To: nafex mailing list at ibiblio <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [nafex] Antibiotics for Organic Apples
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:32:41 -0400 (GMT-04:00)
Certain antibiotics are already approved for use on pears and apples labelled
as USDA Organic. This was the status quo. That status is up for renewal in
2014.
I was shocked as well when I read about it a few months ago in a Fruit
Growers News article.
I'm also a little surprised at those who say antibiotics are necessary to
grow even organic apples and pears. Lots of us NAFEXers have been growing
apples and pears without using antibiotics. I think a more accurate
assertion would be something like, "Antibiotics are needed to grow certain
well-known, but fireblight-susceptible, apple and pear cultivars on a
commercial scale.