----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Benbrook" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 10:23 AM Subject: [SANET-MG] Compost Tea and Organics
> I have learned much from the ongoing dialogue re compost and compost > tea safety and thank the technical experts for taking the time to walk the > non-microbiologists among us through the issues/science. I agree there is > much more to learn re how to assure compost safety and that the U.S., for > certain, has underinvested in this promising technology. > > Still, the unresolved scientific and food safety issues surrounding > compost, and especially compost tea, pose a major challenge for not just the > sustainable ag/organic community, but also for FDA/USDA and practising soil > microbiologists. I appreciate the passion and knowledge Elaine brings to > this issue, and her patience and clarity in many recent posts, but her views > are not universally shared among the relatively small group of scientists > charged with the responsibility of advising the NOP/USDA re how to move > forward with the regulation of compost tea applications under the NOP. I > have had a chance to discuss the recent work of the compost tea task force > with some of its members and am concerned by the degree to which the work of > the task force has come under attack, from a variety of quarters. > > We all know that some of the most strident enemies of organic > agriculture have latched onto compost safety as an Achilles Heel of organic > farming and that they will misrepresent the views of scientists, government > agencies, the local bartender to make their point and raise concerns. Of > course they will also fully exploit any disagreements within the organic > community, a process now under way. > > The NOP/USDA, and the compost task force, have to be cautious and > deliberate in moving ahead, and indeed their recent report and decisions > could be regarded as consistent with the precautionary principle. There > must be a very firm foundation if/when NOP/USDA endorses/permits > applications of compost tea under circumstances that might, even very > occassionally, result in a heightened risk of E. coli contamination. Anyone > who believes that technology and processes now exist, or can readily be > developed, that would assure food safety following applications of compost > tea should take their case, and data, to the task force and other technical > advisory bodies. But as we muddle toward concensus, the conclusions of these > bodies must be accepted, even when some among us feel they are wrong. > Constructive responses in the face of misguided technical advisory body > conclusions is to assure that the committees in the future are composed of > open-minded people lacking conflicts of interest; are given the background > and data needed to understand the issues they have been asked to review; and > to package/present data and information before the committees in clear and > compelling ways. > > The way the organic community deals with potential compost food > safety challenges will be among the decisive issues shaping consumer > attitudes and interest in seeking out organic food. I hope everyone with > scientific/technical skills and experience on these issues will find a way > to work cooperatively and together to assure that the pursuit of the disease > control and agronomic benefits of compost is carried out with a degree of > patience, caution, and humility, recognizing that there is much we do not > know and many lessons yet to be learned about the practical control and > application of these technologies in the real world. > > Chuck Benbrook >
