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Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University SY23 3AL 01970 622248 organic@aber.ac.uk
What is Organic Centre Wales?Organic Centre Wales is sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government and was established in 2000 to provide information for the organic sector in Wales. It is run by a partnership of ADAS Wales, Aberystwyth University and The Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm. More
 
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 NewsWelcome to the news page, where you can find out about developments in the organic sector in Wales and beyond. If you would like to submit a news item for this page, please contact . If you would like to receive either of our monthly e-mail bulletins, which summarize the news on this page, click here. All newsShow: All news General news News for producers News for consumers News for businesses Developing the supply of organic pullets in Wales (09-03-2010)
Organic Centre Wales has been helping to tackle this issue using resources from the new 'Better Organic Business Links' project and the Farming Connect Organic Development Programme. We assessed the current and short - medium term demand for organic pullets... Full story Open Farm Sunday 13th June 2010 (01-03-2010)
For information about this event, and to get details of free workshops to help you prepare to open your farm to the public, go to www.farmsunday.org. The workshops will cover publicity, health and safety, activities and difficult questions, and are... Full story Glastir news, February 2010 (01-03-2010)
More details on Glastir were presented to farmers at a series of open meetings throughout Wales. Information is available on the WAG website. The SAF forms will be arriving soon and you will be invited to tick if you are... Full story The Future of Food (01-03-2010)
A report of the Soil Association's recent annual conference is now available. It contains recordings of the main speakers, including Monty Don, Graham Harvey and Joanna Blythman, Patrick Holden, Oliver Walston and Jeannette Orrey. There are also reports from some... Full story Vegetarianism and the environment (01-03-2010)
A study by Cranfield University, commissioned by the environmental group WWF, suggests that vegetarianism may have disadvantages for the environment. Switching from beef and lamb reared in Britain to meat substitutes such as tofu would result in more foreign land... Full story Return to farming with nature (01-03-2010)
In an article originally published in Natur Cymru, and reprinted in an edited version in the Western Mail, Soil Association director Patrick Holden argues that an unhealthy schism has developed between food producers and the nature conservation movement. He calls... Full story Fair trade flourishes - how about organic? (01-03-2010)
Figures released at the start of Fair Trade Fortnight show that sales of fair trade products grew by 12% during 2009, while those of organic fell, by 31% for bread and 16.5% for fruit. Sue Fowler, director of Organic Centre... Full story BOBL project update February 2010 (24-02-2010)
The BOBL project is designed to support the primary producer in Wales and grow the market for Welsh organic produce in a sustainable way. The project will develop new, emerging and existing markets for organic produce whilst driving innovation, at... Full story Powys Orchard Project: take part in a survey (18-02-2010)
Dyfi Valley Seed Savers are surveying fruit growing in Powys. DVSS are interested to know how people are getting on with fruit growing in our beautiful, but damp land. We think the people and wildlife of Powys could benefit from the... Full story Local Food Talks 2010 (11-02-2010)
Local Food Talks draws together a group of organisations and businesses who are passionate about promoting food and drink from Mid Wales. A series of events will be held all over Mid-Wales during February, March and April, offering opportunities to... Full story Tir Organig available to download (10-02-2010)
The February 2010 edition of Tir Organig is now available, with the results of the 2009 producer survey. Many thanks to the 618 producers who recently completed the Survey, which was carried out under the Farming Connect Organic Development Programme. download... Full story New EU organic logo (09-02-2010)
The European Commission has officially announced the winner of the EU organic logo competition. The winning design is by Dusan Milenkovic, a student from Germany, who gained 63% of the overall vote. From 1 July 2010, this logo will be... Full story Organic PR, Organic UK (08-02-2010)
Ensuring customers and stakeholders understand the objectives and challenges of organic production is important to the sustainable development of the organic sector. Organic UK is a campaign funded by a consortium of organic businesses who have pledged money for a primer... Full story How do you want to your business to develop? (08-02-2010)
BOBL has commissioned a meet-the-buyer programme to give organic producers an excellent opportunity to learn more about the markets they supply, and acquire the knowledge and contacts they need to move into new ones. The programme includes workshops on potential... Full story Market intelligence (08-02-2010)
One of the key objectives of the BOBL project is to provide producers and stakeholders with market intelligence and this will be delivered through publication of reports on the main sectors. Reports have already been commissioned to review the... Full story Targeted element of Glastir (04-02-2010)
Details of the Targeted Element (TE) of Glastir, formerly known as the Higher Level Scheme, will be presented to stakeholders on 5 February. We will have one month to comment. Please contact Sue Fowler and see our website. Download Glastir guidance... Full story Building the horticulture supply chain (04-02-2010)
A new £1.64 million horticulture project has started through the Supply Chain Efficiency Scheme, part of the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013. Glyndwr University, based at Northop, Flintshire, will gather market intelligence and profiles of horticultural production of food and... Full story Organic Farming Scheme: new farmers (04-02-2010)
Farmers who started new OFS agreements on 1 January this year are reminded that they need to get their organic certificates into the Welsh Assembly Government by 31 March or risk losing the payments. Registration with your chosen organic certification... Full story Pig Business (04-02-2010)
This documentary about the pig industry in eastern Europe is now available on YouTube and elsewhere. See www.pigbusiness.co.uk Full story Food, Inc documentary (04-02-2010)
Food, Inc is a US documentary about the food industry which is being released in the UK this year, with support from the Soil Association. Screenings: Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells, Powys: 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18 March Aberystwyth Arts Centre... Full story Soft fruit in the uplands (04-02-2010)
Welsh Fruit Stocks have been selling soft fruit plants from their farm at 1000ft near Kington, Powys, since 1991, and have been organic since 2000. Last year, the farm grew some 15,000 blackcurrant, white currant, redcurrant, gooseberry and jostaberry... Full story Report on consumer attitudes (04-02-2010)
The financial crisis and subsequent recession has forced consumers to re-think their purchasing decisions across all their expenditure, including food. Organic consumption has generally fared well, but producers are having to work harder for their share of expenditure and compete with... Full story End to culling of dairy bull calves (04-02-2010)
From 1 January 2010 the Soil Association has changed its calf welfare standards. Any producers who are still culling dairy bred bull calves are required to put in place a clear plan (with timescales) to end this practice. The standards... Full story Organic Farming Scheme Payments (04-02-2010)
Due to queries raised by the European Commission over the initial OFS payments (which were £1000), payments to farmers have been delayed. In order to reduce the impact caused by withholding payments the area payments will be released immediately (29... Full story Would Stapledon have been an organic farmer? (04-02-2010)
Congratulations to John Davis who has won a case of organic wine for his essay arguing that Sir George Stapledon would have supported organic farming, in a competition sponsored by Prof Wayne Powell, Director of IBERS. He bases his argument... Full story Job vacancy: Supply Chain Development Officer (25-01-2010)
Earlier storiesThe BOBL project is looking for the right person or persons to develop new, emerging and existing markets for organic produce. The successful candidate will work with food companies, food catering and public procurement officers. The post is suitable for... Full story Information on organic food and farming in Wales
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