Composting is the basis of organic farming, but the USDA Organic rules for what can be composted could definitely be improved!
USDA Organic bans sewage sludge and that’s really important, as toxic sewage sludge is the reason why so much farmland is contaminated with PFAS “forever chemicals.”
But, the National Organic Program lets industrial operations like Driscoll’s fertilize their containerized plants - grown without soil - with nutrients from corn and soybeans genetically engineered to soak up herbicides or produce their own insecticides. And, manure and animal carcasses contaminated with antibiotics and other animal drugs are allowed in “organic” compost, too!
TAKE ACTION: Get Factory Farm and Industrial Food Processing Waste Out of Organic!
Unlike USDA Organic, Biodynamic farms aren’t allowed to be trash dumps for waste from factory farms or industrially processed GMO corn or soy. According to the Biodynamic Association:
“Biodynamic plants are grown in the ground in living soil, which provides a quality of health and nutrition not possible with chemical fertilizers or hydroponic growing. Biodynamic farms aspire to generate their own fertility through composting, integrating animals, cover cropping, and crop rotation. Composting brings animal manures, plant material, and soil into healthy relationships and transforms them into a potent source of strength and fertility for the farm organism. Integrating a diversity of animals helps cycle nutrients and provides manures that nurture the soil. Cover crops also contribute to on-farm fertility, adding plant diversity and bringing life and sensitivity to the soil through oxygen and nitrogen. Crop rotation helps balance the needs of each crop and enables a diversity of creative expression in the soil. Together, these practices reduce or eliminate the need for imported fertilizers and enable the farm to move toward equilibrium and resilience.”
Really, that’s how most of the independent organic farmers do it, too. It’s the industrial organic companies that are giving organic a bad name. But, until USDA Organic bans factory farm and industrial food processing waste, we encourage you to support Biodynamic brands and farms that are Demeter Certified.
Learn More: BuildASoil.com’s “Loyal To The Soil” Guide to Composts and Fertilizers
BuildASoil.com carries Demeter Certified Biodynamic Malibu Compost. Use the coupon code ORGANICCONSUMER to get 5% off your order of any BuildASoil.com product anytime–the coupon doesn’t expire. Plus, everytime you buy from BuildASoil.com, 15% will go back to the OCA, so this is a great way to support us!
TAKE ACTION: Say No to Factory Farm and Industrial Food Waste in Your Compost
Sign the Petition
PETITION TO THE USDA NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM
Factory farm manure and waste from the industrial processing of pesticide-soaked gentically engineered crops should not be allowed in organic compost or fertilizer.
Animal manure and carcasses are traditional ingredients of great compost—but not when they come from factory farms! Unfortunately, the organic rules allow factory farm waste to be used as fertilizer, providing a revenue stream for this needlessly cruel food production system—and contaminating organic compost with antibiotics and other animal drugs!
Food scraps and other plant materials also belong in compost—but not when they’re left over from the industrial processing of pesticide-drenched GMOs (genetically modified organisms) into oils, alcohol, and ethanol. The National Organic Program has been criticized for allowing these contaminated materials in organic fertilizer:
Corn steep liquor - Corn steep liquor is a by-product of the corn wet milling process where sulfurous acid is used to produce corn oil, cornmeal, cornstarch and high fructose corn syrup.
Soybean meal liquid fertilizer - Soybean meal is a by-product of soybean oil extraction. It’s high in nitrogen, making it a desirable organic fertilizer, but the industrial way to process it is with the chemical solvent hexane, a known neurotoxin.
Both corn and soy are genetically engineered to be soaked in herbicides and residues will show up in any fertilizers made from their byproducts.
These corn and soy byproducts are used in the water-soluble fertilizers that are the main tool of industrial organic producers like Driscoll’s that grow their fruits, greens, and veggies in plastic containers rather than in living soils. Follow this link to see what Driscoll’s plastic farms look like.
It is inappropriate to burden organic farmers with the responsibility for keeping soils free of pesticide and animal drug residues. We should stop the pollution at the source by banning contaminated manure and food processing waste from organic composts and fertilizers.
Thank you.