Comments on organic farming

[BDutch]

Just a few comments to those who might feel guilted into "do I need to do organic feed?". This is just my opinion, read at your own risk.

1 organic crops are much more damaging to the planet and require significantly more fossil fuels to grow. This is mostly due to the fact that organic farming raises half as much produce per acre as non organic farming. If all farming was to be organic we would need to basically remove every forrest on earth to have enough space to raise enough food at this lower efficiency.

2 organic grains and foods are often lower in nutrient value than traditionally farmed foods. This is due to organic plants being grown in stressed environments with lower fertility, more pests and more weed competition. Most of the organic studies on this are done by extremely biased research. For instance, they will say higher levels of antioxidants, but that would be compared to water weight, then not factoring that the healthier conventional farmed produce retains water better.

3 most organic farming requires significantly more tilling, reducing soil organic matter and increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere. This is compounded by the need for more deforestation, and increased fuel use by more tillage. There is no till organic, but now you are talking 30% efficiency instead of half.

4 gone are the days of DDT and other dangerous pesticides. For instance the ld50, lethal dose estimated for humans, of a pyrethrin is enough to treat 100 acres of cropland at maximum labelled rate. If you try to drink the undiluted concentrate, you need to drink 3 gallons of it. Drinking 3 gallons of water alone all at once will kill you. A spoonful of pesticides from the 1960s like methamyl would kill you. They are banned now.

5. Other improvements in farming like no till or reduced till, cover crops, etc are most practical using non organic practices. This is better for our lakes rivers and streams.

6 eating organic is kind of like driving a Ferrari. It uses more fuel, is more dangerous to drive, but does prove you are richer than someone else.

I know this will ruffle some feathers here, but look for yourself beyond the myths Michael Moore is pumping the world with.

This is all bullshit.

Farming to produce as cheap as possible is much more damaging to the planet , the soil and our health.
It only takes about 3 years to change from poisoning the earth and soil to sustainable agriculture. And most farmers do this have the possibility to make the change.

There is proof that organic chicken feed is healthier.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-chicken-keeping.1192774/page-5#post-27388544

There is also proof that farmers who grow organic food are healthier than the ‘I don't care if I poison the soil’ farmers.

 

[BDutch]

Plenty. Do you have any evidence it's false?

Yes plenty.

One example. Bayer (round up) paid for a research at the university & research in Wageningen (NL) to prove the poisons were not damaging on crops for bees.
The outcome was that they couldn’t prove that (individual) poisons were killing the bees.

The university of Utrecht (NL) was conducting a similar research at the sane time. It also looked into cocktails of poisons. This research was not paid for by a commercial institute. There conclusions were: the bees get weak and die easily of diseases. If the levels were high they get sick and die of the poisons they harvest from the crops.
There were discussions in the news because of the differences. General conclusion was: don’t trust research that is paid for by the commerce. They only publish what is good for their commerce. And the outcomes often get twisted (leaving out what is not what they like to see).

I will search for these reports If you solemnly swear you will change your mind about organic farming and give excuses for false statements after I publish it here.

 

[BDutch]

You want to do chemical farming? Be my guest, just consider the prevailing winds so I don't get your carcinogenic chemicals in my yard.

Considering the prevailing wind is not what chemical farmers in my country do.
Ever heard of the sickening cocktails they use in Lily-farming?. People who live around such a field often get sick, get painful eyes and trouble with breathing.

And our government doesn’t do a thing to change the rules and regulations . People who suit (law) the farmer with the demand to stop were harassed. There cars were damaged and more. These farmers are .

 

[Red Mangrove]

Current era poisons are just as damaging to humans and the environment as ever. In fact there's substantial evidence that poison is the leading factor behind the obesity epidemic

Right now humans, lab animals, zoo animals and wild animals are all significantly more fat than 100 years ago even when fed completely identical diets. So there's something not being quantified in most dietary experiments

And here's the answer. It's quite horrifying honestly

 

[saysfaa]

...

And here's the answer. It's quite horrifying honestly

Chris van Tulleken talks about several of these things in his book Ultra-Processed People. I found it more encouraging and helpful than the info in the link. Full disclosure, I'm only half or two thirds of the way through the book.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

There is proof that organic chicken feed is healthier.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-chicken-keeping.1192774/page-5#post-27388544

I don't have an axe in this. You can feed yourself whatever you want. Not my money, not my body, not my decision.

Regarding organic chicken feed, however, I will say READ THE LABEL. It is VERY difficult to get adequate levels of Methionine from currently available crops for use in formulating organic animal feeds. You can want the absolute best for your birds, and be willing to pay a significant price premium, and still find that your organic options provide just barely enough Met to meet maintenance levels for adult production birds - but are WELL SHY the levels needed to support healthy growth of hatchlings and adolescents.

Not that non-Organic is superior, but its sure easier to reach desired Met levels with non-Organic sourcing.

Eventually, that may change as market forces dictate - but it remains true for most people in most locations at present.