permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: SERA: (was: Organic History and more).
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 18:41:18 -0600
From: Douglas Hinds <cedecor@GMX.NET>
Reply-To: Douglas Hinds <cedecor@gmx.net>
Organization: CeDeCoR, A. C.
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU
References: <03112110103400.00597@linux>

Hello Mike & other saneters following this thread,

In response to your post sent Friday, November 21, 2003  in which
you stated:

MM> This issue also had a link to the article on the new appeals
MM> process or the lack of an appeals process which now gives the
MM> USDA total control over what is acceptable in "USDA Organic".

At least five years back on this list this writer periodically
pointed out that given the wording of OFPA (the Organic Food
Production Act of 1990), rather than represent a consistent set of
Principles and Practices (the traditional definition of Organic as
applied to Farming and Food), the word Organic would come to mean
whatever the USDA said it meant: certified by a USDA approved third
party certifier - no more and no less.

Therefore, I'm far from surprised.

MM> Organic grows don't have to worry about contamination from
MM> GEO's, Genetically Engineered Organisms, as the Canadian article
MM> calls them. The cancer that will kill the Organic Program is
MM> growing right inside the USDA.

Mike, "the Organic Program" should not to be confused with organic
food production nor organic food.

The reason: Organic food production adhere's to a basic set of
principals that not only continue to exist, they're derived from
natural evolutionary processes. Whether the organic MARKET is
co-opted or not is hardly relevant, since consumers want what
the word Organic has come to signify, and both the principles and
the food produced in congruence with those principles are just as
sustaining (or life giving) as ever. While a time lag may occur
before the bees find the honey, that's the worst that can happen.

Labels you see, are simply not the same as sustaining food. In fact,
the foreseeable imperfections OFPA and it's implementation have
motivated a plethora of new and often ingenious classifications.

Furthermore, problem solving creatures that we are, the science and
art of living and working in harmony with nature continues to
evolve.  For instance - another concept I've discussed in the past:
Socially and Ecologically Responsible Agriculture, now has a
Sustainable Agriculture email list associated with it.

The Socially and Ecologically Responsible Agriculture email
discussion group is a moderated list targeted at Sustainable
Agriculture Activists interested in contributing to the definition,
solution and support of any of the many questions, issues and tasks
that may arise when someone decides to farm and live in harmony with
both nature and social values.

Those subscribing believe that Socially and Ecologically Responsible
Agriculture signifies an equitable and integral approach to farming,
an activity involving myriad, whole living organisms (some of which
are human) within multiple, biological and social systems.

No one subscribing considers using, promoting or eating GM crops to
be sustainable and on the Socially and Ecologically Responsible
Agriculture email discussion group, sterile and distracting
conflicts are either totally absent or very short lived (in fact,
none have arisen, to date). Coincidentally, the Socially and
Ecologically Responsible Agriculture email discussion group's
moderators are also sanet members whom all of you already know.

The Socially and Ecologically Responsible Agriculture Discussion
Group is open to interested parties located anywhere in the world.
If enough interest is generated, the formation of a Socially and
Ecologically Responsible Agricultural Development Institute is also
contemplated. The objectives, strategies and activities of the
Socially and Ecologically Responsible Agricultural Development
Institute (SERADI) will be discussed on SERA.

SERA's protocols include the use of pure rather than html text and
frowns on remailing full quotes (often with scarce additions),
except when these are relevant to the current post. Other
suggestions in this regard are also welcome.

Sanet members who view agriculture as a biological and social
activity and are interested in subscribing to SERA can do so by
visiting: http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/sera

You'll be in good company.

Douglas

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--
L.F.London
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech