Page 28 - aruba-today-20180414

A28 SCIENCE
Saturday 14 april 2018
More organic than thou? Rebel farmers create new food label

By LISA RATHKE run thinks it's good to know
THETFORD, Vt. (AP) — Was where food comes from.
your tomato grown in dirt or She said she prefers pro-
water? Organic shoppers duce grown in soil.
might notice additional la- "I'm just in favor of plants
bels this summer that will growing in their natural
give them the answer — way and being in connec-
and tell them whether their tion with the microbes in
choices align with what a the soil and the interactions
rebellious group of farm- those microbes have with
ers and scientists deem the the plant roots," Manches-
true spirit of the organic ter said.
movement. But fellow shopper Laurie
About 15 farmers and sci- Griggs, of Calais, said she
entists from around the doesn't buy totally organic
country met in Vermont and doesn't mind if veg-
late last month to create etables or berries are raised
the standards for an addi- hydroponically.
tional organic certification "I just think we need new
program, which they plan ways to grow things," she
to roll out nationally to be- said. "We've got a lot of
tween 20 to 60 farms as a people and farming's re-
pilot this summer. ally hard on the land, and
Under the current U.S. De- if we can find ways to light-
partment of Agriculture In this April 2, 2018, photo, Dave Chapman, owner of Long Wind Farm, checks for insects on or- en our impact on the land
program, the organic label ganic tomato plant leaves in his greenhouse in Thetford, Vt. and grow healthy food for
means that your tomato Associated Press people, I have no problem
has been produced with- with it."
out synthetic substances grown within one system. of an organic tomato farm Lubkeman, president of The farmers involved want a
— with some exceptions — "I think that a lot of farmers, in Thetford. He believes the the Hydroponic Society of more transparent label and
and without certain meth- especially young farmers, cornerstone of being or- America. will not see an economic
ods, like genetic engineer- feel that the organic label ganic is growing in soil and While shopping at Hunger benefit at first, Chapman
ing. The additional label, no longer describes the improving its fertility. Mountain food coopera- said. The program is now
which does not yet have way they farm, and we're To Dixon, "organic" means a tive in Montpelier, Jessica being funded by contribu-
a name or wording, would trying to recapture that," very diversified operation, Manchester, of Worcester, tions. Farmers would pay a
indicate that a tomato, for said Linley Dixon, a veg- rotating animals and crops agreed labeling is getting fee to be certified, but he
example, has been grown etable farmer in Durango, and planting cover crops confusing for the average doubts that would cover
in soil, and that meat and Colorado, and senior scien- to control erosion, increase consumer but in the long the cost of the program.q
dairy products came from tist for Cornucopia Institute, organic matter in the
farms that pasture their ani- who is also on the stan- soil and manage weeds,
mals. dards board of the Real Or- among other things. Number, severity of brain
An inspector would certify ganic Project. The new label would ex-
that the farm has complied The group creating the new clude from certification injuries raises dementia risk
with the new standards, label, which calls itself the hydroponic farming and
and the farms — not dis- Real Organic Project, said large livestock farms that
tributors — would add the it has not abandoned the don't pasture their animals, By CARLA K. JOHNSON tions in a far-reaching way.
label. National Organic Program, known as contained ani- AP Medical Writer Overall, the risk was small.
The move comes five which is the federal stan- mal feeding operations or SEATTLE (AP) — A large About 95 percent of peo-
months after the National dard, and is not attacking CAFOs. study offers more evidence ple who suffered a brain
Organic Standard Board, organic farmers. The hydroponic industry ar- of a link between trau- injury never developed de-
which advises the U.S. De- "Some of the cornerstones gues another label would matic brain injuries and de- mentia.
partment of Agriculture, of what organic means are mislead and confuse con- mentia later in life, with re- But a single severe brain
voted against a proposal being taken away, and sumers and is a way for the peated injuries and severe injury increased the risk of
to exclude from the USDA's we're concerned about traditional organic farmers ones posing the greatest later dementia by 35 per-
organic certification pro- how creaky that makes to try to get a competitive danger. cent compared with a per-
gram hydroponics — rais- the whole thing," said Dave edge. Researchers analyzed 36 son who never had brain
ing plants with water but Chapman, a member of "It's a competition because years of health records of trauma. A mild brain injury
no soil — and aquaponics, the executive and stan- field farmers can't pro- 2.8 million people in Den- increased the risk by 17
in which plants and aquat- dards board of the Real duce the volume that hy- mark, where a national percent. Each additional
ic animals, such as fish, are Organic Project and owner droponics can," said Dan health system makes it pos- brain injury added to the
sible to explore connec- danger.
Overall, the risk of demen-
tia was 24 percent higher
for people with a traumatic
brain injury compared with
people without one. The
study was published Tues-
day in the journal Lancet
Psychiatry. A study of 3.3
million people in Sweden
earlier this year showed
similar results.q