Re: Sal and Genetically Eng. Beans
Sal Schettino (sals@rain.org)
Tue, 19 Nov 1996 21:09:02 -0800
I feel the whole world is asking for genetically engineered stuff to be
label from the time the gov. let farmers inject cows with a genetically
engineered growth hormone and not label till now. People want a choice. I
heard on tv tonight the gov was injecting people with plutonium and not
telling them so we want a choice we want to be told . We are tired of being
the white mice. I am for full discloser for organic farmer and everyone
else. Let the people know what is going on with the food they eat and feed
to their babies. Don't single out the poor organic farmer for extra taxes
and paper work without making every one walk that same straight line.
When I started farming many years ago people just trusted you when you
said you were organic. Then about 10 or so years ago my customers told me
I should get certified. I went to CCOF because they were the best and I
know farmers that they certified. They have checked my books and have sent
a trained inspector to walk my land every year for ten years . My customers
had confidence in CCOF and well they should. This is a example of an
industry regulating itself voluntary. Then the big scare. We need to be
protected from the dishonest organic farmers. Da aa What a joke. So the
State of Ca. forced us to pay a organic tax if we sell organic. I think
they got us for well over 200,000 dollars and maybe found 2 dishonest
people . That is about 100,000 a person . I may be off but if someone has
the real figures please post them. Its been 3 or more years now so check
it out. you see they have been making all the good organic farmers pay a
tax for the few bad apples. No fair. I fear not being able to afford to be
organic more than I fear these few dishonest people. I feel the State is
wrong charging us money to grow and sell organic. Every organic farmer I
know is more than a little honest and the state should not levi an extra
tax them . Now you say we need the feds to get into the act. I'm not
convinced that the folks that are pro chemical pro gene altering pro methyl
bromine pro melathion spraying should be the over seeers of organic
farming. They stand for a lot of things I am against. it has taken them
over 6 years and they still cannot come up with a standard of what organic
is. These are not the folks I want to bow to and say yes you are the God
of organic farmers. Sorry ! Sure if they make the law I will pay and do
what they say for I will follow the law and have but I don't feel they have
a right to make organic farmers keep track of everything they sell and to
whom and not make gene tinkers do the same. I don't think they should be
able to make organic farmers separate our product and yet say the gene
tinkers you don't have to separate and keep books because it to much of a
burden on the gene jockeys. I think there is a conflict of interest here.
I think they are the wrong folks to be regulating organic farmers. I don't
think they should tell us what not to do while they are doing it like mad
men. . Hey if it is wrong for me its wrong for you too. I don't think the
law in Ca. fostered the evolution and growth of organic farming in fact a
lot of folks quit because of this double taxation.We don't need regulation
and taxation we need education and support. This Gene label thing only
points out to me how two face the government can be.
I think you are wrong about organic farmers being so dishonest that they
should be taxed extra and do extra paper work. I think they have principles
in fact that is where the principles came from. its not a case of throw the
baby out with the bath water its more a case of drowning the baby in too
much bath water and the baby was not all that dirty to begin with.
I don't see charging me a extra tax and making me do even more book work
levels the playing field or protects the honest committed grower. Sorry
Charles I understand where you are comming from but I don't want to go
there unless I am forced too. I don't want to give up one cent more to grow
and sell organic because I don't feel I am doing anything wrong. Question
how many folks do I have to pay off to farm organic and sell organic ? I
vote for none not one cent. . Thats my view of reality.
The
>organic law was crafted to assure a fairly level playing field, and
>consistency to protect the honest and committed organic grower from "fly by
>night" competitors; and to protect the legitimate, science and
>information-based certifier from "fly by night" certifiers that are willing
>to issue cut-rate certification statements on the thinnest of information
>and technical bases (if any at all).
>
> I note these reasons why there was an organic law passed not to
>argue with Sal and his point; I simply want to remind people that sometimes
>care must be exercised to not throw the baby out with the bath water. There
>were reasons and need for a federal law which remain legitimate, despite the
>horrific delays and excessive costs associated with the effort to implement
>the law. Everyone should also remember, or be aware that the process has
>been slow and tortuous because there have been, and remain, many deep-felt
>differences of opinion, and values, within and across the organic community,
>and these have played out, in stereo and technicolor, throughout the tenure
>of the NOSB. The NOSB's and USDA's inability to move forward faster with
>the rules has reflected the stubbornness of many people/constituencies that
>feel vested in the movement, and have argued for their view of reality.
> chuck
>
>Charles Benbrook 202-546-5089 (voice)
>Benbrook Consulting Services 202-546-5028 (fax)
>409 First Street S.E. benbrook@hillnet.com [e-mail]
>Washington, D.C. 20003
>
>
>
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