Why Organic?

[seedcorn]

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Modern Ag also uses manure as a fertilizer. In the 70's it was considered a waste product, now it's fertilizer.

Really? My great grandparents used manure spreaders in the fields. They where horse drawn, wood framed, with a belt a rotating drum run of the axle. That was way before the 70's

Manure and compost making good fertilizer is not new by any means.

I'm sorry I should have defined "uses". In the past, people spread manure in the fields nearest the barn--convienent and quick. Manure was not seen as a solution to a problem. IF you took a soil sample around old farm lots, the P and K levels would astound you. P levels are almost to toxic waste levels. Now we identify places in fields that are best served w/manure and place it there.

Most backyard animal people do the same today. Modern Ag would be shut down if we put that level of P and K our fields today. Way too much run off when rains hit, especially in spring coming off of frozen ground. Modern Ag is environmentally friendly, we monitor run off in water.

For giggles, those of you that have hogs, chickens or cattle in confined pen on ground, take a soil sample and have it analysed.

 

[Talihofarms]

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I have seen the same scinerio in some of the neighbor hoods in Chicago.
6 blocks from our Obama's home.
These people are 100% subsidized since the day they were born.
They never ate organic food in their life......Lame comparison.......

 

[buddymc]

It's easy for me. The old saying.... "You are what you eat" and I prefer not to be full of chemicals, pesticides and GMO food that started out in the lab. I also am very apposed to Monsanto. Watch "Food Inc." or read Michael Pollen (sp?). Might give you a different perspective.

 

[Talihofarms]

Quote:
Modern Ag also uses manure as a fertilizer. In the 70's it was considered a waste product, now it's fertilizer.

Really? My great grandparents used manure spreaders in the fields. They where horse drawn, wood framed, with a belt a rotating drum run of the axle. That was way before the 70's

Manure and compost making good fertilizer is not new by any means.

I would like someone to explain to me why human waste is accepted as a fertilizer on non organic crops?
Never used in a legal organic operation.

I prefer to fertize with my animals manure, and not the burnt waste of humans.
My customers tend to agree.

Simple economics determine what the customers want, over the last 10 years we have converted 3 of our 7 farms and ranches to all organic.
I still spend money on Monsanto products and make money on grain. Do I eat the grain I produce?
No.

I do eat Organic Pastured pork and poultry as well as some of the best grass fed beef.
And purchase a majority of my food as 100% organic.
I have the same beliefs as my good friend Bill Kurtis.
I don't belive any one should be forced to eat anything weather it is GMO or Organic.
It boils down to nothing other than choice, I choose Oganic all the way.......

My choice...

 

[vmdanielsen]

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[vmdanielsen]

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[vmdanielsen]

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I prefer to eat organic, but do sometimes eat non organic food. But if all food was labeled, and I KNEW which foods contained more GMO's.., I would make better(or different) choices. For example, choose food with the least GMOs or give them all up entirely. Keeping ingredients and their sources is keeping a lot of the American public ignorant. If the general public (face it there are a lot of very ignorant people) really knew how much crap is in there food, would they really buy or would they make different choices?

Yes, sometimes people die of salmonella in raw milk. How many people die of illnesses related to ingested GMOs? We don't know that. We need to eat what our bodies recognize as food at the molecular level not necessarily what looks the prettiest.

Historically, First Ladies often take a political stand on a subject they feel strongly about. I find nothing distasteful about Michelle Obama fighting for something she believes in.

 

[vmdanielsen]

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thanks!


Wifezilla wrote:

Do these sound like the actions of a reputable company? A government with the people's best interest? Individuals concerned about consumer choices?

"WikiLeaked cables released over the weekend revealed more about the US’ role as a global bully, trying to thrust unpopular genetically modified (GM) crops onto cautious governments and their citizens. In a 2007 cable from Craig Stapleton, then US Ambassador to France, he encouraged the US government to “reinforce our negotiating position with the EU on agricultural biotechnology by publishing a retaliation list.” A list, he added, that “causes some pain across the EU since this is a collective responsibility.”"

"....cables show US diplomats working directly for GM companies such as Monsanto. "In response to recent urgent requests by [Spanish rural affairs ministry] state secretary Josep Puxeu and Monsanto, post requests renewed US government support of Spain's science-based agricultural biotechnology position through high-level US government intervention."

It also emerges that Spain and the US have worked closely together to persuade the EU not to strengthen biotechnology laws. In one cable, the embassy in Madrid writes: "If Spain falls, the rest of Europe will follow."

The cables show that not only did the Spanish government ask the US to keep pressure on Brussels but that the US knew in advance how Spain would vote, even before the Spanish biotech commission had reported."
http://www.gmwatch.org/index.php?option … p;id=12775

"The official U.S. position on genetically-modified organisms, also known as GMs or GMOs, is that there is no difference between them and natural organisms. Crafted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the position set forth to the Codex Alimentarius Committee on the issue goes even further to suggest that no country should be able to require mandatory GMO labeling on food items, even though science shows that GMOs act differently in the body than do natural organisms and are a threat to health.

A group of over 80 food processors, farmers and consumer organizations has sent an official letter to Michael Taylor, deputy commission at the FDA, and Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of agriculture at the USDA, protesting the official U.S. position, citing the fact that it creates "significant problems" for all U.S. food producers that wish to label their products as being GMO-free.

Not only is there no mandatory labeling of products sold in the U.S. that contain GMO ingredients, but the FDA and USDA now want to prohibit the labeling of products that do not contain GMO ingredients. In other words, the FDA and USDA are trying to outlaw truth in labeling and are openly working deceive the public."
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/029168_GMO_foods_labeling.html#ixzz1InHBQAJp

Even if GMOs were all they were cracked up to be, I would still make sure not a single dime of my money went to support companies like Monsanto because of their business practices.

thumbsup celebrate YAHHHHHHHHHH someone else has seen the truth......... There's so many many ways the government USDA and FDA are in bed together to keep there supporters happy it will make you sick, just thinking about how far they will go for money, power, and control. Don' t matter if they are making people sick, as long as the money keeps filling up there pockets. Everyday they think of new ways to undermine the people in favor of money, like the law change that allowed the spices to labeled as such when they are not spices at all but chemical preservatives, soy, ect. It's in reality getting worse, though a few people who fought for it did get a few things changed for the better. It's actually 2 steps forward 3 back. with these people. Kim


So true!!

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
Modern Ag also uses manure as a fertilizer. In the 70's it was considered a waste product, now it's fertilizer.

Really? My great grandparents used manure spreaders in the fields. They where horse drawn, wood framed, with a belt a rotating drum run of the axle. That was way before the 70's

Manure and compost making good fertilizer is not new by any means.

Manure was considered waste by LARGE factory farms because there was so much of it. Not like the family farms(like your grandparents and mine) that used it regularly for fertilizer.

 

[schellie69]

My 1st question is how am I supposed to know what foods to buy if they are not labeled, like my chicken feed say soy product I have no idea what type of soy was used. Without some type of labeling how is the consumer supposed to make a choice. I am live in farm country, my uncle and cousin or 2nd and 3rd generation farmers. They still have the farm thanks to my grandpa back in the 80's who did not go out and buy all that fancy new equipment he did buy some newer used equipment he was happy. Those tractors ect. are still being used on the farm. I don't blame the farmer for growing what sells they have to. To put food on the table and keep the farm, I know that my uncle worked a full time job worked the farm and my aunt worked full time. I agree with Katy don't blame or rag on Ag business a lot of these farms have been around a long time. I do blame the USDA and FDA for not having products labeled correctly if that was done then people could show with their money what they wanted as it is now we can't. I have no access here to organic chicken feed, unless I order on line and the shipping would be way to high. I guess all I can do is do the best I can grow as much of my own food and hope we get our own farm soon to grow all or most of our own food. By the way some really great posts and links.