Petition to ban neonics: Please sign & spread if you want to save our bees

**Johnthefarmer** · 01-10-2012, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Easy beesy

I agree wholeheartedly that we would be better off nutritionally and environmentally if we grew organically, pest- herb-and every other -icide free, so why not petition for the positive, I'm sure you would garner much more support that way.

A simple step all livestock farmers should take would be to include a range of herbs/deeper-rooted species in their reseed mixtures.

The benefits are severalfold: minerals are raised up to become available to stock, insects thrive,leguminous plants fix free nitrogen to boost yields, early flowering herbs benefit bees etc.

This does require a slight change in mindset for both farmers and seed producers. But the idea of an increased bespoke industry of farmers growing chicory, phacelia,plantains,sweet clover,etc for seed production seems quite attractive to me.

**HJBee** · 01-10-2012, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Johnthefarmer

I have produced more and better food off my 170 acre Orkney farm in the last 12 years since becoming Organic than I did using more conventional methods.

John, how much of that is consumed on Orkney and what if anything is exported (even if just mainland)?

**Johnthefarmer** · 01-10-2012, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by HJBee

John, how much of that is consumed on Orkeny and what if anything is exported (even if just mainland)?

95% of my lambs go straight to Tesco's Organic, Aberdeen (400/year) . My calves are reared by an organic neighbour and mostly go the same way. Why do you ask?

Most of the oats and barley go to the sheep but maybe 10% is for our poultry (eggs for our guesthouse), and for other organic farmers' sheep and poultry.

It's Orkney, by the way.

**Johnthefarmer** · 01-10-2012, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by madasafish

Yes, lets go 100% organic and starve 20% of the world as yields collapse.

We all do that sometimes, don't we?

meant to tick box 3 but missed...

**HJBee** · 01-10-2012, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by Johnthefarmer

95% of my lambs go straight to Tesco's Organic, Aberdeen (400/year) . My calves are reared by an organic neighbour and mostly go the same way. Why do you ask?

I was interested, I buy organic when available/prices allow or buy free range farm assured. I also consider transport for the carbon footprint. Do Tesco's put on their packaging which farmer they source from like Asda do?

Originally Posted by Johnthefarmer

VIt's Orkney, by the way.

I've corrected the mis-type, since it obviously bothered you.

**Johnthefarmer** · 01-10-2012, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by HJBee

I've corrected the mis-type, since it obviously bothered you.

Quite right ,too.

**chris** · 02-10-2012, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Johnthefarmer

Much better to work with systems which............. produce higher quality food .

John, how do you define *higher quality food* ?

**chris** · 06-10-2012, 12:19 PM

Just wondering, because a 2003 report by Afssa (the French food health agency) concludes that generally, there is very little significant and reproducible difference between the chemical composition of raw materials coming from conventional or organic agriculture.
“The numerous factors involved in the chemical composition and nutritional value of foodstuffs (variety/race, season, climate, stage of maturity or development, time of storage,…..) are often more important than the impact of factors strictly linked to type of agriculture ( nature of fertilizer, sanitary treatments..).”