Sneak Attack on Organic Standards in USA

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(US)Congress Feels Heat from Consumers Over " Sneak Attack " on Organic

Standards by Food Processors & Grocery Chains

Go to:

 

http://www.organicconsumers.org/SOS/press101205.cfm

 

October 12, 2005

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

 

Ronnie Cummins (218) 226-4164

Ryan Zinn (907) 952-5486

 

Congress Feels Heat from Consumers Over " Sneak Attack " on Organic Standards by

Food Processors & Grocery Chains

 

More Than 250,000 Write Congress to Stop Industry " Rider "

 

Agricultural Appropriations Bill Could Allow Hundreds of Synthetic Substances &

Non-Organic Ingredients in Organic Production without Public Comment and Strict

Review

 

Washington, D.C - As Congress finalizes the 2006 Agricultural Appropriations

bill in the House/Senate Conference Committee, more than a quarter million

consumers have mobilized in the last three weeks from a broad cross section of

the U.S. to stop an industry-sponsored " Sneak Attack " on Organic Standards

contained in a " rider " to the bill. Members of the Organic Consumers Association

(OCA) have bombarded Congress with over 150,000 letters and 30,000 phone calls,

heading off passage of the " Sneak Attack " rider in the U.S. Senate. Members of

other groups including Citizens for Health, Health Freedom, Consumers Union,

Public Citizen, the National Cooperative Grocer Association, and the Center for

Food Safety have cumulatively generated more than 110,000 additional letters to

congress against the industry rider.

 

The Sneak Attack rider would lower organic standards by allowing Bush

administration appointees in the USDA National Organic Program to approve

hundreds of synthetic substances and processing aids in organic products. Even

worse, these proposed regulatory changes would reduce future public discussion

and input and undermine the National Organic Standards Board's (NOSB)

traditional lead jurisdiction in monitoring standards and controlling what

substances are allowed on the " National List " of approved ingredients. What this

means, in blunt terms is that USDA bureaucrats and industry lobbyists, not

consumers, would have near total control over what can go into processed organic

foods and products.

 

The backlash is also growing among many retailers, co-ops and some makers of

organic foods. Eden Foods, a longtime organic industry brand leader and

processor issued a statement on October 3 condemning the " Sneak Attack. " Since

then 200 businesses have joined OCA's campaign to Save Organic Standards. " Eden

Foods strongly objects, " said Eden Chairman and President Michael Potter. " As

the oldest and a founding member of the organic foods industry that has never

employed shortcuts, we believe that the fast, cheap, and easy route is counter

productive in organic food production. " A copy of the Eden Foods statement along

with OCA's petition for businesses may be found online at

http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/edenfoods100305.cfm .

 

Newly emerging organic industry giants such as Kraft, Dole, Dean Foods/Horizon,

Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats, Aurora, Smucker, and General Mills seek a

streamlined " expedited " approach to modifying organic standards and inclusion of

synthetic substances in processed organic foods in order to meet the booming

public demand for organics, now a $15 billion industry. " The Organic Trade

Association's credibility on organic standards has been severely tarnished by

their 'Sneak Attack rider' and new cozy relationship with Kraft and other food

giants who apparently care more about their bottom line than they do about

strict public review and maintaining strict organic standards. These American

food giants, with freshly painted organic facades, appear to be looking for an

easy way to brand their products as 'organic' when in fact the rider they

support would seriously undermine current organic standards, " stated Ronnie

Cummins, co-founder and National Director of the OCA. " 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. For the sake of the

earth and the health of all Americans, we must stop this sneak attack by

industry and preserve strict organic standards, "

 

More information may be found at http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm

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val in Buffalo, NY