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Re: Sustainable Spuds
Marc Safley wrote:
>
> The recent and ongoing potato discussion brings several questions to
> mind:
>
> 1. Could the Irish potato farmers controlled the blight if they had rotated
> their crops with barley or oats or some other Gramineae?
>
> 2. If organic agriculture grew out of a reaction to the increased use of
> agricultural chemicals in production systems, why can the description of
> "organic" be applied to any system that relies on non-synthetic inputs?
>
Why not? Most of the commercial fertilizers are just a concentrated form
and/or a more uniform form. Increasing production by organic material is
really just robbing Peter to pay Paul. Using the organic material raised on the
site is just recyling not fertilizing.
> 3. Wasn't the Irish potato famine really an example of unsustainable
> organic agriculture?
> Very true. Also unsustainable economic and population models.
> 4. Wouldn't Bill Duesing make a great neighbor? I think so.
>
Agree.
> Marc Safley
> marc.safley@usda.gov
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