Autumn 2009 proved almost as good as the Spring with dry,mild conditions. A relief after a wet Summer for many. Market conditions remain tough with some low conventional prices and cautious customers. Our OG magazine (no 11 due out shortly) continues to provide great coverage of all this and more. The turbo charged version of this website launches in early 2010 and we can also currently offer a Forum feature through the OGA Group page on Facebook.
DEFRA responded to the Council of Food Advisors call for horticultural action by announcing a Task Force to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. The participants don't inspire confidence and it is difficult to imagine a vision emerging anywhere near capable of responding to high energy prices,knackered soils and a nutrient deficient population. The Royal Society continued its pro GM/high tec science can sort it all out approach with a recent well publicised report. GM Watch provided quite an amusing profile of the key report writer http://www.gmwatch.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11608:scientist-who-chaired-royal-society-report. No distractions with soil nonsense here. In fact the continuing belief shown that most of the earths processes can be modified towards human consumption could hardly be called creative thinking.
Horticulture is certainly in the news at last and the Producer Conference at Harper Adams College in January may prove a timely point to rally our thoughts. The reality of over a billion people starving and hungry around the world should keep us immune from those who continue to see food production merely as commerce.