> 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,
Thanks for speaking up. I, too, use no pesticides. I think what happens is
people who think you have to use biocides to farm incorrectly assume that
organic farmers use botanical biocides. This is not the case.
Organic agriculture strives towards complimentary agriculture- working with
nature and encouraging a balance of above and below ground ecosystems. My
experience is that very few organic farmers merely switch from synthetics to
botanicals. This may be a first step in transitioning for some, but is not the
rule.
I repeat a post from Cathy Greene (thanks, Cathy) in support of this:
"Under 6 percent of the approximately 300 respondents to USDA's survey of
certified organic vegetable growers in the U.S. reported using rotonone in 1994,
and under 6 percent reported using rotonone mixtures. The results of the survey
were published in the American Journal of Alternative Agriculture, Vol. 13, No.
2, 1998 in an article titled, 'Organic vegetable production in the U.S.:
Certified growers and their practices.' "
Organic farmers have shown that food crops can be grown with the same or more
production per acre, with the same or less lost to pests, without using biocides
or NPK fertilizers. Some day others may wake up to these facts.
The problem lies in the fact that sustainable and/or organic techniques reduce
or eliminate most of the product that can be sold to farmers. The agriculture
supply companies won't readily give up their lucrative (but destructive) markets
or change the way they do business readily.
You can see the fear in their eyes from the threat of increasing organic
production through their disinformation campaigns. These remind me of our modern
political ads. I wonder who learned from whom?
Alex
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