About that organic broccoli from China

Helping U.S. farmers transition to organic

Posted by Samuel Fromartz (Guest Contributor) at 1:29 PM on 27 Jun 2007

Read more about: food | agriculture | organic food | legislation

Organic food has take criticism lately, because a portion is flowing from overseas. (All those food miles, all that lost support for American farmers.) Well, there's a reason that trend is underway: Not enough American farms are growing organic crops and fewer still are converting, so demand is exceeding supply. With the Farm Bill, attempts are underway to address that problem.

The organic farming community is seeking a few tender morsels off the Congressional table, to help farmers get into the organic sector. I explained these on Chews Wise, with links to more in-depth documents, but the main points are these: Organic farmers seek research, so growers can more easily figure out how to farm organically, and funds are needed to offset the costs of certification and aid farms through the difficult transition period.

Basic research funds. Currently organic farming research only gets about $3 million in dedicated funds out of a USDA research budget of about $2 billion. They want $15 million.
Certification cost share. Farmers can get up to $500 annually to offset up to 75 percent of the costs of organic certification, but much of that money has run out. (This $500-per-farm subsidy is the only one specifically for organic farmers and is aimed at smaller operations.)
Transition support. The lobby is looking for $50 million per year to help farmers with the three-year transition to organic farming.

Environmental Working Group recently launched a site to gin up support on the issue and generate 30,000 signatures to lawmakers by July 15. The point is to win baseline funding for organic agriculture, so that it can be increased in the next farm bill. If the baseline is near zero, it isn't going to move at all -- not in the next bill, or the one after that -- and farmers will continue to sit on the sidelines.

When you wonder why organic products are coming from overseas, you will have your answer: the modest government incentives and research U.S. farmers needed to pursue organic farming weren't available. So they didn't bother to switch.

For story: About that organic broccoli from China
2 Comments | Post a Comment

certification problem / potential advantage

I've been wondering about two issues. Perhaps someone can reduce my fears and dispell one illusion.

First: POTENTIAL PROBLEM.

Given the recent, and not so recent, concerns over food from China, exactly who determines that Chinese organic produce is actually organic? Why would anyone believe Chinese produce is organic? Nobody can even assure us that non-organic food from China is not full of inappropriate chemicals. It is not only laced with herbicides and pesticide banned elsewhere in the world, the Chinese are adding chemicals that have absolutely no reason to be in food. One would have to be an idiot to believe fruits and vegetables -- or meat for that matter -- from China is organic just because the label says so.

Or are American companies re-packaging the imported product? Is it possible to buy organic produce and not even know it is from China?! If so, please direct me to a list of such companies. There should be an immediate boycott of their products.

Second: POTENTIAL ADVANTAGE.

Okay. I know I can grow broccoli in Wisconsin. I see a decent yield and have few pest problems. But could there be an advantage to importing -- or exporting -- organic food? Rather than using chemicals, GMOs, or other drastic measures to grow a useful nutritionally valuable crop in a country that really does not have an appropriate climate or happens to have a large population of some sort of pest, wouldn't it be better, from an organic standpoint, to grow that fruit or vegetable in the most ideal location on the planet and then ship it to consumers elsewhere on the planet. Afterall, locals can eat only so many apples or broccoli or onions or whatever happens to grow well where they live.

Just an idea. I'm not supporting or opposing the globalization of the food industry at this time. I have an opinion, but it is not relevant here.

by wiscidea at 3:07 PM on 28 Jun 2007

market share

Samuel Fromartz wrote:

"When you wonder why organic products are coming from overseas, you will have your answer: the modest government incentives and research U.S. farmers needed to pursue organic farming weren't available. So they didn't bother to switch."

China is also inclined to sell products in the United States below cost for production and shipping just to drive competitors out of business. I think that's how they secured the ascorbic acid market.

Consider writing to your representatives. If the folks in Washington aren't interested in protecting American jobs from UNFAIR competition and American people from DANGEROUS products, I suggest asking them why they hate America so much. I'm all for fair trade, but not the !@#$ going on right now.

Stop the slide toward the lowest common denominator when it comes to fair trade, protecting the environment, protecting workers, and protecting consumer health.

Why DO Republicans hate America??? Do they WANT the terrorists to win by slowly poisoning patriotic God-fearing American tax payers so we can't defend ourselves and our children??? If Republicans are not for us, they must be against us!

by wiscidea at 10:39 AM on 05 Jul 2007

ADVERTISING POLICY

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