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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Organic scionwood?

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  • From: "road's end farm" <organic101@linkny.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Organic scionwood?
  • Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2002 22:08:53 -0500

Hi Fluf --

Organic scionwood would presumably be scionwood taken from trees under organic management.

It's currently permissible to use conventionally produced planting stock to produce an organic perennial crop, as long as the plants are under organic management for at least a year before the first harvest that's sold as organic; and as long as the variety is not available organically grown. Certified producers are required to use organically grown planting stock if the variety is "commercially available". (What exactly the USDA will turn out to mean by the phrase "commercially available" is a matter of some concern.)

We've been required to use organically produced vegetable transplants for annual crops for some years now (at least by NOFA-NY; the Federal government is just now starting to enforce the USDA regulation).

Presuming that you're not selling crop or trees as organically grown, you might not care. Scionwood from trees doing well under organic management elsewhere might be better for organic production even if the production isn't for sale, as it would show that the variety would do well under those conditions. If you're not trying to grow organically, then you probably don't care.

If the nursery is now selling as organically produced, they should be able to name the certifier; at least if they're grossing over $5000.

I'd like to know what nursery this is. There's very little organically grown planting stock out there.

-- Rivka

On Wednesday, November 6, 2002, at 09:23 PM, fuwa fuwa usagi wrote:

Gang:

I just read of this term in an on-line nursery catalog. What is "organic scionwood", or perhpas better yet is there a particualr reason one would care? Is this merely a marketing ploy is there a valid reason I would want "organic scionwood".






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