The USDA has a double standard and is socking it too the organic grower just
because he is doing it organic.
<http://www.reeusda.gov/agsys/smallfarm/report.htm#prince>http://www.reeusd
a.gov/agsys/smallfarm/report.htm#prince
The USDA Description of a Small Farm "In developing its
recommendations, the Commission describes small farms as farms with less than
$250,000 gross receipts
annually on which day-to-day labor and management are provided by the farmer
and/or the farm family that owns the
production or owns, or leases, the productive assets. believe should be given
priority consideration by USDA, with special emphasis on those with the
greatest need to improve
their net farm incomes.
We recognize that small farms vary by region and commodity. While $250,000 in
gross receipts may not sound small, and in
fact may be high for some commodities, in other areas, it is barely sufficient
to provide a net farm income comparable to the
income of the average non-farmer and farms up to that size are among those
whose survival is most endangered. For
example, the average farm with annual gross sales between $50,000 and $250,000
has a net cash income of only $23,159.
Over 80 percent of a farmer's gross sales are absorbed by farming expenses.
So I feel every one under $250000 should get the small farm exemption. I
think
the NOP was doing farmers a great wrong when they made a small organic farm as
one that takes in only $5000 and i feel it is because no small farmer is on
that board only rich folks who think $100 is nothing where as I need every
cent
I make and feel I should not have to pay 1 cent because I chose to do it
organically.. all these laws state and fed. the organic farmer is carry the
burden of most all the cost and this alone makes this law oppressive on the
poor and may force organic growers to give up their hard earned money. I feel
that most all certified organic growers are already carrying more than their
fair share and feel we should not be forced to pay money to anyone just
because
we chose to grow and sell organic food . Why should we have to pay for an
inspection every year what does the calender have to do with if I am
organic or
not. Why not every 5 years after first few inspections . Why does not the
USDA pay for the residue testing and test organic food as they test non
organic
food for residue . I don't see other farmers paying for residue tests why
should we organic growers . you want to test my product buy some and test it
all you want. I don't think we should have to pay for residue test but
should
be treated as other growers and test when they test other food and as they
test
other food products and we should not be pick out to pay for this job that
belongs to the USDA anyway. If inspectors are agents of the USDA let the USDA
pay them not the grower. If certifiers are to now be agents of the USDA let
the USDA pay for their computers their gas their what every we have been
paying
let them pay their agents. You don't charge your agents money you pay them
money . there are a lot of ways to make this cheaper for the organic grower
but most the folks the USDA is hearing are those taking money from the grower
and they don't want to talk about making it cheaper . I feel not one cent
just
because I choose to grow organic . I should not be forced to pay 1 cent to
sell and grow organic. I would go for the small farm exemption part and if I
want to join a certifier or association it should be voluntary. I have to be
certified because my customers want me to be yet a good friend of mine that
has
a CSA and his road side stand is on the farm so all can see how he farms
and he
lets anyone inspected him and some of his customers help him farm and he does
not need any stinking certifier or stinking law or stinking inspector that he
has to pay off . there are a lot of ways to save money on this . If it were
your money I bet you would be coming up with ways to save as this is nuts. My
handler does not need to pay off anyone for just handling my produce just
because it is organic . He needs his money too. their are too many people
with their hands out and I feel the grower is being asked to carry too much of
this burden!
At 10:24 AM 3/31/98 -0500, charlenej.hmc wrote:
>Sal - I agree on the issue of costs and over regulation. I would have
>preferred no regulation except that farmers and agribusiness are not
>competing fairly on theorganic issue. SO when industry cannot police and
>govern itself, someone steps in. Unfortunately, that ends up being the
>governmen. And with that a less than perfect standard and nightmarish
>controls. So, we are fairly well stuck with getting the FDA stuff as clean
>as we can make it, through orchestrating what is in the regulation when it
>finally is complete.
>
>Others - what about the issue of costs? I did not read much on that and it
>seems to me Sal is raising an important point. if part of the twisted
>nature of the regulation is to help agribusiness and screw the smaller
>farmer, then certainly fees and red tape will do that quicker than anything
>else.
>
>I do not think we should ignore this portion of the issue! If it is an
>issue . . .
>
>Sal, can you give us some resources that describes the fees and processes
>sio we can understand this better?
>
>Thanks!!!
>
>-------------------
>>From Sal:
>
>My agenda hold down the cost to the grower. No one else seems to care what
>it
>will cost a small grower making a little over $5000 . these are force cost
>not volunteer cost I am talking force by law that we can not be organic
>unless we
>pay pay pay
>
>I would like to see more folks talk about the fees. the cost and the
>hidden
>cost of this so called organic law. wHO IS PROTECTING THE GROWER FROM
>ORGANIC
>GROWER FEES!
>also the president. of the US said the" era of Big Government is over" well
>get it over don't add to it.
>The USDA says they want to help small farmers well start by getting all
>these
>hands out of our pockets.
>they have a paper reduction act well act.
>
>I would like to boycott paying to be organic . If we boycott paying the
>bottom feeders and parasites they may go and find someone else to feed on.
>Boycott unfunded governmental programs that take out of pocket money away
>from
>organic growers because they chose to grow and sell organic.
>
>If this is a standard what is the standard total cost. We need to know the
>total cost to be able to talk fees.
>So far from what I can tell about this new law will force me to pay UNKNOWN
>FORCED COST to the state, a certifier,an inspector,a residue tester over
>and
>over again. anyone else see any hidden cost I have not pick up on. If we
>need
>a farm plan we have to know the cost if fees to grow and sell organic so we
>can
>plan. what is the standard total cost to the grower of this law?
>
>:. I will have to pay the state of Ca. to register and give them a per
>cent of
>my income depending on how much I make and and be inspected by them and
>they
>check my books all at my cost.
>I will have to pay a Certifier what every they ask for the same thing I am
>paying the state for and they make take a percent of income also.
>I will have to pay an inspector,his cost for gas,motel,etc and what ever he
>ask
>in hour fees for what ever hours he says he spends doing the paper work
>that no
>one is paying me to do.
>I feel all the above it seems I will have to pay every year. when the year
>changes even if I am doing nothing different I will have to start all over
>paying money to everyone of the above for the same thing over and over and
>over again. year after year after year. overdoing it I would say but what
>the
>hell the farmer is paying for all this so why cut the cost down. \
>
>If this is a standard what is the standard total cost? I am not talking
>about
>just what the USDA will charge but the total cost of this oppressive law.
>every where in the law where it say you must pay for this and that what
>must we
>pay?
>
>
>lets talk fees. I say not one cent!
>
>these are not the droids your looking for . move along
An organic growers homepage check out
http://www.rain.org/~sals/my.html
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