April 1, 1998

LETTERS

New Organic Regulations Rile Up Farmers

The newly proposed USDA
Organic Farming regulations
have made many organic
farmers angry. After fighting
for years to establish national
standards for organic labeling,
and after achieving this in
1990, farmers are once again
feeling the United States gov-
ernment's ridicule. The farm-
ers had an opportunity to
express their frustration to
USDA representative Grace
Gerchuny at a recent meeting
of the Northwest Organic
Farmers Association (NOFA)
in Vermont. “For years people

like you laughed in my face,
you thought everything | was
doing was ridicu.ous. Now

you're trying to tell ME what's

organic.” The farmers’ con-
cerns center around what they
call the “dirty three.”

1) Genetically engineered

plants and animals are not

banned, as long as they are
raised without offending
chemicals.

2) Municipal sludge is not dis-
allowed as fertilizer.

3) Foods raised organically
and then preserved by irradia-
tion can be called organic.

More ado about the Muckabout

Dear Editor:

| am writing in regards to the
article published on _ the
Muckabout and Singalong.
One theme is common in the
world of reviews; it is be posi-
tive. All current literature on
how to write a review sug-
gests that the reviewer should
assume that those being
reviewed have a_ greater
knowledge base than the
reviewer and that all com-
ments be positive and helpful.

A letter written to “Over The
Edge” in the same publication
addressing the determination
of great art states that “A
gloomy poet is boring.” Well,
Nicole Larson’s article was
not only boring, but it reflected
her obvious lack of knowledge
on art and music.

This is the topic | wish to
address. The inset on page 8

Karaoke

that summarizes the intent of
the new SoundScape column

is to “encompass music and |

it's many talents...with a focus
on Canadian and _ local
artists.” Art rears it’s beautiful
head in many surprising and
shocking fashions, there is no
agenda for art. There is no
formula to follow, it is this
unknown. element that makes
art breathtaking that you must
pause in order to fully grasp
its message. Art is not the
“easily recognizable songs”
as Miss Larson uses twice to
describe the Muckabout, no
offense to Elvis. it is these
new sights and sounds that
challenge our perceptions,
that is art.

| would also like to point out
that these musical illustrations
brought to us by DJ Ruby
Trout were not new to us at
all. In fact, if one was to

There are other significant
problems within the new regu-
lations. Hydroponics growing
is allowed, using nutrient-rich
water instead of soil. This is
an inherent conflict with the
rule of organic farming “don’t
feed the plant, feed the soil.”
Non-organically produced
seeds and planting further

_ stock may be used when an

equivalent organically pro-
duced variety is not available.
Further, “untreated planting
stock is selected IN PREFER-
ENCES to treated planting
stock whenever there is a

expand upon the recognizable —
and try to include the many.

forms of art available in Prince
George, these songs would
not have been unknown,
(again not a bad thing).

Now to my final point which |
will make brief, it deals with
the comparison to a high
school dance. Anyone
besides staff that was there at

high school type hours would

be sure to find a similarity.
Evidence from past
Muckabouts suggesis that the

participants come for fun, frol-

ic and dance, not to talk over
the music. It is a time for min-
gling, singing and general
muckingabout and if you are
not prepared to do that in
whatever order you choose,
perhaps the Munk is for you.

In all sincere encouragement,

Keona Wiley

proudly presented by NUGSS

In the Wintergarden

ON APRIL 1, 1998

AT 9-11PM

In addition to the

..|vocal festivities there

——<—

will be specials on
| both food and drink

choice.” The rules governing
the production of livestock are
similarly flexible.

Livestock themselves, or
their products which are to be
sold as organic shall have
been under organic manage-
ment from birth or hatching, or
shall be the offspring of par-
ents under organic manage-
ment EXCEPT THAT:

Breeder stock: The regula-
tions require that in the case
of a mammal she must be
brought on to a certified facili-
ty prior to the last third of
pregnancy. Dairy stock are
only required to ‘live organi-
cally’ for 12 months prior to
products being sold as organ-
ic. Non-edible live-stock prod-
ucts are only required to be
under organic management
for 90 days prior to the sale of
‘organic’ goods. Perhaps
more disturbing are the
allowances for the refeeding
of animals, the allowance of

Over The Edge Page 5

as much as 20% non-organic
feed, and the acceptance of
raising livestock in tight con-
finement.

It seems to me that many of
these regulations were grown
hydroponically -a few flailing
branches attached to roots
floating in the abyss. Donella
Meadows, a member of
NOFA, is searching for a way
to guarantee that “organic”
means healthy and pure to
consumers. She states how
“devastatingly insulting it is to
think of bioengineered, hydro-
ponically grown, irradiated
food with the label organic on
it.” The regulations are cur-
rently being debated as letters
and phone calls pour in from
angry organic supporters. For
more information:
http:/Awww.ams.usda.gov/nop
/rule.htm

Shelley Milstein
UNBC student

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