“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put
words on them ourselves. The book is called ‘Opportunity’ and its
first chapter is ‘New Year’s Day.’”
— Edith Lovejoy Pierce
PHOTO: LEANDRO CHAVIRA
2012 is full of opportunity, indeed. Today, there is a global consciousness that has not only started to awaken but is already busy at work.
People are taking action to heal the earth, educate the
masses, feed the hungry, create fairer economies and
more. Throughout the world, people are voting with their
dollars and starting businesses to support the kind of
world they believe in. People who used to call me a tree-hugger, hippie or idealist now want to know how they can
get involved in the kind of work our industry does. They
want to be part of the change, part of the circle of good.
As a storyteller (a.k.a. journalist), I hear about the
amazing things people are doing, and by telling these stories I get to be
part of the circle of good. I get to inspire and educate. My story might
help an organic business that is doing good in the world grow so they can
make more of an impact. As consumers support this company by buying
its products, the company itself will buy more raw organic products that
support an organic farmer in Boliva. That organic farmer can send a
child to school. That child, having grown up with organic values, may
help lead an environmental/social movement in his or her community or
even start an organic business, which I may then write about in this maga-
zine. Our magazine is then supported by others in the organic commu-
nity who see the good we are doing, which allows us to continue to
educate and inspire others…and so the circle goes on.
Our cover story is about how the NOP is ensuring integrity in organic
materials produced around the world. But organic integrity goes much
farther than whether a farmer is following the rules (although that is very
important); organic integrity is also making sure that you are part of the
circle of good.
In Enterprise, Vanessa Barg, founder of Gnosis Chocolate, gets this. The
success of her products directly supports projects to promote organic
agriculture in impoverished areas of the world. Today, as businesses and
consumers, we live in a global world where something we buy can directly
impact a farmer in a remote village in Africa. Each action is a chance to
be part of something good in the world. So with a new year upon us, I
ask: What opportunity will you embrace to do more good today, tomorrow, the rest of the year and years to come? E-mail me and let me know
( kat@organicprocessing.com); it could be a great story to tell!
Chief Executive Officer Don Meeker
Publisher Stacy Atchison
Advertising Manager Bobby Meeker
Editorial Director Kathryn Schuett
Art Director Craig Van Wechel
Circulation Manager Andrea Karges
Administrative Manager Allison Demmert
Publishing Office 1945 W. Mountain St.
Glendale, CA 91201
Phone 424.298.8542
Fax 424.652.2240
info@organicprocessing.com
Editorial Office 1221 E. Laguna Drive
Tempe, AZ 85282
Phone 480.240.0932
kat@organicprocessing.com
Production Office 1113 Ellis Street
Fort Collins, CO;80524
Phone 970.484.4488
craig@organicprocessing.com
Advertising Sales
Stacy Atchison 424.298.8542
stacy@organicprocessing.com
Bobby Meeker 818.842.2829
bobby@organicprocessing.com
Adam Haas 407.601.5440
adam@organicprocessing.com
Printed on recycled paper.
Happy New Year,
Kat Schuett
Editorial Director
Organic Processing (USPS 024-104) is published
bimonthly by The Target Group Inc.,
1945 W. Mountain St., Glendale, CA 91201;
Phone 310.745.0941; Fax 310.745.0997; E-mail
info@organicprocessing.com. Periodicals postage
paid at Glendale, CA and at additional mailing
offices. Subscriptions: Free to qualified readers as
defined on the subscription card. All other U.S.
subscriptions, $10 per issue.
Change of Address: Notices should be sent
providing old mailing label as well as new address.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Organic
Processing, 1945 W. Mountain St., Glendale, CA
91201. © 2012 by The Target Group Inc. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without
written permission is strictly prohibited. The publishers do not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles or
descriptions herein, nor do they so warrant any
views or opinions offered by the authors of said
articles and descriptions.
MISSION STATEMENT:
Organic Processing
provides an independent forum for
the exchange of practical and
relevant information, ideas and
experience that will promote and
sustain the growth of organic
processing from seed to shelf.
