Is it worth the extra $$

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

For a long time, and maybe even still - I've never gone back to check - Roundup was permissible in organic agriculture. At one point, it was THE only organic approved herbicide that allowed your farm to keep its USDA organic label...

Think I’m going to have to call for proof on that one...doesn’t pass the sniff test or a quick Google search.

 

[0wen]

Maybe not universally, but I personally know hydroponic growers that were given organic certification while using glyphosates. Layes 2000s, early 2010s. No idea if it's still current, again, I've never gone back, or if it's the same for in earth growers.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Maybe not universally, but I personally know hydroponic growers that were given organic certification while using glyphosates. Layes 2000s, early 2010s. No idea if it's still current, again, I've never gone back, or if it's the same for in earth growers.

There were some reports of hydroponic farms being set up on land that had recently been treated with glyphosates...but are you saying they were using it in the hydroponic system? Or under the greenhouse?

An update:

On June 3, 2019, the USDA clarified its standards regarding organic crop container systems, requiring that container-based operations must also stop using synthetic chemicals not approved for organic crop production for three years prior to achieving certification, both in the containers as well as on the soil underneath.)

 

[0wen]

There were some reports of hydroponic farms being set up on land that had recently been treated with glyphosates...but are you saying they were using it in the hydroponic system? Or under the greenhouse?

An update:

On June 3, 2019, the USDA clarified its standards regarding organic crop container systems, requiring that container-based operations must also stop using synthetic chemicals not approved for organic crop production for three years prior to achieving certification, both in the containers as well as on the soil underneath.)

Saying that prior to that, it wasn't uncommon for hydroponic farms to go all out with glyphosates just before certification. Not years earlier as your linked article states as the new standard after 2019.

 

[Chickassan]

Nope, not worth it.
IMHO organic is a layman's term for sucker when it comes to most things.
They cast a wide, wide, net using it to part conscientious well meaning folks from their money.
Just my HO.
In the future, i'd expect this to change but right now organic is a marketable buzzword.

 

[Craig Cowan]

Just a note about “ Organic Feed”
There are many types/ differences, and because of that
if someone chooses to use it - homework is in order.
I can’t afford “ Organic” all the time - but for the section of the year when I can ( when I’m working)
I purchase - Soy free. My reason ( from research) is Soy is
Estrogen Heavy,which I as a man do no need & which would be in my eggs !
Not so good for the Prostate.
Just my 2 cents

 

[BDutch]

Organic is required to sell certified organic eggs and meat. At least that's how it is here. I feed half organic and half not because I feed what my chickens like. But I have a good friend who is a certified organic farmer. He has state regulators come out to his farm regularly for him to be able to put that little stamp on his eggs, broilers, fruits, veggies, etc. He has to jump through major hoops: no inorganic fertilizers, no pesticides, organic animal feed, no antibiotics. They take soil samples and animal feed samples. And his farm is an itty bitty farm. That's why he charges more for his goods. Gotta pay for the effort and all the dang regulations.

So he, and others, feed organic because they have to. Vicious cycle, really.

ETA: He does it for the good of the planet. Super nice and ecologically minded guy.

Why do the people who are doing the right thing for the planet have to pay for these certification, while the big industrial farmers who pollute our environment don’t have to pay for the damage they do to our environment. Not fair and dangerous!

 

[BDutch]

...
I don't think the other non organic stuff is poisoned, I can't see a company purposely poisoning their food just because it's the cheap stuff. Sadly a lot of bad info and propaganda has been taken for gospel in the circles. When you think about it, every time there is a food recall because of a listeria outbreak or salmonella or something, it always seems to be the organic stuff that's being recalled, so one could argue, how much better is it really for you?

There is a company out here, I guess you could call it a grain mill? They sell bagged feed, a lot of ground up stuff, and it smells a bit citrusy too. Price is a little higher than the TSC discount feed, about even with their band name or 'average'feed. The birds seem to like it but unlike the pellets, it seems to have quite a bit more dust / flour? to it, so I wonder how much gets wasted to that? Chickens are NOT neat eaters no matter how hard you try. Stuff is always full of weevils too, which while some may find unpleasant, the chickie poos love the little mobile snacks

Aaron

GMO corn and soy, produced in Brazil contains a lot of poison to let it grow. The genetic modification they made was that the crops are resilient against poison. The wild weeds that are a pain in the ass for an optimised harvest are eliminated with poison . Residues stay on the soy and corn.
The corn and soy plants don’t die from it. But the wild weeds and the people and animals who live nearby do get sick and even die sometimes, pregnant woman have many miscarriages.
The big / huge farmers are still expanding the fields. The rainforests with there ecosystems are getting smaller and more CO2 goes into the air.
The banking system and trade organisations and farmers in my country all contribute to this unhealthy business. We have far too much livestock in our country which causes health problems too. And the soil is polluted with the enormous amount of poo from all the imported feed.
So my conclusion is: I don’t want to contribute to this live sickening GMO industry.

note: not all GMO developments are for poison-resistance.

ps. Unfortunately I can’t buy non GMO feed here from local mills that isn’t expensive. Its either organic (non GMO) or without label (containing GMO).

 

[Alohacayo]

Just a note about “ Organic Feed”
There are many types/ differences, and because of that
if someone chooses to use it - homework is in order.
I can’t afford “ Organic” all the time - but for the section of the year when I can ( when I’m working)
I purchase - Soy free. My reason ( from research) is Soy is
Estrogen Heavy,which I as a man do no need & which would be in my eggs !
Not so good for the Prostate.
Just my 2 cents

Not to be difficult, but um, eggs come exclusively from a female estrogen producing animal…from the organs that only produce when estrogen in that animal is high enough. Animal milk products work the same way.

Each egg contains approx 250 nano grams of estrogen.

Asian countries have been eating soy products since before anyone wrote a (diet) book. Considering they are one of the most healthy, longest lived populations and they eat (on average) 30-50 milligrams of estrogen per day…

If there’s a problem with humans or our animals eating soy, the pacific rim countries would surely have a bunch of DD males running around.

Just food for thought. (Sorry couldn’t resist!)

Good in depth roundup of studies here:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623820302926

 

[BDutch]

The main problem with soy in aminal feed is that, in general, its gmo soy and contains residues of poisons (round up).
If you eat the eggs and meat from non organic fed chickens you will eat small amounts of residues too.
There is prove that eating too much gmo feed can cause miscarriages with cattle and pigs. I don’t know what the effects are when you eat many eggs or meat from animals fed with gmo/poisoned soy. But I ‘d rather be safe than sorry. The feed industry’s number 1 concern is making money. And it’s not caring for peoples / animal health .