Do our consumers really know....

[Murgen]

ORGANIC, hmmm. It's still a niche market. Is it true that if all agriculture went organic, we'd need twice the land to grow the same amount of food? I guess we could just grow half as much, make more profit and starve the other halve of the world.

These people buying organic, are they the same people who buy packaged foods with all the perservatives? Organic food is a myth, it's a marketing tool and that is all. My opinion!

 

[Jason]

ORGANIC, hmmm. It's still a niche market. Is it true that if all agriculture went organic, we'd need twice the land to grow the same amount of food? I guess we could just grow half as much, make more profit and starve the other halve of the world.

These people buying organic, are they the same people who buy packaged foods with all the perservatives? Organic food is a myth, it's a marketing tool and that is all. My opinion!

Organic is more than a niche, it is growing in Canada at a rate of 34% per year.

As for yield, with proper land management organics can actually increase yield.

Even now traditional chemical farmers are seeing benefits that can only be called a transition to organic farming. No till operations have reported less weed pressures after the soil organic matter starts to rise. Earthworms are returning to some of these no till conventional fields and they can supply huge amounts of N to the soil in addition to invaluable soil airation.

The more organic matter built in soil the more moisture it can hold and release to the crop.

I have seen fields have as much as 7% organic matter under no till conventional chemical farming. That 7% represents 7000 pounds of N that can become plant available over time with proper microbe populations, including earthworms and much smaller microbes.

All our food by definition is organic, consumers are becoming more label savvy reading ingredient lists and demanding things like non trans fats. While many can't afford to buy organic certified products, the demand for less chemical is penetration into all sectors and more food products will move in that direction as it becomes more fiscally necessary to move away from petrochemical inputs.

 

[Tom S]

Very good post Jason! We are getting closer to organic in this operation and yields have stayed steady or improved over conventional. Always gives me a chuckle when some say it can't feed a hungry world. It can and then some.

 

[Tommy]

SH...R-CALF SUPPORTED THE EFFORT TO PROHIBIT "M"ID FROM "M"COOL, PERIOD!!!!

Scott do you know that the NCBA is not supporting M-ID?

 

[Anonymous]

Let me put the exact stance R-CALF put in the last Journal:

While R-CALF has no formal policy of supporting or opposing a national ID program, we must remain proactive, get a seat at the table and guide the system, so the cattle industry has ownership. We certainly have systems in place already that have worked well for many years and the National ID program needs to be flexible enough to incorporate these. It is also important to support the work being done within animal ID pilot projects and volutary programs.......

Sounds pretty similar to the last stance I heard from NCBA---- unless they've flipflopped again........

 

[mrj]

Reader (second), do you ever wonder about organic products as contrasted with conventionally raised?

I do. Are their products really that different, or is "organic" more of a "feel good" thing when one gets to the real, measurable differences?

Is there any detectable (remember, the tests can measure parts per billion now), measureable differences in beef raised as we do and beef raised with claims of being organic?

Is there a legal definition of "natural"? I believe there is one for "organic", yet how do we know there is any real difference other than the "nice" feeling of supporting "family" farmers?

Are any of those products subjected to actual tests for possible residues by independent testing companies? Is such testing of the actual product mandated? Testing of soils for chemical residues is one thing, but testing the actual carrot, pea, or piece of meat (ok, I would be satisfied with one out of a bushel, or even the carcass of meat) required? And could beef, testing free of any residues, be marketed as "organic" regardless of the land it was raised on being registered as "organic"? That might be the more honest way, IMO.

MRJ

 

[Sandhusker]

Sandhusker: "That, SH, is jumping to unjustified and INCORRECT conclusions."

Not at all!

R-CALF has made their position on "M"ID quite clear with their actions towards prohibiting it.


Sandhusker: "The M COOL law we ended up with is NOT what R-CALF pushed for."

R-CALF SUPPORTED THE EFFORT TO PROHIBIT "M"ID FROM "M"COOL, PERIOD!!!!

That is not even debatable!

Leo McDonnel stated that the law, as it is written, is a "good law".

Leo McDonnel praised the efforts to water down the enforcement.


You will fool nobody with your implication that R-CALF wanted "M"ID but yourself.


~SH~

SH, just because you want things to be so doesn't mean that is the way they are. I'll ask you again for the umpteenth time to post your information on where you got the notion R-CALF "Does not want to be burdened by traceback".

 

[Jason]

Very good post Jason! We are getting closer to organic in this operation and yields have stayed steady or improved over conventional. Always gives me a chuckle when some say it can't feed a hungry world. It can and then some.

Would you care to share any methods you have employed? Or specific soil qualities you have aimed for?

If not no problem, I just like to learn any new ways I can. I will never use any more conventional fertilizer, I have been burned too many times. Herbicides will likely be necessary for a couple more years on some of my land as it has very high weed pressures still, but I will look at green feed to help if it is too bad.

 

[Anonymous]

Sandhusker,

I have answered your question repeatedly. If you don't have the ability to comprehend the written word I can't help you. I am not going to play your stupid games by repeatedly answering the same question.


~SH~

 

[Sandhusker]

Sandhusker,

I have answered your question repeatedly. If you don't have the ability to comprehend the written word I can't help you. I am not going to play your stupid games by repeatedly answering the same question.


~SH~

Cop out. I'm not asking a question. I'm asking you to back your statements and prove R-CALF actually said what you claim they did. You haven't because we both know you can't.