Organic Gardening and Farming in Fiji

We all know about the egg industry’s appalling record in terms of environmental and animal welfare management. Now, let’s not kid ourselves: overcooking eggs does not address the risk of salmonella infections. Neither does buying “organic” eggs. Salmonella is but the tip of the iceberg. Our responsibility, as consumers, is to pay close attention to the origin of the eggs we buy and to educate ourselves about the producer’s operations. First off, don’t let an organic egg fool you: “organic” refers to the quality of the feed given to the hens but says nothing about their condition of living. Which leads us to the second essential point: a battery-cage egg is not a cage-free egg is not a free-range egg is not a pasture-raised egg. These classifications have real implications for our health and the environment. To find out why, check out Rodale.com editor Leah Zerbe’s cue cards . The great news is that the consumer is not alone anymore when having to choose between eg...

The mission of The Fiji Organic Project is to promote sustainable agriculture , particularly in the sugar cane industry, to strengthen the Fiji economy , while at the same time preserving Fiji’s unique natural environment and ensuring the health of Fiji’s farmers and citizens. The Need: While the impending expiration of the Lomé Convention (a preferential trading agreement between the EU and ACP countries) currently poses a great risk to Fiji’s economy , the drastic changes that the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) must undergo to maintain viability also present great opportunities. Soon Fiji will be competing on the world market for sugar trade, unless it is able to secure a niche market in which it could gain a comparative advantage. Of equal importance is the pressure that Europe’s strong environmental lobby could place on the EU to force cane lands, where unsustainable agriculture is practiced, out of production . The sugar industry in Fiji has no option but to comply ...