A reader response from the Hoard's Dairyman Intel item, "Organic certification not keeping pace."
We hear a great deal of discussion about sustainability. Just what that means is like asking, "What is grass-fed beef?"
The true definition should be evaluated from two points of view. One, producer sustainability or what many refer to as profitability. Unless a producer can remain profitable there won't be the long-term availability of organic foods.
Secondly, and this item is directly linked to producer profitability, is soil sustainability. Soil sustainability is more difficult to describe. Soil sustainability has to do with maintaining soil tilth, soil organic matter, and soil fertility in terms of phosphorus, potassium and adequate availability of nitrate. Not to mention keeping the weed seed population from exploding in our tillable fields. Without maintaining soil tilth, soil nutrients and controlling weeds - a producer cannot grow profitable crops to feed to livestock.
Currently, the organic milk prices are too low for producers to use approved soil replacement nutrients and keep weed seed populations under control. Yes, there are some organic producers making money, but are they robbing from the soil account in nutrients over time?
There are very good organic milk producers who know how to grow organic crops as good as anyone in the country who are beginning to question staying with the systems because of unacceptable profits to sustain their personal lives. We need better data collection over extended periods of time on organic producers, not only regarding profitability, but soil and crop production data before advisers suggest more farmers convert to organics.
The ultimate question to ponder . . . Is organic production, when the rules are followed, actually sustainable over a 30- to 40-year career?
- Greg Booher, Wisconsin
(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2015
February 2, 2015
