I think that you need to be clear that there are two definitions of organic. There is the original definition used in chemistry - meaning 'compounds based on carbon'. Most synthetic pesticides are organic by this definition. For example, organophosphate and dioxine are organic molecules.

And then there is the more slippery modern common-use definition meaning 'natural'. Many things now marketed as 'organic' are not chemically organic (e.g. organic water).

Natural compounds are not necessarily less toxic than synthetic chemicals. For example compare the toxicity of the (chemically) organic, but natural molecules that make up snake venom to, say, the toxicity of chemically organic, but synthetic saccharine (although admittedly I don't know what saccharine would do to you if you injected it).

All pesticides are by definition poisonous. Every pesticide should be rigorously assessed for it's toxicity on health and the environment, and it's use permitted or restricted on the basis of such tests. If a synthetic pesticide is found to be less harmful than a 'natural-organic' pesticide, then it should be used in preference. To instead use the 'natural-organic' pesticide would be a marketing ploy designed to dupe consumers and in my opinion would be unconscionable.

Plant-poisons are common.  Plants have developed stuff like this, because it reduces their risk of be eaten.  Especially by insects!

Rotenone comes from plants.  Tobacco plants too are toxic to insects, and insecticides have been made from the tobacco plant.  Tobacco is of the same family as tomato, and potato ... and peppers and eggplant, and of course, Nightshade, their parent-family.

All of these plants contain toxins.  We don't eat the greens of any of them:  They're poisonous!

There are more mild-mannered preparations that can be used to control insects, especially soft-bodied kinds and insect-eggs.  Simple-soap solutions are damaging to soft insects, and oil suffocates eggs.  Combinations of soap & oil produce emulsions, which provide both properties.

Emulsions can be given more 'authority', with toxins, and more 'breadth', by including fungicides, especially sulfur compounds.

The key thing to realize is that pesticide can be locally-produced, and can start from a base that can used to bath in, safely.  The stock-base solution can then be 'doctored' for special or acute needs.  This cuts into the slippery slope of market-driven toxin-products.

The major redeeming thing about plant-poisons (all of which evolved in the natural world, many specifically to mess up insects) is that they typically decay rather quickly and do not become entrained in the food-chain or habitat.

It's really an old kind, hand removal as mentioned in the article, and planting pest repelling plants strategically amongst the crops.  Plants that attract birds and insects that eat insect pests are good too.

But how do you do all this complicated planting and hand work and remain productive enough to provide affordable food?

You do the predator atractant planting and the careful repellent plant planting and bug removal with ag robots.  And then mulch the repellent plants and add them as repellent layers on the soil.

No more extracted "natural" presticides or chemical ones would be necessary.  And labor costs would actually drop as planting, cultivating, mulching, fertilizing, watering, and harvesting is done with robotic efficiency, powered by solar electricity.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

Hi Lou,

I'm interested to know what/who your source is for your statement that organic farmers have stopped using Rotenone?

It would also be good to note that there are maximum allowable residues for conventional pesticides, and to my knowledge there are no maximum allowable residues for 'organic' pesticides.

I think it would also be good to mention newer bio-pesticides (Bt is an older example of that), which are a very promising area of research and development.

why not just accept apples with the worms in 'em?  a moth's gotta feed its family too!  just kidding.  but the apples at my parents house get pretty infested with worms because we don't spray.  and we just cut up the apples before eating so as not to bite into a worm.  and i wouldn't want to have to pay for wormy apples.  but i have to ask myself, would i rather accidentally eat a worm, or unknowingly be munching down chemicals?

I don't see any meat or dairy products on the list.  They accumulate pesticides in them as well.  I'm sure there must be information out there on pesticide loads in meat.

Il faut cultiver notre jardin.