USDA Rejects Almond Board's Appeal for Delay of Treatment Plan

[Guest guest]

Good evening,

 

While many of us were hoping the Almond Board's appeal to delay the

September 1, 2007 deadline for the mandatory almond pasteurization

would go through, the USDA rejected it. That's bad news, but

hopefully it will encourage more people to email and send letters,

etc. As we near the turning point in the availability of truly raw

almonds, please consider sending email and/or letters. Even consider

calling. I included some email addresses to USDA staff at the bottom

of this email. For other email addresses and other contact

information, such as the almond board, visit saveouralmonds.com.

 

We may still have access to unpasteurized almonds, but this ruling

should not stand without a fight. Please voice your opinion.

 

Jeff

 

Here's the news release from Will Fantle at Cornucopia Institute:

 

 

BREAKING NEWS: USDA Rejects Almond Board's Appeal for Delay of

Treatment Plan - immediate need to jumpstart campaign to protect raw

and organic almonds

 

Hello all,

 

We wanted to immediately share breaking news with you concerning the

USDA's decision to reject the six-month extension, requested by the

California Almond Board (CAB), of the implementation for the new

" pasteurization " requirement for raw almonds.

 

We had hoped to use the delay to help organize an aggressive

campaign. The CAB request for delay had nothing to do with the

outcry of consumers regarding this questionable " technological fix. "

It was an attempt to accommodate the industry since it was perceived

that adequate processing capacity was not in place to meet the

September 1 deadline. We are concerned that the decision not to

grant the delay might competitively impact some players in the market.

 

It is more important than ever to immediately engage your customers

and members to fight this top-down decision that will negatively

impact domestic growers, other members of the industry and consumers.

 

This couldn't come at a more awkward time. In addition to a bumper

crop of almonds, industry insiders tell us that some players are now

stocking up on European-grown almonds, attracted by low pricing and

the guarantee of non-pasteurized availability, in spite of a

recognition of their lower quality.

 

Please visit the Cornucopia website (www.cornucopia.org) and click on

the " Authentic Almond Project " navigation button for full campaign

materials.

 

If you have questions or tactical ideas at this juncture please let

us know. The only way we will win this battle is to engage as many

consumers to stand with growers and handlers as possible.

 

Please see a short news blurb below.

 

Best regards,

 

Will Fantle

 

 

 



 

 

Contact: Will Fantle, 715-839-7731

 

 

USDA Rejects Almond Board’s Appeal for Delay of Treatment Plan

 

The Cornucopia Institute has learned that the USDA has rejected the

request by the Californian Almond Board for a 6-month delay in

implementation of the controversial almond pasteurization plan.

Sources at the Agency told Cornucopia that they had determined that

sufficient capacity existed in California to handle the

pasteurization of this year’s bumper almond crop with propylene

oxide (PPO), a toxic fumigant approved for use on raw almonds to kill

Salmonella bacteria.

 

“USDA is again not hearing the legitimate concerns being raised by

almond growers, retailers and consumers who want a full review of the

pasteurization scheme,†said Will Fantle of The Cornucopia

Institute, a farm policy group based in Wisconsin.

 

“We cannot let this order stand and we will investigate all public,

legal and Congressional paths to see that this flawed and rushed plan

receives a comprehensive public reassessment,†Fantle said.

 

Only 18 people – all associated with the Almond industry –

commented on the draft pasteurization rule earlier this year. The

comments came almost entirely from a small subset of almond handlers

who received individual letters from USDA notifying them of the plan.

 

“The public was almost completely shut out of this process,†noted

Fantle. Since the USDA’s almond plan was publicly revealed by

Cornucopia in April, the group has learned that the Agency has

received more than 1200 public comments opposing it.

 

“There are a multiple concerns regarding the wisdom and science of

using a suspected carcinogen for almond treatments, questions about

processing capacity for approved alternative treatments such as high-

temperature heat, and the loss of domestic markets for growers

competing with foreign almonds that are not required to undergo the

pasteurization process.â€

 

 

 

Secretary Mike Johanns

United States Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Ave SW

Whitten Building – Suite 200A

Washington, D.C. 20250

agsec

 

 

John D. Negroponte

Deputy Secretary of State,

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Mike.Johanns,

 

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