Re: Odwalla Juice

David DeCou (david_d@efn.org)
Thu, 21 Nov 1996 07:49:28 -0800

>david_d@efn.org (David DeCou) wrote:
>
>>Kim Stoner asked-
>>3. Is the apple juice in question from Odwalla certified as organic? (The
>>cider in Connecticut was not.) If not, why did people suddenly start
>>attacking
>>organic food?
>>
>>The Odwalla juice is not organic and the source of the juice was out of
>>California althoughthe problems seem to be primarily located in the
>>NorthWest. The attack on Organic foods seems to be an attempt to undermine
>>OG and distract the Consumer.
>> Ron Nigh's comment are true but why would the conventional people
>>want to present a fair discussion of food safety?
>>
>
>Oh Puleeeze!!
>
>There are lots of small orchards/cider mills which are just being
>killed by the publicity surrounding the Connecticut and Adwalla E.coli
>incidents.
>
>Its not an organic vs. conventional thing, at least here in
>Connecticut.
>
>Manure isn't just organic, its cheap... especially if your orchard is
>near a dairy or beef operation. Cow Poop+Apples= E. coli 0157H:7
>tainted cider.
>
>Maybe growers who want to use of cow manure need to compost it first
>or something.
>
>I can assure you that I don't fertilize with manure, I haven't bought
>any apples from other growers to press cider, but the media hysteria
>has KILLED our cider sales. Get Off the conspiracy thing
>
>Jonathan

Jonathan-
I should not have implied that there is a conspiracy going on. But
as an organic producer I have heard repeated rumors repeated by the media
that this E. Coli problem should be of grave concern to anyone eating
organic food. The fact that Odwalla portrayed itself as a Green business
and has only one product made from organically grown crops (which was not
tainted with E. Coli) has created this false impression. A woman I know
told me Tuesday that her mother, in Florida, has been hearing repeatedly on
the news that everyone needs to go to extreme measures if they eat Organic
produce. That is not a conspiracy but it is news without any basis similiar
to the ALAR news of a few years ago which I am sure also hurt your apple
sales. I will try not imply anything about conspiracies in the future.
I am extremely concerned about these E. Coli incidents. It seems
that microbes are evolving around many of the tools humanity has developed
to protect itself. A friend mentioned yesterday that some of the genetic
engineering which has been done has used some parts of some strain of E.
Coli to manipulate things. With the widespread use of antibiotics and
genetic engineering who knows what natue will throw at us next.

David DeCou
93780 River Road
Junction City, OR
97448
541 998-2110

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