The Manure of Organic (Part 1)

As the foundations of our modern economy seem to be tested on a daily basis by the press - people are certainly taking the time to count their money a little closer now days when spending it on just about anything. What I find funny is the fact that in the same news cast you will hear that McDonald's has posted record growth and people are buying more healthy food... HUH? Those two, regardless of the latest marketing around the McSalad, are mutually exclusive.
So it's with regard to the later I wanted to take a moment to just offer the facts on the entire USDA Organic labeling and certification. Now - I would love to have posted an image of the label - for clarity - but given the fact I'm selling chickens, doing so could be construed by Uncle Sam as misleading advertising... So I'll just provide a link here to the (in)famous USDA certification logo (here).
As a consumer there are several layers of the organic certification and labeling that are of value - should you be looking for products in this area. First - a basic summation of the guidelines:

• prohibit the use of irradiation, sewage sludge, or genetically modified organisms in organic production;

(This one means any of the bacteria or seeds manipulated to protect or produce higher quantities are not allowed. Perform a research article search - there's never been any reported badness from GMO's - but the media had made them out to be the end of the world. In reality, farmers have been "breeding" and "crossbreeding" plants and livestock for 1000's of years - making their own form of "natural GMO's"... Don't like the facts - go search PubMed for yourself and report back)

• reflect NOSB (National Organic Standards Board) recommendations concerning items on the national list of allowed synthetic and prohibited natural substances;

(I'm not going to try and list these things that are on the banned list here - but it's typically antibiotics and growth hormones... but not 100% or either category... translation - a certified organic plant or animal is likely to have been produced with some type of antibiotic and/or growth hormone... just one that's allowed by the board)

• prohibit antibiotics in organic meat and poultry;

(So - you think this means 100% - like, I dunno, the definition of prohibit? And be sure you understand the definition of antibiotic... Keep reading)

• require 100% organic feed for organic livestock.

(This is supposed to mean something along the lines of organic cows can NOT be fed "feed" that contains parts of other cows - which is what regular cows eat... and if you think that's gross - realize... cows are never supposed to eat anything other than grass in the first place)

So with those 4 basic guiding principles - the next posting will walk through the load of manure that these regulations actually amount to.
(concluded in part 2)

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[The Manure of Organic (Part 2)]

[...] back at the 4 basic components in Part 1 of an organic program – here’s where the real question in terms of poultry production [...]