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Organic is a dead-end street

OldDog/NewTricks

Well-known member
From feed to food (Dick Ziggers)

TUESDAY 10 JULY 2007
Going Organic is a dead-end street

The 7th of July was a very special day as it was dedicated to "Live Earth" day. Instigated by former US vice-president and now global warming activist Al Gore, apparently more than two billion people viewed the performance of hundreds of singers and music bands on stages all over the world.
The basic idea was to create awareness among the general public on global warming and what you as an individual can do about it. I watched a great deal of the day and enjoyed the music.
I also watched the video clips that were broadcasted during the breaks and I was a bit amazed on how biased these were. Apparently the solution for stopping global warming is either to go organic or to stop eating animal products. According to some analysts, animals contribute more to global warming than passenger vehicles do. This because of the feed they eat and the gas and manure they produce. (Some years ago New Zealand wanted to install a "fart-tax" to reduce methane production by ruminants).
Organic is a dead end street
The animal industry is aware of their impact on global warming and has begun paying much more attention to the sustainability of feed production. However, going organic is not the right solution. The fact that 85% more land is needed to produce the same amount of organic as ordinary food, while 25% more energy may be needed as well, makes it an unrealistic option.
If you read the article "Organic farming can feed the world" it makes you believe that organic is even better than current agricultural practices. Why isn't it practised then? What the scientist do not calculate is that if we want to keep the same food supply but produce it organic, all animals have to roam outside. Just think of the land that is needed for that. Or do they all want us to become vegetarians?
Politics and food safety issues also hamper sustainable feed (and food) production. Feeding animal based proteins to other animals has been severely restricted in Europe; there is really no alternative to soy there. Much of the soy produced in Latin America (the main supplier) is GMO soy, but it is difficult to see how GMO's can be reconciled with sustainability. There seems to be something of a contradiction there.
On the other hand many consumers in the EU (and this is an increasing trend) buy products containing GMO ingredients, largely because they cost less than those that do not. In the end consumers will have to decide how far they are prepared to go regarding the matter of GMO's and not the politicians or the action groups. In the long term consumers are better off with unbiased scientific information.

Author: Dick Ziggers

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Comments (7)

Having worked on several organic farms in the US I can say with certainty that your estimates are way off! Integrative organic farming that includes livestock in crop rotations produces healthier animals, crops, and importantly soil with far less disease and pest/weed problems - and importantly lower input costs to the grower. The reason this isn't practiced more is a simple matter of good marketing by ag chemical producers and their influence in ag education. But the tide is turning as organic popularity in many markets is surging and people become more aware of the 'downstream' effect of chemical agriculture.

Dave

// 19 jul 2007

Wake up you lot, if you moved all the intensive farmed animals outside so they become organic you would need the extra 85% land area

shaun

// 19 jul 2007

The challenge ist to take the holistic calucaltion and not just single fragments of the supply chain. Oil will be empty soon and we have to considder a more effective nutrient circulation. To produce and consume regional and seasonal products is more effective than shipping organic grains or meats around the world.

Mike Spandern

// 17 jul 2007

We produce organic sheep and beef on exactly the same size pasture as our neighbours (non-organic) pasture and in the same quantity, where the 85% extra comes from I've no idea but it is not true in New Zealand

Roger

// 13 jul 2007

The market for organic products in Europe is by far bigger then the few GMO products you can find on european shelves. If people consume raw material products such as milk eggs and meat coming from animals fed with gmos, the consumers have no idea as the products don't have to be labeled as such. I can't see any sign of unbiased information in your article.

chris

// 13 jul 2007

I do not think that organic is a "dead-end street", however, it is no panacea. The key is sustainability and quality. This is where the concepts of local and "organic" seem to have the advantage. In my opinion the problem with our current approach to producing food is that it is too dependent on government policy and therefore is subject to blowing in the political wind.

Ron Riley

// 12 jul 2007

? organic takes 85% more land to produce the same food as conventional? you are in outer space friend.

eric

// 11 jul 2007
 
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