When you’ve been going to the same big party for 20 years you tend to know a lot of people, recognize even more faces and many of those — certainly not all — were smiling my way the past two days in the wake of the perceived “victory” we helped forge against Scotts Miracle Gro. That company, you might have heard, tried to shovel millions of dollars in the direction of the National Wildlife Foundation to whitewash its admission of forged documents among other wrongdoings in federal court.

SafeLawns led the chorus of organizations protesting the National Wildlife Association’s money grab and, as a result, we heard a lot of “Way to go!” comments on the trade show floor in Boston. We also dealt with a few chemical industry supporters saying “You’ve got a lot of nerve to show your face here,” too, but those folks were clearly in the minority.

At one point we engaged in a lengthy conversation with several folks including Steve Castorini, the co-founder of American Beauties native plants. He has his own partnership with the National Wildlife Federation; funds from the sales of his plants are donated in support of the NWF’s Garden for Wildlife Program.

Steve was clearly annoyed. The National Wildlife Association’s self-imposed stain, by association, isn’t good for his stellar brand and it underminds his good intentions.

“The National Wildlife Federation should have known better,” said Nancy Dubrule-Clement, owner of Natureworks Garden Center for the past 29 years.

THE ISSUE OF NON-PROFIT FOUNDATIONS AND TAINTED MONEY has been all over the news lately, constantly raising the question of whether or not it’s OK for organizations like ours and others to accept funds from sources with less than pure intentions.

The National Wildlife Foundation’s ill-fated dalliance with Scotts Miracle Gro isn’t even close to the biggest story of this week. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization, the nation’s largest breast cancer fund, is in hot water right now for withdrawing money from Planned Parenthood. Critics say it was a politically charged decision based on the Republican influence of new leadership that doesn’t like Planned Parenthood’s ties to abortion rights.

Just yesterday word came down that the august Sierra Club, perhaps the nation’s most influential environmentally oriented non-profit, had allegedly accepted $30 million from the natural gas industry without most people knowing. The gas industry is embroiled in a nationwide controversy about an insidious practice known as fracking that imperils underground supplies of fresh water. Some suggest that the gas industry “bought” the defacto endorsement of the previous Sierra Club CEO, Carl Pope, who had campaigned openly in favor of natural gas as an alternative to coal.

IN A PROVOCATIVE ARTICLE, the current CEO of the Sierra Club really got to the heart of the issue that all of us face when we’re trying to fulfill our mission of protecting the planet.

“The first rule of advocacy is that you shouldn’t take money from industries and companies you’re trying to change,” said Michael Brune.

That comment flies in the face of remarks by National Wildlife Federation CEO Larry Schweiger last week, who tried to sell the idea that he could help Scotts Miracle Gro “become a better company” — while simultaneously accepting their money.

That, for many of us, just doesn’t pass the sniff test. Or, as my grandfather would often say, “You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” Put another way: Can anyone really rail against an organization when said organization is, at least indirectly, feeding your family?

It’s not easy, though. For years, my former publishing company People, Places & Plants wouldn’t accept advertising dollars from any companies that sold synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and we also eschewed the big box stores like Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s because they were seen to be bad competition for our core customer — the family owned garden center.

Our publication and television show often suffered financially due to the stubborn refusal to change our standards. At SafeLawns, our corporate sponsorships and private membership funds have never quite recovered from the economic crash of 2008; we could do so much more with more money from the chemical companies who, in our view, are trying to “greenwash” their image by an association with us.

In 2010, when the Sierra Club changed CEOs and stopped taking money from the natural gas industry, reports say that many jobs within the organization were lost — thereby potentially diminishing the organization’s ability to do good things. It’s a valid argument, one to which many adhere.

And the money aside, we all need partnerships to get by in this world. In a perfect world all of our friends, family and business associates would share the same ideals and ethics. But we all know about the world’s imperfections.

The Komen for the Cure folks, for example, have been lauded for practically inventing the idea of cause marketing. In their case they allow companies to “wear” the pink ribbon in exchange for a marketing program that leads to a donation back to Komen. In many cases those programs have worked well, helping to fund hundreds of thousands of breast exams annually.

In other cases, Komen’s motives have been brought into question. Allowing KFC to run long with a “Bucket for the Cure” campaign didn’t go over well with the critics who thought fried chicken wasn’t the optimum dietary supplement for heart patients and cancer survivors. They charged KFC with “pinkwashing,” in other words trying to veil its unhealthy food with the Komen association.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S ALL ABOUT being able to walk down the aisle of a trade show, a local grocery store and most importantly your family’s dinner table with your head held high. Many times in my life and career that dinner table could have been more amply covered if I had made different decisions in my business affiliations.

We’re not perfect here. Far from it. I know we’ve made questionable decisions, too.

Be we do think the Sierra Club’s Michael Brune has it right. If you’re an activist or non-profit that really wants to make a difference in the world, you need to roll up your sleeves . . . and keep your hands as clean as possible.

The SafeLawns Foundation and the Surfrider Foundation share the common goals of keeping the water clean. (Geoff Glenn photo)

If there’s one truism we’ve found as we begin our seventh year at the SafeLawns Foundation, it’s to expect the unexpected. To that end, last week we enjoyed a lengthy conversation with Surfrider Foundation, a group that initially came together in 1984 to protest threats to their local surf break at Malibu Point in California.

These days the Surfrider Foundation maintains more than 50,000 members, 80 chapters worldwide and, as we discovered, one of the most robust standards for earth friendly gardening of any group on the planet.

Homeowners who pledge to meet the proper criteria are allowed to post this sign in their yards.

“Bad lawn and garden practices are especially bad for the oceans,” said Paul Herzog, the Surfrider Foundation’s national coordinator of the Ocean Friendly Gardens Program. “All of that runoff from chemical fertilizers and pesticides eventually winds up in the ocean somewhere. So anything we can do to work together to minimize the impact of lawns and gardens is good for all of us.”

The Ocean Friendly Gardens program includes an ambitious homeowner criteria (below) that addresses everything from downspouts to drip irrigation.

“An Ocean Friendly Garden is a garden that applies CPR — Conservation, Permeability, and Retention© — to revive the health of our watersheds and oceans,” reads the campaign slogan.

An OFG Sign will be awarded to any garden that achieves the organization’s criteria. And it doesn’t matter if you live in Malibu or somewhere in Michigan, Minnesota or Maine . . . these are all good rules to live by in the landscape:

CONSERVATION
Turf Areas
* Climate-appropriate turf grass is limited to 20% of total square footage of the landscaped area.
* Turf grass is limited to only those areas where it serves a specific purpose (documented play area).
* Turf grass is maintained organically without synthetic fertilizers and never over-watered.
* Turf grass is kept away from the perimeter of the garden, where irrigation overspray is hard to control.
* Cool season turf grass is not in front yard gardens in areas receiving less than an average 44 inches of annual rainfall.
* Warm season turf grass, if present, is not over-seeded with cool season grass during winter months.

Irrigation
* No automatic irrigation is utilized OR: Irrigation system is in good repair (no breaks or leaks) with no visible signs from stains on nearby hard surfaces or erosion on vegetated surfaces from repeated overspray or runoff. (See maintenance details below)
* No spray irrigation of any kind is installed in areas less than 10 feet wide OR a total surface area of less than 100 square feet.
* Drip irrigation is ½ inch diameter tubing or larger — utilizing either line source (”in-line”) OR point source emitters (”on line”).
* No 1/4″ diameter irrigation tubing is present, except where needed for irrigating containers and raised beds. (See maintenance details below)
* Hoses have shut-off attachments.
* A weather-based irrigation controller (WBIC) or “smart” irrigation controller is installed OR
* Absent a WBIC, the irrigation controller has a rain shut-off installed.

Mulch
* A minimum of 2 inches to 4 inches of natural woodchip mulch is present in all planted and open areas.
* 50% or more of the woodchip mulch must be smaller than 1 inch in length or diameter.
* Small open mulch-free areas are permitted if they are designated for native bee or insect habitat.

Plants
* Plants are grouped according to plant community or hydrozones including:
* Similar sunlight exposure, water requirements, root depth, soil type, hardiness and
temperature adaptation, and/or size at maturity.
* New gardens are planted with sufficient space between plants to accommodate mature growth without over-crowding, and to minimize pruning at maturity.
* Plants requiring regular shearing are not permitted, unless they are edible or produce edible fruit.

PERMEABILITY
Healthy Living Soil
* Soil health is maintained organically without chemical additives.
* Soil health is maintained by the addition of compost, compost tea, and worm castings.
* Soil is not visible beneath a mulch layer, EXCEPT
* Areas 4 inches-12 inches around the crown of woody plants should remain un-mulched, and
* Areas 12 inches to 60 inches around the trunks of trees should remain un-mulched.
These un-mulched areas should be minimized, but depends on the size of tree/plant crown.

Our choices in gardening products, as well as how water flows in and around our landscape, can have tremendous impact on the water system at large

Permeable Hardscape
* Walkways and patios are made permeable with
* Plants, mulch or decomposed granite in gaps between pavers or other hard surfaces; OR
* Materials that permit water to “flow-through,” e.g., permeable concrete or asphalt.
* Impermeable surfaces or minimally permeable surfaces, such as permeable pavers or decomposed granite, are graded to direct excess surface flow of water into adjacent vegetated areas.
* Existing impermeable surfaces such as driveways or large patio areas have been altered to direct surface flow of water into adjacent vegetated areas or retention/detention devices.
* Plant material is 80% climate-appropriate unless it is edible or produces edible fruit. (Climate-appropriate plant material is defined as plant material with a Species Factor or Crop Co-efficient of 50% or less or is described by reliable local references as a “medium” water-using plant in the particular climate. In California, use www.water.ca.gov/wateruseefficiency/docs/ for Species Factors.)
* Local native plant material is utilized for at least 10% of the visible garden area, whether or not the other plant material is edible or produces edible fruit.
* No invasive species are present. Invasive species are defined as those listed on the local Invasive Plant Council website as invasive or on the “watch list”. (General information at: http://plants.usda.gov/java/noxiousDriver, and in California http://www.cal-ipc.org.)

Water Features
* Water features may improve the habitat of the garden and are allowed within these guidelines:
* Water is recycled by the water feature.
* Open water features are covered at least 50% by vegetation,
* All water features are maintained without chemicals or additives that are toxic to fish.
* Overflow from the water feature drains into a vegetated area.
* Swimming pools and chemically treated water bodies are drained to sewer systems.
* Swimming pools must be covered to minimize evaporation when not in use.

RETENTION
Downspout Re-direct
* If gutters are installed, all visible downspouts are directed away from impermeable surfaces into vegetated areas, mulched areas or retention/detention devices.
* Rain chains and other devices to slow the fall of water are recommended as a replacement for downspouts.
* If gutters are not installed, surfaces beneath the roof eaves are EITHER
* Vegetated with hearty plants that can withstand the beating; OR
* Covered with mulch, gravel or other sturdy and permeable materials, AND
* Hardscape surfaces beneath roof eaves are altered to create areas of permeability and direct surface flow of rainwater into vegetated or mulched areas or retention/detention devices.
* Drains carrying roof runoff or surface drain runoff from back yards or areas not visible to the street are
EITHER:
* Directed into rainbarrels or cisterns at the downspouts to slow and reduce the flow of water into the drainage system, OR
* Disconnected from their overflow to street and re-directed into a vegetated or mulched area.

Sponge Gardens (Rain Gardens)
* The visible garden area has been designed to capture as much of the rainfall from rooftops and other impermeable surfaces as possible.
* The flat areas on the property have been replaced with high and low contoured areas (”graded retention areas”) to prevent rainfall from “sheeting” across the garden and off the property – helping to retain the first 1″ of rainwater after a dry spell: AND/OR
* A dry creek bed or vegetated swale (”bioswale”) captures the majority of the surface flow of downspout water and water from adjacent hard surfaces, creating sufficient area to slow, spread and sink it.
* Dry creek beds or vegetated swales are designed to hold at least 1″ of rain from roof and adjacent hard surfaces, AND
* Rainfall in excess of 1″ or the water-holding capacity of the garden, whichever is greater, is safely directed off-site after having been run through vegetated areas, including bioswales and creek beds, to remove pollutants and retain sediment.
* At least one tree or very large shrub has been planted at its proper distance from hard surfaces and buildings to help naturally store water for the entire garden.

Retention Devices
Rainbarrels or above-ground cisterns are visible and are:
* Installed properly in accordance with any prevailing local building standards or codes,
* Secured for safety purposes, and
* Overflow into vegetated or mulched areas, AND/OR
* Below surface retention areas and devices such as dry wells or cisterns are utilized to do the same.

Maintenance Details
1. Valve assemblies installed properly & in permeable areas (preferably surrounded by mulch or gravel).
2. Irrigation shut-off valves are easily identified.
3. Separate irrigation valves are utilized for each hydrozone (see “hydrozone” description in 4a below).
4. Back-flow prevention and pressure regulation is visible in or at the valve assembly.

Irrigation Details
1. Spray irrigation is matched precipitation, “multi-stream, multi-trajectory.”
2. Spray irrigation requires anti-drain check valves to prevent low head drainage.
3. Spray irrigation heads of any kind are installed at least 24 inches from hard surfaces and buildings.

The season gets off to an early start this weekend, Jan. 28, at the Eco-Landscape California symposium in Woodland, Ca., just outside of Sacramento. Focusing on business sustainability, the conference features SafeLawns founder Paul Tukey and natural soil expert Jeff Lowenfels as keynote presenters. A screening of the award-winning film, A Chemical Reaction, will cap off the day.

Registration is nearing capacity according to organizers, but anyone interested in attending can click here: http://www.ecolandscape.org/eventsConference.html. The fee is $179.

Here is a look at the SafeLawns calendar (involving Paul Tukey) through early April (note: if you’re interesting in scheduling a talk, film screening, games festival or consultation, email Paul@SafeLawns.org):

Feb. 4 — Potomac, Md. — The Glenstone Foundation (www.glenstone.org) is hosting a private reception for the environmental community to showcase its landscape sustainability initiatives from 9 a.m. to noon. If you’re a member of the environmental community, an anti-pesticide activist or a curious or concerned environmental citizen who lives in that region, email Paul@SafeLawns.org and we can talk about getting you on the guest list. Paul T. will be a guest of honor, along with the University of Maryland professors who are conducting the organic lawn care study on the Glenstone grounds.

March 5 — Philadelphia — Paul Tukey will showcase some of the games from his new book, Tag, Toss & Run, at the Philadelphia International Flower Show at 7 p.m. Although the official unveiling of the book doesn’t come until March 11 when co-author Victoria Rowell joins him on stage in Philly, word has it the publisher (Storey) will make books available by that evening. The talk is free with a show admission ticket.

March 10 — Portland, Maine — Paul Tukey will be the Saturday morning kickoff speaker at 10:30 a.m. at the Portland Flower Show, a show he used to run when he lived in Maine. The topic, once again, will be the new book, Tag, Toss & Run. If books are available, he’ll do a signing after the talk, which is free with a show admission ticket.

March 11 — Philadelphia — Co-author and actress Victoria Rowell will join Paul Tukey at the Philadelphia International Flower Show for a two-hour presentation beginning at 1 p.m. for the official unveiling of their book, Tag, Toss & Run. The event will include on-stage game demonstrations and a book signing. Have you ever played Quoits? It’s a horseshoe-like game played professionally by some folks in the steel towns of Pennsylvania — some of whom will be on hand for an exhibition. This event is going to be a blast! It’s free, too, with a show admission ticket.

March 18 — Boston — Victoria and Paul will be together again at the Boston Flower Show at the World Trade Center beginning at 3:30 p.m. Just like in Philly, there will be games demonstrations and book signings.

March 27 — Ridgefield, Connecticut — The local garden club in this quaint town on the New York border will host Paul Tukey for a discussion of sustainable landscaping. For more information about fees and times, contact Kitsey Snow at kitsey.snow (at) gmail.com.

March 29 — Madison, Wisconsin — A full day of events is planned, all focusing on pesticide reduction and landscape sustainability. In the morning, Paul Tukey will be meeting with several area schools for assemblies. At lunch, he’ll meet with municipal officials. In the afternoon, the Olbrich Botanic Garden will host a three-hour symposium for land care professionals from 1-4 p.m. A homeowner event is also being planned for that evening. Mark your calendars and check back for more details in the coming weeks.

March 30-31 — Chicago — The Chicago Botanic Gardens will host a two-day symposium focused on landscape sustainability. The first day will be geared for professionals; the second day will be more appropriate for homeowners. Here are more details: http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2012/01/major-american-lawn-landscape-conference-set-for-chicago-in-march/.

March 30-31 — New Haven, Ct. — SafeLawns is proud to co-sponsor the 30th National Pesticide Forum titled Healthy Communities: Green Solutions for Safe Environments with our friends at Beyond Pesticides at Yale University. A dynamic two-days or tours, lectures and panel discussions is planned for what will surely be an overflow crowd. Here are the details: http://www.beyondpesticides.org/forum/index.htm.

April 2-5 — Orlando, Fla. — Walt Disney World will host a week of SafeLawns talks on landscape sustainability and old-fashioned outdoor games presented by Paul Tukey as a part of its annual Epcot Flower & Garden Festival. Hour-long talks, followed by book signings, will be held each day at noon and 3 p.m.

The SafeLawns Foundation will serve as co-host of the event with Calcium Products Inc., the soil amendment manufacturer from Iowa, as well as the Safer Pest Control Project of Chicago and a local conservation campaign known as Lawn to Lake. Among the scheduled presenters are Paul Cushing, the Assistant Deputy Director of the golf division for the city of San Diego that manages the Torrey Pines Golf Course, along with Jeff Carlson, the superintendent of the Vineyard Club on Martha’s Vineyard. Arborist Peter Wild of Boston Tree Preservation is also expected to talk about stem injection of trees as a defense against exotic invasive insects such as the emerald ash borer.

Presentations on Friday, March 30, will be geared for professionals, while the sessions on Saturday morning, March 31, will be prepared for homeowners. Other sponsoring companies include Milorganite, the long-time fertilizer manufacturer from Milwaukee, and Natural Industries, which makes the nation’s best natural fungicides.

For more information, visit www.lawnandlandscapesummit.com.

The year’s first classes begin next Monday, Jan. 9 in Worcester, Mass., followed by two other classes in Connecticut and then Rhode Island.

Designed for any land care professional, including school grounds or municipal employees, conservation property managers, master gardeners, entrepreneurs or landscape enthusiasts, the courses focus on how to design and maintain ecological landscapes without the use of toxic pesticides.

More than 1,200 students from 22 different states have taken the courses in the past decade and more than 500 of those students currently maintain organic accreditation. Anyone looking for a qualified organic landscaper can search this database: http://www.organiclandcare.net/aolcp-search.

This five-day, 30-hour course features a faculty of respected scientists and experienced organic land care practitioners. Class topics include: site analysis, design and maintenance; rain gardens and storm water infiltration; soil health; fertilizer and soil amendments; lawn alternatives; wetlands; pest management; wildlife management; disease control; mulches; invasive plants; and, client relations and running a business. Four hands-on case studies are also included in the course and attendees may take an optional exam to become NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals (AOLCPs).

Bill Duesing, Executive Director of Connecticut NOFA and one of NOFA OLC’s founders explains, “Our course instructs students on landscaping that is healthier for people and the environment. Organic land care replaces toxic chemicals that get in our skin, lungs and water with methods that promote biodiversity, create habitat and protect water quality.”

The course is offered three times in 2012:
January 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Worcester State University
Worcester, MA

February 15, 16, 17, 21, 22
The Connecticut Agricultural Station-New Haven Laboratory
New Haven, CT

February 27, 28, 29, March 1, 2
Kettle Pond Visitor Center
Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge
Charlestown, RI

For information about the Rhode Island and Connecticut course please e-mail Kristiane Huber at kristiane@ctnofa.org or call the CT NOFA office at (203) 888-5146. For information about the Massachusetts Course please contact Caro Roszell at caro@nofamass.org or (508) 360-0874.

Suzanne Aptmann of the Northern New Jersey SafeYards Alliance did a great job of getting the issue covered in her local newspaper: http://westdeptford.patch.com/articles/legislature-could-move-on-school-pesticide-ban-next-week.

Safe landscape proponents from across the country are also eagerly anticipating the vote, as is the chemical pesticide industry. Tom Delaney, director of government affairs for the Professional Landcare Network (Planet), denounced the bill as propaganda and is asking all lawn care professionals to lobby against its passage.

We need to urge everyone in New Jersey to call their local legislators and urge them to pass the bill, which was co-sponsored by 40 elected officials.

The conference, which will focus on economically and environmentally sustainable business practices in the green industry, will be keynoted by SafeLawns founder Paul Tukey, as well as Jeff Lowenfels of Anchorage, Alaska, author of Teeming with Microbes.

“We’re excited to begin our seventh year of touring the United States and Canada with the message of reducing toxins in the environment at this progressive conference,” said Tukey, who will introduce the award-winning film, A Chemical Reaction, after his afternoon speech titled “Reducing & Eliminating Harmful Inputs to the Landscape.” “We have also advocated that there needs to be a strong sustainable business component when you change from one way of doing things to another. The message here is that it’s possible to have a beautiful landscape without toxins — and that it’s possible for companies to make money doing so.”

CONFERENCE AGENDA

EcoLandscape 2012
January 28, 2012
Heidrick Ag History Center and Museum, Woodland, California

ECO-EVOLUTION: THE NEW CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE
Sustainable Landscaping Businesses Are Successful and Profitable — Now

THEME: Leading by Example – Landscaping companies have developed successful
business models based on Sustainable Landscaping Practices.
7:00 – 8:00 a.m. Registration & Breakfast with Exhibitors
8:00 – 8:05 a.m. Welcome & Acknowledgements

8:05 – 8:30 a.m. How Sustainability Leads to Profitability
Jim Borneman, Vice President of Education, Ewing Irrigation

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Market Opportunities for Sustainable Landscaping
Dave Alba, Organic Land Care Program Manager, Oregon Tilth

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Keynote Speaker: We Must Sustain the Soil to Succeed
Jeff Lowenfels, Garden Columnist and Author of “Teaming With Microbes”

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. Break

10:15 – 11:00 a.m. Successful Sustainable Business Models (Introduction by Ed Laivo)

10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Small Business – Hyphae Design Laboratory
Brent Bucknam, Founder
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Medium Business – Gardener’s Guild
Daniel Levy
10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Large Business – Cagwin & Dorward
Dave Phelps, Sustainability Manager

11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Sustainable Business Panel Discussion
Moderator: Ed Laivo, Sales & Marketing Director
Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery

12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch, Eco-Trade Show, Speakers Available for Q&A & Book Signings

1:30 – 2:15 p.m. Opportunities in Ordinances
Pamela Berstler, Founding Member, G3 – Green Gardens Group
Legislative Chairperson, Association of Professional Landscape Designers, CA

2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Keynote Speaker: Reducing/Eliminating Harmful Inputs to the Landscape
Paul Tukey, Founder of SafeLawns Movement, Author & Journalist

3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Break

3:30 – 4:40 p.m. Film Viewing: “A Chemical Reaction” (Introduction by P. Tukey)

4:40 – 5:30 p.m. Meet Paul Tukey & Jeff Lowenfels, Book & DVD Sales, Signing

Scotts Miracle-Gro announced earlier this week that it will likely lose $70 to $75 million in the fiscal quarter ending Dec. 31 — which is considered its first quarter of 2012. Scotts always loses money this time of year, but this year’s loss is approximately $10 million more than last year for the same period. That follows a year (2011) in which the company’s global consumer sales dipped by more than 9 percent, according to information published by Scotts in November.

The company publicly blames its demise on weather-related issues, as well as increasing commodity costs related to the rising costs of fossil fuel. Chief Financial Officer David Evans admitted the price of synthetic chemical fertilizer has increased approximately 50 percent in the past five years, but told market analysts that a bag of Miracle Gro won’t go up in price this year as the company tries to retain its shrinking market share.

As recently as November, Scotts CEO Jim Hagedorn defiantly predicted that sales would rebound in 2012. Based on the recent losses — along with a sharp drop in the company’s stock price to less than $44 from a high of $60 earlier this year — Hagedorn will now have to hedge his bets.

“We’ll provide (financial) guidance to our investors in February,” he said recently. “We need to evaluate the continued variability of commodity costs and work is still being done to finalize next year’s marketing plans.”

Meanwhile a survey of sales in the organic sector point to an approximately 20 percent increase in fertilizers and natural pesticides in the U.S. Numerous companies continue to jump into the natural market and even the dinosaurs like Scotts and TruGreen (ChemLawn) now offer natural alternatives.

All of this follows a worldwide trend back to the future.

Honesto Baniqued Jr., president of the National Agribusiness Corporation of the Philippines, said the efficacy of organic offerings has improved in recent years just as understanding of the products has skyrocketed globally.

“We’re seeing a 35 percent increase in yields with a switch to an organic fertilizer,” he said. “The use of (synthetic) fertilizer is scandalous and unnecessary.”

Well said.