[Market-farming] CNG News

Andrew R. King andrew.king2 at worldnet.att.net
Mon Jan 14 16:40:52 EST 2008


Well, the USDA is at it again. They want to define another useful term in in
a specific way and then require that farmers get their permission to use it,
just like they did with organic. This time they're defining "naturally
raised" for meat products. 

 

This new label will cause confusion, and undercut the name recognition we've
worked so hard to build over the past five years for Certified Naturally
Grown. And their definition of "naturally raised" is weak. It simply
requires that the animals weren't treated with antibiotics or horomones but
it doesn't say anything about the animals' living conditions or the feed
they're given. Meat from animals raised in confinement operations and given
conventional feed could qualify! 

 

The "naturally raised" label, if adopted, will also undermine the Certified
Organic label. Whatever its flaws, participation in the National Organic
Program has been responsible for taking many thousands of acres out of
conventional agriculture. We don't want to see that progress lost as big
livestock producers opt for the easier "naturally raised" marketing label
instead of organic. 

 

You can read the full text of the proposed standard here:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-23103.htm 

 

 

Whether or not USDA adopts this standard depends on the feedback they
receive in the next two weeks.

 

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