, limited market access remainsto bethe main hurdle for agriculture development.
The book focusses on the existing marketing system of agriculture and allied products in the region, takingthe state of Mizoram as a case. It presents an overview of the marketing institutions, stakeholders, and value chains of the agriculture and allied products in Mizoram. The book may enhance the decision making processthat enables the emergence of organised and more efficient marketing intervention policy in the region.
Dr. James L.T. Thanga is teaching Economics in Mizoram University. He has authored two books, Consumer Behaviour in North East India and Rural Land Use Plan for New Land Use Policy in Mizoram. In addition, he has completed a number of research projects andhaspublished multiple papers in different journals.
List of Tables and Figures
2 Institutional Set Up of Agriculture Marketing in Mizoram
3 Marketing of Home grown Produce Outside the State
4 Marketing of Agriculture and Allied Products in theLocal Market
5 General Conclusions


We took the plunge and decided to join a CSA this year. What is a CSA???
"Thinking about signing up for a CSA but want to learn more about the idea before you commit? Read on.
Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. "
This morning a big box of veggies arrived at our doorstep. (Somehow I also volunteered to organize the local pick up spot!) So swiss chard, spring greens, yellow squash, zucchini, cabbage, lettuce and some other goodies will be on the menu this week! Fortunately I we are splitting this huge box with another small family so hopefully nothing will go to waste!
I'll have to post again on how the "trying new veggies" project goes for both Leah and for Paul!!


Mountain Grown & Mountain Made...
We're Linville Falls Winery, and we're a family owned and operated vineyard, winery, and farm in
the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains. With the "old man", Jack Wiseman, at the helm and the
grandkids following close behind in his passion for cultivating grapes and winemaking, we are
pioneering wine in the High Country, and truly feel like we have stuck gold. (And if you've tried
our Estate Grown Late Harvest Riesling that we often call "liquid gold", you just might agree!)
Our 40 acre vineyard and farm is situated just north of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Linville Gorge
in a fertile valley between hills filled with rows of lush, green vines. Our grape varieties
include Seyval Blanc, Noiret, Marquette, Petit Verdot, Marechal Foch, and our flagship grape,
Riesling, but you'll also find blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, heirloom apples, pumpkins,
and Christmas Trees throughout our farm. At an elevation of 3,200 feet, the vines thrive in our
mountain climate. Cool nights and low humidity allow our grapes to ripen slow, all the while developing fresh, vibrant flavors,
giving way to wonderful wines. It's unlike anything folks have ever tasted, because it's the first time it's being done in our corner
of the world! We really believe that our area will be a recognized as wine growing region for generations to come.
At the heart of it all that we do is the experience. The culture of wine is a beautiful thing!
Wine breaks down barriers and creates an environment to slow down, relax, and enjoy the company of
one another. We want you to come face to face with nature, to see the vines, walk among them, and
drink their fruits. Come see for yourself the beauty of the High Country, meet our family, and
taste what our mountains have to offer.
Elevation (Winemaker's Red Blend)
Late Harvest Riesling
Trillium (White Blend)
Mountain White (White Blend)
Pink Lady (Fortified Apple Wine)
Stover Strawberry (Fortified Strawberry Wine)
Blue Ridge Blueberry (Fortified Blueberry Wine)
Bear Trap Blackberry (Fortified Blackberry Wine)
Cherry Bounce (Fortified Cherry Wine)
Tasting Room Hours:
Summer Hours | April - October | 12-6pm daily
Winter Hours | January - March | 12-5pm, Thursday-Sunday
Holiday Hours | November - December | 12-5pm daily


Ligurian wines are not well known outside the Riviera because its production is rather small, second only to the tiny Aosta Valley. It has no DOCG, but eight DOCs and four IGPs. Liguria mainly produces white wine. The main grape varieties of the region are Vermentino, Pigato (a biotype of Vermentino) and Rossese.
The vineyards of the Ligurian Riviera are majestic terraced slopes that plunge into the Mediterranean Sea in the Cinque Terre, occupying a truly maritime environment. While spectacular, the terrain is extremely difficult to work efficiently and safely. The harvest is carried out by hand, with the aid of monorail systems to move the grapes up the hills.


Well done to Linsco staff member Laura Wagstaff who has recently taken part in the Leicestershire Cares Team Challenge 2018!
In partnership with Stepnell Limited, Laura spent the day volunteering on a community project in Whetstone, Leicestershire.
The challenge was to completely makeover a current disused allotment and create a garden area for service users who have learning disabilities , enabling them to grow their own food & grow flowers to pick and give to their carers as well as creating a safe and comfortable outdoor space.
Leicestershire Cares brings businesses and communities together, for the benefit of all, through employee volunteering.
They provide volunteering opportunities for companies looking to get involved with communities in Leicestershire & Rutland.
Upon completion of the project the directors of the centre said "we are absolutely delighted and were overwhelmed by what you had achieved in such a short space of time, so well done to all of you"
Well done to all involved!