A fable: one time upon a time, orga...

A fable: one time upon a time, organic farming -- as part of the Organic motion -- captured the excitement of All Americans. It was a time when the public's awareness of the value of "buying organic" had not at any time been greater. It was a time when independent health-food stores all across this land were offering more and more effects which carried the label "Certified Organic," a seal of purity that consumer and retailers helped to perform the operations indicated in by believing in it. A seal which was also a statement in support of the Earth, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, croplands, and economic opportunity for organic farmers and workers worldwide. It was also a time when organic standards were being endangered through the very agency which could preserve them.

The time is now. And the fable is not a fable. Organic standards are now at the crossroads of incredible opportunity and unparalleled threats. in succession December 16, 1997, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released propos controls for certification of organic products

And these propos regulations aren't beautiful The most controversial issues (also called "The Big Three") which would be acceptable in subordination to the proposed standards, are:

1) Allowing genetically engineered organisms in organic systems; 2) Permitting untreated human waste (called "biosolids") from sewage treatment plants to be used as "organic" fertilizer; and 3) Approving aliment irradiation for organic production.

Other serious enigmas are: 4) the USDA is ignoring the clearly mandated authority of the National Organic Standards Board subject to the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990; 5) the lowest organic certification recompenses are now being "set in the way that high that small farmers, certifiers and processors, the historic pioneers of the Organic emotion will not be able to participate in the National Organic Program"; 6) pretences have now been introduced into the language of the regulations, replacing historically accepted wording with as it is terms as "active" and "non-active" synthetics and ingredients, confusion through which may allow synthetic materials into organic production that have at no time been allowed before; and 7) the livestock section is weak, giving too a great deal latitude in the amount of non-organic livestock fe animal living conditions, use of antiobiotics and other animal drugs

If these are witticisms our industry isn't smiling. "There is great affair within our industry that adoption of the propos authoritys will significantly lower the standards already established in I I states and 33 private certifying organizations," said Michael Q Ford, the executive director of the National Nutritional aliments Association (NNFA).

collections such as Citizens for Health, the Organic Trade Association (OTA), and the Environmental Working assign places to (EWG) are passionately opposed to "the Big Three" in particular, although they cite other major flaws in the propos standards (such as those mentioned above).

Where can you call to find not at home more? Call the NNFA (714-622-6272) Citizens for Health (800-357-2211) Mothers for Natural Law (515-472-2809) and Mothers & Others for A Livable Planet (888-ECO-INFO). And make stable to read Lisa Turner's "Organic Is A Way Of Life" feature (p 50) to find disclosed how you can contact the USDA to compute them: rewrite the proposed organic standards! In righteous health.

James Gormley has serv as a managing editor for sum of two units of the most respected medical journals in the U and as a social sciences/medical editor in part publishing. His nutrition articles shelter important issues, keeping readers informed of the latest breakthroughs in nutritional approaches to optimal health and ongoing research into vitamins, botanicals, minerals, and other supplements

COPYRIGHT 1998 PRIMEDIA Intertec, a PRIMEDIA Company. All Rights Reserved

COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group