[compost_tea] TESTING, STANDARDS, AT WHOSE COST?

From: chris reid <reidchris_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 11:00:21 -0500

Hi_yield1 said: Mandatory testing and standards should be required by those
selling CT products. At their cost not the consumers. Maybe testing of our
CT
sauce should be free for everyone out there. Then just maybe we might be
able to come up with some good sound repeatable data.

reply: As far as manufacturer paying for some initial tests, well, if
you're willing to add a couple hundred dollars onto the price of the
brewers, maybe that's actually an interesting marketing approach for
somebody to try. It would certainly expose people to the process of testing
and the benefits of testing their tea.

Or maybe SFI could consider offering a test series called a "beginner pak"
for first time customers, have a coupon sold with the brewers to discount
their first few brews and some of the soil assays and introduce customers to
what they can get from testing.

No matter how you look at it though, it will *always* be at the cost of the
consumer, at least at present likely to be reflected in brewer prices and
ingredient prices you and I can't afford. For that to be different, I think
what would have to happen is: agricultural researchers would have to get
funding for "independent" research. As Paul Sachs indicated recently,
Cornell appears to be hinting at whether he will "ante up" for further
compost tea research. That was a real eye opener for me as to how research
appears to be funded these days. By those who are interested in its
outcomes! Elaine's efforts to identify an affordable microscope that would
work for learning to do assays on site (or at least not always in a lab) is
another area in which there will eventually be a breakthrough, if it hasn't
happened already.

Maybe Steve Brustkern could talk about any efforts ICTC (did I get that
right) could take around product testing requirements - maybe an ICTC seal
of approval? Short of regulation, that would be helpful. I definitely see
a need for more help to be provided to the consumer by someone other than
the manufacturer. Even industry groups are suspect, sad to say. Yet
regulation can also dampen innovation, by cementing requirements in place
that may be discovered to be counterproductive, barking up the wrong tree,
and then everyone manufactures to meet the regulations, not to make the best
product. I would love to believe that ag extension services could come
around and provide such a service, but their funding seems to have a lot of
strings attached these days, too, and they seem (to make a broad and unfair
generalization) constitutionally unable to un-warp their minds from an NPK
chemical perspective. Asking an ag extension agent to look into organic
stuff seriously is about like asking them to enter an alligator swamp at
night blindfolded. Filled and fraught with terror, fear, the unknown, and
the risk of getting their a** bit off.

If I hear you correctly, hiyield1, you're looking for solid answers and not
hype, and you want to be sure the information you are receiving is accurate
and the results replicable. That sounds to me like you're talking about
using a well tested brewer, a well tested recipe from the manufacturer, and
having the ability to determine that you've accurately replicated the
conditions (compost, ingredients, temp, pH, brew times, sequence of
additions), knowing that when you do, your results will probably be in a
range comparable to the manufacturer's tested range. and when you can't, the
results may vary from the mfr test results.

Another way to look at the risks of working with compost tea in its infancy
was voiced to me by Paulette Mouchet of this list, who commented that it is
very exciting to be at the beginning of a technology and have the
opportunity as a lay person to interact with other pioneers in the field and
with pioneering scientists and be part of the discoveries. There are risks
involved in deciding to participate in such a technology in its infancy
(even though compost teas have been used for a long time, attempting to
quantify what they do and be able to replicate results is relatively new).
It's something some are interested in, and some are not. We all make our
own decisions here.


Chris



------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/0PSxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
compost_tea-unsubscribe_at_yahoogroups.com

 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/




Received on Mon Nov 17 2003 - 14:08:15 EST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Tue Feb 07 2012 - 14:14:51 EST