Subject: Fw: Re: Question on certification of organic by-products
From: "Bill Robinson" <roseguy@flash.net>
Organization: none
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 06:11:25 -0800
Message-ID: <MOD$971126.381@rec.gardens.ecosystems>


I am forwarding the following post as a matter of
general interest on the National Standard.

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Diver
To: WASTENOT@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Date: Tuesday, November 25, 1997 10:46 PM
Subject: Re: Question on certification of organic by-products

>USDA is not doing that.
>
>However, the USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service is the wing
>implementing the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, in case
>you want to contact somebody in Washington, D.C. who can address
>the organic program.
>
>Check out the USDA-AMS Organics web page at:
>http://www.ams.usda.gov/tmd/organic.htm
>
>USDA-AMS Information Staff at 202-720-8998.
>
>There is, however, a big effort underway by Organic Materials
>Research Institute, or OMRI, to evaluate organic fertilizers and
>pesticide products. They work directly with manufacturers to
>authenticate approved materials. They supply an approved list to
>third-party agencies (such as CCOF, Oregon Tilth, OCIA, etc) that
>work directly with organic farmers .
>
>Organic Materials Research Institute
>PO Box 11558
>Eugene, OR 97440-3758
>541-343-7600
>541-343-8971 Fax
>omri@efn.org
>Contact: Brian Baker
>
>Steve Diver
>ATTRA
>
>
>> We are working on a project that is evaluating the agricultural
significance
>> of ash generated from gasification of alfalfa stems.
>>
>> The gasification of alfalfa stems at high pressure generates energy that can
>> be used by power plants to generate electricity. The ash produced as a
>> byproduct of gasification has about %2 P2O5 and %12 K2O. We are currently
>> doing a greenhouse to evaluate the potential of the ash as a fertilizer.
>>
>> We are looking into the possibility of cerifying this as an organic
>> fertilizer since it is generated from alfalfa plants. I was wondering if
>> anybody on the list has any idea on whether the United States Department of
>> Agriculture has a certification program for organic fertilizers ? If any
>> body has the name and or phone # of any contact person or agency within USDA
>> , I will appreciate the info. Thanks.
>>
>>
>> M. Mozaffari
>> _________________________________________________
>> Dr. Morteza Mozaffari
>> Research Fellow
>> Department of Soil, Water, and Climate
>> 439 Borlaug Hall
>> University of Minnesota
>> 1991 Upper Buford Circle
>> St. Paul, MN 55118
>> Phone: (612) 625-1977
>> Fax: (612) 624-2218
>> E-mail: mozaffar@soils.umn.edu
>
>
>--
>steved@ncatark.uark.edu
>