I'm really into food these days.
I'm following this GMO/evil Monsanto situation like a hawk (and I'm ready to move up the road to VT).
I'm mad as a lion at my Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, among others, who are supporting evil Monsanto. I voted for you and you've failed me!
A few years ago I was talking to my dad (I think...or someone in my family...) and mentioned something being organic. And he said that when he was a kid, he never heard that term used. After a moment, we realized that was because all food was organic. There was no need to distinguish organic vs. chemical laden.
Now I do not eat all organic or all local. Maybe one day I will be there. But that's just not realistic for me at this point. It's a dream and a goal, though!
But I read a lot about food. And think a lot about food. And dream about growing a lot of food.
And I was thinking the other day about how many smaller farms (my favorite kind) use organic farming methods but can't legally label themselves as organic because the cost to have the testing done is prohibitive. And how expensive organic products are, in part, because of the expense of acquiring the all important official organic certification.
Why does our country punish organic farmers with added expenses and extra hoops to jump through? Doesn't that seem rather backwards?
So farming organically requires inspections and labels but farming with toxic waste gets a thumbs up? Seems like an incredibly effed up system to me!
What if the government lifted those fines for organic farmers? And instead, they required all farms not meeting the strict criteria to be labeled organic to pay a fine for being non-organic.
Those farms are, after all, saving so much more money by using GMOs and heavy chemicals as methods of farming. Doesn't it make more sense that they should have to bear that burden instead of the farmers avoiding such methods? Might it even encourage some farmers to farm without chemicals and GMO/evil Monsanto products?
Like my famously unpopular suggestion to save the postal system, I am sure this too will fall on deaf ears. But I just can't shake the feeling that America is once again celebrating those who do it wrong and punishing those who do it right. I dub this The Kardashian-syndrome!
Clean food should not cost more! It just shouldn't!
6 comments:
I'm sure it's all deliberate--what better way to poison everyone with who knows what than through the food supply? I know that some people would think I'm sounding like some of the "Doomsday" folk, but I know a bit too much from behind the scenes. You ARE what you eat!
I only scanned this post (because I'm trying to get out of the door for work!) but I really want to send a good reply. I actually have the complete opposite views! I grew up on a row crop farm, so I have been on the other side of it, as well as interned for the pesticide programs at the EPA, and worked with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture on a few separate occasions. Monsanto isn't the only "big dog" who uses GMOs- there are a handful of others, but Monsanto gets thrown out all of the time.
Farmers in general get kicked to the curb no matter if they are organic or conventional. Did you know that if something is labeled organic its not 100% organic? And it doesn't necessarily mean that the crop didn't have fertilizer applied to it at some point.
There is a plus-side to GMOs. My family grows cotton and peanuts and my dad also has a crop consulting business in which he helps farmers decide what pesticides or herbicides the crops need, depending on the types of pests or weeds he finds in the fields. Pests of any kind can completely wipe out a crop for a farming family. Now they make things like round-up ready cotton so that farmers don't have to spray for weeds like they used to. So there is kind of a trade-off. Does that make sense?
Hope you could read my positive voice in my comment, haha! I am always up for talking about this issue and may work on a post myself. I'm also looking for a blogpost I read from someone who shares my views that I would love to share with you!
Hope my comment made some sort of sense because I felt like I rambled haha! Have a good day! :)
Hi Charlotte- I promise I did take your comment in good spirit. Thank you for sharing.
In all I've read, I've yet to find one plus to GMO's so if you want to share the article, I would be very interested to read it. Please do share- here or feel free to email me. I personally think Round UP Ready is really dangerous. But again, I am very willing to read all sides.
My real point though for this post was that I think it's a shame that farmers get punished. I do think the Government needs to be involved but I think the system needs to be turned on its head. I think farmers are stuck between a rock and hard place. But in my utopia, farmers would be rewarded for avoiding toxic chemicals (because if something can kill a weed or a bug...what else can it kill?).
KK
That said...I'm typing this while drinking a Diet Coke. So please don't think I am quite as ideal as my opinions.
Just keeping things honest around here! :)
Haha! It is all so controversial from every side. I was an environmental studies major in college and tried to do a lot of research on the subject since I come from a farming family. Usually I try to take the approach of local rather than organic... I think supporting local farmers is an easy concept and honestly, many of them are organic because they are small family farms. I'd much rather buy local (produce) than organic shipped from California to me in South Carolina-- so many carbon emissions and most likely "factory farms" added into the cost of that food.
Anyway!! I do enjoy getting others opinion and I appreciate your conversation! I'm still looking for the blogpost (I saw it on a friends Facebook page) and will get it to you when I come across it! Enjoy that DC- I am about to indulge in some wine! :-)
I agree it shouldn't cost more. And I am saddened to se both of my senators on the list who voted forit.
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