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Regulation of compost teas (was: NOSB loses its head)



Jeff and Lawrence,

Jeff wrote:
> Under the new USDA guidelines for compost practices, fully in effect
> by Oct 21, 2002, compost teas are no longer allowed or recognized as
> organic for foodstuffs production.

>> What a travesty of justice and perversion of
>> science...

Lawrence wrote:
>> Until the public recognizes the need to preserve the best farmland
in
>> the regions local to where they
>> live and work in order to ensure that farmers have prime soil in
>> which they can grow fresh, nutritious,
>> healthy and clean food...

Am I missing something here?  Isn't this about technical aspects of
making compost tea?

Here is the core of what I read from the Task Force recommendations
that Jeff posted:

"Recommendation: Compost teas if used in contact with crops less than
120 days before harvest must be made from high quality compost
described above and not prepared with addition of supplemental
nutrients such as sugars, molasses or other readily available
(soluble) carbon sources."

Based on what the research found, the recommendation doesn't sound
unreasonable.  I don't think they were *prohibiting* "compost teas",
but trying to make their use safer.  Don't you think it is possible
(given the variability of compost) that an inexperienced operator could
brew up highly pathogenic stuff by making what amounts to a nutrient
broth and inoculating it with low quality compost?

Dale


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