5 ms·

I garden organically , and I use no pesticides. What "organic" pesticides are you thinking of? Edit: changed farm to garden

eli 10y ago
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/28/sure-that-food-has-the-governments-organic-label-but-that-doesnt-mean-it-was-made-without-chemicals/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/28/sure-...
stonemetal 10y ago
Any chemical that is naturally occurring is considered organic. To be specific here: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/national-list https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/national-... is the USDA's list of chemicals that can be used and still be labeled organic.
AngrySkillzz 10y ago
Lots of them [1]. Anything you buy at the store labeled "organic" could involve any of these substances, among others. In addition, because organic pesticides are less effective per unit, much more is applied to get the same benefit. [2] [1] http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f1025eb0e6b67cadf9d3b40&rgn=div6&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.7&idno=7#se7.3.205_1601 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f10... [2] http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogsscientificamericancomscience-sushi20110718mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/ http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogss...
scott_s 10y ago
From the piece I linked to, http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f1025eb0e6b67cadf9d3b40&rgn=div6&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.7&idno=7#se7.3.205_1600 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f10... When "gardening", you can probably do just fine without using pesticides. But when you farm crops as a business, you have to do something.
- Ozyman 10y ago
  > But when you farm crops as a business, you have to do something. Several family farms at my local farmers market claim their crops are pesticide free. Now granted they are probably 10s of acres, not 1000s of acres, but they are still making a living.
greenshackle 10y ago
Off the top of my head: Bt proteins, copper. There are many more, you can easily google and find a long list. And yes, that's the same Bt that's in Bt crops, by the way (proteins from Bt bacteria). Organic farmers use it in a spray. It's a natural substance, and they argue the spray causes less resistance than the GM varieties. I really don't have the domain knowledge to say whether they're right. Not all organic farmers are the same, and over time the meaning of 'organic' has been diluted. Smaller, more idealistic organic farmers mostly don't use pesticides, but there are large commercial organic growers out there who meet the bare minimum for certification and will use whatever pesticides are allowed.
refurb 10y ago
Nicotine, rotenone, pyrethrins are just a few examples [1]. They are mostly derived from other plants so are regarded as organic although they can be quite toxic to humans. [1]http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/organic.htm http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/organic....
- ceejayoz 10y ago
  Nicotine is also believed to be an issue with declining bee populations.
drakonandor 10y ago
but why do you garden with transgenics! It's unnatural!

eli 10y ago

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/28/sure-that-food-has-the-governments-organic-label-but-that-doesnt-mean-it-was-made-without-chemicals/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/28/sure-...

stonemetal 10y ago

Any chemical that is naturally occurring is considered organic. To be specific here: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/national-list https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/national-... is the USDA's list of chemicals that can be used and still be labeled organic.

AngrySkillzz 10y ago

Lots of them [1]. Anything you buy at the store labeled "organic" could involve any of these substances, among others. In addition, because organic pesticides are less effective per unit, much more is applied to get the same benefit. [2] [1] http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f1025eb0e6b67cadf9d3b40&rgn=div6&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.7&idno=7#se7.3.205_1601 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f10... [2] http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogsscientificamericancomscience-sushi20110718mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/ http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogss...

scott_s 10y ago

From the piece I linked to, http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f1025eb0e6b67cadf9d3b40&rgn=div6&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.7&idno=7#se7.3.205_1600 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f10... When "gardening", you can probably do just fine without using pesticides. But when you farm crops as a business, you have to do something.

Ozyman 10y ago
> But when you farm crops as a business, you have to do something. Several family farms at my local farmers market claim their crops are pesticide free. Now granted they are probably 10s of acres, not 1000s of acres, but they are still making a living.

greenshackle 10y ago

Off the top of my head: Bt proteins, copper. There are many more, you can easily google and find a long list. And yes, that's the same Bt that's in Bt crops, by the way (proteins from Bt bacteria). Organic farmers use it in a spray. It's a natural substance, and they argue the spray causes less resistance than the GM varieties. I really don't have the domain knowledge to say whether they're right. Not all organic farmers are the same, and over time the meaning of 'organic' has been diluted. Smaller, more idealistic organic farmers mostly don't use pesticides, but there are large commercial organic growers out there who meet the bare minimum for certification and will use whatever pesticides are allowed.

refurb 10y ago

Nicotine, rotenone, pyrethrins are just a few examples [1]. They are mostly derived from other plants so are regarded as organic although they can be quite toxic to humans. [1]http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/organic.htm http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/VegFruit/organic....

ceejayoz 10y ago
Nicotine is also believed to be an issue with declining bee populations.

drakonandor 10y ago

but why do you garden with transgenics! It's unnatural!