Not The Onion: Big Ag goes after Michelle for planting an organic garden

[cali]

From a wonderful kos diary:

Big Ag Writes Michelle Opposing WH Organic Garden
by Jill Richardson
Sun Mar 29, 2009 at 09:08:55 AM PDT
OMG, funny stuff. A chemical ag organization (Mid America CropLife Association) got its panties in a twist over Michelle Obama's organic garden. So they wrote her a letter. And forwarded it to some friends, who forwarded it to some more friends... until it made its way to me. Full letter at the link, highlights below.

Here's the message they sent with the forwarded letter to their other chemical ag friends:

Did you hear the news? The White House is planning to have an "organic" garden on the grounds to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the Obama's and their guests. While a garden is a great idea, the thought of it being organic made Janet Braun, CropLife Ambassador Coordinator and I shudder. As a result, we sent a letter encouraging them to consider using crop protection products and to recognize the importance of agriculture to the entire U.S. economy.
LOL! Dear Michelle, Great idea on the garden but we recommend pesticides!

Jill Richardson's diary :: ::
They start out saying:

We are writing regarding the garden recently added to the White House grounds to ensure a fresh supply of fruits and vegetables to your family, guests and staff.
Yup, no way that's going to happen with an organic garden. Need some pesticides, LOL! While I've cited research before showing that organic methods do NOT have a problem producing enough food, somehow I don't think Michelle's decision to go organic was based on a need for yield. I don't think she wants to feed her kids or her guests pesticides.

Then the writers explain their organization:

Their mission is to provide scientifically based, accurate information to the public regarding the safety and value of American agricultural food production.
In other words - their job is to correct all these silly myths that say sustainably grown food is good for the earth and for people who eat it. Mmm hmm.

Then the propaganda for chemical ag begins:

<snip>

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/3/29/714315/-Big-Ag-Writes-Michelle-Opposing-WH-Organic-Garden

[BlooInBloo]

1. Classic.

(And I'm not even a omg-it-has-to-be-organic kinda guy.)

[LWolf]

2. That organic garden is

the most unambiguously positive thing to happen at the WH this year, imo.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

It's not a surprise that big ag would be concerned.

[maxsolomon]

38. note to WH:

there are more efficient ways to break up sod than rakes. it makes it look like a photo op.

which it was.

[Webster Green]

3. Wow!

Epic fail by the clueless! :silly:

[WhiteTara]

4. damn that woman! Not only does she

want good food, she has GREAT arms!

These people are unbelievable.

[NightWatcher]

5. they are so scared that we will grow our own and stop buying their poisonous food

we dont need Big Ag, their gmo seeds, nor their chemicals

[Tim01]

10. You are sort of right

They are concerned that we will start buying organic and that it will make it profitable for corporate farms, or even medium farms, to go organic.

[NightWatcher]

11. Big Chemical is scared we'll go organic. Big Ag is scared of independent, local farmers

[Tim01]

25. We can argue about it at the organic grocery store.

[defendandprotect]

41. In some stores, they don't put the organic food alongside the regular food . ..

and I think that keeps people from buying it --

oftimes the prices are the same -- but the stuff is off in a corner somewhere.

I always check for organic sweet potatoes and organic bananas first.

But sometimes I forget to check other items, like mushrooms, zucinni, whatever!

[acmavm]

6. Fools that pen crap like that are totally dependent on the ignorance factor

of the American public. You have to be stupid enough to think that chemicals that are actually toxic to humans are okay when used on our food, put on the dirt. Harmless when the damn things leech into the water table. And are all gone by the time we get around to eating it.

I don't know, are the majorith of the people in this country still this stupid?

They need to leave the First Lady alone.

[madrchsod]

7. well... beer,soapy water, safe organic compounds,and weeding

pretty much keeps the bugs out of gardens

[glinda]

14. Great image! What is it?

[kestrel91316]

16. My biggest garden friends were the alligator lizards.

They are the only thing that can control snails and slugs worth a damn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Alligator_Lizard

[Maat]

31. He kind of looks like Merlin, our bearded dragon lizard.

We only feed Merlin, our bearded dragon lizard, only Mer has a different pattern and a huge, round center.

Your Aligator lizard is a cute little devil.

[Sebastian Doyle]

28. Beer?

Hadn't heard that one. Sounds reasonable though, at least the bugs die happy.

[roody]

33. Snails drown in it.

[Hekate]

35. Been around forever. Use a shallow dish like a pie pan, fill with beer & collect the snails next day

:-)

[NoSheep]

37. Cheap beer, I hope. Snobby snails really irk me.

:hi: Great tip! Thanks!

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Ohferkrissakes .......

[Tim01]

9. Chemical companies like Monsanto attack organic farmers where they can.

They don't like people to get the idea that organic is better than chemicals. By planting the organic garden the White House has publicaly said that organic is better than chemicals. And so now the chemical companies are attacking the White House just like they do organic farmers.
Things could get interesting.

[JBoy]

12. Mid America CropLife Assoc. is an exclusive organization!

Here's who's eligible to be a member:

"Any business engaged in the manufacture or formulation, and/or distribution, and/or supplier of products or services to the agriculture chemical industry in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are eligible for membership."

http://www.maca.org/membership/

[formercia]

13. I have not used pesticides in over 10 Years.

We just ate our last FRESH winter squash Friday with more frozen awaiting. Our carrots still taste great after a Winter in the veggie bin.
Organic produce keeps longer and tastes better.

If you set up the proper environment for your garden, it will attract the predatory insects that keep the pests under control. People complain about the lack of honeybees but there are plenty of wild ones in my garden.

Good for Michelle.

[kestrel91316]

17. Organis fruits and veggies are more nutritious, too. They have done

research, and the depleted soils of chemical-dependent agriculture produce nutritionally substandard food.

[A-Long-Little-Doggie]

23. Hi formerica, can you give me some good resources on how to

set up a new organic garden? Sounds like yours is doing really well! We have a couple of months before we can put anything in the ground but I want to get set up.

And after we get it set up we will send those 2 nice ladies a note to give them the good news. :evilgrin:

[formercia]

24. Some useful links

Just remember that it's more than just the garden itself. You have to think of your yard in terms of the whole environment.
Here's a few links:

http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-19-1761,00.html

https://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming.aspx

http://www.companionplanting.net/

This is not something that will happen overnight. You have to think about developing the environment around the garden to attract and keep beneficial insects. Some of it is not conducive to having a tidy yard.

I wish you well.

[A-Long-Little-Doggie]

30. Thanks! n/t

[kentauros]

39. Here's one on weeds, too

:)

http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/weeds/WeedsToC.html

I've read some of it, but mostly keep it around for when I have a yard... and to share ;)

[formercia]

42. Thank You

If they're useful, they're not really weeds. :hi:

I added that to my reference list.

[prolesunited]

32. Yep, last year I was doing battle with the aphids

and thought all was lost until an army of lacewings flew in and won the battle.

[formercia]

34. Keeping good bugs.

Predatory insects often feed on nectar when their preferred prey isn't available, such as in the Spring. Their mouth parts aren't well adapted for extracting the nectar, so flowers with tiny blossoms work best.Even plants we would consider weeds can provide food and shelter. Providing shelter for beneficial insects to Winter over will also keep them close to home.Some predatory insects prefer certain plants to lay their eggs and provide food for their young.

[onethatcares]

15. but what about all the oil they could be using,

in the way of fertilizer products that won't break down in the enviroment? Jeez, guys, get a clue.:sarcasm:

[Warpy]

18. Well, I do hope she got the soil tested for lead

which is always a great idea if you're gardening next to any house that has stood before about 1970.

However, most home gardeners don't use a ton of pesticides and other chemicals. Most garden patches use companion crops and year to year rotation to keep things like nasty nematodes under control, something home gardeners learn pretty quickly. Most home gardeners only pull out the bug spray when there is a real invasion going on.

The stiff and humorless chemical industry need to pick their fights a little better.

[Contrary1]

19. Here ya go, folks.

Keep it clean, keep it friendly. Seriously. Highlight the fact that you did not realize going organic could be so easy and healthier for your body. Make sure you give a tip of the hat to our lovely First Lady, for showing us by example. :evilgrin:

Mid America CropLife Association (MACA)
11327 Gravois Road, Suite. 201
St. Louis, MO 63126

Bonnie McCarvel, Executive Director
[e-mail]

Janet Braun, CropLife Ambassador Coordinator
[e-mail]

[eppur_se_muova]

20. What's next, the anti-fresh air lobby? nt

[crikkett]

36. Wasn't that the automakers and energy co's who fought

California's strict environmental standards? (And won).

[bluesmail]

21. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Monsanto's brainiac idea to sterilize

farmland using chemtrails. :tinfoilhat:

[Warren DeMontague]

22. I know I personally can't do tomatoes in the back yard if I don't have a plane spraying pesticides

over the entire neighborhood two times a month.

[IDemo]

26. They are gardening when we need them to drill for oil on the White House grounds??

if not dig for coal??

:sarcasm:

[Reterr]

27. LOL can't make this shit up

K&R...

Obama himself has long been against CAFOs because of the resulting environmental pollution.

[tabbycat31]

29. whaa whaa whaa

[truedelphi]

40. Thank you Michelle for helping us organists point out the follies of

Big Agro.