Soil Biodiversity: A discussion

(image from http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/soil_breakdown.gif)

Alynn Davis responds to Organic Consumers' Association's notice about the possibility of USDA forcing small farms growing leafy vegetables to use industrial-style sterilization methods to reduce soil biodiversity and fertility which would reduce healthy microbial life in the soil.

To see the OCA's posting: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_8679.cfm

Summary of Alynn's Response:

Our soil and our society are experiencing severe mineral deficiencies. Despite being the most overfed nation, America is not well-fed, and to remedy this, we need to pay more attention to the soil. A health microbial feeding chain consists of microbes converting minerals into usable forms for plants. Conventional agriculture, as supported by the USDA, bypasses this natural feeding chain and produces mineral-deficient plants for our consumption. By growing our own food and allowing natural processes to occur, we address the problem of world starvation.

To read more about what Alynn has written on the subject, e-mail her at alynnraw at gmail dot com.