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From: Pav <bobhog@pin.co.nz> At 9/07/01 07:54:00, Barry wrote: >Why can't
"organic" mean 100 percent non chemical and drug use?
Let's call I fully agree with organic meaning chemical free, and would not call anything organic that has had ANY treatment put in the hive - not even C--. But there is more under discussion here. Forage areas for example, both pesticide and GM (C!). Queen clipping. Changed combs. Length of time since went organic. And so on. Look at the List of rules for discussion... it goes on and on. A1++ Organic would be 5 yrs
organic with no treatments, clean wax, non-clipped Someone keeping bees without treatment but is 3 miles from pesticide-using crops might only achieve B-. The bottom line for organic is treatment free - this is entry level at which someone may call themselves organic. The rest of it is fine-tuning - still relevant, but less important. If someone can nail every requirement through hard work, good location, good management (and good luck), their produce is arguable 'more organic' than the norm, so why should this not be recognised? Again, this makes it achievable, without watering down. Start at C- no treatments. Next year having changed your combs (if necessary - stay tuned) maybe C. And so on up the ladder as the outfit progresses more and more organic. As compared to having to invest
5 years (more?) making changes (read: incurring the costs of
making those changes) before 1 extra cent comes in for the produce
so -Pav |