Pharm Solutions raises the bar for organics

Susan Lewis, president of Pharm Solutions, wants her business to set the standard for organic pesticides. Last year, Pharm Solutions products became the only pesticides to qualify for USDA Organic certification.

“There were so many products calling themselves organics in the marketplace we felt compelled to raise the bar -- to set the standard,” Lewis said.

The term organic is tossed around far too casually, in Lewis’ mind. Many products are marketed as organic but still contain synthetic elements. For example,  Lewis said some companies use much cheaper synthetic peppermint oil, instead of organic oil, which fetches a premium price. Yet the ultimate product is sold as organic regardless.

“It’s really not fair to consumers,” Lewis said. “There’s a reason people shop at Whole Foods. They want to eliminate non-organic from their lives. Many, many homeowners don’t want chemicals in their environment. We have to clarify what is organic and what’s not.”

Lewis became acquainted with organics in childhood. Her family was an organic grower for 20 years, first producing products on the East Coast. They later settled on a 5-acre parcel in Port Townsend, Wash., where they grew berries, hay and maintained large vegetable gardens.

Lewis found her friends were turning to her for organic remedies for their own gardens. Many didn’t want pesticides in their own households, especially with young children around. Friendly advice gradually gave way to a full-blown business venture.

Today, Pharm Solutions offers eight pesticides, a deer repellent formula and a foliar fish fertilizer. In mid-2007, the company received EPA approval for an organic alternative to glyphosate. Weed Pharm, which contains 20 percent acetic acid, will be available nationwide starting this year.

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Lewis said Cornell University trials showed that Weed Pharm has a 97 percent success rate in killing annual weeds, compared to glyphosate’s 98 percent success rate.

For more: Pharm Solutions, (805) 927-7400; www.pharmsolutions.com.