MAX FACTS
growing tips, news and trivia
An Organic Future
There is a climate of change ahead for the gardening industry in 2014
and beyond, according to the long-term thinkers. Coach Mark Smallwood,
executive director of the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, tells
ABC News, “Organic gardening won’t be simply a niche market. It’s a $31
billion industry now and growing in double digits every year. There will be
more food and fewer lawns. Urban food production will be up because a
lot of open space is becoming available. With all the empty homes, you
can create parks; you can create food production. Detroit (for example)
is rebounding using not only open land but creating vertical hydroponic
food production in abandoned industrial buildings.”
(Source: abcnews.go.com)
Organic Hop
Market Report
The organic hop industry vies to meet
brewer demand by increasing the volume of acreage as well as the quality of
organic hops. While growing conditions
were less than ideal last year, total hop
volume increased by 16%, as represented
by growers of the American Organic Hop
Grower Association. Total pounds of
organic hops produced by AOHGA growers
in 2013 amounted to 253,000 compared
to 218,000 in 2012. A combination of new
baby acreage, and a boost in yield from the
maturity of hops from year one to year two,
was the reason for such a strong gain in
production. Currently, growers continue to
look at demand in the off-season and plan
for upcoming organic expansion.
(Source: usorganichops.com)
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Maximum Yield USA | February 2014