Hello, food freedom fighters!
Here’s what we got for you this week:
The ousting of organics, a daily dose of ducks, and goat TLC.
organic… isn’t (all) good
We see it everywhere: organic fruit, organic vegetables, organic feed, organic milk. An extra percentage on the top and bottom-line for producers and a feeling of satisfaction for the consumer after doing their part in saving the world.
But, it’s not as simple as it seems...
organic roots
The organic movement started in the early 1900s in response to the growing industrialization of agriculture. Forged by Lord Melbourne of Britain, the focus of the movement’s philosophy and principles centered around soil health, ecological balance, and biological farming methods to counter the growing usage of fertilizers and pesticides. Truly a thing of beauty!
In the 1970s, the culture and understanding started to shift once California introduced the first organic certification to verify and prove the production of truly organic products. Around the same time, Oregon was first to legally define the term “organic”. By 1997, there were around 40 organic certification agencies across the United States.
Trouble arose with the growing number of requirements and legal differences across states. Many producers were unable to keep up with certification needs and the agencies lacked enforcement, leading to widespread fraud and lack of recognition.
Taking all this craziness into consideration, Congress enacted the Organic Foods Production Act in 1990 directing the USDA to standardize prohibited substances and accreditation guidelines. But when the USDA proposed its first rule in 1997, sh*t started hitting the fan…
toxins, additives, and bureaucratic bloat
The first controversial allowed substances to make it through the cracks of the “official” organic label were known as “the big three”: GMOs, irradiation, and sewage sludge.
You read that right: SEWAGE SLUDGE! These substances were allowed to be used for seed development, food preservation/pest elimination, and as fertilizers respectively.
Over 280,000 organic aficionados submitted negative comments with regards to the big three, which was an unprecedented level of outrage against government ruling at the time (and much more effective than complaining on Twitter ever has been). The USDA was forced to overturn the substance allowance a few years later, but that didn’t stop other substances from obtaining the good ol’ USDA okay:
Copper Sulfate - The most widely used class of pesticides in organic agriculture, this substance is used for fungal disease control, but it’s effects on the land couldn’t be worse for wear. Toxic for aquatic life, carcinogenic in nature, and a killer of soil microbial life, this pesticide can persist indefinitely in the soil and can even render land completely unproductive if not managed carefully.
Sodium Nitrate - A fertilizer that rapidly boosts microbial activity, but subsequently depletes soil organic matter and leaves the bacteria to survive on a so-called “starvation diet,” destroying the soil food web.
Carrageenan - A highly processed seaweed-derived thickening and stabilizing agent used in processed dairy products, plant-based milk, and infant formula. Concerned to be linked to digestive inflammation and colon cancer, it was voted to be removed from the approved list of substances in 2016, but the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service overturned the ruling. To date, it’s still often unlisted on labels if used for processing, making it nearly impossible for consumers to know what they’re actually buying.
All this hypocrisy and systematized erosion is topped-off with the incessant paperwork, overhead, inspections, and immense cost to even get the chance to slap the shiny USDA organic label on your products.
There is exemptions for producers that make less than $5,000 a year in sales, but those operations still require annual inspections, record keeping, and the kicker, they’re not even allowed to put the label on their foods. Why even go through all the trouble?
Even once the label is on, there are levels to the labeling. “100% organic”, “organic”, “made with organic”, and “specified organic ingredients”, all with different percentages of organic substance use.
And we can go on and on…
But, the point here isn’t to get you feeling like you efforts are all for naught, but to tell you what actually makes a difference when finding the best food for your health, your home, and your soil…
the proof is in the pudding
The best way of wrapping your head around labeling and escaping the maze of organics comes down to sourcing direct. Yes, simply sourcing direct!
Heading to your local markets (whether online or in-person), and actually engaging with the farmers who you shop from will allow you to understand how they really get down and dirty (in their soil that is! Keep your mind out of the sewage sludge).
It takes conscious action and a little bit of connection to really make a difference. And we don’t have to do it alone. The more community and knowledge we build with our producers and the origins of the products we consume, the more the foundation for our hearts, minds, and of course our food systems, can develop and bloom.
Organic is good, but best when we do it together!
Animal Spotlight
Darling ducklings!
Ducklings going ham on some feed.
If you ever feel weak at the gym, you may want to hang out with some ducklings. These babies are lighter than a feather, so besides being perfectly cuddly, they will make you feel like Hercules. However, they are also faster than lightning, and whenever sleep time comes around, catching them will be the craziest cardio you’ll have all week.
Baby ducks love to repeatedly shoving their beaks to their meals. Try putting some feed in your hand the next time you hang out with ducklings and feel the fury!
*Waddle* *Waddle*
Thank you.
We’ll see you again next week! We hope this newsletter tickled your beard today.
Have a milk-licious start to your year,
rearchitecting the broken food system. freeing the food.