[Cgfc] organic standards update (fwd)

[Molly Stentz]

Hello Common Ground members,

Here are recent updates on the undermining of our USDA 
organic standards that occured last week...

-Molly Stentz
CGFC 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 12:35:36 -0600
From: Jerry McGeorge <jerry.mcgeorge at organicvalley.com>
Reply-To: cgin-list at cgin.org
To: cgin-list at cgin.org
Subject: [CGIN] organic standards update

Greetings Co-opers,

I thought I would update you on the progress in our fight to rescind the
rider that was stuck in to the Appropriations Bill that was passed last
week.  This rider significantly weakens the standards by allowing for an
exemption to the clauses that call for feeding 100% organic feed to
organic livestock.  All you co-op retailers are on the front line & you
know that the integrity of the standards is very important to many of your
member/consumers.  Weakening the standards will weaken that integrity.

Today Senator Leahy and Representative Farr are introducing legislation
called the Leahy-Snowe Organic Restoration Act, which would rescind the
recently passed rider.  The Organic Trade Association has a wealth of info
on this subject on its website, www.ota.com.  If you are interested in
finding out more about this issue, or better yet, what you can do to help,
please stop by their site.  Today, they are still adding sponsors to the
bill, and we need as broad based, bi-partisan support as we can get.  In
the coming days and weeks, it will be critical to let our reps know where
we stand on this bill.  Remember, back in 1997, the organic community
generated over 250,000 responses to the USDA's flawed first attempt at
organic standards.  We were heard.  We will need to be heard again.

I will try to keep the list serve posted on this issue & again urge you to
check OTA's website on this.  If you have questions or comments, or tales
of member activism on this, I'd love to hear from you in an email to me
personally.  Thanks and regards, Jerry

Jerry McGeorge
Cooperative Coordinator
CROPP/Organic Valley
507 W. Main Street
La Farge, WI 54665
(608) 625-2602
jerry.mcgeorge at organicvalley.com