Andy Clark has already supplied information on how to secure SANET-mg
threads on organic certification. Some other thoughts to help you
focus your thinking and gather background material:
An Alta Vista search on 'organic certification' and related terms
will yield you other information and leads on the World Wide Web.
SANET-mg has also had discussions in the past on regional and
seasonal foods, and a variety of related food issues.
Again, an Alta Vista search on terms like 'food systems' and 'food
systems research' can help you focus your thinking. Same with your
questions about sustainability, organic farming, industrial
agriculture, and accountability between farmers/growers and
consumers.
The industrialization of poultry farming on the Delmarva peninsula is
an interesting case study on an issue in your backyard--a number of
rural sociologists and others have studied this, and you could turn
up citations via Agricola or social sciences indexes. The UW-Madison
College of Ag and Life Sciences is sponsoring an ag industrialization
forum on Tuesday, Nov. 11, and I don't know whether there will be
proceedings; dink me if you want to follow-up on this.
You can learn more about some of the perceived and documented risks
of biological and chemical pest control from a variety of sources
which have Web outposts, then follow up with organizations and
individuals. A search on 'sustainable agriculture,' 'organic
agriculture,' 'integrated pest management,' and other keywords will
yield you good information. PANNA (Pesticide Action Network North
America) documents pesticide research and activism:
The National Agricultural Library is in Beltsville, about three
sneezes down the road from College Park. Their Alternative Farming
Systems Information Center's Web site is at:
Their librarians are search geniuses, and have developed a series of
bibliographies on sustainable ag topics, including organic farming.
You're also nearby the USDA, whose National Organic Program is
drafting the federal standards.
Finally, the Henry Wallace Institute for Alternative Ag, in
Greenbelt, is a must-contact for anyone interested in sustainable ag
issues both nationally and on the Eastern and Western shores:
Hope this helps you focus and develop your inquiry. Best luck. Good
to know an NR person has your interests in agriculture.
peace
michele
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Michele Gale-Sinex, communications manager
Center for Integrated Ag Systems
UW-Madison College of Ag and Life Sciences
Voice: (608) 262-8018 FAX: (608) 265-3020
http://www.wisc.edu/cias/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If the 750 is a sofa, this is a motorized bar-
stool. --Kevin Hunter on the Suzuki Savage 650
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with "unsubscribe sanet-mg".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"subscribe sanet-mg-digest".