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Author Topic: Organic ..... or not ....  (Read 5851 times)

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Organic ..... or not ....
« on: June 09, 2010, 12:35:14 pm »
We are considering the organic option for our pigs and pork.  Has anyone gone down this route, or does anyone have any thoughts about the pros and cons?

 :)

Jackie

  • Joined Nov 2009
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2010, 04:49:10 pm »
We thought of doing this but its very expensive to be classed as 'organic' and registered as such.

2 years free of chemicals before the land is classed as being  'organic' you have to still pay £400 per year, then when its 'organic' you pay £500 per year so its registered.
 A rip off!

 Plus I think the organic movement is coming to an end since it was proved that 'organic' food is no better for you despite the extra price of it.

Since I did a bit of research into it I think the term 'organic' is a marketing term that means nothing (look up organic animal feed) and a rip off for most of us.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2010, 04:51:10 pm by Jackie »

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2010, 05:51:41 pm »
I said all this and more when it became fashionable How do you know.Well because it says so on the label.It said water on the bottle he drank from said bottle and it killed him.Whatever you do don't get involved with the Soil Assn;So the Head Gardener said can you gethold of some Iron filings for me changeables GB Sink so Pedro I said to Paul bring me a few filings from under the saw will you please Paul.How many just a few in a bag will be fine.He called thenext night with a stone or more in 3 Morrisons bags Said Ive put 3 bags one inside the other.Next Monday I called at the Garden and The S.A. men where there What are you going to do with thatone of them asked.So it was explained to him and he said If you want to keep your Organic Certificate you must not use contaminated filings They were of course covered in Argolene cooling oil which was run on the saw blade to keep it cool Which could easily be washed in water but he was insistant they were not used How bloody daft can you get.Organic Hydrangeas What ever next.He was a bit evasive no very evasive about this carting off contaminated soil to approved Tips.Trouble is peasants are not educated enough to understand that transporting it doesn't contaminate two places it miraculously disperses as it is trucked to the new site ERM erm ??? :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2010, 07:46:07 pm »
Hi thanks for the input, would love to hear more views.  Thanks for taking the time   :)

Susie

  • Joined Apr 2010
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2010, 08:58:56 pm »
There was something about organic sales trends in Farmers Weekly earlier this year. From memory ( ::)) it said that sales of organic produce had declined around 10-15% in the past year and within that sales of fresh organic meat were down over 20%. Think they were expecting it to stay stable or maybe very small growth this year. I won't have remembered the numbers correctly but it will give you an idea of the general trends. With the cost and time involved in going organic you need to be very sure that there is a market available for your products and that the scale you will be producing the pork on is enough to cover the extra costs. Otherwise, is there any funding available to convert to organic?

In the past I've seen people at farmers markets selling their produce as being 'organically reared but not certified organic' - something like that anyway. They wanted their customers to know they stuck to organic principles, but that they couldn't afford the costs of having the certified organic status. Might be a cheaper, easier option? Agree with the marketing term comment - for me, as long as I could get the message across to potential customers about why the products are so great I wouldn't bother to pay to be registered organic.

dixie

  • Joined Mar 2009
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2010, 10:00:31 pm »
Depends on your values and beliefs and how you interpret organic? I know you have to have enough space to alternate grazing and that the land has to be certified organic for how ever many years prior to grazing it? I am happy with my set up for free ranging pigs, with everything they need to live a natural healthy life, I could not be bothered with organic, as I dont think its really true to its word! Although on the rare occasion I buy meat in the supermarket I would only buy organic just to ensure a certain standard.

sausagesandcash

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • UK
    • IrishHandcraft
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2010, 01:59:54 am »
We thought of going Organic, but it just seemed like a lot of expense for nothing. We are GM free and that suits us and our customers just fine. As it is the vast majority of the ingredients in the GM free feed are organic anyway. The ingredients in our feed are on our website http://www.homefarm.ie/

Regards,

Morgan

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2010, 07:54:07 am »
Thanks for all this, its more or less what we thought.  Would still be interested in any further comments.  For myself I am not keen, need to give OH a balanced argument.

Jackie

  • Joined Nov 2009
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2010, 09:16:34 am »
SAC GM free seems a good option I may do that too so thanks for the idea  ;D

JulieS

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Devon - EX39 5RF
    • Ford Mill Farm
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2010, 09:20:36 am »
It's something I looked into too Hilarysmum.  The land here hadn't been used for over 6 years, so going Organic was something that was an option.

I decided against it for all the same reasons as already given.  I couldn't justify the cost of the organic status.  

A lot of my customers are people who would generally pay the extra to buy organic produce (if only I could afford to!!!)  I did quite a bit of research and I found the main reason most people bought organic meat was to ensure good animal welfare.  My feeling is that there is a change in people's thinking, the title of organic isn't as important to people anymore, their priority is to know where there produce is coming from and that it is good quality.

I feed GM free locally milled food, the pigs are all free range and well looked after (spoilt some might say!!) and my customers are happy to have good quality meat at a reasonable price.  

Let us know what you decide Hilarysmum.  :)




Pedigree GOS Pigs and Butchery for Smallholders.

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2010, 09:39:12 am »
" main reason most people bought organic meat was to ensure good animal welfare. " 

This is a load of b****cks as well because pigs can be raised indoors on slats fed organic food 24hrs a day, killed at 16wks and sold as organic produce, Organic is no guarantee its had a good life!!!!! ::) >:(

Like most of you on here i go for natural, GM free, drug free food and keep my pigs free range.

Its food labelling that needs to change. If i have to and its very rarely buy supermarket meat i always look for free range and i never buy organic from the supermarket for the reason given above.
 mandy

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2010, 12:21:37 pm »

 :pig:
Reason for organic thoughts was that OH has been approached by some organic people to produce organic piglets on a regular basis, which would take all of our spare piglets each month. 

After the first few postings I was already decided, now have printed out the comments and will sit OH down with a pen and a cuppa.  Think the organic idea is now safely disposed of in the bin.

Fogwill Farm in the past I bought organic because I thought it was higher animal welfare, then I had the misfortune to visit 2 organic farms.  After which I grew my own pigs. 
Many, many thanks for everyone's really helpful comments.  HM

dixie

  • Joined Mar 2009
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2010, 05:03:39 pm »
Crikey I thought organic meat came from animals that had the correct welfare >:(  We breed our own pork and lamb, but I do buy beef and chicken although I only buy free range chicken from the butcher, I have bourght organic in the past as I thought it would be ok, just goes to show eh? ::)

Sudanpan

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • West Cornwall
    • Movement is Life
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2010, 07:55:52 pm »
Can't remember what programme this was on but there was a bit of a study into the perception of 'organic' versus 'local' and the upshot of the results was that the produce labelled 'local' was generally better received. Some of the feedback highlighted the suspicion that the producer was taking advantage of the organic label just to charge more as opposed to there being better welfare and conditions for the animals. On the plus side of the 'local' labels the consumers felt they had more control of where their food was being produced.

Tish

VSS

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Pen Llyn
    • Viable Self Sufficiency.co.uk
Re: Organic ..... or not ....
« Reply #14 on: June 11, 2010, 09:44:25 am »
Personally I think local is better than organic.

I am not sure how it is with pigs, but I know a number of organic sheep farmers use exactly the same medications and treatments as conventional farmer, only they don't write it down, or if they do, they just get a chit from the SA to day you can do it.

I think organic crops are OK, but wouldn't go for organic livestock myself.
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