Organic Rule Changes Without Adequate Public Comment!
TELL USDA TO GIVE THE PUBLIC MORE THAN 7 DAYS TO COMMENT ON NON-ORGANIC
MATERIALS ALLOWED IN ORGANIC PROCESSED PRODUCTS
COMMENT PERIOD ENDS TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2007 AT 5:00 PM EASTERN
The USDA has proposed a list of 38 non-organic agricultural products to be
allowed in or on processed products labeled as organic when the product is
not commercially available in organic form. The comment period for this
Proposal was 7 Days and ends Tomorrow!
Yet, NOP has yet to approve the NOSB recommendation regarding Criteria
for Commercially Available products, nor has the NOSB completed its
definition of what is agricultural and non-agricultural, which is crucial
for these criteria.
The NOSB has not gotten independent unbiased technical reviews of the
information on the adverse environmental and health impacts from the
conventional farming practices used to grow the crops, raise the animals,
and make the products. All of the information the NOSB has reviewed is from
industry sources and biased in favor of allowing non-organic products.
Organic farmers will be shut out of opportunities to grow high-value
specialty niche crops.
Non- organic ingredients allowed in organic products must be carefully
reviewed due to concern about the use of chemicals that are not allowed in
organic production, including unacceptable residues of pesticides,
fertilizers, and animal drugs. Some of the proposed materials include
processes or substances that are not compatible with
organic:
Even though water extraction is possible in most of the colors
proposed, the extraction method is not defined, and therefore could include
chemical extraction
Casings from non-organic beef would be allowed for organic sausage
production, yet even the USDA’s own FSIS has determined this to be a BSE
risk
Use of non-organic fish oil and other fish products may contain
unacceptably high levels of heavy metals and other contaminants
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING COMMENTS:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/PublicCommentInstructions.html
TO SEE THE TEXT OF THE ENTIRE PROPOSED RULE:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/ProposedRuleNoticeTodaysNews051107.pdf
