News for the Michigan Organic Listserv Sept 18-Oct 1

 

1. CSA Conference, Nov 10-13 in Tustin, Michigan at Kettunen Center
2. OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) Seeks Your Advice
3. Organic Seed and Transplant sources
4. Scholarships available for farmers and extension educators to attend The 2006 CSA conference
5. Seeking a certifying agency for your organic or transitioning farm?
6. WHO CARES WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM?
7. Build the Organic Consumers Political Candidate Survey!
8. FDA Statement on Foodborne E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak in Spinach
9. Some good resources with practices to help assure YOUR farm food is at minimal risk of microbial food safety hazards.

10.      Some e-newsletters that may be of interest…. 

11.      Heads Up on the Aphid Front

12.      Try local, organic food in Mixed Greens event

13.      Two dairies to end use of artificial hormones

Hope to compete with organic milk

14.      Environmental leader leaves board

 

 

 

1. CSA (community supported ag) Conference in Tustin Michigan, Nov 10-13

 

Join us at the Kettunen Center (just south of Cadillac, Michigan) to learn more about CSA – with speakers and workshops for the prospective, new or experienced CSA farmer. Speakers include CSA pioneers Steven McFadden and Scott Chaskey. Sponsored by CSA-MI (with help from the sponsors listed below). Information at 231-889-3216.

We will build on the highly acclaimed 2004 conference with an event that is even better! http://csafarms.org/csafarms4056869.asp is the web site you can go to obtain information and registration information about the 2006 CSA  conference. Or, you can write or call; CSA-MI 3480 Potter Rd Bear Lake, MI 49614 231-889-3216

 

Registration and program is now available for the CSA conference

Here is a little more detail about the scheduled workshops.

 

CSA Conference Workshop Descriptions

Workshops Saturday 9 – 10:30 -- Breakout Session #1 1. Let's Talk Seeds for the CSA • David and Barb Perkins, Vermont Valley CSA 2. Biodynamics Day to Day • Anne Elder and Paul Bantle, The Community Farm of Ann Arbor 3. To be Determined 4. When Things Go Wrong: CSA in an Imperfect World • Let's Talk 5. Beyond the garden wall: CSA and social activism • Oxfam America • MACSAC (HMO) 2-3:30 -- Breakout Session #2: 1. The Spirit of Our Land, The Spirit of Our Times – A CSA Council Circle. • Steven McFadden 2. Let’s Talk* Seeds for the CSA 3. Animals and the CSA (tentative) 4. Let’s talk* Distribution Strategies • Theresa Williams 5. What is Bugging my Plants Now! Let’s talk* • Jon Watts, Meadowlark Farm 5. Will Eat for Change (tentative) • 4-5:30 -- Breakout Session #3: 1. Farm Safety 101: Yoga for Yeoman and Yeowoman • Steven McFadden 2. Keep those Veggies Coming - succession planting strategies • TBD 3. Let’s talk* volunteers • Traci Cruz 4. Who's watching the hen house? CSA and agricultural policy • Oxfam America 5. Land Trusts Ellie Kastanopolous Scott Chaskey Sunday 7:00 Sunrise Service 9:00 – 10:30 – Breakout Session #4 1. Metaphors, music, and meaning: CSA and the arts • Scott Chaskey • Laura B. DeLind 2. Greenhouse Structures and Management for the CSA Farm • John Biernbaum, MSU 3. Kicking the grid: CSA and renewable energy • Jim Sluyter, Five Springs Farm 4. Doing the books – business planning for the farm and CSA • Wendy Wieland 5. Mixing it up: Mixing CSA with other Markets •Richard Andres, Tantre Farm *Let’s Talk One of the suggestions from our last conference was to offer more ‘discussion’ type workshops. We are excited to offer several topics in a Let’s Talk format. Where you see Let’s Talk you can expect someone with knowledge and/or experience to start it off and moderate the discussion. But this person will not be there to give a long presentation. The point is to have a give and take, a discussion based on the experiences of the whole group. Come with your ideas and an interest in sharing…or just sit in and learn from the rest of the group. Biodynamics Day to Day Follow these farmers through their day as they explain what biodynamic means to them, how it works on their farm and how some of these techniques just might help you on your farm. Biodynamics at its practical roots. Anne Elder and Paul Bantle, The Community Farm of Ann Arbor Beyond the garden wall: CSA and social activism CSA is more than a source of sustainably-raised food. Equally important, it is a model -- with food and farming at its center -- for increasing the social responsibility and civic engagement of its members. CSA can be a force for social change. How do CSAs and CSA members use their collective talents and resources to promote a more just society, locally and extra-locally? This session considers some ways in which CSA is becoming involved in issues that transcend the garden (e.g., health care, fair trade, co-housing) and help to ensure real social security. The Spirit of Our Land, The Spirit of Our Times – A CSA Council Circle. The Council Circle tradition is the oldest form of democracy in North America, with roots reaching thousands of years into the past. In the traditional manner, adapted to our needs a members of CSAs, we will take seats as equals in the circle. We will pass the Talking Stick to share the authority and hear the heart and mind of every person who chooses to speak -- adding layer after layer to our understanding of our times, our land, and our work. Let's Talk: Distribution of Farm Shares Would it work better for your farm to deliver shares right to your members' doors, or have members come out to the farm to harvest their own shares, or would something in-between be the right fit for your farm? Do all members receive identical boxes or can members customize their weekly shares? These and other distribution questions and options will be discussed. Bring your experiences and ideas to share to this session and hear what has worked for others. What’s bugging my plants now? Get ready for a real down-to-earth discussion about bugs, common diseases and critters that we deal with everyday. Bring your own stories, questions & answers on how you manage pests on your farm. Farm Safety 101: Yoga for Yeoman and Yeowoman. A yeoman is a diligent farmer who cultivates the land, working constantly with his or her body and the forces of nature and machines. The farmer’s body must be properly cared for over the years – for it is the most valuable piece of farm equipment, and it eventually absorbs a lot of wear and tear. In this experiential workshop, we will talk about basic body safety for farmers, then learn and practice gentle stretches to keep our bodies strong, limber, and uninjured while we attend to chores. Who's watching the hen house? CSA and agricultural policy Agricultural policy is not just for large-scale farmers and processors. CSAs and their members -- as producers, consumers, and citizens -- are affected by state legislation (e.g., Michigan's SB 777 (which removes local authority over the use - or non-use - of gmos), national commodity decisions (e.g., cheap corn and obesity), and international trade agreements (e.g., COOL - country of origin labeling, NAFTA). This session will discuss some of the impacts that current (and proposed) agricultural policy has (and could have) on our bodies, daily lives, environment, and democratic political process -- and what we can do about them. Metaphors, music, and meaning: CSA and the arts In today's world of sound bites, fast food, and multi-tasking, we forget (and are starved for) what art and aesthetics add to our lives. CSA farmers and members are dedicated to a more humanely-scaled and naturally-paced way of growing and eating. This needs to include opportunities for creative expression and time to reflect on the beauty and meaning that exist within ourselves and our shared environments. This session will consider the value of stories, song, poetry, dance, ritual, and the visual arts for building and enriching the CSA community. Scott Chaskey Laura B. DeLind Greenhouse structures and management for the CSA Farm A greenhouse can be one of a CSA farmer’s best friends. Is yours? Greenhouse management includes selecting a structure and equipment that can provide the right mix of light, temperature and gasses with minimal electricity and fuel. It also includes a root medium with appropriate fertility and efficient irrigation and fertilization methods. With 20 years experience teaching about greenhouse structures and management, John Biernbaum can help you and your greenhouse be best friends and your CSA farm be more productive and profitable. Kicking the grid: CSA and renewable energy Over the last decade, the consequences of maintaining a way of life dependent on cheap, abundant oil supplies have become brutally clear -- environmentally, economically, and politically. There are alternatives. What are they; how can they be managed; and how will their use enable greater energy self-reliance? This session will examine several ways CSA can use renewable energy on (and off) the farm, focusing on electricity from solar (photovoltaic) cells and wind. Some attention will be given to the ‘off grid’ lifestyle and energy efficiency.

 

Wal-Mart Declares War on Organic Farmers

 

Partners with Agribusiness for Corporate Takeover

 

 CORNUCOPIA, WISCONSIN:  A report released today by The Cornucopia Institute, the nation's most aggressive organic farming watchdog, accuses Wal-Mart of cheapening the value of the organic label by sourcing products from industrial-scale factory farms and Third World countries, such as China. 

 

 Wal-Mart announced earlier this year that they would greatly increase the number of organic products they offered and price them at a target of 10% above the cost for conventional food.

 

 "We have received scores of press inquiries over the past few months asking us if Wal-Mart's organic expansion was 'good news or bad news' for the industry," stated Mark Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst for the Wisconsin-based farm policy research group.  "My stock answer has been:  If Wal-Mart lends their logistical prowess to organic food both farmers and consumers will be big winners by virtue of a more competitive marketplace. However, if Wal-Mart applies their standard business model, and in essence Wal-Marts organics, then everyone will lose."

 

 The Institute's white paper, Wal-Mart Rolls Out <http://www.cornucopia.org/WalMart_White_Paper.pdf>  Organic Products-Market Expansion or Market Delusion?, makes the argument that Wal-Mart is indeed poised to drive down the price of organic food in the marketplace by inventing a "new" organic-food from corporate agribusiness, factory farms, and cheap imports of questionable quality.  "Organic family farmers in this country could see their livelihoods disintegrate the same way so many industrial workers saw their family-supporting wages evaporate as Wal-Mart and other big-box retailers put the screws to manufacturers-forcing a production shift to China and other low-wage countries," Kastel added.

 

 Wal-Mart, already the nation's largest organic milk retailer, partnering with the giant milk processor Dean Foods (Horizon Organic), recently introduced their own private-label organic milk packaged by Aurora Organic Dairy.  Aurora, based in Boulder, Colorado, has faced a maelstrom of organic industry criticism and negative press for operating a number of industrial-scale dairies with thousands of cows confined in feedlot-like conditions.  They are also the subject of two current USDA investigations into their organic management practices.

 

 "If there was any previous doubt as to their intentions, partnering with Dean/Horizon and Aurora should leave no question in anyone's mind as to how Wal-Mart is approaching its organic initiative," proclaimed Steve Sprinkel long-time industry observer and columnist for the nation's leading sustainable agricultural journal, Acres USA.  Large percentages of milk from Horizon and Aurora come from factory farms, milking as many as 10,000 cows, allegedly without the required access to pasture.  The two companies have also been accused of bringing non-organic cows onto their farms.  "Because of the intense media scrutiny there is no doubt that Wal-Mart entered into these relationships in blatant disregard to the ethical expectations of the consumers who have helped build organics into a lucrative $16 billion industry," Sprinkel added.

 

 This April, The Cornucopia Institute released a rating of the nation's approximately 70 organic namebrand and private-label organic dairy products (www.cornucopia.org).  Although almost 90% received a very high rating, Horizon and Aurora refused to participate in the study and received the Institute's lowest score.  And in a subsequent poll of their over 800,000 members, the Organic Consumers Association moved to boycott Horizon and Aurora dairy products.  "It's hard to believe that at this time Wal-Mart would embrace these products," said OCA director Ronnie Cummins.

 

 In addition to the report's documentation of the Wal-Mart/factory-farm connection, the study also highlighted the company's decision to lower the per unit cost basis on organic products by collaborating with its long-time trading partner China.

 

 "Even if it were not for many serious concerns about the propriety of the certification process in China-and the fact that the USDA has provided little if any regulatory oversight there-food shipped around the world, burning fossil fuels and undercutting our domestic farmers, does not meet the consumer's traditional definition of what is truly organic," Kastel stated. 

 

 While Wal-Mart sources Chinese organic products, the industry's largest organic and natural foods retailer, Whole Foods Market, announced plans this summer to greatly expand their offerings of locally grown produce in deference to organic consumer sentiments. 

 

 "Between Whole Foods and hundreds of the nation's cooperatively owned natural foods groceries, we are certainly set up for a clash of the titans," said Cummins.  "Will consumers choose cheap industrial food, be it from factory farms or questionable Third World imports, or will they continue to support ethical processors and family farmers?"

 

 Wal-Mart also depends on Natural Selection Foods, Earthbound Farms, a giant industrial enterprise farming tens of thousands of acres in California, Arizona, Mexico and Chile as their prime vendor for organic vegetables.

 

"I don't think (consumers) have any idea just how industrialized it's becoming (mainstream organics)," said journalism professor and author Michael Pollan in a recent interview with the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Pollan's book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma" has been a national bestseller. "There are some real downsides to organic farming scaling up to this extent," Pollan added during the interview.  He and others worry that the expansion of "Big Organic" will lower food quality, weaken standards and hurt small family farms.

 

This month The Cornucopia Institute sent a letter to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott suggesting that Wal-Mart's approach to organics would likely undermine the corporation's campaigns to attract upscale shoppers to their stores and to help cleanse the reputation of world's largest retailer in terms of the widespread criticism that it has endured due to its labor and environmental practices.

 

 "We are afraid that you are grossly miscalculating your move into organics and underestimating the knowledge and commitment of the organic consumer. Those buying organic food are comfortable paying the historic premiums because they think that part of their purchase dollar supports a different kind of environmental, animal husbandry, and economic justice ethic," the letter from Cornucopia read in part. 

 

 The letter also cited an example of Wal-Mart selling mislabeled conventional yogurt as organic.  In addition, the Institute's report red-flagged the retailer selling organic baby formula made with both questionable synthetic ingredients and processing materials.  The report also suggests that Wal-Mart might lack the qualifications or commitment to oversee what promises to be one of the nation's largest organic manufacturing, distribution, and retail networks.

 

 "Wal-Mart's move into organics is worrisome to investors who realize that the credibility of organic label, and the sustainability of organic farming, is of greater significance to their returns than the mere branding of the term 'organic,'" said Daniel Stranahan, Investment Committee Chair of the Toledo-based The Needmor Fund.  "If we undermine the legitimacy of organic label then we also undermine the investor and consumer confidence that have brought historic premiums to organic products."

 

EDITOR'S NOTE:  The Cornucopia Institute's White Paper, Wal-Mart Rolls Out Organic Products.  Market Expansion or Market Delusion?, along with a photo gallery containing images of some of the organic items now being offered for sale at Wal-Mart stores, and the letter sent by The Cornucopia Institute to Wal-Mart's CEO, can be found on the organization's Web page at www.cornucopia.org <http://www.cornucopia.org/> .

 

_________________________________
Janet Chrzan
Anthropology Department
University of Pennsylvania

"But I know now that there is not a chance in hell of America becoming humane and reasonable. Because power corrupts us, and absolute power corrupts us absolutely. Human beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power. By saying that our leaders are power-drunk chimpanzees, am I in danger of wrecking the morale of our soldiers fighting and dying in the Middle East? Their morale, like so many lifeless bodies, is already shot to pieces. They are being treated, as I never was, like toys a rich kid got for Christmas."  Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

2. OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) Seeks Your Advice

OMRI seeks comments on new draft Policy and Standards Manuals

 

The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is in the process of updating its policies and standards. With consideration of public input received in a previous public comment period, OMRI has drafted new manuals detailing its standards and policies for review and listing of inputs for use in organic production, processing, and handling.

 

To review these draft documents and offer your comments, please visit the OMRI website at: http://omri.org/draft-ISO-manuals.html.

 

The comment period will close at the end of the day on Tuesday, October 24, 2006.

Thank you,

 

Dave DeCou

OMRI Executive Director

 

 

3. Organic Seed and Transplant sources

OMRI produced a searchable catalog of sources to purchase organic seed and transplants

http://seeds.omri.org/

 

 

Here is a web site of a list of organic seed sources from Pennsylvania organic  http://www.paorganic.org/pdf/2006_ORG_SEED_SUPPLIERS.pdf

 

 

Vicki Morrone

Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist

Michigan State University

C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems

303 Natural Resources Bldg.

East Lansing, MI 48824

517-353-3542

517-282-3557 (cell)

517-353-3834 (fax)

http://safs.msu.edu/

http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/