Subject: Re: Regs Proposed to Restrict Beneficials

From: [email-masked] ()
Date: 8 Mar 1995 16:12:30 GMT

The USDA is really starting to scare a lot of organic farmers. I don't think
they are on our side and in fact they seem to be trying to destroy us. 
They seem to be redefining organic all wrong and taking away all our
tools.  I have been using microorganisms and benificial insects for years
and have always thought organic means useing no systhics. I don't think
there is anything we can do about this. (can't fight city hall) For years
they have been saying that organic farming is no different than
conventional farming and now they are making that a reallity and in fact a
law..
  Just when I thought the tide was turning to a more sustaniable ag.
I don't know much about tecnical stuff but some how I feel we are really
taking a beating. There is a mite out here in Cal. thats eating avocados
and only a benificials insect mite can stop it.  Under the new rules I
don't think we would have that one.  Also I remember when we had a white
fly problem and had to bring in a binificial insects to help out. Do we
have to kiss that kind of stuff good-by.  Seems like they are cutting off
their nose to spite their face.  I was hopeing to see more research into
these products and feel this will cause less.  The people that do this
kind of research are not multi-million $ chemicals companys and they
cannot aford the fees that will be required to help us organic farmers.

Other countrys seem to be moving more to benificials helpers where here in
the USof A we are calling them pests and killing off the good people
working on these products.  Seems like the USDA hates the good things that
I like.  Darn!  If a farmer brings in organisms to help him out its
because they are not there already.  Why would you pay to bring in
something thats all ready there?  If it was established you would not need
it. This must be the age of permits. You need a permit to farm organic and
use helpful organisems now after over 6000 years.  How did we get along
all those years with out the help of the USDA? Who do I talk to at the
USDA for my cats? They eat rats do I have to have a permit for her. She is
a organism I had to introduce here. 
 On Tue, 7 Mar 1995, Kathy Brunetti wrote:  > Regarding USDA APHIS 7 CFR
PArt 335 Plant Pests: Introduciton of > Nonindigenous Organisms: Proposed
Rule:  At a hearing in Sacramento today, > ihe USDA indicated that they
may be extending the comment period on this > proposed rule for 45 days
until May 12.  This proposal describes > nonindigenous as being any
organism proposed for introduction, movement, or > release in "any area of
the United States beyond its established range."  > Permits will be
required for movement and relase of these organisms.  The > proposed rule
covers many organisms that are not traditionally considered > plant pests
such as insect parasites and predators, microbial pesticides > and
microbial constituents of composts and soil amendments. The rule could >
be of interest to anyone who raises, manufactures, sells, distributes, >
researches or is an end user of any of these products.  The full text of >
the regulations is available at >
gopher://hal.aphis.ag.gov:70/11/AI.d/AR.d/PRNOFC.d > Kathy Brunetti,
Agriculture Program Supervisor> > > > Department of Pesticide Regulation
1020 N Street Room 161 Sacramento CA 95814 > voice (916) 324-4100 FAX
(916) 324-4088 [email-masked]

 Sal Schettino,Organic
Farmer,don't panic eat organic,[email-masked] > > > or check out my
homepage:  http://www.rain.org/~sals/my.html .