Organically Grown?

7 February 2000

ABC News, 20-20
147 Columbia Avenue
New York, NY 10023

Attention: Senior Producer Martin Clancy

Re: John Stossel's segment 2/4/00

Dear Mr. Clancy,
     We were disappointed and offended by the poorly researched and obviously biased report concerning organic produce.  There were so many glaring errors, misleading statements and inappropriate comparisons that  it was apparent that Mr. Stossel's intent from the beginning was not to investigate the issue impartially, but  simply to further  Mr. Avery's agenda.
     We researched Mr. Avery ourselves, and if 20-20 had done the same, you would know who sponsors him and, perhaps, would have been more cautious in promoting his viewpoint.  He is not only a former research analyst for the Agriculture Dept., he is so obviously a shill for Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, Novartis and others that it strains credulity that you would present him as the authority  on the subject!!  Why did 20-20 neglect to say who sponsors The Hudson Institute?  Did you feel it was irrelevant???
     A little over a year ago some of these same agribusinesses attempted to shove through diluted National Organic Standards in an effort to diminish the distinction between organic and conventionally grown produce.  It was proposed that organic certification would permit genetically engineered seed (produced by Monsanto), sewage sludge as fertilizer, which can include industrial solvents and heavy metals (and cow manure is dangerous??), and irradiation as a substitute for freshness.  There was such an unprecedented volume of protest , that  the USDA summarily scrapped the proposed standards.  To date, thankfully, our farm is still certified under the high standards of the KY Dept. of Agriculture.
     The report began by talking about nonorganic, E.coli contaminated beef (how is this relevant?),  and how 5000 deaths occur annually due to bacterial contamination.  Based on that statement, it was implied that these deaths have been traced to contaminated organic produce.  With the exception of one anecdotal case mentioned (which was not a fatality), there was no evidence offered that any of the 5000 cases annually are caused by anything other than contaminated meat!  It was also implied that only organic farmers use manure as a fertilizer, which is totally false!  Manure application is a natural recycling of nutrients, timeless  as nature, and used by conventional farmers as well.  As certified organic growers, we are under strict guidelines concerning the composting of manure to insure the safety of the food we produce.  To the best of our knowledge, conventional farmers are required to follow no such guidelines.
     As for the spokesperson from OTA, she by no means speaks for the industry as a whole,  and if Mr. Stossel had wanted to present a balanced  report, he could have found any one of thousands of organic farmers more capable of handling the interview than Ms. DiMatteo.  She looked like she had been ambushed, and was obviously unprepared.  Why was The Rodale Institute not consulted?  They have been in the forefront of organic farming for decades.  Rodale's absence certainly helped 20-20 to sculpt the story to your predetermined agenda!
     Mr. Avery is advocating the continued and increased use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as the hope of the world.  Surely he knows that the runoff from these chemicals is ruining the quality of our water!  The Chesapeake Bay, or the Neuse River in North Carolina are perfect examples of what damage can result.  There is a growing "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, caused, scientists believe, by agricultural runoff.  Pesticides  are descendants of nerve gas developed during WWII, and if they kill insects,  how much damage do you suppose they can do to the chemically complex human body?  Do we really want them on our food?  Genetically engineered food promoted by Mr. Avery has not been thoroughly tested for long-term health effects, and is being soundly rejected by consumers the world over.  Sadly, the USDA doesn't even feel it is necessary to inform American consumers of the presence of these adulterated substances in our food supply.
     Organic growers don't feel like they have all the answers, but are striving for solutions to complex problems, which include not only the purity of the food we eat, and protecting the bio-diversity thereof, but also the quality of life of its producers (a living wage for farm laborers, freedom from exposure to harmful chemicals), sustaining the land that feeds us, and delivering fresh foods to our neighbors through farmers' markets, thus restoring a sense of community lost in our modern megastores.  Mr. Avery seeks to simplify these complex problems by allowing agribusiness to handle them.  "Don't worry Mr. Consumer, you know we'd never take advantage of you in the interest of profits!".  If grass roots organic farmers were strictly intersted in the bottom line, they would surely find another way to make their living!
     These are some of the people Mr Stossel slandered in his zeal to promote Mr. Avery's opinions.  Some small family farms will no doubt be lost as a direct result of this poorly done story.  I hope that 20-20 will use fairer investigative methods in the future.
     If Mr. Avery's daughter-in-law is in tears, it is probably because she has realized what a fool she has for a father-in-law.
     We doubt that informed consumers will be swayed by this tripe, but you have planted the seeds of gross misinformation in the minds of those who trust ABC to do thorough investigation and report the truth.
 

                                                                                         Sincerely,
 
 
 

                                                                                         Leo Keene and Jean Pitches Keene
                                                                                         Owners/operators Blue Moon Farm
                                                                                     (a Certified Organic Small Family Farm)
                                                                                       http://bluemoongarlic.hypermart.net

Cc: ABC News Peter Jennings
       ABC Affiliate WTVQ-Lexington, KY Mr. Bill Stanley, Mgr.
       Hope Crain, KY Dept of Agriculture, Organic Certification Dept.