• Italy is the number one producer of organic fruit in the European Union.

• It is also the number one exporter of all things organic to the EU.

• Italians are committed to sustainability in their farming practices. They really understand that without sustainable farming practices, there is no future for their children.

The government actively recruits Italian farmers to convert to organic farming, a three-year process, educating them, offering financial incentives, and so on.

• As a result, since 1990, they have seen 1,100 percent growth in the number of acres committed to organics, while the acreage committed to conventional agriculture has been shrinking.

• In Rome, 70 percent of the meals served in school canteens are now organic. There is a movement to reach these kinds of numbers in every Italian city.

• Italian research has found that just one organic meal per day reduces the traceable amount of pesticides in a child’s system.

• As of January 1, Italians are now able to claim that organic foods have higher nutritional values than conventionally grown foods, due to published scientific research.

• When something has been labeled ‘Bio’ in Italy (their word for ‘organic)’ the consumer can rest assured that it has gone through a regulation and inspection process that would put many American companies out of business, if not out of their minds. Nine large agencies are accredited to certify Quality Assurance. Producers must pay for required third-party certification. Inspections are both planned and random. Inspectors must have scientific degrees in disciplines like biology, veterinary, etc.

I think Americans might have some things to learn from our older kinsmen about living as if there was a future.

In an email I received from the The Cornucopia Institute, Mark A. Kastel, senior farm policy analyst, says: “When the first Horizon natural products are introduced — a yogurt aimed at children and single-serve milk — they will promote them as being without growth hormones. But Dean Foods will not be able to mention that the products are produced without pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and other drugs, and genetically modified feed crops, or that the cows are required to graze in pastures rather than confined to factory farm feedlots. These are all factors that truly differentiate organic production from natural/conventional agricultural and livestock production.”

I feel it’s so important that manufacturers help consumers understand the value of organic and organic farming, rather than confusing the issue with meaningless labels. What do you think? (And watch for our upcoming article covering the latest organic issues in the Sept issue.)

Take it from one who’s been there–this place is so worth saving. If you’re interested in making a tax-deductible donation in support of TLP’s Maho Bay Camps land acquisition efforts, email john.garrison@tpl.org or check out the TLP website. (Note: This new effort is not the same as the recently completely Estate Maho Bay purchase, which was five years in the making and protects a spectacular Caribbean beach from development.) And if you’re looking for an unforgettable eco-vacation spot, this is the place; like me, you’ll never forget it.