We started organic farming 8 years ago. At that time the USDA had nothing to do with it. I'm not sure who started the term, "Orgainc" as referred to food.
We could not use any herbicides or pesticides or chemical fertilizers on the field. The seeds could not be chemically treated as well. The tilling devices, the seeding equipment, and the harvest equipment could not have been used on any field which had been chemically treated without being well cleaned. We were inspected yearly to be sure these rules were adhered to. We further had to upgrade our heads yearly with ag classes taught by Ag professors with subjects varying but on the topics of "back to nature", the dangers of chemicals, and stuff bringing us up to date on the vast new topic of soil bacteriology.
The problem was, really big corporate U.S. plantation type operations have a hard time being organic. They have more land than they can keep track of, so they routinely spray herbicides and insecticides and fertilizers and anything else that might increase the yeald. The "big" corporate ag'ers had the advantage because they could supply the big time processors and packers with promises of big deliveries. For this they were able to get higher prices than the small growers were. For a long time "brokers" would buy up commodities from small growers at a small price until they had a volumn large enough to gain the interest of the major food processors, then sell like a major producer. It all sort of ties to the major "super-Market" retail disribution monopolies. All went well for awhile, But small growers were selling out, and shortages diappeared, and most of the brokers disappeared.
When a demand for unchemically treated food arose, due at first to a demand from persons with alergies, then the demand really took off with the "Mad Cow" desease panic, small growers had the real advantage. The small grower can grow what the soil naterally wants to grow, he does not artifically chemically restucture the soil to grow what the "market" predicts will bring the best price, a common pratice for the "Corporate" guys, headed by "suits" in a city office somewhere.
Senator McCain was the first to challage us with a "add-on" to the "Terrorst Act", that cattle could be certified "Organic" for beef and milk, even though they had been feed feeds that were not certified. A number of us complained, and that particular "add-on" disappeared.
I don't know how or why, but next the USDA decides to take over the organic operation. It was but 2 years ago, that the term "USDA" started being printed on my "Organic" certificate.
For some reason, an Administration that takes great pride in everything "privatized", decided to de-privatize the "Organic" food program.
The first thing they did was to inform us that indeed, certain chemicals could be used and the results could still be certified as "Organic"(?)...
Further, I was not informed this summer of any extension classes to attend.
Who knows where this is going to end? What "Organic" means is now in the hands of a Washington Buracracy. Confused? I am...
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I am interested in making more people aware that topsoil pollution exceeds air and/or water pollution in the united states...
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