Organic Farming

[mentalfloss]

I would actually have no problem with industrial farming as far as food quality goes.. but it eventually kills the soil and makes the land useless. Hopefully at some point, the supply can catch up with the need to switch to organic farming so that people aren't paying through the roof for that kind of produce.

 

[Tonington]

Novartis, Agrevo, and DuPont can be added to the list.

Novartis? What's a pharmaceutical doing on this list?

 

[damngrumpy]

Commercial farming does not have to kill the soil, if we don't use certain methods that
are up front cheaper but in the long run do serious damage. The problem is not farm
practices, its industrial farm practices. There are many non organic farmers that do it
right. The large scale corporate farm organizations have little to with the operation of
family farms.
Talloola raised a good point, certified is harder to get, but that does not mean it has
actually been inspected because in many cases it is not, in fact in most cases it is not.
The paper trail has been inspected the actual crop and and farm is not the whole thing
is an honour based system. Soil testing and spot unannounced inspections are the only
way to keep everyone honest. Just organic, means take my word for it, ya right.
Again the real organic farmers and the good intentions and respect they had is being
eroded by the certifiers and the importers. Real organic farmers are business people
and I have a lot of respect for them. Their view is since organic, became a religion,
things are not as good. Too many people blindly defend the system they know little
about, and no criticism is welcome. When that happens the shucksters move in and
they quickly misrepresent the profit to make a buck and when its exposed they make
off with the cash and leave the honest people holding the bag and they have to build
the reputation back. A whole lot of serious policing of the industry has to be done.
The other problem is, the higher cost is not reflective of the food value or the growing
method. Much of that additional cost comes from the multiple commissions made
by the certifiers, every time the product moves to the next part of the process. For
example, farmer sells to broker, commission, Broker sells to Wholesaler, commission
Wholesaler sells to retailer, commission, and retailer sells to consumer commission.
That commission is anywhere from one and a half percent to three percent. With that
much money involved, what incentive would the certifier have to reprimand a dishonest
farmer. Its about paper work and money, the consumer and believer in organics be
damned. I say it is not fair to honest organic growers and many have problems paying
the fees, because they are following the rules.

 

[talloola]

Commercial farming does not have to kill the soil, if we don't use certain methods that
are up front cheaper but in the long run do serious damage. The problem is not farm
practices, its industrial farm practices. There are many non organic farmers that do it
right. The large scale corporate farm organizations have little to with the operation of
family farms.
Talloola raised a good point, certified is harder to get, but that does not mean it has
actually been inspected because in many cases it is not, in fact in most cases it is not.
The paper trail has been inspected the actual crop and and farm is not the whole thing
is an honour based system. Soil testing and spot unannounced inspections are the only
way to keep everyone honest. Just organic, means take my word for it, ya right.
Again the real organic farmers and the good intentions and respect they had is being
eroded by the certifiers and the importers. Real organic farmers are business people
and I have a lot of respect for them. Their view is since organic, became a religion,
things are not as good. Too many people blindly defend the system they know little
about, and no criticism is welcome. When that happens the shucksters move in and
they quickly misrepresent the profit to make a buck and when its exposed they make
off with the cash and leave the honest people holding the bag and they have to build
the reputation back. A whole lot of serious policing of the industry has to be done.
The other problem is, the higher cost is not reflective of the food value or the growing
method. Much of that additional cost comes from the multiple commissions made
by the certifiers, every time the product moves to the next part of the process. For
example, farmer sells to broker, commission, Broker sells to Wholesaler, commission
Wholesaler sells to retailer, commission, and retailer sells to consumer commission.
That commission is anywhere from one and a half percent to three percent. With that
much money involved, what incentive would the certifier have to reprimand a dishonest
farmer. Its about paper work and money, the consumer and believer in organics be
damned. I say it is not fair to honest organic growers and many have problems paying
the fees, because they are following the rules.

yes, many, probably most are following the rules, but some won't, and the buyer is tricked by that.
but with anything, it is always buyer beware, and one should look into the source of his purchases
when buying organic, or anything else for that matter.

 

[L Gilbert]

Novartis? What's a pharmaceutical doing on this list?

They go hand in hand. Sometimes they merge, sometimes the pharmceutical company develops a subsidiary because of the similarities in research, etc.

Corporate Watch : Advanta : Overview

Biotechnology and Development Monitor, No. 44/45, p. 26-31.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

On small plots of land, backyards, in Vancouver East especially, you see very intensive gardens (farms?) growing a large amount of food. They don't use chemicals or anything toxic as far as I know. This is the kind of farming that is European, small scale, but successful. The food tastes better than store bought and is very productive. They use a lot of animal manure.