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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@gilanet.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Victory for the organic industry - four "clarifications" rescinded
  • Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 22:15:25 -0600


Note the statement "The Organic Trade Association (OTA) believes that the
system and the program are derailed and need to get back on track." What I
stated earlier about the degrading of organic standards was 100% correct, and
the Trade Association said the same thing. Official vindication is SWEET.
Those who tried to characterize me as against organics were 100% wrong.

paul tradingpost@gilanet.com
-------

May 26, 2004
http://www.ota.com/index.html

Due to the hard work of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the organic
community, and our allies in Congress, in particular, Senator Patrick Leahy
(D-VT), Secretary Veneman, in her closing remarks at an 11a.m. press
conference today, announced that she has directed USDA's AMS (the National
Organic Program) to rescind ALL FOUR recent statements of clarification and
to work with the NOSB and the organic industry to reach the best solutions to
issues that have been raised in implementing national organic standards.

Hear Secretary Veneman's statement (real audio | windows media)
Read Secretay Veneman's statement HERE
See OTA's Press Release HERE (5/26/04)
Background Information

On April 14, 2004 the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) issued three
guidance statements and one directive ultimately changing the way the organic
industry does business. OTA believes that these policies are contrary to
NOP’s own rules, which were developed with extensive public comment. There is
no reason why now – when the sales of organic products are increasing
overwhelmingly – the NOP should work at cross-purposes with the trade leading
to the erosion of consumer confidence that forms the very foundation of the
organic industry. The Organic Trade Association (OTA) believes that the
system and the program are derailed and need to get back on track.


OTA calls for the return to the public-private partnership with USDA's
National Organic Program.
OTA's Plan of Action

After the documents were posted, OTA staff began working to get OTA member
feedback and began seeking answers to clarifying questions about public
comment and final versions of the documents. Response from NOP has been
inconsistent. Therefore, OTA has written Secretary of Agriculture, Ann
Veneman asking her to review and comment on the current status of the
National Organic Program. OTA will keep its members apprised of developments
and further action. For copies of OTA documents and other information, please
see the links below.

OTA letter to Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman (sent 5/17/04) OTA press
release (sent 5/21/04) OTA Fact Sheet on ALL the Documents (5/25/04) OTA's
Fact Sheet on Scope Document (4/22/04)




  • [Livingontheland] Victory for the organic industry - four "clarifications" rescinded, Tradingpost, 05/27/2004

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