Unfortunate is right considering how many calls we get at the research center every summer from people whose gardens have been killed by manure or compost made with straw that has high residual herbicide levels. Tordon and Milestone seem to be the main culprits and can take years even in a compost pile to break down to safe levels. Many times the herbicide comes in on hay and the person whose animals made the manure is totally unsuspecting. The only one to blame is the person who uses the end product without totally checking it out, everyone ahead of them in the process has obeyed the law. I've often thought that if an unscrupulous person wanted to cheat the organic laws they could use manure with herbicide residue for "legal" weed control.
Bill Fleming Montana State University Western Ag Research Center Corvallis, MT 59828 ________________________________ From: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net [mailto:apple-c...@virtualorchard.net] On Behalf Of Axel Kratel Sent: Thursday, November 05, 2009 10:26 AM To: Apple-Crop Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: manure Unfortunately, the answer is yes, at least according to OMRI. I say unfortunately, because this means a certified organic orchard in this manner can have more chemical pesticides than a conventional orchard that uses organic pesticides but chemical fertilizer. I would love to hear how you manage an organic apple orchard in Maine, that must be a tough thing to do. Here in the West we are so dry during the growing season that organic is relatively easy to do. But I hear it's much harder on the East coast. ________________________________ From: Jill Kelly <kelly...@metrocast.net> To: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net Sent: Thu, November 5, 2009 6:41:49 AM Subject: Apple-Crop: manure If you apply manure from animals that are not raised organically or are confined to cages or feed lots are you still organic? I think too much! Art Kelly Kelly Orchards Acton, ME
