Is it just coincidence that all the e-coli outbreaks involve organic foods

[Digit]

Then I heard mention of a new bill having to do with uniformity in food. I admit I have no idea what this bill is proposing, or if it would effect organic suppliers, but it piqued my interest.

Can anyone enlighten me?

I am not ready to put a tinfoil hat on just yet, but I am curious.

[rzemanfl]

1. I think the problem is that they are trying to grow organic food in

industrial quantities.

[crikkett]

9. I think any problem of scale is compounded by cutting corners.

The farm *is* under investigation...

[rzemanfl]

36. That's what I was thinking. n/t

[spoony]

2. Are they really organic?

I don't know much about that sort of thing but the packages of spinach and stuff look pretty processed.

[Digit]

3. I had just noticed that most of the packaging was labeled "organic"

Could be "faux organic" I suppose.

[spoony]

14. I see, thanks.

I guess I had a mental picture of what organic was that didn't match bagged stuff, but like rzemanfl said it looks like they're trying to industrialize organic foods.

[LostinVA]

29. If it doesn't say "certified organic," it's faux organic

[ecoalex]

15. In the recent beef case the processor claims he's clean

there were 4 or more entities using this plant, organic and conventional. I suspect the plant. In meat, they must clean up their butchering, so the intestines are not ruptured.More e-coli lettuce from e-coli irrigation water next to the spinach..In the greens they need to test the water, as greens are eaten raw. The Salinas Valley needs to clean up it's act, and test all irrigation water weekly, and document all sources.

[spoony]

22. Is that FDA territory?

I know they've been hobbled with * appointing friends and losing funding, but I hope someone there is smart enough to implement what you said!

[lcordero2]

4. !!!!

Organic foods are supposed to be a threat to Monsanto so I don't put anything past anybody as far as dirty tricks and foul play is concerned.

[stepnw1f]

5. What Bull....

I think Organic is giving big produce companies a run for their money.

[AspenRose]

6. Farmers Markets

That's where I'm goin' for my produce....good, good for you, and supporting local farmers....

[onecent]

12. How long before these fuckers regulate farmer's markets?

I frequent them always....and hope they are always with us.

God, How I hate this administration!!!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. the new bill proposed will make it illegal for individual states to

regulate certain foods. For instance, Cali has stricter standards than the US gov., but they will no longer apply.

Food companies are pushing for it, that's all you need to know. :(

[Rainscents]

16. Viva, you do know, this law is un-constitutional?

I was listening to local radio and when and if, this bill passes Senate, bill will be challenge right to SC!!! Our so call congress and senates, who is suppose to protect us is actually out there to demolish our rights and Constitution.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

28. I hadn't heard that, but it doesn't surprise me

most D's are fighting it pretty hard.

[havocmom]

17. Yep, government of, by, and for the corporations

Food used to be a renewable resource & just about anybody could produce some. The corporations have patented seed and sued people whose fields seed blew into (and seed DOES blow off trucks, get carried by birds and grow where it wasn't planted by the hand of man)

Corporations are tying up water rights in areas that can sustain farming. They are patenting seed. They are driving independent farmers out of business via rule & regs passed by their political puppets.

America is NOT safer when out food supply is in the hands of those whose greed over-rides decency and common sense. Capitalism run amok IS a threat and a much more serious one than Iraq ever posed.

[LaurenG]

8. I didn't realize it was organic food that was effected

http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_3093.cfm

[Boojatta]

10. "Organic" means various things.

I suppose that if a farm uses no pesticides then that alone doesn't give it the right to use the label "organic." However, for many consumers that might be the most important issue.

I presume that you are thinking of pathogens from animal waste fertilizer? Of course, pathogens that are alive are by definition "organic" in one sense of the word "organic", but they're not supposed to be in organic foods.

[davidwparker]

11. Has it really been organic? The spinach problem was linked to Salinas

country and although one distributor has organic and non-organic brands, it was the non-organic lines that had problems.

I get Earthbound spinach and cringed when I first heard the news. As I was following it, it seemed to hit the non-organic produce.

[razors edge]

13. not to worry comrades.

premier bush will have monsanto on the job tomorrow to make food safe for all motherland.

:sarcasm:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

18. yup. and it will be green! Soylent Green, but green, nevertheless.

Why were they practicing torture against the Iraqnam prisoners? why build so many ultra-super-sized prisons in the US? Why take away habeus corpus? Hey, all those "lost" folks will be a great source of protein.

[razors edge]

23. we poor socialists will only get the

left overs after hannity and crew have taken the choice cuts.

[ecoalex]

20. Monsanto sells death

[razors edge]

25. and buisness is good yeh?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. They use a lot of manure in organic farming.

e-coli cometh from shit.

:shrug:

[ecoalex]

manure used properly is no problem especially if composted

[Rainscents]

24. There is excellent article in LA times and WA Post about really is

casing this problem. MSM is lying to everyone of us!!! The problem start from Corporate dairy farms, where, they run off dead cow craps down stream and when it rain real hard, this craps run down bottom of the hill and this is what is causing all these problems!!

[faithnotgreed]

32. do you have a link by any chance? this is crucial information

[kestrel91316]

35. Fresh manure is barred from use in organic agriculture.

Properly composted manure does not contain any E. coli, shiga-toxic or not.

[AZBlue]

21. Let's not start rumors. It isn't all organic.

The spinach in question wasn't organic but all spinach, including organic, was pulled as a precautionary measure.

The carrot juice that was drunk hasn't been identified as organic or non-organic yet (to my knowledge) but again, as a precautionary action, Bolthouse Farms of Bakersfield, Calif., voluntarily recalled the following organic and non-organic items: Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice, Earthbound Farm Organic Carrot Juice and President's Choice Organics 100% Pure Carrot Juice. Carrot Juice easily develops botulism if not refrigerated properly and I bet this will turn out to be the situation.

Not all the beef recalled is organic either. The following is the list of the organic beef products being recalled:
- 10-pound boxes of "PACKED FOR: DAVIS MOUNTAIN ORGANIC BEEF, 100% CERTIFIED ORGANIC 3-1 BEEF PATTIES," with lot code G6-540 or G6-544.
- Five-pound packages of "DAVIS MOUNTAINS 100% ORGANIC BEEF, LEAN GROUND BEEF 90/10," with lot code G6-544.
- One-pound packages of "MASTER CHOICE 100% ORGANIC ANGUS BEEF, 90/10 GROUND BEEF," with lot code G6-544.
- One-pound packages of "DAVIS MOUNTAINS 100% CERTIFIED ORGANIC GROUND BEEF," with lot code G6-544.
- 10.5-pound boxes of "NEBRASKA, BEEF GROUND BEEF PATTY 6 OZ," with lot code G6-541.
- 60-pound boxes of "SPECIALLY SELECTED FOR: FARNER-BOCKEN FOOD SERVICE BEEF PATTIE MIX 6/10," with lot code G6-542.
- One-pound packages of "PACKED FOR: IRWIN COUNTRY STORE, BEEF GROUND BEEF 16 OZ," with lot code G6-541.
- One-pound blocks of "PACKED FOR: IRWIN COUNTRY STORE, BEEF GROUND BEEF PATTIES 4-1," with code G6-541.
- 10-pound boxes of "DISTRIBUTED BY: STUBE RANCH, WAGYU BEEF, BEEF GROUND BEEF PATTIES, 8 OZ. PATTIES," with lot code G6-546.

[Rainscents]

26. AMEN!!!

I really hate it when people post shit here without fact checking first!

[Digit]

27. I didn't mean to start any rumors

I figured that some DU'ers might be more knowledgeable on this subject.

I prefer organic organic, myself.

[Rainscents]

31. Link to real problem...

http://www.organicconsumers.org/2006/article_2644.cfm

Good read and real problem...

[Digit]

37. Great link, thanks! n/t

[riderinthestorm]

30. The spinach was not organic. Period. nt

[Parche]

33. e coli

It was the water on both outbreaks.......

[kestrel91316]

34. After the initial panic, I thought it turned out that NONE of

the spinach involved was organic. NONE.

It was just an initial rumor propagated by the MSM through simple ignorance, apparently.