La Vida Locavore points out a pointed letter from the Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) to the First Lady:

Did you hear the news? The White House is planning to have an “organic” garden on the grounds to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the Obama’s and their guests. While a garden is a great idea, the thought of it being organic made Janet Braun, CropLife Ambassador Coordinator and I shudder. As a result, we sent a letter encouraging them to consider using crop protection products and to recognize the importance of agriculture to the entire U.S. economy. Read below for the entire letter.

MACA practically begs the First Lady to stop being organic, but their argument strays far away from organic issues and across a vast plain of technology. They mention everything from soil erosion and infrared weed detectors to four-wheel-drive tractors and GPS-enabled pesticide sprayers. Last time I checked, using a four-wheel drive tractor with high horsepower does not make a garden less organic. Likewise an infrared detector is surely acceptable. So what’s their beef? The “War of the Weeds” presentation on the maca.org site has fun facts like these:

Q: How many teens would it take to replace herbicides?
A: 220 million acres = 4 acres per teenager = 55 million!

So each teenager could kill 4 acres of weed (pun not intended). Apparently that’s based on data from the 1950s in Minnesota and North Dakota, when a program was started to keep kids from getting into trouble. I wonder if anyone considered this when they drafted the stimulus package.

MACA also takes a couple shots at California for requesting a hand weeding exemption. They argue hoes are less dangerous to your back than using your hand (er, pun not intended) and they say California organic growers claimed crop and profit loss if they were unable to use hand weeding. In fact, they say “hand weeding more dangerous to back than short handled hoe”. If I remember correctly, California actually banned the short-handled hoe in 1975 and then all short-handled tools in 1978 after employers tried to get around the original ban by using things other than hoes such as knives. Then in 2004 California banned hand-weeding after a long debate on how to close the loop-hole left by the 1978 rules. The state thus established protection for farm workers from back-breaking work, but also allowed options for organic growers to weed manually. A quick check of the California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3456. Hand-Held Tools gives details:

(b) The use of a short-handled hoe or any other short-handled hand tool is prohibited in agricultural operations, as that term is defined in Section 3437, for weeding, thinning or hot-capping when such hoe or short-handled hand tool is used in a stooped, kneeling or squatting position. A long-handled hand tool used for these operations shall not be used as a short-handled hand tool in a stooped, kneeling or squatting position.

(c)(1) Hand weeding, hand thinning, and hand hot-capping in a stooped, kneeling or squatting position shall not be permitted in agricultural operations as defined in Section 3437, unless there is no readily available, reasonable alternative means of performing the work that is suitable and appropriate to the production of the agricultural or horticultural commodity.

(2) Upon inquiry made by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health personnel, the employer shall bear the burden of justifying that the use of hand weeding, hand thinning, or hand hot-capping was required due to the unsuitability of the use of a long-handled tool or other alternative means of performing the work.

This says to me that short-handled or long-handled tools can not be used when they are used in an unhealthy position, and hands also may not be used unless there is no alternative method found. Employers have to demonstrate their requirements, but most will fall out of regulation if they use nurseries or systems with plants less than 2-inches apart. Thus the MACA presentation seems to paint a somewhat deceptive anti-organic picture, which goes right back to their rambling letter to the White House. It seems to me they would rather express a passion against changes to their world rather than any coherent or logical argument with facts relevant to the issue at hand (pun not intended).