The farmer’s flashpoint

Farmer Graham Clarke has been running the 3000 acre South Otago family farm with his brother Ian since his parents sold it to them in 1983. The sheep and cattle farm, says the 50-year-old, had always been farmed “conventionally, or what I call chemically – a little bit different to some, but basically the same old.”

In 2005, Graham saw an ad in the paper about an upcoming lecture to be given by American agronomist Dr Arden Andersen in Christchurch. The topic was how detrimental the chemical farming approach of the last 70 years has been both to the environment and to the well-being of those who consume the food produced as a result, which is most of us.

“For some obscure reason,” says Graham, “I drove 500km to listen to some weirdo talk about stuff I had no idea about and charge me $500 for the privilege. I honestly have no idea why I went. It was a long, long way out of step with anything that I would have regarded as sensible and normal.”

Anderson – both a farming expert and medical doctor – spoke about the effects on human health of some of the poisons farmers use, and of how short-sighted this approach was. “It was like a light bulb went on when Anderson was talking,” says Graham. “That’s it, I’m done with chemicals, it’s either organic or nothing.”

Soon after, Graham began converting the property into an organic farm. With its 4000 sheep and 100 cattle, Marama Organic Farm has been operating under organic principles since 2005, and in 2008 was certified by BioGro.

Graham is also deeply committed to improving soil chemistry through biological principles, for example using organic products such as seaweed as a fertilizer and dietary supplement for livestock.

“One of the things that is quite exciting is that I can honestly say that I believe that our farming will be better next year than it was last year from a practical physical sense because the soil biology is getting stronger and the nutrition of the animals improves and the overall health issues become less rather than more, and in the chemical farming environment, that’s not the history of my 30 years’ farming.”

Though Graham admits it hasn’t been an easy road. “It is, financially, a very difficult game we are in, making changes is pretty difficult in that environment, nobody can afford losses. [But] I’m committed to farming in a way that is good for biology. We are not going backwards.”

Since becoming organic there have been other lifestyle changes, too. He describes himself as having previously been in “very average health” with persistent back problems and a traditional diet – “always hungry!” Now, Clarke says his fitness and health have improved significantly and he and partner Giselle are well on their way to becoming self-sufficient in terms of their food supply. They make their own milk, butter and cheese and by summer’s end they will have a third of an acre of vegetables ready to eat.

What does 'organic' mean?

Organic agriculture is a system of growing food without man-made chemicals, and with long-term management plans for the welfare of the land, livestock, wildlife and waterways.

In New Zealand organic agriculture is overseen by four independent bodies – BioGro NZ, Organic Farm NZ, Demeter and Agriquality – which certify the growing and processing of food, and charge annual fees ranging from $200 to $2000.

Rules for organic certification are strict. Growers cannot use synthetic fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides or other such sprays and treatments.

Instead they use natural fertilisers like manure, fish or seaweed and traditional techniques such as crop rotation, mulching and companion growing. Pests are controlled with natural deterrents or are maintained at low levels by encouraging healthy ecosystems where predators keep insects in check.

Growers must operate their land organically for three years before they can achieve the most stringent levels of organic certification. This ensures chemical residues have passed out of the soil and environment.

Tests are done to establish minimum levels of pesticides and heavy metals. Basic soil fertility tests are also done at the beginning of the process and at certification to check that improvements are being made.

Supporters of organic growing believe it has important and wide-ranging benefits: food producers have an operating environment free from toxic chemicals; consumers get food that doesn’t contain chemical residues, and the environment thrives from being more holistically and sustainably managed.

– Robert Glensor

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Blog of Dr Arden Andersen