Last night on the NBC national newscast, under health issues, there was a segment on ORGANIC. And unlike most of what I see on television, much of what was said could have come from my mouth! First, organic usually costs more. Second, organic takes more work. Third, organic does not have harmful pesticides (I would have said petrochemicals; people can use organic pesticides that kill honeybees).
Finally, the part I was most excited about: making choices based on the most sprayed and toxic food that is raised conventionally - and that is what I have been saying to people for years - avoid strawberries, spinach, peppers, potatoes, stone fruit like peaches, cherries, plums unless you KNOW they have not been sprayed.
I was amazed and impressed by this calm, rational segment that gave people sound advice. Hurrah!
Showing posts with label Information. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Information. Show all posts
Friday, June 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The New Leafy Greens Proposal
There is a proposal before the USDA that was submitted by several large scale growers and handlers of leafy greens. They claim to support a systematic application of good agricultural production, handling, and manuacturing intended to minimize the potential for microbal contamination.
This is an industry response to the e coli 0157:H7 contamination that affected 26 states and resulted in 199 people sick and 3 people dead in September 2006. The problem with this response is that it does not attack the source of the problem. The proposal attempts to eliminate contamination by setting up large areas of naked soil and barriers to wildlife. As Jack Bradigan Spula writes, " The truth is, when it comes to soiling the soil, wildlife can't remotely compete with domesticated herds housed in the ag-equivalent of concentration camps."
The major source of contamination is actually CAFOs - concentrated animal feeding operations (feedlots). In feedlots bovines are fed high concentrations of corn which force them to grow quickly, but result in a sick animal due to acid imbalance in their guts. E coli outbreaks were virtually unknown when cattled were ranged on grass. The concentration of contaminated manure often enters and contaminates the ecosystems downstream.
As Russel Libby, executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners states the agencies are not interested "in regulations to eliminate [pathogenic] bacteria from the system because that would mean challenging the notion of feedlots and grain fed beef [and by extension dairy cows]. Instead their idea is to isolate vegetable production from livestock to eliminate cross - contamination."
Will Fantel of Cornucopia Institute seconds this opinion. He states, "This proposed safety agreement will do nothing to tackle the root causes of the problem, which is in most cases, manure from confined animal feeding operations that is tainted with disease causing pathogenic bacteria."
The proposal also recommends the establishment of a food safety seal to encourage consumers to buy the "safe" vegetables rather than direct local sales from small scale growers. This will hurt small scale local growers. Tom Willey, a certified organic grower says, " I am concerned that organic and small an medium sized growers like mself, will become marketplace second class citizens in the eyes of consumers by implying my produce is less safe - when the very opposite is likely to be true."
His statement seems quite valid in light of the state of California's recall of1717 cartons of spinach due to salmonella contamination after these industry standards had been adopted by the state of California!
As Will Fantel concludes, " The Cornucopia Institute agrees that the safety of our food supply is a vitally important issue. This is precisely why we believe the USDA should not allow corporate handlers to mix serious food safety concerns with their self-serving market interests."
For more information check out Cornucopia's website: www.cornucopia.org or P.O. Box126, Cornucopia, WI 54827 or (608)625-2042. Their newsletter cultivate@cornucopia.org.
Consider buying from local, small scale growers. Consider contacting legislators and the USDA. Remember consumer pressure in 1992 forced the USDA to maintain the suggested organic standards!
This is an industry response to the e coli 0157:H7 contamination that affected 26 states and resulted in 199 people sick and 3 people dead in September 2006. The problem with this response is that it does not attack the source of the problem. The proposal attempts to eliminate contamination by setting up large areas of naked soil and barriers to wildlife. As Jack Bradigan Spula writes, " The truth is, when it comes to soiling the soil, wildlife can't remotely compete with domesticated herds housed in the ag-equivalent of concentration camps."
The major source of contamination is actually CAFOs - concentrated animal feeding operations (feedlots). In feedlots bovines are fed high concentrations of corn which force them to grow quickly, but result in a sick animal due to acid imbalance in their guts. E coli outbreaks were virtually unknown when cattled were ranged on grass. The concentration of contaminated manure often enters and contaminates the ecosystems downstream.
As Russel Libby, executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners states the agencies are not interested "in regulations to eliminate [pathogenic] bacteria from the system because that would mean challenging the notion of feedlots and grain fed beef [and by extension dairy cows]. Instead their idea is to isolate vegetable production from livestock to eliminate cross - contamination."
Will Fantel of Cornucopia Institute seconds this opinion. He states, "This proposed safety agreement will do nothing to tackle the root causes of the problem, which is in most cases, manure from confined animal feeding operations that is tainted with disease causing pathogenic bacteria."
The proposal also recommends the establishment of a food safety seal to encourage consumers to buy the "safe" vegetables rather than direct local sales from small scale growers. This will hurt small scale local growers. Tom Willey, a certified organic grower says, " I am concerned that organic and small an medium sized growers like mself, will become marketplace second class citizens in the eyes of consumers by implying my produce is less safe - when the very opposite is likely to be true."
His statement seems quite valid in light of the state of California's recall of1717 cartons of spinach due to salmonella contamination after these industry standards had been adopted by the state of California!
As Will Fantel concludes, " The Cornucopia Institute agrees that the safety of our food supply is a vitally important issue. This is precisely why we believe the USDA should not allow corporate handlers to mix serious food safety concerns with their self-serving market interests."
For more information check out Cornucopia's website: www.cornucopia.org or P.O. Box126, Cornucopia, WI 54827 or (608)625-2042. Their newsletter cultivate@cornucopia.org.
Consider buying from local, small scale growers. Consider contacting legislators and the USDA. Remember consumer pressure in 1992 forced the USDA to maintain the suggested organic standards!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Nutrient Dense Food
Years ago Dr. Arden Andersen, medical doctor and agricultural expert, introduced the term nutrient dense food. The USDA analyzes the quantity of nutrients in milligrams or micrograms in 100 grams of food. Andersen's research showed that food today has 15 - 75% less nutrition than that of fifty years ago. Think about eating a carrot; wouldn't you want the best nutrition and flavor possible?
Why has the quality of our food declined? Arden Andersen cites the farming practises of the 1930's as pivotal in the decline of soil health. Once nitrates were developed During World War I, farmers began using straight nitrogen, straight phosphorus, and straight potash - NPK, and neglected other nutrients. The use of the NPK model led to measuring success by volume, not flavor or nutrition.
"Nitrates are conducive to pathogens," states Andersen, "so the same companies that have promoted the use of nitrogen are also manufacturing the pesticides to kill the organisms that are going to be promoted by using fertilizer, so it;s a great business plan. And that's exactly what it has been. It has not been science at all; it's all about business."
What's Andersen's recipe for reversing this trend? Start with the soil. Stop using straight NPK and pesticides. Add calcium and minerals to the soil, not just the standard 15 minerals, but 60 - 80. Add carbohydrates for a positive carbon load. Today's conventional crops have a negative carbon load and release significant CO2 into the atmosphere. Continued use of conventional agriculture means increased problems. Roundup use today has almost three times the active ingredients of 20 years ago per acre.
Nutrient rich soils produce dramatic results: good yields in adverse conditions and fewer pests, for example. Proponents of nutrient density strive to increase nutrients. This higher percentage of dissolved solids such as carbohydrates, sugars,and protein correlate to better flavor, better nutrition, increased shelf life, and increased resistance to pests and diseases.
So, what are the Keppers doing?
* Ken has grown in accordance with organic standards since 1976.
*In the late 80's We stopped using any organic approved pesticides.
*We have added compost, kelp, and minerals.
* In 2007 we did the trace mineral test and added the standard 15 as needed.
* In 2009 we began adding 90 minerals through use of ocean additives.
For more information check Organic Connections www.organicconnectingmag.com and realfoodcampaign.org
Why has the quality of our food declined? Arden Andersen cites the farming practises of the 1930's as pivotal in the decline of soil health. Once nitrates were developed During World War I, farmers began using straight nitrogen, straight phosphorus, and straight potash - NPK, and neglected other nutrients. The use of the NPK model led to measuring success by volume, not flavor or nutrition.
"Nitrates are conducive to pathogens," states Andersen, "so the same companies that have promoted the use of nitrogen are also manufacturing the pesticides to kill the organisms that are going to be promoted by using fertilizer, so it;s a great business plan. And that's exactly what it has been. It has not been science at all; it's all about business."
What's Andersen's recipe for reversing this trend? Start with the soil. Stop using straight NPK and pesticides. Add calcium and minerals to the soil, not just the standard 15 minerals, but 60 - 80. Add carbohydrates for a positive carbon load. Today's conventional crops have a negative carbon load and release significant CO2 into the atmosphere. Continued use of conventional agriculture means increased problems. Roundup use today has almost three times the active ingredients of 20 years ago per acre.
Nutrient rich soils produce dramatic results: good yields in adverse conditions and fewer pests, for example. Proponents of nutrient density strive to increase nutrients. This higher percentage of dissolved solids such as carbohydrates, sugars,and protein correlate to better flavor, better nutrition, increased shelf life, and increased resistance to pests and diseases.
So, what are the Keppers doing?
* Ken has grown in accordance with organic standards since 1976.
*In the late 80's We stopped using any organic approved pesticides.
*We have added compost, kelp, and minerals.
* In 2007 we did the trace mineral test and added the standard 15 as needed.
* In 2009 we began adding 90 minerals through use of ocean additives.
For more information check Organic Connections www.organicconnectingmag.com and realfoodcampaign.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
