Organic Food Under Attack

Discussion in 'Consumer Advocacy' started by CasparJalen, Oct 25, 2005.

  1. CasparJalen

    CasparJalen Member

    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Brothers and sisters, this issue is extremely important to many of the members of the family. Some of our family work at and operate the leading organic farm organizations listed in this article. Congress is screwing up organic food. Here is the article:

    The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) needs your immediate help to
    stop Congress and the Bush administration from seriously degrading
    organic standards. After 35 years of hard work, the U.S. organic community has built up a
    multi-billion dollar alternative to industrial agriculture, based upon
    strict organic standards and organic community control over modification to these
    standards.

    Now, large corporations such as Kraft & Dean Foods--aided and abetted
    by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), are moving to lower
    organic standards by allowing a Bush appointee to create a list of synthetic ingredients
    that would be allowed in organic production. Even worse these proposed
    regulatory changes will reduce future public discussion and input and take away the National
    Organic Standards Board's (NOSB) traditional lead jurisdiction in setting
    standards. What this means, in blunt terms. is that USDA bureaucrats and industry lobbyists,
    not consumers, will now have more control over what can go into organic
    foods and products.

    This week, acting in haste and near-total secrecy, the U.S. Senate will
    vote on a "rider" to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that will
    reduce control over organic standards from the National Standards Board and put this
    control in the hands of federal bureaucrats in the USDA (remember the USDA
    proposal in 1997-98 that said that genetic engineering, toxic sludge, and food
    irradiation would be OK on organic farms, or USDA suggestions in 2004 that
    heretofore banned pesticides, hormones, tainted feeds, and animal drugs would be OK?).

    For the past week in Washington, OCA has been urging members of the
    Senate not to reopen and subvert the federal statute that governs U.S.
    Organic standards (the Organic Food Production Act - OFPA), but rather to let the organic
    community and the National Organic Standards resolve our differences
    over issues like synthetics and animal feed internally, and then proceed to a open
    public comment period. Unfortunately most Senators seem to be listening to industry lobbyists
    more closely than to us. We need to raise our voices.

    In the past, grassroots mobilization and mass pressure by organic
    consumers have been able to stop the USDA and Congress from degrading
    organic standards. This time Washington insiders tell us that the "fix is is already in."
    So we must take decisive action now. We need you to call your U.S.
    Senators today. We need you to sign the following petition and send it to everyone you know. We
    also desperately need funds to head off this attack in the weeks and months to come. Thank you for your support. Together we will take back citizen control over organic standards and preserve organic integrity.


    ______________________________________________________
    Another Article:

    Call Congress Tell Them Not to Weaken the Organic Food Law!

    Call the Following Offices to Say No to Dangerous Organic Amendment
    Backed by the Organic Trade Association!

    At 4 p.m today, Oct. 25 Congress will consider an amendment to the Agricultural Appropriations Bill sponsored by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) that would weaken the organic food law. The amendment would allow:

    numerous synthetic processing aids to be used in organic food without any public review;

    could allow young dairy cows to be treated with antibiotics and fed genetically engineered feed prior to being converted to organic production;

    create a loophole in which organic ingredients could be substituted with non-organic ingredients without any consumer notice based upon “emergency decrees.”


    The amendment was stopped in the Senate by consumer pressure two weeks ago but industry pressure has brought in back! We need your help again!!!

    Call the following offices now and tell to reject the OTA Organic Amendment from Agricultural Appropriation Bill.


    U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies
    Member State District Phone (202)
    Republicans
    Henry Bonilla (Chair) TX 23d 225-4511
    Ray LaHood (Vice chair) IL 18th 225-6201
    Jack Kingston GA 1st 225-5831
    Tom Latham IA 5th 225-5476
    Jo Ann Emerson MO 8th 225-4404
    Virgil Goode VA 5th 225-4711
    John Doolittle CA 4th 225-2511
    Rodney Alexander LA 5th 225-8490
    *Jerry Lewis CA 41st 225-5861

    Democrats
    Rosa DeLauro CT 3d 225-3661
    Marcy Kaptur OH 9th 225-4146
    Maurice Hinchey NY 26th 225-6335
    Sam Farr CA 17th 225-2861
    Allen Boyd FL 2nd 225-5235
    *David Obey WI 7th 225-3365


    U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies
    Switchboard: 224-3121
    Member State Phone (202)
    Republicans
    Bob Bennett (Chair) UT 224-5444
    Thad Cochran MS 224-5054
    Arlen Specter PA 224-4254
    Kit Bond MO 224-5721
    Mitch McConnell KY 224-2541
    Conrad Burns MT 224-2644
    Larry Craig ID 224-2752
    Sam Brownback KS 224-6521

    Democrats
    Herb Kohl (Ranking) WI 224-5653
    Tom Harkin IA 224-3254
    Richard Durbin IL 224-2152
    Byron Dorgan ND 224-2551
    Dianne Feinstein CA 224-3841
    Tim Johnson SD 224-5842
    Mary Landrieu LA 224-5824
    *Robert Byrd WV 224-3954

    *ex officio
    From: http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/102505.cfm

    ___________________________________________

    This is really important, Please make the call if you can
     
  2. cerridwen

    cerridwen in stitches

    Messages:
    18,126
    Likes Received:
    10
    The problem is that laws about organic foods in north america is rather lax... not nearly as organic as in Europe, lets say. Grow your own veggies, man.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice