The Whole Foods Market is moving and expanding its store in Rochester Hills, company credited with igniting customer interest in organic food product.  On Walton Boulevard the existing Whole Food Market is closed at the end of last week, and the new 55,000 square foot store at Walton Boulevard and Adams Road will be open Wednesday.  The manager of the new store Ron Hayek said while Whole Food is occupying a space used by Farmer Jack up until last year, all of the fixtures are new.  Hayek also said the store will also have 162 employees or double the number of the old store.

Whole Foods also used a wide array of natural and recycled materials, including recycled glass and wood, for the flooring and counter.  Hayek said “this new, larger location helps us share our enthusiasm for the freshest, most flavorful natural and organic foods available with more services”.  Whole Foods plans to open its fifth Michigan store next month on the west side of Ann Arbor.  The new Rochester Hills store is the largest Whole Foods outlet in Michigan and first new location for the company in five years.  In the entire store they have more than 200 varieties of seasonal and local produce, at least 100 of which are certified organic.

The Organic Working Party or (OWP) issued its Organic Action Plan last July 21, which delivers a route map for achieving the vision of a reliable, sustainable, self-reliant organic food sector on the Isle of Man. Organic Working Party has established that they already consume around £1.7 million worth at retail value of imported primary organic produce. All of which is potentially accessible to local producers, within 5 years based on UK and local forecasts, this grow to around £2.7 million.
“I welcome and support this Organic Action Plan which lays out the Organic Working Party’s view of how to deliver a reliable supply of high value organic food. Provides an important part of customer choice and useful contribution to a sustainable Manx farming industry for the future” said Minister for Agriculture Phil Gawne MHK. Also he continued that he will be supporting the team as they are now delivered the actions indentified in the plan. Which make real progress towards the availability of top quality Manx Organic food in the island. Viv Davies Chair of the OWP said that “The Organic Action Plan provides the market information which defines the opportunities, and also address they key issues. They now need producers, processors and retailers of all kinds to take the challenge and make this profitable opportunity happen.
Organic Working Party is a cross-industry team established by the Minister of Agriculture. The team aim has been to explore the value and accessibility of the organic food market in the island.

New report that has found that organic producer has experienced an 80 percent growth in farm gate sales and over the last four years, locally the organic market seems to be thriving. Despite the widespread drought, an organic food craze has sent business in Dubbo.  An organic farm at Elong Elong named ‘Glenbye’ Organic Farm and run by the O’Leary family.  It appears to be an average farm with cattle and sheep but it is completely chemical free and produces top quality organic meat.
Julie O’Leary said “We sell meats domestically and we also export overseas to Japan and Korea, and we are now in talks with Canada and the United Arab Emirates to export our meat there”.  The Biological Farmers of Australia found that as most farmers’ battle with drought and low sales, the organic market is showing significant growth, the report that they release.
According to Healthy Life, the drought has not affected the organic food sales.  A Healthy Life spokesperson said that “A lot more people are concerned about what they eat these days”.  The O’Leary’s who started their farm in 1987 and are pioneers in the organic product game said that there was about a 20 percent premium on organic produce than conventional produce.  Organic food is becoming popular with people who suffer from cancer.  Now Australia accounted as one of the largest amount of organic farmland in the world.

The New Zealand’s founding organic certifier celebrates its 25 years.  This year BioGro, the New Zealand’s leading organic certifier is greatly proud to be celebrating its 25 years anniversary. 
Dr. Michelle Gloga, BioGro’s CEO says “Turning 25 is a significant milestone not only for BioGro but the whole organics sector.  The industry has evolved from a grassroots cottage industry into a sophisticated, consumer focused production and distribution industry and that’s worth celebrating”.  In New Zealand, BioGro has been instrumental in steering organics.  The Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association of New Zealand, the Henry Doubleday Research Association, and the Soil and Health Association formed the New Zealand Biological Producers and Consumers Council (trading as BioGro).  The primary objective was to develop and maintain a credible and internationally respected organic standard and certification process, to safeguard the interests of producers and consumers.  Objective and founding philosophy are as fundamental to its success of BioGro’s.
Bob Crowder one of the founder and life members of BioGro’s recalls, that “ I would say that BioGro was born out of the first energy crisis in 1974 that’s what stimulated the revival of the organic movement around the world.  We had a big scare back then, which was basically the catalyst I think for it all”
BioGro’s ambition saw it develop the highest organic standards of international repute to audit and certify the processes carried out by producers.  Organic certification is currently voluntary in New Zealand but this may change if labeling regulations such as those in countries like the U.K.
Today New Zealand’s largest organic certifier BioGro with 600 licensees and over 900 certified operations.  It issues certificates to primary producers, food processors, wholesalers, distributors and retailers.

There are so many different added preservatives like starches and sugars to most foods that it is astounding and it is disgusting to realize that we are putting this in our body. 
Now, organic food is becoming more popular and if you have not heard about the organic food trend, then it’s about time that you know now.  Organic food offers a health benefits and it does not take any rocket science to find out how much better organic food is for you when you read the list of ingredients of most food products today.
The organic food market is prosperous nowadays than before, and one of the main reasons why the organic food market is doing so well because of how much word has spread about organic food.  Studies increasingly show that organic food is much better for your health.
When it comes to organic food against a basic conventional food, it is pretty clear that organic food wins.  Official food agencies around the world are unanimous in claiming that there is greater nutrient offered by organic food products and a great reason to make the switch.  Growing number of consumers, especially those who are dealing with chronic illness are going to switch to organic food.