News

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, with school pupils

Schools short film competition winners reap rewards

To celebrate the Food Growing Schools: London’s Growathon – a campaign that aims to get 50,000 pupils involved in food growing by the end of the summer term – international charity Trees for Cities ran a short film competition for schools to showcase their food growing activities.

Letter to David Davis MP, expressing hopes for Brexit planning

Garden Organic is one of 84 organisations who have signed a letter to David Davis, MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, and Theresa May, MP, Prime Minister, to stress the important implications of Brexit on food and farming. The UK government now has an opportunity to reshape the food and farming policies and subsidies. It is our hope that taxpayers' money is spent on common-sense food, farming and fishing policies that are good for jobs, health and the environment.

Mayor of London savours homegrown treats from London schools at City Hall

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, opened the doors of City Hall to welcome six London schools to hold their very own Schools Marketplace on Thursday 14 July 2016. The event showcased delicious food grown in London’s schools – from salads, chards, rocket, beetroot, potatoes and herbs, to home made products such as plum jams and mango chutneys, tasty elderflower cordials, mint dips and more.

New research highlights benefits of children learning outdoors

Children from 125 schools across the South West on England are happier, healthier and more motivated to learn thanks to a new project commissioned by Natural England that has turned the outdoors into a classroom and helped schools transform ways of teaching.

EU votes to limit glyphosate use

On July 11th, EU member states voted to accept certain limitations on the use of glyphosate. This followed the decision last month to extend the herbicide's licence for 18 months. These limitations include a ban of the co-formulant (POE-tallowamine) from glyphosate-based products (such as Roundup); to reinforce scrutiny of (unnecessary) pre-harvest uses of glyphosate; and to minimise the use in specific areas such as public parks and playgrounds.

Impacts of climate change - report published

A 2,000 page report by the Committee on Climate Change predicts global warming will hit UK with heatwaves, more flooding and water shortages. These combined will have a disastrous effect on the country's farming soil, due to poor soil management and erosion.

EU extends glyphosate licence for just 18 months

The EU Commission has announced a temporary extension for the licence to use glyphosate. The extension is for just 18 months, which allows the EU to consider further analysis from their chemical testing agency (ECHA), due by the end of 2017.

Former Blue Peter Gardener appointed as Head of Organic Horticulture at Garden Organic

Garden Organic is delighted to announce that Chris Collins, former BBC Blue Peter Gardener and Head Gardener at Westminster Abbey, will be joining the charity as Head of Organic Horticulture.

The glyphosate saga rumbles on

An impasse between EU nations on whether to allow Monsanto's Roundup and similar weed-killers to continue to be sold means that the European Commission, rather than national politicians, will decide the issue next week.

Glyphosate EU vote this week

The EU is voting once again this week on the relicensing of glyphosate. After 3 attempts, the EU Commission failed to win support for a proposal to renew the licence for up to 15 years. An appeals committee meet on Thursday 23rd, for a final vote, before the weedkiller's licence runs out on June 30th.