With 2024 marking the third year of the EU Organic Awards, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is urging businesses to put themselves forward for these prestigious prizes and take advantage of the growing interest across Europe in organic food and farming.

Since their establishment in 2022, the EU Organic Awards have offered operators in the sector a visibility platform to highlight excellence and innovation as the European Union looks to increase the amount of farmland under organic cultivation to 25 per cent by 2030.

The deadline for applications is 12 May 2024 and submissions can be made online via the EU Organic Awards website, through an easy to fill-in application form available in all EU languages.

The awards are organised by European Commission, with the EESC, the European Committee of the Regions, COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe.

The EESC supervises the nomination, shortlisting and award process for three categories: best organic food processing SME, best organic food retailer and best organic restaurant/food service.

The EU Organic Awards give a recognition to the innovation, passion and dedication of those who truly champion organic food and production in the EU and bring it closer to everyday consumers, says EESC President Oliver Rpke.

Last years winners from the categories for which the EESC supervises have also joined forces to encourage businesses to seek recognition.

Kevin Scully, whose business The Merry Mill was awarded the prize for the best organic food processing SME, urged companies to nominate themselves: I recommend other businesses to apply for the Organic Awards because its very good for a companys profile and brings a great endorsement.

Paul Kolarik, head of Austrian eatery Kolarik im Prater that won the best organic restaurant award, said: Winning the Organic Awards generated great interest in our business from the national media. Thanks to the awards, new collaborations have also emerged and many political representatives became aware of our commitment to the organic and sustainability sector.

The 2023 winner of the best organic food retailer category was Gut Wulksfelde, whose manager Hauke Rsblt said: We believe that organic farming is the right path for the future of agriculture.

The awards ceremony takes place on 23 September 2024, which is the EU Organic Day. (ks)

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Celebrating the best of Europe's organic sector: Apply now to win the 2024 award! - European Union

On 04/26/2024, Gibson Farms recalled Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts because Gibson Farms received information that they may have the potential to be contaminated with E. Coli 0157:H7. E. coli O157:H7 causes a diarrheal illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure called Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children and the elderly. The condition can lead to serious kidney damage and even death.

The Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts were sold to distributors located in CA, WA, and AZ. Gibson Farms Organic Light Halves and Pieces shelled walnuts were sold in bulk boxes in Net Wt. 25 lbs. quantities and can be identified by lot 3325-043 & 3341-501 with expiration dates 5/21/25 & 6/7/25.

Gibson Farms, Inc. has voluntarily recalled the product(s) after being notified by the CDC of 12 recorded illnesses allegedly linked to the consumption of organic halves and pieces shelled walnuts. A full investigation is currently under way to determine the potential source of the contamination.

Gibson Farms requests consignees to hold and discontinue selling their existing stock of lot 3325-043 and lot 3341-501 and return any remaining inventory of the recalled products to our local warehouse Gibson Farms 1190 Buena Vista Rd Hollister Ca 95023.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at Veronica Cheatham 831-637-3512 or email foodsafety@gibsonfarmsinc.com8:30 am-4:40pm PST Monday through Friday

______

ConSup North America Inc. recalled approximately 85,984 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) sliced prosciutto ham product produced in Germany without the benefit of equivalent inspection, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety, and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

The RTE sliced prosciutto ham item was produced on various dates from Sept. 25, 2023, through March 6, 2024. The following product is subject to recall [view labels]:

These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

The problem was discovered when Germanys Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety notified FSIS that H. Klmper GmbH & Co. KG, a Germany establishment, produced a portion of the identified lots without the benefit of equivalent inspection and exported them to the U.S. for distribution.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume it. This product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Luann Servidio, Director of Imports, ConSup North America Inc., at 973-628-7330 or L.Servidio@consup.us.

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Two Food Recalls: Gibson Farms Voluntarily Recalls Organic Light Halves and Pieces Shelled Walnuts and Sliced ... - Prescott eNews

A multi-state food safety alert was issued Wednesday for an E. coli outbreak possibly linked to organic walnut halves and pieces sold in bulk bins at natural food stores and food co-ops in Southern California and elsewhere.

The Gibson Farms walnut pieces were distributed in Brentwood, Compton, Culver City and in San Diego County, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon?Click to follow The L.A. Localwherever you get podcasts.

The walnuts have expiration dates between May 21, 2025 and June 7, 2025.

So far, six people have reported possible E. coli illness in California, the CDC said. Gibson Farms, based in Hollister, has initiated a product recall, the public health agency said.

The CDC said almost all the sick people reported purchasing the organic walnuts from bulk bins in food co-ops or natural food stores.

A list of affected stores is available at fda.gov/media/178182/download?attachment.

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E. Coli outbreak linked to organic walnuts - Audacy

The annual event kicks off Mental Health Awareness Month by providing people with available resources.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. "Never give up" and "Your story isnt over" are just some of the signs and reminders to Peninsula residents at the Brittingham-Midtown Community Center in Newport News.

Mental health is a big issue in our communities," said Ivy Baptist Church Pastor Kevin Swann. "There are a lot of traumas that go unaddressed.

Saturday morning, theHampton-Newport News Community Services Board kicked off Mental Health Awareness Month with its second annual mental health expo educating the community and addressing misconceptions.

I think the first piece is the stigma that I should just be able to keep going, that I dont need help, that Im not that bad., said Dr. Kristie Norwood, a licensed psychologist and the founder of Remind U Wellness and Outreach.

The event exposed residents to organizations and agencies offering help in Hampton and Newport News. Some of those resources include support for substance abuse, and mental and physical wellness.

Just bringing light to the subject, making it more comfortable to talk about it and get the help that people need," Swann said.

The event centered around the eight wellness dimensions, including physical, spiritual, emotional and social wellness.

Health encompasses a large area, Swann said. You know you cant just talk about one and not address the other.

I think the education is so important for the community," Dr. Norwood said. "Also, we know that we are better when we are a community with each other.

The overall goal here is to remind residents they are not alone and that there are several resources in this community to support them.

The expo also included conversations on the journey to seeking mental health treatment, coping strategies and stress management tips, as well as exploring how faith can positively impact ones mental health.

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Newport News mental health expo provides resources, reminds people they aren't alone - 13newsnow.com WVEC

Concerns are being raised over a new SNS trend currently spreading like wildfire among teens and youths.

In the midst of the ongoingfeud between HYBE Labels and Min Hee Jin of ADOR, recent rumors alleged secretive connections between HYBE Labels and a South Korean pseudoscience religious group, known as 'Dahnworld'. The rumors quickly spread indiscriminately, with many online users claimingthat HYBE was a company affiliated with a "cult" as if the rumors were confirmed facts.

Although 'Dahnworld' corporation has since released a statement denying any affiliation with HYBE and particularly BTS, the recent emergence of the pseudoscience organization in the spotlight has nonetheless birthed unpredicted consequences.

Currently, it has become an SNS trend for youths and teens to visit the numerous 'Dahnworld' meditation centers located across South Korea. Young SNS users are flocking to these nearby meditations centers with their phones and cameras, filming the interiors of the centers without permission, showing up during meditation sessions to sing or dance to songs like "Hype Boy"by NewJeans or "Magnetic" by ILLIT, and causing a disturbance.

Additionally, related SNS challenges centered around ILLIT's "Magnetic"are also gaining momentum, as it has mockinglybecome known among teens and youths as the "cult song". (On the other hand, "Hype Boy" by NewJeans is now being referred to as the "freedom song".)

Netizens reacted with comments like, "This looks dangerous TT", "People are approaching an organization that might be a extremist cult a little too lightly...", "Causing a disturbance in person can be really dangerous and might lead to physical collisions. If those centers claim that they are businesses, those people can face charges for obstruction of business", "Iwork at a tutoring school, and this is all that the kids are talking about these days...", "Do not approach cults lightly!! They have coercive tactics of converting you!!", "HYBE needs to take action somehow before something happens", and more.

SEE ALSO: ARMYs take stand against HYBE: Demands accountability amid BTS controversies

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Concerns raised as an SNS challenge visiting 'Dahnworld' meditation centers spreads like wildfire among teens and ... - allkpop

At an early screening of I Saw the TV Glow, the gentleman introducing the film told the audience that it was like writer-director Jane Schoenbruns first feature, Were All Going to the Worlds Fair, on steroids. Which prompted Schoenbrun to kindly correct him when they introduced the film: Its like Worlds Fair on HRT. A different sort of steroid, they suggested. It was a film written and created as Schoenberg navigated stages of their own transition, and bound to that journey at scale.

For all that is irrevocably the journey, I Saw the TV Glow defies easy categorization by its very nature. It is a film that can be read under a number of critical microscopes, and enjoyed for many more besides. It is about transness and queerness, certainly, but it is also about the ways in which fandom can anchor lives, and the places we find ourselves in life that dont fit. And it is a story about becoming and about the violence inflicted on anyone who attempts to become in direct defiance of the world that they are crammed inside.

The story unfolds like this: Owen (Justice Smith) meets an older teen at his school named Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) who loves a television series that he finds himself strangely drawn to, despite never having seen an episode. The show is called The Pink Opaque, the tale of two teen girls who are connected psychically and must use their joint abilities to battle the minions of Mr. Melancholy, the man in the moon. Maddy is obsessed with the shows complex lore, and invites Owen over to watch it. In the following years, she tapes the show off the TV for him and leaves the VHS copies at school (though they rarely speak) because Owens parents wont let him stay up late enough to watch it.

Maddy disappears one day, and everyone believes her to be dead. But eight years later, she shows up mysteriously to ask Owen a few questionshas he ever noticed that bits of fiction seem to bleed with their real lives? Does he ever feel like something about their world doesnt add up? Is he sure that the place where they exist is real, and that The Pink Opaque isnt who and where theyre supposed to be?

One might assume that this entire concept is metaphorical, that the whole conceit is just clever way to make a grounded statement using fantastical terms. But I Saw the TV Glow isnt interested in telling us where the line between fantasy and reality lies. Is this a sticking point for me, personally, having watched the internet slowly ply every reader with a million theories nabbed from Tumblr and Reddit and YouTube that X character is really dead the whole time! or A secret tragic backstory is obvious if you pay attention to the dogs scarf! Yes. Sink into the discomfort of never knowing. Let it rip at you like a cheese grater to the skin.

The fractured ambiance of this film deserves a concept album, and its soundtrack makes an incredible go of it, with songs from Sloppy Jane, yuele, Caroline Polachek, Florist, and more peppering the story. The performances are devastating: Lundy-Paine and Smith embody their own numbness to a haunting degree, a rippling tension running between them the whole film as they each wait for the other to act in a way that they can understand. (Or perhaps recognize?) It feels strange to admit that Ive been waiting for Justice Smith to receive a part worthy of him since Detective Pikachu, but Im glad that day has finally come. His frequent gasps of life, the moments when he comes up for air amidst the vacant lot that is Owens reality, are where the true horror of the movie lies. And there are many thoughts lying between all of the choices Smith makes, alongside the scripts depiction of Owenthoughts about queerness and neurodivergence and how often they exist in the same place. About how difference compounds until it becomes scaffolding that holds together rather than a renovation. About disconnection and how desperately we yearn for its inverse.

As an experience, the film is an exemplar of the form and proof that Schoenbruns powers are growing. The careful attention paid to film grain and aspect ratios, the flawless replication of goofy television tropes from three decades prior, the deadpan delivery of the actors creating a stylized atmosphere but also forcing the audience to listen to the content of the dialogue over the emotions present in the characters until emotion erupts into the narrative, so sharp and hot its like being flash-fried. Schoenbrun talked of what it was like to play with large sums of money after years on the New York DIY filmmaking scene, and this piece of cinema gives us a glimpse of what movies could be were the current model more willing to fund them. Fragments of the inner strangeness that reside in us all, brought into the dim glow of the screen.

The experience of the 90s is hyper-real in this rendering, from the font used on the cover of Maddys Pink Opaque Episode Guide (I had an X-Files version just like it) to the ridiculous prosthetics used on TV villains to the messages Maddy scribbles on the VHS tapes she leaves for Owen in pink gel pen. (My VHS-recorded shows were mostly Farscape and The Invisible Man.) My colleague and I had an entire conversation about the Fruitopia vending machine in the school lunchroom after we left the theater. The Pink Opaque itself is built on the bones of a number of 90s showsBuffy the Vampire Slayer being the most obviousbut also Charmed, Xena: Warrior Princess, Ghostwriter, The Secret World of Alex Mack, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, and several more besides. Then theres the anonymous sprawl of their hometown, which later prompts Owen to utter, This isnt the Midnight Realm. Its the suburbs.

Its the toughest balancing act of all to heap a story with nostalgia while you stitch it to something fledgling and painful that fights to stay alive. And perhaps thats why the setting of TV Glow never slips into the anodyne mistakes that many pictures fueled on our remembrance of the past offer. The 90s is where millennials like me grew up, but were a cynical bunch now, offered an optimistic glimpse of a future that never came to pass. And even while that future was held before us like a flickering candle in a ball pit, the persistent phobias of the era encouraged our conformity. We are, for the time being, the last generation that was widely, actively, and vehemently discouraged from coming out.

I Saw the TV Glow offers a glimpse into the places we retreated in order to find our own kind of comfort. Our safety. Our selves. It shows its audience what a lifeline these campy and clever worlds gave us when there was nothing else to model ourselves on. But these TV shows, with their punny dialogue and band cameos and haughty, attractive teens in belly shirts and moody lipsticks, could only provide a respite from the world. Not a cure for it.

The journey to being, to becoming, is far more agonizing than that. And not everyone makes it through. I Saw the TV Glow lives in that liminal space where you ask yourself the question: What would you risk for the chance to find out?

If you wont, will you survive the alternative?

Perhaps that is the reason why the film offers no answers to its own mysteries: The answer will be different to everyone sitting in that audience. All of us took different roads and will find ourselves at different points in the journey. And so we cant be given the conclusion. Theres an arcade game that blinks the words YOURE DYING late in the film. Startling, but also universally accurate: We all are. So how will we live? icon-paragraph-end

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I Saw the TV Glow Is a Meditation On Becoming That Will Haunt You - Reactor - Tor.com

As the sun set over the Pacific Ocean, the beach cool against my back, a voice invited me to scan my body for feelings of powerlessness. Then breathe in that area to help it release, said Sara Sofia Bousiali, the leader of the evenings sound bath.

Along with 21 other participants lying on the sand in Santa Monica this April, I listened as Ms. Bousiali played crystal singing bowls and chimes and guided us in an hourlong meditation. At the sound baths Ive attended, the bell-like sounds seemed to fill my body and melt away racing thoughts. I lost track of time.

Therapeutic sound baths have been around for a few decades, said Jamie Bechtold, the co-founder and owner of a sound bath studio in Los Angeles. But she has seen their popularity grow in the last five years, she said, and lately theyve spread beyond wellness hot spots like Southern California. Theyve popped up across the U.S., offered in a yoga studio in Cleveland and a barn outside of Raleigh, at corporate events and even onstage at Coachella.

During a sound bath, participants are immersed in tones and vibrations from instruments like gongs, chimes, bells and singing bowls. Some instructors also add guided meditations or wellness rituals like Reiki energy healing.

The name stems from the idea of waves of sound washing over people, said Tamara Goldsby, a research psychologist at the University of California San Diego who has studied sound baths. While sound baths draw inspiration and use instruments from various spiritual traditions, theyre part of modern wellness culture.

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What Are Sound Baths and Do They Have Mental Health Benefits? - The New York Times

A Waynesboro teen has created a meditation garden at her church for her Eagle Scout project.

It will give people a place to sit quietly to pray and meditate, offered Olivia McDonald, daughter of Sean and Becky McDonald. Evangelical Lutheran Church, 43 S. Church St., Waynesboro, also will use the gated, grassy space off the church parking lot for outdoor church services, youth ministry and Sunday School lessons, she added. In addition, it will be welcoming to neighbors who wish to use it, she added.

Olivia said she conceived the idea for the project after talking to the church pastors about the possibility of having an outdoor worship space. She was assisted in the construction of the garden by members of her troop, Boy Scouts of America Troop 199 of Greencastle, and also received donations to pay for materials during Scout Sunday recently at the church.

The garden features a 30-foot evergreen tree behind the three 6- by 8-foot fences that were installed. One of the fences is parallel to the tree and the other two are diagonal to the center. There is a cross that is parallel to the center fence, Olivia noted. And the fence and tree will provide privacy from people walking by.

A senior at Waynesboro Area Senior High School, Olivia will attend Shippensburg University this fall to study criminal justice.

What I like about Scouts is that every person who comes into Scouting is different. Olivia said. It has been fun to watch their leadership skills grow and help them become brand new leaders. The Scoutmaster is a big part of teaching us how to lead. After she teaches us something, we can turn around and teach another person.

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Waynesboro Teen Builds Meditation Garden for Eagle Scout Project - Local.News

Join us at 10 a.m. the first Saturday of every month for Walking Meditation in the woods of Hickory Hill Park (Conklin Lane entrance off of North Dodge Street), followed by coffee/tea and conversation at Press Coffee.

What is Walking Meditation? In our daily lives, we usually walk to get somewhere (sometimes in a hurry), to exercise, or for some other purpose. When we practice Walking Meditation, we have no purpose or direction in space or time. We dont fill the silence with talk, or our heads with worries about the past or the future. The purpose of Walking Meditation is Walking Meditation: being fully present in our bodies and in the moment. Because we walk in freedom from the demands the world and we ourselves put on our shoulders, we smile while we walk. As Thch Nht Hnh says, When you walk, arrive with every step. That is walking meditation. Theres nothing else to it.

About Winding Path Sangha The Winding Path Sangha is a community of lay practitioners following the Plum Village tradition of Vietnamese Buddhist teacher and peacemaker Thch Nht Hnh, who says there is no path to peace; peace is the path.

Because we know that path can be winding and sometimes challenging, and to support peace within ourselves and in the world, our Sangha gathers weekly to meditate, hear from teachings by Thch Nht Hnh, share about our mindfulness practice, and discern together how to live fully in the present moment at home, at work, and in our community. We also meet regularly for mens and womens groups, and occasionally for book discussions and special events.

Everyone is welcome, regardless of beliefs or experience with meditation, Buddhism, or mindfulness practices.

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Walking Meditation followed by Coffee and Conversation - Little Village - Little Village Magazine

In recent years, the scientific community has been increasingly interested in the potential benefits of meditation and psychedelics. A fascinating study has uncovered the synergistic effects of psilocybin and meditation, revealing how this combination can enhance insightfulness and alter brain activity patterns.

Berit Singer and a team of researchers from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich have published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.

The study involved 36 experienced meditators who participated in a 5-day psilocybin-assisted meditation retreat, following a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study design.

The participants completed two fMRI brain imaging sessions, one day before and one day after the retreat. Each scan session consisted of resting-state, focused attention, and open monitoring sequences, with each meditation lasting 7 minutes.

The researchers used a novel approach based on the Mapper algorithm from topological data analysis to generate subject-specific maps for two groups (psilocybin vs. placebo, 18 subjects/group) of experienced meditators.

The study revealed several intriguing findings:

Singer, one of the studys lead authors, expressed her fascination with the application of pure mathematics, especially topology, to extract important information from latent structures in data.

Speaking to PsyPost, she expressed her surprise by the common structure revealed among the subject-specific Mapper graphs, despite their initial apparent differences.

This study provides a novel perspective on the potential synergistic effects between mindfulness practices and psilocybin. It suggests that the combination of enhanced meta-awareness through meditation and psilocybin-induced positive alterations in perception can foster insightfulness.

The findings also highlight the importance of understanding the neurophysiology of meditation and psychedelics beyond the conventional measures of functional connectivity, resting-state networks, and signal variability.

By applying topological data analysis, the researchers were able to uncover organizational principles and characteristics of whole-brain activity patterns during different styles of meditation and psilocybin-induced alterations.

As researchers continue to investigate the effects of psilocybin on the brain, they have uncovered several positive outcomes that may revolutionize the way we approach mental health treatment.

One of the most promising effects of psilocybin on the brain is its ability to promote neuroplasticity and enhance neural connectivity.

Studies have shown that psilocybin can facilitate the growth of new neural connections and increase the flexibility of existing ones.

This heightened neuroplasticity allows the brain to adapt and reorganize itself more efficiently, which may contribute to the long-lasting positive changes observed in individuals who have undergone psilocybin-assisted therapy.

Psilocybin has demonstrated remarkable potential in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, even in cases where conventional treatments have failed.

Research suggests that psilocybin can modulate the activity of serotonin receptors in the brain, leading to a reduction in negative thought patterns and an increase in positive emotions.

Moreover, the profound mystical experiences often associated with psilocybin use may help individuals gain new perspectives on their lives and develop a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

Studies have found that psilocybin can enhance openness, a personality trait characterized by curiosity, imagination, and a willingness to embrace new experiences.

Increased openness has been linked to improved creative thinking, problem-solving abilities, and overall psychological well-being.

By fostering a more open and flexible mindset, psilocybin may help individuals break free from rigid thought patterns and explore novel ideas and solutions, particularly during meditation practice.

In summary, the study by Singer and her colleagues has opened up new avenues for exploring the potential benefits of combining meditation and psychedelics.

As Singer noted, These findings provide a novel perspective on meditation and psychedelics that may reveal potential novel brain markers for positive synergistic effects between mindfulness practices and psilocybin.

By applying novel techniques like topological data analysis, the researchers have uncovered intriguing synergistic effects between psilocybin and meditation, revealing how this combination can enhance insightfulness, alter brain activity patterns, and potentially lead to new therapeutic approaches for mental health and well-being.

As the scientific community continues to investigate the neurophysiology of meditation and psychedelics, this study serves as a catalyst for further research, promising to deepen our understanding of consciousness and the mechanisms underlying the positive effects of these practices.

The full study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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Psilocybin deeply enhances meditation insights Earth.com - Earth.com