is it worth being organically certified?

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is it worth being organically certified?
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is it worth having organic certification

yes

[ 2 ]

90%

[ 20 ]

Total Votes : 22

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Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 11 7:53 pm Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

Cathryn wrote:

Would there be enough for me to collect an occasional box? I cannot see me growing much this year except possibly tomatoes.

Can't see it being a problem. I can add you to the round-robin email that I send out each week.

Great, thank you. I must keep an eye out for peoplegrowing like that around here. We get sacks of carrots, potatoes and swedes. I am sick of carrots and swedes and they smell horrible if they go off.

earthsoul

Joined: 10 Feb 2011
Posts: 320
Location: Ceredigion West Wales

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 11 7:55 pm Post subject:
I would be interested for sure......

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 11 8:03 pm Post subject:

Cathryn wrote:

Mary-Jane wrote:

Cathryn wrote:

Would there be enough for me to collect an occasional box? I cannot see me growing much this year except possibly tomatoes.

Can't see it being a problem. I can add you to the round-robin email that I send out each week.

Great, thank you. I must keep an eye out for peoplegrowing like that around here. We get sacks of carrots, potatoes and swedes. I am sick of carrots and swedes and they smell horrible if they go off.

You should get pigs.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 11 8:05 pm Post subject:
Good plan, so we are, kind of. Neighbours and friends will be having some and we will add one for ourselves.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 11 1:55 pm Post subject:

As I understand it, the word organic is something that The Soil Association control lock stock and barrel. Was there a word organic before they collared it, or was it their original creation?
Whenever I've got an hour to kill, like right now, I often put myself to thinking of another word that might portray a similar ethos when it comes to food production. Needless to say, I'm still giving it some thought.

Am I correct in also thinking that the word free range has been knobbled by the same bunch ?

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 11 1:59 pm Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

Am I correct in also thinking that the word free range has been knobbled by the same bunch ?

No.

Is it DEFRA that regulates what can be called free-range ? (stocking densities / outdoor access etc)

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 11 2:19 pm Post subject:
There are other organic certification bodies, other than SA, too. It may be the US that you're thinking of where, iirc, the government 'own' the word organic.

darkbrowneggs

Joined: 14 Jul 2010
Posts: 663
Location: Worcestershire

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 11 7:02 pm Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

Am I correct in also thinking that the word free range has been knobbled by the same bunch ?

As far as I understood it the word organic was set up for marketing purposes - previously it meant something like

relating or belonging to the class of chemical compounds having a carbon basis; "hydrocarbons are organic compounds"
being or relating to or derived from or having properties characteristic of living organisms; "organic life"; "organic growth"; "organic remains found in rock"
involving or affecting physiology or bodily organs; "an organic disease"

From somewhere deep in my memory they registered the word regarding food produce (I could be wrong on this - so feel free to correct me)

You pay to register and it is basically a commercial enterprise - though probably originally with good intentions.

When I first started keeping sheep I went on a 6 week course - and decided I wasn't interested as the sheep I produced were to a far higher standard

All the best
Sue

bagpuss

Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 10507
Location: cambridge

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 11 9:47 pm Post subject:
The weirdest use of the word organic as a marketting term is organic salt as sodium chloride is an inorganic compound

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9886
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 11 10:48 pm Post subject:

the worst part of the word 'organic' is that people think it means 'chemical free' and it doesn't at all - the SA can give permission to use treatments etc.

I think its a good commercial move if you produce is likely to appear in large supermarkets - otherwise you are probably selling to people who think outside the box.. er i mean supermarket,

for me, when I'm choosing food, theres a 'chemical free' factor in there, but also animal welfare, food miles, eco footprint etc etc

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 11 7:42 am Post subject:
And even chemical free is ambiguous - given all the natural chemicals there are...

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 11 12:28 pm Post subject:
'Non Soil Association Organic' is a bit of a mouthful

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 11 12:36 pm Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

'Non Soil Association Organic' is a bit of a mouthful

'Non Organic Food Federation, Scottish Organic Producers Association, Organic Farmers & Growers Ltd, Ascisco Ltd, Quality Welsh Food Certification Ltd, Organic Trust Limited, Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association, Biodynamic Agricultural Association nor Soil Association Certification Ltd Organic' is even more of a mouthful...

shadiya

Joined: 02 Feb 2008
Posts: 1285

Posted: Sat Apr 09, 11 9:46 pm Post subject:

I am a wwoof host and you don't have to be certified to be one.

It isn't really fair to blame the Soil Association for the way the word organic has been commodified, that'd be the EU. I am no longer certified as the cost is high but to be fair, that's any of the certification bodies, OF & G and the rest. It costs money to send people round the country inspecting people and they know it's a problem for small producers but they can't seem to find a way round it, primarily because the word is now a legal definition and so certain standards have to be adhered to. I have spent enough timne badgering them about it, as have many other small producers but they do have costs and someone has to pay them. The government make the rules and they have to enforce them.... To the best of my knowledge, which isn't up to date as I gave up my licence last January, they don't make a profit on certification fees.

Although there is no doubt that they have jumped into bed with the supermarkets, much to the disgust of many of us small producers, it has to be admitted that they have succeeded in raising the profile of organic food production in a way that would have been unthinkable 15years ago so I think it's worth remembering that. They are a charity, doing their best to spread the word and personally I think they've done a bloody good job, even if it's not a way I myself would personally have chosen. As for their members being middle class, not only is it a sweeping generalisation but even if it is predominantly true, so what? Why do we have to apologise for being middle class? Try saying they mostly have darkies as members and then maybe you might realise that until we stop judging people by things that they can't help, ie birth, the world will never be a better place....

As far as I can see, the only really lasting problem with being middle class is an overwhelming urge to tell people not to have their elbows on the table during meals

but I tell myself that is fairly harmless and I only think it - honest!

dan1

Joined: 23 Jun 2010
Posts: 102
Location: Bristolish

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 11 3:08 pm Post subject:

I don't think there's anything wrong with being middle class. I certainly am.
I do think a food movement that's only achieved impact within the middle class who were the healthiest + most well nourished to begin with must be flawed, however. "Organic" food has become something aspirational and expensive. The rules about its' provenance seem arbitrary and unscientiific and it makes dubious claims about superior taste/nutritional value.
I get fed up as a GP seeing poorer mums being guilt-tripped into buying expensive jars of organic baby food when they could make cheaper healthier food with fresh local produce organic or otherwise. I've seen organic mange-touts flown in from Kenya in the supermarket in the middle of pea season! It all seems a bit dodgy.

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