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Across the Fence:  "ORGANIC" FOOD RULE  |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 11 2007 : 8:22:18 PM
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I really didn't know where to put this, and i didn't want to put it just in Food stuff, so i figured it would be something to talk about 'across the fence.' This was in our paper written by a reporter from the LA times. Scott J. Wilson. I won't copy the whole article because it is 3 pages long. Here is the gist. Maybe one could access the LA times and get the whole article.
"Organic food rule could have up to 38 loopholes:
With the "USDA Organic" seal stamped on its lable, Anheuser-Busch calls it Wild Hop Lager "the perfect organic experience".
But beer drinkers may not know Anheuser-Busch got the organic blessing from the federal regulators even though Wild Hop Lager uses hops grown with CHEMICAL fertilizers and sprayed with PESTICIDES.The agency is considering a proposal to allow 38 non-organic ingredients to be used in organic foods. Because of the broad uses of these ingredients---as spices, colorings and flavorings for example--almost any type of manufactored food could be affected, including organic milk, cereal, sausages, bread and beer.
"This proposal is blatant catering to powerful industry players who want the benefit of labeling their products 'USDA organic' without doing the work to source organic materials" said the executive director of the Organic Consumers Association.
USDA spokeswoman declined comment.
And so it goes. It really upsets me because it kicks the small farmer in the behind. MaryBeth
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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herbquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
891 Posts
Kristine
Bonney Lake
Wa
USA
891 Posts |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2007 : 9:13:47 PM
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Do I respond to this...no, don't get me started. Well maybe, oh boy, where to start. Typical example of powerful corporate players intimidating (read paying off) government...corruption at it's finest.
How do you feel it kicks the small farmer, MaryBeth?? (sincere question) My observation here is that it actually benefits us little guys, as the informed public no longer trusts the big guys and leans more and more on the small, local organic farmers. Your thoughts??
Di
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2007 : 10:13:16 PM
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In some ways I believe that is true Diane. Mainly with people who try to be in the know. I was raised in a nutrition aware family and to always question what i felt may not be right. While I still don't know too much I have met people who still don't read labels and think that if some thing says "organic" than it is OK. They might not know that, lets say, the apple claiming to be organic came from New Zealand and farmer john down the road has less traveled and maybe better apples. I was in a rush and bought some carrots, in a bag, I didn't read the label until I came home. It said packaged in Ohio, Organic in california and the a product of Mexico---So what was it? And I guess how it may hurt the small farmer is the fact that there will be loopholes for the biggies and not much to trickle down. So I guess the bottom line is to be informed. I guess I get upset because I cannot articulate what I mean. So please help and inform me. MaryBeth
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2007 : 10:46:19 PM
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I find it hard to articulate too MaryBeth, particularly on the subject of our food, which is one I feel very strongly about. Mostly I find it hard to keep my anger under control and not become totally paranoid about our food supply/system. The more I try and learn, the more I find there is to learn and the more I distrust. Who or what is one to believe? Like you, I bought tomatoes that were "BC Hothouse"...great, from British Columbia...no wait, grown in Mexico!! What the... oh, "BC Hothouse" is the name of the importing company...grrrr. Now how misleading is that??? And about those fresh snap peas...organic from China. Ya right!
I went last week to a big superstore here to pick up a couple of things and I was just appalled at what is sold to people as "food". Absolutely empty calorie garbage. It should be illegal. Juice drinks with 2% real fruit juice, sugar water at half the price of real fruit juice. I find it so so sad that this stuff is being fed to growing little kids. Greedy manufacturers with no conscience.
Somebody please tell me I'm wrong and over-reacting.
Di
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Edited by - DaisyFarm on Jun 11 2007 10:56:11 PM |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
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Cindy Lee
True Blue Farmgirl
510 Posts
Cindy
Sparks
Nevada
USA
510 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2007 : 1:00:58 PM
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Diane, you are NOT over-reacting! I am always amazed at the things people will buy and feed their families! Not to mention the fact that profit minded companies don't seem to mind as long as the money is there for the taking!
I always fed my kids well and we couldn't afford any "boxed" stuff, it was always from scratch. But I have to tell you, I've been eating organic for about a year now and I feel very bad about not doing while my kids were little. I didn't know better but now that I know, I do feel sad about it! |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2007 : 8:34:08 PM
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I feel the same way about my girls when they were growing up Cindy, but I don't think we should be too hard on ourselves. For one thing, I don't think any of us really questioned our food supply 20+ years ago like we do today. Also, there wasn't the organic and wholefood choices that there are today. There were many things that my girls were never allowed to have like KoolAid and sweetened boxed cereal and that kind of stuff and I did my best to make healthy meals from scratch. But in hindsight I probably could have done better too. At least we cared.
Di |
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Cindy Lee
True Blue Farmgirl
510 Posts
Cindy
Sparks
Nevada
USA
510 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2007 : 10:39:38 PM
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Diane, You really made me think about feeding my kids and you're right, at the time I was making good choices about what they ate! This has been really bugging me and you managed to make me feel better about it, THANKS! Now all I can do is hope that the way I eat now will make a good impression on them and they will feed my future grandchildren well! We can't go back can we?
If life gives you scraps, make quilts! |
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Leezard
True Blue Farmgirl
950 Posts
Elizabeth
Novi
MI
USA
950 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 07:26:46 AM
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We've been working quite hard at getting our food directly from the farmer whenever possible. I like the idea of knowing where my food comes from and how it was raised. This organic deal with the government involved really has become a mess and it's really unfortunate for people who don't/can't take the time to research the companies that are saying their products are organic. And it's unfortunate for the people who aren't local to farmers to purchase the food directly. It does seem like more people are wising up though and CSAs and the like are becoming more available which is a good thing! It's frustrating how loopholes and money make a mess of something that's supposed to be good.
http://ruby--slippers.blogspot.com/
www.leezard.etsy.com |
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Celticheart
True Blue Farmgirl
811 Posts
Marcia
WA
USA
811 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 1:50:44 PM
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We moved to our little farm(7 acres) last May--you can read about it in another post on A Farm of My Own, third page under Empty Farm Houses. The weekend after we moved we planted a big garden and it was beautiful and produced well. It was probably the best garden we've ever had. This year we made it even bigger with the idea of selling the excess. If you read the other post you'll see that we live on a main highway and everything we do or have done is scrutinized by the people who drive by and there is alot of curiosity about what's going on here.
I have an ongoing problem with the organic versus chemicals with my dad and sometimes my DH. They've both been involved with or around farming for a long time but with much disdain for the idea of 'Organic.' My DH is really starting to come around. He's done some studying and is seeing that you can get good results the organic way. I've had a couple of recent conversations with my dad that went like this: He told my DH we needed to spray something I can't remember on the onions or they'd get eaten by the maggots. DH said he didn't think he'd get very far with that idea with me and told him I'd read that if you apply wood ashes at the base of the plants it would accomplish the same thing. Guess what? Dad said "Well yes it will, but she'll have to do it more often." I'm doing it and it works fine. Next conversation was directly with him and other family present when he told me we had a 'white fly problem' and needed to spray with (?)Malathion, I think. My DH choked and snorted beer out of his nose. I asked dad if there was a safer alternative we could try first and he immediately replied "Sure, nicotine." DH and I talked about this later. It's obvious to me that my dad is a wealth of knowledge about this stuff. He was raised on a fruit ranch during the 30's and 40's BEFORE the use of chemicals was common. Talk about stubborn. He forgets that my grandpa said all those chemicals would kill us.
My husband was at the local grocery store a few weeks ago and people were questioning him about why we have planted such a huge garden. They told him that produce is cheap and is wasn't that cost effective. He went over to the produce counter and picked up two things. He asked, "Do you know where your food comes from? These are from Mexico and Guatamala. I know where my food comes from. Eat local." We're also raising beef--Red Angus-Gelvieh--chickens and eggs and pigs, which we've raised for years. He came up with the idea of raising organic beef because there's a market for it. I think he gets it!
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2007 : 5:02:08 PM
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Wow! Good for you Marcia. I was just talking with a local farmer and he said the same thing Di said about people being more aware and how what is going on with the Government antics does help the local farmer. And Marcia you are right about farming before the 40's and the use of chemicals being common.
Be aware, read labels and buy local. MB
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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Across the Fence: "ORGANIC" FOOD RULE |
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"ORGANIC" FOOD RULE
