> A friend of mine, concerned with sustainable agriculture, brought this site
> to my attention:
> >
> >http://web.iquest.net/ofma/
> >
> >the side by side comparison is great
>
> I think there are some resources on the USDA's proposals for the National
> Organic Program that are very valuable. I suggest that those who are
> looking for resources for specific comments take a look here.
OFMA is good regarding what's organic and what isn't, in relation to OFPA
itself and the Organic rule released December 16.
However, they fully support those aspects of OFPA that run counter to both
logic and the U.S. Constitution, such as obligatory certification and
restricting use of the word "organic" exclusively for OFPA/USDA certified
products (imagine what this means if the Organic Rule is approved as is) . In
any case, many of us feel that this infringes on the rights of small and
medium size organic growers (and many certifying organizations too) who may
choose to avoid the exhorbitant (for many) and in more than a few cases
unecessary (i.e. CSA operations) costs associated with organic certification as
per OFPA, especially as OFPA's now written. (And unfortunately, even IF the
anti-organic elements contained in the rule are eliminated - as I certainly
hope occurs, OPFA's abuses as written, will cause far more harm than good).
All that's needed is a legal defination of organic with penalties established
for fraud. Obligatory certification (and above all obligatory USDA/OFPA
certification - as is now beeing demonstrated), is simply leaving the situation
open to further rather than less abuse.
Also, the fact that OFMA (a private marketing group) sprang directly from a
USDA funded grant that supposedly was to be used for reviewing the opinions of
organic farmers all over the U.S., added to the cosy (close and priviliged)
relationship maintained with the USDA and NOP officials up to now, plus the
personal contact I and others have had with some of the founding members (and
grant receivers), makes us very leery of their intentions, beyond the rules
themselves.
--Douglas M. Hinds, Director General Centro para el Desarrollo Comunitario y Rural A.C. (CeDeCoR) (Center for Community and Rural Development) - (non profit) Cd. Guzman, Jalisco 49000 MEXICO Tel. & Fax: 011 523 412 6308 (direct) e-mail: cedecor@ipnet.com.mx, dmhinds@acnet.net, dhinds@ucol.mx
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