Compost Teas: 24 hour, EM, IM, BD & fermented plant extracts

["Frank Teuton" <fteuton AT sympatico.ca>]

Dear Mr Fullmer:

As I understand the recommendation of the NOSB Compost Task Force, 'compost
tea' per se is not being banned, only restricted to teas made without the
addition of supplemental nutrients.

The specific language can be found at

http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/CompostCMTTskFrceRec.pdf

"The use of a liquid compost extract, or "compost tea", raises special
issues. The preparation and use of compost tea and compost extract has been
increasing in the U.S. during recent years. Organic producers especially are
interested in compost teas and extracts because the preparations reportedly
provide some degree of control of foliar and root pathogenic organisms.
Various methods and practices have developed for production of the teas or
extracts since the practice originated some years ago in Europe. However,
recent research at the USDA Agricultural Research Service's labs in
Beltsville, MD and Corvallis, OR shows that certain approaches to compost
tea or
extract preparation are conducive to growth of enteric bacterial pathogenic
organisms, such as enterotoxigenic E. coli and Salmonella. The practices and
procedures that lead
to pathogen growth in the prepared teas and extracts involve the addition of
supplemental nutrients such as sugars, molasses or other readily available
(soluble) carbon sources during batch production.

The researchers did not observed growth of enteric pathogenic organisms when
compost tea or extract was prepared only with water and high quality
compost. By high quality compost, they mean compost that has met criteria
for destroying pathogenic
organisms, i.e., 131ºF for 3 days, or compost that has less than 3 MPN
salmonella per 4 grams compost (dry weight) and less than 1000 MPN fecal
coliforms. The critical determinant regarding pathogen growth in compost
teas and extracts is the addition of the carbon sources like sugars,
molasses, or yeast or malt extracts during the "brewing" phase.


Recommendation: Compost teas if used in contact with crops less than 120
days before harvest must be made from high quality compost described above
and not prepared with addition of supplemental nutrients such as sugars,
molasses or other readily available (soluble) carbon sources."

I would be curious to know if the 'compost teas' you have been using for
years are compatible with the new standard, or if you have been adding
nutrients?

I would also like to point out what I consider to be an inadequacy in the
above language. While in the main body of the Compost Task Force report a
more complete definition of high quality compost is given that includes both
the 3 days of 131 F and at least 45 days of mesophilic curing, in the tea
subsection reproduced above, this definition is truncated to the simplistic
and wrong equation, 'high quality compost' = '3 days at >131 F'.

Someone in a hurry who follows this particular formula could end up in real
trouble, as the composting literature is replete with tales of pathogen
regrowth after a short bout of high heating; the problem being that without
a well established competitive microflora the nutrients are still present in
'3 day compost' to support pathogen growth, should reinoculation occur.

Of course, this also allows a window of opportunity for the dedicated
nutrient adders, since if you combine truly high quality compost with a full
foodweb contingent and a suitable portion of '3 day wunderkompost' you could
appease the bureaucrats and still get the nutrients you need for rapid
microbial growth in the vat.

But 'compost teas' are not being taken away in their entirety, only
redefined to exclude "the addition of the carbon sources like sugars,
molasses, or yeast or malt extracts during the "brewing" phase."

So if your 'compost teas' have been made with 'compost' only, you are OK,
but if you have been adding simple nutrients, you will have to stop.  All
depending, of course, on what happens next and how your certification
agent(s) are on enforcing things.

What this will do to fermented plant teas is anyone's guess, eh?

Sincerely,

Frank Teuton

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Fullmer" <jfullmer AT peak.org>
To: <compostteas AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2002 3:01 PM
Subject: [Compostteas] comment to NOSB


> 6/20/02
> Hello,
> I am Biodynamic farmer and consultant [ mostly vineyards] that has
> worked with compost teas for many years. I ask the NOSB to please be
> rational when imposing regulation on the use of compost teas.
>
> First, and most important is they work for the control of powdery mildew
> and botrytis in wine grapes. This is an amazing tool for organic
> agriculture that is environmentally positve. Copper and the huge amount
> of sulfur that is used in vitaculture is destructive to the microbial
> and biological diversity of a vineyard. Those of us that have been
> engaged with organics for some time all realize the importance of
> biological diversity. Pest control based on that is FOUNDATIONAL to
> organic agriculture [ at least as it was originally intended]. If we
> have a tool that fosters this principle it is insane to blindly pull it
> away.
>
> Second, as has been taken up numerous times it all boils down to the
> COMPOST. It has to be made properly. it is very true that if you make a
> brew with a funky mesh of organic materials you are asking for trouble,
> not only in the form of human pathogens but also in the form of crop and
> soil damage.
>
> Third. I understand the NOSB's concern about pathogens in organic
> agriculture as one public episode could be devastating but please do not
> act out of FEAR. Fear just leads to more fear and a very weak
> foundation. If it is done right, and it can be and is done, there is no
> reason for fear. DO NOT TAKE THIS TOOL AWAY BECAUSE SOME DO IT
> INCORRECTLY OR THE INTIAL SCIENCE ON THE MATTER IS MISLEAD.
> Organic agriculture is NOT STERILE my freinds. If you start acting on
> fear of microbes the whole thing is doomed because the whole practice [
> organic farming] is based on promoting microbes. BE CAREFUL.
>
> Fourth relates directly to vineayards. Organic wine grapes are made into
> alcohol. The finished product , wine, is not going to have any ecoli in
> it as it will not survive the alcohol or the assault from the
> fermentatuion. If you must implement a broad regulation please consider
> an exemption for wine made with organic grapes.
>
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