SEGMENT: LIVESTOCK & GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
Paul Gebhart>LPL Interviews A-M>LPL Interviews A-J, Segment 7
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- LIVESTOCK
- Their livestock operation started with chickens and turkeys. They would buy day old chicks from a hatchery that had not been fed or watered. They then grew up on the farm eating organic foods. For mammals, the mother does not have to be organic. During the last third of the pregnancy, you start her on organic program. Then the offspring is organic. It can only be fed organic foods. Natural remedies are allowed, but not most medicines. You could sell it to another organic farm, but Paul raises everything himself.
- GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
- The USDA has to verify all the certification agencies so they can have the USDA Certified Organic label. The Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative is a government group he serves on. He also participates in the Council For Agricultural Research, where he helps lobby for sustainable agriculture. He agreed to help them only if they would incorporate sustainable agriculture research. Illinois Sustainable Ag Society was a committee he was involved in, but it is now defunct. He is also involved with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. Started as a coal mine reclamation group. They now focus on local foods.
