RE: Low-risk pesticides ...

awiediger@Hart.k12.ky.us
Tue, 21 Dec 1999 09:46:18 -0500

It is asking a lot to ask logic of any bureaucracy - organic, conventional
ag, political, etc. But bureaucracies are not people. I find it
interesting all this talk about rotenone. I have been growing organically
for over 20 years. The farm I am now on has been managed organically for
the 10 I have lived here. I can't remember the last time I purchased
rotenone, or sabadilla, or pyrethrum, or any other botanical. We do use BT
on a very occasional basis - quite different from having it systemically in
a plant. I am aware that the organic regulations that I am certified under
allow use of these botanicals with certain provisos. But, I am also aware
that they are broad spectrum, and not a good choice for insect balance. We
are market gardeners, and bring to market produce that is second to none,
and we do it with no sprays of any kind. It wasn't always this way. The
first 3-4 years, I struggled with a variety of insect pests. However, now,
we have virtually no economically important insect pests. If we have
aphids, we also have predators. Only in the greenhouse, which is a closed
and somewhat artificial system, do we ever have a large enough problem for
intervention, and we usually use a soap solution. I don't think we are
unique among experienced organic growers in using very little intervention
in pest management. Please quit equating use of broad spectrum botanicals
with organic growers - it doesn't always fit, any more than bashing
conventional farmers always fits.

Alison Wiediger
Au Naturel Farm
Smiths Grove, KY

> ----------
> From: Steve Groff[SMTP:sgroff@epix.net]
> Reply To: sgroff@epix.net
> Sent: Monday, December 20, 1999 6:22 PM
> To: Bluestem Associates
> Cc: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
> Subject: Re: Low-risk pesticides ...
>
> Bluestem Associates wrote:
>
> > can someone who
> > understands the current 'logic' of the organic bureaucracy explain to
> > me why organic agriculture prohibits an excellent fungal antagonist
> > like T-22 (Trichoderma harzianum) on the basis that the nuclear fusion
> > techniques used to improve the strain is "genetic engineering," while
> > they continue to approve Bordeaux mixture with its known negative
> > impact on earthworms?
> >
> > Bart
>
> Great point! It supports the question I asked earlier about the use of
> Rotenone in organic production. That's what I don't understand about
> organic
> bureaucracy. It allows certain pesticides (mostly *natural*), but
> prohibits
> some of the newer chemical pesticides which quite possibly are safer and
> less harmful to the environment then the *natural* ones. Is this
> sustainable???
>
> (and please, can someone answer the above question w/o philosophy and
> rabbit
> trails!)
>
> Steve Groff
>
> "Enhancing the Environment" http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/
> Cedar Meadow Farm
> 679 Hilldale Road
> Holtwood, PA 17532 USA
>
>
>
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