[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: comments onUSDA/NOP cost and benefits to organic farmers and handlers



I love when this guy posts because he makes my case for me.  The USDA
/NOP is not going to benefit the small farmer and will force him out it
is set up for the big boys.  .  When this thing started we ask what about
the small farmer and were told don't worry there will always be a place
in organic growing for small farmers sal .  Well the $5000 gross is not
what I call a help for a small farmer.  These folks also want to make the
small organic farmer a factory farmer and like this guy says if you can't
pay you can not play.   He says if we cannot afford this new tax on
organic farmers we can not call yourself organic even if you are .This
guy is supposed to be working for us but I feel he is working for the big
boys and  he is saying if a a organic farmer is not serious if he is poor
and fighting to keep his land he is not really an organic grower.   That
covers a lot of folks.   .  This is sad.  and the problem is that once
this Act goes though it will take a act of congress to change it.  We
don't need to make more problem for the small farmer. He acts like $250
here and $400 there is nothing but to some folks they need every cent to
live their organic farming lives. They are making the organic farmer pay
for this whole ball of wax and the smaller farmer may be lost in the
suffle.   And where does he get this $250 out of his own head that is
where and that is where the NOP must have gotten the $5000 gross is a
small farm.    This is too important to be making up numbers we are
dealing with people lives.It is not fair to change the rules on the small
organic farmer . He is not stating it will only cost  $250 because it is
fact he is just trying to sweet talk you all.  I live in Ca. and even
here in the heart of organic land it is hard to find a close inspector
that does not have to travel long distances what about the poor small
grower in the big timber Wy. where the inspector will have to travel many
hours and have to charge the small farmer gas,salery,motal
room,inspection and time it takes to do paper work and this will cost the
poor farmer even if he is doing the good he knows.  We not only have to
support our self be now we have to support all these other folks.  Don't
let this guy sweet talk you .once this act is in it will take a act of
congress to change it.  the $5000 small farm exemption is a Joke and a
insult to all those poor folks fighting to keep their farms.   It is sad
that the money and the paper work is more important than a mans 
rightousness. Small Farmers will be persecute because they can not afford
to play and did not dot their i or cross their ts and not for any wrong
they have done.  Some folks that grow organic will be persecuted just for
telling folk the truth that they are organic.  Organic farmer still have
to do what other farmers do like complete paper work on all pesticide
they use if it is organic or not also they have to follow all the others
rules that other farmers follow but this is a extra tax on them  alone
for what they <bigger>DON'T USE .  </bigger>He says there is are people
selling organic that are lying.  This may be true.  There are people that
steal be we don't search every ones house in the whole US because a few
folks steal.  We should not search every organic grower place in the
whole US year after year after year and charge them money for it because
a few people may lie. Some of us cannot afford it.   Even when we do
search some ones house we have a warrant and have to show just cause
because it is private property but here they want to search every organic
farm  and charge us to do it just because some one may be a lier. HEY
THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY  .I say if some one knows an organic farmer is
lying let someone know like the state or a certifier so they get a
warrant and check him out but don't search and tax and burden every good
organic grower in the whole of the US because someone may be lying. A lot
of us can not afford it.   The history of the presentUSDA?NOP act    is a
history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object
the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over small  organic growers. 

>

>Everyone starts farming with little or nothing, except for those who
inherit

>land, equipment, money, etc.  In no way is organic farming going to even
out

>the material differences generated by cunning, previous generations,
hard

>work or greed.  And in a real sense, the greater inheritance that anyone
can

>pass on to our children is the ability to think, set ones direction for
the

>future and be innovative.  Life is really what we each make of it.  
Like it

>or not, how our life is in the USA, in the latter part of the 
twentieth

>century is the individuals choice, each farmer or person's choice.  If
a

>farmer does not make over $5000 gross a year, it is their choice and
they are

>entitled to do so.  If the gross income is less than $5000 annually,
under

>OFPA, they still have to conform to the standards, etc, but do not have
to be

>certified.  If you have a gross over $5000 per year and want to use the
label

>"organic", my suggestion is join the group and pay $250-$275 for
organic

>certification.  If a potential organic farmer is serious about
commercial

>organic farming for a livelihood, you will be amply repaid for your

>certification expenses.  A potential organic farmer will gain more
knowledge

>on the practices and systems of organic farming by understanding the
National

>Standards.  A potential organic farmer knows that their market has a
degree

>of protection from farmers and handlers selling organic who have not met
the

>recognized and agreed upon standards of organic farming and handling.

>  Consumers recognize the certified organic farmer as meeting their

>expectations and being willing to meet the National Organic Standards.  

>

>Again Sal, I would like to indicate my appreciation for your viewpoints
and

>right to express them.  Perhaps, the opportunity I have always seen in
my

>life is to define a problem and work with others to seek a solution
that

>benefits the consensus.  Condemning the US government, the California
State

>government or the certifiers without a factual basis is to me an error
in

>tactics.  I am in agreement that passage of OFPA was a preemptive move
by

>some organizations and members of the organic community without
offering

>consultation with organic farmers.  Organic farmers made the best of it,
by

>rewriting the original legislation (recognizing the consumers need for
a

>clear, consistent and uniform national definition) and came up with a 
very

>clear and effective piece of national legislation, OFPA.   We have taken
6

>years to get Proposed Rules out, which has allowed the organic 
handling

>business, organic consumer base and organic farming to mature.  The
practices

>and sophistication of organic farmers and the organic market place
between

>six years ago and now is immense.  Issuing of the Proposed Rule in a
real

>sense is right on time.  We are now communicating by email, which
likewise

>with the internet, six years ago virtually did not exist.  The impact
is

>gigantic, of highest priority  democratically empowering large segments
of

>the US population to participate in a Final Organic Rule.  

>

>I think your strategic defense of small and I would include moderate
size

>farms is excellent, but again tactically structured incorrectly. 
Anyone

>intending to organic farm at the $5000 or even $25,000 level needs to
look at

>the realistic cost.  With few exceptions cost of production including

>shipment to the market is at least two thirds to three quarters of the
gross

>(which does include in the analysis a nominal pay scale to all
production

>workers including the owner(s)) which means very little net income to a
farm

>family in these gross income categories--$1,250 and $6,250 net incomes

>annually at 75% cost of production respectively.  The annual net income
for a

>defined "small farm" in California (gross $250,000 being the maximum)
yields

>a net income of $62,500.  A goodly and reasonable net income even for

>California although we all know their are many uncontrollable variables.
 To

>me all these calculations are theory, that only come into viable
economic

>reality with efficient biological, labor, mechanical and marketing
management

>and skills.  In fact, the Organic Foods Production Act, if implemented
as it

>is written, is the only breath of fresh air for small to moderate size
farms

>in years.   I think all of our efforts should be to implement with the
least

>cost and paperwork consistent with a quality National Program 
possible.

> Rather then me complain about the inadequacy of governments, certifiers
or

>the Organic Program, my work is to make it work for certified organic
farmers

>handling operations and consumers.  

>

>Best Regards,  Eric

>

>

>

>

>In a message dated 97-10-05 07:14:43 EDT, sals@rain.org writes:

>

><<<< Subj:	 Re: comments on UDSA/NOP cost and benefits to organic
farmers and

>handlers

> Date:	97-10-05 07:14:43 EDT

> From:	sals@rain.org (sal)

> To:	Erorganic@aol.com, sals@rain.org, sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu

> CC:	smallfarm-mg@maat.reeusda.gov

> 

>  It has been said of me that I sound angry.I am   and in this time in

> history when the family farm is disappearing in record numbers.the
UDSA/NOP

> is being cruel and heartless saying that a small farm is $5000 or less
and

> anything over $5000 should be taxed.  In this day of farm aid, in this
day

> while we are trying to get to help to small family farmers and save
the

> small farm the last thing they need is a tax if they chose to farm
organic.

>  This just showed me that the USDA/NOP is a heartless bunch of people
that

> only want to tax the poor in order to support their own exsistance.

> 

>.

To Unsubscribe:  Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with "unsubscribe sanet-mg".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"subscribe sanet-mg-digest".


References: