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Re: [SANET-MG] A new morning on SANET



Hi Michael,
I do not agree with your view that hiding one's head in the sand and
pretending that issues do not exist can act to improve the lot of
organic farmers. Certainly the problem of gene pollution from transgenic
crops , particularly the pharmaceutical crops, threatens the livelihood
of most organic farmers. USDA has provided cold comfort in this area of
gene pollution from transgenic crops. The repeated position of USDA is
as taken from a recent  evaluation of GM sugar beets: "Although the
National Organic Standards prohibit the use of excluded methods, they do
not require testing of inputs or products for the presence of excluded
methods. The presence of a detectable residue of a product of excluded
methods alone does not necessarily constitute a violation of the
National Organic Standards. The unintentional presence of the products
of excluded methods will not affect the status of an organic product or
operation when the operation has not used excluded methods and has taken
reasonable steps to avoid contact with the products of excluded methods
as detailed in their approved organic system plan" What USDA is saying
that gene polluted crops may be certified so long as they are not
intentionally grown by the organic producer . That viewpoint seems to
say that USDA is driving for organic certification of GM crops.
If everyone followed your advice about ignoring contentious issues
government bureaucrats and agriculture corporations  will soon eliminate
organic farming. Or is that your intention?
Sincerely,joe cummins

Michael Elvin wrote:

Everybody--

I'm over my snit (or was it more of a funk?) from yesterday, and a little
more able to think clearly. And I have a proposal.

It looks like we have a hard time handling contentious issues. We live in
badly politicized times to begin with, and have entrenched opinions on a great
many subjects that in practical terms are beyond our control. So I would propose

that for the time being, we avoid the subjects of GM foods,

pesticides in the environment, except where it touches on problems of
cleaning our own soil,

Mad Cow Disease, unless the person posting has a herd he/she is concerned
with and has practical questions,

and everything else that's a problem on the web but not so much a problem in
our own back yards and meadows.

I'll take the pledge. I've been so bad in that respect that I've considered
SANET to be the political website from the time I joined, just taking cues from
the messages that appear here. Any time I cared to comment on practical
aspects of crop growing, local economics or homestead maintenance, I've always
posted instead on the Permaculture list.

So I'll voice agreement with those of us who would seriously like to return
to sustainable agriculture issues. I'd much rather read posts on that subject
than on the whole spectrum of "what's wrong with the world" issues.

Thanks, several of you, for pointing this out.

M. Elvin

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