Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

The New Farm Newsletter, May 11, 2007
http://www.newfarm.org/
the rodale institute®

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 Hello Paul. What a difference a month makes—for the worse for the
storm-ravaged Midwest, for the drier in the Southeast and southern
California, but for the better here in the Mid-Atlantic as farmers ventured
out onto unusually cool May soils.
Antibiotics in organics: The energy, time and emotion already expended in
debating nearly all aspects of the USDA National Organic Program show that
for all it may or may not accomplish, the nation’s farmers, eaters and
other observers talking about it desperately care what organic means.

A new chapter in this debate is unfolding as a prominent veterinarian calls
for change to allow strictly limited antibiotic use for the good of the
cows. He maintains that the North American organic community cares too much
about marketing a perfect image for organic dairy—and must shift its
focus to care more about cows, instead.

The goal—when the livestock standards were hammered out prior to October
2002—was to have organic dairy cattle so healthy that the rare animals
treated with an antibiotic should be banished from the milking herd.
That’s the rule, and it’s not good for cows or farmers—or for eaters
who might come to believe antibiotics can be so nearly banned in organic
dairy without significant costs to cow comfort, farmer conscience and
organic integrity.

According to the organic dairyman who represented all dairy producers in
Canada in negotiating their new organic standard, this strict limitation
isn’t even necessary in 2007, given increased consumer concern for
responding to animal welfare.
Many thanks: From Mexico, The Philippines, New Zealand and Japan; from four
Canadian provinces; from many of the lower 48 and Hawaii, nearly 100
generous readers contributed almost $5,500 in our first-ever fund drive
this spring. We’ll accept whatever else comes in over summer, and launch
our “Celebrate the harvest” effort this fall to tackle the balance in
our $20,000 reader-support goal for 2007 to keep NewFarm.org strong.

Now, go farm and enjoy the foods of the season wherever you are.
Greg Bowman
Managing Editor
PS: For the curious and competitive among you, the states tied for the most
donors this spring were California, Maryland, Minnesota and Pennsylvania,
each with six gifts from farms, companies, nonprofits or individuals.
Thanks to all.

Fresh today from The New Farm®


case study: transitioning to organic
>From the Garden State to the Sunshine State
A New Jersey farm girl discovers there is a future for farming after all.

Are all your eggs in one basket?
Diversity in the field and in your business plan is a key strategy for
making your farm truly sustainable.

When it comes to animal health and welfare, there are worse things than
antibiotics
Healthy meat would be possible even if organic rules allowed a rare and
well-defined use for treatment for a life-threatening infection.

Bare earth is scorched earth
Making the case for reclaiming perennial crops, biodiversity, grass-based
livestock production and reforestation of stream banks, hedgerows and
woodlots.

Chucking the classroom for the carrot patch
A CSA intern grows both vegetables and herself.

book reviews
Bellies up
Digesting Farm Bill politics.
Meeting in the middle
Agriculture advocates and wild lands activists talk about how farm and
nature can and must coexist in this follow-up to Farming with the Wild.
Reader Mail
This month features questions and answers about international training,
turkey incubation, positioning a greenhouse and more. Readers ask jeff
about the no-till soybeans, using compost like starter fertilizer and more.


News & Views
Websites support sustainable Farm Bill action...Think tank says to buy out
all crop subsidies...Judge orders halt to GMO alfalfa planting...Experts
detail pesticide caution for bees...Sharp food-price inflation seen
ahead...UK tells citizens to eat seasonally.
letter from ontario
Ontario farm innovation awards hit the mark
Organic value-added meat and farmer training, manure to electricity,
mortality composting and biosecure hog loading systems honored.

at the rodale institute®




one farm to another
Scrambling to find Plan B after a nasty winter for vetch
In my mind, I saw deep vetch and timely no-tillage. In my fields, I’ve
got dead vetch, bare ground and problems.

intern journal
The root of everything
A returning South Korean intern reflects on the universal role of the
farmer.

tri events
May 18, 2007: Compost, Cover Crops & Orchards
June 13, 2007: PA Women in Agriculture Network (WAgN) Tour The Rodale
Institute
July 11-14, 2007: 2nd National Conference on Facilitating Sustainable
Agriculture Education




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