Summer 2006 Natural Farmer

Summer, 2006 Vol. 2, No.
69 Publication of the Northeast Organic Farming Association 1077-2294

Inside This Issue
Features
NOSB Vacancies 5
Report of NOP Pasture Symposium 7
Honoring the Orchard Ecosystem 38
A Golden Opportunity 39
Supplement on
Organic Enhances Human Health 9
The Benefts of Organic 11
Organic Food Quality and You 13
Organic Foods, Nutrition and Health 15
Organic Milk Higher in Vitamins 18
Organic Farming More Effcient 18
Allergic Diseases and Sensitization Study 19
Breaking the Mold: Mycotoxins 20
Fossil Fuel Energy and Organic Growing 22
Nutritional Quality of Organic Food 23
Proof that Grazing is Better 27
Elevating Antioxidants 29
Organic Reduces Pollution 32
More Omega 3 In Organic Milk 33
Organic Corn & Soy: More with Less 34
Studies Back Benefts of Organic 35
Organic Works Harder for Nutrients 36
Departments
Letters to the Editor 2
Editorial 2
NOFA Exchange 4
News Notes 6
Book Reviews 42
NOFA Contact People 46
NOFA Membership Information 47
Calendar 47
by Kathy Litchfeld
Its almost here! That is, your chance to meet
people from throughout the Northeast and
beyond over delicious organic meals; tour
a local farm or greenhouse; dance along the
festive parade route to kick off the much-loved
Old-Fashioned Saturday Country Fair; bring
your own organic seeds to be cleaned for free
by the Organic Seed Partnership.
What will organic look like in the next 10-
20 years? Participate in the frst of a series of
national dialogue meetings that will examine
national and federal priorities for organic
agriculture. This frst-ever mini-conference
will run concurrently with the NOFA Pre-
Conference on Food and Farming Education.
Get your questions answered, share your
expertise, learn from others, socialize in a
healthy environment, dine upon delicious
organic food --- whatever your reasons for
attending the 2006 NOFA Summer Conference,
let them be known by registering today!
The 32
nd
annual NOFA Summer Conference,
featuring a grand total of 218 diverse
workshops this year, will be held from August
10-13, 2006 on the grounds of Hampshire
College in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Featured in Hobby Farms Magazine as one
of the best conferences for small farmers, the
The 32nd Annual NOFA Summer Conference
NOFA Summer Conference offers something
for everyone through its creative workshops, its
themed pre-conference, social events, organic
meals and much, much more.
This years workshops cover topics including
organic farming, gardening, land care,
spirituality, health, politics and our place in the
world.
The Childrens and Teens conferences, which
run concurrently with the adult workshops,
are organized by separate teachers and
administrators. They feature many new and
innovative workshops this year as well as tried-
and-true events to educate and inspire the next
generation of NOFA farmers while providing
value to the seasoned NOFA members.
Supervised music, dance, movement, arts,
nature journaling and construction workshops
will delight children. Discover your Intuitive
Mind, Growing your own Multicultural
Garden and Ecological Footprints are among
the thought-provoking, exciting opportunities
for teens.
The theme of this years Summer Conference is
Sprouting the Seeds of the Next Generation,
and we organizers hope to be sprouting them
like crazy!
Our favorite NOFA traditions will also delight
conference-goers this year, whether at the
Saturday Country Fair, jam-packed with fun
activities for participants of all ages, or during
the always-savored and much-anticipated Local
Meal, prepared entirely with locally grown and
produced organic foods.
This years Local Meal menu includes Fresh
Tomato Soup, Beef and Vegan Tamale Pie,
Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Cilantro
Dressing, Bread and Cheese, Maple ice cream
and fruit crisp and of course the Salad Bar.
(continued on page 41)
I can see the possibilities for a fourishing
planet, where we choose to restore and heal
what we have poisoned and violated. As we
transform ourselves, Earth will heal.
by Kathy Litchfeld
The day a high school art student challenged
Sister Miriam Therese MacGillis about her
views on the Vietnam War was a day that
changed her life.
MacGillis, a native of Bayonne, N.J.,
immediately embarked upon a search to
discover her innermost feelings about the war,
which shortly led the Dominican sister to begin
full time peace and justice work, as education
coordinator for the Newark Archdiocese from
1973-1977 and as program coordinator and art
editor of the Whole Earth Papers from 1976
to 1980 with Global Education Associates.
MacGillis said she realized she was not only
against the Vietnam War, but against war as a
way to settle conficts. She was also touched
by the crisis of world poverty, and especially
the tragedy of world hunger. This passion
led her to explore farming, agriculture, and
our human connection to the earth. She had
been inspired by the work of Anthroposophist
Rudolph Steiner and his biodynamic farming
methods (in tune with the natural rhythms of
the earth) and of Cosmologist and Earth Scholar
Thomas Berry, through which she learned about
the need to shift our understandings about
cosmology.
Focus on Keynote Speaker Sister
Miriam Therese MacGillis

I come very much out of his work, said
MacGillis of Berry, that the human being is
Earth, conscious of itself. Earth is a conscious
planet and being self-refectively aware is what
Earth does in the human. Every expression of
life, whether a fower, a blade of grass, a worm,
a giraffe, or a human all are expressions of
Earth.
MacGillis has a strong and positive vision
for the future of our planet, which she will
share during her keynote address at the NOFA
Summer Conference: Holding our Farms
in Hope; Keeping Faith in our Farming,
on Friday, August 11th at 7 p.m. inside the
Robert Crown Center at Hampshire College in
Amherst, Massachusetts.
I want to affrm the organic farming movement
and all the ecological efforts that people carry
as they realize that intensely industrialized
economies are not good for life. I want to set a
photo courtesy Sister MacGillis
Sister Miriam Therese MacGillis
Th e Nat ur al Far me r S u mme r, 2 0 0 6 2
The Natural Farmer is the newspaper of the Northeast
Organic Farming Association (NOFA). In most chapters,
regular members receive a subscription as part of their
dues, and others may subscribe for $10 (in the US or
$18 outside the US). It is published four times a year at
411 Sheldon Rd., Barre, MA 01005. The editors are Jack
Kittredge and Julie Rawson, but most of the material is
either written by members or summarized by us from
information people send us.
Upcoming Issue Topics - We plan a year in advance so
that folks who want to write on a topic can have a lot of
lead time. The next 3 issues will be:
Fall 2006 Organic Potatoes
Winter 2006 Agriculture & Globalization
Spring 2007 Water & Agriculture
Moving or missed an issue? The Natural Farmer will not
be forwarded by the post offce, so you need to make
sure your address is up-to-date if you move. You get your
subscription to this paper in one of two ways. Direct
subscribers who send us $10 are put on our database here.
These folks should send address changes to us. Most of
you, however, get this paper as a NOFA member beneft
for paying your chapter dues. Each quarter every NOFA
chapter sends us address labels for their paid members,
which we use to mail out the issue. If you moved or
didnt get the paper, you need to take it up with your state
chapter. Every issue we print an updated list of NOFA
Contact People on the last page, for a handy reference to
all the chapter names and addresses.
As a membership paper, we count on you for articles, art
and graphics, news and interviews, photos on rural or
organic themes, ads, letters, etc. Almost everybody has a
special talent or knows someone who does. If you cant
write, fnd someone who can to interview you. Wed like
to keep the paper lively and interesting to members, and
we need your help to do it.
We appreciate a submission in any form, especially
Email (Jack@mhof.net.) Also, any graphics, photos,
charts, etc. you can provide will almost certainly make
your submission more readable and informative. If you
have any ideas or questions, one of us is usually near the
phone - (978) 355-2853, fax: (978) 355-4046. The NOFA
Interstate Council website is www.nofa.org.
ISSN 1077-2294
copyright 2006,
Northeast Organic Farming Association
The Natural Farmer
Needs You!
Advertisements not only bring in TNF revenue, which
means less must come from membership dues, they also
make a paper interesting and helpful to those looking for
specifc goods or services. We carry 2 kinds of ads:
The NOFA Exchange - this is a free bulletin board
service for NOFA members and TNF subscribers for
occasional needs or offerings. Send in up to 100 words
and well print it free in the next issue. Include a price
(if selling) and an address, E-mail or phone number so
readers can contact you directly. If youre not a NOFA
member, you can still send in an ad - just send $5
along too! Send NOFA Exchange ads directly to The
Natural Farmer, 411 Sheldon Rd., Barre, MA 01005 or
(preferably) E-mail to Jack@mhof.net.
Display Ads - this is for those offering products or
services on a regular basis! You can get real attention
with display ads. Send camera ready copy to Dan
Rosenberg, PO Box 40, Montague, MA 01351 (413) 863-
9063 and enclose a check for the appropriate size. The
sizes and rates are:
Full page (15 tall by 10 wide) $300
Half page (7 1/2 tall by 10 wide) $155
One-third page (7 1/2 tall by 6 1/2 wide) $105
One-quarter page (7 1/2 tall by 4 7/8 wide) $80
One-sixth page (7 1/2 tall by 3 1/8 wide), or
(3 3/4 tall by 6 1/2 wide) $55
Business card size (1 1/2 tall by 3 1/8 wide) $15
Note: These prices are for camera ready copy. If you
want any changes we will be glad to make them - or to
typeset a display ad for you - for $10 extra. Just send us
the text, any graphics, and a sketch of how you want it to
look. Include a check for the space charge plus $10.
Advertise in or Sponsor The Natural Farmer
Frequency discounts: if you buy space in several issues
you can qualify for substantial discounts off these rates.
Pay for two consecutive issues and get 10% off each,
pay for 3 and get 20% off, or pay for 4 and get 25% off.
An ad in the NOFA Summer Conference Program Book
counts as a TNF ad for purposes of this discount.
Deadlines: We need your ad copy one month before the
publication date of each issue. The deadlines are:
January 31 for the Spring issue (mails Mar. 1)
April 30 for the Summer issue (mails Jun. 1)
July 31 for the Fall issue (mails Sep. 1)
October 31 for the Winter issue (mails Dec. 1)
Disclaimer: Advertisers are helping support the paper so
please support them. We cannot investigate the claims
of advertisers, of course, so please exercise due caution
when considering any product or service. If you learn of
any misrepresentation in one of our ads please inform us
and we will take appropriate action. We dont want ads
that mislead.
Sponsorships: Individuals or organizations wishing to
sponsor The Natural Farmer may do so with a payment
of $200 for one year (4 issues). In return, we will thank
the sponsor in a special area of page 3 of each issue, and
feature the sponsors logo or other small insignia.
Contact for Display Ads or Sponsors: Send display ads
or sponsorships with payment to our advertising manager
Dan Rosenberg, PO Box 40, Montague, MA 01351. If
you have questions, or want to reserve space, contact Dan
at (413) 863-9063 or dan@realpickles.com.
Jack Kittredge
Twenty-some years ago, when Julie and I got
interested in organic farming, it was a matter of
common sense. You wouldnt eat toxic chemicals.
Why would you spray them on your food and then
give it to your kids to eat?
But there werent any studies that proved organic
food was safer than conventional. The Rodale
Institute was just starting its research. All the
ag schools marched in lockstep behind the
chemical industry line: We have the safest and
most nutritious food supply in the world. If you
challenged that position you did it more on faith
than on hard science.
Now things are changing. There is a multi-billion
dollar organic industry. Universities, labs and
reporters are interested in documenting the effects
of organic food and farming. Is it better for you?
If so, why? Does it supply more nutrients? Does it
protect against cancer? Do those who eat organic
have less disease? How about the environment? Is
organic better for soil, water or air? Does it conserve
fossil fuels?
Is Organic Better?
This issue attempts to begin to answer those
questions by presenting some of the hard science
that has been coming out of studies on those topics
in the last few years. It is a compendium of some
of that documentation. We certainly have not
printed everything that is available. But we have
tried to give you a reasonable selection. (In some
of these articles the same studies are briefy cited
several times. Rather than change an authors words
we have left these small duplications and hope
you learn from how the same information is seen
through different eyes.)
Not many people develop their opinions on a topic
because of scientifc studies. This is especially true
for controversial questions like what we eat. Most of
us come to our beliefs more on the basis of how we
grew up, who our friends are, what is being said by
others in our social circle. So we dont expect this
issue to change many minds. But we hope you will
peruse the studies, remember the gist of them, and
when you need specifc information return to them.
If someone you know, because of their own health
or family situation, begins to wonder if organic is
indeed better, perhaps you can help them fnd an
answer.
Letters to the
Editor
Dear Jack and Julie,
I just wanted to send a note to say how much I
appreciate your work through The Natural Farmer.
I have been a back-to-the-lander type since I
discovered my frst copy of The Mother Earth
News in the 70s, soon to be followed by Organic
Gardening magazine. When my husband and I
moved to our present country home in 1994, I
discovered NOFA-NY (and through them you) in
our local Shopper.
I guess what I really want to do is thank The Natural
Farmer and NOFA for furthering my organic
education. Your articles and NOFA-sponsored
events have really given me the courage to go
expand my horizons (and by default, my husbands.)
For example, in addition to growing a large organic
garden, we began raising a small fock of chickens
last May. And Sally Fallon has been a huge
infuence. I would never have sought to buy clean
organic raw milk from an organic dairy farmer if
not for her. I could go on, but I have to go feed the
chickens.
Sincerely, Sandy Gorman
Dear Jack and Julie
Love the Natch Farmer. Last issue on Corporate
Organics was so informative. Toms toothpaste just
sold out to Colgate (the true nature of the system
we live in!) Much like nature and the climax forest
if you want to be a tree, then you got to be a big
one! And when you are a big tree you will take all
the water and nutrients you need and not much else
will grow around you until you fall. How we in
grassroots/community-based cultures keep balance,
keep young and open is WORK. The great work of
orchards and vineyards, pastures and gardens. (Who
planted and cared for the apple tree back in the
original garden?) Ah, so many questions, so little
time.
Thanks for all the balance and harmony you bring to
our thoughts!
Love, Karen Kerney
For NOFA:
Thanks for The Natural Farmer, especially the
history of Walnut Acres and the Keene Family. I
made the family bread with grains from them. The
buy-up of small organic farms is a great danger and
I hope you include updates in your publication.
Cheers to you, Dorothy Weaver
Dear Jack and Julie,
I just wanted to drop you a line about the last issue
of The Natural Farmer. Wow. What a great job you
did. It is so true that all the small organic companies
are getting swallowed up faster and faster by the big
guys. Reading about Walnut Acres nearly broke my
heart. It is too bad that money always seems to be
the deciding factor. So many people still dont get
what organics is all about even some of the people
in the organic industry! Does organic mean only not
using pesticides or does it mean nurturing the land
and the people and creatures that live from and on
that land? If we are not careful, organics may fall
into the trap of conventional agriculture raping the
land, the people, and the creatures (both plant and
animal, both wild and domestic) for the sake of the
almighty dollar.
Letters
(continued from page 1)
I truly believe that we cannot love and care for
anything on a grand scale. Only small farms and
small processors can ever truly know the land and
care for it well and produce truly healthy food. It
saddens me that so many of us have forgotten what
really matters in life and money is not it.
To change the subject, thanks for your advice
about caring for rabbits. As fate would have it, I
recently read an article by Joel Salatin in the ALBC
newsletter (I think it was reprinted from Acres.)
It was really about parasite control on the farm,
but he mentioned his sons rabbits in passing. He
said 20 years ago when they switched to raising
rabbits on pasture they lost half their stock.
Half! By selectively breeding the stock that did
well on pasture they now have an extremely low
mortality rate two decades later. So that answers
my questions. It explains why conventional rabbit
wisdom says no grass ever and no greens for rabbits
under six months. I suppose it is a case of ftting the
animals to the farm a long and careful process.
Thanks so much for all you do at Many Hands and
for NOFA. I can think of few types of work more
indispensable to the world. Happy Spring and hope
to see you around soon. Id love to make it to the
Summer Conference this year.
Fondly, Erin Matica
Dear Sandy, Karen, Dorothy and Erin,
Wow! Thanks for the effusive words about NOFA
and the paper. Julie and I feel much the same way.
When we discovered NOFA in 1984 we felt we
had fnally found a community of peers with whom
we share interests and values. Since then we have
remained grateful to NOFA for providing us with
ways to support ourselves while working at home
at something we believe in. Where else but for this
paper can you actually get paid for sticking your
nose into how other farmers do things?
Our four kids are now grown and have so
far managed to resist the temptations of the
corporate world, for which we feel blessed. We
are particularly happy to see so many new, young
families coming into the organization and watch the
generational transition that is taking place in it!
Jack Kittredge
Please help us thank these
Friends of Organic Farming
for their generous support!
Socially Responsible Investing
Douglas J. Calnan
Vice President-Investments
douglas.calnan@agedwards.com
(800) 543-8010 Norwell, MA
Member SIPC 2006 A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.
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For sale: former monastery turned organic farm
on 10.7 acres abutting hundreds of acres of
conservation land - horse trails, hiking, biking, x-
country skiing, located 60 miles west of Boston
in Petersham. 4500 sq ft house, including large
chapel/sun room. 30x30 2-story solar barn with
electricity and water, stocked pond, hundreds of
established rare perennials: fruit trees, nut trees,
berries, vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs.
excellent soil fertility. 5 acres wooded, 5 acres
open. high tensile electric fencing around perimeter
of property. Includes a 1 bedroom apartment,
currently generating $600/month income. See
www.mamashoe.org/forsale for more information,
pictures, video tour.
Hudson Valley Natural Building Workshop
Series. Earthen plasters, Natural paints, Cob,
Earthen foors. For a full workshop listing, check
out the website www.hvnb.net. All workshops are
beginner level, hands-on workshops. Coming Up:
Earthen Plaster, June 24-25, Alis Painting, Fine Clay
and Milk - Based Paints, July 15-16. Learn to make
beautiful custom fnishes from scratch with locally
harvested materials. You will leave workshops
feeling confdent about mixing and using the
materials for a variety of projects and applications.
Space is limited to 7 people. Sliding scale $75-125.
Pre-registration $25. Lunch, tea, coffee, and snacks.
Jonah (518) 434-8010 or jonah@hvnb.net.
Help wanted at Real Pickles. We are a small
business in Western MA producing raw, naturally
fermented foods from local, organic vegetables.
Work includes all aspects of production, including
preparing fresh ingredients for fermentation and
packaging fnished product into glass jars. Work is
physically demanding. Applicants should be hard-
working, reliable, and able to lift 50 lbs. Seeking
people available 3 days/wk from July thru Nov (or
beyond), but willing to consider other schedules.
Work location: Greenfeld, MA. This is a great
opportunity to learn the ancient art of lactic acid
fermentation! Hiring ASAP. Addie and Dan at
413-863-9063.
NOFA
Exchange
Blow Your Own Horn
Farm Internship -The Natick Community Organic
Farm, located in Natick, Massachusetts, is looking
for an intern. Housing (one room studio with shared
kitchen and bath facilities) is offered in exchange
for 15 - 20 hours of farm related work. Additional
teaching opportunities are available for pay. For
further information see www.natickfarm.org. If
interested please contact 508-655-2204 or email
ncorganic@verizon.net.
D Acres of New Hampshire, Organic Farm &
Educational Homestead is a nonproft, tax exempt
organization committed to promoting a more
sustainable future through farm-based workshops,
internships, and public access. We are looking to
fll two gardening positions for the 2006 growing
season: The Garden Manager will manage the
annual gardens. Seed to seed experience necessary.
The Perennial Gardener will focus on trees,
medicinal herbs and other perennial plantings. Both
jobs require willingness to incorporate interns and
ability to facilitate workshops. Full job descriptions,
salary & perks, and online application are available
at www.dacres.org on Opportunities page, or call
603.786.2366.
NOFA/Mass is seeking a Press Coordinator. The
hourly pay rate for this job is $11/hour. The job
will take approximately 40-50 hours per month.
All NOFA/Mass consultants are required to be a
member of NOFA/Mass, attend the annual one-day
staff meeting in October and the two-day board/staff
retreat in February. Please send resume and three
references to Julie Rawson at julie@nofamass.org
or 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01005. phone:
(978) 355-2853, Email applications are encouraged.
Deadline for applications is June 15, 2006. Work will
start by July 1. By October 1 the pay rate will go to
$12/hour.
Opportunity at Organic Dairy Farm, Simsbury,
CT. Seeking Assistant Farm Manager for small,
organic dairy farm with on site processing and
retail store. Position includes feld work, milking and
processing milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. Opportunity
to become Manager. On site housing available.
Call Bill Walsh at 860-658-5362 or email resume
toTownFarmDairy1@aol.com. Also visit www.
townfarmdairy.org. Farm is assisted by non-proft,
community group, Friends of Town Farm Dairy.
Seeking certifed K-8 teachers for earth literacy
public charter school. Ridge and Valley Charter
School, in NW New Jersey, seeks experienced
teachers with strong team building and leadership
skills to work as part of an energetic and
collaborative team mentoring students in an
experiential, multi-age setting. Our mission is
to connect children to the natural world through
an innovative outdoor experiential, project-based
curriculum, with an integrated ecological and
sustainable living focus. All teachers and students
spend signifcant time outdoors. Respond to: Ridge
and Valley Charter School, 1234 Rt. 94, Blairstown,
N.J. 07825, 908-362-1114, 908-362-6680 Fax
Apartment available for farm hands. Apartment
available to mature, dependable person or couple
interested in animals on New Hampshire Certifed
Organic farm. Must be neat and non-smokers.
Farm work is expected in lieu of rent. Sheep are
raised in addition to other animals. The farm
pasture, hay land, orchard and gardens are Certifed
Organic. Responsibilities involve chores, barn
cleaning, pasture management and miscellaneous
farm activities. Chain saw and tractor experience a
plus. The apartment is a private, one bedroom, with
separate kitchen/living room. Heat, utilities, washer
and dryer are included. Located 8 miles from UNH.
E-mail yarndyer@comcast.net Call 603-679-5730
Homestead for sale. Cordwood, earth-bermed
1800 sq. ft. 3-bedroom off-grid (solar) house on 26
acres. Surrounded by state forest. Gorgeous views.
Spacious harvest kitchen. Attached greenhouse
and root cellar. Stone fooring and chimney. Large
mudroom and bathroom. Waterford Stanley wood
cook stove included. Gravity-fed spring (no pump!).
24 x 40 2-storey barn with pens. Three ponds. Two
pastures. Chicken coop (needs work). Excellent
woodlot. A mile down secluded forest road and
cross bridge over year-round creek to driveway. A
splendidly private property just 24 miles from Ithaca.
$135,000. 607-279-2874.
Old-style life skills series - a new educational
program created by the not-for-proft
Motherhouse to foster self-suffciency, neighborly
interdependence and sustainable agricultural
practices. Held the second Saturday of every month
in Cornwall, CT. Upcoming workshops include Get
Your Goat (8/12), Pumpkin Pie (9/9), In A Pickle?
(10/14), Making Stock (11/11) and Herbal Salve-
Ation (12/9). $35 per family. For more info, times
and locations go to www.motherhouse.us and click
on Old-Style Life Skills or call Debra Tyler at 860
672 0229.
The High Mowing Seeds Research & Development
division welcomes one apprentice at a time for a
3- to 8-month apprenticeship between April 1st and
Dec.1st. This position entails approximately 50%
learning/training/feld labor and 50% research tasks
related to vegetable variety evaluation and breeding.
The ideal candidate(s) for this position would have
coursework related to agricultural research and/or
prior research experience. Careful attention to detail
is a requisite. No experience needed in commercial
farming or seed production, but must be willing
to join in on manual labor related to agricultural
research. Come check out vegetables with us. jodi@
highmowingseeds.com, 802.472-6174
Equipment - Skid mounted PTO Hale FW20
pump 250 gpm. Good for medium irrigation duties-
$1100. 2 Tico irrigation pipe with #30 Rainbird
on 6 Riser-$53/length. 3-Komet Irrigation guns
on Hi Stands like new-$300 each. Hi Pressure
Greenhouse Sprayer - 25 gal. Siebring Cruiser ready
to work-$850. Front mounted windrow turner for
strawberry or perennial crop demulching--$375. 5
medium duty 3 pt bush hog, good condition-$500.
200,000 BTU Modine propane furnace for shop
or barn only-$100. Miscellaneous greenhouse/
barn fans and louvers-$25-100. Plainfeld,NH
603.298.8391
Foundations of Herbal Healing - First Steps on
a Lifetime Journey to Knowing the Plants and the
Healer Within. We welcome you to join us for a
Green Adventure that will immerse your heart,
mind, and soul in the world of healing herbs! Our
program consists of two sessions of fve straight
days here at our working herb farm in northern New
Hampshire. The dates for the 2006 frst session class
are Wednesday, July 19 through Sunday, July 23.
Learn more at www.HerbsAndApples.com or write
Nancy & Michael Phillips, Heartsong Farm Healing
Herbs, 859 Lost Nation Road, Groveton, NH 03582.
Seeking employment and meaningful human
companionship, 4 year old male Australian
Cattle Dog Mix seeks a job to do and space to run.
Offering intelligence, enthusiasm, friendliness,
and love. Highly trainable, loves people and the
outdoors, and would fancy being a companion
for someone who works outside/ in a workshop,
etc. Seeking the right stable, mature, suburban/
country home. Needs to be your one & only canine
companion. 40 lbs, about 20 in. tall. Willing to
travel a bit for right new home. $75 Call Ellen at
585-414-8039
Conserved farm land lease. Up to 50 acres for
organic farmers. Building site for residence, barn
and roadside stand. Pasture land, crop land and
streams. In Canaan, Vermont. Call Morze Tree
Farm, 802-266-3512
Sam and Elizabeth Smith have just passed Caretaker
Farm on to Don Zasada and Bridget Spann through
a new model of ownership, that preserves it as a
working farm and makes it affordable to future
farmers in perpetuity. Contributions to a 30 month,
$239,000 campaign to complete the project,
advance a new structure for farm protection, and
secure land tenure will be greatly appreciated. Help
make this an important turning point in the revival
of small farms in our communities. Donations
are tax deductible and payable to Equity Trust,
Campaign for Caretaker Farm, Box 746, Turners
Falls, MA 01376.
Piglets for sale from the Natick Community
Organic Farm. Available in September. Organically
fed and raised. Will make great fall roasting pigs or
feeders. $65 per pig or $60 for more than two. If
interested please contact the Farm at 508-655-2204
or email ncorganic@verizon.net.
The Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of
1990, as amended, requires the establishment of a
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The
NOSB is a 15-member board that is responsible for
developing and recommending to the Secretary a
proposed National List of Approved and Prohibited
Substances. The NOSB also advises the Secretary
on other aspects of the National Organic Program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is
requesting nominations to fll four (4) upcoming
vacancies on the NOSB. The positions to be flled
are: Organic handler (1 position), scientist (1
position), consumer public interest (1 position),
and an environmentalist (1 position). The Secretary
of Agriculture will appoint a person to each position
to serve a 5-year term of offce that will commence
on January 24, 2007, and run until January 24, 2012.
USDA encourages eligible minorities, women, and
persons with disabilities to apply for membership on
the NOSB.
DATES: Written nominations, with cover letters and
resumes, must be postmarked on or before July 14,
2006.
ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent to Ms.
Katherine E. Benham, Advisory Board Specialist,
USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Room 4008-So., Ag Stop 0268,
Washington, DC 20250.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Katherine E. Benham, (202) 205-7806; E-mail:
katherine.benham@usda.gov; Fax: (202) 205-7808.
The OFPA of 1990, as amended (7 U.S.C. 6501 et
seq.), requires the Secretary to establish an organic
certifcation program for producers and handlers of
agricultural products that have been produced using
organic methods. In developing this program, the
Secretary is required to establish an NOSB. The
purpose of the NOSB is to assist in the development
of a proposed National List of Approved and
Prohibited Substances and to advise the Secretary
on other aspects of the National Organic Program.
The NOSB made recommendations to the Secretary
regarding the establishment of the initial organic
program. It is anticipated that the NOSB will
continue to make recommendations on various
matters, including recommendations on substances
it believes should be allowed or prohibited for use in
organic production and handling.
The NOSB is composed of 15 members;
4 organic producers, 2 organic handlers, a
retailer, 3 environmentalists, 3 public/consumer
representatives, a scientist, and a certifying agent.
Individuals desiring to be appointed to the NOSB
at this time must be either an owner or operator of a
certifed organic handling operation; an individual
with expertise in areas of environmental protection
and resource conservation; an individual with
expertise in the felds of toxicology, ecology, or
biochemistry; or an individual who represents public
interest or consumer interest groups.
Selection criteria will include such factors as:
Demonstrated experience and interest in organic
production, organic certifcation, support of
consumer and public interest organizations;
demonstrated experience with respect to agricultural
products produced and handled on certifed organic
farms; and such other factors as may be appropriate
for specifc positions.
NOP Announces Four Vacancies on the National
Organic Standards Board for 2007:
Organic Handler, Scientist, Consumer/Public
Interest, and Environmentalist.
Applications Due July 14, 2006.
Call for the location of your
nearest wholsale distributor
Depot Street
Bradford, VT 05033
Ph. 802.222.4277
Fax 802.222.9661
info@norganics.com
www.norganics.com
Fertilizers:
Azomite
Cheep Cheep 4-3-3
Greensand
Greensand Plus 0-0-17
Kelp Meal
Chilean Nitrate 16-0-0
Natural Sulphate of Potash 0-0-51
Organic Gem 3-3-.3
Phosphate Rock 0-3-0
Phosphate Rock and Greensand Mix
Pro-Gro 5-3-4
Pro-Start 2-3-3
Stress-X Powder
Livestock Nutritionals:
Redmond Trace Mineral Conditioner, Salt
Blocks & Granular Salt
*
Pest Controls:
PowderGard
Pyganic
Seacide
Surround
*
*Many of our products that are not OMRI listed may be allowed for use on a
certifed organic farm. Check with your certifcation representative to be sure.
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News
Notes
compiled by Jack Kittredge
NOFA/Mass Publishes Position Paper on NAIS.
The USDA proposal to require all livestock owners
in the country to register their farms or homes on a
GPS database and electronically tag their animals
has aroused much opposition. The Massachusetts
chapter of NOFA has published a position paper
opposing the program at its website www.nofamass.
org, and a brochure for mass distribution. For a copy
of the brochure, send a SASE to NOFA/Mass, 411
Sheldon Rd., Barre, MA 01005
source: NOFA/Mass press release
MICI Still Fighting on Country Hen Case.
Massachusetts Independent Certifcation, Inc., the
Massachusetts organic certifer, has asked federal
judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to reject efforts by the
USDA to dismiss MICIs lawsuit. After losing two
administrative appeals within the USDA, MICI
has now taken its case to court. In late 2002 the
organization was ordered by the NOP to certify
Hubbardston, Massachusetts egg producer The
Country Hen despite the fact that the companys
bird never went outdoors. MICI refused and instead
sued the Secretary of Agriculture.
source: Organic Business News, March, 2006
Campaign to Pressure Starbucks on rGBH
Milk Begins. Food & Water Watch has started
a campaign urging Starbucks to stop using milk
produced with recombinant bovine growth hormone.
As the industry leader in coffee, they fgure a
Starbucks switch to rBGH-free milk would have an
enormous impact on the dairy industry. The group
is undertaking a Starbucks Week of Action June
19th-25th. People all across the country will fyer
Starbucks, asking them to buy better milk. You can
sign up to coordinate or participate in an event at:
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/dairy/
starbucksactions. To learn which dairy brands are
rBGH-free click on http://www.foodandwaterwatch.
org/food/dairy/rbgh-free-guide for handy state-
specifc guides.
source: FWW press release
Food Industry Launches BestFoodNation Web
Site to Refute Schlosser. A consortium of food
industry associations has launched a new Web
site, www.bestfoodnation.com, to tell the real
story about the nations food supply. The site was
launched to counter a new book from Fast Food
Nation author Eric Schlosser called Chew on
This, an indictment of the food industry aimed at
middle school students.
The site stresses the quality and healthfulness
of the American food supply, humane handling of
livestock, and environmental stewardship. Among
the 18 sponsoring organizations are the National
Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemens Beef
Association, American Meat Institute, National
Chicken Council, National Retail Federation,
National Restaurant Association and Food Products
Association.
source: www.Meatingplace.com 5/9/2006
Modern Seeds and Diabetes. Red Elk, a Sioux
Indian, has been gardening in the back yard of
the Science Museum of Minnesota, nurturing
ancient seeds preserved by his tribe at the Rosebud
Reservation in South Dakota and comparing them
with contemporary varieties. He hopes to show how
changes in diet have steered many Indians toward
obesity and diabetes. Test results so far show that
some traditional beans had 8 to 10 times as many
antioxidants as modern ones bought in a grocery
store. Craig Hassel, a nutritionist at the University
of Minnesota, believes nutrients were lost from
newer breeds as they were bred for size and
sweetness.
source: The Rams Horn, August-September 2005
Cocoa Mulch Toxic to Pets. Cocoa mulch, which
is sold by Home Depot and at other Garden supply
stores, contains an ingredient called Theobromine
which is a xanthine compound similar in effects to
caffeine and theophylline. It smells like chocolate
and attracts dogs, but it can be lethal to them and to
cats who ingest it. Check what you are using in your
garden,
source: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/
cocoamulch.asp
Wal-Mart Goes Organic. The worlds largest
retailer is throwing its weight behind organic
products. A new Supercenter that just opened in the
Dallas suburb of Plano features over 400 organic
foods as part of an experiment to see what kinds of
products and interior decor can grab the interest of
upscale shoppers.
What makes Wal-Marts efforts unique is the
retailers sheer size and the power that gives it in
relations with suppliers. Wal-Mart works closely
with suppliers to shape their goods, if they want
them on the shelves of Wal-Marts nearly 4,000
U.S. stores and over 2,200 internationally. Stephen
Quinn, vice president of marketing, told an analysts
conference this month that Wal-Mart would have
400 organic food items in stores this summer at the
Wal-Mart price. The chain has announced plans
to offer organic product at a premium of 10% over
conventional.
In an editorial comment on this news the New
York Times warned: Wal-Mart will now become
the 800-pound gorilla among the other, slightly
smaller gorillas that have tried repeatedly to weaken
the Agriculture Departments defnition of what
organic means. There is no chance that Wal-Mart
will be buying from small, local organic farmers.
Instead, its market infuence will speed up the
rate at which organic farming comes to resemble
conventional farming in scale, mechanization,
processing and transportation. For many people, this
is the very antithesis of what organic should be.
source: Dow Jones Newswires, March 24, 2006,
New York Times, May 14, 2006
Safeway Gets Aggressive With Organic Line.
Safeway Inc. set out to change perceptions and
capture market share in December, when it quietly
rolled out O Organics, its private label organic
brand. The 150 products include beverages,
bakery goods, cereals, canned and frozen foods,
dairy products and snack items. The difference
from national organic product lines? Prices are
comparable or even below those for conventional
products in some cases. Beginning in March, the
organic line became widely available throughout
Safeways chain of 1,775 stores in the United States
and Canada.
O Organics represents an acceleration of
Safeways competitive efforts to counter the
dramatic growth of Whole Foods, which attracts
a demographic group of shoppers similar to its
own. While the supermarkets rivalry with industry
behemoth Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has attracted most
of the attention in recent years, Whole Foods Market
Inc., based in Austin, Texas, has been expanding in
major metropolitan areas important to Safeways
business: The Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego,
Portland, Ore., Seattle, Chicago and Washington,
D.C., among others.
source: East Bay Business Times, March 19, 2006
The Meatrix II: Revolting is the sequel to the
award-winning online smash hit The Meatrix.
The flm, a humorous spoof on the Matrix, takes a
look at the gap between our illusions about where
food comes from and the reality of industrial dairy
production. Take a gander at: www.themeatrix2.com
source: Sustainable Table Email, May 17, 2006
Junk Food Stops Nerve Growth. Mixing the
artifcial sweetener aspartame and monosodium
glutamate (MSG) causes nerve damage, say
researchers at the University of Liverpool. They
published the results of their two-year study in
Toxicological Sciences. The two additives were far
more potent in combination than on their own. Mice
were exposed to concentrations of the additives
relative to what a child would receive in an average
snack and drink, and experienced interference
with nerve signaling and actual stoppage of nerve
growth.
source: Maine Organic Farmer and Gardener,
March May 2006
Michigan Passes Bill Blocking Local Regulation
of GE Seeds. In late April the Michigan House
passed a bill pre-empting local government from
adopting ordinances which regulate or ban the
planting of genetically modifed organisms without
the approval of the bipartisan Commission of
Agriculture. The Senate already adopted an even
stronger version of the bill.
source: Organic Broadcaster, May/June, 2006
Irish Reject GM Potato Trial. Irelands
Environmental Protection Agency has heard from
96 groups and individuals relative to a proposal
by BASF to conduct a 5-year trial of GM blight-
resistant potatoes in County Meath. Ninety-fve of
the responses were negative. The positive one came
from the Irish Bioindustry Association.
source: Agra Europa Weekly, March 24, 2006
Organic Farming Better for Wildlife. A fve-year
British study published in the Royal Society journal
Biology Letters has concluded that organic
farms beneft many forms of wildlife, including
wild fowers, beetles, spiders, birds and bats more
so than conventional farms. The benefts result
because organic farms have more wildlife-friendly
management practices.
source: Maine Organic Farmer and Gardener, Dec
2005 Feb. 2006
Minnesota Wells Contaminated. One in fve
wells in Dakota County, Minnesota contain unsafe
levels of pesticides and other harmful chemicals,
according to tests conducted by the county. Lower
levels of chemicals were found in another 60% of
the wells, and fewer than 18% of the wells tested
clean.
source: Pesticides and You, Winter, 2005 - 2006
Unborn at Risk from GE Food. Women who
eat genetically modifed foods while pregnant put
their unborn babies at risk according to research
at the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and
Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of
Sciences. More than half of the offspring of rats
fed on GE soy died in the frst three weeks of life,
six times as many as those born to mothers with
normal diets. Similar Italian research has found that
GE soy affected the liver and pancreas of mice, and
Australia had to abandon a decade-long attempt to
develop modifed peas when an offcial study found
they caused lung disease.
source: Acres, USA, March, 2006
Organic Eprints Available. A web-based database
for research on organic topics accepts scientifc
papers, articles, reports, and other information and
makes them available to anyone with access to the
internet. There are excellent search facilities for
users to fnd topics of interest. The database is at
www.orgprints.org.
source: Elm Farm Research Centre Bulletin,
February 2006.
Half of Scottish Babies Eat Only Organic Food. A
recent survey found that more than half of Scottish
children under the age of 2 eat exclusively organic
food, even in cases where their parents do not.
The 805 mothers surveyed reported less risk of
chemical pesticides as the dominant reason (87%),
with no GM rating next (84%) and no additives
(80%) coming in third.
source: Maine Organic Farmer and Gardener,
March May 2006
2005 Warmest Year Yet. According to NASA, last
years average global temperature of 58.3F was
the warmest since weather records started in the
late 1800s. The previous warmest year was 1998.
The average temperature has risen 0.6C in the past
30 years, a fgure consistent with predictions from
climate models based on industrial emission of
greenhouse gases.
source: Growing for Market, March, 2006
Better Roses, Through Science. The Dole Food
Co. is trying to engineer the perfect rose, red, with
a three-week vase life, fewer thorns and a better
fragrance. They are giving North Carolina State
University $1.4 million for a three year study of
how to geneticallu engineer such a rose. Flowers
account for 4 percent of the companies $5.3 billion
in revenues.
source: Growing for Market, March, 2006
The Chemical World of Plants. A research group
at the Swiss University of Neuchatel has been
studying the chemical signals plants give off. A
tomato plant attacked by a caterpillar will emit a
toxin to repel the insect and also an odor to warn
other tomato plants, which will themselves start
generating a toxin. To go a step further, a corn
plant, when similarly attacked, will give off a blend
of volatiles which attracts parasitic wasps. The
wasps, in turn, will lay eggs in the caterpillar and
destroy it. The group found that plants are sensitive
to at least 17 environmental variables. The quality
and intensity of light, for instance, is crucial for
many metabolic processes. Plants detect harmful
ultraviolet B-rays and produce pigments which
flter them out. They are also sensitive to vibrations,
chemicals, gravity, sounds and temperature. They
alter their growth, leaf number, stem thickness, etc.
accordingly.
source: the Rams Horn, June, 2005
We Spend More on Fast Food than Education.
According to the Institute of Food Technologists
less than a third of American dinners are cooked
from scratch. Although 75% of our dinners are
eaten at home, nearly half of them are fast food,
delivery, or take-out from restaurants or delis. And
yes, Americans do spend more on fast food than on
education.
source: Acres, USA, April 2006
Surprise! Free Range Eggs Healthier! Eggs from
four focks of pasture-raised chickens were tested at
labs at Utah State University and in Portland, Oregon.
The results compared with nutrient data provided
by the USDA for eggs from confned systems. The
free range eggs had up to twice the Vitamin E, four
times the omega-3 fatty acids, and two to six times
the level of beta carotene. They also averaged half the
cholesterol of the conventional eggs.
source: The Community Farm, Spring, 2006
Toms Sold. Toms of Maine, which sells about $50
million of wholesale toothpaste and related products
per year, has been purchased for $100 million by
Colgate-Palmolive, with $11 billion in annual sales.
source: Acres, USA May, 2006
Minnesota Court Protects Bees. The Minnesota
Supreme Court has ruled that land owners who
spray pesticides on their property can be held liable
for damages to neighboring apiaries. The landmark
decision overturned prior opinions which found that
foraging bees could be considered trespassers, and
rules that land owners with knowledge of or notice
that foraging bees may be present are responsible
to provide reasonable care in the application of
pesticides.
source: Pesticides and You, Spring, 2006
by Steve Gilman
NOFA Policy Coordinator
The mid-April drive to western Pennsylvania reset
my northern Zone 5 climate clock by a welcome
week-and-a-half. Springing forward in degree days,
yellowy tree leaves were popping open and thick
new grass was gleaming bright green. Once you get
past the precipitous Poconos, Interstate 80 opens up
into a long, lush valley punctuated with family-scale
dairy farms. Pennsylvania is the nations 3
rd
largest
dairy state after California and Wisconsin, with
New York (because of their larger herd sizes) not far
behind.
Amazingly, its been awhile since Ive seen dairy
cows outside on pasture. Id forgotten how good
and natural it feels to see grazing cattle roaming
freely in their element. What dairy remains here in
upstate NY is all confnement operations -- where
logy, dock-tailed cows are packed into loafng sheds
lined with feed bunkers; milling around on concrete
24/7 and standing ready to be milked in the attached
parlor 3 times a day.
From the artwork on the certifed USDA Organic
milk cartons in the supermarket one would assume
that organic dairy cows, at least, are happily fed on
pasture. Thats clearly the intent of the regulations.
Pasture is written into the standards -- both the
1990 Organic Food Production Act (OFPA) and the
fnal rule (2001) of the National Organic Program
(NOP) state livestock must have access to pasture.
Livestock must also have access to the outdoors,
direct sunlight and other conditions suitable to
the species, its stage of production, the climate and
environment.
Gaming the System
The intent of this defnition has been clear as day to
the vast majority of the dairy operations producing
certifed organic milk in this country and, indeed,
their cows are outdoors grazing on quality rotated
pasture for a signifcant portion of their feed during
the growing season. According to the Cornucopia
Institute, an organic watchdog group in Cornucopia,
WI, its just a few players mega-scale dairy
operations all who have exploited ambiguities in
the defnition. Taking advantage of USDAs lack of
specifc, enforceable pasture regulations, Horizon
established a 4,000 cow operation in Idaho in 1994
with others in California (a 7000 cow split operation
with 3,000 organic animals) and Arizona. With some
of the same investors, Aurora Dairy created a larger
5,700 cow facility in Colorado in 2003 on dry land
acreage that even with irrigation could not possibly
support such large herds on pasture.
As USDA fddles, keeping the controversy
unresolved, the mega operations have captured the
major share of the nations organic milk supply.
Meanwhile, the market has grown from a small
niche to $15 billion industry. These, and other large
Putting Politics Out To Pasture
Report on the National Campaign Organic Committee meeting, NOP Pasture
Symposium and NOSB Meeting at State College, PA April 17 20, 2006
CAFOs (Confned Animal Feeding Operations)
produce the bulk of the organic milk supply, with
Dean Foods Horizon the largest, holding about a
third of the market.
In the absence of defnitive NOP action, these giants
have gone ahead with their own interpretations
and enlisted a certifer who will agree with them.
Instead of milking herds born and raised on organic
farms, for instance, replacement cows are bought/
rented/leased from outside conventional growers,
where they may well be raised on the standard
industrial diet of dried blood milk replacer, GMO
grain, antibiotics and growth hormones. Periodic
outdoor access and grazing is reduced to a stage of
production, defned as young stock and dry cows
only while the lactating cows are kept confned.
Cornucopia insists these factory farms are
systematically gaming the system. By selling off
100% of their calves, for instance, Horizons Idaho
farm frees up an estimated $700,000 to $1,000,000
of organic milk to sell a year that would have gone
to feed them. They also save on providing expensive
certifed organic feed to the growing heifers. The
market for conventional replacement animals is
cheaper than organic replacements and serves to put
smaller scale dairies, who earn extra income selling
their surplus organic stock, out of the business.
Cornucopia also addressed the larger scam question
-- what do consumers think they are buying and
what are they really getting for their (top) organic
dollar in the marketplace?
Time for more study
By its inaction and refusal, until now, to develop
meaningful regulations through rulemaking, NOP
has allowed this situation to persist. The programs
citizen advisory group, the National Organic
Standards Board (NOSB) has voted twice, in 2002
and again in 2003, to require organic management
of all young stock once transition is complete. In
response to growing criticism, in early 2005 NOP
charged the NOSB to come up with comprehensive
pasture recommendations for animals, including
poultry. Along with 40,000 other responders and
testifers, the NOFAs put together detailed written
commentary to the NOSB in support of viable and
enforceable pasture requirements. The fnal NOSB
recommendations honed access to pasture into
a specifc requirement for grazing on pasture
during the growing season with a goal of 120 days,
minimum. They also specifed grazing for lactating
cows, not just heifers and dry cows.
NOPs response to the NOSB recommendations
was not to respond. At least 28 specifc NOSB
recommendations over the years have yet to be
reacted to, let alone acted upon. Lawsuits have been
fled to prompt enforcement, to no avail. Instead,
NOP came up with a call for yet more study -- this
photo by Steve Gilman
MOFGAs Eric Sideman testifes to the NOSB (front) with the NOP staff in the background.
time conducting a Pasture Symposium, complete
with panels of experts, commissioned consumer
studies and public testimony. The huge conference
center at the Ramada near Penn State University in
State College, PA was set up with tables up front for
the 14 NOSB members (a consumer position is yet
to be flled due to the withdrawal, under pressure, of
the General Mills candidate) and side tables off to
the right for the 7 NOP staffers, including Associate
Deputy Administrator Mark Bradley; Barbara
Robinson, Deputy Administrator of Transportation
and Marketing and Valerie Francis, Executive
Director. People who signed up to testify stood at a
microphone to address the groups for their carefully
monitored 5 minute segments.
NOP ended up getting an earful. Despite the
meeting being scheduled during the busy spring
season for farmers and newly spiking gasoline
prices, the Northeast Dairy Producers Association
(NODPA) turned out their members in force.
Contingents of organic farmers, handlers, certifers,
consumer organizations, trade representatives,
industry lawyers and advocacy groups came from
all over the country, even with heavy representation
from the West Coast. Pennsylvania Certifed
Organic (PCO) hosted the organic participants,
coordinating meals and conducting a local farm tour
during off hours.
Numerous testifers questioned NOP why this was
the 6
th
major meeting in fve years where USDA
was still struggling to come up with what pasture
for organic animals really means. Why did they
sponsor this pricey two-day symposium in the
hinterlands, complete with panels of experts and
commissioned report to rehash whats already been
discussed and commented upon, ad inftitem? Why
has NOP waited this long for an Advanced Notice
for Rulemaking (ANPR), with public comment due
by June 12
th
?
Some explanations concerning NOPs continuing
inaction were revealed at the meeting of the
National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture,
where NOFA is a member. Jim Riddle, former
NOSB chair, suggested that NOP had turned around
the question of how do we implement pasture
regulations, to one of what would happen if we
regulate pasture? Organic committee chair Michael
Sligh referred to a scathing report issued by the
governments National Standards Institute saying
the NOP has consistently been way out of line with
ISO requirements. USDAs Inspector General also
faulted the NOP for their failure to institute a peer
review process; produce a manual putting everyone
who deals with the program on equal footing;
clarify the certifer accreditation process; or promote
transparency in the secretive processes used to
conduct organic program business. Steve Etka,
legislative coordinator for the National Organic
Coalition said that due to NOPs poor bookkeeping
it has been diffcult to get consistent information
about certifcation cost sharing to certifers and
that the program is in danger of losing refunding.
Mark Kastel of Cornucopia Institute added that the
bottom line of NOPs intransigence on the pasture
issue was to keep the regulations nebulous enough
for the big producers to go forward with their own
interpretations and capture the organic milk
market in the process. There was general agreement,
however, that the recent appointment of Mark
Bradley to the lead position at NOP was a hopeful
sign for some positive changes, as he has extensive
experience with implementing agency standards.
Meeting of the Minds
As opposed to the stilted formality of USDAs
public hearing format, a completely different
process transpired at the grassroots meetings before
the Symposium started. Here, extensive discussions
were open, transparent and free-wheeling in an
attempt to come up with a majority opinion the
organic community could sign on to. Although the
National Animal Identifcation System (NAIS),
organic appropriations, Farm Bill, aquaculture,
sunset provisions and other important items on the
agenda were covered, much of the meeting time was
concerned with dairy issues.
NOFA-VT led the discussion calling for the
establishment of a simple, verifable pasture
standard that is fair to all. Lisa McCrory outlined a
defnition requiring a minimum 120 days on pasture
constituting at least 35% of the cows diet from
grazing. She explained this is easily doable, even
in northern regions of the state that have a much
shorter growing season (the VT rules actually call
for 150 days/50%). From a certifers perspective
Lisa also maintained that the pasture intake was
easily verifable from the total annual feed records
that certifed organic dairies already have to keep, so
there wouldnt be additional onerous record-keeping
for farmers to handle. She also prepared an easily
understandable fip chart outlining the certifers
verifcation process to be used in her presentation as
a panelist at the Symposium.
The dairy discussions deepened the next morning,
getting into the replacements issue and the NOSB
recommendation that calves have to be organically
raised from certifed mother cows, from the last
third of gestation. After extensive discussion, the
dairy groups ended up endorsing the 120 days/30%
feed pasture defnition and organic management
of cows from the last third of gestation. NODPA
and other groups prepared materials for a press
conference, complete with hats and buttons.
Supposed Symposium
USDA had put together a series of panels to address
various aspects of the dairy pasture issue. The
format only allowed for the NOSB members to
question the panelists. Organic industry advisor
Bob Anderson formally president of Walnut
Acres, OTA past president and NOSB chair -
- was the facilitator for the event. Transcripts of
the entire event (and the following testimony and
NOSB meeting minutes) is posted on NOPs NOSB
website at www.nop.gov/nosb.
The symposium covered two days of diverse
presentations. The panelists included a scientifc
contingent of NRCS scientists, USDA researchers,
an ATTRA representative, animal health experts
and dairy scientists -- complete with power point
presentations and NOSB and NOP questioning.
Certifying agents constituted another panel, giving
experienced perspective on the enforceability of
standards. Market expectations were covered in a
presentation by a consultant with ties to the food
processing industry as well as a representative
from Whole Foods who have their own consumer
research team.
A key panel was made up of farmers and organic
dairy industry representatives from Organic Valley,
H.P. Hood, Humboldt Creamery (in CA), and
Straus Dairy (near Point Reyes, CA), as well as
representatives from Horizon and Aurora. Juan
Valdez (Good morning, Im Juan Velez, not to
be confused with my relative Juan Velez from
Columbia) represented Aurora Dairy and stated
the case for the confnement-type operations. He
maintained that Auroras management puts animal
welfare at the top of the list providing for factors
of diet, nutrition, cow comfort and prevention of
disease which are all built into their system. He
said forage can come from pasture but also from
alfalfa and grass hay, silages and haylages. Pasture
is important but the regulations should take into
account the best sources that are appropriate to
geography, climate and pasture quality variability.
He also maintained that lameness (from walking and
grazing) is an animal welfare issue lame cows will
eat less, receive less nutrition and be more prone to
disease
After the Symposium there were still days of
the NOSB meeting and public comments to go.
During the tightly enforced breaks and mealtimes,
attendees emerged blinking from the building
into the bright sunshine outside. The fowering
trees and shrubs, bursting in full springtime
force, almost seemed unreal because they werent
verifed by expert commentary and accompanying
powerpoint presentations. Inside, one researcher
had tried to make the point that from a scientifc
viewpoint, confned care also suited dairy cows
natural proclivities and that for animals raised in
confnement, access to the outside is often rejected
in favor of the security of their surroundings --
until she was pressed to admit they might prefer it
otherwise if given a true choice.
I was reminded of a scene I witnessed years ago
when I was working on a friends barn, near a
conventional dairy operation. Amidst much terrible
bellowing, a cow was being dragged out of the
loafng shed on a chain pulled by a tractor into the
light of day, with a big red X spray-painted on
her fank signifying she was dry and then turned
loose into a hilly pasture across the road. A few days
later we spotted her high up on the hill, calm and
peaceful in udder deep grass with other red Xers
grazing nearby all in their element.
NOFA Videos
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Homestead Hogs
with John Stein
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why and how he is performing each step. (Contains
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Special Supplement on
Is Organic Better?
by Prof. Joe Cummins
The following review focuses on scientifc studies
that have been published after 2000. The review
will focus on information related to the health
consequences of consuming organic food and
will not deal with the many reports on peoples
preferences and beliefs about organic foods.
However, the growth in demand for organic food
is driven by peoples beliefs about the benefts
of organic food and the fact that organic foods
generally taste better than conventional foods.
The general reviews comparing organic and
conventional foods focus on comparisons of gross
composition of organic foods as compared to the
gross composition of conventional foods. Those
studies show that organic foods contain low to
undetectable levels of pesticides, lower level
of nitrates and levels of microbial toxins about
the same as conventional foods. However, those
reviews have not yet dealt with comprehensive data
on the health of those consuming organic foods in
comparison to those consuming conventional food.
The current review will deal with evidence that
organic foods are richer in cancer fghting secondary
metabolites, on evidence that lower pesticide levels
are benefcial and on evidence that microbial toxins
are not substantially elevated in organic food as has
been claimed by those opposing organic food.
New studies showing that organic strawberry
extracts inhibit growth of cancer cells are a
landmark in scientifc research, showing that organic
food provides a defense against cancer. Two recent
reviews from Harokopio Universty, Athens, Greece
have been skeptical about the value of organic
food in comparison to conventional food. The most
consistent difference was the low level of nitrate and
elevated vitamin C levels in organic as compared to
conventional food. Numerous other measurements
such as mycotoxin level or environmental pollutants
were not different in the two types of food. Even
though pesticide levels were much higher in
conventional foods than in organic food those
elevated pesticide levels were deemed acceptable (1,
2)
Christine Williams of Reading University, UK
pointed out that there are no studies in the literature
of controlled intervention studies on human subjects
and comparisons of people habitually consuming
organic as compared to conventional diets are
fawed by confounding factors. Older animal studies
are poorly designed and give conficting results (3).
The above reviews failed to consider the importance
of health promoting secondary metabolites that
accumulate once synthetic plant protection agents
are eliminated. Bengt Lundegardh and Anna
Martensson of the University of Agricultural
Sciences , Uppsala , Sweden stressed the benefts
of organic culture in (a) an activation of the plant
defense mechanisms by excluding synthetic plant
protection agents, (b) an active soil life where plants
and microbes interact, exchanging certain metabolic
compounds and (c) a balanced mineral nutrient
uptake where excesses of easily available nutrients
are avoided (4).
Bioactive compounds in foods, especially the plant
phenolic antioxidants, are well known to prevent
cancer and cardiovascular disease (5).
Of course, phenolics are present in many crops,
particularly fruits, but it has grown very clear
that organic foods are richer in cancer fghting
antoxidants (6, 7).
Strawberries have been studied extensively for
their cancer fghting ability and those berries have
also been used to emphasize the cancer preventing
advantages of organic fruit cultivation. Extracts
of fve organic and conventional cultivars were
compared for their ability to inhibit proliferation
of human colon and breast cancer cells. The anti-
cancer extracts were rich in vitamin C and plant
phenolics, the extracts from organically grown
strawberries had a higher antiproliferative activity
than the conventionally grown berries for both
breast and colon cancer cells (8).
Compost as a soil supplement increases the level of
antioxidant compounds in strawberries (9).
Strawberry extracts were found to interfere with
mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling
cascade and to suppress cancer cell proliferation and
transformation (10).
Organic yellow plums were found to be richer in
phenolic acids when grown on natural meadow
or with a ground cover of clover than conventional
plums (11).
Plum and clover extracts induced apoptosis and
contributed to reduced cell viability in human liver
cancer cells (12).
Rats fed conventionally grown wheat had a higher
risk for lymphocyte function than those fed
organically grown wheat. Lymphocyte proliferation
represented an animals response to toxicity (13, 14).
A number of recent studies show that there is solid
scientifc basis for the theory that organic culture
practices produce crops that prevent cancer and
modulate toxic responses. Along with the benefts of
organic culture in providing secondary metabolites
that are benefcial to humans, the absence of pesticide
residues in food and feed provides a tangible
beneft from organic food. The green revolution
has provided a high level of food production in
developing countries through the deployment of high
levels of pesticides and fertilizers. Investigators with
the Centre for Rural Development and Technology,
Dehli, India studied residues of organochlorine,
organophosphorous, carbamate and pyrethroid
pesticides in conventionally grown wheat and rice
and found that organic wheat and rice have little or
no detectable pesticide. Wheat and rice production
under conventional systems was higher than organic
but this higher production is at the cost of health risk
and also poses other hazards to fora and fauna (15).
Dietary exposure intake is the major source of
pesticide exposure for infants and children in
the United States, this exposure may account for
increased pesticide related health risks in children
Organic Foods Enhance Human Health
A number of recent studies show that there is solid scientifc basis for the theory that organic
culture practices produce crops that prevent cancer and modulate toxic responses.
compared to adults. Direct controlled experiments
showed that children consuming an organic diet
provided dramatic and immediate protective effects
against organophosphorous pesticide exposure (16).
In Denmark a 1999 study on human sperm and
semen quality in relation to dietary pesticide
exposure and organic diet was published. A group
consuming mainly organic food was estimated
to have a reduced pesticide intake based on the
pesticide levels measured in their food. The authors
of the article concluded pesticide intake in the diet
did not entail a risk of impaired semen quality (17).
However, the article reported that the group of men
without organic food intake had a signifcantly
lower proportion of morphologically normal sperm.
Abnormal sperm is normally considered predictive
of pregnancy outcome representing DNA damaged
or defectively packaged DNA in the abnormal
sperm (18, 19). It is not clear why the signifcantly
damaged sperm did not impair semen quality in the
opinion of the Danish investigators.
Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by
fungi. Mycotoxin poisoning has been known
since the beginning of agriculture and has
taken a large toll on humans and farm animals
consuming contaminated crops. Mycotoxins cause
immunological effects, specifc organ damage,
cancer, and in some cases, death. Agricultural
workers may also suffer from skin and respiratory
exposure during crop harvest and storage.
Mycotoxin poisoning is a worldwide problem
associated with maize, rice, tree nuts and peanuts
along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Recently,
pro-GM scientists in academia and biotech
corporations have been claiming that organic
food and feed is more heavily contaminated with
mycotoxins than conventional and genetically
modifed foods, on grounds that organic production
does not use chemical fungicides, and are hence
more likely to be infected. But the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states
that, studies have not shown that consuming
organic products leads to a greater risk of mycotoxin
contamination. Peer reviewed publications showed
that organic foods are not more hazardous sources
of mycotoxin than conventional foods (20).
References
1. Brandt, K and Molgaard, J. Organic agriculture:
does it enhance or reduce the nutritional value of
plant foods J. Sci. Food Agric. 2001,81.924-31
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
2. Magkos, F, Arvaniti, F and Zampelas, A Organic
food: nutritious food or food for thought? A review
of the evidence International Journal of Food
Sciences and Nutrition 2003,54,357-71
3. Williams, C. Nutritional quality of organic food:
shades of grey or shades of green? Procedings of
the Nutrition Society 2002,61,19-24
4. Lundegardh,B and Mortensson,A. Organically
produced plant foods-evidence of health benefts
ActaAgric.Scand.SectB , Soil and Plant Science.
2003, 53, 3-15
5. Kris-Etherton PM, Hecker KD, Bonanome A,
Coval SM, Binkoski AE, Hilpert KF, Griel AE and
Etherton TD. Bioactive compounds in foods: their
role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and
cancer Am J Med. 2002 Dec 30;113 Suppl 9B:71S-
88S
6. Cummins,J. Organic agriculture helps fght cancer
Science in Society 2003, 18, 18
7. Grinder-Pedersen L, Rasmussen SE, Bugel
S, Jorgensen LV, Dragsted LO, Gundersen V
and Sandstrom B. Effect of diets based on foods
from conventional versus organic production on
intake and excretion of favonoids and markers
of antioxidative defense in humans. J Agric Food
Chem. 2003 ;51,5671-6
8. Olsson ME, Andersson CS, Oredsson S, Berglund
RH and Gustavsson KE. Antioxidant levels and
inhibition of cancer cell proliferation in vitro
by extracts from organically and conventionally
cultivated strawberries. J Agric Food Chem. 2006,
54(4):1248-55
9. Wang,S and Lin,H. Compost as a soil supplement
increases the level of antioxidant compounds and
oxygen radical absorbance capapcity in strawberries
J Agric Food Chem. 2003, 51, 6844-50
10. Wang SY, Feng R, Lu Y, Bowman L and Ding
M. Inhibitory effect on activator protein-1, nuclear
factor-kappaB, and cell transformation by extracts
of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.). J Agric
Food Chem. 2005 ,53 (10): 4187-93
11. Lombardi-Boccia G, Lucarini M, Lanzi
S, Aguzzi A and Cappelloni M. Nutrients and
antioxidant molecules in yellow plums (Prunus
domestica L.) from conventional and organic
productions: a comparative study. J Agric Food
Chem. 2004 ,52 (1): 90-4
12. Ramos S, Alia M, Bravo L and Goya L.
Comparative effects of food-derived polyphenols
on the viability and apoptosis of a human hepatoma
cell line (HepG2). J Agric Food Chem. 2005,
53(4):1271-80
13. Gala, R and Burcher, S. Are organic foods more
healthy? Science in Society 2005,25, 16
14. Finamore A, Britti MS, Roselli M, Bellovino
D, Gaetani S and Mengheri E. Novel approach for
food safety evaluation. Results of a pilot experiment
to evaluate organic and conventional foods. J Agric
Food Chem. 2004 Dec 1;52 (24):7425-31
15. Rekha,B, Naik, S and Prasad, R. Pesticide
residues in organic and conventional food-Risk
analysis Chemical Health and Safety in press
doi:10.1016/j.chs.2005.01.012
16. Lu C, Toepel K, Irish R, Fenske RA, Barr DB
and Bravo R. Organic diets signifcantly lower
childrens dietary exposure to organophosphorus
pesticides. Environ Health Perspect. 2006 ,114(2):
260-3
17. Juhler RK, Larsen SB, Meyer O, Jensen ND,
Spano M, Giwercman A and Bonde JP. Human
semen quality in relation to dietary pesticide
exposure and organic diet. Arch Environ Contam
Toxicol. 1999 Oct; 37 (3): 415-23
18. Lindheim SR, Barad DH, Zinger M, Witt B,
Amin H, Cohen B, Fisch H and Barg P. Abnormal
sperm morphology is highly predictive of pregnancy
outcome during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation
and intrauterine insemination. J Assist Reprod
Genet. 1996 Aug;13(7):569-72
19. Sakkas D, Seli E, Manicardi GC, Nijs
M, Ombelet W and Bizzaro,D. The presence
of abnormal spermatozoa in the ejaculate:
did apoptosis fail? Hum Fertil (Camb). 2004
Jun;7(2):99-103
20. Cummins,J. Increased mycotoxins in organic
produce? Science in Society 2005,25. 20-21 Mutch
DM, Wahli W and Williamson G. Nutrigenomics
and nutrigenetics: the emerging faces of nutrition.
FASEB J. 2005 Oct; 19(12):1602-16
This article was published on SANET
on April 12, 2006
The Benefts of
Organic Food
Organic food has signifcant
health benefts because it has
negligible chemical residues
and pathogens and higher
nutritional values when
compared to conventionally
farmed food.
by Andr Leu
Many people purchase organic food because they
believe it is healthier than conventionally grown
food. The organic industry is constantly told that
there is no evidence to support these claims. This
article looks at published information that shows
that organic food is substantially healthier than
conventional food. Research published in a 2001
study showed that the current fruit and vegetables
in the United States have about half the vitamin
content of their counterparts in 1963. The study was
based on a comparison of published USDA fgures.
A scientifc study published in the Journal of
Applied Nutrition in 1993 clearly showed that
organic food is more nutritious than conventional
food. Organically and conventionally grown
apples, potatoes, pears, wheat and sweet corn were
purchased over two years in the western suburbs of
Chicago, and then analyzed for mineral content. The
organically grown food was on average 63 percent
higher in calcium, 73 percent higher in iron, 118
percent higher in magnesium, 178 percent higher in
molybdenum, 91 percent higher in phosphorus, 125
percent higher in potassium, and 60 percent higher
in zinc. In addition, the organic food was on average
29 percent lower in mercury than the conventionally
raised food.
A peer-reviewed scientifc article published in the
February 2003 Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry stated that organically grown corn,
strawberries and marionberries have signifcantly
higher levels of cancer-fghting antioxidants
than conventionally grown foods. Some of these
compounds, such as favonoids, are phenolic
compounds that have potent antioxidant activities.
Many are produced by plants in response to
environmental stresses, such as insects or competing
plants. They are protective compounds that act as
a plants natural defense and also have protective
properties in human and animal health.
The research suggested that pesticides and
herbicides disrupt the production of these protective
compounds. Good soil nutrition appears to increase
the levels of these natural compounds that have anti-
cancer, immune-boosting and anti-aging properties.
Another peer-reviewed scientifc study, published
in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
showed a higher level of a protective phytonutrient
in organic food. Dr. John Paterson and a team from
the University of Strathclyde, U.K., found that
organic vegetable soups contain almost six times as
much salicylic acid as non-organic vegetable soups.
Salicylic acid is produced naturally in plants as a
protective compound against stress and disease. It
is responsible for the anti-infammatory action of
aspirin, and helps combat hardening of the arteries
and bowel cancer.
The average level of salicylic acid in 11 brands
of organic vegetable soup on sale in Britain was
117 nanograms per gram, compared with 20 ng/g
in 24 types of non-organic soups. The highest
concentration of salicylic acid, 1,040 ng/g, was
found in an organic carrot and coriander soup, while
it was not detectable in four conventional soup
brands.
Two comprehensive studies have been published
that compared the differences between organic and
conventional foods. Both studies analyzed around
40 previously published studies. One study was
conducted in the United Kingdom and the other in
the United States, each independently of the other.
Both studies came up with similar conclusions that
there is overwhelming evidence that organic food
is more nutritious than conventional food. One of
the authors stated, On average our research found
higher vitamin C, higher mineral levels and higher
phytonutrientsplant compounds which can be
effective against cancer. Theres also less water in
organic vegetables, so pound-for-pound you get
more carrot for your carrot. It is no coincidence
that consumer demand for food supplements has
grown as the amount of minerals and vitamins has
declined in conventionally farmed food. Many
people cannot get the necessary quantity and
quality of nutrition from food grown with synthetic
chemicals.
Pathogens
In the recent past there have been a number of
media stories claiming that, because organic foods
are grown with manure, they contain higher levels
of dangerous pathogens. On investigation, all of
these stories were proved to be false, and most
of the media presenters apologized publicly for
promoting inaccurate and misleading stories. It
is a requirement of organic certifcation systems
either that animal manures be composted or that
two non-food rotations be grown on a manured
site before it can be used for small crops. In fact,
a UN Food and Agriculture Organization report
concluded that the superior management practices
of organic agriculture reduce E. coli and mycotoxin
infections in food: It can be concluded that
organic farming potentially reduces the risk of E.
coli infection. . . . Two studies reported by Woess
found that afatoxin M1 levels in organic milk were
lower than in conventional milk. . . . As organically
raised livestock are fed greater proportions of hay,
grass and silage, there is reduced opportunity for
mycotoxin-contaminated feed to lead to mycotoxin-
contaminated milk. The report further stated,
Animal feeding practices followed in organic
livestock production also lead to a reduction in
contamination of food products of animal origin.
Food Additives
The use of antibiotics, antimicrobials, and
hormones or other growth promoters is prohibited
in organic production. Where animals are treated
with veterinary chemicals, they are not allowed to
be sold as organic. Similarly, the use of synthetic
chemicals as preservatives, colorings, antioxidants,
etc., is prohibited in the processing of organic foods.
There is an increasing body of concern about these
synthetic compounds in the diets of humans and
animals used for human food.
Chemical Residues
Many studies show that most conventionally farmed
foods have pesticide and other chemical residues.
Repeated tests show that many of these foods can
carry a cocktail of synthetic poisons. A growing
body of scientifc evidence is showing that repeated
exposures to cocktails of small amounts of synthetic
chemicals produce a range of adverse health effects.
A recently published study shows that as little as
one-tenth of a part per billion of one commonly
used herbicide can damage reproductive systems. In
addition, many scientists believe these exposures to
minute quantities of agricultural chemicals are very
signifcant for children. A study by the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control found a cocktail of many toxic
chemicals in the blood and urine of most Americans
that they tested. Other studies show that most living
organisms carry a cocktail of synthetic/manmade
chemicals. Only now are scientists beginning
to understand the detrimental effects of minute
amounts of these artifcial toxins.
Peer-reviewed, published research has demonstrated
that many of these types of chemicals are known to
disrupt the hormone, nervous and immune systems.
The escalating increase of certain types of cancers
such as lymphoma, leukemia, breast, uterine and
prostate cancers are linked to agricultural and
other synthetic chemicals. Similarly, a good body
of scientifc research also links these chemicals to
dramatic increases in autoimmune diseases such
as asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome. Non-
Hodgkins lymphoma has gone from being one
of the rarest to one of the fastest growing cancers
among people exposed to agricultural chemicals.
A detailed scientifc analysis of organic fruits and
vegetables published in the peer-reviewed journal
Food Additives and Contaminants showed that
organic foods have signifcantly less pesticide
residues than conventionally grown foods.
Most important, scientifc studies are beginning
to show that eating organic food results in lower
levels of these pervasive chemicals in humans.
A study published in the peer reviewed journal
Environmental Health Perspectives found that
children who eat organic foods have lower levels
of one class of agricultural pesticides in their
bodies. The University of Washington researchers
who conducted the study concluded, The dose
estimates suggest that consumption of organic fruits,
vegetables, and juice can reduce childrens exposure
levels from above to below the EPAs current
guidelines, thereby shifting exposures from a range
of uncertain risk to a range of negligible risk.
Consumption of organic produce appears to provide
a relatively simple way for parents to reduce their
childrens exposure to OP pesticides.
Nitrates
The use of soluble chemical fertilizers has
resulted in high nitrate concentrations in many
conventionally farmed foods, especially in fruits and
vegetables. Leafy vegetables can have the highest
concentrations. The leaching of these fertilizers has
also resulted in high nitrate levels in some drinking
water systems around the world.
High nitrate content in food and drinking water can
be converted to carcinogenic nitrosamines. Nitrates
can impair the ability of the blood to carry oxygen
and may pose a risk of methemoglobinemia, a
condition that can occur in infants and adults with a
diminished capability to secrete gastric acid. A rise
in the pH in their digestive system allows bacteria to
proliferate, increasing the transformation of nitrate
to nitrite. When this nitrite is absorbed into the
bloodstream, it oxidizes iron in the hemoglobin of
red blood cells to form methemoglobin, which lacks
hemoglobins oxygen-carrying ability. In severe
cases this can be one of the causes of Blue Baby
syndrome, however in most cases the symptoms
would be tiredness, lethargy and a general feeling of
being unwell.
The nitrate content of organically grown crops
is usually signifcantly lower than that of
conventionally grown products. The governments of
Germany and France have encouraged conversion to
organic farming in certain areas in a bid to improve
water quality, particularly in relation to its nitrate
content.
Conclusion
The FAO states the case very succinctly: It has
been demonstrated that organically produced foods
have lower levels of pesticide and veterinary drug
residues and, in many cases, lower nitrate contents.
Animal feeding practices followed in organic
livestock production also lead to a reduction in
contamination of food products of animal origin.
The facts show that organic food has signifcant
health benefts because it has negligible chemical
residues and pathogens and higher nutritional values
when compared to conventionally farmed food.
Andre Leu has been involved in the organic industry
since 1972. He currently owns a certifed organic
farm in the lower section of the Daintree River
valley in North Queensland, Australia. He grows
organic tropical fruits from part of the farm, with
the balance being retained as tropical rain forest.
Andre is the Chair of the Organic Federation of
Australia, the peak organization for the organic
industry in Australia. He is also chairperson
of the Far North Queensland Lychee Growers
Association and Vice President of the Australian
Lychee Growers Association, where he has the
responsibility for developing export markets. Andre
runs workshops on organic production in Australia
and other countries and teaches horticulture and
environment at Tropical North Queensland Institute
of TAFE. This article was originally published in
Organic Valley Resources
www.newsociety.com
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by Shane Heaton
A growing number of consumers, and especially
those dealing with chronic illness, are switching to
organic food. A key motivation for consumers doing
this is a simple belief that its better for them. But
is it true? Offcial Food Agencies around the world
are unanimous in claiming there is no evidence
of a nutritional difference. Yet a more careful and
thorough review of the science comparing organic
and non-organic foods reveals that collectively,
the available evidence does indeed support the
consumer belief and industry claim that organic
food is safer, more nutritious and better for you than
non-organic food.i
Higher nutrients
Its often claimed that a large number of studies
have found no difference in the nutrient content
of organic and non-organic crops. Its true there
have been more than a hundred studies comparing
the nutrient content of organic and non-organic
foods and the results are inconclusive. This is
because the majority of studies are of poor quality,
being either agriculturally or analytically fawed. I
reviewed the literature using clear validity criteria
to ensure relevant nutrients were being compared
in properly matched organic and non-organic
crops. This eliminated 72% of comparisons as
invalid. The results of these spurious studies were
either dramatic, inconclusive, non-signifcant or
inconsistent, as would be expected, and served
only to obfuscate the clear trend in the valid data
that organic crops, on average, contain higher
levels of trace minerals, vitamin C, and antioxidant
phytonutrients.ii
Offcial food composition tables reveal that since
the 1940s the mineral levels in fruits, vegetables,
meat and dairy have declined substantially.iii, iv
Combine this with earlier picking, longer storage
and more processing, and its not surprising we
may be getting fewer nutrients in our food than we
were 60 years ago. Because artifcial fertilization
produces lush growth and swells conventional plants
and produce with more water, there is more dry
matter (i.e. food), weight for weight, in organic
food. Partly because of this and for other reasons
too, there are higher levels of nutrient in organic
produce. Research by American nutritionist Virginia
Worthington has confrmed that based on current
dietary patterns, the differences can be enough to
help you achieve the recommended daily allowances
for certain nutrients that you otherwise may not
have.
We can expect also that phytonutrients, many of
which are antioxidants involved in the plants own
defense system, will be higher in organic produce
because crops rely more on their own defenses
in the absence of regular pesticide applications.
Evidence is emerging that confrms this expectation.
Higher levels have so far been found of lycopene in
organic tomatoes, polyphenols in organic potatoes,
favonols in organic apples, and resveratrol in
organic red wine. A recent review of the subject
estimated that organic produce will tend to contain
10-50% higher phytonutrients than conventional
produce.v
Lower pesticide residues
Consuming more organic food certainly isnt the
only way to improve ones nutrient intake, but
it may be the safest. Its regularly claimed that
pesticide residues in foods are known to be safe, on
the basis of total diet surveys which fnd the levels
of pesticide residues in our food are very low and
in all cases are within acceptable safety limits.
Monitoring programs consistently show that around
one in three of all non-organic food samples tested
contain a variety of pesticide residues, while far
lower levels are found in and on organic produce.vi
Organic Food Quality and You
Organic food isnt a luxury. Its how foods supposed to be,
and a valuable part of any regime intended to maintain,
improve or restore health.
Rigorous safety assessments are claimed to
confrm that pesticide residues are no threat to
human health, but consumers intuitively know this
is a false assurance.
Many samples of fresh produce carry multiple
pesticide residues, yet safety levels are set for
individual pesticides. They do not take into account
the cocktail effect of combinations of pesticides in
and on foods. And research is emerging confrming
the potential for synergistic increases in the
toxicity of pesticides up to 100-fold, resulting in
reproductive, immune and nervous system effects
not expected from the individual compounds acting
alone.vii, viiii, xxxi
Israeli researchers have linked symptoms such
as headaches, tremor, lack of energy, depression,
anxiety, poor memory, dermatitis, convulsions,
nausea, indigestion and diarrhoea with dietary
intakes of pesticides.xii Belgian research has found
that women diagnosed with breast cancer are six
to nine times more likely to have the pesticides
DDT or hexachlorobenzene in their bloodstreams
compared to women who did not have breast cancer.
xiii Hawaiian researchers following 8000 people for
34 years have found that increasing consumption of
fruit and juice (and the pesticide residues they carry)
raises the risk of Parkinsons disease.xiv
Dr Vyvyan Howard, toxico-pathologist at the
University of Liverpool, UK, suggests People are
applying the precautionary principle to their own
lives by purchasing food that has not been produced
by industrial methods. From the simple stance of
hazard avoidance, organically produced food is
the best option that we have. The British Medical
Association appears to agree. Until we have a more
complete understanding of pesticide toxicity, they
say, the beneft of the doubt should be awarded
to protecting the environment, the worker and the
consumer - this precautionary approach is necessary
because the data on risk to human health from
exposure to pesticides are incomplete.xv
Children need it the most
Childrens immature and developing organs, brains,
detoxifcation and immune systems, plus their larger
intake of food per kilo of body weight combine to
make them even more susceptible to toxins than
adults. American toddlers eating mostly organic
food have been found to have less than one sixth
the pesticide residues in their urine compared to
children eating conventional foods, lowering their
exposure from above to below recognized safety
levels.xvi Elizabeth Gillettes landmark 1998 paper
in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives
showed how a combination of low-level
environmental, household and dietary exposures
caused subtle yet measurable developmental defcits
in children.xvii Gillette compared children in two
nearby isolated villages in Mexico, one in which
pesticides were routinely used in their farming, and
one in which they were not. Everything else was
the same between these two villages genes, diet,
lifestyle, climate, culture, etc.. To assess childhood
cognitive development standard anthropological
assessment tools were used, including eye-hand
coordination, short-term memory, and the ability
to draw a person. What the study found was an
impaired cognitive development in the children
in the village that routinely used pesticides, as
demonstrated by the efforts by four and fve-year
olds to draw a person.
In many Western countries children and adults are
similarly exposed to multiple sources of pesticides,
and in 1995 an Australian study of breast milk
found that infants are regularly exposed to several
pesticides at levels greater than the ADI.xviii In
Canada a direct correlation has been observed
between breast milk pesticide contamination and
risk of otitis media in Inuit infants.xix
Food additives
Artifcial colorings and preservatives in food and
drink are thought to contribute to hyperactivity in
pre-school children, and while many still contest
this issue, a recent study in the UK found that the
proportion of hyperactive children halved when
additives were removed from their diets.xx Many
additives such as preservatives, artifcial sweeteners,
colorings and favorings, MSG, hydrogenated fats
and phosphoric acid are prohibited in organic food
production.

Antibiotic resistance
Considering the growing problem of increasing
antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria, animal
farming may be a much larger contributor to the
problem than over-prescription of antibiotics by
doctors. While the use of antibiotics is severely
restricted in organic farming, theyre used
extensively in non-organic farming to promote
growth and to prevent disease from decimating
intensively reared and overcrowded farm animals.
As much as 60% of all the antibiotics used in
Australia are given to farm animals, not people.
In Australia, University of Queensland marine
biologist, Dr Simon Costanzo, reported in the
March 2005 issue of Marine Pollution Bulletin
that antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria
are common in the sewage and waterways of the
State capital Brisbane, potentially posing a threat
to human health and the environment. The British
Medical Association has warned that antibiotic
resistance is one of the major public health threats
that will be faced in the 21st century, while the
WHO has called for a reduction in their use in
agriculture. Better animal welfare standards in
organic farming minimize the need for antibiotics
and other veterinary drugs and they are used only
when strictly necessary.
Better health outcomes
A recent review of controlled animal feeding
trials found signifcant improvements in the
health of animals fed organic feed, and concluded
Reproductive health, incidence and recovery from
illness are sensitive measures of health status and
should be given appropriate weight. Taking all of
this into account, the available data is very strong
with regard to the health benefts of organic feed
and food.xxi
Similar tests with humans are problematic,
though evidence is emerging here too. An early
observational study revealed that boarding-school
students eating predominantly organically for three
years experienced a very marked decline in colds
and infuenza, more rapid convalescence, excellent
health generally, fewer sports injuries, a greater
resilience to fractures and sprains, clear and healthy
skin, and improved dental health.xxii
A recent Danish organic human three week
feeding trail with 16 subjects found signifcantly
higher concentrations of the antioxidant favonoid
quercetin not only in the organic diets but also in
the urine of those eating organically, confrming
increased absorption and systemic circulation. xxiii
The bottom line
So is organic food better for you? In my opinion,
yes. Decreasing ones toxin burden and increasing
ones vitamin, mineral and antioxidant intake can
have a signifcant impact on health, especially when
trying to improve or restore health.
Can people afford it? Im certain of it. Offcial
household spending statistics (in Australia and
the UK) reveal that the average family spends 5
times more on junk food, take away, alcohol and
tobacco than fruit and vegetables, and 5 times
more on recreation than on fruit and vegetables. To
make healthier choices they need encouragement
and education, and health practitioners of every
persuasion are on the front line. I believe its a false
assumption that advocating organic food will reduce
fruit and veg consumption due to the higher price.
Perhaps theyll cut down on junk food, takeaway,
alcohol and cigarettes. Some even report anecdotally
that the better taste of organics facilitates an
increase in fruit and vegetable consumption that was
hitherto unachievable.
Chris Ashton of the UK-based Nutritional Cancer
Therapy Trust asserts that Those concerned with
the fght against disease know that our bodies are
designed to overcome disease processes before
they become established. Our systems are readily
disrupted by toxins and an absence of suffcient
quantities of nutrients. Recommending organic
food is a simple way to reduce an individuals
toxin burden of pesticides and food additives,
increase their nutrient intake, and perhaps alter
their consumption patterns away from less healthy
choices.
Organic food isnt a luxury. Its how foods
supposed to be, and a valuable part of any regime
intended to maintain, improve or restore health.
i
Heaton SAA. Organic Farming, Food Quality
and Human Health: A review of the evidence. Soil
Association 2001, Bristol, UK, 88pp.
http://www.soilassociation.org/sa/saweb.nsf/
9f788a2d1160a9e580256a71002a3d2b/de88ae6e5aa
94aed80256abd00378489?OpenDocument
ii
Brandt K and Mlgaard JP. Organic agriculture:
does it enhance or reduce the nutritional value of
plant foods? Journal of the Science of Food and
Agriculture 2001;81:924931.
iii
McCance and Widdowson 19401991, The
Composition of Foods, 1st to 5th editions, published
by MAFF/RSC.
iv
Mayer AM, 1997, Historical changes in the
mineral content of fruits and vegetables, in
Lockeretz W (ed.), Agricultural Production and
Nutrition, Tufts University School of Nutrition
Science and Policy, Boston, MA, p 6977. See also
British Food Journal 99(6), p207211
v
Brandt K and Mlgaard JP, 2001, Organic
agriculture: does it enhance or reduce the nutritional
value of plant foods?, Journal of the Science of
Food and Agriculture 81, p 924931
vi
Baker BP, Benbrook CM, Groth E 3rd, et al.
Pesticide residues in conventional, integrated pest
management (IPM)-grown and organic foods:
insights from three US data sets. Food Additives and
Contaminants 2003;19(5):427-46.
vii
Abou-Donia MB, Wilmarth KR, Jensen KF, et
al. Neurotoxicity resulting from coexposure to
pyridostigmine bromide, DEET and permethrin:
implications for gulf war chemical exposures. J
Toxicol Environ Health 1996;48:3565.
viii
Boyd CA, Weiler MH, Porter WP. Behavioural
and neurochemical changes associated with chronic
exposure to low-level concentrations of pesticide
mixtures. J Toxicol. Environ. Health 1990;30:209
221.
ix
Porter WP, Green SM, Debbink NL, Carlson
I. Groundwater pesticides: interactive effects of
low concentrations of carbamates aldicarb and
methomyl and the triazine metribuzin on thyroxine
and somatotrophin levels in white rats. J Toxicol
Environ Health 1993;40:1534.
x
Porter WP, Jaeger JW, Carlson IH. Endocrine,
immune, and behavioural effects of alicarb
(carbamate), atrazine (triazine) and nitrate
(fertiliser) mixtures at ground water concentrations.
Toxicology and Industrial Health 1999;15:133150.
xi
Thiruchelvam M, Richfeld EK, Baggs RB,
et al. The Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic System
as a preferential target of repeated exposures to
combined paraquat and maneb: implications for
Parkinsons Disease, Journal of Neuroscience
2000;20(24):92079214.
xii
Ratner D, Oren B and Vidger K, Chronic dietary
anticholinesterase poisoning. Israel Journal of
Medical Science 1983;19:810814.
xiii
Charlier C, Albert A, Herman P, et al. Breast
cancer and serum organochlorine residues. Occup
Environ Med 2003 May;60(5):348-51.
xiv
Grandinetti A et al. Parkinsons risk and fruit
intake. Honolulu study, presented at the American
Academy of Neurology annual meeting in
Honolulu, 29 March 2003.
xv
BMA 1992, The BMA Guide to Pesticides,
Chemicals and Health, Report of the Board of
Science and Education, British Medical Association
xvi
Curl CL, Fenske RA, Elgethun K.
Organophosphorus pesticide exposure of urban
and suburban pre-school children with organic and
conventional diets. Environ Health Perspectives
2003;111(3):377-82.
xvii
Guillette EA, Meze MM, Aquilar MG, et al.
An anthropological approach to the evaluation of
preschool children exposed to pesticides in Mexico.
Environmental Health Perspectives 1998; 106:347
353.
xviii
Quinsey PM, Donohue DC, Ahokas JT.
Persistance of organochlorines in breast milk of
women in Victoria, Australia. Food Chem Toxic
1995;33(1):49-56.
xix
Dewailly E, Ayotte P, Bruneau S, Gingras S,
Belles-Isles and Roy R, 2000, Susceptibility
to infections and immune status in Inuit infants
exposed to organochlorines, Environmental Health
Perspectives 108(3), p 205211
xx
Bateman B, Warner JO, Hutchinson E, et al.
The effects of a double blind, placebo controlled,
artifcial food colourings and benzoate preservative
challenge on hyperactivity in a general population
sample of preschool children. Arch Dis Child 2004
Jun;89(6):506-11.
xxi
Worthington V. Nutrition and biodynamics:
evidence for the nutritional superiority of organic
crops. Biodynamics 1999; July/August:2225.
xxii
Daldy Y. Food production without artifcial
fertilisers. Nature 1940;145(3684):905-6.
xxiii
Grinder-Pedersen et al. Effect of Diets Based
on Foods from Conventional versus Organic
Production on Intake and Excretion of Flavonoids
and Markers of Antioxidative Defense in Humans. J
Agric Food Chem 2003;51:5671-5676.
From Heaton S, 2005, The Art & Science of
Holistic Health, ed Cohen M, Proceedings of the
11
th
International Holistic Health Conference,
August 2005, Australasian Integrative Medicine
Association, Twin Waters, Australia.
by James Cleeton
Policy Projects Coordinator, Soil Association
Pesticides
The routine use of synthetic pesticides is not
allowed under organic standards. Currently, over
400 chemicals can be regularly used in conventional
farming to kill weeds, insects and other pests that
attack crops. For example, Coxs apples can be
sprayed up to 16 times with 36 different pesticides.
7 Only four chemicals are allowed in restricted
circumstances under Soil Association standards.
Organic food contains fewer residues of pesticides
used in conventional agriculture, so buying organic
is one way to reduce the chances that your food
contains these pesticides (Sir John Krebs, Chair,
Food Standards Agency, Cheltenham Science Festival
debate, 5th June 2003).
Consumers who wish to minimize their dietary
pesticide exposure can do so with confdence by
buying organically grown food (Baker et al 2002). 6

Organophosphates
The most dangerous chemicals used in farming, such
as organophosphates [pesticides], have been linked
with a range of conditions such as cancer, decreasing
male fertility, fetal abnormalities, chronic fatigue
syndrome in children and Parkinsons disease. 8, 9
Pesticide residues have been ranked among the top
three environmental cancer risks by the American
Government. 10
Pesticide Residues in Food
In recent years, UK Government research has
consistently found pesticide residues in a third of
food, including residues of more than one chemical
in apples, baby food, bread, cereal bars, fresh salmon,
lemons, lettuces, peaches, nectarines, potatoes and
strawberries. 11 Not all foodstuffs are checked;
instead a small number of different products is tested
every 3 months and the results published by the
Pesticide Safety Directorate (PSD).
After pressure from NGOs [non-governmental
organizations] such as the Soil Association, the PSD
has begun testing for multiple pesticide residues in its
samples because evidence suggests that when acting
in combination, harmful effects of pesticide residues
may be increased. The Government has recognized
that .ignoring the cocktail effects during risk
assessment will lead to signifcant under-estimations
of risk. 12
Combinations of low-level insecticides, herbicides
and nitrates have been shown to be toxic at levels that
individual chemicals are not. 13-16 It is clearly an
enormous task to test all possible combinations of the
400 permitted pesticides currently in use. It is clear
that not enough is known about how combinations
of pesticides affect our health, and the Governments
Committee on Toxicity has expressed disquiet about
the risks involved. 17
Pesticides and Cancer
Women with breast cancer are fve to nine times
more likely to have pesticide residues in their blood
than those who do not.18 Previous studies have
shown that those with occupational exposure to
pesticides have higher rates of cancer. 19 - 21 The
apparent link between hormone dependent cancers,
such as those of the breast and prostate, may be via
endocrine disrupting chemicals [EDCs] - compounds
that artifcially affect the hormone system such as
2,4D and Atrazine (both herbicides, now banned or
about to be banned). The Royal Society [the UKs
main scientifc organization] recommends that human
Organic Foods, Nutrition and Health
A predominantly organic diet:
reduces the amount of toxic chemicals ingested;
totally avoids GMOs [genetically modifed organisms];
reduces the amount of food additives and colorings;
increases the amount of benefcial vitamins, minerals, EFAs [essential fatty
acids] and antioxidants consumed;
appears to have the potential to lower the incidence of common conditions
such as cancer, coronary heart disease, allergies and hyperactivity in children.
exposure to EDCs (especially during pregnancy)
should be minimized on grounds of prudence. 63
Effects of Pesticides on Children
Children may be particularly susceptible to pesticide
residues as they have a higher intake of food and
water per unit of body weight than adults and their
relatively immature organ systems may have limited
ability to detoxify these substances. 22

In a study of children aged 2 4 living in Seattle,
concentrations of pesticide residues up to six times
higher were found in children eating conventionally
farmed fruit and vegetables compared with those
eating organic food. 23 Whilst the presence of
pesticide residues in children eating conventional
food has been confrmed, the full effect of such
pesticides are unknown.
Food Additives
Food colorings and additives can cause a range
of health problems in adults and children. For
example, tartrazine (the yellow food coloring E102)
and other additives have been linked to allergic
reactions, headaches, asthma, growth retardation
and hyperactivity in children. 24 27
Although around 300 additives are permitted in
conventional food only 30 are allowed under Soil
Association standards. Some additives found in
organic food are added for legal reasons including
iron, thiamine (vitamin B) and nicotinic acid
(vitamin B3) in white four, and various vitamins
and minerals in different types of baby foods. All
artifcial colorings and artifcial sweeteners are
banned in organic food.
Specifc ingredients and additives not allowed in
organic food are monosodium glutamate, aspartame,
phosphoric acid and hydrogenated fats. In each
case their use has been banned because of evidence
that they can be damaging to health. For example,
hydrogenated fats (also known as trans fats) have
been directly linked with increased rates of heart
disease, cancer and skin disease. 28,29,30,31 The
FSA [Food Standards Agency] acknowledges that
they have no known nutritional benefts and increase
the risk of coronary heart disease. The FSA website
advises that people should try to cut down their
consumption of hydrogenated fat. 32
Genetically Modifed Organisms
Genetically modifed organisms are banned from
organic food.
The potential health effects of GM foods are
unknown. Michael Meacher, the former Minister for
the Environment, recently stated that We have had
no systematic clinical or biochemical trials of the
effects on human beings of eating GM food.
A paper in Nutrition and Health supports Mr
Meachers position. The authors state that there
have only been ten published studies of the health
effects of GM food and that the quality of some
of these was inadequate. Over half were done in
collaboration with companies (fully or partially),
and these found no negative effects on body organs.
The others were done independently and looked
more closely at the effects on the gut lining; in
several, evidence of harmful effects were found
which remain unexplained. 33
Similar effects on the gut lining were found in an
unpublished animal feeding study on a GM tomato.
In addition, a study by Newcastle University
sponsored by the FSA found that the transgenes
[genetically modifed organisms] transfer into gut
bacteria at detectable levels after only one GM meal.
The health effects of these transgenes are unknown
and until they have been properly tested people are,
in our opinion, wise to avoid eating GM food.
Essential Vitamins And Minerals
UK and US government statistics indicate that
levels of trace minerals in fruit and vegetables fell
by up to 76% between 1940 and 1991. 34, 35 In
contrast there is growing evidence that organic fruit
and vegetables generally contain more nutrients than
non-organic food.
The Soil Association conducted a systematic review
of the evidence comparing the vitamin and mineral
content of organic and conventionally grown food.
It was found that, on average, organic food contains
higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals
such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium. 36
An independent review of the evidence found that
organic crops had signifcantly higher levels of all
21 nutrients analyzed compared with conventional
produce including vitamin C (27% more),
magnesium (29% more), iron (21% more) and
phosphorous (14% more). Organic spinach, lettuce,
cabbage and potatoes showed particularly high
levels of minerals. 37
Antioxidants
A high antioxidant intake has been shown to be
associated with a reduced incidence of coronary
heart disease and some cancers. Such antioxidants
include certain vitamins (vitamin E and beta-
carotene) and substances known as phenolics.
Researchers have recognized the growing concern
that levels of some phenolics may be lower than is
optimal for human health in conventionally grown
foods. 38 Phenolics are generated by a plant when
attacked by pests.
Generally, organic crops are not protected by
pesticides and research has shown that organically
produced fruit contains higher levels of phenolic
compounds than conventionally grown fruit. 38,
39 Danish researchers have found that organic
crops contain 10% to 50% more antioxidants than
conventional crops. 40
Essential Fatty Acids
The essential fatty acids (EFA), omega 3 and
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) play an essential
role in metabolism [chemical changes which take
place in our bodies to utilize food and eliminate
waste materials] and especially in the prevention
of coronary heart disease and high blood pressure
41, 42, 43. Omega 3s also reduce the risk of
neurological disorders including depression 44,
45, 46 and ADHD (Attention Defcit Hyperactivity
Disorder) in children 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52.
Furthermore, CLA has been demonstrated to
help prevent cancer and degenerative changes in
the walls of the arteries 53, 54 enhance growth
promotion and reduce body fat 54, 55, 56.
Forage based diets [a diet based on fresh or dried
food as opposed to processed feed] form the basis
of organic livestock production systems and have
the potential to decrease saturated fat concentrations
and to increase the concentrations of omega-3 57,
58 and CLA 59, 60, 61 in beef. Milk taken from
animals fed on a forage-based diet also displays
improved levels of EFAs, including CLA and omega
3. 61, 62
Allergies
In a study of Swedish children, the prevalence
of atopic disorders [allergies] from two different
groups of children was measured. The study
compared 295 children aged 5 13 years from two
anthroposophic schools [schools with an alternative
approach to education] with 380 children from two
neighboring state schools. The anthroposophical
school children ate a predominantly organic
diet, used antibiotics restrictively, had few
vaccinations and their diet usually contained live
lactobacilli [a friendly bacteria found in the upper
intestinal tract of humans and in some yoghurts
and in unpasteurized milk]. It was found that the
anthroposophic way of life is associated with a
lowered prevalence of atopy in children. 4
The reduced incidence of atopic disorders is
likely to be the result of a combination of lifestyle
differences between the two groups of children so
that the contribution of organic food consumption
is unclear. However, consumption of organic food
is the single most common factor unifying the
anthroposophic children.
Fertility
A steady deterioration in male reproductive health
has been reported throughout Europe. Sperm
concentrations have declined and abnormalities in
sperm development have been recorded.
Danish research compared the sperm density of
members of an organic farming association (OFA)
with that of three different occupational groups and
found that that the former had signifcantly higher
sperm counts 2. This research was corroborated
in 1996 when members of another Danish OFA
were compared with a control group of 797 healthy
men. It was found that sperm concentration was
higher among men eating organically produced
food 3.
A biological plausible hypothesis has suggested
that man-made chemicals act as endocrine disrupters
(EDC) resulting in altered development of the
reproductive tract causing the observed effects. 5 A
number of pesticides regularly used in conventional
agriculture are known to be EDCs. Therefore, if an
individuals diet does not contain pesticide residues,
it can be hypothesized that the above abnormalities
of sperm would be less likely.
Position of the Food Standards Agency and the
Government
The Food Standards Agency responded to the Soil
Associations report Organic farming, food quality
and human health (2001) by stating that: On the
basis of current evidence, the Agencys assessment
is that organic food is not signifcantly different
in terms of food safety and nutrition from food
produced conventionally. 1
The Government has taken a more open-minded
view. At a meeting between members of the
Governments Organic Action Plan and the FSA,
the then Organic Farming Minister, Elliot Morley,
suggested to the FSA that: .while the FSA is
clear that all conventionally produced food is safe,
the FSA could also recognize that some consumers
want less pesticide residues, less use of veterinary
medicines, no routine use of antibiotics, and no
use of GM ingredients, and that in all these areas
organic food delivers what the consumers want.
At that time, Sir John Krebs the Chair of the FSA,
was unwilling to change its stance on organic food.
However, in recent months Sir John has endorsed
one of the organic sectors fndings, namely that
organic food contains less pesticide residues.
Organic food contains fewer residues of pesticides
used in conventional agriculture, so buying
organic is one way to reduce the chances that your
food contains these pesticides (Sir John Krebs,
Cheltenham Science Festival debate, 5th June
2003).
References
1) http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/science/
sciencetopics/organicfood/
2) Abel A et al (1994) High sperm density amongst
members of organic farmers association, The Lancet,
343, p. 1498.
3) Jensen TK et al (1996) Semen quality among members
of organic food associations in Zealand, Denmark, The
Lancet, 347, p. 1844
4) Alm JS et al (1999) Atopy in children of families with
an anthroposophic lifestyle, The Lancet, 353, p. 1485
1488.
5) Chia SE. (2000) Endocrine disruptors and male
reproductive function--a short review. International
Journal of Andrology, 23 Suppl 2:45-6.
6) Baker BP, Benbrook CM, Groth E, and Benbrook KL
(2002) Pesticide residues in conventional, IPM-grown
and organic foods: Insights from three U.S. data sets.
Food Additives and Contaminants, 19, (5), p. 427-446.
7) MAFF (1998) Orchards and fruit stores in Great
Britain 1996, Pesticide Usage Survey Report 142,
MAFF publications, London.
8) BMA (1992) The BMA guide to pesticides, chemicals
and health, Report of the Board of Science and
Education, British Medical Association.
9) Robbins C (1991) Poisoned harvest: A consumers
guide to pesticide use and abuse, Victor Gollancz Ltd, p.
300 313.
10) Balch JF and Balch PA, 1997, Prescriptions for
nutritional healing, 2nd edition, Avery publishers, USA p.
176-183.
11) Pesticides Residues Committee (various years),
Annual Report of the Pesticides Residues Committee,
Pesticide Safety Directorate, DEFRA.
12) www.foodstandards.gov.uk/ science/ouradvisors/
toxicity/COTwg/wigramp/ Stakeholder
13) Porter et al (1993) Groundwater pesticides:
interactive effects of low concentrations of carbamates
aldicarb and methomyl and the triazine metribuzin on
thyroxine and somatrophin levels in white rats, Journal of
Toxicology and Environmental Health, (40) p. 15 34.
14) Boyd et al (1990) Behavioral and neurochemical
changes associated with chronic exposure to low
level concentrations of pesticide mixtures, Journal of
Toxicology and Environmental Health, (30) p. 209 221.
15) Porter et al (1999) Endochrine immune and
behavioral effects of aldicarb (carbamate), atrazine
(triazine) and nitrate (fertilizer) mixtures at groundwater
concentrations, Toxicology and Industrial health, (15) p.
133 150.
16) Thiruchelvam M et al (2000) The nigrostriatal
dopaminergic system as a preferential target of repeated
exposures to combined paraquat and maneb: implications
for Parkinsons Disease, Journal of Neuroscience, 20 (24)
p. 2907 9214.
17) Committee on Toxicity (2002) Committee on
Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products
and the Environment: Risk assessment of mixtures of
pesticides and similar substances, Crown Copyright,
September 2002.
18) Charlier G et al (2003) Breast cancer and
serum organochlorine residues, Occupational and
Environmental Medicine, 60 (5), p. 348 - 351
19) Schreinemachers DM (2000) Cancer mortality in four
Northern wheat producing states, Environmental Health
Perspectives, 108 (9), p. 873 881.
20) Alavanja MCR et al (2003) Use of agricultural
pesticides and prostate cancer risks in the agricultural
health study cohort, American Journal of Epidemeology,
157 (9), p. 800 814.
21) Ohio G. (1999) Endocrine disrupting chemicals and
A NOFA DREAMER
Young widower seeks organic land west of Quabbin Reservoir in Massachusetts
Areas of Interest
As an Arborist, I am used to going out on a limb to get done what needs done and I understand that
entertaining the public is a natural part of it. So, once you have had your little chuckle about my ad,
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Bottom line: I deeply appreciate all who are willing to assist me in making this dream a reality.
P. S. A warm thank you to everyone who responded to my previous ad.
A trustworthy soul,
Kevin Stitt
10 Cross Street, Woburn, MA 01801 Email: info@organicsoilcare.com
Home: 781-932-3828 Cell: 781-983-4086 Web Site: www.organicsoilcare.com
Proposed Land Use
Orchard: diverse as possible, either established or I will establish
Nursery: organic practices only, low volume, high quality, non-invasive, specimen plants
Green House: propagation of trees and shrubs, year round salad greens
Composting Site: small scale, compost tea brewing center
Tree and Landscape Business: small scale, organic practices only
New Salem
North New Salem
Wendell
Lake Pleasant
Shutesbury
Leverett
East Leverett
Pratt Corner
Montague
North Leverett
Moores Corner
Locks Village
Pelham
West Pelham
Dwight
Belchertown
carcinogenicity Gan To Kagaku Ryoho, 26 (3), p. 263-8.
(Japanese)
22) Eskenazi B, Bradman A and Castorina R, Exposures
of children to rganophosphate pesticides and their
potential adverse health effects, Environmental Health
Perspectives, 107 (supp 3) p. 409 418.
23) Curl CL , RA Fenske and K Elgethun (2003)
Organophosphorus pesticide exposure of urban
and suburban pre-school children with organic and
conventional diets, Environmental Health Perspectives,
111 (3) p. 377 382.
24) Hanssen M and Marsden J (1987) E for additives,
2nd edition, Harper Collins, UK
25) Holford P (1998) 100% Health, Piatkus, London, p.
128 132.
26) Ward NI, Soulsbury KA, Zettel VH, Colquhoun
ID, Bunday S and Barnes B (1990) The infuence of
the chemical additive tartrazine on the zinc status of
hyperkinetic children. Double blind placebo-controlled
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27) Food Standards Agency (2000) Do food additives
cause hyperactivity and behavior problems in a
geographically defned population of 3 year old? MAFF/
DEFRA project code FS3015.
28) EC Multicentre Study on Antioxidants, 1997.
29) Willet W et al (1993) Intake of transfatty acids and
risk of coronary heart disease amongst women, The
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30) Triosi R et al (1992) Trans-fatty acid intake in
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American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, , 56, p. 1010
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31) Erasmus U (1999) Fats that heal, fats that kill,
2nd edition, Alive Books, Canada. 32) http://www.
foodstandards.gov.uk/healthiereating/asktheexpert/
fatsoils/hydrogenatedfat
33) Pryme IF & Lembcke R (2003) In vivo studies on
possible health consequences of genetically modifed
food and feed - with particular regard to ingredients
consisting of genetically modifed plant materials.
Nutrition and Health, 2003, Vol 17, p. 1-8
34) McCance & Widdowson (1991) The composition of
foods. MAFF and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
35) Bergner P (1997) The healing power of minerals,
special nutrients and trace elements, p. 312. Prima
Publishing, Rocklin, CA.
36) Soil Association (2001) Organic Farming, food
quality and human health: a review of the evidence.
37) Worthington V (2001) Nutritional quality of organic
versus conventional fruits, vegetables, and grains. The
Journal of Complimentary Medicine, vol. 7, No. 2, p. 161
173.
38) Asami et al (2003) Comparison of the Total Phenolic
and Ascorbic Acid content of freeze-dried and Air Dried
Marionberry, Strawberry and Corn Using Conventional,
Organic, and Sustainable Agricultural Practices. Journal
of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2003, 51, p. 1237
1241;
39) Carbonaro et al M (2003) Modulation of Antioxidant
Compounds in Organic vs Conventional Fruit (Peach,
Prunus persica L., and Pear, Pyrus communis L.). Journal
of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2002, 50, p. 5458
5462).
40) Brandt K and Molgaard JP (2001), Organic
Agriculture: Does it enhance or reduce the nutritional
value of food plants, Journal of Science in Food and
Agriculture, 81, p. 924 - 931
41) Siscovick, D. S., T. E. Raghunathan, et al. (1995).
Dietary Intake and Cell Membrane Levels of Long-Chain
n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Risk of Primary
Cardiac Arrest. Journal American Medical Association,
274(17): p. 1363 - 1367)
42) Department of Health (2000) National Service
Framework for Coronary Heart Disease. 43) Lichtenstein
AH (2003) Dietary fat and cardiovascular disease
risk: quantity or quality? Journal of Womens Health
(Larchmt), 12(2), p. 109 - 14.
44) Stoll A L (2001) The Omega-3 Connection: The
Groundbreaking Anti-depression Diet and Brain Program.
45) Haag M (2003) Essential fatty acids and the brain.
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 48, (3), p. 195-203.
46) Colin A, Reggers J, Castronovo V, Ansseau M. (2003)
Lipids, depression and suicide Encephale 2003 Jan-Feb,
29(Pt 1): p. 49-58.
47) Richardson AJ, Puri BK.(2002) A randomized
double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects
of supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids
on ADHD-related symptoms in children with specifc
learning diffculties. Prog Neuropsychopharm Biol
Psychiat, 2002, 26(2) p. 233 - 239.
48) Kidd PM (2000) Attention defcit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) in children: rationale for its integrative
management. Altern Med Rev. Oct;5(5): p. 401.
49) Bruce, AW and Oakland, TD (2002) Alternative
Treatments for Attention-Defcit/Hyperactivity Disorder:
Does Evidence Support Their Use? Alternative Therapies
in Health and Medicine. January 2002.
50) Romm, A and Romm, T. (2000) ADHD Alternatives:
A Natural Approach to Treating Attention Defcit
Hyperactivity Disorder. Storey Books.
51) Stengler, Mark and Stengler, Angela (2001) Your
Vital Child. Rodale Press.
52) Weintraub, S. (1997) Natural Treatments for ADD
and Hyperactivity. Pleasant Grove, Utah:Woodland
Publishing.
53) Scimeca, J.A et al (1994) Conjugated linoleic acid.
A powerful anti-carcinogen from animal fat sources. p.
1053. Cancer, 74 (3 suppl), p. 1050-4.
54) Martin JC, Valeille K (2002) Conjugated linoleic
acids: all the same or to everyone its own function?
Reprod Nutr Dev, 42(6), 525 536.
55) Belury MA. (2002) Dietary conjugated linoleic acid
in health: physiological effects and mechanisms of action.
Annual Review of Nutrition, 22, 505 - 531
56) Banni, S. et al (1999). Infuence of dietary conjugated
linoleic acid on lipid metabolism in relation to its
anticarcinogenic activity. Chpt 23. in Advances in
Conjugated Linoleic Acid Research. M.P. Yurawecz,
M.M. Mossoba, J.K.G. Kramer, M.W. Pariza, G.J.
Nelson, eds. Vol.1. AOCS press. Champaign. Illinois.
57) Warren, H, Scollan, N.D, Hallett, K, Enser, M,
Richardson, I, Nute, G and Wood, J.D (2002) The
effects of breed and diet on the lipid composition and
meat quality of bovine muscle. Proceedings of the 48th
International Congress of Meat Science and Technology,
Rome.
58) French P et al (2000) Fatty acid composition,
including conjugated linoleic acid, of intramuscular
fat from steers offered grazed grass, grass silage, or
concentrate-based diets. Journal of Animal Science, 78
(11), p. 2849 2855.
59) Dhiman, T. R., G. R. Anand, et al. (1999).
Conjugated linoleic acid content of milk from cows fed
different diets. Journal of Dairy Science, 82(10), p. 2146
- 2156.
60) www.agrsci.dk/index_uk.shtml
61) Jahreis, G., J. Fritsche and H. Steinhart. (1997)
Conjugated linoleic acid in milk fat: High variation
depending on production system. Nutr. Res, 17, p. 1479
- 1484.
62) Bergamo P, Fedel E, Iannibelli L, & Marzillo G
(2003) Fat soluble vitamin contents and fatty acid
composition in organic and conventional dairy products.
Food Chemistry, 82, p. 625 631.
63) The Royal Society (2000) Endocrine disrupting
chemicals, June 2000 http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/ fles/
statfles/document-111.pdf
This is a summary of an article published in
Coronary and Diabetic Care in the UK 2004
by the Association of Primary Care Groups and
Trusts (UK). Please see the Soil Association website
library, http://www.soilassociation.org/library, for
more information
Organic milk
higher in vitamins
Organic milk has signifcantly
higher levels of vitamin
E, beta carotene, omega
3 essential fatty acids and
antioxidants
Reprinted from the BBC News, January 7, 2005
Drinking organic milk has more health benefts than
drinking non-organic, a study has suggested. The
research was presented to the Soil Associations
annual conference in Newcastle.
It showed organic milk has higher levels of vitamin
E, omega 3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants,
which help beat infections. But nutritionists said
people who drank non-organic milk would be
by Maggie Fox
Organic farming may produce lower yields, but in
the long run it is more effcient and is much easier
on the environment, Swiss researchers reported in
the journal Science (vol 296, p 1694). Organic farms
have more fertile soil and a higher biodiversity, both
of which have been shown to increase effciency.
Paul Mader of the Research Institute of Organic
Agriculture in Frick, Switzerland and colleagues at
the Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology
and Agriculture in Zurich spent 21 years comparing
conventional farming to organic farming, which
uses no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
Mean yields are 20 percent lower, thats true,
depending on the crop, Mader said in a telephone
interview. For instance, organic wheat yields are 10
percent lower, while there is a 40 percent reduction
for potatoes.
But mean energy input per hectare (2.4 acres) was
about 50 percent higher (in conventional plots). As a
consequence, energy input per crop unit is lower in
organic.
Energy input includes fuel used to produce fertilizer
and pesticides, and the actual ingredients of such
chemicals. Maders team found 34 to 51 percent
less nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients were
added to the soil in the organic systems than in the
conventional ones.
But, because the crop yields from the organic
systems were 80 percent as large conventional
yields, the organic systems use resources more
effciently, they concluded.
getting these nutrients from other sources.
The research was carried out by a team from the
Danish Institute of Agricultural Research, which is
part of the University of Newcastles Quality Low
Input Food (QLIF) Congress.
Milk was tested from cows who were farmed
organically and conventionally. The study found
cows farmed organically produced milk which
was, on average, 50% higher in Vitamin E than
conventionally produced milk.
Organic milk was also 75% higher in beta carotene,
which is converted into Vitamin A in the body.
It was also two to three times higher in the
antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine.
Antioxidants are the naturally occurring substances
in plants that protect the body from free radicals
- bad chemicals in the blood. Free radicals alter
cholesterol in a process known as oxidation, which
is thought to speed up the hardening of the arteries.
Higher levels of omega 3 essential fatty acids,
which are believed to help provide protection from
coronary heart disease, were also found in organic
milk.
The study concluded that drinking a pint of organic
milk a day would provide 17.5% of the required
daily intake of Vitamin E for women, and 14%
of that for men. The researchers suggest it also
provides as much beta carotene as a portion of
vegetables, such as brussel sprouts. They say
organically-reared cows beneft from having more
room to graze than conventionally-reared cows.
Professor Carlo Leifert, QLIF project leader, told
the conference: Clearly, to convince the scientifc
community as a whole we need further evidence
and the EU Quality Low Input Food project is very
much focused on confrming and explaining the
differences in milk composition shown in these
studies.
Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association,
added: This new research adds to a growing
body of evidence proving the health benefts of
organic food. A number of schools are now serving
organic milk, and there is now a strong case for
the government to ensure that such initiatives are
extended across the country.
Farmers reap the benefts. In Europe, Mader said,
consumers are willing to pay 10 percent to 30
percent more for organic produce. They also often
get government support.
At the start of the study, only 1 percent of
Switzerlands farms were organic, but that has
grown to 9 percent, Mader said. There are farmers
converting to organic.
Overall, he said, 3 percent of all farms in the
European Union are organic, and the numbers are
increasing by about 25 percent each year. In Italy,
10 percent of farms are organic.
Mader said he believed the study to be free of
bias, although he works for an organic institute.
Government scientists also worked on the project,
he said.
Of course, I try to have an objective view, Mader
said. But I have become a big fan of organic
because I have seen the positive effects of organic.
Some of the processes that make organic more
effcient are going on at the microbe level, he said.
The microorganisms in organic plots work more
effciently than in conventional plots, he said.
These tiny organisms make carbon into a form that
can be used by plants, for instance.
If there is less stress caused by fertilizers, caused
by pesticides, the microbe community works more
effciently, he said. Mycorrhizae, root-colonizing
fungi that help plants absorb nutrients, fared better
in organic systems as well. Such fungi were also at
least partly responsible for the more stable physical
structure of the organic soils, the researchers said.
Swiss Study Finds Organic Farming More Effcient
If there is less stress caused by fertilizers, caused by pesticides, the microbe community works more effciently,
Insects such as pest-eating spiders and beetles
fourished in the organic systems. Earthworms and
weeds, which can often be benefcial, also were
more common in organic farms.
Organic soils also decomposed more effciently,
which makes the soil more nutritious for plants.
Maggie Fox is Health and Science Correspondent
for Reuters
This article appeared on May 31, 2002
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Helping to sustain the family farm
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by Helen Flistrup et al
Journal for Allergy & Clinical Immunology 2006;
117:59-66
The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased
considerably during the past decades and the search
for causes, as well as for protective factors, is taking
place on a broad scale. The EU-supported and
recently fnished PARSIFAL Study studied more
than 14.000 children in fve European countries
and combined the possible protective factors, found
in two studies, published in the nineties. One of
these was the Austrian-Swiss-German Alex Study,
showing a protection for children growing up on a
farm. The other was a Swedish study that showed
a protective infuence for children growing up in
an anthroposophic lifestyle. The anthroposophic
lifestyle comprises factors like a restrictive use of
antibiotics, antipyretics and vaccinations as well
as a high consumption of biodynamic foods. The
infuence of the individual factors was unclear, but
the more these so called Steiner units occurred,
the more the protective infuence was.
The PARSIFAL study intended to investigate the
single factors more in depth. The study, coordinated
by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, was a cross-
sectional multi-centre study, executed in Austria,
Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Studied were schoolchildren between 5 and 13 years
of age, from anthroposophical lifestyle upbringing,
expected to be found at Steiner schools, children
from farms, and controls. The assessments were
by extensive questionnaires, and in subcohorts
by bloodsampling and spirometrics. Next to this
housedust samples were analyzed.
The results from these groups are published
separately, the present publication about the group
Allergic Diseases and Sensitization in Steiner School Children
A Cross-Sectional Study in Five European Countries
Certain features of the anthroposophic lifestyle are associated with a reduced risk of allergic disease in children.
with an anthroposophical lifestyle being the frst one
to appear.
This group covered 6,630 children, 4,606 from
Steiner schools and 2.024 from reference schools,
being the largest study ever conducted among
Steiner school children, and comprising the
heterogeneity of the anthroposophic lifestyle in
Europe.
Results
The prevalence of several studied outcomes
was lower in Steiner school children than in the
reference group. Overall, there were statistically
signifcant reduced risks for several allergic
symptoms like rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema,
and atopic sensitisation, with some heterogeneity
between the countries. The use of antibiotics during
frst year of life was associated with increased
risks of rhinoconjunctivitis asthma and atopic
eczema. Early use of antipyretics (to reduce fever)
was related to an increased risk of asthma and
atopic eczema. Children having received MMR
(measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination showed
an increased risk of rhinoconjunctivitis, while
measles infection was associated with a lower risk
of eczema.
Food choices were grouped in three categories: 1-
biodynamic(bd), 2-conventional and 3-any other
mixture of organic, partly organic and bd, partly
organic and conventional, etc. In the crude model,
children with a diet mainly based on biodynamic
food had a reduced risk of all studied health
outcomes compared to reference children with a diet
based on conventional food. This association was no
longer present in the fully adjusted model.
The biodynamic diet was chosen as to be typical
for the anthroposophers. From the group with a
mixed food choice it was not possible to subtract
the organic consumers. This can be considered a
weakness in the study design.
Conclusions Certain features of the anthroposophic
lifestyle are associated with a reduced risk of
allergic disease in children.
For the full article, contact m.huber@louisbolk.nl
ph. 231/889-3216
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by Chuck Benbrook
Fungi play vital roles as decomposers, breaking
down all kinds of organic matter from roots and
leaves to crop residues, wood, and dead animals.
The decomposition process releases the nutrients
stored within organic matter. In short, fungi help
make it possible for one generation of life to sustain
the next.
Most fungi pose little or no risk to humans
and some are delicacies, including morel and
chanterelle mushrooms. Patches of fungal spores
create the distinctive favor and blue splotches in
blue cheese, and without fungi, there would be no
beer or wine. Penicillium and Streptomyces fungi
produce antibiotics widely used in treating bacterial
infections in humans and animals.
However, a few fungi are poisonous, even deadly,
to humans. Others produce molds and mold spores
that can trigger human allergies and induce asthma.
Most fungi thrive by attacking plants, trees, or
insects and slowly consuming their tissues. Others
break down the integrity of cell walls, causing
damage that can prove fatal.
There are more than 300 species of fungi with
the ability to produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxins
are secondary metabolites produced by fungi in
response to environmental conditions. Fortunately,
only about 20 mycotoxins produced by fve genera
of fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium,
Alternaria, and Claviceps) are found periodically
in food at levels posing threats to people. Still,
mycotoxins cost American agriculture between $630
million and $2.5 billion annually, largely because of
market rejection of grain that contains mycotoxins
at levels above either government or company
standards.
Some individuals and organizations critical of
organic farming claim that organic food and animal
feed are more frequently and heavily contaminated
with mycotoxins than conventional food and feed.
Those making such arguments typically highlight
a few, isolated instances where mycotoxins were
detected in organic or naturally grown food at
levels higher than in other foods. They explain the
differences by pointing out that organic farmers are
not allowed to apply synthetic fungicides.
Mycotoxins have also become part of the global
debate over the benefts of genetically-engineered
(GE) crops. Studies showing that GE, insect-
protected feld corn is less prone to mycotoxin
contamination than corresponding conventional
corn are frequently cited as evidence that organic
farming poses greater mycotoxin risk than modern
agriculture that utilizes genetically engineered
seeds.
This review analyzes the basis and validity of
these assertions. It reviews the relatively few well-
designed studies that have compared mycotoxin
levels in conventional and organic foods grown
under similar circumstances. Factors unique to
organic farming systems that impact mycotoxin
levels are highlighted.
When a fungal spore comes into contact with
organic material, it sends out flament-like structures
called hyphae, which help attach the fungus to its
new home.
When the fungus senses conditions are right, it
initiates the decomposition process by secreting
enzymes into its new food source. These enzymes
break down complex organic molecules in the
host tissues into simpler molecules that are more
readily available to the fungi, as well as to other
microorganisms.
The secondary metabolites produced by fungi
during the course of digestion are mycotoxins.
Fungi produce these biochemicals for a wide array
of reasons. Mycotoxin production tends to increase
Breaking the Mold
Organic Farming Can Enhance Food Safety by Lessening Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination
when fungal growth rates slow down. The purpose
of the mycotoxins might be to combat the factors
reducing the growth rate of fungi.
Alternatively, fungi may produce mycotoxins to
protect dormant molds and fungal spores from
other, surviving fungal species and bacteria. This
report focuses on the mycotoxins that appear
most frequently in food: afatoxins, ochratoxin,
fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, patulin, and the ergot
alkaloids.
Weather, Grain Handling, and Farming Practices
The moisture level of grain when it is harvested
is a critical variable driving mycotoxin formation.
Wet conditions, followed by hot and dry periods,
can stimulate mycotoxin production, especially
afatoxin.
Several studies have shown that plants experiencing
stress from excessive heat are more vulnerable
to fungal and mycotoxin infections. In tomatoes,
fungi can proliferate in sun-damaged tissues,
causing black rot lesions and producing a number of
mycotoxins.
Drought conditions coupled with some insect
damage, followed by wet, humid weather near
harvest optimally set the stage for fungal infections
and mycotoxin production. Many studies suggest
that organic and sustainable farming systems
that increase organic matter levels in soil lessen
the severity of heat stress, thereby reducing the
frequency and levels of mycotoxin contamination.
The extensive evidence linking fertilization
methods to mycotoxin levels is important because
of differences in how organic and conventional
farmers supply plant nutrients to crops. In general,
conventional farmers apply high rates of nitrogen
in readily available forms early in the crop year to
eliminate any chance that a shortage of N might
limit crop yields. In most years, farmers apply N
well in excess of crop needs as a sort of insurance
policy.
Organic farmers focus on enriching the soil by
building up soil organic matter and increasing the
pool of nitrogen that is cycling through the soil.
They use nitrogen-fxing legumes, cover crops,
manure, compost, and relatively slow-release
natural fertilizers to meet crop needs. In most crops,
markedly lower levels of N are applied per acre on
organic farms compared to nearby conventional
farms. While this is a clear beneft in terms of
mycotoxin formation and water quality, a lack of N
on organic farms does periodically reduce yields,
especially in years when climatic conditions support
vigorous plant growth.
Regulation of Mycotoxins in Food
Many developed countries have established
standards or guidelines governing mycotoxins in
food. At this time, there are no widely acceptable
international standards for mycotoxins in any
specifc food.
The offcial status and impact of guidance levels,
in contrast to allowable levels, or standards,
varies around the world. The United States is
among a set of countries that have established
unenforceable guidance levels that are intended to
trigger actions by private companies if and when the
levels are exceeded.
With the exception of patulin in apple juice,
European Union (E.U.) standards for mycotoxins in
food and feed are two to ffteen times stricter than
those in the United States.
Frequency and Levels of Mycotoxins in
Conventional and Organic Foods
In a search of the peer-reviewed literature, nine
studies were identifed that report 24 direct
comparisons of mycotoxins in conventional and
organic foods purchased and/or grown in a given
year, in the same region. Two assessed patulin in
apples, one focused on ochratoxin in milk, and 21
assessed four mycotoxins in grain-based products.
All these studies were carried out by European
research teams and refect food production in the
1997 through 2002 seasons.
The absence of similar comparative studies in the
United States is a refection of the lack of consumer
awareness of mycotoxin risks and government
policies and priorities. No U.S. government agency
routinely tests food for mycotoxins. Public funding
invested in the development and promotion of GE
foods has grown dramatically over the last decade,
while support for food safety research has grown
modestly, if at all.
In the nine comparative studies that have been
published in peer-reviewed journals, mycotoxins
were detected 1.5 times more frequently in
conventional samples compared to organic samples.
The levels of mycotoxins found in conventional
and organic samples can be compared in 20 of the
24 cases. Across the 20 cases, the levels reported in
conventional food exceeded those in organic food
by a factor of 2.2.
Many conventional farming systems control fungal
infections by applications of one or more of over 40
registered fungicides. For many low-value crops,
there are no cost-effective fungicide treatments.
On fruits and vegetables, however, fungicides are
frequently used to prevent disease losses. Often two
to four different fungicides are applied up to 10 or
more times.
The degree of reliance on fungicides is a major
difference between conventional and organic farms.
Organic farmers have few fungicides to choose
from those containing copper and sulfur, and
biopesticides manufactured from naturally occurring
plants, fungi, and bacteria. The opportunity to
rely on fungicides to deal with plant pathogens,
including fungi, allows conventional farmers to
select and manage varieties for maximum yield,
even when yield-maximizing management strategies
make crops more susceptible to disease.
Organic farmers have to place a premium on
prevention. A variety of tactics on organic farms are
typically woven into Integrated Pest Management
systems. Depending on the crop, location, and levels
of disease pressure, these practices include selection
of resistant varieties, crop rotations, and limited
applications of readily available sources of nitrogen.
Fungicides often dramatically reduce fungal
infections, yet do not decrease mycotoxin levels to
the same degree. Some fungi can actually utilize
fungicides and insecticides as food sources. In
one study, the concentration of the mycotoxin
nivalenol increased 16-fold in wheat treated with a
combination of two fungicides, despite reducing the
severity of Fusarium infection. Treatment of grain
felds with the strobilurin fungicide azoxystrobin
can increase mycotoxin levels, even though it
reduces Fusarium infection rates.
photo by Kevin MacKenzie, University of Aberdeen
Fungal hyphae on a leaf.
Sub-lethal applications of fungicides are known to
stimulate mycotoxin formation. This likely occurs
because the fungi are stressed, but not killed. The
production of mycotoxins is a normal response to
stress in many fungal species.
Organic farmers tend to promote greater diversity in
microbial communities and strive for more complex
plant nutrient and microbial food webs.
One goal is to create what scientists call a disease
suppressive soil a soil characterized by low and
largely inconsequential levels of root and plant
disease, despite the presence of virulent pathogens
and a susceptible host crop. Common practices
to accomplish these goals include application of
compost and animal manure, the planting of cover
crops, and diverse crop rotations.
Ongoing competition among fungal species on
organic farms, and between fungi and bacteria,
helps keep any one fungus from reaching dangerous
levels. In addition, low levels of mycotoxins in
some crops can actually promote the biological
control of some fungi. Deoxynivalenol (DON), for
example, has signifcant biological activity against
other plant pathogens, some with potential to
produce other mycotoxins.
Findings and Conclusions
Several research teams in Europe have carried out
comparative surveys of the frequency and levels
of mycotoxins in conventional and organic foods,
leading to nine peer-reviewed studies reporting
results and/or assessing levels of risk. The results
are surprisingly consistent.
Averaged across 24 direct comparisons of
mycotoxins in conventional and organic foods in
published studies, mycotoxins were detected in
conventional food about 50 percent more often than
in corresponding organic food.
Mycotoxin levels in conventional food averaged
a little over twice as high as in the corresponding
organic foods. Ten of the comparisons involved
wheat or wheat-based products produced in Europe.
Conventional farming systems increase the risk of
fungal infections through a lack of diversity and
reliance on monocultures, and because of heavy
use of fertilizers that deliver plant nutrients in a
readily available form. Applications of fungicides
often dramatically suppress fungal pathogens and
allow farmers to push yields higher, but routine
and repeated applications can lead to problems
associated with resistance. Fungicides can also
trigger shifts in the population mix of fungi such
that mycotoxin-producing strains are favored.
Organic farming systems reduce the prevalence
of serious fungal infections, and hence mycotoxin
risks, by promoting diversity in the microorganisms
colonizing plant tissues and living in the soil; and
by reducing the supply of nitrogen that is readily
available to support plant and pathogen growth.
Resiliency within diverse fungal and bacterial
communities lessens but does not eliminate the
risk that mycotoxin-producing fungi will become
dominant. An excessive supply of nutrients almost
always disrupts ecological communities in ways that
favor certain fungi and can trigger or augment the
production of mycotoxins.
The advantages of organic farming practices equal if
not exceed any disadvantages in terms of mycotoxin
prevention on well-managed organic farms. The
evidence is strong that organic production of small
grains, especially wheat, can reduce the frequency
and severity of mycotoxin contamination compared
to conventional farms, even including conventional
wheat farms treated with fungicides.
photo USDAARS (Keith Weller)
Healthy wheat head (left).
Fusarium innoculated wheat head (right)
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by the Global Resource Action Center for the
Environment
According to the Department of Energy, in 1999,
the U.S. consumed approximately 993 million tons
of coal, 21,694 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and
7.125 billion barrels of oil. 1
The U.S. burns an enormous amount of fossil fuel
in order to maintain its incredible rate of energy
consumption. Fossil fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas)
are used to generate approximately 85% of the total
U.S. energy consumption. 2

This excessive rate of fossil fuel consumption
causes signifcant damage to the environment.
Perhaps most signifcantly, the combustion of
fossil fuels emits carbon dioxide (CO 2) and other
greenhouse gases that cause global climate change.
In fact, over the past 150 years, the use of fossil
fuels has caused the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere to increase by more than 25%. 3
Combustion of fossil fuels also creates air
pollution, acid rain, and smog, thus damaging the
natural environment, reducing visibility levels,
and threatening human health. Furthermore,
the enormous rate of U.S. energy consumption
has forced the country to become increasingly
dependent upon oil. This is extremely undesirable
since oil is a scarce natural resource which will
eventually be exhausted, and since the majority of
oil is currently supplied by other countries.
Fossil Fuel and Agriculture
Few people realize that an enormous amount of
energy is required to produce our food. In fact, 17%
of all fossil fuel used in the U.S. is consumed by the
food production system. 4
As a result of the industrialization of agriculture,
most food is now produced at large-scale, centrally-
located facilities which use energy-intensive
farming practices. Large amounts of fossil fuel
are required to power heavy farming machinery,
to process foods, to refrigerate foods during
transportation, to produce packaging materials, and
to manufacture and transport chemical inputs such
as fertilizers and pesticides. Fertilizers containing
nitrogen are particularly fossil-fuel-intensive;
production and transport of 1 lb of nitrogen releases
an average of 3.7 lbs of CO 2 into the atmosphere. 5
It is estimated that the average U.S. farm uses a total
of 3 calories of fossil energy to produce each calorie
of food energy. 6
Transportation
A tremendous amount of energy is also used to
transport our food. As a result of the development of
centralized industrial agricultural operations and the
corresponding disappearance of local family farms,
food is now shipped extraordinarily long distances
before it reaches your dinner plate.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation,
food and agricultural products (not including
imported or exported foods) are transported 566
billion ton-miles within U.S. borders each year,
constituting more than 20% of total U.S. commodity
transport. 7 In 1969, the U.S. Department of
Energy estimated that, on average, food traveled
1,346 miles. 8 Another study conducted in 1980
determined that fresh produce traveled 1,500 miles!
9
Furthermore, an increasing quantity of food is now
being transported internationally; in 1998, a total of
172 million tons of food were shipped into and out
of the U.S. 10 In 2001, the U.S. imported 39% of all
fruits, 12% of vegetables, 40% of lamb, and 78% of
fsh and shellfsh. 11
This excessive and unnecessary food transportation
requires the consumption of large quantities of fossil
fuel, thus polluting the environment and damaging
human health. Lengthy food transport also generates
additional energy expenditures by creating the
need for increased food packaging, processing, and
refrigeration. It also forces the government to spend
more of our tax dollars repairing, constructing,
and maintaining an extensive system of roads and
railways.
Energy Conservation in the Agriculture Sector
Given the damage to human health and the
environment caused by the use of fossil fuels,
it is clearly in our best interest to reduce our
consumption of this source of energy whenever
possible.
Fortunately, a number of agricultural techniques
can be used to decrease our dependence upon fossil
fuel. One effective method is to reduce or eliminate
tillage (plowing the soil); a Canadian study
determined that implementation of a modifed no-
till system reduced the use of diesel fuel from 7.9
gallons to 1.1 gallons per hectare. 12 Another study
indicated that total CO 2 emissions generated by a
no-till system were 92% lower than emissions from
conventional tillage. 13 Fossil fuel consumption
could also be decreased by reducing fertilizer use,
by using manure more effciently, and by practicing
certain types of crop rotation (for example,
including legumes in crop rotation). 14
Although these techniques are usually diffcult to
implement on huge mono-crop industrial farms,
many sustainable farms already practice these
energy-saving production methods. In fact, small-
scale, less mechanized, more biodiverse organic
farming operations have been shown to use 60%
less fossil fuel per unit of food than conventional
industrial farms. 15
As a consumer, you can also help reduce
agriculture-related energy consumption by simply
choosing to buy your food from local farms this
drastically reduces the distance that food is shipped,
thus conserving fuel, reducing pollution, and
protecting human health.
What can you do?
* Buy foods grown locally- this saves energy by
eliminating the need for lengthy food transportation.
You can buy foods from your local farmer at a farm
stand, at a farmers market, or through a food co-
op or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
system.
* Ask your grocery store to supply locally-grown
produce.
* Want to eliminate food transportation energy
consumption entirely? Plant a garden and grow your
own fresh produce!
* Avoid purchasing processed foods it takes
more energy to produce these foods. Unprocessed
foods are also more nutritious.
* Cut back on the amount of meat you eat. Meat
production is an energy-intensive process; large
quantities of energy are required to cultivate,
harvest, and ship animal feed, to transport animals
to slaughterhouses, to slaughter animals, to process
and package meat, to refrigerate meat, and to
transport meat to stores.
* Try to buy foods with minimal packaging; this
reduces the energy required to produce packaging
and also eliminates these materials from the waste
stream.
Did you know?
* The U.S. emits almost twice as much fossil fuel-
generated CO2 as any other country in the world. 16
* Frozen peas require 150% more energy than
fresh peas due to packaging and refrigeration. 17
* In the U.S., the average prepared meal includes
ingredients produced in at least 5 other countries. 18
* Transporting 1 lb of asparagus from Chile to
New York uses 73 lbs of fuel energy and releases
4.7 lbs of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 19
For more information:
* Check out the Buy Local section of Sustainable
Table.
* Visit GRACEs Sustainable Energy Project
website.
* Visit the Clean Air and Energy website created
by the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC
1. Energy Information Administration State Energy
Data Report 1999: Energy Consumption Estimates
by Source, Selected Years 1960-1999, United
States U.S. Department of Energy, 1999.
2. Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Clean
Energy: Backgrounder: the sources of energy UCS
February, 2003.
3. Union of Concerned Scientists. The Hidden Cost
of Fossil Fuels UCS, 2002.
4. Horrigan, Leo, Robert S. Lawrence, and Polly
Walker. How Sustainable Agriculture Can Address
the Environmental and Human Health Harms of
Industrial Agriculture. Environmental Health
Perspectives Vol 110, 5 May 2002.
5. Soil Conservation Council of Canada . Global
Warming and Agriculture: Fossil Fuel Factsheet
volume 1, #3. January 2001.
6. Horrigan, Leo, Robert S. Lawrence, and Polly
Walker. How Sustainable Agriculture Can Address
the Environmental and Human Health Harms of
Industrial Agriculture. Environmental Health
Perspectives Vol 110, 5 May 2002.
7. Norberg-Hodge, Helena , Todd Merrifeld, and
Steven Gorelick. Bringing The Food Economy
Home: Local Alternatives to Global Agribusiness.
Bloomfeld , CT : Kumarian Press. 2002. p.18.
8. Pirog, Rich. Checking the Food Odometer:
Comparing Food Miles for Local Versus
Conventional Produce Sales in Iowa Institutions.
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. July
2003.
9. Ibid.
Bloomfeld , CT : Kumarian Press. 2002. p.32
2003.
12. Soil Conservation Council of Canada . Global
Warming and Agriculture: Fossil Fuel Factsheet
volume 1, #3. January 2001.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
16. Marland, G., T.A. Boden, and R.J. Andres. 2003.
Global, Regional, and National CO 2 Emissions. In
Trends: A Compendium of Data on Global Change.
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak
Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of
Energy, Oak Ridge, Tenn., U.S.A.
2003.
19. Friedmann, Harriet. Can We Count On Our
Food Supply? The Globe and Mail June 7, 2004
published by Global Resource Action Center for the
Environment (the Meatrix People) on http://www.
sustainabletable.org/issues/energy/
Fossil Fuel and Energy Use
Small-scale, less mechanized, more biodiverse organic farming
operations have been shown to use 60% less fossil fuel per unit of food
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Organic foods are required in a number of
alternative treatments, including several alternative
cancer therapies. It is widely assumed that any
beneft derived from organic foods is due to an
absence of pesticide residues. However, prior to the
widespread use of pesticides, those in the health care
community who advocated organic foods claimed
that these foods contained a better arrangement of
nutrients as a result of the superior soil management
and fertilization practices used by organic farmers.
As a corollary, they cautioned that food grown with
chemical fertilizers caused deteriorating health in
animals and humans (Cheshire Panel Committee,
1939).
Despite these warnings about the health effects
of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, farmers
abandoned the labor-intensive practices used in
organic agriculture in favor of these easier to use
chemicals. Prior to World War II, agricultural
chemicals were virtually unused. But by 1995, more
than 45 million tons of chemical fertilizers and 770
million pounds of synthetic pesticides were used in
U.S. agriculture alone (Terry, 1999; Aspelin, 1999).
Ninety-fve percent (95%) of crops in the United
States are now produced with chemical fertilizers
and pesticides (U.S. Department of Agriculture,
National Agricultural Statistical Service,
Agricultural Statistics Board, 2000), and producing
crops using these chemicals has come to be known
as conventional agriculture.
There is evidence, however, that this major change
in agricultural methods may not have been entirely
benign from a nutritional point of view. Coincident
with the changes in agricultural practices, there
have been recently identifed changes in the nutrient
composition of fresh fruits and vegetables. Four
different analyses of U.S. and British nutrient
content data have shown a decline in the vitamin
and mineral content of fresh fruits and vegetables
over the last 60 years (Klein and Perry, 1982;
Bergner, 1997; Mayer, 1997; Jack, 1998). Average
declines in nutrient content are shown in Table 1.
How does agriculture affect nutrient composition?
Are agricultural chemicals responsible for
the decrease in nutrient content? A number of
studies over the last 75 years have addressed the
question of whether agricultural chemicals and
other agricultural methods including organic
farming affect nutrient content. The question is
still unresolved in part due to the large amount
of variability in agricultural data resulting from
uncontrollable factors such as rainfall and sunlight,
which also infuence nutrient content. In addition,
few existing studies are exactly alike or even very
similar as there are differences in crops grown,
fertilization methods used, storage methods if any,
etc. These factors can make it hard to interpret data
from such studies in any conclusive manner.
Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus
Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains
This analysis found more iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin C and less nitrates in organic
crops as compared to conventional crops. In addition, there were several trends showing less
protein but of a better quality, more nutritionally signifcant minerals, and lower amounts of some
heavy metals in organic crops compared to conventional ones.
Nevertheless, given the relevance of this issue to
both alternative medicine and to the food supply
in general, it is still useful to take a broad view of
the existing data. In that light, the purpose of this
study is to examine all of the available comparisons
of crops grown organically with those produced
conventionally, using computerized and statistical
methods to identify differences and trends.
METHODS
This analysis used all available studies that
compared crops produced with organic fertilizer
or by organic farming systems to crops produced
with conventional fertilizers or farming systems.
This analysis focused on fertilizers either alone
or within farming systems because fertility
management is historically the most fundamental
difference between organic and conventional
agriculture. Studies of produce from research
plots and greenhouses, farm-gate produce, stored
produce, and produce purchased at markets were all
included. Because there are insuffcient data from
any one of these types of studies to draw meaningful
conclusions, all of the data from the various types
were used.
In all, 41 studies were included. These 41 studies
reported the results of 22 replicated feld trials, 4
simple feld trials, 4 greenhouse pot experiments, 4
market basket surveys, and 8 surveys of commercial
farms or home growers. For 3 studies, detailed
methodology was unavailable. In the majority of
studies, data were collected over a time period of
several years. All unique comparative data were
extracted from these 41 studies for this analysis.
A single comparison consisted of a single nutrient
in a single organic fruit, vegetable or cereal grain
grown in one growing season compared to the
same nutrient in the same conventionally grown
crop grown in the same season, e.g., 0.30 mg of
zinc in 100 g of organic cabbage compared to 0.25
mg in an equal amount of conventional cabbage,
both grown in the summer of 1986. Some studies
reported pooled comparisons that averaged the
results for more than 1 year or more than one crop.
These comparisons were included in the analysis
when single comparisons were not available. All
comparisons were used as reported.
A total of 1,297 comparisons were considered for
analysis. Of this total, 57 comparisons came from
4 studies that did not report the numerical nutrient
content measurements but instead made statements
such as the products of the conventional and
organic plots did not differ in content or otherwise
presented the information in a nonnumeric way
(Nilsson, 1979; Harwood, 1984; Reinken, 1984;
Termine et al., 1984). Because the majority of these
57 comparisons indicated no difference in nutrient
content, these comparisons were excluded from
determinations of statistical signifcance and other
computations. The remaining 1,240 comparisons
were entered into a database for calculation,
encompassing 35 vitamins and minerals as well as
protein quality and quantity.
For each comparison, a percent difference was
computed as follows:
(Organic Value - Conventional Value x 100.
Conventional Value)
These percent difference numbers indicate the
percent more or less of a nutrient found in the
organic crop as compared to the conventional
crop. The percent difference was used to produce
descriptive statistics and in tests of signifcance.
The statistical signifcance of the difference in
nutrient content between organic and conventional
crops was calculated for nutrients where there were
adequate data. Most nutrients were measured in 3 or
fewer studies and a small number of comparisons.
The remaining 12 nutrients were measured in 8 or
more studies with 39 or more comparisons: calcium,
magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper,
manganese, iron, phosphorus, vitamin C, bcarotene,
and nitrates. The statistical signifcance of the
difference was computed for these 12 nutrients
using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (Kohler, 1988).
Five vegetables were more frequently studied than
other crops: lettuce, spinach, carrot, potato, and
cabbage. The mean percent difference was also
calculated for signifcant nutrients for each of these
fve vegetables.
The nutrient content of the vegetable portion of a
daily menu was estimated for both an organic and
a conventional diet. It was assumed that both diets
met the current recommended dietary intake for
vegetables and provided 5 servings of vegetables
of the recommended size (U. S. Department of
Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion, 1995): 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
and 1/2 cup of other vegetables. It was also assumed
that the fve most frequently studied vegetables, as
listed above, were consumed. U. S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) nutrient composition data (U.
S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research
Service, 1999) were used to estimate the nutrient
content of vegetables produced with agricultural
chemicals because nearly all crops in the United
States are produced with these chemicals. The
amount of each nutrient in each organic vegetable
was estimated, using the percent difference numbers
calculated for vegetables in this analysis, as follows:
(USDA Nutrient Content Value)
x (100 + Percent Difference)
100
where the USDA value and percent difference
are for the same nutrient and vegetable. The total
amount of each nutrient in organic and conventional
menus was calculated by summing the amounts in
the fve vegetables.
Data distribution plots were produced for nutrients
where the difference in nutrient content was
statistically signifcant. In order to produce a
coherent visual display, average percent difference
was calculated by study for these nutrients,
and these results were plotted for each of these
frequently studied nutrients.
Data were analyzed using SAS (SAS Institute Inc.,
Cary, NC) and plots were produced using NCSS
(NCSS Inc., Kaysville, UT).
RESULTS
This analysis was designed to answer several
questions for each nutrient considered:
1. Is there a difference in the nutrient content of
organic crops and those grown with agricultural
chemicals?
2. How much of the time does the difference occur?
3. How big is the difference?
These questions are representative of larger
questions such as would a consumer encounter
a difference often enough to be affected? And
is the difference large enough to be biologically
signifcant?
Of the 12 nutrients that were analyzed statistically,
4 nutrients and 1 toxic substance were signifcantly
Table 1. Percentage Decline in Mineral Content of U.S. and
British Crops in the Last Sixty Years.
U.S. 1963-1992 Britain 1936-1987
(13 fruits & (20 fruits &
Mineral vegetables) 20 vegetables)
Calcium -29 -19
Magnesium -21 -35
Sodium NA -43
Potassium -6 -14
Phosphorus -11 -6
Iron -32 -22
Copper NA -81
NA = not analyzed
different: vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus,
and nitrates. For each of the signifcant nutrients,
the organic crops had a higher nutrient content in
more than half of the comparisons. For the one toxic
compound, nitrates, the organic crop had a lower
content the majority of the time. This distribution of
results is also evident when the results are compiled
by study rather than by individual comparisons.
Most studies report a higher nutrient content or
lower nitrate content in the organic crop.
The size of the difference was assessed by
calculating a mean percent difference for the
nutrient in question. The organic crop has, on
average, a higher content of the four signifcant
nutrients and less of the toxic nitrates. For
example, the vitamin C content of an organic
fruit or vegetable is 27% more, on average, than a
comparable conventionally grown fruit or vegetable.
In other words, if an average conventional fruit or
vegetable contained 100 mg of vitamin C, then a
comparable organic one would contain 127 mg.
Not too much should be made of the exact
numerical differences because additional studies
could infuence the results a few percentage points
either way. However, these percent difference
numbers do indicate the direction and approximate
magnitude of observed differences.
The mean percent difference by nutrient was also
calculated for individual vegetables. Table 2 shows
the results for the fve most studied vegetables.
Because there are fewer studies and a smaller
number of comparisons for individual vegetables
than there are for the whole data set, these results
refect more of the variability that is characteristic of
agricultural data. Overall, the results for individual
vegetables are similar to those for the entire data set.
Next, an attempt was made to quantify how
these differences in nutrient content could affect
a persons daily nutrient intake. Estimates of
the nutrient content of the vegetable portion a
daily menu were made for both an organic and
a conventional diet. It was assumed that the fve
most frequently studied vegetables were consumed:
lettuce, cabbage, spinach, carrot and potato. Table 3
shows the quantity of iron, magnesium, phosphorus
and vitamin C in the vegetable portion of both
organic and conventional menus.
Finally, there are several nonsignifcant trends in the
data that are worthy of further investigation. First,
there appear to be higher amounts of nutritionally
signifcant minerals in organic compared to
conventional crops. The organic crop had a higher
mean mineral content for all 21 minerals considered
in this analysis. Figure 1 shows the mean percent
additional mineral content in organic crops by
mineral for some of these minerals. In addition,
there may be less of the toxic heavy metals in
organic crops than in conventional crops. For all
four heavy metals considered, the organic crop
contained lower amounts of the heavy metals more
often than comparable conventional crops. The
number of comparisons where the organic crop had
less and where the conventional crop had less were
7 and 5 for lead, 6 and 5 for cadmium, 3 and 2 for
mercury, and 4 and 1 for aluminum.
A further trend indicates that the quantity of protein
may be less but the quality may be better in organic
crops than in conventional crops. In all but one of
the few measurements that were included in this
analysis, the quantity of crude protein was lower
in organic compared to conventional crops but the
quality was better as measured by essential amino
acid content.
There is considerable support elsewhere for this
difference in protein quantity and quality, some of
which will be reviewed in the next section.
DISCUSSION
These results are in agreement with a review of
predominantly German comparative literature
conducted by the German government (Woese et al.,
1995). The results for nitrates and protein quality
and quantity agreed with the German review, which
found a lower nitrate content in organic vegetables
in nearly all cases, and less protein but higher
quality protein in organic cereal grains. In addition,
the results for vitamin C are similar to those of the
German review. The Germans reported that half
of the time the vitamin C content of organic and
conventional crops was the same, and the other half
of the time the vitamin C content was higher in the
organic crop. These fndings are consistent with a
higher average vitamin C content in the organic crop
as found in this analysis.
Further supporting evidence for the results of this
analysis comes from the known effects of fertilizers
and pesticides on soil ecology and plant metabolism.
Before reviewing these effects, it is helpful to know
something about the differences in organic and
conventional fertilizers and fertility management. In
organic farming, a number of methods are used to
maintain soil fertility. These include:
(1) crop rotation, which ensures that one crop does
not deplete the soil of the nutrients that it uses most;
(2) cover crops to protect against soil erosion;
(3) the planting of special crops known as green
manures that are plowed back into the soil to
enrich it; and
(4) the addition of aged animal manures and plant
wastes, also known as compost, to the soil. The
distinguishing feature of these fertility management
practices is the addition of organic matter to the
soil, in the form of plant and animal wastes, to
preserve the soil structure and provide food for soil
microorganisms. With these methods, soil nutrients
are released slowly over time.
In contrast, chemical fertilizers contain a few
mineral substances, principally nitrogen, potassium,
and phosphorus. Sometimes trace minerals are also
added. These fertilizers dissolve easily in the water
that is present in soil. As a result, plants fertilized
with chemical fertilizers are presented with large
quantities of nutrients all at once, often in excess of
their needs. Farmers who use chemical fertilizers
control erosion of topsoil through methods such
as no-till planting, where weed-killing pesticides
are used in place of plowing to prepare a feld for
planting. With chemical fertilizers, there is no
attempt to infuence soil structure or to encourage
soil microorganisms (Cacek and Lagner, 1986).
These differences in the management of soil
fertility affect soil dynamics and plant metabolism,
which result in differences in plant composition
and nutritional quality. Soil that has been managed
organically has more microorganisms (Hader, 1986;
Henis, 1986). These microorganisms produce many
compounds that help plants, including substances
such as citrate and lactate that combine with soil
minerals and make them more available to plant
roots (Stevenson and Ardakani, 1972). For iron, in
particular, this is especially important because many
soils contain adequate iron but in an unavailable
form (Allaway, 1975). The presence of these
microorganisms at least partially explains the trend
showing a higher mineral content of organic food
crops.
Nitrogen from any kind of fertilizer affects the
amounts of vitamin C and nitrates as well as the
quantity and quality of protein produced by plants.
When a plant is presented with a lot of nitrogen,
it increases protein production and reduces
carbohydrate production. Because vitamin C is
made from carbohydrates, the synthesis of vitamin
C is reduced also. Moreover, the increased protein
that is produced in response to high nitrogen levels
contains lower amounts of certain essential amino
acids such as lysine and consequently has a lower
quality in terms of human and animal nutrition. If
there is more nitrogen than the plant can handle
through increased protein production, the excess is
accumulated as nitrates and stored predominately
in the green leafy part of the plant (Salunkhe and
Desai, 1988; Mozafar, 1993). Because organically
managed soils generally present plants with lower
amounts of nitrogen than chemically fertilized soils,
it would be expected that organic crops would have
more vitamin C, less nitrates and less protein but
of a higher quality than comparable conventional
crops.
Potassium fertilizer can reduce the magnesium
content and indirectly the phosphorus content of
at least some plants. When potassium is added to
soil, the amount of magnesium absorbed by plants
decreases. Because phosphorus absorption depends
on magnesium, less phosphorus is absorbed as
well. Potassium is presented to plants differently
by organic and conventional systems. Conventional
potassium fertilizers dissolve readily in soil water
presenting plants with large quantities of potassium
while organically managed soils hold moderate
quantities of both potassium and magnesium
in the root zone of the plant (Bear et al., 1949;
Hannaway et al., 1980). Given the plant responses
just described, it would be expected that the organic
Table 2. Differences in Nutritional Content Between Organic and
Conventional Vegetables: Mean Percent Difference for Four Nutrients
in Five Frequently Studied Vegetables
Nutrient*
Vegetable Vitamin C Iron Magnesium Phosphorus
Lettuce +17 +17 +29 +14
Spinach +52 +25 -13 +14
Carrot -6 +12 +69 +13
Potato +22 +21 +5 0
Cabbage +43 +41 +40 +22
* Plus and minus signs refer to conventional crops as the baseline for
comparison. For example, vitamin C is 17% more abundant in organic
lettuce (conventional 100%, organic 117%)
Table 3. Nutrient Content of an Organic and Conventional Diet: Mil-
ligrams of Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium,and Phosphorus in One Days
Vegetable Intake
Vitamin C Iron Magnesium Phosphorus
Diet (mg) (mg) (mg) (Mg)
Organic 89.2 3.7 80.0 124.0
Conventional 67.9 3.0 68.6 111.8
crops would contain larger amounts of magnesium
and phosphorus than comparable conventional
crops.
Several kinds of fertilizers contain toxic heavy
metals that enter the soil and are absorbed by
plants. Phosphate fertilizers often are contaminated
by cadmium. Also, trace mineral fertilizers and
liming materials derived from industrial waste
can contain a number of heavy metals (Batelle
Memorial Institute, 1999). These heavy metals build
up in the soil when these fertilizers are used year
after year. As the soil becomes more contaminated,
the crops grown on these soils also become more
contaminated. When chemical nitrogen fertilizers
are added to these soils, plants may absorb even
more toxic heavy metals (Reuss et al., 1976;
Harmon et al., 1998). Organic farmers only rarely
use trace mineral fertilizers and virtually never use
fertilizers produced from industrial waste, which are
the most contaminated (Organic Crop Improvement
Association, 1996; Batelle Memorial Institute,
1999). As a consequence, it might be expected that
organic crops would contain lower amounts of toxic
heavy metals, but more investigation is required to
confrm this expectation.
Furthermore, it is reasonable to ask how the
observed differences in nutrient content might
affect a persons nutrient intake and health.
Estimates of the nutrient content of organic and
conventional daily vegetable intake were made,
and the organic vegetables had higher amounts of
all nutrients shown. For vitamin C, in particular,
fve servings of the organic vegetables met the
recommended daily intake of 75 mg for women and
90 mg for men (Krinsky, 2000) whereas the same
vegetables produced conventionally failed to do
so. Considering that the recommended intake for
vitamin C has been raised twice in the last 30 years,
it is possible that the difference seen here could
have signifcant effects on the public health.
However, the health effects that might accrue
from these differences in nutrient content have
not been assessed to any extent. Animal studies
suggest that such functions as reproduction and
resistance to infection might be adversely affected
by conventionally produced foods as compared to
organically produced ones (Linder, 1973; Aehnelt
and Hahn, 1978; Voghtmann, 1988; Plochberger,
1989; Velimirov et al., 1992). The one existing
human study reported that the percentage of normal
sperm increased as the percentage of organic food in
mens diets increased (Juhler et al., 1999). Although
preliminary, these fndings are consistent with the
results of the animal studies. Moreover, it should be
noted that some of the animal studies included no
pesticide usage at all so that the poorer outcome of
the conventionally fed animals cannot be entirely
attributed to pesticide residues. Soil factors appear
to have an effect as well.
In summary, this analysis found more iron,
magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin C and
less nitrates in organic crops as compared to
conventional crops. In addition, there were several
trends showing less protein but of a better quality,
more nutritionally signifcant minerals, and lower
amounts of some heavy metals in organic crops
compared to conventional ones. More research is
needed both to verify these fndings and to discover
relevant mechanisms in both plants and soil. As with
all real-world data, there is considerable variability
in agricultural measurements, making it necessary
to collect and consider a lot of data in order to
identify underlying patterns. Consequently, for
most nutrients, there is a need for additional data
collection before any further analysis is warranted.
Finally, because the data collected to date suggest
that there are real differences in nutrient content
between organic and conventional crops, more
research into the relative health effects is certainly
in order.
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Address reprint requests to:
Virginia Worthington, M.S., Sc.D., C.N.S.
Nutrikinetics
1900 L Street N.W., Suite 204
Washington, DC 20036
E-mail: nutrikin@sprynet.com
Originally published in The Journal of Alternative
and Complementary Medicine
Volume 7, Number 2, 2001, pp. 161173
Maki ng a connecti on between trees & peopl e
Design/Build David Johnson (802) 644-8187 Cambridge, VT.
by Kathie Arnold
Organic management of both dairy and beef cattle require than they have access
to the out-of-doors and pasture. To the extent that most other cattle raised in this
country are fed concentrates for higher milk production (dairy), or are fnished
off in feed lots (beef), the benefts of pasturing and grass-feeding cattle are
relevant to the question: Is Organic Better? Here is an annotated list of studies
Kathie Arnold of Twin Oaks Dairy in Truxton, NY has put together enumerating
the benefts of grazing cattle.
Benefts to Animal Health
1. Bela, B., G. Nagy and I. Vinczeffy. 1995. The infuence of grazing on
milk production and productive lifetime. Debrecen Agricultural University,
Dept. of Animal Breeding and Nutrition. Hungary. Poster presentation at
46
th
Annual Meeting of the European Association for Animal Production,
Prague, Czech Republic. Pastured cows had lower somatic cell counts (SCC),
fewer services per conception and shorter calving intervals than confned cows.
2. Bendixen, P.H., B. Vilson, I. Ekesbo, and D.B. Astrand. 1986. Disease
frequencies in dairy cattle in Sweden. Prev Vet Med. 5: 263. Confnement
resulted in increased intramammary infections, udder edema, and stepped on
teats.
3. Berghaus, R.D., B.J. McCluskey, and R. J. Callan. 2005. Risk factors
associated with hemorraghic bowel syndrome in dairy cattle. JAVMA.
226:1700-6. Use of pasture as part of the lactating ration during the growing
season was associated with decreased risk for hemorrhagic bowel syndrome.
4. Cornell University 2004 Dairy Farm Business Summary. www.cce.
cornell.edu . Cull rates for conventional farms were 29% whereas for organic
herds of similar size, it was 22%.
5. Eberhart, R. J., R. A. Wilson, E. Oldham and T. Lintner. 1987.
Environmental effects on teat skin microfora. Proceedings of the 26
th

Annual Mtg. Natl Mastitis Council, Orlando, FL. Populations of
environmental pathogens on teat ends were lower in pastured than confned
herds.
6. Goldberg, J.J., E.E. Wildman, J.W. Pankey, J.R. Kunkel, D.B. Howard,
and B.M. Murphy. 1992. The infuence of intensively managed rotational
grazing, traditional continuous grazing and confnement housing on bulk tank
milk quality and udder health. J Dairy Sci. 75:96-104. Grazed herds had lower
total bulk milk bacteria counts (TBC) that confned herds did in the summer
but there was no difference in the winter when all cows were confned. Trends
towards fewer udder health problems in grazing herds were also observed.
7. Pankey, J.W. 1989. Improving milk quality and animal health by effcient
pasture management. NESARE fnal report. LNE89-17. LNE89-17. http://www.sare.
org/reporting/report_viewer.asp?pn=LNE89-17&ry=1989&rf=0 (last
accessed 11/03/05). Udder disease, including clinical mastitis, udder edema,
and teat injuries were consistently less in herds managed on pasture compared
with herds managed in confnement.
8. Parker, W. J., L.D. Muller, S.L. Fales, and W.T. McSweeny. 1993. A
survey of dairy farms in Pennsylvania using minimal or intensive pasture
grazing systems. Prof. Anim. Sci. 9:159-165. Authors found fewer hoof
disorders and eye disease in herds that pastured vs. confnement.
9. Regula G., J. Danuser, B. Spycher and B. Wechsler. 2004. Health and
welfare of dairy cows in different husbandry systems in Switzerland. Prev Vet
Med. 15:247-64. Risks for lameness and teat injuries increased with increased
confnement. Skin lesions on hocks and carpal joints were decreased in cattle
allowed to go out at all times rather than cows that were allowed to go out only
in good weather.
10. Rodriguez-Lainz, A. P. Melendez-Retamal, D.W. Hird, D.H. Read and
R.L. Walker. 1999. Farm- and host-level risk factors for papillomatous
digital dermatitis in Chilean dairy cattle. Prev Vet Med. 42:87-97. Loose
housed cows had a higher risk of PDD, followed by cows in freestalls or in open
corrals, compared to cows on pasture all year.
11. Somers, J.G., K. Frankena, E.N. Noordhuizen-Stassen, and J.H. Metz.
2005. Risk factors for digital dermatitis in dairy cows kept in cubicle houses
in The Netherlands. Prev Vet Med. 71:11-21. Factors increasing risk of
digital dermatitis were: restricted grazing time, high concentrate feeding after
calving, feeding by-products, infrequent hoof trimming, and housing dry cows
with lactating cows before calving.
12. Somers, J.G., Frankena, K., E. N. Noordhuizen-Stassen and J.H. Metz.
2003. Prevalence of claw disorders in Dutch dairy cows exposed to several
foor systems. J Dairy Sci 86:282-93. Cows that were not grazed were at high
risk for most claw disorders when compared to cows with pasture access. All
herds on concrete fooring were affected by digital dermatitis.
13. Singh S.S., W.R. Ward, K. Lautenbach, J.W. Hughes, and R.D Murray.
1993. Behaviour of frst lactation and adult dairy cows while housed and at
pasture and its relationship with sole lesions. Vet Rec 133:469-74. Compared
lying time and frequency of lying and sole disorders in pastured herd vs. housed.
Pastured cows spent more time lying (which translates into more rumination
time) and got up and down less frequently than housed cows. No difference in
sole disorders.
14. Waage, S., S. Sviland, and S. A. Odegaard. 1998. Identifcation of risk
factors for clinical mastitis in dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 81:1275-84. Heifers
kept on pasture in the summer were at a decreased risk for clinical mastitis.
15. Washburn, S.P., S.L. White, J.T. Green, Jr. and G.A. Benson. 2002.
Reproduction, mastitis and body condition of seasonally calved Holstein
and Jersey cows in confnement or pasture systems. J Dairy Sci. 85:15-
111. There was no difference in reproductive performance between pasture
and confnement herds. Pastured herds had lower body condition scores than
confnement. However, confnement herds had 1.8 times more clinical mastitis
than pastured and eight times the rate of culling for mastitis.
16. White, S.L., G.A. Benson, S.P. Washburn, J.T. Green Jr. 2002. Milk
production and economic measures in confnement of pasture systems
using seasonally calved Holstein and Jersey cows. J Dairy Sci. 85:95-14
Compared confnement cows on TMR vs pasture based cows. Lower milk
production on pasture but decreased feed and labor costs. Also decreased
culling for pasture based herds.
17. New York Intensive Grazing Farms (Cornell Dairy Farm Business
Summary). Eight year average (1996-2003) for veterinary and treatment costs
per cow were $77 for non-graziers vs. $61 for graziers.
Benefts to Food Safety and Milk Quality
1. Bailey, G.D., B.A. Vanselow, M.A. Hornitzky, S.I. Hum, G.J. Eamens,
P.A. Gill, K.H. Walker and J.P. Cronin. 2003. A study of the foodborne
pathogens: Campylobacter, Listeria and Yersinia in faeces from slaughter
age cattle and sheep in Australia. Comm Dis Intell. 27:249-57. Prevalence of
Campylobacter shedding among different management groups was: dairy cattle
(6%), feedlot cattle (58%), pastured beef cattle (2%), mutton sheep (0%), prime
lambs (8%). All dairy cattle were on pasture.
Proof that
Grazing is Better
Confnement herds had 1.8 times more clinical
mastitis than pastured and eight times the rate of
culling for mastitis.
2. Fossler, C.P., S.J. Wells, J.B. Kaneene, P.
L. Ruegg, L.D. Warnick, L.E. Eberly, S.M.
Godden, L.W. Halbert, A.M. Campbell, C.A.
Bolin, and A.M. Zwald. 2002. Cattle and
environmental sample-level factors associated with
the presence of Salmonella in a multi-state study
of conventional and organic dairy farms. J Dairy
Sci. 85:15-111. Farms with at least 100 cows
were more likely to have Salmonella-positive cattle
compared with smaller farms.
3. Huston C.L., T.E. Wittum, B.C. Love, and
J.E. Keen. 2002. Prevalence of fecal shedding of
Salmonella spp. in dairy herds JAVMA 220:645-
9. Large herd size, intensive management, use of
freestalls, and use of straw bedding were associated
with Salmonella shedding and chronic dairy herd
infection.
4. Husu, J.R. 1990. Epidemiological studies on the
occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in the feces
of dairy cattle. Zentralb Veterinar B. 37:276-82.
Seasonal variation in shedding of Listeria spp. in
dairy cattle was examined by collecting 3,878 fecal
samples over two years. Prevalence of Listeria spp.
and Listeria monocytogenes was higher during the
indoor season than in samples collected from animal
on pasture.
5. Josson, M.E., A. Aspan, E. Eriksson, and I.
Vagsholm. 2001. Persistence of verocytotoxin-
producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 in calves kept
on pasture and in calves kept indoors during the
summer months in a Swedish dairy herd. Fecal
samples from calves kept on pasture (n=6) and
calves housed indoors (n=6) were cultured monthly
for fve months. Fecals from calves on pasture were
negative for this pathogenic E. coli were negative
on all sampling occasions. For the indoor housed
group, there were between one and six positive
individuals at each sampling.
6. McKinnon, C. H., G.H. J. Rowlands, and A. J.
Bramley. 1990. The effect of udder preparation
before milking and contamination from the
milking plant on bacterial numbers in bulk
milk of eight dairy herds. J. Dairy Res. 57:307.
Pastured herds had lower bulk milk total bacteria
counts than confnement herds
Nutritional benefts of products from pasture-raised
livestock
1. dny, T., A. Haug, O. Srheim, M.S.
Thomassen, Z. Varzegi, and L.O. Eik. 2005.
Grazing on mountain pasturesdoes it affect meat
quality in lambs? Livestock Prod Sci. 94:25-31.
Meat from lambs raised in extensive systems on
mountain range has certain qualities that may be
used in promotion of local and regional products.
2. Aurousseau, B., D. Bauchart, E. Calichon, D.
Micol, and A Priolo. 2004. Effect of grass or
concentrate feeding systems and rate of growth on
triglyceride and phospholipids and their fatty acids
in the M. longissimus thoracic of lambs. Meat Sci.
66:531-541. Muscle lipids characteristic of grass
fed lambs fulflled the recommended features of
human food consumption much better than that of
stall fed lambs, namely CLA and C18:3n-3.
3. Dannenberger, D., K. Nuernberg, G.
Nuernberg, N. Scollan, H. Steinhart, and K.
Ender. 2005. Effect of pasture vs. concentrate
diet on CLA isomer distribution in different
tissues lipids of beef cattle. Lipids. 4:589-98.
Pasture feeding resulted in signifcantly increased
concentrations of the sum of CLA isomers in
Holstein and Simmental muscle tissue.
4. Elgersma, A., G. Ellen, H. van der Horst,
H. Boer, P.R. Dekker, and S. Tammings. 2004. 2004.
Quick changes in milk fat composition from cows
after transition from fresh grass to a silage diet.
Anim Feed Sci Tech. 117:13-27. Average CLA
content of milk decreased markedly within two days
of switching cows from pasture ration to silage. The
milk fatty acid profle of grazing cows was more
favourable from a consumer health standpoint than
that of silage-fed cows.
5. Institute of Grassland and Environmental
Research. 2004. Found that organic milk has
higher levels of Omega essential acids than the
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conventional type. Tests carried out on samples
at the research centre indicated that organic milk
contains two-thirds more omega 3 essential fatty
acids than conventional milk.
6. Kay, J.K., J.R. Roche, E.S. Kolver, N.A.
Thomson, and L.H. Baumgard. 2005. A
comparison between feeding systems (pasture and
TMR) and the effect of vitamin E supplementation
on plasma and milk fatty acid profles in dairy
cows. J Dairy Res. 72:322-32. Milk from cows
on pasture or cows feed a TMR supplemented
with Vitamin E were compared. Milk from cows
grazing pasture had higher CLA, vaccenic acid,
and lower trans-10 fatty acids than cows on TMR
with supplemental vitamin E. Unknown pasture
constituents are likely responsible for the difference.
7. Nielsen, J., T. Lund-Nielsen, and L. Skibstead.
2004. Danish Research Center for Organic
Farming. Found that organic milk was 50%
higher in Vitamin E, 75% higher in beta carotene
and higher in omega 3 essential fatty acids than
conventional milk. This study tied these qualities to
organic cows having room to graze and a diet high
in fresh grass and clover, and forage and less maize.
8. Sonon Jr, R. D. Beitz and A. Trenkle. 24.
Improving Health Benefts of Beef & Milk: A
Field Study. A. S. Leafet R1864, Iowa State
University. Intensively pastured cows produced
milk with CLA concentrations that were about 3- to
4-fold greater than initial concentrations. Ribeye
steaks from cattle fnished on a combination of
pasture and concentrate were higher in CLA content
than steaks from cattle fnished on conserved
forages plus concentrates
9. Ward, A. T., K.M. Wittenberg, H.M. Froebe,
R. Przybylski, and L. Malcolmson. 2003. Fresh
forage and solin supplementation on conjugated
linoleic acid levels in plasma and milk. J Dairy
Sci. 86:1742-5. Fresh forage, compared to
conserved hay, increase milk fat vaccenic acid and
CLA proportions by 15% and 22% respectively.
Addition of solin seed increased these levels further
to 41% and 25%.
by Charles Benbrook, Ph.D.
Antioxidants are chemicals that help prevent
or reduce tissue damage in cells caused by free
radicals. Free radicals are oxygen and nitrogen-
based molecules with unpaired electrons that are
generated by a number of metabolic processes
within the body. Antioxidants inhibit damaging
reactions within human cells by providing the
positively charged atoms needed to neutralize free
radicals, which are also called reactive oxygen
species (ROS), or reactive nitrogen species. (For
more on the key terms see the Glossary posted at the
end of this summary.)
The total supply of antioxidants circulating in
the body is the sum of antioxidant enzymes and
acids manufactured by the body, plus antioxidants
consumed in foods. The human body manufactures
a wide range of antioxidants including enzymes,
alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, ferritin, uric acid,
lactoferrin, and many others.
Plants produce more than 50,000 secondary
plant metabolites (SPMs) as part of their normal
growth processes and in response to stresses in the
environment. Stress might arise from insects, plant
diseases, chemical imbalances in the soil, or weather
extremes. Some 4,000 SPMs are polyphenol
favonoids and many of these are antioxidants.
Plants are the source of essentially all antioxidants
in the diet, including the carotenoid antioxidants
alpha- and betacarotene, ascorbate, tocopherols, and
lycopene. Plant-based animal feed is the source of
antioxidants in milk, meat and poultry products.
By lessening free radical damage in human tissues,
antioxidants reduce infammation and can lessen
joint and muscle pain. Through this mechanism,
antioxidants can play a role in promoting
cardiovascular health, lessen the risk and severity
of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers and
Parkinsons disease, and in general, help slow the
aging process.
A wide range of studies has shown that plant
antioxidants are also anti-proliferative (i.e.,
they slow the proliferation of cells). In this way,
antioxidants can prevent or slow the growth of some
cancerous tumors. And recent research suggests
that some polyphenols in plants can increase the
sensitivity of the body to insulin, thereby delaying
the onset of Type 2 diabetes or slowing the
progression of this increasingly common disease.
Because of the many potential health benefts
associated with antioxidant consumption, increasing
average daily antioxidant intake through the diet
has emerged as an important public health goal
and is a major factor behind the U.S. governments
broad-based effort to increase fruit and vegetable
consumption.
The weight of the evidence reviewed here suggests
that a shift toward organic farming methods can
play an important role in increasing the total
supply of benefcial antioxidants in the diet. By
generating higher concentrations of antioxidants
and polyphenols in fresh vegetables and fruit,
grains, and dairy products, organic farming may
help people increase average daily antioxidant
consumption without a proportional increase in
caloric intake.
While only a few studies have directly compared
antioxidant levels in conventional and organic
foods, the results of such studies to date are
encouraging. Organic farming methods have
increased antioxidant levels by a few percent
to over three-fold compared to food grown
using conventional production methods. On
average, across seven studies that reported direct
comparisons of the levels of antioxidants in
conventional and organic foods, levels in organic
food averaged about one-third higher.
Complex Linkages Between Antioxidants and
Health
The degree of biological response and health
benefts following consumption of antioxidants in a
given food is a complex function of each persons
health status and total diet and age, as well as
exposures to other chemicals, bacteria and viruses.
The linkages between antioxidant intake and health
promotion and disease prevention are complex
and dynamic and are diffcult to defnitively prove.
Moreover, consuming more fruits and vegetables is
often associated with lessened consumption of other,
often fatty and low-fber foods. For this reason,
some of the health benefts stemming from extra
servings of fruits and vegetables may arise to some
degree from a substitution effect in a persons
overall diet.
So why not simply add antioxidant supplements
to the diet? Dietary supplements do not appear to
deliver the full range of health-promoting benefts
that stem from consumption of whole foods that are
rich in antioxidants. In addition, plant antioxidants
help trigger and modulate a number of biosynthetic
processes in the human body. To optimally promote
health though, they must be present in the right
proportions relative to a variety of other vitamins,
minerals, fats and proteins. Excesses of certain
nutrients and bioactive chemicals, including
antioxidants, can be as damaging as inadequate
levels. Some antioxidants become prooxidants at
high doses and levels, and then increase the risk
of cellular damage from reactive oxygen species,
especially if the levels of other antioxidants in the
body are depressed.
Increasing the amounts of antioxidants consumed
in food will not guarantee good health. Antioxidant
intake is just one piece in the complex puzzle
linking dietary choices to health outcomes.
Epidemiological evidence has confrmed that diets
rich in fruits and vegetables are associated with
reduced frequency and severity of several health
problems. Scientists have been searching intensely
for decades to identify the specifc ingredients in
fruits and vegetables that account for their many
health-promoting benefts. Increasingly, that search
points to combinations of essential vitamins,
minerals, fber, and antioxidants.
Because antioxidants cannot substitute for each
other and some do not last long once ingested,
Elevating Antioxidant Levels in Food Through
Organic Farming and Food Processing
It is clear that consuming organic fruits, vegetables and whole grains promotes good health, and that the
antioxidants in these foods play complex and important roles in enhancing human health and well being.
people need to consume antioxidants in plant-based
foods with most meals in order to sustain optimal
levels in the body. A variety of strategies should
be pursued to increase average antioxidant intakes
including, frst and foremost, eating additional
servings of a diverse selection of fruits and
vegetables. Buying locally grown and fresh produce
that has been harvested relatively ripe is another
proven strategy to increase antioxidant intake.
Antioxidant Levels Vary Widely Across Foods
The ten foods richest in antioxidants include
blueberries, plums, broccoli, strawberries, and red
cabbage. These antioxidant-dense foods provide,
on average, 35 times more antioxidant capacity per
calorie than the ten foods that rank lowest on the scale
of antioxidant capacity per calorie. Low-antioxidant
foods include cucumbers, granola, cereal, canned
corn, and lima beans.
The USDA has classifed foods into four groups as a
function of antioxidant content per typical serving and
per gram or per calorie: very high, high, moderate,
and low. Just a fve-to-ten percent increase in the
antioxidant capacity in a food already high in the
ranking of antioxidant capacity per calorie would
deliver a bigger boost to daily antioxidant intake than
a full serving of most low-antioxidant foods. A thirty
percent average increase in the antioxidant capacity of
a single serving or a food in the USDAs very high
antioxidant category would increase total antioxidant
intake by over 1,800 H-ORAC units (a common
measure of a foods total antioxidant capacity). It
would take an additional 5.6 servings of a typical
food in USDAs low antioxidant category in order
to increase total antioxidant intake by a comparable
amount. These enormous differences support a
common recommendation made by nutritionists to
consumers -- select a variety of brightly colored fruits
and vegetables in the course of increasing overall fruit
and vegetable intake.
Later this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is
scheduled to release revised Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. The recommendation for consumption
of fruits and vegetables is expected to rise from fve
to eleven or more servings per day. By selecting
additional servings of fresh organic produce from
foods that rank high in antioxidant content per calorie,
consumers can double or even triple their average
daily antioxidant intake, and without triggering a
signifcant increase in calories.
Minimal cooking and food preparation tends to
preserve most of the antioxidants in food when
harvested. As a rule of thumb, the more processed and
heavily cooked food is, the greater the average loss of
antioxidants.
Another promising option is to identify combinations
of plant varieties and farming systems that routinely
increase the levels of antioxidants in food. Even
relatively modest increases in antioxidant levels, like
those that appear attainable through organic farming
methods, could have a substantial impact on public
health, especially if coupled with progress toward
more healthy diets and lifestyles.
Existing Studies Show That Organic Farming
Methods Increase Antioxidant Levels Compared to
Conventional Production Systems
A wide range of factors can infuence the mix and
levels of antioxidants that a plant manufactures.
In general, factors that impose stress on plants
tend to trigger innate defense and wound-healing
mechanisms, and these mechanisms are driven by
and/or entail the synthesis of various polyphenols,
many of which are antioxidants. These well-
known facts led many scientists to hypothesize that
plants on organic farms produce higher levels of
polyphenols and antioxidants because the plants
on organic farms are grown without the added
protection provided by synthetic pesticides. Several
studies have directly tested this hypothesis and
supported its basic premise. None have rejected it.
Studies provide evidence that several core practices
on organic farms use of compost, cover crops,
slow release forms of nitrogen can increase
antioxidant and polyphenol content compared to
conventional practices that depend on commercial
fertilizers and pesticides. Scientifc interest in
exploring the links between farming practices, plant
genetics, and food quality is growing, especially in
Europe.
Seven studies make direct comparisons of levels
of antioxidants in organic versus conventional
produce. Each study sought to isolate the impact of
organic farming methods on antioxidant levels by
selecting matched pairs of organic and conventional
crops that were similar in every respect, except
for use of organic versus conventional production
practices. In general, the crops were grown from the
same plant varieties, on similar soils, and under the
same weather conditions. The major differences in
farming practices arose from the use of commercial
fertilizers and pesticides on the conventional crops,
in contrast to biologically-based soil fertility and
pest control practices on the organic felds.
These studies report ffteen cases where there were
statistically signifcant differences in antioxidant
levels in organic food compared to conventional
food grown nearby using similar genetics and
production practices. Organically grown produce
had higher antioxidant levels in thirteen out of
ffteen cases, and in two cases, the levels were
higher in conventional produce. On average where
there were differences, the organic crops contained
about one-third higher antioxidant and/or phenolic
content than the comparable conventional produce.
Several studies have found levels of specifc
vitamins, favonoids or antioxidants in organic foods
to be two or three times the level found in matched
samples of conventional foods.
Given the many factors affecting antioxidant
levels, more research must be done to sort out the
relative importance of each individual factor. More
sophisticated experimental designs are needed
and will help control for confounding variables.
Improved and more consistent antioxidant testing
methods are needed in order to produce data in
multiple studies that can be compared across
regions, crops, and over time. The characterization
of conventional and organic farming systems also
needs to be sharpened.
Despite limits in existing studies and the need
for more research, the available evidence is
encouraging and provides hope that widespread
adoption of organic farming methods will
increase average antioxidant levels in many foods.
Harvesting fruits and vegetables at optimal ripeness
and consuming them in less-processed forms,
without removing skins, will preserve a greater
portion of the antioxidants in these foods as they
leave the farm. This is because the outer layers of
fruits and vegetables typically contain the highest
concentrations of antioxidants.
Like antioxidant levels, pesticide residues are also
most common on the skin of fresh produce. Some
consumers peel produce as a precautionary step to
reduce pesticide intake. Seeking out organic produce
can therefore deliver a dual beneft to consumers
by maximizing antioxidant intake and minimizing
pesticide dietary exposure.
Organic Processing May Also Increase
Antioxidant Levels
There are some signifcant differences between
organic and conventional food processing
technologies, especially those involving the
extraction of oils from plant-based foods. Some
of these differences are known to have an impact
on antioxidant levels. For example, the synthetic
chemical hexane is often used in extraction of oils
from crops in conventional oil processing plants,
but is prohibited in organic oil processing. Hexane
is known to promote removal of lipid-soluble
antioxidants such as the tocopherols. Polyphenol
levels are typically reduced in alcoholic or aqueous
extraction methods. High-temperature and high-
pressure processing technologies also tend to
remove signifcant portions of the antioxidants
present in foods, especially those that are water-
soluble. Organic food processing plants often use
lower pressure, cold-pressing methods to extract
juices and oils. They use these methods to produce
oils and juices that are richer in favor and retain
more nutrients, including antioxidants. Increasing
retention of antioxidants in foods as they are
processed and prepared may offer some of the
most cost-effective strategies to increase average
antioxidant intakes, especially in the near term.
Conclusions
It is clear that consuming organic fruits, vegetables
and whole grains promotes good health, and that
the antioxidants in these foods play complex and
important roles in enhancing human health and
well being. Current evidence suggests that organic
farming methods increase average concentrations of
phenolic antioxidants in selected fruits, vegetables,
and grains. Increased consumption of organically
grown, polyphenol-rich fruits, vegetables, and
grains will have a positive impact on antioxidant
status and human health, especially if produce
is harvested relatively ripe and consumed in a
relatively unprocessed form.
Glossary
Antioxidant - An enzyme or other organic molecule
that can counteract the damaging effects of oxygen
in tissues
Carotenoids - Yellow, orange and red pigments in
plans, often masked by chlorophyll and thought to
function as antioxidants
Enzyme - A protein that catalyzes a chemical
reaction. A substance that increases the speed of
a chemical reaction without being changed in the
overall process
Free Radical - An atom or a molecule with an
unpaired electron, highly reactive with nearby
molecules. Free radical damage may be countered
with antioxidants
Oxidation - A chemical reaction that removes
electrons from an atom or molecule
Oxidative Stress - A state in which the effects
of prooxidants exceed the ability of antioxidant
systems to neutralize them
Phytochemical - Substance derived from a plant.
The term is generally reserved for molecules with
biological activity
Prooxidant - An atom or molecule that promotes
oxidation of another atom or molecule by accepting
electrons. (free radicals, reactive oxygen species
(ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS)
Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) - Highly reactive
chemicals, containing nitrogen, that react easily with
other molecules resulting in potentially damaging
modifcations
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) - Highly reactive
chemicals, containing oxygen, that react easily with
other molecules resulting in potentially damaging
modifcations
Chuck Benbrook is Chief Scientist, The Organic
Center for Education and Promotion. The Organic
Centers full State of Science Review on
antioxidants can be found at: /stateofscience.htm.
hosted by hawthorne valley farm
Building sustainable communities means building a lasting, supportive network of per-
sonal, conscious, and collaborative relationships. Agriculture can provide the fundamen-
tal basis for those relationships by the way we:
observe, nurture, and care for the natural world entrusted to us on our farms;
transform and process food while preserving and honoring its life forces;
relate to those who transport our food from farm to table;
foster mutual concern and understanding amongst farmers, distributors, and con-
sumers.
Plan now to join us this summer for four days of workshops and speakers as we examine
our theme from the viewpoint of the Producer, Distributor, and Consumer. Keynote speakers
include steffen schneider, farmer and General Manager at Hawthorne Valley Farm;
jean paul courtens, farmer at Roxbury Farm, a local, 950-member biodynamic CSA;
verlyn klinkenborg, member of the New York Times editorial board, book author,
and essayist; gary lamb, Director of the Center for Social and Environmental Respon-
sibility at Hawthorne Valley Association; and hilary baum, director of Baum Forum and
New York City Food Systems Network, and cofounder of Riverdale CSA.
Helping us to deepen our understanding, workshops grouped around three broad con-
cepts Growing and Transforming Living Food; Bringing Food from Farm to Table; and
Supporting and Learning About Our Local Farms will be led by:
craig holdrege conrad & claudia vispo harald hoven gnther
hauk hugh williams gary ocean jean david derreumaux nathan
corymb malcolm gardner dan demaine abe & judith madey nick
francischelli martin & krista stosiek susan witt. . . and many others
Our presenters will offer sessions on a wide variety of topics, including:
livestock management plant and animal breeding biodynamic seed production
vegetable growing for CSA and green markets making farmstead cheese Steiners
Agriculture Course in the life of a working farm the plant as a teacher of transfor-
mative thinking the farm individuality working with children on a biodynamic
farm land ownership for new farmers cultivating the soil and the social life on our
farms drawing living plants and animals biodynamics, nutrition and consumer
awareness apprenticeship training . . . and much more
Well combine all of this with delicious biodynamic and organic food from Hawthorne
Valley and other local farms, farm tours, lively conversation and music to create an experience
you wont want to miss. For a complete schedule and registration information, contact:
August 1720, 2006 in Ghent, New York
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association
Annual Conference
Building Sustainable Communities:
Agriculture as the Foundation for Social Change
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association
25844 Butler Rd Junction City, OR 97448 888-516-7797
biodynamic@aol.com www.biodynamics.com
www.organ|cva||ey.coop/farmer Farmer Hot|ine ~ 888-809-9297
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30--

by Environment News Service
Organic farming has been promoted as an
environmentally friendly alternative to conventional
agriculture, and new research provides evidence to
support that claim. Writing in the March 6 online
edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences (PNAS), Stanford University graduate
student Sasha Kramer and her colleagues found
that fertilizing apple trees with synthetic chemicals
produced more adverse environmental effects than
feeding them with organic manure or alfalfa.
The intensifcation of agricultural production over
the past 60 years and the subsequent increase in
global nitrogen inputs have resulted in substantial
nitrogen pollution and ecological damage, Kramer
and her colleagues write. The primary source
of nitrogen pollution comes from nitrogen-based
agricultural fertilizers, whose use is forecasted to
double or almost triple by 2050.
Nitrogen compounds from fertilizer can enter the
atmosphere and contribute to global warming, adds
Harold Mooney, the Paul S. Achilles Professor of
Environmental Biology at Stanford and co-author of
the study.
Nitrogen compounds also enter our watersheds and
have effects quite distant from the felds in which
they are applied, as for example in contaminating
water tables and causing biological dead zones at
the mouths of major rivers, Mooney says. This
study shows that the use of organic versus chemical
fertilizers can play a role in reducing these adverse
effects.
The PNAS study was conducted in an established
apple orchard on a four acre site in the Yakima
Valley of central Washington, one of the premiere
apple growing regions in the United States.
Some trees used in the experiment were raised
with conventional synthetic fertilizers. Others were
grown organically without pesticides, herbicides or
artifcial fertilization. A third group was raised by a
method called integrated farming, which combines
organic and conventional agricultural techniques.
During the yearlong experiment, organically grown
trees were fed either composted chicken manure
or alfalfa meal, while conventionally raised plants
were given calcium nitrate, a synthetic fertilizer
widely used by commercial apple growers. Trees
raised using the integrated system were given a
blend of equal parts chicken manure and calcium
nitrate.
To measure nitrate levels during the experiment,
water was collected in resin bags buried about 40
inches below the trees and then analyzed in the
laboratory.
We measured nitrate leaching over an entire
year and found that it was 4.4 to 5.6 times higher
in the conventional treatment than in the two
organic treatments, with the integrated treatment in
between, says John Reganold, Regents Professor of
Soil Science at Washington State University and co-
author of the study.
This study is an important contribution to the
debate surrounding the sustainability of organic
agriculture, one of the most contentious topics in
agricultural science worldwide, Reganold says.
Our fndings not only score another benefcial
point for organic agriculture but give credibility to
the middle-ground approach of integrated farming,
which uses both organic and conventional nitrogen
fertilizers and other practices. It is this middle-
ground approach that we may see more farmers
adopting than even the rapidly growing organic
approach.
Washington State produces more than half of the
nations apples. In 2004, the state crop was worth
about $963 million, with organically grown apples
representing between fve and 10 percent of the total
value.
published March 8, 2006 on www.ens-newswire.com
Organic Farming Reduces Nitrogen Pollution of
Groundwater as Well as Greenhouse Gas Pollution
Nitrate leaching 4.4 to 5.6 times greater in conventional orchard treatment than organic.
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Research published by the Institute of Grassland and
Environmental Research (IGER) at Aberystwyth,
Wales, has found that organic milk contains two-
thirds more Omega 3 essential fatty acids than
conventional milk. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential
for good health, playing an important role in
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and drink, now it unequivocally exists. We are
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The research, led by Dr Richard Dewhurst found
that samples of milk from organic cows contained at
least 64% more Omega 3 than conventional milk. Dr
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that milk from cows fed clover can contain up to
240% more Omega-3 fatty acids than milk from
cows fed grass and concentrates. 1 Organic dairy
farmers feed much higher levels of clover because
they use it as an alternative to using synthetic
chemical fertilisers to ensure lush pastures.
Omega 3 fatty acids have to be obtained from food
as they cannot be made in the body. Nutritionist and
State Registered Dietitian, Sian Porter said; Most
people in the UK do not have an adequate intake of
Omega 3 fatty acids and need to increase the amount
of Omega 3 rich foods in the diet. The best source is
oily fsh, but research has shown that only a third of
the population eats oily fsh regularly. Drinking just
half a pint a day of organic milk as part of a healthy
balanced diet gives a useful additional source of this
Omega 3 fatty acid, as it provides approximately
10% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of
More Omega 3 in Organic Milk
Organic milk is a better source of Omega 3
essential fatty acids than conventional milk.
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essential n-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. Eating
a matchbox sized piece of organic cheese will give
you up to 88% of your RDI of this Omega 3 fatty
acid.
Sally Bagenal added, Evidence is accumulating
that organic milk is more nutritious and safer than
conventional. We know that organic food is less
likely to contain pesticide and antibiotic residues.
In 2000, research found organic milk contains
higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)2
which helps boost your immune system, and now
this research by IGER shows that organic milk is a
better source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids than
conventional milk.
1. Dewhurst R J, Fisher W J, Tweed J K S and
Wilkins R J (2003). Comparison of grass and
legume silages for milk production. 1. Production
responses with different levels of concentrate.
Journal of Dairy Science, vol. 86, pp. 2598-2611
2. Flachowsky G (2000) Content of Conjugated
Linoleic Acid in Beef from Organically Raised
Cattle. Ernahrungs-Umschau, vol. 47 p. 272
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by Susan S. Lang
Organic farming produces the same yields of corn and soybeans as does
conventional farming, but uses 30 percent less energy, less water and no
pesticides, a review of a 22-year farming trial study concludes.
David Pimentel, a Cornell University professor of ecology and agriculture,
concludes, Organic farming offers real advantages for such crops as corn and
soybeans. Pimentel is the lead author of a study that was published in the July,
2005 issue of Bioscience (Vol. 55:7) analyzing the environmental, energy and
economic costs and benefts of growing soybeans and corn organically versus
conventionally. The study is a review of the Rodale Institute Farming Systems
Trial, the longest running comparison of organic vs. conventional farming in the
United States.
Organic farming approaches for these crops not only use an average of 30
percent less fossil energy but also conserve more water in the soil, induce less
erosion, maintain soil quality and conserve more biological resources than
conventional farming does, Pimentel added.
The study compared a conventional farm that used recommended fertilizer and
pesticide applications with an organic animal-based farm (where manure was
applied) and an organic legume-based farm (that used a three-year rotation
of hairy vetch/corn and rye/soybeans and wheat). The two organic systems
received no chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
Inter-institutional collaboration included Rodale Institute agronomists Paul
Hepperly and Rita Seidel, U.S. Department of Agricultures Agricultural
Research Service research microbiologist David Douds Jr. and University of
Maryland agricultural economist James Hanson. The research compared soil
fungi activity, crop yields, energy effciency, costs, organic matter changes
over time, nitrogen accumulation and nitrate leaching across organic and
conventional agricultural systems.
First and foremost, we found that corn and soybean yields were the same
across the three systems, said Pimentel, who noted that although organic corn
yields were about one-third lower during the frst four years of the study, over
time the organic systems produced higher yields, especially under drought
conditions. The reason was that wind and water erosion degraded the soil on
the conventional farm while the soil on the organic farms steadily improved in
organic matter, moisture, microbial activity and other soil quality indicators.
The fact that organic agriculture systems also absorb and retain signifcant
amounts of carbon in the soil has implications for global warming, Pimentel
said, pointing out that soil carbon in the organic systems increased by 15 to
28 percent, the equivalent of taking about 3,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per
hectare out of the air.
Among the studys other fndings:
In the drought years, 1988 to 1998, corn yields in the legume-based system
were 22 percent higher than yields in the conventional system.
The soil nitrogen levels in the organic farming systems increased 8 to 15
percent. Nitrate leaching was about equivalent in the organic and conventional
farming systems.
Organic farming reduced local and regional groundwater pollution by not
applying agricultural chemicals.
Pimentel noted that although cash crops cannot be grown as frequently over
time on organic farms because of the dependence on cultural practices to
supply nutrients and control pests and because labor costs average about 15
percent higher in organic farming systems, the higher prices that organic foods
command in the marketplace still make the net economic return per acre either
equal to or higher than that of conventionally produced crops.
Organic farming can compete effectively in growing corn, soybeans, wheat,
barley and other grains, Pimentel said, but it might not be as favorable for
growing such crops as grapes, apples, cherries and potatoes, which have greater
pest problems.
The study was funded by the Rodale Institute and included a review of current
literature on organic and conventional agriculture comparisons. According to
Pimentel, dozens of scientifc papers reporting on research from the Rodale
Institute Farming Systems Trial have been published in prestigious refereed
journals over the past 20 years.
Published July 13, 2005 on the Cornell News Service
Organic Soy and Corn:
Same Yields with Less Energy
Organic farming approaches for these crops not only use an average of 30 percent less fossil
energy but also conserve more water in the soil, induce less erosion, maintain soil quality and
conserve more biological resources than conventional farming does.
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Brockton, MA
by Stephen Leahy

Organic foods protect children from the toxins
in pesticides, while foods grown using modern,
intensive agricultural techniques contain fewer
nutrients and minerals than they did 60 years ago,
according to two new scientifc studies.
A U.S. research team from Emory University in
Atlanta analyzed urine samples from children ages
three to 11 who ate only organic foods and found
that they contained virtually no metabolites of two
common pesticides, malathion and chlorpyrifos.
However, once the children returned to eating
conventionally grown foods, concentrations of these
pesticide metabolites quickly climbed as high as 263
parts per billion, says the study published Feb. 21,
2006.
There was a dramatic and immediate protective
effect against the pesticides while consuming
organically grown foods, said Chensheng Lu, an
assistant professor at the Rollins School of Public
Health at Emory University.
These fndings, in addition to the results of another
study published in Britain earlier this month, have
fueled the debate about the benefts of organically
grown food as compared to conventional, mass-
produced foods, involving academics, food and
agro-industry executives and activists in the global
arena.
According to the new British analysis of
government nutrition data on meat and dairy
products from the 1930s and from 2002, the mineral
content of milk, cheese and beef declined as much
as 70 percent in that period.
These declines are alarming, Ian Tokelove,
spokesman for The Food Commission that
published the results of the study, told Tierramrica.
The Commission is a British non-governmental
organization advocating for healthier, safer food.
The research found that parmesan cheese had 70
percent less magnesium and calcium, beef steaks
contained 55 percent less iron, chicken had 31
percent less calcium and 69 percent less iron, while
milk also showed a large drop in iron along with a
21 percent decline in magnesium.
Copper, an important trace mineral (an essential
nutrient that is consumed in tiny quantities), also
declined 60 percent in meats and 90 percent in dairy
products.
It seems likely that intensive farming methods are
responsible for this, Tokelove said from his offce
in London.
Although controversial, a number of other studies
have also found differences between conventionally
produced foods and foods grown organically or
under more natural conditions.
Organic fruits and vegetables had signifcantly
higher levels of cancer-fghting antioxidants,
according to a 2003 study in Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry.
The organic plants produced these chemical
compounds to help fght off insects and competing
plants, researchers said.
A 2001 report by Britains Soil Association looked
at 400 nutritional research studies and came to
similar conclusions: foods grown organically had
more minerals and vitamins.
Modern plant breeding for quick growth and
high yields could also be affecting the nutritional
quality, says Katherine Tucker, director of
the nutritional epidemiology program at Tufts
University.
Lower levels of minerals in food we eat is cause
for concern, she says, stressing that magnesium,
calcium and other minerals are very important for
proper nutrition.
Good nutrition and exercise are the major factors
that can make a difference in the incidence of many
New Studies
Back Benefts of
Organic Diet
There was a dramatic and immediate
protective effect against the pesticides
while consuming organically grown
foods.
diseases, including cancer, according to Tucker.
She recommends eating unprocessed foods, meat
from free-range animals, and grains, fruits and
vegetables grown organically or at least using more
natural farming methods.
Farmers in other parts of the world should not adopt
the intensive farming practices of North America or
Europe, says Ken Warren, a spokesman with The
Land Institute, based in Kansas.
Its an unsustainable system that relies heavily
on chemical fertilizers... to keep yields high and
produces hollow food, Warren told Tierramrica.
Hollow food contains insuffcient nutrition and
is suspected in playing a role in the rapid rise in
obesity, as people may be eating more in order to
get the nutrition they need, he said.
Crops take minerals, trace elements and other things
from the soil every year. All that modern agriculture
puts back into the land are some chemical fertilizers
which do not replace all that has been lost, Warren
said.
Moreover, herbicides and insecticides kill
microorganisms in the soil that play an important
role in maintaining soil fertility and helping plants
grow.
Pesticide residues in modern agriculture are another
cause for concern. A 2003 University of Washington
study found that children eating organic fruits and
vegetables had concentrations of pesticide six times
lower than children eating conventional produce.
The Land Institute advocates what it calls natural
systems agriculture. This involves the use of
perennial crops in polycultures, that is, planting
several different crops together as has been
practiced in traditional gardens and farm plots in
many parts of the world.
Farmers in other parts of the world should learn
from American agricultures mistakes. Looking to
nature is a better model for farming, Warren said.
Stephen Leahy is a Tierramrica contributor.
Tierramrica is a specialized news service produced
by Inter Press Service with the backing of the United
Nations Development Program and the United
Nations Environment Program. This article was
originally published Mar. 4, 2006 at www.ipsnews.
net
by Deborah K. Rich
The fruits and vegetables that our parents ate when they were growing up were
more nutritious than the ones well serve our children tonight. On average, the
produce we grow in the United States has lower levels of several vitamins and
minerals today than it did 50 to 60 years ago. By growing or buying and eating
organic produce, however, we can make up much of the difference. Organically
grown fruits and vegetables are proving to have higher levels of antioxidants,
vitamins and minerals than their conventionally grown counterparts.
Donald R. Davis, a research associate with the Biochemical Institute at the
University of Texas, Austin, recently analyzed data gathered by the USDA
in 1950 and 1999 on the nutrient content of 43 fruit and vegetable crops. He
found that six out of 13 nutrients had declined in these crops over the 50-year
period (the seven other nutrients showed no signifcant, reliable changes). Three
minerals, phosphorous, iron and calcium, declined between 9 percent and 16
percent. Protein declined 6 percent. Ribofavin declined 38 percent and ascorbic
acid (a precursor of vitamin C) declined 15 percent.
A study of the mineral content of fruits and vegetables grown in Britain
between 1930 and 1980 shows similar decreases in nutrient density. The British
study found signifcantly lower levels of calcium, magnesium, copper and
sodium in vegetables, and of magnesium, iron, copper and potassium in fruit.
The report concludes that the declines indicate that a nutritional problem
associated with the quality of food has developed over those 50 years.
The decline in our produces nutritional value corresponds to the period of
increasing industrialization of our farming systems. As we have substituted
chemical fertilizers, pesticides and monoculture farming for the natural cycling
of nutrients and on-farm biodiversity, we have lessened the nutritional value of
our produce. Integrated well-established organic farming systems can counter
the decline.
Good science comparing the nutritional value of organic and conventional
foods is accumulating rapidly. It isnt uncommon for researchers to fnd that
the higher nutrient levels in organic produce completely offset the declines
Davis found in conventional produce. What all our data shows, says Charles
Benbrook, chief scientist at the Organic Center and a former executive director
of the Board on Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences, is that
whenever theres been a valid comparison between conventional and organic,
organic is virtually never lower than conventional and, in a signifcant number
of cases, its higher. Sometimes its signifcantly higher in several important
nutrients.
For example, Virginia Worthington, a clinical nutritionist who earned her
doctorate in nutrition at Johns Hopkins, published a review in 2001 of 41 studies
comparing the nutritional value of organic and conventional produce. After
tallying the data across all the studies, Worthington concluded that organic
produce had on average 27 percent more vitamin C, 21.1 percent more iron, 29.3
percent more magnesium and 13.6 percent more phosphorous than conventional
produce.
Benbrook released a review in 2005 of the research comparing antioxidant
levels in conventional and organic foods. In humans, antioxidants reduce
damage to cells and DNA from free radicals (molecules generated by metabolic
processes within the body), and thereby promote cardiovascular health, inhibit
the reproduction of cancerous cells, slow the aging process in the brain and
nervous systems, and lessen the risk and/or severity of Alzheimers, Parkinsons
and Huntingtons diseases. Benbrook found that in 85 percent of the comparable
data points, produce from organic farms had higher levels of antioxidants than
did produce from conventional farms. On average, antioxidant levels in organic
produce were 30 percent higher.
Earlier this year, a Swedish team of scientists demonstrated that extracts from
organically grown strawberries slowed the proliferation of colon and breast
cancer cells to a signifcantly greater degree than extracts from conventional
strawberries did. The levels of all the antioxidants analyzed by the team were
higher in the organic strawberries than in the conventional.
As someone that has been involved with science and science policy for my
whole life, says Benbrook, I think the scientifc case has been made for organic
produce. The case has been made frmly enough so that it is appropriate and,
indeed, irresponsible at this point not to tell consumers straight up that choosing
organic fruits and vegetables probably delivers nutritional benefts because of the
higher levels of antioxidants and vitamins and minerals.

The decline in nutrients
Our push for higher yields per acre and cheaper food is largely to blame for
the decline in nutrient levels in conventional produce. With irrigation and
fertilization we can get more pounds per acre, but often not without sacrifcing
nutrients per pound produced. This dilution effect on nutrient density was
widely observed by agricultural scientists even 20 to 30 years ago. The use of
hybrids selected for high yields has probably compounded the trade-off between
yield and nutrients. Davis writes, Modern crops that grow larger and faster
are not necessarily able to acquire nutrients at the same, faster rate, whether by
synthesis or by acquisition from the soil.
In addition to pushing a plant to grow big fast, heavy fertilization can interfere
with a plants ability to synthesize vitamin C. A plant will increase protein
production and reduce carbohydrate production when it absorbs an abundance
of nitrogen. Because vitamin C is made from carbohydrates, the synthesis of
vitamin C is reduced, writes Worthington.
Use of potassium fertilizers (potassium is the K in N-P-K fertilizers) can
reduce the phosphorous content of some plants. For the plant to absorb
Organic Fruits and Vegetables
Work Harder for Their Nutrients
As we have substituted chemical fertilizers, pesticides and monoculture farming for the natural cycling of
nutrients and on-farm biodiversity, we have lessened the nutritional value of our produce.
Integrated well-established organic farming systems can counter the decline.
phosphorous, it must have adequate amounts of
magnesium. But when potassium is added to soil,
plants absorb less magnesium, and, indirectly, less
phosphorus as well.
Organic farmers do not use synthetic formulations
of fertilizers, and this restriction is part of the reason
organic produce has relatively higher nutrient
values. Organic farmers feed their crops only
indirectly. Instead of plying plants with nitrogen,
phosphorous and potassium in readily dissolved
and absorbed powders and solutions, they fertilize
their crops by adding organic matter to the soil in
the form of composts, cover crops and manures.
The organic matter feeds microorganisms in the
soil that, in the process of eating and living and
dying, recycle the nutrients embedded in the organic
matter. The microbes slowly release not only
nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium but also a host
of other nutrients in ratios diffcult to replicate with
synthetic fertilizers.
The large populations of microorganisms that
typically inhabit organically managed felds also
produce substances that combine with minerals in
the soil and make them more available to plants, a
function that can be especially important for iron
absorption. Iron is usually present in soil, but it is
often in an unavailable form.
The relatively larger root-balls of organic plants
are another reason organically grown plants can
absorb a wider variety of nutrients than chemically
fertilized plants can. Because organic plants dont
have macronutrients spoon-fed to them, they
grow larger root systems out of necessity. Roots
on organic plants have to range farther to access
suffcient nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.
In the process, they come into contact with more
trace minerals and micronutrients than the smaller
root-balls of conventional plants do. When plants
are growing, they sense how big a root system they
have to produce to draw from the soil the nutrients
and moisture they need to grow and reach maturity
and reproduce, says Benbrook. On a conventional
farm where there are high levels of fertilizer
nutrients in the soil, along with lots of water, there is
little incentive for roots to penetrate far.
Making healthful choices
The role that antioxidants play in plant health
probably also contributes to the higher antioxidant
levels found in organic produce. Many antioxidants
help a plant resist diseases, deter pests and recover
from insect damage. Because organically grown
plants do not beneft from the protection of
pesticides, they must be able to muster their own
defenses and therefore produce high levels of
antioxidants.
By providing plants with more balanced nutrition
and by triggering production of higher levels
of antioxidants, organic farming systems yield
fruits and vegetables that are, on average, more
nutrient dense than conventional produce. We can
maximize the nutritional benefts of eating fruits and
vegetables by choosing organic.
For the average consumer thats looking for a way
to tilt their odds in favor of healthy development
and graceful aging for themselves and for their
families, the single most important thing they can do
is eat more fruits and vegetables and less added fat,
sugar and highly processed foods, says Benbrook.
The second most important thing for them to do is
to seek out organic fruits and vegetables known to
be high in vitamins and antioxidants.
Foods rated very high and high in
antioxidants
VERY HIGH
Wild blueberry; artichoke, cooked; black plums;
broccoli raab; blackberry; strawberry; cultivated
blueberry; red cabbage; raspberry; apple (Red
Delicious); apple (Granny Smith); sweet cherry;
red kidney bean; navel orange; prune; pinto bean;
pear (Red Anjou); red grape; russet potato; raisin

HIGH
Raw asparagus; red leaf lettuce; cooked asparagus;
beet; red grapefruit; peach; yellow pepper;
tangerine; cooked yellow onion; apricot; green
grape; pineapple; white potato; black-eyed pea;
almond
Source: The Organic Center
Resources
Donald R. Davis: Trade-Offs in Agriculture and
Nutrition, Food Technology, March 2005, Vol. 59,
No. 3. A graph that illustrates the nutrient declines
mentioned in the article is titled, Trends in 43
Garden Crops USDA Data, 1950-1999 and can be
found at www.organic-center.org/reportfles/Davis_
ppt.pdf.
Virginia Worthington: Nutritional Quality of
Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables
and Grains. The Journal of Alternative and
Complementary Medicine, Vol. 7, No 2, 2001.
Anne-Marie Mayer: Historical Changes in the
Mineral Content of Fruits and Vegetables, British
Food Journal, 99/6, 1997.
The Swedish study, conducted by Marie E. Olsson,
C. Staffan Andersson, Stina Oredsson, Rakel H.
Berglund and Karl-Erik Gustavsson, is Antioxidant
Levels and Inhibition of Cancer Cell Proliferation
in Vitro by Extracts From Organically and
Conventionally Cultivated Strawberries, Journal
of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, American
Chemical Society, published on the Web, Jan. 21,
2006.
The Organic Center, www.organic-center.org.
This article reprinted from the San Francisco
Chronicle, Saturday, March 25, 2006
Deborah K. Rich is a freelance writer and olive
rancher in Monterey.
E-mail her at home@sfchronicle.com
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New from the 2005 NOFA Summer Conference:
for a full list of the 146 videos available, visit
www.nofa.org/conference/video/index.php
by Michael Phillips
A deep-felt appreciation for the astounding diversity
of life in the orchard and just what that means for
true system health is where every holistic orchardist
gets a proper handle on management choices. That
which we focus on as paramount can and does
drive the philosophy from which we steward our
land and trees. Maximizing yields with chemical
input produces one kind of apple; recognizing
the fascinating interrelationship of natural cycles
produces an entirely other kind of apple. The full
reality of insect pests, disease pressures, and the
nutritional merit of the apple itself follows from this
simple launching point of understanding.
Seeing the Big Picture
Intuiting the whole of orchard ecology means we
must perceive the complexity involved with even
seemingly benign tasks. One can go out and mow
six or more times, for instance, because thats what
Americans do with grass. Or we can understand how
apple roots interact with mycorrhizal fungi beneath a
haphazard mulching plan that encourages fowering
meadow species in the aisle ways which provide
nectar for adult parasitic wasps that lay their eggs
in codling moth eggs. Theres a full days course in
that statement, of course, but the point is we affect
everything in the orchard when we do anything.
The revised and expanded edition of Apple Grower
goes to great lengths to stress the importance of
woods edge ecology and just what that means
for the apple tree. Those teachings about haphazard
mulching, the making of orchard compost,
herbaceous root interaction, and abetting fungal
dominance in the soil are essential concepts to
grasp. Supporting diversity in a living soil provides
answers we too often fail to recognize as growers.
The symbiotic organisms which feed and protect
our trees are the best of allies. The untapped
minerals in almost any soilonce accessed by this
healthy humus complexare more than suffcient
to revitalize every sensible orchard, year after year
after year. What follows are additional insights about
understory management that I consider especially
profound.
The Fungal Curve
The growth cycle of feeder roots reveals the best
timing for a number of orchard tasks. In a nutshell,
the apple tree experiences two fushes of root growth
that follows on the heels of observable green tissue
growth above ground. The spring fush corresponds
with soils warming up and the garnering of nutrients
for fruit development and the formation of next
years fower buds. The fall fush kicks off terminal
bud set, the expansion of the trees permanent root
system, and the all-critical storage of nutrients in
bark tissues for spring.
Those wonderful drawings by Elayne Sears that show
all this in the revised edition of the apple book are
reproduced here so we can add yet another rhythmic
layer to our understanding. The Fungal Curve is
really a series of fungal happenings in the orchard
that fruit growers need to recognize.
Bioactivity of numerous decomposers on the
orchard foor is represented by the hazy areas on the
orchard foor in early spring and all through the fall
months. Many of our practices aimed at reducing
fungal disease inoculum in the understory are really
about supporting the decomposers, which includes
numerous species of benefcial fungi.
We address our fungal fears when we consider the
uprising portion of the curve. Biodynamic orchardist
Hugh Williams rightfully calls this space the fungal
zone when describing how fungal disease spores
arise from the ground surface to infect tender apple
tissues. The primary infection period for diseases
like apple scab, rust, and an assortment of rots
corresponds perfectly with this red curve. Benefcial
fungi and bacteria also arise and establish on the
foliar surface during this outreach time of the
fungal being. The successful employ of compost
tea, induced systemic resistance, and minimal
sulfur (on susceptible varieties) in holistic disease
management all tie in directly to recognizing our
allies.
The intricate interactions of the soil food web
are what make animated life above the ground
possible. The below-ground portion of the fungal
curve amounts to celebrating and abetting the role
of mycorrhizal fungi in the orchard ecosystem.
The fall fush of feeder roots is trumped a hundred
times over by the hypha reach of these symbiotic
fungi. Nutrient balance for the apple tree very much
depends on the health of this life-support system.
Priming the Pump
The ability to get the juices fowing in such soil
communities just when we most need bioactivity
for decomposition and nutrient uptake comes to us
in the form of pulsing agents. This is a tool that
biological farmers need to understand!
Too often organic orchardists think of compost as
a renewal source of major nutrients when in reality
its more about enhancing diverse biology. Aged
compost with high lignin content meets many
orchard requirements. Incorporating rock dusts and
azomite clay into such piles (a few weeks before
spreading) heeds Natures dictum that mineral
nutrition for plants come by way of microorganism
transfer. The addition of humates will specifcally
Honoring the Orchard Ecosystem
beneft fungal dominance. Spreading such compost
in early fall is one way we have of priming the
great underground pump of nutrient uptake. (Take
note: the well-aged compost that Im describing for
orchard use is not especially high in nitrogen, and
thus not going to invigorate growth as we head into
winter.)
Similarly, aerated compost tea can be applied
directly to the ground in late spring and again just
before & after harvest to prime the system. Fish
hydrosylate has great merit here as well, whether as
a ground spray or soaked into the waiting compost
pile prior to application. A premium liquid fsh
fertilizer is different from fsh emulsion in two
respects: It consists of genuine fsh parts and not just
squeezed run-off, and, most importantly, it has not
been pasteurized. Heat destroys the fatty oils that
act as biostimulants to the soil food web. Molasses
proves useful as a ground spray catalyst where soils
are making that all-critical transition from bacterial
dominance to a greater fungal presence (such as
recently planted ground or where light tillage
alongside the tree rows is part of a high density
system).
A number of companies offer pulsing agent
products to optimize metabolic function of the
microorganisms and thus the soil food web as a
whole. Im listing the homegrown ways that I know
of in preference to spending high dollar on products.
But whatever you do, please keep in touch so I can
share promising results on the Research Pages of
www.HerbsAndApples.com .
Michaels apple book has been a modest success,
selling 15,000 copies since its publication by
Chelsea Green in 1998. The exciting news is that
this classic orcharding book has just been written
anew! This time around Apple Grower comes in
full color with many practical charts and seventy
additional pages.
Inscribed copies of the book can be ordered direct
from Michael at www.HerbsAndApples.com
This is a book Id love to have written -- the best
source available of all the best information on
growing healthy apples.
Eliot Coleman, author of The New Organic Grower
by Carol Steinfeld
Seth Wilkinson and Alison Flynn enjoy explaining
their unusual toilet to visitors. With its trim tapered
tank and unique two-button fush knob (one is
pushed and one is pulled), it could pass for one of
the new dual-fush toilets. But lift the lid and the key
difference is apparent: inside, a small drained basin
is cast like a shelf in the front of the toilet bowl, so
that urine is caught and fushed with a tablespoon
of water to a tank. Solids are fushed away via a
standard 1.2-gallon fush to a conventional septic
system.
This urine-diverting toilet, the Ekologen DS by
Wost-Man of Sweden, is only one of a handful in
North America, but they are far more common in
Scandinavia, Mexico China, and Germany. In some
installations, such as in multi-unit buildings, the
urine drains to tanks in ground or under the building
that are periodically pumped. Others drain directly to
onsite evapotranspiration trenches, sometimes lined.
In some instances, the pumped urine is applied to
animal fodder crops.
Wilkinson and Flynn live in Orleans, Massachusetts,
on Cape Cod, a region grappling with nitrogen
pollution affecting lakes, seashore, and groundwater.
With the blessing of their local health agent, they
chose the urine-diverting toilet to reduce their
environmental impact. Urine drains to a 250-gallon
in-ground tank. A foat switch turns on a light when
its full, about once a year. Flynn hoses the urine-
water mixture on piles of composting leaves and
well-mulched gardens. It has no major odor, she
reports.
Growing away pollution
Human urine accounts for about 90 percent
of nitrogen in human excreta. What points to
opportunities is that urine is usually pathogen free
in a healthy population (feces are the main source of
potential pathogens). In essence, we fush away free
pathogen-free urea fertilizer in the form of urine.
(How much nutrient value is determined by how
much protein one eats.)
As federal regulations increasingly require tertiary
treatment and regulators work to mandate expensive
advanced denitifcation systems--most with powered
aeration to convert nitrogen to ammonia gas that is
vented away--some are asking if there might be a
better way to manage nitrogen. After all, they reason,
its a valuable fertilizer when applied to crops and
landscapes and only a pollutant when discharged to
surface and ground waters.
Porcelain urine-diverting toilets were developed in
Sweden in the past decade in response to nutrient
pollution and eutrophication evident in that countrys
many lakes and along the Baltic and Atlantic
coastlines. Large dead zones of eutrophication are
also apparent in the sea. The Swedes isolated the
source of the nutrients: urine--from humans as well
as farms. Several authorities and research institutions
investigated and proved the viability of diverting
this nitrogen source and using it in place of farm
fertilizer--another source of nitrogen pollution via
runoff.
A resource in the wrong place
Every day in the United States, Americans excrete
about 90 million gallons of urine. Most of it is
fushed away. That days urine contains an estimated
seven million pounds of nutrients in the form of
nitrogen. By some estimates, thats enough nitrogen
to fertilize up to 31,962 acres of corn in one year.
And one year of U.S. urine could fertilize 11.5
million acres of corn! Instead, manufactured and
animal-derived urea fertilizer is imported, sometimes
at great cost.
When we fush urine to septic systems, it can leach
into ground and surface watersoften with much of
the nitrogen intact.
In lakes and other surface waters, aquatic plants
and algae consume the nitrogen, resulting in a
great bloom of growth. When this growth dies
and decomposes, it pulls oxygen from the water,
or eutrophies, which can suffocate fsh and other
aquatic life. Underground, nitrogen can seep into
drinking water, posing a potential health hazard. At
the same time this is happening, farmers worldwide
purchase tons of nitrogen fertilizer, much of it from
industrial fertilizer factories that produce it with
imported energy.
Urine-diverting toilets are still rare in the U.S. and
not yet listed in plumbing codes. Another method
to divert urine is waterless and low-water urinals,
which are working their way into codes. (However,
since these are designed for males, this only
addresses half of the nitrogen load.)
Health-risk parameters
Benefcial use of urine, which we might term
nutrient reclamation, differs from land application
of septage and treated sludge. Urine offers low
pathogen risk, high nutrient content, and the
ability to drain itself away. Combined septage and
sewer sludge potentially contains disease-causing
organisms carried by the feces and household
chemicals. By not mixing urine with these sources
of potential health risks, we isolate the high-value
constituent--nitrogen--and put it to use.
Safe methods for using urine to nourish plants are
now well documented, particularly in Sweden,
where several research institutions and Stockholms
water authority studied the sociology, bacteriology,
and viability of collecting urine and using it to
fertilize grain crops.
According to sanitation researcher Caroline
Schnning of the Swedish Institute of Infectious
Disease Control, humans rarely excrete disease-
causing organisms, or pathogens, in urine. Also,
most pathogens die when they leave their hosts,
either immediately or shortly thereafter. The
only signifcant urine-transmitted diseases are
leptospirosis (usually transmitted by infected
animals), schistosomiasis, and salmonella. The frst
two are rareusually found only in tropical aquatic
environmentsand the last is typically inactivated
A Golden Opportunity
Denitrifcation of domestic wastewater can start at the source: human urine
shortly after excretion.
The more likely health risk is urine contaminated by
feces that were misplaced in a urine-diverting toilet.
Ways to inactivate pathogens include time (waiting
them out), composting, heat, and adding high-
alkaline additives such as lime and wood ash. Here
are some general guidelines for use:
For deactivation of most pathogens that may
be present, especially if urine from outside of ones
household has been collected to fertilize food crops,
store urine for six months before use. This period
can be shortened if the ambient temperature is
higher, such as 65 degrees. For lowest risk usage,
apply it to crops that do not touch the earth, such as
orchard fruit, vines, and berry bushes.
Or use it only for crops that will be cooked or fed to
animals. When in doubt, it should not be used.
For personal and household urine used for
growing food, Schnning deems it an acceptable
health risk to harvest raw-eaten crops one month
after urine-fertilization.
Urine is best worked into the soil or applied
under the soil to reduce exposure, allow soil
organisms to deactivate pathogens, and preserve its
nutrient value.
On-site possibilities
Collecting urine for farm fertilizer may be on the
very far horizon for the regulated mainstream in the
U.S., but we can thank the Swedes for pointing the
way.
Denitifcation with urine diversion can be an easy
way to complement existing septic systems without
installing expensive bioflters. To treat urine for
plant use, it must be oxidized to a nitrate form which
plants can use. Or it can be diluted and mixed into
well-aerated soil, where the soils aerobic microbes
complete the oxidation (nitrifcation) process.
Methods for managing diverting urine:
1. Drain urine to planted graywater system beds. For
planted systems, urines nitrogen is a good addition
to graywater, which is a lot of water and a little
carbon (BOD) but nearly no nutrients. Direct this
combination to a planted evapotranspiration bed.
This can take the form of a lined or unlined trench
no deeper than two feet and flled with 3/4- to three-
inch gravel. These beds can double as landscape
features.
2. Constructed wetlands created to treat only
graywater often suffer for lack of nitrogen. Because
the wetland environment is more anaerobic than
aerobic, nitrogen in a wetland is largely lost to the
atmosphere, providing cheap denitrifcation.
3. Drain urine to a tank that is periodically pumped
like a septic system. The collected urine can be
contained, tested for pathogens, and applied to high
well-draining forests, tree farms or pasture lands. Or
it can be discharged to a tertiary treatment plant.
4. Municipal composting facilities that handle
woody landscape waste and shredded paper often
have a nitrogen defcit. Urine provides a low-risk
nitrogen match.
Urine can be slightly acidic and salty. It should not
be distributed with drip-irrigation tubing unless it is
diluted, otherwise emitters might clog.
The world needs all the nutrients we are fushing
away each day in our urine. Given the high cost of
onsite denitrifcation systems and the far-reaching
costs of using manufactured fertilizers, utilizing
this valuable and usually pathogen-free resource
deserves more consideration.
Diverting and using urine may seem on the lunatic
fringe now, but the benefts are so great that it will
be a common sense practice in the future.
Parts of this article are excerpted from Liquid Gold:
The Lore & Logic of Using Urine to Grow Plants by
Carol Steinfeld (Ecowaters Books)
Photo courtesy Carol Steinfeld
The author picks cherry tomatoes and pole
beans fertilized with the urine of employees
of Ecowaters and Ecological Engineering
Group in Concord, Mass. Urine was applied
directly to the garden, which was heavily
mulched with compost and topped with
wood chips. Without the woodchip layer, full-
strength urine applications might be far too
strong for the plants.
by Kate Rossiter
By way of $4,000 and $2,000 respectively,
Stonyfeld Farm and CROPP Cooperative/Organic
Valley have offered their support to the NOFA/
Mass Organic Dairy Program, whose goal is to
help farmers in Massachusetts transition to organic
milk production. As more and more consumers
are reaching for organic milk (milk from cows
raised on organic pasture and feed and not given
growth hormones or treated with antibiotics) both
companies are hoping to fnd dairies in the Bay
State to help them meet the demand.
The NOFA/Mass Organic Dairy Program will use
the support from Stonyfeld and Organic Valley to
organize informational workshops across the state
on such aspects of organic milk production as: the
transition process, grazing systems, soil fertility,
and alternative treatments for herd health. Speakers
on these topics will be experienced organic dairy
farmers from the Northeast.
Farming with Urine in Sweden
by Carol Steinfeld
A tank truck pulls up to a housing development
outside Stockholm, extends a hose into an
underground tank. Later, the truck heads to a farm
where its contents are discharged into storage
tanks. Just a few months later, the tanks contents
sanitized human urineare pumped into a liquid
fertilizer truck and applied to spring barley.
Sweden, awash with lakes and nearly surrounded
by shoreline, is acutely aware of the fate of its
wastewater and nutrients. The Baltic Sea is rife with
eutrophication from nutrient-rich runoff.
In the late 1990s, the Stockholm Water Company
and other agencies tested and proved the viability
of using urine as an agricultural fertilizer. Urine-
diverting toilets that fush with a small volume
of water were installed in four housing projects,
from an ecovillage with 44 apartments to a public
housing development with 51 apartments. Urine
was drained to in-ground fberglass tanks. Then it
was transported to a facility outside Stockholm for
testing. A farmer used the tested urine to fertilize
grain crops.
In Sweden, urine-diverting toilets have long been
manufactured, primarily for vacation and mobile
homes; about 3,000 porcelain urine-diverting toilets
were sold there in the 1990s alone. However, they
are less common in year-round homes, with the
exception of ecologically oriented housing often
called ecovillages.
Photo courtesy Carol Steinfeld
A liquid fertilizer truck is put to use to
apply urine to a barley feld before planting.
The urine was collected from an ecological
community that uses urine-diverting
toilets. The urine was contained in tanks
for six months to assure deactivation of any
pathogens present before it was collected by
the farmer.
The Swedish study found urine is almost equal
in strength and effectiveness to liquid mineral
fertilizers that farmers buy and use. Compared
to animal manure, human urine lacks only
the organicscarbon, fbers, and benefcial
microorganisms. The Swedish study also revealed
that urine and fush water is free of pathogens
if stored above freezing for three to six months.
Naturally rising pH (from 7 to 9), high temperature,
and time kills any pathogens present (from fecal
contamination in the toilet).
The urine could also be used in gardens and
landscapes at the housing developments.
The study is important for showing the signifcant
advantages of collecting and using urine to enrich
soils. Some conventional wastewater plants produce
sewage sludge as a byproduct that is applied to
forests and felds; however, sludge usually contains
little nutrient content. Nitrogen and phosphorus
are often reduced in the conventional wastewater
systems and discharged to where they can pollute.
Urine diversion makes it possible to use them to
fertilize farmland, turning a wastewater challenge
into an asset.
Results of the Swedish urine study, Source-
Separated Human UrineA Future Source
of Fertilizer for Agriculture in the Stockholm
Region, is detailed in the report, Urine Separation
Closing the Nutrient Cycle. It describes specifcs
of toilet installation, user acceptability, and
farming techniques. The project was conducted by
Stockholm Water Company, AB Stockholmshem,
HSB National Federation, Swedish Institute
for Infectious Disease Control, Swedish Land
University, the Swedish Institute of Agricultural
and Environmental Engineering, VERNA Ecology,
Linkping University, Chalmers University of
Technology, and Swedish Environmental Protection
Agency.
Stonyfeld and Organic Valley See Potential in
Massachusetts Dairies for Organic Milk
Quick Facts About Using
Urine for Farm Fertilizer
Human urine is a quick-acting fertilizer
that can replace mineral fertilizer in cereal crop
production. In trials, cereal crops fertilized with
urine yielded 80 to 90 percent as much as those
fertilized with mineral fertilizer.
Nitrogen in urine is volatile; it can be lost to
the air. So it must be stored in a covered container
and worked into the soil to minimize nitrogen
losses.
Plants fertilized with urine suffered no toxic
effects in trials. However, its best not to fertilize
seeded grassland, as urine may be too strong for
sprouting seeds.
An estimated 1.5 to 2.6 quarts (1.5 to 2.5
liters) of urine solution (yellow water) per person
is produced daily.
Urine can be transported up to 137 miles
(220 km) before the energy used surpasses that of
conventional treatment.
Nitrogen losses in the form of ammonia were
less than 10% of the nitrogen applied and usually
much lower.
The risk of nitrogen leaching into water is no
greater than when mineral fertilizer is used.
As dairy farmers continue to face low prices
for conventional milk, many farmers in the
Commonwealth and throughout the Northeast are
making the switch to organic production. With a
higher price per hundredweight than conventional
milk, producing organic milk is seen as a way for
farmers to keep their dairy viable. Despite the
increasing number of organic dairies in the region,
more organic milk is needed.
For information about the NOFA/Mass Organic
Dairy Program, upcoming workshops and pasture
walks, contact Kate Rossiter, NOFA/Mass Organic
Dairy Coordinator, at krossiter@nofamass.
org, or at (413) 625-0118. A list of resources is
also available at the NOFA/Mass website, www.
nofamass.org.
For information about CROPP/Cooperative,
contact John Cleary, CROPP Northeast Dairy Pool
Coordinator, at (802) 658-9291.
Lawn Garden Farm
Best Performing All Natural Fertilizer in testing
at Iowa State University
Proven Results in New England
Soy Bean Based (no manure, no sludge)
Organic Fertilization Programs
Landscaper Retail Golf Course School Farm
Locate a Dealer Visit our Website www.pjcecological.com
Distributed by PJC & Company Rowley, MA 978-432-1019
PJC Ad 3/14/06 8:58 AM Page 1
If eatings not the main reason you came to the
conference, perhaps it is for the endless social and
networking opportunities. Meet your neighbors
and make new friends while Contra dancing inside
the Robert Crown Center, dance the night away in
the Red Barn Friday night, swap stories and drum
beneath the stars during the Saturday night campfre,
discuss the documentary flms youve enjoyed or
share your heartfelt ideas during the Saturday night
debate.
NOFA Pre-Conference 2006
Sprouting the Seeds of the Next Generation:
Food and Farming Education
From 1 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 10
th
and 8
a.m. to Noon on Friday, August 11
th
, the NOFA Pre-
Conference will help farmers from throughout New
England and beyond network and share their ideas
and expertise about on-farm education programs,
connecting agriculture to the classroom and adult
farming education.
Pre-Conference presenters include: Mikey Azzara
- NOFA-NJ: Pennington, NJ; Sara Coblyn Porth
- UVM Extension: Brattleboro, VT; Leslie Cox and
Nancy Hanson - Hampshire College: Amherst, MA;
Bill Duesing - CT NOFA: Stevenson, CT; Kelly
Erwin - MA Farm to School Project: Amherst,
MA; Deb Habib - Seeds of Solidarity Farm and
Education Center: Orange, MA; Dan Kaplan
- Brookfeld Farm: Amherst, MA; Ian Marvy -
Added Value and Herban Solutions, Inc.: Brooklyn,
NY; Abbie Nelson - NOFA-VT: Richmond, VT; and
Amy Watmough and Keely Deutch - Shelburne
Farms: Shelburne, VT.
The Pre-Conference will offer hands-on workshops,
panel discussions, plenary talks and networking
sessions. Participants are encouraged to bring
posters, photos and fyers about their programs
to display during the pre-conference networking
sessions.
For the full schedule of the Pre-Conference, visit
www.nofamass.org and click on the Summer
Conference link, then click on the Pre-
Conference link.
Summer Conference
continued from page 1
Mini-Conference on the National Organic Action
Plan
The 2006 NOFA Summer Conference is proud
to host the frst in a series of national dialogue
meetings sponsored by the National Campaign
for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Advancement
Foundation International and National Organic
Coalition. Participate in a nationwide dialogue
that will examine national and federal priorities
for organic agriculture. Organic agriculture in this
country has a future beyond a federal program
help to map it out and stay on course. The mini-
conference will run concurrently with the Pre-
Conference Thursday, August 10
th
from 1-5 p.m.
and Friday, August 11
th
from 8 a.m. to Noon.
For specifc details, contact Liana Hoodes at the
National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture:
845-744-2304 (phone/fax) or Liana@hvc.rr.com.
Website is http://www.sustainableagriculture.net.
Debate on Mandatory Animal ID
The NOFA Summer Conference debate is always
an entertaining time as folks on both sides of an
issue speak their deepest feelings. This year the
topic is Mandatory Animal Identifcation: Should
We Support the USDA Plan? Speaking in support
of the plan will be Ken Kelly, staff attorney for
the Food Safety Project of the Center for Science
in the Public Interest and William Smith, USDA
Veterinarian. Opposing the plan will be Mary
Zanoni, attorney and executive director of Farm for
Life, and Patty Lovera, assistant director of Food
and Water Watch.
The debate goes for an hour and a half on Saturday
night. Because of personal objections from one of
the participants, the debate this year will not be
videotaped. So if you want to watch the freworks,
make sure you come!
Visit the Website!
Check out www.nofamass.org and click on the
Summer Conference link to learn all about this
years event. Weve been hard at work updating
the site, making it user-friendly and getting up all
of the Summer Conference information you need
to know. View photos from last years event, read
the post-event article from The Natural Farmer,
get the scoop on this years happenings and read
former keynote addresses by Satish Kumar (2005)
and Vandana Shiva (2004). Send us your website
feedback: email Kathy Litchfeld, publicity
coordinator, at: kathylitch29@yahoo.com.
Exhibits Still Available
Want to exhibit at the NOFA Summer Conference?
Space is still available. The exhibit form is available
on the website, or contact Katie Campbell-Nelson at
(413) 624-3242 or email campbka2@earlham.edu.
Scholarship Donations
Your generous donations make it possible for
low-income individuals to attend the conference.
General adult scholarships or targeted scholarships
to adults or teens of color are much appreciated.
Donate online at the website (www.nofamass.
org, Summer Conference link) or send scholarship
donations (checks made payable to NOFA Summer
Conference) to Julie Rawson, 411 Sheldon Road,
Barre, MA 01005. Call (978) 355-2853 for more
information.
Register Now!
You can register for the NOFA Summer Conference
by visiting www.nofa.org, For a hard copy of the
registration form or for extra copies to give to
friends or associates, contact NOFA/Mass at (978)
355-2853 or julie@nofamass.org.
Join the Summer Conference Committee!
Its a fun way to get involved with a great group
of people working towards putting on the Summer
Conference each August. Learn more by visiting our
website each section of the conference is run by
a different coordinator. Call Julie Rawson at (978)
355-2853 for more information or to get involved!
perspective, so that farmers can see that whats been
happening is not a failure on their part. It is a failure
in our cultures world view that continues to believe
that humans are disconnected from Earth.
One of the major faws of the western world view
is that we think were separate from everything
that is not us, and that everything in the universe
except us is made of physical matter, that were
the only ones who have soul, spirit, psyche,
whatever. Thats a crisis of major proportions now.
The industrialized, mechanistic world view thats
causing this diffculty has to change and hopefully
we can change it before weve done more terrible
damage, she said.
MacGillis was born in the small industrial city of
Bayonne, N.J. At age 7, her family began to clear
a homestead in a heavily wooded area along the
Musconetcong River, in what was then a sparsely
settled region of northwest New Jersey. Her
childhood was deeply infuenced by summers spent
in the forests and felds of that watershed, and she
developed a deep love of the earth. She entered the
Dominican order in 1957 because she wanted to do
something good for the world and for God.
Thats how I would have seen it in those days. Im
66 years old now, she laughed. Like in a marriage,
you have to rethink your relationship all the time.
I certainly have moved through lots and lots of
changes in theology and in my understanding of the
church, the scriptures, and my religious traditions
(MacGillis was raised Roman Catholic). Now this
whole work towards the fostering of life itself
seems to be core to my belief in God. The issues
were dealing with today really challenge the belief
Sister Miriam MacGillis
continued from page 1
systems of all religions, to evolve to a deeper grasp
of the world, in order to remain faithful to life.
MacGillis received her masters degree in art from
the University of Notre Dame and has taught art
at the high school and college levels. Following
her peace and justice work in the 1970s, a large
tract of farmland in Blairstown, NJ was willed to
her congregation of Dominican sisters. With three
others, MacGillis submitted a proposal to found a
refection center focused around ecology, spirituality
and agriculture.
In 1980, Genesis Farm was born, as a place for
learning to live and farm sustainably, as well as to
be a learning center where people were welcomed
to grapple with the big questions of life, what was
happening to the planet and how our lifestyles could
make a difference.
It was viewing the flm by Indian Line Farm
entitled, Its Not Just About Vegetables that
prompted MacGillis and Heinz Thomet, a young,
Swiss biodynamic farmer to found the Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA) venture at Genesis
Farm in 1987.
The frst community meeting exploring the
possibility of starting a CSA garnered 70 eager
members who purchased the frst shares; today
Genesis Farms CSA supports 300 families with
seasonal as well as winter shares, said MacGillis.
Today, on 226 acres, Genesis farm also offers a
variety of residential and non-residential programs,
including accredited graduate and undergraduate
courses in Earth Literacy.
I come from the scientifc understanding of an
evolving universe. We have this thread that goes
back to the beginning of time 13.7 billion years ago,
on a planet nearly fve billion years old. What weve
done in the last 50 years of farming is not only an
aberration, but it is pathological, she said. If we
really pay attention to what the most prominent
biologists on the planet are saying, we realize Earth
is basically going through the end of a geological
and biological era.
The results of industrialized activity over the
last 50 years are changing the chemistry of the
atmosphere, the rivers, the soil, causing a major
extinction of species. The setback to the fabric
of life is unprecedented, and the cause is human
industrial activity. Not just in agriculture, but
agriculture is a major contributor. Earth cant deal
with industrialized agriculture, especially with all
the chemicals invented since World War II, she
continued. Humans see things in fragmented ways
global warming, a rising in autism or cancer,
species going extinct. We see these as separate
issues; a shallow perspective of time. Until recently
we didnt know about the story of the evolution of
the Universe, of Earth of life and of human life as
one continuous process. Without this understanding
and with our powerful technologies, were
bringing about the decline of life at a scale thats
unprecedented.
However, MacGillis has great hope in the human
spirit.
We are capable of profound change, and are able
to correct ourselves, said MacGillis, who feels that
education, and a change of mind and heart can move
us through catastrophe into an open future.
We are capable of this new sense of identity with
the whole and of developing a more profound
capacity for love, she said. I can see the
possibilities for a fourishing planet, where we
choose to restore and heal what we have poisoned
and violated. As we transform ourselves, Earth will
heal.
Organic, Inc. Natural Foods and How
They Grew
by Samuel Fromartz
published in 2006 by Harcourt, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-0-15-101130-8
reviewed by Steve Gilman
Oh wad some power the giftie gie us
tae see oursels as others see us
Robert Burns, To a Louse (spotted on a ladys
bonnet in church), 1786
Samuel Formartz came to ORGANIC two ways.
First, as a consumer and home chef interested
in quality food and then as a longtime business
journalist, particularly interested in people who
sought to manifest their values in their businesses,
who used business to extend a larger ethical or
social mission. This timely book delves into the
intersection of idealism and business in the
organic world and what happens when the founding
ideals of the movement are altered by producers,
consumers and an infusion of new money.
Fromartzs food quality quest began in earnest
once he was no longer single or relying on takeout
food. When his inner chef led him into the carefully
contrived Whole Foods Market experience, his
business analyst proclivities caused him to buy
stock in the company and marvel at its meteoric
burst during the time of the overall stock market
dot-com bust. In 2004-05 he took time off to do
his homework and travel the country interviewing
organic farmers, advocates, and businesspeople
to write this book judiciously selling his still-
ascending Whole Foods stock to avoid a confict of
interest in his reporting.
This isnt your standard business analysis tract.
Fromartz has an eye (and respect) for the strong-
minded and often eccentric idealists who laid
the foundations of ORGANIC to begin with and
wants to meet the people who were feeding me.
While he doesnt wear his politics on his sleeve,
his political-economic outlook reveals a particular
populist bent.
Organic is consumer driven in more ways than
one, he says at one point. In a direct way,
(consumers) are also providing the investment in
research and development that the government
has largely avoided making in organic farming
until very recently. Agribusiness has not pushed
deeply into this area, either, since, unlike research
into genetically modifed crops, the results cannot
be patented, owned and licensed. The only funds
to improve organic methods have come from
consumers who buy the fruits of this labor. Indeed,
if there is an unsubsidized free-market sector in
American farming today, it is to be found in organic
agriculture.
Regarding our deeply ensconced, highly subsidized
production-agricultural system, Fromartz says: For
farmers, profts rather than yields matter most. If the
market price fails to cover the cost of the crop, high
yields dont matter. The focus on yield also ignores
the larger cost of chemicals to the environment,
communities, and health measured in the size of
the ozone hole over the Antarctic or the potential
impact of drifting pesticides on a nearby school.
These so-called external costs, which society must
bear, dont show up in yield studies.
He uses a detailed case study of the contrasting
California organic and conventional strawberry
industries to highlight what organic farmers are up
against from pest pressure and negative research
support to high land prices and the politics of
food. The conventional growers mother of all
biocides, methyl bromide, (a fumigant that kills
insects, weeds, soil diseases, rodents, etc. all in one
application) is also a highly poisonous neurotoxin
and ozone layer destroyer. Originally targeted by
international agreement to be completely phased
out by 2005, severe chemical dependency and
Bush Administration critical use exemptions are
keeping it in wide use. At this point the US is using
twice as much methyl bromide as all other nations
combined.
Organic growers, on the other hand, were forced
to develop a dynamic agroecological approach
largely on their own -- renewing fertility, rotating
strawberries with broccoli to control verticillium
wilt and using biological controls and a few
botanicals to counter the lygus bug and other insect
pests. According to one study, organic strawberries
are also hardier and more nutritious, as opposed
to their chemically coddled competitors, because
the plants immune system (producing increased
vitamin C, antioxidants and phenolic compounds) is
stimulated to protect against diseases, pest attacks
and other stresses. As a result of taste tests in
California Farmers markets the author also places
the favor of organically grown strawberries in the
top category.
Back to back chapters on the scale of organic frst
features the odyssey of Pennsylvania farmers Jim
and Moie Crawford (dynamic keynote speakers
at this years NOFA-NY winter conference) from
their beginnings as anti-Vietnam war/back-to-the-
landers infuenced by Helen and Scott Nearing, to
their success as founders of the Tuscarora Organic
Growers cooperative, a million dollar, plus,
operation. The narrative provides opportunity for
asides on CSAs, borrowing money from customers
(over $250,000 one year from over 40 customers
who were issued promissory turnip notes), organic
certifcation, immigrant labor, small farm economic
sustainability and the disappearing middle of mid-
sized farms.
This is contrasted with Earthbound Farm, the huge
west coast bagged-salad greens grower (accounting
for over 26,000 acres in CA and AZ as well as
Mexico, Canada, Chile, and New Zealand) and
processor serving Walmart and Safeway and sold in
three out of four supermarkets across the country.
The chapter also goes into the evolution of mesclun,
the infuence of Chez Panisse, overcoming aversion
to the initial low-quality word organic, the rise of
McDonalds healthy salads and the shift to larger
scale organic production.
Similar treatment is given to the rise of industrial
organic producers like Horizon dairy and
White Wave Silk soy products (both owned by
Dean Foods) and the absolute importance of
maintaining meaningful regulations in protecting
organic integrity. Fromartz uses a keynote delivered
by Elizabeth Henderson on Who Should Own
Organic at the 2004 Upper Midwest Organic
Conference to launch into a look at the grassroots
organic movement, including Wendell Berrys
radical critiques of capitalism. Attracted to organic
foods success in the marketplace, the organic-
industrial complex depicted by Michael Pollen
in the New York Times Magazine in 2001 gave the
community and consumers a startling look where
organic business was going.
Fromartz underscores the wide diversity of
adherents that constitute todays organic community
-- including agrarians, larger farmers, consumers
(and consumer groups), nutritionists, chefs,
entrepreneurs, retailers and wholesalers:
These interests did not see eye-to-eye, because
they had different agendas, but that was the point.
In its diversity, the organic coalition enlarged
itself and avoided a stagnant monoculture. But
this diversity proved to be the movements
greatest weakness, since it could easily devolve
into confict After three decades of growth, the
coalition showed signs of hemorrhaging after the
organic regulations took effect in 2002 and then
thoroughly fragmenting in a way that threatened
the entire industry. By then, the bedrock vision of
a common enemy conventional agribusiness, or
chemical farming couldnt keep all the factions
in line because agribusiness had gotten into the
organic game, too. The enemy was now within.
Fromartz does a detailed and balanced job covering
the organic movements collision course with USDA
and Big Food including the evolution of the Organic
Food Production Act of 1990, which followed
hard on the heels of the Alar scare in 1989. He cuts
through the deliberations of the National Organic
Standards Board (NOSB) and the industry infuence
that opened up the allowance for food processing
synthetics. He uncovers USDA machinations in the
National Organic Programs (NOP) disastrous frst
rule in 1997 (with GMOs, sludge and irradiation
as potential organic practices) and the fnal rule
in 2002 and follows the unifed industry response
combating the rider inserted by GA Congressman
Nathan Deal undoing organic feed regulations in
2003. From interviews with a wide range of sources,
including Arthur Harvey and Katherine DiMatteo
of OTA, he presents the story of the fracturing of
the organic community resulting from the Harvey
suit ruling and OTAs backroom legislative rider
amendment in 2005.
Id quibble with one of Fromartzs conclusions
here. He maintains that the allowance of synthetics,
etc. were not really the main issue here but that the
problem really has to do with whether organic is
to remain an agrarian niche, or whether it should
expand to include the industrial food complex that
it was created to replace. Many in the organic
community would assert, however, that this isnt
just an either/or situation of movement-or-market
but a both/and condition. For there to be any value
to the organic label, its fundamental integrity MUST
stand. Big Food (and their mouthpiece, OTA) has to
adjust to the Standards (NOT adjust the Standards
to their own ends with loopholes cunningly crafted
via their political and economic clout) if they want
to participate in a market that solely exists because
it means something as a food system alternative.
Despite Whole Foods marketing acumen at
attracting customers through the door, they still need
a genuine product: organic consumers demand bona
fde integrity.
This is a valuable book. Overall, Samuel Fromartz
gets organic. Hes an engaging writer and
presents a wide range of well-researched material
that NOFA-ites, farmers, consumers, corporate
business types -- and even NOP policy makers
(please) -- can learn a lot from. Overall, he
presents a balanced view with an astute outsiders
perspective that provides effective insight into the
organic movement, the burgeoning market, its new
players and the ongoing struggle for maintaining the
meaning of organic.
Indeed, the only problem I have with this book
is that its title doesnt do it justice the books
purview is much bigger than Organic, Inc. The
cover graphics could use a makeover too, serving
to limit the potential readership, which would be a
shame. That, and the fact that the publisher didnt
see ft to provide an index -- theres a lot here and it
would be nice to be able to navigate the text and get
back to specifc items more easily. The book does
provide a comprehensive section of notes at the
end, however page-by-page sources, citations and
explanations without the formality (and annoyance)
of footnotes.
Edible Forest Gardens
Volume Two: Ecological Design and Practice
for Temperate Climate Permaculture
by David Jacke with Eric Toensmeier
2005 Chelsea Green Publishing
P. O. Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001,
(800) 639-4099
655 pages, hardback
$75.00
review by Jack Kittredge
This is the follow-on book to Volume One:
Ecological Vision and Theory for Temperate
Climate Permaculture. In Volume 1 you get the big
picture, here you get all the hands on information
about how to actually do things.
Volume Two is organized into 7 chapters, plus
numerous appendices, worksheets, tables and
fgures. Chapter One is a bridge from the wealth of
vision and theory in Volume One to the realities of
mimicking a forest ecosystem. If you havent read
Volume One, this chapter serves as an introduction
to Volume Two. Chapter Two offers patterns for
design, a sort of idea bank or set of mental
building blocks with which you can construct your
own forest garden.
Book
Reviews
Chapters Three and Four present the design process
itself via conceptual frameworks and step-by-step
assistance. Chapter Five covers site challenges
that require either adaptive design or special pre-
planting preparation. Chapter Six goes into the
details of planting variety selection, placement,
the art of digging and flling in holes, and mulching.
Finally, Chapter Seven talks about the practicalities
of managing and maintaining the garden, and co-
evolving with it to a higher potential.
Permaculture is the art of designing a living
environment in such a way that it minimizes the
amount of human energy required while maximizing
the useful output. This is done primarily by working
with nature to design sustainable ecosystems that
provide most needed inputs fertility, water, weed
and pest and disease control -- without human
intervention. A model for permaculture enthusiasts
is the forest itself fertility from falling leaves
and leguminous plants, water from rain plus
groundwater reserves with losses only through
natural plant transpiration, weed and pest and
disease control through biological diversity of both
plants and animals and soil microorganisms. The
energy comes, naturally enough, from the sun. The
outputs fruits, nuts, tubers, mushrooms, frewood,
medicinals can support not just humans but a
host of livestock and wild creatures who sustain the
complexity of the system.
In the sense that a forest (in a moist, temperate
climate such as we have in most of the US) is the
ultimate stage in natural succession, this makes a
lot of sense. For most of us farmers and gardeners,
however, it goes against the grain. We try to
maximize sunlight and open space, accepting
the concomitant burden of erosion and need for
fertilization, tillage, irrigation, and pest control as
part of the price of bounteous harvests.
There is a wealth of resources in Edible Forest
Gardens to help you think through this alternative
growing paradigm. I have included a number of
illustrations from the book to give you an idea
of how permaculturists approach thinking about
designing an environment.
Understanding the daily and seasonal movement
of the sun at ones latitude, for instance, is a core
permaculture idea. Sun and shade patterns are thus
fundamental design tools when you look at a piece
of land. (Figures 2.17 and 2.18)
Zones are another core idea. Relative to ones
dwelling (zone 0), one can establish zones for
various activities -- intensive gardening, livestock,
orchards, cropping, recreation, etc. governed partly
by distance from the dwelling, partly by natural
features of the land, and partly by ones own
preferences. Tables 2.3 and 2.4 suggest the uses and
design factors one might consider in establishing
zones. Figures 2.6 and 2.7 sketch how these uses
and factors might apply in one specifc case.
Figure 1.3 illustrates a classic permaculture goal
the integration of various homestead functions with
a minimum of human effort (things like arbors and
fences and other one-time improvements are greatly
preferred to ongoing intervention.)
My one criticism of this work is that reading
Jacke is a little like reading Hegel. One learns
all the attributes of a thing before ever getting a
concrete example of it. But if you can suspend
your impatience until he fnishes his classifcations,
you will be well rewarded by the passion and
thoroughness with which he writes.
Good Food, Good Business
by Doug Freeman
produced by Arnold Creek Productions
P. O. Box 2402
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
available through amazon.com
DVD format, 26 minutes
$30
review by Jack Kittredge
This is a video highlighting the exciting world of
local organic food. While produced in the Pacifc
Northwest and featuring farmers and restaurants
in that area, the message is appropriate here
as well. There is nothing particularly new or
noteworthy here, just a feel-good story about hard
work and healthy food being appreciated. There
are some lovely shots of farms, produce, farmers
markets, CSAs, and gourmet restaurants, as well
as interviews with farmers, retailers, organic
value-adders, and food experts talking about the
importance and value of local and organic food.
Celebrate the harvest this year at the third annual
Taste! Organic Connecticut, to be held Sunday,
September 10, 2006 from 10 a.m. - 4p.m. at
Topmost Herb Farm in Coventry, CT. The event
sponsored by CT NOFA (the Connecticut chapter
of the Northeast Organic Farming Association) will
feature a Fall Festival with something for everyone.
There will be the states largest organic farmers
market with educational workshops, childrens
entertainment, sustainable craft vendors, great live
music, and of course the freshest, tastiest organic
food to be found.
Workshops include Growing Garlic, Purchasing
Produce for the Winter, Organic Land Care, Making
and Using Compost, Raising Chickens, Organic
Land Care for the Fall, Saving Seeds, Raising
Mushrooms, Growing Gourds and four popular
Weed Walks.
As always at Taste! Organic Connecticut, freshness
is measured in hours. The menu at the Willimantic
Food Coop Tent, prepared by Chef Mariah
Bechtold, features the fnest organic vegetables
prepared in delicious ways. Dessert features fresh
fruit cobblers from Sweet Sage Bakery.
Check the website, www.ctnofa.org for the menu,
list and schedule of musicians, times of workshops
and directions.
Mark your calendars today for September 10
th
, and
join in the fun at Topmost Herb Farm, 244 North
School Road, Coventry, CT. Admission is $5 per
person for everyone between 12 and 80 years old,
and includes parking, workshops and music. For
more information, contact 203-888-5146 or visit
www.ctnofa.org. No pets, please.
Organic Growers Announce Fifth Annual Taste! Organic Connecticut
Photo by Bill Duesing
Marylou Amenta and Suzanne Duesing serve up samples of freshly made salsa and pesto at
Taste! Organic Connecticut.
Photo by Bill Duesing
The organic farmers market, great music, delicious food, childrens activities and
educational workshops at Taste! Organic Connecticut draw over 1,000 people to Topmost
Herb Farm in Coventry, CT on the Sunday after Labor Day.
Wisdom of the Herbs
April to November Certification Program
Foundations of Herbalism
May, June and July
Taught by Annie McCleary with George Lisi
~ Nature Adventures
~ Plant-Spirit Communication
~ Wild Edibles ~ Make Herbal Remedies
Lincoln, Vermont
802-453-6764 anniemc@gmavt.net
www.WisdomOfTheHerbsSchool.com
Many Hands Organic Farm
Julie Rawson, Jack & Dan Kittredge
411 Sheldon Rd., Barre, MA 01005 (978) 355-2853
www.mhof.net, farm@mhof.net

CSA shares available
Organic, Free-range Poultry & Pork
Certifed by Baystate Organic Certifers
One-day course designed
for landscapers and
municipal employees
by Kathy Litchfeld
The NOFA Organic Land Care Program is growing!
With 215 NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care
Professionals working hard in their communities
in nine different states, the word is spreading
quickly that Organic Land Care is widely respected
and increasingly popular. The Wall Street Journal
recently featured organic lawn care in its weekend
edition.
Consumers are demanding less- and non-
toxic playgrounds, town parks and backyards.
Universities nationwide are publishing books and
fact sheets with resources for pesticide-free lawns
and gardens. States including Connecticut, and
many towns throughout New England are passing
laws banning the use of toxic chemicals on public
properties.
Furthering its mission of education and outreach
in organic land care, the NOFA Organic Land Care
Program will offer the NOFA Organic Lawn & Turf
Course for the frst time in two states on August
15, 2006 at the Wilbur Cross High School in New
Haven, CT and on August 17 at the South Shore
Vocational Technical High School in Hanover, MA.
This one-day course was held in Manchester, CT
last year to an audience topping 150.
The course is designed for professional landscapers
and municipal employees, as well as being suitable
for garden and environmental center staff, landscape
designers, community activists, homeowners,
and anyone interested in learning specifc organic
methods of caring for lawns and turf.

It will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in both
locations and will include separate lawn and turf
tracks in the afternoons, giving participants a
choice of what theyd like to focus on in-depth. The
morning sessions will include Why Organic?, Site
Analysis, Soil Fertility, Soil Amendments, Compost
and Compost Tea, Cultural Practices and Pests,
Weeds, Diseases and Insects.
Participants will learn how to grow organic lawn
and turf that looks good and survives stress; why the
demand for organic lawn and turf care is increasing;
how to transition from conventional to organic
management; how to use this knowledge to make
a proft in a rapidly expanding market; as well as
ways to educate and communicate with clients about
organic land management methods.
Course speakers, who are scientists, experts and
professionals in the feld of organic land care include:
Thomas Akin Thomas Akin, an agronomist with the USDAs
Natural Resources Conservation Service in
Amherst, MA
Donald Bishop Donald Bishop, owner of Gardens Are . . . in
Marlborough, MA
Todd Harrington Todd Harrington, owner of Harringtons
Organicare and Sustainable Growth in
Bloomfeld, CT
Michael Murray Michael Murray, owner of Organic Soil
Solutions in Woburn, MA
Michael Nadeau, Michael Nadeau, owner of Plantscapes, Inc. in
Fairfeld, CT
Chip Osborne Chip Osborne, co-founder of the Living Lawn
Project in Marblehead, MA
Kimberly Stoner Kimberly Stoner, Ph.D., an entomologist with
the CT Agricultural Experiment Station in New
Haven, CT
The course will offer four re-accreditation credits for
NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professionals
(AOLCPs), as well as pesticide applicator credit
hours in both Connecticut (6.5) and Massachusetts
(TBA).
The course costs $145 for the frst person from a
frm or town and $120 for each additional person.
It includes coffee, the handbook, course speaker
handouts and a local, organic lunch. Register
by visiting www.organiclandcare.net or call Bill
Duesing, CT NOFA Executive Coordinator, at
(203) 88-5146 (email: bduesing@cs.com) or
Kathy Litchfeld, NOFA/Mass Organic Land
Care Coordinator, at (978) 724-0108 (email:
kathylitch29@yahoo.com).

The NOFA Organic Land Care committee will
publish a comprehensive handbook on managing
Organic Lawns & Turf, funded by the Community
Foundation for Greater New Havens Quinnipiac
River Fund. The handbook will become the course
manual.
Founded in 2000, the NOFA Organic Land Care
Program extends the vision and principles of organic
agriculture to the care of the landscapes where most
people carry out their daily lives. Organic land care
uses appropriate methods and materials to promote
plant health and uses no synthetic pesticides or soil
amendments. A healthy soil contains billions of
organisms, from earthworms to microscopic bacteria.
Such a balanced ecosystem is necessary for a healthy
landscape. Healthy soils yield plants that are disease-
resistant, negating the need for chemical pesticides.
Organic land care prohibits the use of soluble,
synthetic fertilizers and toxic pesticides. Experience
has shown that organic land care methods work well
and can be less expensive in the long run.
NOFA 5-Day Accreditation Course
in Organic Land Care
The annual NOFA fve-day Course in Organic Land
Care will be held in Massachusetts on January
9, 10, 11, 16 & 17, 2007 (location TBA) and in
Connecticut on Jan. 31, Feb. 1, 2, 5 & 6, 2007 at
the CT Agricultural Experiment Station in New
Haven, CT. This course features 18 speakers
covering a wide variety of topics and utilizes an
intensive curriculum based on the Standards for
Organic Land Care: Practices for Design and
Maintenance of Ecological Landscapes. These
Standards, developed by NOFAs Organic Land
Care committee, were frst published in 2001 and
are the frst of their kind in the country.
The NOFA Organic Land Care committee also
publishes the Citizens Guide to Organic Land Care,
designed for homeowners; and the NOFA Guide to
Organic Land Care. Updated annually, this guide
promotes NOFAs community of Accredited Organic
Land Care Professionals and includes many helpful
articles for those considering hiring an organic
landscaper or designer to work on their property.
For more info, visit www.organiclandcare.net!
NOFA Organic Lawn & Turf Course to be
held August 15
th
in New Haven, CT
and August 17
th
in Hanover, MA
3 Days on Our Diversified, 3 Days on Our Diversified, 3 Days on Our Diversified, 3 Days on Our Diversified, 3 Days on Our Diversified,
Horse Powered Family Farm Horse Powered Family Farm Horse Powered Family Farm Horse Powered Family Farm Horse Powered Family Farm
Small Classes & Home Grown Meals Small Classes & Home Grown Meals Small Classes & Home Grown Meals Small Classes & Home Grown Meals Small Classes & Home Grown Meals
Draft Horse Workshops Draft Horse Workshops Draft Horse Workshops Draft Horse Workshops Draft Horse Workshops
Horse Training
Draft Horses I & II
Women & Draft Horses
Farming with Draft Horses
Jay & Janet Bailey Family
www.fairwindsfarm.org
511 Upr Dummerston Rd.
Brattleboro, VT 05301
802-254-9067
Connecticut
CT NOFA Offce: P O Box 164, Stevenson, CT
06491, phone (203) 888-5146, FAX (203) 888-9280,
Email: ctnofa@ctnofa.org, website: www.ctnofa.org
President: James Roby , P.O Box 191, 1667 Orchard
Road, Berlin, CT 06037, 860-828-5548, 860-881-
8031 (C), jroby7088@sbcglobal.net
Vice President:
Vice President: Dr, Kimberly A. Stoner, 498 Oak
Ave. #27, Cheshire, CT 06410-3021, (203) 271-
1732 (home), 203-974-8480 (w), Email: kastoner@
juno.com (h), kimberly.stoner@po.state.ct.us (w)
Treasurer: Ron Capozzi, 69R Meetinghouse Hill
Rd., Durham, CT 06422-2808, (860) 349-1417,
ronsraspberries@hotmail.com
Secretary: Chris Killheffer, 97 Linden Street, New
Haven, CT 06511-2424, 203-787-0072, Christopher.
killheffer@yale.edu
Farmers Pledge and Guide Coordinator: Lynn Caley,
593 Old Post Rd, Tolland, CT 06084, 860-872-1755,
momocaley@yahoo.com
Newsletter Editor: Erica Myers-Russo, 9 Stetson
Road, Griswold, CT 06351-8931. Erica@emrusso.
com, 860-237-0085
Conference Coordinator and OLC Guide Editor:
Jennifer Brown , 267A Spruce Dr., Great
Barrington, MA 01230, 203-725-7502, jennifer@
ctnofa.org
Executive Coordinator: Bill Duesing, Box 164,
Stevenson, CT 06491, 203-888-5146, 203 888-9280
(fax), bduesing@cs.com
Offce Manager: Janet Cunningham, 53 Pines
Bridge Road
Oxford, CT 06478-1414, 203-605-1750 (c), janet@
ctnofa.org
Massachusetts
President: Frank Albani Jr., 17 Vinal Avenue,
Plymouth, MA 02360, (508) 224-3088, email:
plymouthrockmusic@msn.com
Vice President: Sharon Gensler, 87b Bullard Pasture
Rd. Wendell, MA 01379, (978) 544-6347, email:
wildbrowse@yahoo.com
Secretary: Leslie Chaison, 84 Lockes Village
Rd. Wendell, MA 01379, (978) 544-2590, email:
lesliechaison@hotmail.com
Treasurer and Executive Director: Julie Rawson,
411 Sheldon Rd., Barre, MA 01005 (978) 355-2853,
Fax: (978) 355-4046, Email: Julie@nofamass.org
Administrative Coordinator: Kathleen Geary,
411 Sheldon Rd, Barre, MA 01005 (Mondays
& Thursdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm), email: info@
nofamass.org
Webmaster: David Pontius: 68 Elm Street,
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370 (413) 625-0118; Email:
webmaster@nofa.org
Baystate Organic Certifers Administrator: Don
Franczyk, 683 River St., Winchendon, MA 01475,
(978) 297- 4171, Email: dfranczyk@starpower.net
Extension Educator: Ed Stockman, 131 Summit St.
Plainfeld, MA 01070, (413) 634- 5024, stockman@
bcn.net
Newsletter Editor: Jonathan von Ranson, 6 Lockes
Village Rd., Wendell, MA 01379, (978) 544-3758,
Email: Commonfarm@crocker.com
Website: www.nofamass.org Email: nofa@
nofamass.org
NOFA Contact People
New Hampshire
Vice President: Ed Bowser, 129 Kearsarge Mtn. Rd.,
Warner, NH 03278 (603) 456-3404, edbowser@tds.
net
Vice President: Dennis Eaton, PhD, Acworth Village
Gardens, 22 Charlestown Road, Acworth, NH
03601, (603) 835-7986, dwe7@sover.net
Vice President: Joan OConnor, PO Box 387,
Henniker, NH 03242, (603) 428-3530, joconnornh@
yahoo.com
Treasurer: Paul Mercier, Jr., 39 Cambridge Drive,
Canterbury, NH 03224, (603) 783-0036, pjm@
mercier-group.com
Secretary, Barbara Sullivan, 72 Gilford Ave.,
Laconia, NH 03246, (603) 524-1285, borksullivan@
earthlink.net
Program & Membership Coordinator: Elizabeth
Obelenus, NOFA/NH Offce, 4 Park St., Suite 208,
Concord, NH 03301, (603) 224-5022, nofanh@
innevi.com
Newsletter: Maria Erb, 91 Old Wilton Rd., Mont
Vernon, NH 03057, (603) 672-2936, maria@
erbfarm.com
Organic Certifcation: Vickie Smith, NHDA Bureau
of Markets, Caller Box 2042, Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-3685, vsmith@agr.state.nh.us
Website: www.nofanh.org,
New Jersey
President: Donna Drewes, 26 Samuel Dr.,
Flemington, NJ 08822, 908-782-2443, drewes@
tcnj.edu
Vice President: Stephanie Harris, 163 Hopewell-
Wertsville Rd., Hopewell, NJ 08525, (609) 466-
0194, r.harris58@verizon.net
Treasurer: William D. Bridgers, c/o Zon Partners, 5
Vaughn Dr., Suite 104, Princeton, NJ 08540, (609)
452-1653, billbridgers@zoncapital.com
Secretary: Emily Brown Rosen, 25 Independence
Way, Titusville, NJ 08560, 609-737-8630
Newsletter Editor: Mikey Azzara, PO Box 886,
Pennington, NJ 08534-0886, (609) 737-6848, fax:
(609) 737-2366, Email: mazzara@nofanj.org
Executive Director: Karen Anderson, 60 S. Main
St., PO Box 886, Pennington, NJ 08534-0886, (609)
737-6848, fax: (609) 737-2366, Email: nofainfo@
nofanj.org
Certifcation Administrator: Erich V. Bremer, c/o
NJ Dept. of Agriculture, PO Box 330, Trenton, NJ
08625, (609) 984-2225 erich.bremer@ag.state.nj.us
website: www.nofanj.org
New York
President: Scott Chaskey, Quail Hill Farm, PO
Box 1268, Amagansett, NY 11930-1268, H
(631) 725-9228 W (631) 267-8942, schaskey@
peconiclandtrust.org
Vice President: Richard deGraff, Grindstone Farm,
780 County Rte 28, Pulaski, NY 13142, (315) 298-
4139, gsforganic@aol.com
Secretary: Annette Hogan, 526 State Rte 91, Tully,
NY 13159-3288, 315-696-0231, annette.hogan@
worldnet.att.net
Treasurer: Alton Earnhart, 1408 Clove Valley Rd.,
Hopewell Junction, NY12533, (845) 724-4592,
altone@attglobal.net
Executive Director: Sarah Johnston, 591 Lansing
Rd., Fultonville, NY 12072-2628, (518) 922-7937,
fax: (518) 922-7646, sarahjohnston@nofany.org
Offce Manager: Mayra Richter, PO Box 880,
Cobleskill, NY 12043-0880, (607) 652-NOFA, fax:
(607) 652-2290, offce@nofany.org
NOFA-NY Certifed Organic, LLC, 840 Front
Street, Binghamton, NY 13905, (607) 724-9851,
fax: (607) 724-9853, certifedorganic@nofany.org
Organic Seed Partnership (OSP) Project
Coordinator: Elizabeth Dyck, Crimson Farm, 1124
County Rd 38, Bainbridge, NY 13733-3360, (607)
895-6913, organicseed@nofany.org
Organic Dairy Transitions Project Co-Project
Manager: Kate Mendenhall, 14 Menlo Pl,
Rochester, NY 14620-2718, (585) 271-1979, kate.
organicdairy@nofany.org
Organic Dairy Transitions Project Co-Project
Manager: Bethany Russell, PO Box 874, Mexico,
NY 13114-0874, (315) 806-1180, bethany.
Organic Dairy Transitions Project Dairy Technician:
Robert Perry, Maple Slope Farm, 5557 NYS
41, Homer, NY 13077, (607) 749-3884, robert.
Newsletter Editor: Aissa ONeil, Betty Acres
Organic Farm, 21529 State Highway 28, Delhi, NY
13753, (607) 746-9581, newsletter@nofany.org
website: www.nofany.org
Rhode Island
President: Fritz Vohr, In the Woods Farm, 51
Edwards Lane, Charlestown, RI 02813 (401) 364-
0050, fritzvohr1@verizon.net
Secretary: Jeanne Chapman, 25 Yates Ave.,
Coventry, RI 02816 (401) 828-3229, alfalfac@
mindspring.com
Bookkeeper/Membership Coordinator: Peggy Conti,
Brookside Apartments, Apt. #8, Charlestown, RI
02813, (401) 364-3426, PeggyConti@aol.com
NOFA/RI : 51 Edwards Lane, Charlestown, RI
02813, Fax (401) 364-7557, nofari@ids.net, www.
nofari.org
Vermont
NOFA-VT Offce, P. O. Box 697, Bridge St.,
Richmond, VT 05477 (802) 434-4122, Fax: (802)
434-4154, website: www.nofavt.org, info@nofavt.
org
Executive Director: Enid Wonnacott, elila@sover.
net
NOFA Financial Manager: Kirsten Novak Bower,
kbower@gmavt.net
Winter Conference & Summer Workshops
Coordinator: Olga Boshart, olga@madriver.com
VOF Administrator & Apprentice Program
Coordinator: Nicole Dehne, nicdehne@hotmail.com
Bulk Order Coordinator & VOF Certifcation
Assistant: Cheryl Bruce, Cheryl2643@aol.com
Dairy and Livestock Advisor: Willie Gibson,
wgibson@thelifeline.net
Offce Manager: Kim Cleary, info@nofavt.org
Ag Education & VT FEED Coordinator: Abbie
Nelson, abbienelson@aol.com
Calendar
Saturday, June 10: A Sustainability Living Tour
at two homesteads/farms in Ashfeld, MA for more
info: seedpotato@yahoo.com or 781-894-4358
Saturday, June 17: Grazing School, Fairfeld
Vermont. for more info: 802-933-6965 or sarahf@
globalnetisp.net
Saturday, June 24: Workshop on Growing Organic
Strawberries with Mike Raymond at Lands Sake,
Weston, MA. for more info: seedpotato@yahoo.com
or 781-894-4358
Sunday, June 25: CT NOFA Organic 3-Farm Tour,
Voluntown and Stonington, CT. for more info:
for more info: Bill Duesing (203) 888-5146 or
bduesing@cs.com
Saturday, July 8: Foraging for Wild Edibles with
Russ Cohen at Hampshire College, Amherst, MA.
for more info: seedpotato@yahoo.com or 781-894-
4358
Saturday, July 15: Workshop on Using Draft
Horses with Dale Perkins at Overlook Farm,
Rutland, MA. for more info: seedpotato@yahoo.
com or 781-894-4358

Sunday, July 16: Tour of Codman Community
Farm focusing on Haying and Compost-making
with Ray and Harriette Adamson at Codman
Community Farm, Lincoln, MA. for more info:
seedpotato@yahoo.com or 781-894-4358
Wednesday, July 19 - Sunday, July 23:
Foundations of Herbal Healing course with Nancy
& Michael Phillips, Groveton, NH, for more info:
www.HerbsAndApples.com
Saturday, July 22: Workshop on Organic Free
Range Chickens for Eggs and Meat with Jack
and Dan Kittredge and Julie Rawson at Many
Hands Organic Farm, Barre, MA. for more info:
seedpotato@yahoo.com or 781-894-4358
Saturday & Sunday, July 29, 3: Workshop on
Strawbale Construction with Deva Racusen in
Greenfeld, MA. for more info: seedpotato@yahoo.
com or 781-894-4358
Thursday, August 10 Friday, August 11: NOFA
Pre-Conference on Food and Farming Education,
NOAP Meeting, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA.
For more info: 978-355-2853 or www.nofamass.
org/conferences/s2006/2006/preconference.php
You may join NOFA by joining one of the seven
state chapters. Contact the person listed below for
your state. Dues, which help pay for the important
work of the organization, vary from chapter to
chapter. Unless noted, membership includes a
subscription to The Natural Farmer.
Give a NOFA Membership! Send dues for a friend
or relative to his or her state chapter and give a
membership in one of the most active grassroots
organizations in the state.
Connecticut: Individual $35, Family $50, Business/
Institution $100, Supporting $150, Student/Senior
$25
Contact: CT NOFA, Box 164, Stevenson, CT 06491,
(203)- 888-5146, or email: ctnofa@ctnofa.org or
join on the web at www.ctnofa.org
Massachusetts: Individual $30, Family $40.
Supporting $100, Low-Income $20
Contact: Membership, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre,
MA 01005, (978) 355-2853, or email: info@
nofamass.org
New Hampshire: Individual: $30, Student: $23,
Family: $40, Sponsor: $100, Basic $20*
Contact: Elizabeth Obelenus, 4 Park St., Suite 208,
Concord, NH 03301, (603) 224-5022, nofanh@
innevi.com
New Jersey: Individual $35, Family/Organizational
$50, Business/Organization $100, Low Income:
$15*
Contact: P O Box 886, Pennington, NJ 08534-0886,
(609) 737-6848 or join at www.nofanj.org
New York*: Student/Senior/Limited Income
$15, Individual $30, Family/Farm/Nonproft
Organization $40, Business/Patron $100. Add $10 to
above membership rates to include subscription to
The Natural Farmer.
Contact: Mayra Richter, NOFA-NY, P O Box 880,
Cobleskill, NY 12043, Voice (607) 652-6632, Fax:
(607) 652-2290, email: offce@nofany.org www.
nofany.org
Rhode Island: Student/Senior: $20, Individual: $25,
Family $35, Business $50
Contact: Membership, NOFA RI, 51 Edwards Lane,
Charlestown, RI 02813 (401) 7557, fritzvohr1@
verizon.net
Vermont: Individual $30, Farm/Family $40,
Business $50, Sponsor $100, Sustainer $250, Basic
$15-25*
Contact: NOFA-VT, PO Box 697, Richmond, VT
05477, (802) 434-4122, info@nofavt.org
*does not include a subscription to The Natural
Farmer
NOFA Membership
Friday, August 11 Sunday, August 13: NOFA
Summer Conference, Hampshire College, Amherst,
MA. For more info: 978-355-2853 or www.
nofamass.org/conferences/s2006/index.php
Tuesday, August 15, 2006: NOFA Organic Lawn &
Turf Course, Wilbur Cross High Sch in New Haven,
CT. for more info: Bill Duesing (203) 888-5146 or
bduesing@cs.com or www.organiclandcare.net
Thursday, August 17, 2006: NOFA Organic Lawn
& Turf Course, South Shore Regional Vo/Tech
High School in Hanover, MA. for more info: Kathy
Litchfeld at (978) 724-0108 or kathylitch29@
yahoo.com or www.organiclandcare.net
Friday, August 18- Sunday, August 2:
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Associations
National Conference, Hawthorne Valley Farm,
Ghent, New York. for more info: 888-516-7797,
biodynamic@aol.com or www.biodynamics.com
Saturday, September 1,2006 Sunday, June 24,
2007: Part Time Training In Biodynamics by The
Pfeiffer Center in Chestnut Ridge NY. for more info:
Carol Rosenberg, (845) 352 5020 ext 20 or e-mail
info@pfeiffercenter.org
Saturday, September 16 and Sunday, September
17: 8th Annual North Quabbin Garlic and Arts
Festival, Forsters Farm, Orange, MA. for more
info: (978) 544-9023, deb@seedsofsolidarity.org, or
www.garlicandarts.org
Saturday, September 30: Preserving the Harvest
workshop at Many Hands Organic Farm, Barre,
MA, for more info: www.mhof.net, farm@mhof.net
or 978-355-2853
Saturday, October 28: Workshop on Teaching for
Change, Farming for Proft at Seeds of Solidarity
Farm, Orange, MA. for more info: seedpotato@
yahoo.com or 781-894-4358
Sunday, October 29: Garlic workshop at Many
Hands Organic Farm, Barre, MA, for more info:
www.mhof.net, farm@mhof.net or 978-355-2853
January 9, 1, 11, 16 & 17, 27: 6th annual
NOFA Course in Organic Land Care, Leominster,
MA. for more info: Kathy Litchfeld at (978)
724-0108 or kathylitch29@yahoo.com or www.
organiclandcare.net
January 31, Feb. 1, 2, 5 & 6, 27: 6th annual
NOFA Course in Organic Land Care, New Haven,
CT. for more info: Bill Duesing (203) 888-5146 or
bduesing@cs.com or www.organiclandcare.net
NOFA Interstate
Council
* indicates voting representative
* Bill Duesing, Staff, Box 135, Stevenson, CT,
06491, (203) 888-5146, fax, (203) 888- 9280,
bduesing@cs.com
Kimberly A. Stoner, 498 Oak Ave. #27, Cheshire,
CT 06410-3021, (203) 271-1732 (home), Email:
kastoner@juno.com
* Mary Blake, Secretary, P O Box 52 Charlton
Depot, MA 01509 (508)-248-5496 email: blakem_
2001@msn.com
* Ron Maribett, 269 Elm St., Kingston, MA 02364,
(781) 585-9670, ron_maribett@hotmail.com
* Barbara Sullivan, 72 Gilford Ave., Laconia, NH
03246, (603) 524-1285, borksullivan@earthlink.net
Elizabeth Obelenus, 22 Keyser Road, Meredith. NH
03253, (603) 279-6146, nofanh@innevi.com
* Karen Anderson, PO Box 886, Pennington, NJ
08534, (609) 737-6848, kanderson@nofanj.org
* Steve Gilman, Ruckytucks Farm, 130 Ruckytucks
Road, Stillwater, NY 12170 (518) 583-4613,
sgilman@netheaven.com
* Vince Cirasole, Sunshine Farm, 745 Great Neck
Rd, Copiague, NY 11726, (631) 789-8231, vince@
sunshinefarm.biz
Sarah Johnston, 591 Lansing Rd. #A, Fultonville,
NY 12072-2630, (518) 922-7937, fax: (518) 922-
7646, sarahjohnston@nofany.org
Elizabeth Henderson, 2218 Welcher Rd.,
Newark, NY 14513 (315) 331-9029 ehendrsn@
redsuspenders.com
* Fritz Vohr, In the Woods Farm, 51 Edwards Lane,
Charlestown,RI 02813 (401) 364-0050, fritzvohr1@
verizon.net
* Abbie Barber, 1411 Shannock Rd., Charlestown,
RI 02813-3726 (401) 364-7140 abbie_s_normal@
hotmail.com
* Enid Wonnacott, 478 Salvas Rd., Huntington, VT
05462 (802) 434-4435 elila@sover.net
Kirsten Novak Bower, 65 Wortheim Ln., Richmond,
VT 05477 (802) 434-5420, kbower@juno.com
Kay Magilavy, Virtual Rep, 212 18th St., Union
City, NJ 07087, (201) 863-1741

Brian Schroeher, Webmaster, 21 Tamarack Court,
Newtown, PA 18940, (215) 825-2140, cell (908)
268-7059, Email: webmaster@nofa.org
Jack Kittredge and Julie Rawson, The Natural
Farmer, NOFA Summer Conference, 411 Sheldon
Rd., Barre, MA 01005 (978) 355-2853, Jack@mhof.
net, Julie@nofamass.org
Torrey Reade, Treasurer, Credit Card Support, 723
Hammersville-Canton Rd., Salem, NJ 08079, 856-
935-3612, neptune@waterw.com
Interstate
Certifcation Contacts
Nicole Dehne, nicdehne@hotmail.com
Carol King & Lisa Engelbert, 840 Front Street,
Binghamton, NY 13905, (607) 724-9851, fax:
(607)724-9853, certifedorganic@nofany.org
Erich V. Bremer, c/o NJ Dept. of Agriculture, PO
Box 330, Trenton, NJ 08625, (609) 984-2225 erich.
bremer@ag.state.nj.us
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Summer 2006 Natural Farmer

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Summer, 2006 Vol. 2, No.

69 Publication of the Northeast Organic Farming Association 1077-2294

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