April 11, 2008 03:11 pm
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To the Editor:
Over the past year I have read many articles, letters and columns about organic farming and technology. To quote a letter, I am an organic zealot and proud of it. I have a certified organic dairy farm and would not want to live or farm any other way. I think I can safely say that the farmers who use conventional methods and technology are zealots of their ways.
It seems there are many more words written against organics than against technology. You must feel threatened by us. You say our animals are sick and should be housed to not spread disease, that our land is eroding, we get poor yields and can’t feed the world. You try to turn the consumer against us, saying we prey on their emotion and charge them more.
My animals graze the fields for as much of the year as possible and are healthy without the use of antibiotics and extra hormones. We get almost as high of yields from our land and I do less tillage than ever. My neighbors who farm conventionally are going back to more tillage and using the moldboard plow. We don’t want to feed the whole world, just our little corner of it. Farming organically doesn’t interfere with any other way of farming. But the organic farmer has to deal with the consequences of some technology mainly genetically modified organism drift. Pandora’s box has been opened.
In this country we can farm the way we want to, but I want to say this: Do not make people feel foolish because they purchase food and products that have been raised or grown the way they want. They are willing to invest thought, effort, time, research and a little extra money because they know it makes a difference in their lives and/or health, or they just want to be on the safe side. They are not ready to trust a government agency that says certain things are safe. These are some of the same agencies that approve medicine and food additives and years later find problems with them. They are the same agencies that inspect our bridges and protect us from terrorism.
We are living a huge experiment and two or three generations from now we may find that genetically modified organisms, cloning, irradiation and extra hormones approved and found safe have caused serious problems.
There are cases in the courts about milk labeled bovine somatotropin-free, as this implies that there is something wrong with milk from cows given BST. You do not want anything on a label or package that say anything about GMOs, irradiation, hormones, cloning or other forms of technology. If you believe in these things and want to produce food using them, why do you want to hide these ways from the consumer? They are not stupid and will decide what they want.
If you truly believe in the way you farm, put “produced with GMOs” or “BST” or “certified organic,” for example on the label. Put it on the sign at your driveway and on the cap you wear. I do and am always happy to talk to people who notice. Many do.
Wayne Schwartz
Le Sueur
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