The Organic Divide

[nosmokes]

More Corporate shenanigans. Let's have an Organic *summit* but do it at a time and in a place when many of the major stakeholders can't make it. I get so sick of the perversion of words and the obfuscation until simple phrases don't even have any meaning any longer. My country? Hell, I want my dictionary back!
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original-cornucopia


The Organic Divide

Corporate Executives and Organic Community Hold “Dueling” Summits

Below, please find an open letter from the participants in the Organic Community Summit. The letter grew from a discussion by approximately 100 diverse organic stakeholders and participants during a conference call this past Monday. This open letter has been sent to the organizers of an event being held this week in Boulder, Colorado, that’s been promoted as “The Organic Summit” (sponsored by New Hope Communications—a major industry trade show firm and publisher of Natural Foods Merchandiser).

When many of us first heard of “The Organic Summit” we assumed that the term summit was indicative of an all-inclusive gathering of the whole organic industry/community. However, due to a cap on the number of participants, high fees and hotel costs, transportation expenses to Colorado (far from where the majority of organic production takes place), as well as scheduling the event during the busy farming season, it became apparent that the organic discussion was primarily designed for business leaders, industry representatives, venture capitalists and investors with just a smattering of (selected) community delegates.

In fact, participation could easily cost a small farmer or family business owner $2500 or more.
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complete article here