[compost_tea] Re: Re: NOP and CT

From: Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 18:46:28 -0700

>Message: 4
>Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 05:12:03 EDT
>From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
>Subject: Re: Re: NOP and CT

>There is no documentation that the statement about compost tea being just
>like a raw manure was ever put into the NOP. Just because some USDA
employee
>decides that they dont like CT does not make this view point valid.

Doc, you need to check the data.:-) Legally, that is. The letter to Tom
was from A. J. Yates, Adminstrator of the USDA Agricultural Marketing
Service, of which the NOP is a part. The letter IS the documentation. The
Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, which authorizes the NOP, provides
that all authority rests with the Secretary of Agriculture, for whom Yates
acts as a high-level manager. I agree with you and see Yates' point of view
as completely invalid and really dumb -- but it has the legal, binding
authority of the US federal government behind it, at least until it's
challenged and over-ruled in court or USDA speaks differently.

What does this mean? Almost nothing to most folks on this list, unless they
are struggling with an organic certifier who buys in to the USDA/AMS/NOP
position on CT, or are in a mindset to mount a legal challenge. (If so, let
me know, I am, having done a certification struggle.) As it turns out many
if not most certifiers are allowing compost tea use, it seems, using a
National Organic Standards Board recommendation of April 2002, or winging it
wonderfully ala Washington state (apart from chelation confusion..?). NOP
chose not to use this recommendation, deciding compost tea is "not eligible
to satisfy" the soil fertility and crop nutrient management rules. Yaagh!
Yates' most recent letter is actually an improvement on the NOP staff
report! Have we made some progress here?

All of this is, of course, absurd. It is simply a matter of time and
attention until CT is recognized as a valid and valuable organic practice,
but we have to work on that. For some reason, USDA is and has been trying
to thwart use of CT. They have succeeded in formalizing this ridiculous and
unethical ruse for over a year now and the excessive delay in establishing a
new NOSB-directed compost tea task force just keeps - their - daily -
delay - clock - running - (nowhere..) -

In the meantime, as I think Doc E is averting, every person who reads this
should keep on doing what they're doing with compost tea. Just be aware
that way back stream this USDA administration is still trying to banish
it. If you have or know anyone who has a US Congress or NOSB connection,
please tell them about this. If you know anyone with a USDA or NOP
connection, please thrash them on it! Gently, of course.:-) The USNOP rule
on CT is ridiculous, unsubstantiated, unsustainable, unethical and downright
stupid!

Contact me off-list anytime for more info. Or on-list if you think everyone
might want to hear. And Doc, please don't use my name in vain like that
again. I revere compost tea, having used it for many years. I also pay
attention to the rule of law, I do my best not to obscure it, and I know
what solid data is when I see it, a good bit of which I learned from you,
on soil biology, actually.

kirk_at_oregonatural.com














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Received on Tue May 06 2003 - 22:44:11 EDT

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