Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
Hi Chip [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Chip Aurora Organic Dairy's allegedly organic milk fiasco is another side to the story. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iEPGS-Y0dThhK9jWDvh0OaaJUfQQD8TGE5RO0 Lawsuits Allege Milk Wasn't Organic These cows are all penned in factory-confinement conditions. Walmart, Target, Costco, Wild Oats are being sued for selling fake organic milk from Aurora. Aurora itself is currently being sued by consumers in 27 states for selling milk labeled organic that was not produced in accordance with the USDA's National Organic Program regulations. The USDA's organic standards are pro-corporate anyway, a lot of real organic farms won't have anything to do with the standards. They say they don't need the label, their customers know them and trust them. Best Keith Yes indeed. In the US, this is quite true. Not only in the US, but more so there than most places. The Organic movement, a good idea at the outset, has been heavily co-opted by the factory farms, and seemingly repurposed to get small farmers out of the game. It's heavily bureaucratic, and very difficult to remain in compliance unless you have a high degree of control over the area wherein the farm resides. I think it was coopted by the USDA on behalf of the factory farms. This is a shame, really. Many folks invested in making these changes, and have had the standards shift, costing them money and effort and ultimately, a lot of people have dropped out of the program. Many farmers resent the heck out of the whole process, with good reason. A stranger, (and it must be a stranger) comes to *your* farm, goes through *your* entire process and establishment with a fine toothed comb, and decides if *you* are good enough. Someone you don't even know. But they don't seem to resent it in other places, in Britain where the Soil Association are the main organic certifiers, or the Biodynamics associations in Europe or elsewhere, they're happy to do it. Here too, in Japan. Maybe they resent it in the US because they know it's all twisted out of shape there and it works against them, though they're the ones who did all the development work, just to have it grabbed by Washington and Walmart et al. I know people who do this. They are hard working, dedicated and knowledgeable folks who put a lot of effort into qualifying to be inspectors, not just for the work, but to be part of the fix, rather than part of the problem. It's very frustrating for all. It must be. But I'm not sure the NOP can be fixed. The talk 'round these parts is that 'local is the new organic'. Lot of folks, and I mean a lot, would much prefer food from a local grower, over anything labeled organic. This is a good thing, imo. Definitely a good thing, but there's a downside to it. Hm. Needs a separate post, later... let's see, it took what? 30 years for people to pay attention to organic? Sixty years for organic, 76 years for Biodynamic, if you take 2000 as the year it changed. I don't think we have another 30 to wait for them to pay attention to local. The upside is, after visiting a few farmers markets over this last year, I am stunned at the level of attendance, and very happy to see how fast growers are selling out of their csa shares. The food sustainability survey results I posted are interesting, it confirms what we've been saying here for awhile, especially recently. It's changing, and it's changing for the better. Lotta work to do though. Definitely again, on both counts. Regards Keith ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have a raw milk dairy in massachusettes, i wouldn't waste my time or money on calling it organic, if i did i may wake up one day and find i'm out of buisness . Eventually the public is going to figure out that corporate america has turned ORGANIC into another marketing gimmick. when you come to my farm you can see what the cows are eating, and you can see how they are eating it, and if you don't like what you see, go 5 miles down the road and get some organic milk at walmart. Right on! The public is figuring it out. A lot of folks are still sketchy on raw milk. (as opposed to whole milk). On the other hand, as I tend to split my time between Pa, WV, and Va, neighbors of mine in the little town where I live, in WV, know when I'm going to Pa, and have me shuttle them raw milk when I can. We can't get raw (bovine) milk in WV commercially, and I think it's against the rules in Va as well. Yes, I am adding a fuel load, but it's a fuel load that's spent anyway. A nice motto from a dairy I know up in Michigan, Our cows are not on drugs, But they are on grass. -- ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
I happen to like pus...ever google somatic cell count + milk? ;-) Chip Mefford wrote: [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have a raw milk dairy in massachusettes, i wouldn't waste my time or money on calling it organic, if i did i may wake up one day and find i'm out of buisness . Eventually the public is going to figure out that corporate america has turned ORGANIC into another marketing gimmick. when you come to my farm you can see what the cows are eating, and you can see how they are eating it, and if you don't like what you see, go 5 miles down the road and get some organic milk at walmart. Right on! The public is figuring it out. A lot of folks are still sketchy on raw milk. (as opposed to whole milk). On the other hand, as I tend to split my time between Pa, WV, and Va, neighbors of mine in the little town where I live, in WV, know when I'm going to Pa, and have me shuttle them raw milk when I can. We can't get raw (bovine) milk in WV commercially, and I think it's against the rules in Va as well. Yes, I am adding a fuel load, but it's a fuel load that's spent anyway. A nice motto from a dairy I know up in Michigan, Our cows are not on drugs, But they are on grass. -- ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
Something I've been following in my neighboring state of Pennsylvania in the US. --- The most succinct write up I've seen on this subject can be found here: http://www.voicesweb.org/?q=node/1100 In a nutshell. Pennsylvania being one of the few remaining states in the US that is still quite interested in maintaining it's agriculture, made a very interesting move in attempting to ban labeling milk as being anything other than milk. It's rather hard to explain. In essence, more and more folks at the top of the food chain (otherwise known as 'consumers, -and I really hate that meme-) are learning more and more about their food supply and wanting a better quality product than is made available by contemporary factory farming techniques. To meet this new-ish demand, many farmers are rejecting the factory farming model. In particular, the use of rBST/rBGH (Monsanto's Posilac) is being flat out rejected by some dairy farmers. Farmers who view their cattle as a bit more than just a biological chemical refinery. It's difficult to avoid pejorative language here, but I'm trying. In response to this growing awareness on behalf of folks who drink the milk. The Pennsylvania State Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff formed a (now locally infamous) 'Food Labeling Advisory Committee' back in October of 2007. This committee made the unilateral decision that labeling milk as being 'rBST Free' was misleading to 'consumers' and the practice should be banned. Secretary Dennis Wolff then had the state pass a law banning the labeling of milk as being rBST free. This ban is supposed to go into effect Jan 1, 2008. Pennsylvania is doing a lot of things right. Their 'Buy Fresh, Buy Local' campaign is one example. There is the state wide Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. PASA http://www.pasafarming.org/ , a very active and healthy group that 'gets it'. and other such things. Like I said, Pa does a lot of things right. This is a thing they are doing quite wrong. Other states are following suit. According to the article at least 4 other states have laws pending to outlaw food labeling in this manner. One step forward, two steps back, but with the will to take another step forward, things get done. For what it's worth. -- ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
Monsanto wins another one. Chip Mefford [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Something I've been following in my neighboring state of Pennsylvania in the US. --- The most succinct write up I've seen on this subject can be found here: http://www.voicesweb.org/?q=node/1100 In a nutshell. Pennsylvania being one of the few remaining states in the US that is still quite interested in maintaining it's agriculture, made a very interesting move in attempting to ban labeling milk as being anything other than milk. It's rather hard to explain. In essence, more and more folks at the top of the food chain (otherwise known as 'consumers, -and I really hate that meme-) are learning more and more about their food supply and wanting a better quality product than is made available by contemporary factory farming techniques. To meet this new-ish demand, many farmers are rejecting the factory farming model. In particular, the use of rBST/rBGH (Monsanto's Posilac) is being flat out rejected by some dairy farmers. Farmers who view their cattle as a bit more than just a biological chemical refinery. It's difficult to avoid pejorative language here, but I'm trying. In response to this growing awareness on behalf of folks who drink the milk. The Pennsylvania State Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff formed a (now locally infamous) 'Food Labeling Advisory Committee' back in October of 2007. This committee made the unilateral decision that labeling milk as being 'rBST Free' was misleading to 'consumers' and the practice should be banned. Secretary Dennis Wolff then had the state pass a law banning the labeling of milk as being rBST free. This ban is supposed to go into effect Jan 1, 2008. Pennsylvania is doing a lot of things right. Their 'Buy Fresh, Buy Local' campaign is one example. There is the state wide Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. PASA http://www.pasafarming.org/ , a very active and healthy group that 'gets it'. and other such things. Like I said, Pa does a lot of things right. This is a thing they are doing quite wrong. Other states are following suit. According to the article at least 4 other states have laws pending to outlaw food labeling in this manner. One step forward, two steps back, but with the will to take another step forward, things get done. For what it's worth. -- ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ Walker Sedona, Az In The Beginning - ISBN: 1-4116-3848-4 Just In Time - ISBN 1-4116-3851-4 Ad Astra - ISBN: 978-1847285188 -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20071220/c2c613d1/attachment.html ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
Walker Bennett wrote: Monsanto wins another one. BIG SNIP Not necessarily; There has been significant push back. This 'law' (passed under less than auspicious circumstances) is prompting lawsuits against the state. Personally, I tend to view lawsuits as counterproductive, but then again, I also wish folks would just behave. :) In short, there has been a lot of flack over this, and I expect it will get a lot worse if the ban actually goes into place. Pa -for instance- is one of the few places in the US that one can actually still buy raw milk, in glass bottles, directly from the dairy. Some dairys take this stuff quite seriously. However, this is a very good insight into how outfits like Monsanto work. -- ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
Hi Chip Aurora Organic Dairy's allegedly organic milk fiasco is another side to the story. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iEPGS-Y0dThhK9jWDvh0OaaJUfQQD8TGE5RO0 Lawsuits Allege Milk Wasn't Organic These cows are all penned in factory-confinement conditions. Walmart, Target, Costco, Wild Oats are being sued for selling fake organic milk from Aurora. Aurora itself is currently being sued by consumers in 27 states for selling milk labeled organic that was not produced in accordance with the USDA's National Organic Program regulations. The USDA's organic standards are pro-corporate anyway, a lot of real organic farms won't have anything to do with the standards. They say they don't need the label, their customers know them and trust them. Best Keith Something I've been following in my neighboring state of Pennsylvania in the US. --- The most succinct write up I've seen on this subject can be found here: http://www.voicesweb.org/?q=node/1100 In a nutshell. Pennsylvania being one of the few remaining states in the US that is still quite interested in maintaining it's agriculture, made a very interesting move in attempting to ban labeling milk as being anything other than milk. It's rather hard to explain. In essence, more and more folks at the top of the food chain (otherwise known as 'consumers, -and I really hate that meme-) are learning more and more about their food supply and wanting a better quality product than is made available by contemporary factory farming techniques. To meet this new-ish demand, many farmers are rejecting the factory farming model. In particular, the use of rBST/rBGH (Monsanto's Posilac) is being flat out rejected by some dairy farmers. Farmers who view their cattle as a bit more than just a biological chemical refinery. It's difficult to avoid pejorative language here, but I'm trying. In response to this growing awareness on behalf of folks who drink the milk. The Pennsylvania State Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff formed a (now locally infamous) 'Food Labeling Advisory Committee' back in October of 2007. This committee made the unilateral decision that labeling milk as being 'rBST Free' was misleading to 'consumers' and the practice should be banned. Secretary Dennis Wolff then had the state pass a law banning the labeling of milk as being rBST free. This ban is supposed to go into effect Jan 1, 2008. Pennsylvania is doing a lot of things right. Their 'Buy Fresh, Buy Local' campaign is one example. There is the state wide Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. PASA http://www.pasafarming.org/ , a very active and healthy group that 'gets it'. and other such things. Like I said, Pa does a lot of things right. This is a thing they are doing quite wrong. Other states are following suit. According to the article at least 4 other states have laws pending to outlaw food labeling in this manner. One step forward, two steps back, but with the will to take another step forward, things get done. For what it's worth. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Chip Aurora Organic Dairy's allegedly organic milk fiasco is another side to the story. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iEPGS-Y0dThhK9jWDvh0OaaJUfQQD8TGE5RO0 Lawsuits Allege Milk Wasn't Organic These cows are all penned in factory-confinement conditions. Walmart, Target, Costco, Wild Oats are being sued for selling fake organic milk from Aurora. Aurora itself is currently being sued by consumers in 27 states for selling milk labeled organic that was not produced in accordance with the USDA's National Organic Program regulations. The USDA's organic standards are pro-corporate anyway, a lot of real organic farms won't have anything to do with the standards. They say they don't need the label, their customers know them and trust them. Best Keith Yes indeed. In the US, this is quite true. The Organic movement, a good idea at the outset, has been heavily co-opted by the factory farms, and seemingly repurposed to get small farmers out of the game. It's heavily bureaucratic, and very difficult to remain in compliance unless you have a high degree of control over the area wherein the farm resides. This is a shame, really. Many folks invested in making these changes, and have had the standards shift, costing them money and effort and ultimately, a lot of people have dropped out of the program. Many farmers resent the heck out of the whole process, with good reason. A stranger, (and it must be a stranger) comes to *your* farm, goes through *your* entire process and establishment with a fine toothed comb, and decides if *you* are good enough. Someone you don't even know. I know people who do this. They are hard working, dedicated and knowledgeable folks who put a lot of effort into qualifying to be inspectors, not just for the work, but to be part of the fix, rather than part of the problem. It's very frustrating for all. The talk 'round these parts is that 'local is the new organic'. Lot of folks, and I mean a lot, would much prefer food from a local grower, over anything labeled organic. This is a good thing, imo. let's see, it took what? 30 years for people to pay attention to organic? I don't think we have another 30 to wait for them to pay attention to local. The upside is, after visiting a few farmers markets over this last year, I am stunned at the level of attendance, and very happy to see how fast growers are selling out of their csa shares. It's changing, and it's changing for the better. Lotta work to do though. -- ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] In other news. Milk labelling controvery in US
I have a raw milk dairy in massachusettes, i wouldn't waste my time or money on calling it organic, if i did i may wake up one day and find i'm out of buisness . Eventually the public is going to figure out that corporate america has turned ORGANIC into another marketing gimmick. when you come to my farm you can see what the cows are eating, and you can see how they are eating it, and if you don't like what you see, go 5 miles down the road and get some organic milk at walmart. -- Original message -- Aurora itself is currently being sued by consumers in 27 states for selling milk labeled organic that was not produced in accordance with the USDA's National Organic Program regulations. The USDA's organic standards are pro-corporate anyway, a lot of real organic farms won't have anything to do with the standards. They say they don't need the label, their customers know them and trust them. Best Keith Something I've been following in my neighboring state of Pennsylvania in the US. --- The most succinct write up I've seen on this subject can be found here: http://www.voicesweb.org/?q=node/1100 In a nutshell. Pennsylvania being one of the few remaining states in the US that is still quite interested in maintaining it's agriculture, made a very interesting move in attempting to ban labeling milk as being anything other than milk. It's rather hard to explain. In essence, more and more folks at the top of the food chain (otherwise known as 'consumers, -and I really hate that meme-) are learning more and more about their food supply and wanting a better quality product than is made available by contemporary factory farming techniques. To meet this new-ish demand, many farmers are rejecting the factory farming model. In particular, the use of rBST/rBGH (Monsanto's Posilac) is being flat out rejected by some dairy farmers. Farmers who view their cattle as a bit more than just a biological chemical refinery. It's difficult to avoid pejorative language here, but I'm trying. In response to this growing awareness on behalf of folks who drink the milk. The Pennsylvania State Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff formed a (now locally infamous) 'Food Labeling Advisory Committee' back in October of 2007. This committee made the unilateral decision that labeling milk as being 'rBST Free' was misleading to 'consumers' and the practice should be banned. Secretary Dennis Wolff then had the state pass a law banning the labeling of milk as being rBST free. This ban is supposed to go into effect Jan 1, 2008. Pennsylvania is doing a lot of things right. Their 'Buy Fresh, Buy Local' campaign is one example. There is the state wide Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. PASA http://www.pasafarming.org/ , a very active and healthy group that 'gets it'. and other such things. Like I said, Pa does a lot of things right. This is a thing they are doing quite wrong. Other states are following suit. According to the article at least 4 other states have laws pending to outlaw food labeling in this manner. One step forward, two steps back, but with the will to take another step forward, things get done. For what it's worth. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
