Re: IFOAM statement at Maastricht

Sal (sals@rain.org)
Sat, 18 Sep 1999 06:23:50 -0700

this is a Position Document . So u know where we stand. I like IFOAM and
always did. I think they will be our safety net to protect us organic
growers . I don't count on the USDA for protection as they may be a big
part of our problems. We need a world wide umbrella organization that does
not bow to what the USDA may end up calling organic. They will help us keep
the word organic and protect the word organic from some of the sustainable
ag. folks and USDA folks that just don't get it. I am glad to see CCOF and
IFOAM join hands . They think a lot as I think and I am glad to have such a
powerful friend. I understand way some folks on this list don't not like
them but they make no bones about where they stand. and It is not on the
fence. hehe GOOD for them and a great statement of Position. I will
proudly put their label on my goods. I feel they are Right On the mark.

check out a organic growers web page
http://www.rain.org/~sals/my.html
-
Subject: IFOAM statement at Maastricht

> POSITION DOCUMENT ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
> from IFOAM for the FAO conference "Cultivating our Future" 12th - 17th of
> September 1999 in Maastricht
>
> IFOAM, the world wide umbrella organisation of the organic agriculture
> movement with 740 member organisations in 103 countries has official
> consultative status with the UN/CSD as well as with FAO. IFOAM actively
> promotes organic agriculture systems at the international level, e.g. at
the
> FAO/SARD den Bosch Conference in 1991, the UNCED conference in 1992 with
> its subsequent CSD meetings and in the context of the Codex Alimentarius
> Commission guidelines for organic agriculture.
>
> Sustainable agriculture? - Commitment and progress is lacking
>
> The growing ecological and socio-economic crisis of agriculture continues
to
> result in the marginalisation of farmers world wide, but mainly in
> Third-World countries at an increasingly alarming rate. This state of
> affairs is caused mainly by the ever quickening impetus of globalisation,
> its attendant hi-tech industrialisation processes and reconfiguration of
> powerful market forces. The actions taken by international organisations
and
> governments to remedy the situation often remain too rhetorical, meagre
and
> fragmented. The commitment to sustainable agriculture made at the Earth
> Summit still lacks more concrete movements towards implementation on all
> public sector levels. Often old and non-sustainable concepts of
agriculture
> development have just been renamed or get simply "green washed".
>
.yada yada yada

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