I was raised on a sheep farm in Northeast Ohio. I have had my hands in the dirt a long time and when I hear news about organic v. non-organic I often here false information being dissimulated. With more and more food producers jumping on the band wagon it only threatens to increase. Organic is not bad, and there are federal regulations that mandate who calls themselves organic but there are also a lot of misconceptions. I would like to address some missperceptions about organic food, partically milk.
First I want to address where milk comes from. One tanker of milk is a mixture of several farms. There are very few large scale dairy farms in America and smaller farmers make up the majority of the milk produced. A farmers dairy facility is inspected more than most restaurants. If you have ever been in a milking parlor the amount of stainless steel is blinding. You are required to wear footies or boots that never leave that building and special coats to cover clothing. When milk is picked up by the tanker the driver tests a sample of the milk from the farmers tank. It has to meet certain standards or the whole batch is rejected. A tank of milk can be worth from $200-$500. A lot of money to risk.
Milk has fallen victim to what is termed absence labeling. Absence labeling is the process of putting on the label what is not in the product other than what is. Milk is the most regulated of all foods. The FDA even goes so far as to regulate the price of milk. By federal regulations no milk has antibiotics, pesticides or growth hormones present. So when consumers pay more for organic milk they are getting identical milk to what is non-organic.
This same idea can be said about many of the foods labeled organic. I am not against organic, I am against misinformation. I would like consumers to better understand modern farming, FDA guidelines and organic standards. In this way we can become better consumers overall.
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2 comments:
Carolyn,
I was surprised how regulated the dairy industry is, in contrast to other industries. We all hear terrible stories how chickens are raised or the poor sanitation conditions of Ohio egg farms. It doesn't sound like the regulations are consistent across our food supply. I am a very careful consumer but do not see much information published about the origin of food in the grocery stores. Any suggestions where consumers should look for good information?
Jim Lutz
Chickens, and birds in general, are by nature dirty animals. Chickens and turkeys in particular will eat their own dead. Birds in farms have their beaks clipped to prevent them from killing and eating each other.
Pigs, unlike popular belief, are one of the cleanest animals. They honestly loath mud and when given the chance to "take a bath" in fresh water will jump on it.
No, sadly it is not all consistent. Milk is heavily regulated because it is seen as primarily consumed by children and the price is regulated so that it does not exceed inflation. Milk is a "linch pin" food if there can be one. It is often the tipping point between healthy people and unhealthy people.
I would suggest contacting your local Farm Bureau for information. They would be able to give you information about how food is grown and produced. Also the FDA has to make standards available to the public. With a little time (because government websites are never easy to navigate) you can get the regulations for each industry.
As to pesticides and fertilizers. Most farmers would fall into "organic". The idea of using compost is not a new one. It was my job as a kid to spread the "poop" from the animals on the fields before planting. Bare in mind chemicals are expensive and using them reduces your already slim profit margin. Most farms cannot afford to use them. An application of lime (a natural fertilizer) can cost upwards of $600 an acre or more. Also it depends on the crop. Corn for instance, no matter what you put on the ground will not transfer to the ear itself. Labs have grown corn in radioactive soil and the kernel has shown no radioactive elements. Corn also is not treated with much, if any pesticides because corn tends to choke out weeds naturally.
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