Letter #103
Controlling the Food, Controlling the People
How Organic Farming is the Hope of Humanity
F. W. Engdahl’s masterly book: “Seeds of Destruction” is concerned with: “the control over the very basis of human survival, our daily provision of bread. The man who served the interests of the postwar American-based elite during the 1970’s, and came to symbolize its raw realpolitik, was Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Sometime in the mid-1970’s, Kissinger, a life-long practitioner of “Balance of Power” geopolitics and a man with more than a fair share of conspiracies under his belt, allegedly declared his blueprint for world domination: “Control the oil and you control nations. Control the food, and you control the people.”
“In the course of researching for this book, a work nominally on the subject of genetically modified organisms or GMO, it soon became clear that the history of GMO was inseparable from the political history of this one very powerful family, the Rockefeller family, and the four brothers-David, Nelson, Laurance and John D. III – who, in the three decades following American victory in World War II, the dawn of the much-heralded American Century, shaped the evolution of power…”
“In actual fact, the story of GMO is that of the evolution of power in the hands of an elite, determined at all costs to bring the entire world under their sway.”[1]
Given that one of the key battlefields of humanity is land it’s vitally important for us all to devote more thought to this subject.
“In 2020 there were 24,480 organic farms in Austria, which is 225 more than in 2019. This corresponds to a share of 22.7%. According to the provinces, the largest increases were in Vienna with 6%, in Styria with 3.3% and in Burgenland with 2.6%.”[2]
“Organic farming works as far as possible in closed cycles. This means: what is produced on the farm is reused there. For example: Manure and liquid manure are used as farm fertilizer or legumes are grown to fix nitrogen in the soil. The use of artificial fertilizers, the production of which is very energy-intensive, is prohibited. Organic uses natural self-regulation mechanisms. A variety of crop rotations, the use of beneficial insects, gentle tillage, a reduction in the use of antibiotics and the use of homeopathy in animals ensure an ecological balance in the fields and in animal health.”
“Soil life is promoted through careful cultivation of the soil, application of compost and well-treated manure. This in turn activates soil nutrients. One of the mottos of organic farming is: “feed the animals in the soil and not directly the plants”. Organic relies on species-appropriate animal husbandry while animal-friendly husbandry systems are used (no permanent tethering, exercise or grazing must be possible). The feed must come from organic farming.”[3]
“How does an organic farmer work? In order to do justice to the holistic approach of organic farming, organic farmers have to deal with the processes on the farm more than their conventionally farming colleagues. What is permitted in detail and what is not is regulated in detail in the EU organic regulation 834/07.”
“Organic farmers strive to increase the activity of soil life through various measures so that the natural balance and fertility are maintained. They achieve this by paying attention to biodiversity in the context of crop rotation. In organic farming, grain is not grown in one and the same place for years, but the grain is followed by a leafy crop such as a potato, beet or oil pumpkin. Only if a plant that needs a lot of nutrients from the soil is followed by a plant with lower nutrient requirements will the soil not be exhausted and remain fertile. Before wheat, beans and peas are grown, which contribute a lot to soil fertility. Nitrogen-collecting and humus-building plants (e.g. Lucerne (aka Alfalfa), clover) are cultivated over the winter or throughout the year. As a result, the application of artificial fertilizers can be dispensed with. This is how fertilization is done. Organic farmers do without easily soluble commercial fertilizers and instead use manure, such as liquid manure, manure, liquid manure or compost. If the soil is not in balance, stone powder and lime can also be added to the soil and, if necessary, poorly soluble fertilizers such as certain forms of rock phosphate or potash crude salt.”[4]
“Pests are not fought with chemical-synthetic pesticides but kept in check by promoting the ecological balance. Crop rotation also plays an important role. If necessary, natural pesticides are used, such as rock flour, oils in fruit growing or sulfur and copper in wine and fruit growing. Beneficial insects such as predatory mites are also used to control pests, especially in greenhouses. In the field, the organic farmer tries to create favorable conditions for the beneficial insects, for example by tending hedges and ensuring a controlled weed flora.”
“Weeds are not only viewed negatively in organic farming; their advantages are also seen. They serve as a shelter and habitat for beneficial animals that feed on pests. With the right choice of location for the fields, healthy seed, the right time for sowing and a balanced crop rotation, severe weed infestation is avoided in organic arable farming. If there are still too many weeds, they are removed by machine or by hand.”[5]
I wrote to a large number of organic farmers in Austria but only one: Marian Aschenbrenner[6], a beekeeper, replied, which means that I’m permitted to give his answers in full and wholly unedited.
To my question: “Why did you become an organic farmer?” he replied: “In beekeeping, organic is above all an advantage when selling colonies, as customers can assume that our beeswax is residue-free. Bees need as many unpolluted areas as possible. By buying organic, especially for feed (sugar), we also support agriculture that doesn’t require sprays.
Financially, organic is hardly an advantage in the supermarket, but it is in direct sales. In direct marketing, it is usually a prerequisite.“
To my question: “From your point of view, what are the biggest challenges for organic farms in Austria at the moment?” he responded: “Unfortunately, several studies state that organic farming won’t be sufficient to prevent biodiversity decline (insects, wild bee mortality and bird decline, etc.). New approaches are also needed here for organic, which unfortunately have not been taken into account at all in the CAP. Agriculture will face great challenges, as it’s unclear how these necessary measures are to be financed. The bureaucracy will certainly increase even more.”
“The climate crisis will also hit organic farms hard and will certainly be the greatest challenge in the coming years. There is a lack of strategies on how to deal with these changes.”
“Honey as an animal product is generally viewed more critically, which will lead to a drop in demand. However, since we, in Austria, are far from being able to cover our own requirements, I see less of a challenge.”
To my question: “How do you see the situation regarding GMOs and hybrids in Austria?” he responded: “Hybrids to increase yields take place in all breeding areas (including beekeeping) and I see that as unproblematic. I find GMOs that lead to healthier plants with better climatic conditions to be fundamentally positive. I see the problem of availability and the fact that seeds and genetics can only be obtained from large agricultural groups as extremely problematic. It must be ensured that diversity and locally adapted genetics remain available and that their cultivation is permitted.”
Whatever the case may be: what is needed are more discussions about agriculture, which is why I intend to write further letters on this subject in the future.
[1] pp.xiv-xv, Seeds of Destruction, F. W. Engdahl
[2] https://info.bml.gv.at/themen/landwirtschaft/bio-lw/zahlen-fakten/Biozahlen.html#:~:text=Mit%202020%20gibt%20es%20in,Burgenland%20mit%202%2C6%20%25%20
[3] https://www.bioforschung.at/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/6_Broschuere_biologische_Landwirtschaft_D_A5_DRUCK.pdf
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] https://biezen.at/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Meisterarbeit-Marian-Aschenbrenner.pdf