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market-farming - Re: Organic industry vs. organic movement

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Organic industry vs. organic movement
  • Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2002 19:50:22 -0500


sals wrote:
> This is not true with organic growers. The usda says that organic is
> not safer than any other food and its not for safety reasons so why do
> they force organic growers to go through this process.

I think you misunderstood me on this, as I am referring only to the food
safety issues. All the foods are the same in terms of processing and
handling requirements. Organic has gotten a bad rap due to some specific
issues with such things as grain sprouts. It was the manure contamination of
the seed from my understanding. I am not sure how the organic grains could
have that much contamination but we do know that sprouts are one of the
foods that have very high risk.

> Also many folks
> want labels for Gmo HOW COME THE Usda makes organic growers keep audit
> trails when gmo do nothing more people want gmo labels than ever wanted
> USDA to take over organic.

The farmers who petitioned the USDA did want USDA certification. Whether you
like it or not. Everyone had a chance to send in their comments or lobby any
way that they saw fit. And a huge number did. And it caused the USDA to make
many changes from the orginal proposals.

I think that a lot of people want GMO labeling as well and COOL labeling
too. I have personally voted in favor of this and my farm organization has
COOL as one of our resolutions and it is a policy that we desire.

> I think the USDA has it backward those that use chemicals and gmo don't
> label those that don't are forced to prove they don't .

To late for this. Too bad we didn't do something about it back in the
1950's. One wonders if we would have as much chemical use if it was required
on the label through the pathway from the farmgate to the consumer.

> Also the USDA has a great conflict of interest because it releases GMO
> yet kicks organic growers out if they have been cross pollinated and the
> USDA is forcing Gmo on the whole earth yet they control the word
> organic.

Are you sure that this is true?

> I can go on and on but we all know
> what happening here. Big fish eating the little fish.

Yes, this is the free enterprise system. Always has been this way, always
will in those countries that have a mostly free type of commerce.

> They call a
> small farm that is organic if they make over 5000 in sales yet when u
> look up small farmers for other reasons it over 250,000 .

Are you sure that is true? What is the current USDA definition of a farm in
the United States?

Would it be fair to say that the USDA definition is any agricultural entity
that produces a minimum of $1,000 in gross annual sales? Where did you get
the 250,000?

<expletive deleted>

> The farmers never asked for this . I don't remember voting on it . They
> always talk about getting government out of small business and not
> putting a burden on small business yet they do this. They are liars.
> They say one thing and do another. They took a grass roots dream and
> turned it into a bureaucratic nightmare.

The farmers surely did ask for it. What organization did you belong to that
fought for what you wanted? I bet you did not participate. There is no vote
on this. This is a REPUBLIC which some folks seem to forget here. Not a pure
democracy. You must lobby your elected representative. As a special
interest, you have just as much right as any other special interest to try
and convince your elected leader to think your way.

Although organic was once a grass roots activity, like everything that is
successful, it eventually becomes mainstream and other entrepreneurs may
enter into commerce when they see opportunity. There is no guaranteed market
for anyone. Think positive, figure out how you fit into the overall picture
and go for it. There are many opportunities, but you have to a better
entreprenuer than the majority.

Sincerely,

Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Dairy heifers and dairy beef graziers
Viroqua, WI

www.mistyridgefarm.com





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