Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 herbal remedies , " Dr. Ian Shillington " <DocShillington wrote: > > I wonder if they're importing the food from China too???? > > Doc > > PS. I wouldn't be surprised if WalMart ends up destroying the American economy. > > Doc Shillington > 727-447-5282 Doc- It just so happens, the Dallas Morning News printed a very interesting article about organic foods. (Sunday July 16) dallasnews.com For what it's worth: Organic food is grown without the use of MOST conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge. Animals are not given antibiotics or growth hormones and are SUPPOSE to have more access to the outdoors. A label can state 100% organic or simply organic. " Organic " products allow for up to 5% nonorganic ingredients. If the product is at least 70% organic, if cannot use the the USDA seal, but it can say " made with organic ingredients. " If less than 70%, it can only use the word " organic " to identify individual ingredients. The US has 2.2 million organic acres; China 8.6 million. It is questionable that China could have transitioned farmland that quickly. Their water is polluted, and the soil is contaminated from industry and mining. Despite concerns, the USDA is only responsible for approving certifiers, whose job it is to check on Chinese farms. There are 96 accreditated certifying agencies, 56 in the US and 40 in foreign countries. It's common practice in China to mix fertilizer with human waste. This is a clear violation of USDA rules. Do we simply trust the word of a farmer? It appears folks can find a way around laws and regulations. There are problems all around the world, even in the US. Some US farmers cut corners and use ammonium nitrate- a banned fertilizer- that costs half as much and is hard to detect. It's not fair to the farmers who obey all the rules. The USDA label does not always mean it is truly organic even though a certifier has given approval. Auditors, from a separate USDA branch, wrote that certifiers approved food producers despite evidence that banned chemicals were used. Some gave approval without conducting inspections. The USDA does not know how many violations there are because it is missing information from those who are supposed to be policing the industry at the ground level. Farms and processing plants can shoose any USDA- approved certifier. Even if one farmer is cheating, it's bad for the whole industry. It appears the USDA should spend more money on enforcement. Texas leads the nation in certified organic cropland and pasture, with about 313,000 acres. Texas adopted organics in 1988 when it established its own organic standards along with California and Washington. Federal regulations went into effect in 2002. Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 This is why I only buy " Certified Organic. " Wellll...I mean, they haven't screwed THAT up yet, have they?!!! ....maybe I should move to Texas... ;-) love, Stevie Cindy wrote: > Organic food is grown without the use of MOST conventional > pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage > sludge. Animals are not given antibiotics or growth hormones and > are SUPPOSE to have more access to the outdoors. > A label can state 100% organic or simply organic. " Organic " > products allow for up to 5% nonorganic ingredients. If the product > is at least 70% organic, if cannot use the the USDA seal, but it can > say " made with organic ingredients. " If less than 70%, it can only > use the word " organic " to identify individual ingredients. > > Texas leads the nation in certified organic cropland and pasture, > with about 313,000 acres. Texas adopted organics in 1988 when it > established its own organic standards along with California and > Washington. Federal regulations went into effect in 2002. > > Cindy > > > > > > Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following: > 1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire. > 2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy. > 3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to > prescribe for your own health. > We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long as > they behave themselves. > Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person > following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk. > It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing to > be fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability. > > Dr. Ian Shillington > Doctor of Naturopathy > Dr.IanShillington > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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