how natural are natural soaps?
Some of these brands are also available on this side of the pond, including in Ireland
have a look: clean up
it's more a story of drug categorisations in the US, punks called germs and the purity of their personal hygiene (which is v pure btw!)
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
this article follows on from the recent outline of Suzanne Padel's forthcoming research into organic farmer values, available here
Is money the main motivation for farmers converting to organic today? How do organic farming values differ today from the pioneering days? New research into organic farmers in five different countries finds that the values then and now do indeed differ: this research, however, finds that they are not necessarily any weaker. What about Ireland?
I spoke to two pioneering organic farmers about values. One (Joseph, not his real name) started farming organically in the early 1980s. The other began in the early 1990s; Cait Curran, an organic market gardener. Both pioneers claimed that organic farming values were indeed different, including attitude to money:
Joseph �In the early days it was about nature, animal welfare, harmony and balance: for many also a way of life�and it was certainly about financial survival rather than making money�
Cait: �The health of the soil is the cornerstone of organic practice so that was always a huge concern for organic pioneers�organic producers have lost much of the ethos that defined a way of life as well as a livelihood. A percentage of farmers converted purely for the available money through REPS, but these are the ones who also exited from the scheme when the REPS period ended�.
A recent convert, Ralph Haslan (dairy farming since 1973, certified organic since 2001) did de-emphasis the financial side of it:
Ralph: �Today it�s geared a little bit more towards the commercial, but that�s because there is a market for it now. But it�s not the only issue. They are not making any more money, or much more money, being organic. But they have less stock, less inputs and are getting the same return...to rely on the money end would be a false economy�.
Interestingly, he adds �it is a market-led operation; you have to find your own market. It s not like a co-op coming to you and saying, �we�ll take whatever you have off you��.
Pioneers did feel that organic standards are now weaker and attitudes to organic rules questionable. Both State regulatory bodies and farmers themselves are to blame:
Joseph: �Now it is all about compliance, finding loopholes and getting away with the absolute minimum required by the standards. Derogation is the buzzword�if you make a good case you get, nearly always, what you want. To find ways to prevent or minimise problems are too cumbersome�dosing is easier than working out proper rotations. There is also the idea, in the heads of some people in the Organic Unit, that a further erosion of rules and regulations will bring in more producers�.
Cait: �I feel there has been a softening of standards particularly in relation to livestock production and this will follow for cereal production as well through efforts to raise the levels of production. Conversely, horticultural production has become more regulated.�
It�s not all negative from the pioneers. Joseph claims to notice that many farmers he meets who are considering organics �see clearly the negative sides of conventional farming and have serious doubts about their future in it�. Cait does also suggest that at least some converts also start believing in organic farming once they�ve been farming that way for a while.
Ralph seems to be one of these. I asked him if he thought about the environment before he converted to organic: �no to be honest. We were all, not brainwashed, but led to believe that this (farming with synthetic chemicals) was the way of the future.�
However, by the early 1990s, he was starting to get worried: Before I turned organic, I could see the ground needing more and more chemicals and fertilizer to keep going�. Today on his farm in Offaly, he sees a marked difference: �we�ve more diversity on the farm, there�s more wildlife. We�ve a lot more birds and butterflies, bees, everything. And worms. The amount of earthworms we have on the farm is unbelievable�
Overall then, values do seem different, but not radically so. For many, it may not be the life choice it was. Likewise, state and commercial pressures have their effect. However farmers do also seem to become organic in mind as well as practice in the end.
Is money the main motivation for farmers converting to organic today? How do organic farming values differ today from the pioneering days? New research into organic farmers in five different countries finds that the values then and now do indeed differ: this research, however, finds that they are not necessarily any weaker. What about Ireland?
I spoke to two pioneering organic farmers about values. One (Joseph, not his real name) started farming organically in the early 1980s. The other began in the early 1990s; Cait Curran, an organic market gardener. Both pioneers claimed that organic farming values were indeed different, including attitude to money:
Joseph �In the early days it was about nature, animal welfare, harmony and balance: for many also a way of life�and it was certainly about financial survival rather than making money�
Cait: �The health of the soil is the cornerstone of organic practice so that was always a huge concern for organic pioneers�organic producers have lost much of the ethos that defined a way of life as well as a livelihood. A percentage of farmers converted purely for the available money through REPS, but these are the ones who also exited from the scheme when the REPS period ended�.
A recent convert, Ralph Haslan (dairy farming since 1973, certified organic since 2001) did de-emphasis the financial side of it:
Ralph: �Today it�s geared a little bit more towards the commercial, but that�s because there is a market for it now. But it�s not the only issue. They are not making any more money, or much more money, being organic. But they have less stock, less inputs and are getting the same return...to rely on the money end would be a false economy�.
Interestingly, he adds �it is a market-led operation; you have to find your own market. It s not like a co-op coming to you and saying, �we�ll take whatever you have off you��.
Pioneers did feel that organic standards are now weaker and attitudes to organic rules questionable. Both State regulatory bodies and farmers themselves are to blame:
Joseph: �Now it is all about compliance, finding loopholes and getting away with the absolute minimum required by the standards. Derogation is the buzzword�if you make a good case you get, nearly always, what you want. To find ways to prevent or minimise problems are too cumbersome�dosing is easier than working out proper rotations. There is also the idea, in the heads of some people in the Organic Unit, that a further erosion of rules and regulations will bring in more producers�.
Cait: �I feel there has been a softening of standards particularly in relation to livestock production and this will follow for cereal production as well through efforts to raise the levels of production. Conversely, horticultural production has become more regulated.�
It�s not all negative from the pioneers. Joseph claims to notice that many farmers he meets who are considering organics �see clearly the negative sides of conventional farming and have serious doubts about their future in it�. Cait does also suggest that at least some converts also start believing in organic farming once they�ve been farming that way for a while.
Ralph seems to be one of these. I asked him if he thought about the environment before he converted to organic: �no to be honest. We were all, not brainwashed, but led to believe that this (farming with synthetic chemicals) was the way of the future.�
However, by the early 1990s, he was starting to get worried: Before I turned organic, I could see the ground needing more and more chemicals and fertilizer to keep going�. Today on his farm in Offaly, he sees a marked difference: �we�ve more diversity on the farm, there�s more wildlife. We�ve a lot more birds and butterflies, bees, everything. And worms. The amount of earthworms we have on the farm is unbelievable�
Overall then, values do seem different, but not radically so. For many, it may not be the life choice it was. Likewise, state and commercial pressures have their effect. However farmers do also seem to become organic in mind as well as practice in the end.
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