Organic Consumers Unite!

By Carol Wheeler

October 13, 2009 - 3 pm - Santa Ana Theater

Ronnie Cummins, the National Director of the Organic Consumers Organization, will speak at Audubon's monthly presentation this Tuesday, October 13, at 3 pm at the Santa Ana Theater at the Biblioteca. The Organic Consumers Organization is an online and grassroots non-profit public interest group, dealing with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics.

According to www.organicconsumers.org, the group's web site, it is the only organization in the US focused exclusively on promoting the views and interests of the nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers. It is also very active in Mexico, particularly in San Miguel, running the Via Organica natural foods store and restaurant in Guadeloupe and participating in many organic activities in the community. The group also runs an organic farm out towards Dolores Hidalgo, employing many local residents, which produces much of the food sold at Via Organica. The farm is associated too with a farming school, teaching organic farming. Their web site is also extremely informative and is available in Spanish as well as in English.

Mr. Cummins's talk will be an opportunity for audience members to learn more about the state of organics in San Miguel and to ask an expert all the questions (and there are many) one might think of to ask on the subject of organic eating, planting, and buying, as well as on realistic goals and timing for the organic movement in Mexico.

As always, Audubon members get free admission; others pay 60 pesos. (But for $30 USD or the peso equivalent, you too can become a member of Audubon and attend presentations as well as bird walks and other events, throughout the year at no charge.) The popular Audubon field guides to birds and to butterflies will also be on sale at the event.