Is non-organic compost OK?

9 years ago

Hello, I am wondering if buying compost from a small, sustainable farm near my home is safe for my organic gardening. They are not a certified organic farm, but their compost looks very well broken down and wonder if there will be harm in using it. It consists of bedding for pasture raised, grain finished cattle, horses, and then the vegetable compost from their CSA program. Thoughts?

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toxcrusadr

9 years ago

This is why I capitalize Organic when talking about farming and gardening practices, to distinguish from organic matter used to make compost, or soil organic matter levels. The question is a legitimate one, we just have to be clear about what we're talking about.

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Comments (9)

toxcrusadr
9 years ago
Yes, it should be. There are actually no standards for Organic compost (i.e., compost made from only Organic inputs). Essentially, even Organic farmers are not concerned about carryover enough to address it in their standards.

There is one exception: some herbicides used on pastures and hayfields have been found to survive cattle digestion and create manure that can damage plants. You might want to make sure they are not using any of these persistent herbicides (chlorpyralid and picloram) on their fields. But if they are a sustainable farm and they are using their own compost, they're probably all over that issue already.
theitaliangardenonyoutube
9 years ago
yeah i was going to mention the herbicide factor it they were growing and feeding GMO alfalfa to their animals. sometimes glyphosate or roundup can go right through a cow into compost. then any plants you plant in it dies. has happened not my grandmother several times, and she has been gardening since the 50's only happened to her in recent though do to invention of these potentially problem herbicides.

TheItalian Garden
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kimmq
9 years ago
How can one have "non-organic" compost? Compost is made of organic matter and is therefore organic. Some may have persistent pesticides mixed in which has caused problems but that only makes it unacceptable for use and not "non-organic".

If you cannot make your own compost then you need to know your source and test what you get before using it.

kimmq is kimmsr
jean001a
9 years ago
Umm, let's set things straight. "glyphosate or roundup do *not* go right through a cow into compost."

The persistent herbicides which are excreted intact are discussed thoroughly here:
Contamination of compost --- http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/aminopyralid/
toxcrusadr
9 years ago
Thanks jean, I totally missed the post saying that and would have pointed it out myself. Glyphosate is much more readily biodegradable than that. As are the vast majority of pesticides in use today, which is why we don't have to worry about compost inputs except in rare cases.
lisascenic Urban Gardener, Oakland CA
9 years ago
"There are actually no standards for Organic compost (i.e., compost made from only Organic inputs). Essentially, even Organic farmers are not concerned about carryover enough to address it in their standards."

Farmers are not the ones who set the organic standards. That work is done by scientists and lawmakers.
toxcrusadr
9 years ago
A valid point. Thank goodness things are in the hands of scientists and, uh....oh shoot.
klem1
9 years ago
You do a good job tox,it's not your fault when folks go in circles. I just know it makes me dizzy. LOL

Is non-organic compost OK?

toxcrusadr

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