"Outlaws Higher Standards," (from Debbie Ortman's communication below), in
my opinion, is the single most important battle ground of the continuing war
over national organic standards. If the organic market continues to grow --
as it almost certainly will - pressure will mount on USDA from agri-industry
to develop national organic standards that will allow mass production and
distribution of organic products - i.e. industrialization of organic
markets. Odds are agri-industry eventually will prevail. At that point,
most independent organic producers will lose their markets because they
won't be able to compete for shelf space in supermarkets against the
corporate giants. The only concerns of these investor-owned corporations
will be to meet minimum legal standards at the lowest possible cost -- a
corporation is not a person and can have no other.
The only hope for independent producers will be to exceed USDA standards or
to produce to a different set of standards -- to meet the preferences of
customers who are not satisfied with products that meet minimum USDA
standards. Independents will have to be able to market their products as
better than organic or different from organic - from organic as defined by
national standards - if they are to effectively serve the multitude of niche
markets made up of ecologically sensitive consumers. Some will succeed
through relationship marketing - marketing person to person. The government
can't keep you from explaining to your customers in person exactly what you
do and don't do in producing your products. But, a prohibition on private,
non-governmental certification and a ban on eco-labels would severely
restrict independent producers' access to eco-niche markets - essentially
taking them out of competition with industrial-organic production.
Independent organic producers can lose every other battle in the national
organic standards and survive - even prosper - except for one. They cannot
give up their right to develop and promote private, non-government organic
certification and to truthfully and ethically label and promote their
products in any way they choose. Some will argue that the only purpose of
the one-label requirement is to prevent confusion. One-label may well
reduce confusion, but its primary motivation and principal effect will be to
prevent non-price competition. Independents can't win a competition to
produce the most "stuff" at the cheapest price - i.e. price competition.
But they can win a competition to give their customers what they really want
and need at a price they can afford to pay - if they are allowed to compete.
The most important provision of the previously proposed national organic
standards to oppose is the provision that ...
OUTLAWS HIGHER STANDARDS
* The new laws will make it illegal for private, non-governmental
organic certifiers to uphold higher standards than the minimum standards
dictated by the USDA. The rules will also ban "eco-labels," making it
illegal to even imply through labeling or advertising that a product exceeds
USDA standards.
Good luck,
John Ikerd
-----Original Message-----
From: Debbie Ortman [mailto:safefood@cp.duluth.mn.us]
Sent: Friday, December 11, 1998 9:33 AM
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Join the SOS-Save Organic Standards Campaign
S.O.S. SAVE ORGANIC STANDARDS! ROUND TWO
_____________________________________________
NATIONWIDE BATTLE CONTINUES
Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Agriculture
proposed national
organic standards that were so weak, they threatened the
entire future of
organic foods. In response over 275,000 people wrote the
USDA demanding
that these proposed organic rules be changed. The USDA
backed off
temporarily, but is expected to issue a new set of highly
controversial
regulations later this year or early in 1999.
There are conflicting factions inside the Clinton
administration. While
some have heard the thunderous response from consumers,
others are as ready
as ever to: lower pre-existing organic standards, allow
industrial-style
factory farming, and suppress the free speech of the organic
community by
making it illegal to set standards higher than the USDA's.
Consumer rebellion has forced the USDA to temporarily back
down on the "Big
Three," genetically engineered food, toxic sludge, and
nuclear irradiation.
But most organic consumers have dozens of additional
objections to
regulations which disregard almost entirely the
recommendations of the
National Organic Standards Board. We remain concerned that
agribusiness and
its friends inside the USDA will subvert those legitimately
seeking change
and once again propose federal regulations which include:
TOTAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL
* The USDA will possess a "legal monopoly" over the word
"organic." Only
one organic label, "USDA Organic" will be allowed. The USDA
will have the
sole power to appoint members to the National Organic
Standards Board,
giving them the ability to weaken standards by "stacking"
the NOSB with
appointees sympathetic to industrial agriculture and genetic
engineering.
OUTLAWS HIGHER STANDARDS
* The new laws will make it illegal for private,
non-governmental organic
certifiers to uphold higher standards than the minimum
standards dictated
by the USDA. The rules will also ban "eco-labels," making it
illegal to
even imply through labeling or advertising that a product
exceeds USDA
standards.
FACTORY FARMING
* "USDA Organic" will allow inhumane, intensive confinement
of farm animals
and a host of other industrial, factory farm production
practices
(non-organic feed, toxic inert ingredients in pesticides,
antibiotics,
additional synthetic chemicals, etc.).
THREATENS SMALL FARMERS
* The USDA's proposed fees for government certification
and/or residue
testing will be prohibitively expensive for small and
medium-sized farmers,
certifiers, and producers.
____________________________________________________________
SAVE ORGANIC STANDARDS! IT'S IN OUR HANDS!
This year's mass outcry from organic consumers, producers,
and farmers to
the USDA's first proposed organic rules made history--with
over 275,000
official comments. The SOS campaign has now given birth to
Organic
Consumers Action--a nationwide grassroots organization
dedicated to
protecting the integrity of organic food and promoting
sustainable
agriculture.
JOIN Organic Consumers Action (OCA) in your local area. If
you want to
become a member or make a donation--call 218-726-1443 or
e-mail us at:
<safefood@cp.duluth.mn.us> Before the USDA issues its new
proposed organic
regulations you will be contacted by an OCA volunteer in
your local area.
VOLUNTEER to become part of an OCA Coordination Team in
your area. Help
us mobilize consumers and retailers, carry out public
education and events,
and generate media coverage.
ASK your local natural food stores, coops, community
restaurants, and
farmers markets to contact the OCA campaign so that we can
send them
posters and literature.
SUBSCRIBE to Food Bytes, our free electronic newsletter,
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subscribe pure-food-action
If you don't have access to a computer, and want to receive
Food Bytes by
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Visit our web sites (and links) regularly for updates and
background
information:
http://www.purefood.org
http://www.icta.org
SEND us a letter, fax, or e-mail which we will forward to
President
Clinton and Vice-President Gore, your U.S. Senators, and
Congressional
Representative. Tell your elected public officials that you
want the USDA
to preserve strict organic standards, and that any final
rule must not
contain any of the objectionable provisions outlined in this
leaflet.
Demand especially that the USDA allow private,
non-governmental organic
certification bodies to maintain and publicize stricter
organic standards
than the minimum standards proposed by the USDA.
Organic Consumers Action
860 Highway 61
Little Marais, Minnesota 55614
Tel. 218-726-4792
Fax. 218-226-4157
e-mail <oca@purefood.org>
http://www.purefood.org
Ronnie Cummins
Campaign for Food Safety/Organic Consumers Action
860 Hwy 61
Little Marais, Mn. 55614
Tel. 218-226-4164
Fax 218-226-4157
email alliance@mr.net
http://www.purefood.org
To subscribe to the free electronic newsletter, Food Bytes,
send an email to:
majordomo@mr.net
with the simple message:
subscribe pure-food-action
Debbie Dunbar Ortman
National Field Organizer
Organic Consumers Action
3547 Haines Rd.
Duluth, MN 55811
(218) 726-1443
(218) 726-1446 Fax
safefood@cp.duluth.mn.us
http://www.purefood.org
Join the Organic Consumers Action in
your local area. If you want to become a member or a
volunteer--or make a
donation--call (218)726-1443
To subscribe to the free electronic newsletter, Food Bytes,
send an email
to: majordomo@mr.net
with the simple message: subscribe pure-food-action