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Protect Your Rights!!!! |
| | Protect the Integrity of Organic Standards | | | On December 5, 2006, the USDA announced its new appointments to the National
Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB essentially advises the USDA on how to
interpret and implement federal organic laws that regulate industry. The NOSB
also reviews and approves substances for placement on the National List of
Approved and Prohibited Substances. In other words, the NOSB has the ability to
significantly weaken or strengthen the effectiveness of the national organic
standards.
According to federal law, the NOSB is to be made up of a
diverse group of experts in the organic field, including a public interest group
representative, an environmentalist, a scientist, and a handler. Despite this
clear mandate of diversity, the USDA's new appointments are all industry
representatives.
USDA's new appointees are:
- Scientist: Katrina Heinze
(General Mills)
- Public Interest Group Representative: Tracy Miedema
(Stahlbush Farms: a primarily non-organic operation)
- Environmentalist: Tina
Ellor (Phillips Mushroom Farms)
- Handler: Steve DeMuri (Campbells Soup)
Historically, there has only been one other instance where the USDA has
attempted to stack non-industry seats on the NOSB with industry representatives,
and the results were an embarassment for the USDA. One year ago, the agency
attempted to put a General Mills representative in the NOSB Public Interest
Group Representative seat, which was closely followed by a massive consumer
backlash spearheaded by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) and the
Consumers Union. The protests caused the USDA to reverse that decision.
In response to the USDA's recent appointment of industry represenatives
to the NOSB, the OCA calling for similar actions from concerned citizens. "Never
before has the USDA made such a blatant attempt to
pack the National Organic Standards Board with people who represent corporate
agribusiness and industrial farming practices," says OCA National Director
Ronnie Cummins. "Stahlbush Farms, which admits on its website to using
pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides on its crops (except for pumpkins) is
not, by any stretch of the imagination, an organic consumer or public interest
group. Likewise, General Mills is not an academic institution, qualified to
submit an impartial "scientist" to serve on the NOSB."
General Mills'
long history of aggressively fighting against the labeling of genetically
engineered foods makes that seat appointment of particular concern to organic
advocates.
Tell Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns and members of
Congress they should intervene to ensure that the NOSB is composed of organic
specialists, bona fide scientists, and representatives of consumer and public
interest groups, as mandated by the Organic Foods Production Act.
Learn more and take
action: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/oca/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=6204
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| Protect the Integrity of Organic Standards |
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