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market-farming - RE: [Market-farming] Agroterrorism

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  • From: "Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: RE: [Market-farming] Agroterrorism
  • Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 19:55:58 -0600

Jill Taylor Bussiere wrote:
> Wow, Rick. If you take Dennis Avery as a reliable source - I don't even
> know what to say. Wow.

Could you be a bit more specific? As a middle of the roader, I don't do knee
jerking like those on the extremes and look at things with an open mind. NO
one, and I mean NO one is 100% right or 100% wrong. That is where the folks
on the extreme fall down. It is generally a matter of degree.

In order to criticize someone like Avery, you need to give some examples of
where he is wrong. I think you would find it difficult to do that.

How about criticizing anyone who makes unsubstantiated statements (or in the
case of this list, incredible lies such as the use of hormones in poultry
feed) and yet provide not a shred of evidence.?

I will criticize anyone who is dishonest. Even people that I may agree with.
It is a failing I guess of being the middle path type of person who is also
outspoken:)

Whether I liked Dennis Avery or not, or even agreed with him most of the
time (or disagreed), was not the main issue in my critique of his debate
with Joel Salatin. If I had debated Avery, I think that I would have done
better than Joel did.

But the folks on the organic side of farming do need some science to help
them if they really want to increase markets. They do have some science in
terms of some environmental issues, but they also have some problems there
as well because some organic practices are harder on the environment
compared with some of the newer technological ones. They have to come to
terms with that.

I know that some of the folks in the organic movement have said this year
that they are going to start to invest in some serious studies to help prove
the efficacy of organic. My personal view is that it will be very difficult
in terms of proving content of vitamins, nutrients, etc. They already have
done some good work on proving lower levels of pesticides in organic
compared with conventional. At least some of the pesticides, since they
don't measure pesticide residues of so called "organic" chemicals that are
permitted. Chemicals that we would never use on our farm.

Organic also needs to rethink what is IN your food as well as what is NOT IN
your food. This is one area they have failed miserably. And this is doubly
true with the certifiers who are openly hostile to the NOP's token
requirement for livestock to have some access to a natural environment.
Organic needs to go a LONG way to even begin to meet what we do on our farm
when it comes to a more natural livestock environment.

We won't even buy so called organic eggs anymore at the bloated price that
they expect, considering the deplorable conditions that the chickens are
kept in. And the egg quality reflects it with the pathetic yolks just like
conventional eggs.

Free range? Not organic ones from anything we have seen. You have to get
them from more sustainable agriculture farmers, at least you do in our area.

Sincerely,

Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Direct marketed dairy beef and produce
(also dairy heifers and beef stockers)
Viroqua, WI






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