organics

[Guest guest]

I love the internet. You can spout just about anything and it sounds

like fact.

 

I have been in the organic and natural product industry for thirty

years. I worked hard on committees to create drafts for the Texas,

Colorado and Federal legislation defining organic and again for the

USDA implementation of Organic Production Act of 1990. I served on

numerous committees of the Organic Trade Association including the

Manufacturing, Processing, Packaging and Labeling committee (MPPL) and

the GMO committee. I continue as an active member as well as with the

Organic Consumers Association. We have continued our efforts, ever

vigilant, to maintain the integrity of the Federal US standards and

have done an excellent job in the face of efforts to dilute the

standards that are a clear and present danger.

We have hundreds of dedicated growers, processors, resellers and

consumers involved in this effort.

The label of a certified organic product is meaningful and truthful

today and more so than when it was just a group of state statutes. Do

have you have any idea how much money that the California Dept. of

Agriculture allotted for the enforcement of the state organic statute?

Not much and not enough.

 

So with all of that said, Phil would you please enlighten us with some

evidence to back up your numerous assertions:

 

What is the basis of your intimate knowledge of Safeway's buying habits?

I am consulting with several companies who are making products for

Safeway's private organic label. They are US companies using a lot of

US grown ingredients all certified by US certifying agencies.

 

What are the farms in Central America to which you allude that are

Monsanto run, operated or owned?

What are their names and what products do they produce?

 

In what ways, specifically, is the US Organic Production more lenient

than the California legislation (which, in large part was used as a

standard for the federal act)?

 

What is the fact behind your assertion that Safeway's (or any

companies) organic label will contain GMO ingredients?

 

The local farmers who are not using the term organic most often do not

choose (or cannot afford) to get their crops certified organic by an

independent FDA certified company and hence cannot legally use the term

organic (which they could, without certification, just by paying a $200

registration fee to the California Dept of Ag before the federal

standards went into effect.). Currently, a 'sustainable label " used

alone has no authority behind it, no way to trace the products origin

or growing practices.

 

Sustainability is at the heart of the organic issue. It is not

susatainble, for example, to ship California grown certified organic

broccoli to New England. Unfortunately too many people make it about

other issues such as food safety, that rely on fear for public interest

to be maintained - like fish genes in tomatoes - which were introduced

into the market in 1994 and withdrawn in 1997. There are currently no

GMO tomatoes on the market though some are under development. see:

http://www.geo-pie.cornell.edu/crops/tomato.html

 

So the issue is important and it is likewise important to deal with it

in a factual manner, rather that merely spouting unsubstantiated

platitudes.

 

We are very blessed to be living in Northern California with its

abundance of fresh, organic food and it's open attitude about

vegetarianism. I have been a strict lacto vegetarian since Dec. 1973.

The first 20 years of this lifestyle choice were spent in Austin Texas

itself an oasis in the barren wasteland of Texas (both figuratively and

literally). My most frequent response to friends back in Austin about

life in N.Cal - 'They use the V-word here!' as we were accustomed to

telling waitresses we were allergic to eggs or dairy to get a truthful

response from the kitchen about menu ingredients.

 

So Phil, we are anxiously awaiting your follow-up response with some

substance to support your assertions and then a meaningful dialog can

begin.

Eric Borgstrom

Opportunities & Options, consulting the natural and organic food

industry since since 1975.

eric

 

On Nov 27, 2005, at 10:05 PM, Philip Gelb wrote:

 

> the organic label is a misnomer these days, unfortunately. Especially

> when it comes to large corporations like safeway!! They are getting

> their " organic " material from mansanto run farms in central america.

> The federal standard for organic is not the classic california organic

> acts but is far more lenient. Safeway's organic label will most likely

> contain gmo products!

> Many of the local farmers now call their produce " sustainable " instead

> of organic to show they are using more strict standards.

>  

> phil

>  

> http://philipgelb.com