Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] unsustainable organic farming/ was organic seeds

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost AT gilanet.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] unsustainable organic farming/ was organic seeds
  • Date: Thu, 06 May 2004 01:18:43 -0600


I must protest to the moderator (and the listowner) over this wholesale
misrepresentation of what I say. I've not directed any derogatory comment to
specific individuals here. Yet I'm personally targeted, accused of "bashing
people who choose to be certified", and my posts show I've done nothing of
the sort. And again, "accusing certified organic farmers of farming
unsustainably is just plain wrong" ??? I made no such accusation, as my
previous post clearly shows. My crime apparently is simply pointing out that
the federal standards do NOT require any "soil fertility program" or crop
rotation, and do NOT require sustainable practices to build soil health. When
people claim they are "required" to do that, they are not required by the
federal organic standards, only by the need to rebuild their soil (or
possibly by state organic standards), which is simply not the same thing as a
federal requirement, and this shows a basic flaw in the federal organic
program. I've pointed to the same specific statements made by Elliot Coleman,
who does not get accused of bashing organic farmers. Many organic farmers
have made the same statements and tried to call attention to the problems
with the federal standards. I don't think they can all be accused of "bashing
people who choose to be certified".

Coleman himself wrote: "Although getting toxic chemicals out of agriculture
is an improvement we can all applaud, it only removes the negatives. The
positive focus, enhancing the biological quality of the food produced, is
nowhere to be seen. The new standards are based on what not to do rather than
what to do. They will be administered through the USDA, whose director said
recently, "Organic food does not mean it is superior, safer, or more healthy
than conventional food." ".
http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/main/authentic/beyond.html

I don't expect this list to be "for" or "against" organics or anything else.
I do expect people should be free to express differing views in a civilized
manner without being flamed and misrepresented.

paul tradingpost AT gilanet.com

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 5/5/2004 at 8:40 PM IdleThymeFarm AT aol.com wrote:

>In a message dated 5/5/2004 5:23:50 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
>tradingpost AT gilanet.com writes:
>The fact is, federal standards don't require anybody to replenish the life
>of
>the soil with organic fertilizers, earthworms, etc. etc.
>I completely disagree with this. I am REQUIRED to have a soil fertility
>program including the use of green manure crops. I am also required to
>maintain an
>intensive rotation program on all 120 fields to prevent disease. Look, I
>do
>not want to be controversial but it does not sound like you are completely
>familiar with the standards. I am not a "certified organic" purist. I
>support
>everyone where they are, but accusing certified organic farmers of farming
>unsustainably is just plain wrong. Every certified organic farmer that I
>know is
>constantly working to increase soil fertility utilising the above
>mentioned
>techniques and a slew of others. Please stop the bashing of people who
>choose to be
>certified.
>
>Shelly Elliott
>Idle Thyme Farm
>www.IdleThymeFarms.com
>
>A place where time stands still, where back to nature is simply a way of
>life!
>
>_______________________________________________
>Market-farming mailing list
>Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>
>Get the list FAQ at: http://www.marketfarming.net/mflistfaq.htm







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page