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market-farming - Re: Manure Issues

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Del Williams" <delannw AT dlogue.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Manure Issues
  • Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 06:21:35 -0600


<snip> ...supermarket industry...will exceed...organic standards...insuring
all produce they buy" be it organic or conventional" ..is free of bacterial
pathogens and chemical residues, .. <snip>

You're joking, right? The supermarket industry is going to ask conventional
growers to guarantee that their produce is free of chemical residues? I'd
greet that day with open arms but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting
for it. Maybe they'll even reveal what kinds of pesticides and herbicides
they have applied to their fields and crops. This is an industry that
doesn't think we need to know about whether we are buying genetically
modified tomatoes, corn, or soybeans (or their derivatives). Shall we talk
about milk and meat? But they are concerned about their produce. Give me a
break. I simply do not believe that e coli in some organic lettuce in 1995
brought about this level of reform of supermarket industry.

By the way, who in the supermarket industry is working on this?

<snip> most likely it will put small farmers out of business <snip>
In general, small farmers (organic or conventional) are not selling their
produce to supermarket wholesalers.

<snip> need to educate the...new folks coming into this business how to
handle manure before anybody gets sick... lets not poo po the issue of poop
by blaming e coli on Avery...<snip>

Avery - not the Centers for Disease Control - started this fire about e coli
in organic produce. The CDC doesn't even agree with Avery on this issue.

As I wrote earlier, I doubt this 'problem' has anything to do with using
manure as an amendment. It suggests that it has everything to do with human
hygienic practices during harvest (lettuce, tomatoes, bean sprouts,
whatever).

While I would agree that everyone handling manure should have a clear
understanding about what they are handling, it is not a new practice.
However, I challenge all of us to contact their local agricultural support
service and ask for information and guidance on proper composting and
application of manure on fields designated for fresh produce sales. These
are the organizations that must disseminate this information. Please, share
your findings with the group.

Del Williams
Farmer in the Del






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