Thomas Jefferson had it right when he said that “the olive tree is surely the richest gift of heaven”
Thanks to a campaign called “Flavor Your Life” my knowledge on the subject has grown exponentially. At a recent olive oil tasting event featuring the oils of Frantoi Redoro I received a hands on (or rather taste buds on) education.
For those who are unfamiliar with Flavor Your Life, it is a campaign funded by The European Union and a consortium of European olive oil growers. The program aims to educate consumers on the benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Europe, including: Taste, Health, Functionality, Heritage, and Quality. Just like wines, there are different oils for different occasions and this program is aiming to educate consumers on different oils to complement different meals.
An Olive Branch Extended in Education http://fablesandfocaccia.com/an-olive-branch-extended-in-education/
Bio & Biodiversity has come to life – The Agri-food Regional Network promoted by Coldiretti Veneto
It is called Region Bio&Biodiversity friendly: about twenty local organizations have joined including Coldiretti Veneto, AIGelsibachicoltura, Arav, Aipo, Opo, as producers; the Ecor-Naturasì group from Verona as distribution; Organic food production chains such as Ca’ Verde from Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella and Fattoria alle Origini.
The concept comes from Coldiretti Veneto and moves from an analysis related to the need to identify new development directions for farms that are dealing with a by now structural negative trend on the side of the products remuneration.
“It is a cultural leap that many companies, from wine to fruit, from vegetables to cereals want to do,” states regional directorPietro Piccioni.
Coldiretti Veneto is ready to support this process, adding a number of important partners who can support and respect a committed choice. In short, this is the initiative of Coldiretti: orienting businesses and ensure them the right support in a new challenge of sustainability.
To highlight the commitment made by signing the statute, organic certifications related to sustainability, and already up and running, will be promoted shortly. These will allow to distinguish on the market who will undertake this journey.
“The interest is high – guarantees Martino Cerantola president of Coldiretti Veneto –just think that Veneto Bio has thousands of workers in the sector and 15,800 hectares certified with ten thousand employees, which are bound to increase.”
The European market recorded a +7.6% and a turnover of 26 billion euros. Italy with over 1.3 million hectares, 55,000 workers and a turnover of 4 billion euros, is a reference for the organic demand of Italian origin also for the confidence in the production system and the checks made.
