enough of this starting every sentience with Sal you got me doing it.
I was farming organic and my customers said why don't you get certified .
I went to my first CCOF meeting and everyone there were farmers like my
self. We talk about organic growing and voted on stuff etc. I was
inspected. I went through the same as most all organic growers . you know
I could not understand why I could not be organic right off but was told it
would take a few years even though I was organic now they need time this
was called a transition period. Ok ok so I was inspected a few more times
. Back then farmers would inspect other farmers and even though others
thought they were not for real they were real honest folks. I had gained a
lot of respect of these folks and as time passed we got the word that the
inspections would be going up . And did they . Later CCOF was doing such
a good job caring for us , we were getting some real respect in the market
place. Soon CCOF wanted more teeth in their certification and I could
never understand why. it seemed to me like every year I would be inspected
and every year the inspector would go over my books and it seem to me they
were doing a great job. But no they wanted teeth. So they went to the
State. Now the state this may sound crude but the state did not love the
idea of giving time to a fringe small group like organic growers . They
are busy folks. So to me it seemed like CCOF sweeten the pie by saying the
organic farmers will pay for all of it. Even now most state folks don't
want to bother with organic growers. Now the state to me seem like their
only interest they have in organic growers is to catch them at something.
So they started sending me all kind of intimidating stuff letting me know
they were out to get me and that was all they were conceded with. A lot of
my old friends that were in CCOF left and our numbers really droped. The
folks that left ,left because they thought that turning organic over to the
state was bad for organic growers and that it takes organic growing out of
the grass roots movement and something we were proud of to at enforcement
bureaucratic paper kingdom. Those good folks that quit CCOF had a hard
time because they like me were basing their life and live hood on CCOF
certification. They had to find new markets and lucky for them most did it
was not easy. I miss them at the meetings and we have now become a docile
bunch of sheep waiting to be lead around . I think the only thing we voted
on it the local chapter was to raise fees and everyone but me said yes. I
loose again. It seem to me a lot of that great sprit was killed off . I
know it is hard for you folks to understand but organic growing had a spirt
in those days . Those folks still grow organic but they have to live
without the certification part. Now that will change and now they can not
even use the O word (and they have been organic from the start even before
me)unless they pay and bow down. I feel for these good folks and wonder
why they would give up so much even the O word. I now am feeling some kind
of oppression where I use to feel free. I am certified now and I feel I
can pass any old inspection so it is not the rules that make me feel
oppressed and it is not even the paper work. hell I have a computer now
the money part well money is not my strong suit. I don't have much and
every one wants what I have.If you want money I am not you man . I know
myself and I know I have done nothing wrong yet I feel every one now
instead of being glad that we organic are out to get us. . Something has
change and it was not me. I understand that customer would like to know
every one is telling the truth and I got certified for them to give them
peace of mine. . I have not heard from many farmers yet so I don't know if
they feel this oppression that is sweeping over me. I went to a meeting
last night and those there felt it too. WE are going to send letters out
to all registered organic growers in Ca. and I will have a better idea of
how they feel about all this BIG Brother stuff. . I bet there are a few
farmers like my self that feel that this is going the wrong way. I don't
know if we can ever get back to where I am reviewed by my peers rather than
a state or Federal inspector that really does not care about organic only
enforcement. Now the last too posts sweeten me I like to here the sweet
talk but something is wrong. I am glad to hear folks talking . Don't take
offence at any thing I say as I try to work this out in my own head. Now
the certifier is not enough and the inspector is not enough and now the
state even is not enough. It will take the Federal government to see that
I am organic along with all these other folks. And I pay them all. Also
as you all have notice I am not a very diplomatic person and I feel that I
may tick off any one of the folks who now have so much power over me.and
they just may kill me off or stop my certification and put me out in the
cold because of the way I talk. I am outspoken and do feel the USDA is
doing wrong with this DNA changing of life forms but now I better shut up
and I feel the state is way too oppressive on organic growers to say the
least but if I say something they will pounce on me. Not only have they
taken away my words but they have shut me up.. And now both these groups
have my life in their hands. . I can not afford to go to court . Does
this mean I will soon have to go to court to prove I am organic. When will
it ever stop. I think the teeth that the certifier wanted are biting the
wrong folks. Sure a big farmer does not mind . they have a lawyer looking
out for their rights but I can not even afford to get my teeth fixed. I
feel that the people at the top that are growing all these teeth should
think about the grower that these teeth are set up to bit. To me telling
all these government agencies that the farmer will pay for all this it may
be ok if there were no poor small farmers but I think we got offered up as
part of the sacerfice. Soon there may not be any small organic growers .
It is too bad because it was a way the little guy could earn a living
working the ground in an organic way. Oh well the big fish eat little
fish and that is life. Now you have to be so poor that you only make $5000
in sells and maybe then they may throw you a bone. Rock soup and that
little bone does not taste half bad. I am thankful for what I have. I
still feel that I should not have to pay 1 cent extra to grow and sell
organic. I paid the state and I paid the certifier and the inspector but
feel I am getting the short end of the deal .
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