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As new U.S. agriculture bill becomes law...Organic Standards weakened by OTA Amendmentby
Judy Trupin Despite
the efforts of organic farmers, consumers and activists, Congress
recently
approved the “OTA Amendment” in a closed-door session of a House/Senate
conference
committee. The amendment was endorsed by the Organic Trade Association
— which
represents such companies as Dole, Kraft and Horizon — but was
vehemently
opposed by the Organic Consumers Association. The
final Agricultural Appropriations bill containing the disputed language
was signed
into law by President Bush on November 10. The new statute weakens the
USDA’s
National Organic Program by permitting: •
Synthetic food additives and processing aids to be used in organic
foods
without public review •
Young dairy cows to be treated with antibiotics and fed genetically
engineered feed
prior to being converted to organic production •
Loopholes to permit non-organic ingredients to be substituted for
organic ingredients,
on an emergency basis, without any notification of the public According
to Grist magazine, the Organic Consumers Association, which
represents
600,000
consumers, was “up in arms over the proposed amendment.” OCA director
Ronnie
Cummins said the amendment would weaken the National Organic Standards
Board,
which he called “the primary thing that stands between us and the
corporate agribusiness
takeover of the organics industry.” Organic Consumers sponsored a
petition
against the amendment that took particular aim at the relaxed standards
for dairy
cows. • Organic Consumers Association: www.organicconsumers.org • National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture: www.sustainableagriculture.net • Cornucopia Institute: www.cornucopia.org. |
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