>Folks have to under stand this is not about public/private partnership any
>more. This the about the federalization of organic certification. There
>will be no CCOF,Demeter,Florida Organic G&C,NOFA,OGOM,TILTH etc. hand book
>there will only be a USDA label and hand book
>start thinking that this has been a failure,lets stop it now and get on
with
>life.
>So feel free to comment on Option 3! The option the USDA did not tell you
>about.
>
>Abandon implementation and go to an independent standard and regulatory.
>
Dear Sanet list, This is my first post to this list. We have a small CSA in
Central Ma. and while not yet certified we are members of Nofa. I am a bit
confused. I know that there was such a public outcry from the above groups
and others that the USDA organic guidelines where sent back to the drawning
board. I take it however from this thread they are still planning to draft
organic "standards". (or lack of standards)
I have read comments from some organic growers (small growers which is what
we are) that they would continue to grow vegetables and livestock as they
have been. They would continue to be honest with their customers and if
this meant the were not longer "certified" so be it.
If the USDA standards are passed can't we as members of NOFA etc. continue
to "advertise" our produce as NOFA certified?
There is no doubt in my mind that these standards are a way to use "organic"
to make a profit for large growers who will not really be growing in the way
that we now know organic to be, should be, must be. Because of this I think
that in some ways I feel most sorry for the consumer, the one trying to buy
"clean" food and has come to rely on the organic label to get a quality
product. I feel sorry too for the larger organic grower who will find
competitors from these less than organic growers when trying to market to
grocery stores, restaurant, or internationally.
Is the idea of USDA organic label bad, no, is the increased cost in a
license to small growers bad yes. Why did they make such a production out
of this if they were serious about "standards" all they had to do was open
a NOFA etc. manual and they would have STANDARDS!
Good luck to you my fellow growers, Beth
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with "unsubscribe sanet-mg".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"subscribe sanet-mg-digest".