[Cgfc] another organic standards update (fwd)

[Molly Stentz]

Here is another update:
-Molly

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 12:02:41 -0500
From: "Kenney, Jeannine" <jkenney at ncba.coop>
Reply-To: cgin-list at cgin.org
To: cgin-list at cgin.org
Subject: RE: [CGIN] organic standards update

Here's a recent news brief about the organic standards change.  

CQ TODAY - AGRICULTURE
Feb. 26, 2003 - 8:59 p.m.
Lawmakers Say Change to 'Organic' Not a Done Deal
By Mary Clare Jalonick, CQ Staff
A legislative campaign has begun to overturn a provision in the fiscal 2003 omnibus spending measure that loosens the standards for organic food.

The language was inserted in the law (PL 108-7) by Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga. at the request Fieldale Farms, a Georgia chicken processing company that complained it could not find enough organic feed to raise organic chickens. The change allows beef and poultry producers to feed their animals non-organic feed and still label the meat as organic. 

The Bush administration criticized the provision on Wednesday. Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman said she was concerned that the language "could weaken the National Organic Program. ... I support bipartisan efforts to ensure those USDA standards remain in place."

The Deal language was widely criticized by organic farmers and conventional growers. The government last year finally settled on a definition of organic food after a dozen years of discussion. 

Fifteen Republicans and 27 Democrats have signed on as cosponsors of Senate legislation (S 457), which was introduced by Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., and Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine. 

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., will introduce the House version. The House bill had 18 cosponsors as of Wednesday but only one Republican: Rep. Donald L. Sherwood of Pennsylvania. California and Pennsylvania rank first and second in organic food production.

The Senate and House bills would repeal the Deal provision. Deal's language requires the Agriculture secretary to produce a report studying organic feed prices, and allows farmers to use non-organic feed until the report is issued. If the report does not prove that organic feed is available at less than twice the price of conventional feed, then farmers can continue using the non-organic matter. 

At a news conference Wednesday, Leahy called the language a "black eye" for organic farming.

Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., announced he would be forming a "Congressional Organic Caucus."


Jeannine Kenney
Director, Communications and Public Policy
Editor, Cooperative Business Journal
National Cooperative Business Association
1401 New York Ave., NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC  20005
PH:  (202) 383-5456
FX:  (202) 638-1374
Cell: (202) 215-0489
jkenney at ncba.coop
www.ncba.coop


.COOP, the new Internet domain exclusively for cooperatives, has gone LIVE!!  

Visit www.coop for more information.



-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry McGeorge [mailto:jerry.mcgeorge at organicvalley.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 3:53 PM
To: cgin-list at cgin.org
Subject: RE: [CGIN] organic standards update


Oops, I stand corrected.  The correct address is www.ota.com. Thanks, Jerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Sno-Isle Co-op [mailto:snoisle.coop at verizon.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 2:00 PM
To: cgin-list at cgin.org
Subject: Re: [CGIN] organic standards update


That would be www.ota.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry McGeorge" <jerry.mcgeorge at organicvalley.com>
To: <cgin-list at cgin.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 10:35 AM
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.org.  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