Tom, you can spin spin spin, but the reality is plain to see: organic farmers rely on a fertilizer that is risky as it harbors pathogens that can kill people.

Fact: Earthbound Farms ORGANIC Baby Spinach has now been directly implicated in this most recent spinach outbreak -- by an Ohio family who's youngest child now has permanent kidney damage from consuming that organic food.

Diez-Gonzalez's research from 2004 and his most recent paper from 2006 indicate that organic produce is more likely to be contaminated with E. coli. Try reading more than D-G's biased abstract (there's actual data and science in that paper, Tom.)

D-G found a roughly 3X higher E. coli contamination rate in organic produce in 2004 and again a 3X higher E. coli contamination rate for organic in 2006. Here's a key sentence from the 2006 paper: "In the 2 years of sampling, 68 semiorganic samples (8%) and 34 organic fruit and vegetable samples (7%) had detectable E. coli contamination. For conventional produce, as many as 13 samples (2%) tested positive for E. coli"

The facts are the facts, man.

You crow that they didn't find Salmonella or O157:H7 in the 2006 research, but this means nothing, as these are notoriously hard to find. In 19 past outbreaks of O157:H7 from lettuce, investigators failed to find it in suspected product. (Nor do you mention that in 2004 D-G DID find salmonella on organic lettuce and green pepper, but not on any conventional produce!)

That's why generic E. coli is used as an "indicator organism" by health authorities.  Because his own data are clearly negative in this regard, D-G (who is a hard-core organic devotee) is now trying to claim that use of generic E. coli as an indicator of fecal contamination is being "questioned by a number of researchers." Really?

Funny how the organic proponents always re-think things when the facts don't fit their propaganda.

You can't spin the fact that Earthbound's Organic Baby Spinach has been directly implicated in this outbreak. Which "industrial farming" technique are you going to try and blame this on this time? Which scapegoat are you going to try and pawn this off on?

You can keep running from reality, but it won't change it.

Alex Avery,
Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues

PS: You wrote that I seem to "have a congenital hatred of organic food -- and a burning desire to make you hate it, too. His preferred method for achieving his goal is fear."

I feel the same way in reverse: The organic fanatics seem to have a congenital hatred of non-organic food -- and a burning desire to make you hate it, too. Their preferred method for achieving this goal is fear.

The only difference: I base my stance on science and reality -- you base yours on faith and emotion.

Live and let live. Eat however you wish. But don't deny reality in your anti-non-organic farming smear campaign.

Alex

Hey Tom, what do you make of the University of Bern research from last year that found organic dairy cows had higher (though not statistically significant) levels of E. coli O157:H7 than conventional dairy cows?

O157:H7 was detected in 25% of organic dairy herds vs. 17% for conventional.

More organic propaganda down the drain.

Kuhnert P, Dubosson CR, Roesch M, Homfeld E, Doherr MG, Blum JW.
Prevalence and risk-factor analysis of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli in faecal samples of organically and conventionally farmed dairy cattle. Vet Microbiol. 2005 Aug 10;109(1-2):37-45.

Cattle are a natural reservoir for Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC), however, no data are available on the prevalence and their
possible association with organic or conventional farming practices.
We have therefore studied the prevalence of STEC and specifically O157:H7 in Swiss dairy cattle by collecting faeces from approximately 500 cows from 60 farms with organic production (OP) and 60 farms with integrated (conventional) production (IP). IP farms were matched to OP farms and were comparable in terms of community, agricultural zone, and number of cows per farm. E. coli were grown overnight in an enrichment medium, followed by DNA isolation and PCR analysis using specific TaqMan assays. STEC were detected in all farms and O157:H7 were present in 25% of OP farms and 17% of IP farms. STEC were detected in 58% and O157:H7 were evidenced in 4.6% of individual faeces. Multivariate statistical analyses of over 250 parameters
revealed several risk-factors for the presence of STEC and O157:H7.
Risk-factors were mainly related to the potential of cross-contamination of feeds and cross-infection of cows, and age of the animals. In general, no significant differences between the two farm types concerning prevalence or risk for carrying STEC or O157:H7 were observed. Because the incidence of human disease caused by STEC in Switzerland is low, the risk that people to get infected appears to be small despite a relatively high prevalence in cattle. Nevertheless, control and prevention practices are indicated to avoid contamination of animal products.

Alex

And a good response.

Perhaps Alex should visit grieving mothers of miscarried and stillborn children in places like rural Iowa and Kansas.

Maybe he would prefer a silent spring to all those noisy birds chirping and crickets calling.

"We must be the change we wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Ghandi

Isn't that the reason why them scientists use them statistics, you know to compare different sample sizes... you know from more than one group? Them ANOVA tests, you know to pick up significant differences? You know instead of background variation because this is, what do they call that? O jeez, not a population, but umm, jeez, um...
um...
... a sample? you know, cause I heard them samples have them sample variances inherent to umm... lack of our ability to test the whole population or something like that?

Oh, but I guess you wouldn't know anything about that.

I read the second abstract provided by aavery. I was wrong, clearly the abstract provided actual data to prove that organic farms are evil. Them 'multyvariaties' statistical mumbojumbo tests clearly show that organic produce was created by the devil himself. Praise the lord, curse the devil!

And thems scientists wasn't able to find no statistical differences in all thems mumbojumbos, but for the prevalence due to cross-contaminaishun and cross-infecshun and age of cows. They's was biased too out there in Switzerland.

Alex Avery,

How conforting it is that you actually read some scientific literature. The next step is understanding them. Perhaps you should ask Daddy to explain statistics to you. You seem to have gathered so many other "talents" from him.

Hey all you kool-aid drinkers so proud you "caught" me in a supposed mistake in claiming the spinach outbreak was from organic farm.

How about these apples? AP story below from Feb 28, 2007 indicates the spinach WAS grown organically (2 years into 3-year transition).

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ... (you get the picture).

Officials trace tainted spinach to San Benito County farm
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Article Last Updated: 02/28/2007 01:04:43 PM PST

SACRAMENTO - Fresh spinach that sparked a nationwide E. coli outbreak last fall was grown on a roughly 50-acre plot in San Benito County, health officials told state lawmakers.
Officials said at a legislative hearing Tuesday that investigators identified the grower who was farming that plot, which was in the second year of a three-year transition to organic production.

However, they declined to release further details until they complete a full report on the outbreak. Dr. Kevin Reilly of the California Department of Health Services did not give an exact date for releasing the report with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but said "hopefully within the next few weeks."

Investigators previously have said they linked a strain of E. coli that killed three people and sickened more than 200 others in September to wild pigs that may have spread the bacteria in the field.

In an effort to restore consumer confidence in the wake of the outbreak, California lettuce and spinach processors crafted a voluntary inspection program, overseen by the state, that will allow participants to put a food safety seal of approval on their products. Officials and industry leaders are working to outline the inspection guidelines.

So far, 51 handlers that wash, package and ship about 90 percent of the leafy greens processed in the state have signed up for the program, state Department of Food and Agriculture officials said Tuesday.

Alex

Such a remarkable level of immaturity.  Usually the spokespeople for the opposition manage to maintain at least a facade of professionalism and objectivity. No danger of that here, though.

So the spinach came from a to-be-organic plot.  That's hardly enough information to conclude anything.  Where did the E.Coli come from?  From manure applied by the farmer?  Or from wild pigs?  Or washed over from nearby cattle operations?  Brought in on the tires of a truck?  There simply isn't enough information available at this point to know whether or not the contamination had anything to do with organic practices, or not.

Me a lack of objectivity? Pot calling . . . (you get the picture).

What about the fact that the previous speculated route of contamination was that a wild pig transfered the E. coli from a nearby cattle ranch. Guess what kind of ranch. Go on, guess.

Grass-fed, free-range cattle ranch -- obliterating the claim that E. coli O157:H7 only comes from "factory farms."

GreenEngineer: why can't you finally admit that organic __ also stinks and is NO SAFER than any other food, and might be less safe by relying on manure as a primary fertilizer?

Objectivity? Please!
Alex "Still looking at the science" Avery, Hudson Institute

Alex