Opinion
Mike Hornick, Staff Writer The new free trade agreement on organic products between the U.S. and the European Union got a thumbs up from, among others, California congressman Sam Farr, D-Carmel.
Farr’s office hailed it as a breakthrough for Central Coast growers, who have 48,548 acres in organic production spread across three counties.
Its news release even described the European Union as a “top export destination” for the area.
That’s an overstatement, at least in Monterey County where I live.
In 2010, the last year for which numbers are available, less than 1% of its fruit and vegetable exports — conventional and organic — went to the European Union. Singapore, for example, got more. The big destinations were Canada, 55%; Taiwan, 11%; and Mexico, 7%.
But maybe the congressman was being “Farr-sighted” and looking to the future.
There’s every reason to think the pact will make Europe a more attractive destination for California organic growers. The U.S. and EU each agreed to honor the other’s organic certification, easing the flow of commodities, starting June 1.
“(It) reduces paperwork and costs for organic farms and processors that used to have to get an additional certification to sell organic products to the EU, and it will mean more organic choices for consumers,” Brise Tencer, director of policy and programs for California Certified Organic Farmers, said in the release.
Organic produce has been on the rise in Monterey County, no matter what happens internationally.
Production of organic strawberries, spring mix, lettuce, spinach, broccoli and the rest were up $5 million year over year in the last tally, to $168.9 million. Acreage was 19,495, up from 17,581.
Organic accounts for about 5% of all land in vegetable and fruit production here.
Elsewhere in the state, the agreement may come as cold comfort to some organic almond growers who unsuccessfully fought the pasteurization requirement on their commodity, a hurdle European imports have not had to clear.
Methyl iodide Valentine
A Feb. 14 vote of Monterey County’s board of supervisors underscored the long-running dilemma over fumigant use by California strawberry growers.
The board voted 4-1 to urge Gov. Jerry Brown to reconsider the state’s approval of methyl iodide as an acceptable replacement for methyl bromide.
The Environmental Protection Agency has labeled methyl iodide exposure a health risk.
Farmworkers shared their concerns with the board.
Growers would have preferred to wait on an Alameda County judge’s ruling in a lawsuit over the fumigant.
It has been a no-win situation.
The Watsonville-based California Strawberry Commission no doubt would like to get off the treadmill of replacing one fumigant with another.
Ideas kicked around have included steaming soil or mixing it with mustard seed meal.
Resolution, though, is still somewhere down the road.
What's your take? Leave a comment and tell us your opinion.
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Comments (1)
Leave a commentDavid B.
Report AbuseDouble-win for the central coast of California. Not only has the market for our organic produce opened up, but the community is advocating for less toxic means of controlling pests, and thereby encouraging more organic production.