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Re: Organic Food

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:37 am
by Daniel Quinn
Ignore zebbo, he critices what he perceives as ignorance from a position of admitted ignorance

Re: Organic Food

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 8:58 pm
by CycleCoach
zebbo wrote: Sun Jan 07, 2018 6:09 pm I do love the way some insist that this stuff IS bullshit, or IS a scam like they have evidence. As far as I'm aware, no-one here is an agriculture expert so an opinion is all that can be given. My personal opinion is that it must be better for us to consume produce that hasn't been sprayed or stuffed with Christ-knows what chemicals that nature never intended us to eat. Whether or not the pricing is ridiculous would be down to the individual I guess.
My work means that I have to keep abreast of issues involving health and wellbeing, and my wife works in food safety - so not an expert by any means, but I have taken advice from people who do know what they're talking about.
If you believe that we are eating produce that has been "sprayed or stuffed with .....chemicals that nature never intended" you show that you are swallowing the company line on the this, and you are wrong.
Food has never been safer to eat than it is right now. Never. Regulation and testing is incredibly rigorous and the chances of harmful food is incredibly low.
You can choose to be afraid of "chemicals" and the like if you want but there is no scientific basis for such a belief.

Re: Organic Food

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:10 pm
by guydarryl
I am a chemist (polymer/analytical by training).

I agree with previous post regarding the inability of farming to produce sufficient crops for world population without "artificial" fertilisers - thanks Fritz Haber, (the matter of people in some countries starving while others throw away food past its "best before" is an appalling inditement on governments).

The indiscriminate use of pesticides is a major concern, being a "child of the 60's "silent spring", Rachel Carson has affected my thinking (and resulted in many countries banning DDT - not too bad for us at levels used but cumulative affect in food chains potentially devastating for life on earth).

"Organic" ideas about food production are a necessary counter to indiscriminate spraying of pesticides or growth enhancers on crops - ying and yang?

Use of "therapeutic" antibiotics in animal feeds does seem to have increased the rate of resistance in microbes to antibiotics, this has started to cause major problems for he treatment of disease.

Moderation in all things?

https://youtu.be/P_4yY-i56-I

Re: Organic Food

Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:22 am
by karatestu
Moderation in all things - yes yes yes.

I use as few and as little chemical as possible. Farmers know that putting Glyphosate (round up) on at the recommended rate achieves the best kill of the weed. Putting it on any stronger is a waste of time, costs more money (obviously) and potentially pollutes more. Glyphosate is the safest total weed killer that we have available to us and is even certified for use next to water or in water !

All professional users of pesticides must go through training and achieve certificates in the safe us of them (as regard to themselves, others and the environment). That would be a real eye opener to untrained and home users. I would say that it is the untrained and home user which, on a M2 basis causes the most harm to the environment. They tend to think that slapping it on everywhere at high doses is the way to go - no no no. The home pesticide user does not however produce food for public consumption but they may be producing it for themselves.

I wish artificial fert and pesticides were not needed but it is a sad fact that they are. Add to that the power that big companies producing these chemicals have over governments then you had just better get used to the fact they ain't going away.