Fwd: Fertilizer Products for Organic Gardening

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Greetings: FYI Fertilizer Products for Organic Gardeningby the Organic Trade Association http://www.theorgan icreport. com/pages/ 720_fertilizer_ products_ for_organic_ gardening. cfmChoosing fertilizers and soil amendments for your organic garden canbe easier, once you understand that product labels for organic foodsare different from labels of products intended for organic gardening.Unlike organic food products that carry the U.S. Department ofAgriculture' s (USDA) organic seal, fertilizers and soil amendmentsallowed in organic farming do not have a national logo thatidentifies them. Furthermore, labeling regulations for fertilizersvary from state to state, and the word

'organic' on these productsoften refers only to the chemical composition of the product. Theresult is confusion for home gardeners. A 2006 Internet poll of 1,162home gardeners, by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), indicatedthat 97 percent of polled gardeners are confused by fertilizers andsoil amendments labeled as organic.This spring, home gardeners who would like to garden with fertilizersand soil amendment products allowed in certified organic farming canuse the following tips:1. Gardeners can start by looking for the OMRI Listed seal. TheOrganic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is a nonprofit organizationthat provides an independent review of products intended for use incertified organic farming, processing and handling, and checksfertilizers, soil amendments, and other products against the NationalOrganic Standards.2. To find fertilizers and soil amendments more likely to be allowedin

certified organic farming, look for labels that say: "Thisfertilizer product is allowed for use in organic production;MeetsNational Organic Program requirements for organic production;Suitable for organic farming;Acceptable for use in organicproduction;Meets the requirements of the National Organic Program(NOP) for use in organic production;" or "This product is listed bythe Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for use in organicproduction." Such statements are currently in use or have beenapproved for use on labels of fertilizer and soil amendment productsallowed in organic production. Please remember that certifying agentsalways makes the final determination of whether a product is allowedfor use on a certified organic farm.3. Gardeners can find suppliers of fertilizer products allowed inorganic farming and gardening on OTA's Organic Pages Online under'Farm Supplies': http://www.theorgan icpages.com/ topo/index. html Thisdirectory includes a wide range of products such as blended dryfertilizers, composts, liquid fertilizers, micronutrients, soilconditioners, and a variety of other organic garden inputs.4. Know what's allowed or prohibited in organic agriculture. A listof substances allowed and prohibited for organic crop production canbe found on the USDA National Organic Program website:http://www.ams. usda.gov/ NOP/indexNet. htm Urea and biosolids areexamples of synthetic substances prohibited from use in organicfarming that can be found in some fertilizers labeled "organic."Manures composted according to NOP standards are allowed for organicproduction. Gardeners who

want to garden according to the nationalorganic standards or sell their surplus as organic must avoidproducts containing prohibited substances. FidylLive Simply So ThatOthers May Simply Live

 

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