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A Change.org petition launched for Organic September, calling on the new prime minister Liz Truss to take action to save nature in her first 100 days in government, has reached 30,000 signatures – giving wildlife such as earthworms, ladybirds and bees a voice for the first time.
On behalf of nature, the Organic Trade Board (OTB) launched the petition requesting that the PM commits to protecting wildlife in any policies – and represents the UK at the crucially important UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in December.
Insects are a vital part of a balanced ecosystem, providing food for other animals and recycling nutrients.
They also play an essential role in our global food system; one in three mouthfuls of food depends on pollinators, and without them we wouldn’t have potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, coffee, chocolate or cotton.
Nature’s keyworkers also held a miniature protest, standing up for their insect rights at an organic farm in the North East.
Armed with miniature placards, they gathered at Bays Leap organic farm near Newcastle to show that if wildlife such as bees, earthworms and ladybirds had a voice they would want all farming to be organic to help keep the delicate ecosystem in balance.
Click here to add your name to the petition.
‘Organic farming works with nature, not against it, encouraging natural predators like ladybirds and pollinators like bees and butterflies rather than spraying harmful pesticides. As a result, on average, plant, insect and bird life is 50% more abundant on organic farms. There are up to seven times more wild bees in organic grain fields. So if nature did have a voice – it would choose organic.
‘If pesticides were substituted for more sustainable farming practices (like organic), this could slow or reverse the decline in insects. The hope is that even tiny insect-sized steps can make a big difference when it comes to keeping nature’s crucial keyworkers thriving.’
CRISTINA DIMETTO
General manager of the Organic Trade Board (OTB)
The Soil Association Organic Market Report 2022 valued the total organic market at £3bn. The latest Kantar figures from the Organic Trade Board show there was an additional organic spend of £114.6m last year compared with the previous year, with the volume of organic items purchased per shopping trip also increasing.
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At the start of Organic September, Yeo Valley Organic says it’s time to put nature first.
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