My normal method of operation when referencing an article is to summarize and then let my readers read the piece for themselves. However, this report is so infuriating that I must comment first in sum and then at a more visceral level.
First here’s the link to the story from the Washington Post via MSNBC, written by Kimberly Kindy and Lyndsey Layton
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31719136/ns/health-more_health_news/
The once coveted USDA organic seal is now not worth the paper it’s printed on. It’s been compromised and corrupted. Once a badge of high standards and ethical fortitude, it is now just a prop of Big Food and their lobbyists who have the money and the muscle to effectively own the label.
At the forefront of the ineptitude, negligence and outright incompetence is Barbara Robinson, a functionary of the USDA who is in effect an operative for Big Food. She has continuously and consistently violated the spirit of the USDA Organic Seal, instead pandering to the loopholes utilized by the power of Big Food.
Joining the list of pimps for Big Food is Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (Despite his claim to want to “take back” the label) and Tom Harding, a consultant (whore) for Kraft Foods.
So, know that the organic baby formula you buy contains a synthetic additive that may be an endocrine disruptor. The formula contains HEXANE, a NEUROTOXIN!!! This is in the organic formula. Imagine what’s in the non-organic baby formula.
Here’s my favorite part of the article, concerning the decision by Ms. Robinson to overrule her staff scientists and allow Hexane in the organic formula.
In a rare move, Barbara Robinson, who administers the organics program and is a deputy USDA administrator, overruled the staff decision after a telephone call and an email exchange with William J. Friedman, a lawyer who represents the formula makers.
“I called her (Robinson) up,” Friedman said. “I wrote an email. It was a simple matter.” The back and forth, he said, was nothing more than part of the routine process that sets policy in Washington.
A phone call and an email. I wish all women were that easy.
Ray Salomone Personal Trainer and Wellness Activist
Blog: www.GrecoRomanWellness.wordpress.com
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10 Comments
July 6, 2009 at 17:59
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and its members are organic advocates. We believe in, support, and advocate for the integrity of the organic label and strict enforcement of federal organic standards because this is fundamental to living up to the contract with consumers who choose or who are considering choosing organic products.
At the June 17 annual meeting of the OTA membership, Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, announced “the new era of equivalence and enforcement of organic standards.” She was met with a standing ovation from the packed house.
It is unfortunate the Washington Post article, “Purity of Federal ‘Organic’ Label Is Questioned”, July 3, 2009, focused on old news and urban legends. The article also chose to reinforce rhetoric that is not only inaccurate but serves a narrow agenda whose motivations go unquestioned in the article.
OTA, on behalf of its members, would like to correct some inaccuracies and try to move the debate beyond narrow rhetoric and toward a more fact-based perspective.
From the article: “Relaxation of the federal standards, and an explosion of consumer demand, have helped push the organics market into a $23 billion-a-year business, the fastest growing segment of the food industry.”
The federal organic standards have not been “relaxed.” Rigorously enforced standards can and do go hand-in-hand with growth. The author and those pitching this story have generously borrowed the rhetorical technique of setting up a false choice. The industry and OTA pushed for national organic regulations that consumers could rely on. Organic agriculture and products remain the most strictly regulated, as well as the fastest growing, food system in the United States today.
From the article: “But the USDA program’s shortcomings mean that consumers, who at times must pay twice as much for organic products, are not always getting what they expect: foods without pesticides and other chemicals, produced in a way that is gentle to the environment.”
In fact, if this is what someone expects from food, his or her best bet is to purchase organic.
Organic agriculture protects the health of people and the environment by reducing the overall exposure to toxic chemicals from synthetic pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water and food supply, and that are associated with health consequences from asthma to cancer.
Extensive pesticide residue testing by the U.S.D.A. has found that conventionally produced fruits and vegetables are, on average, three to more than four times more likely to contain residues than organic produce, eight to eleven times more likely to contain multiple pesticide residues, and contain residues at levels three to ten times higher than corresponding residues in organic samples.
From the article: “Several groups have filed complaints with the USDA saying they think the inclusion of fatty acids in organic products violates federal rules and laws ‘This is illegal rulemaking — a complete violation of the process that is supposed to protect the public’” said Gary Cox, a lawyer with the Cornucopia Institute.”
The accusations are unfounded and reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the process by which organic regulations are made. Contrary to what is implied here, there is a very specific process that materials must go through before they are permitted for inclusion in organic products. In regards to fatty acids, the USDA regulators followed the recommendation of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
NOSB, a citizen advisory board, consists of four farmer/growers, two handlers/processors, one retailer, one scientist, three consumer/public interest advocates, three environmentalists, and one USDA-accredited certifying agent. These volunteers assist the Secretary of Agriculture with the overall implementation of the National Organic Program (NOP).
NOSB conducts an extensive review of materials that are petitioned for inclusion in organic, solicits public comment, and makes a recommendation to NOP as to whether a material should be allowed. The NOP implements NOSB’s recommendation.
This process ensures that materials are not haphazardly permitted for use in organic production and reinforces the principles of transparency and integrity around which the organic system was built.
July 7, 2009 at 06:47
While I appreciate the comments, I fear that this is nothing more than rebuttal rhetoric. The fact remains that standards are being relaxed, that what was once a total ban on pesticides now allows for minimal exposure. The USDA Organic Seal has been co-opted (better yet, bought) by Big Food who saw the incredible opportunity to take advantage of the trust of consumers.
I reinforce my opinion with the fact that I speak to farmers (conventional, certified organic and those who exceed the label without the certification) on a daily basis who confirm to me that the organic label has become an unwieldy term that is now only loosely defined.
Your trust in the statement below (contained in your press release) shows a shocking level of naiveté.
“At the June 17 annual meeting of the OTA membership, Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, announced “the new era of equivalence and enforcement of organic standards.” She was met with a standing ovation from the packed house.”
Ray Salomone Personal Trainer and Wellness Activist
July 7, 2009 at 15:33
The notion that organic is “loosely defined” reflects a lack of understanding of the strict government standards and regulations that give the term its meaning. The fact is that organic is the most heavily regulated food system in the United States. Not only does the organic system require documention of all phases of production and handling from farm to table, it also mandates that organic producers and handlers undergo an extensive audit process, conducted by third-party certifiers. In addition, certified organic growers follow strict guidelines for safe and hygienic food production. As with all food producers, they must comply with local, state and federal health standards.
With respect to your comment about the USDA seal being “co-opted by Big Food,” I would recommend that you read Samuel Fromartz’s piece entitled “Is organic in an end game” (see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/samuel-fromartz/is-organic-in-an-end-game_b_226848.html), which makes clear that the notion of large corporations weakening organic standards is, in fact, counter to corporate interests. The article also demonstrates that perceptions of the weakening of the organic label are based more on media bias than fact.
July 25, 2009 at 19:23
We’re not talking much here. Just a drop; a little hexane is like a drop of gasoline with every meal. Who hasn’t gotten their hands dirty at the gas station and grabbed a potato chip before washing?
You know it’s happened before
I was asked by our political director Alexis to write an article covering the current media hooplah about a simple hydrocarbon called hexane.
Article: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18565.cfm
As a by-product of every petroleum refinery on earth, there is a lot of cheap hexane out there and when you consider how efficient this alkane can be, the idea of just dumping it off the shores of Somalia seems so wasteful. For a while we used hexane as a cleaning agent for removing grease in the printing industry as well as a solvent for rubber cement, but since print media is dead and I’m a little too old to still be sniffing glue, hexane needs another gig. Free showers for the homeless? Clean our bullets for a second go? Glue the streets of Detroit to prevent emigration?
July 26, 2009 at 13:35
Hey Justin- love this post!! We need to harness the energy of your generation. Keep up the good work, but watch the Boca Burgers. Too many packaged foods made Johnny a fat, lazy and sick boy!
My concern is for the organic label itself. I am fearful that in just a few years it will become just a meaningless tag (I know, the USDA will never allow that, right?) owned in total by Big Food. Thanks again for the post. Stay off the hexane buddy.
July 27, 2009 at 14:01
Thanks to the support of the Obama administration, which has advocated for greater human and financial resources for the National Organic Program, the future of the organic label looks bright. Such resources will help to ensure that organic continues to be the gold standard of eco-labels, backed by strong governmental oversight and enforcement, and that it remains a symbol of integrity in which consumers can trust.
November 2, 2009 at 00:28
Worse yet is that the ban on the use use of pesticides/herbicides is not being enforced and monitored by certifying agent. I believed from the beginning that the USDA Organic Labeling was merely a way for Big Food to increase their profit margin by securing the coveted green and white seal of approval. As soon as I saw companies like Smukers and Kraft with organic labeled products it confirmed my original suspicions.
What really bothers me is the produce like fruits. How can any of us possibly know if our apples are pesticide free?
November 9, 2009 at 11:53
You are 100% correct on all points. Each day there is no evidence that the USDA seal is useless and is being used as a tool by Big Business. The bigger the company the less chance of compliance.
November 9, 2009 at 12:55
A common misconception is that large organic manufacturers are held to a different standard than those that operate on a smaller scale. In fact, organic processors and handlers with more than $5,000 in annual organic sales are held to the exact same set of standards. Set forth by the National Organic Program, these standards outline different categories of organic products. Regardless of the size of operation, products bearing labels referencing these categories must comply with the government-regulated definitions of them. For more information on this and other issues related to organic, please visit http://www.ota.com.
November 11, 2009 at 07:34
In theory you are correct, but we can’t deny the fact that the larger players in the organic game are using their resources and muscle to bend the rules and create loopholes, allowing them to comprimise the organic seal.