Edna,
I do not understand what any of these points has to do with organic farming.
I understand that GE plants upset some folks and I suppose I can understand
that you would want them excluded from the organic definition under the
theory that you don't know enough about them. Personally, I have no problem
with them.
Irradiation seems pretty well tested and safe, having been used in spices for
years.
Biosolids, using the limits for heavy metals and adequate treatment for
pathogens, are a responsible and well used fertilizer world wide.
"Factory farms" are merely restricted raising of animals which, among other
things, allows for the cleaning of manures which result from many animals in
a confined area. The farmers who operate these facilities realize that sick
and dead animals do not pay. They have no incentive to abuse or neglect
their animals.
Not feeding animals to animals is really confusing. Fish meal, meat and bone
meal, feather meal, and other byproducts are nutritious and safe feed
ingredients even after the European scares. The current standard of not
feeding ruminants to ruminants seems to be a sufficient protection given that
there has not been a BSE cow found in the USA. Chickens are natural meat
eaters as are hogs. Ruminants can utilize a wide range of proteins and fats
due to their digestive systems. I agree that I do not feed meat derived
protein to my horses but that is all. More important in the European
situation was the feeding of dioxin and PCBs to animals through contaminated
feeds. That was a real tragedy.
I know that what I say here will have no effect on your views but I wanted to
express the mainstream viewpoint and some of its rationale. I would be glad
to hear your response.
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@cals.ncsu.edu with the command
"unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command
"unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@cals.ncsu.edu with the command
"subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Jul 03 2000 - 12:00:36 EDT