A question about milk production ...

Mrs_pbradley936

Hi Moggles,

I really don't know enough on the topic to argue but I find the points interesting. Here is a British source http://www.union.ic.ac.uk/media/iscience/article_template_typ.php?articleid=41

Mrs_pbradley936

For those who just want an overview and don't want to read the whole thing here is a quote from the above link.

"Many people avoid conventional produce due to fear of contamination from agrochemicals. They believe organic produce is not sprayed against pests and diseases. This is a myth: organic farmers are allowed to use extremely toxic chemicals on their crops. Until recently, Derris has been used on organic crops. "

savvy

impster wrote:

By all means, become veggie or vegan - but please don't do it simply based upon the exagurations and lies that are often spread.

I haven't. And as I said, we lived next door to a dairy farm, and I worked on another, I saw many cows with mastitis, and yes farmers panicked and wanted to sort it out so they didn't lose money...............which I suspect may be due to the pressure that supermarkets place on farming.

savvy

impster wrote:

Ignoramuses who scream out that dairy farmers pump every last possible drop of milk from their herds are completely wrong.

Oh and before you try to insult me further, I have read around the subject and seen both sides of the argument so to speak...............I personally tend to do this before I make up my mind and form an opinion on any subject, be it from what I choose to put in my body to what I choose buy!

Moggles_2

Originally Posted by pbradley936
"Many people avoid conventional produce due to fear of contamination from agrochemicals. They believe organic produce is not sprayed against pests and diseases. This is a myth. Organic farmers are allowed to use extremely toxic chemicals on their crops. Until recently, Derris has been used on organic crops. "

This writer clearly has an axe to grind! Organic market gardening is booming in this country. Perhaps s/he believes they would gain from !!!!!ing the organic bubble!

As an organic gardener for some 12 years, I find it impossible to know what this writer means by the claim that s/he is "partially organic" Going organic is not just a question of changing your brand of fertilizer or giving up pesticides on one or two plots. It means a change of attitude, moving away from the notion that every small creature is a pest and all self-sown plants are weeds or that the solution to every problem is a spray. Organic practices not only keep soil healthy, but also provide safe habitats for wildlife. Practicing organic methods on parts of the farm, while continuing to use pesticides and artificial fertilisers on adjacent areas sounds totally unworkable to me!

The claim that organic produce is flown around the world, doesn't stack up either. The UK organic market grew 30% last year and two-thirds of that increase was home-grown!

tr3mor

Moggles wrote:

The claim that organic produce is flown around the world, doesn't stack up either. The UK organic market grew 30% last year and two-thirds of that increase was home-grown!

This may be true, but Tesco are making a mockery of the whole organic system simply by selling organic beef that's been shipped from Argentina!

The fact that they stock it must mean that it sells, but who would buy beef shipped from Argentina regardless of its organic status?

I'm all for using the least chemicals in our food, but I'm all for buying local too.

impster

savvy wrote:

Oh and before you try to insult me further, I have read around the subject and seen both sides of the argument so to speak...............I personally tend to do this before I make up my mind and form an opinion on any subject, be it from what I choose to put in my body to what I choose buy!

Nos sure where you get the idea that I'm trying to insult you personally. My opinions here are for the benefit of all who read or who choose to read. This is not a personal message to any particular individual.

I'm just giving my opinion that often inacurate facts and 'horror' stories are used to form the basis of incorrect opinions.

If you are offended by this then I apologise - but we're all entitled to an opinion. Incidentally, why would I want to insult anybody. I have tried to give a fair and balanced opinion that is based on the facts available.

If you choose to eat or live your life in any particular way, that's your choice. All I'm saying is that I believe that if people want to base those decisions on facts, then they should ensure that the facts they have are accurate, and not part of a growing propoganda campaign that is spreading against farming as an industry.

I am not, contrary to what anyone may think, trying to offend or insult anyone. I have merely decided to add my opinions to this open discussion.

Thank you.

Impster

Ken-Dodds-Hairy-Knodule

impster wrote:

part of a growing propoganda campaign that is spreading against farming as an industry.

<GUFFAW>

The only propoganda capmaign is coming from the Birtish Dairy Association, Assured British Meat and their cohorts.

People have to ask - what do activists have to gain from revealing what goes on in farms (in the form of photographs, videos, testimonials etc)? Now ask what does the animal farming industry have to lose? Hundreds of millions of pounds a year is what, and they'll do anything to safeguard that.

tr3mor

Ken-Dodds-Hairy-Knodule wrote:

<GUFFAW>

The only propoganda capmaign is coming from the Birtish Dairy Association, Assured British Meat and their cohorts.

People have to ask - what do activists have to gain from revealing what goes on in farms (in the form of photographs, videos, testimonials etc)? Now ask what does the animal farming industry have to lose? Hundreds of millions of pounds a year is what, and they'll do anything to safeguard that.

I question what the activists would like us to do? Close all farms down? Then what would we eat?!

Mrs_pbradley936

I do not think that I am radical enough for this thread – I am far too ordinary. The only decision I tend to make about milk is “is it semi skimmed?”. The quotes posted by me earlier are not things that I have said rather links I have found on the web which give a different opinion. This is all a bit like smoking or fox hunting in that I do not do either, cannot understand who on earth would want to be doing so but I am not prepared to go waving banners about it all.