permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@metalab.unc.edu>]

http://metalab.unc.edu/london   InterGarden   
http://metalab.unc.edu/london/forumdoc.txt Discussion Forums
london@metalab.unc.edu   llondon@bellsouth.net


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 13:15:55 EST
From: Erorganic@aol.com
To: Sprinkraft@aol.com
Subject: What is happening in DC in two weeks that affects the organic
    community?

From:
The Organic Forum
Facilitated by Eric Kindberg, certified organic farmer
Erorganic@aol.com
January 30, 1999

Hello all,

The National Organic Standards Board is meeting in Washington DC the week
after next.  The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, forthwith
called the Campaign, is holding a meeting preceding the NOSB meeting.
Following is their agenda.  After the proposed Campaign Agenda is an email
listing of the organic group who are presently the Campaign's organic
community leadership.  In my involvement with the Campaign, the leaders of the
leadership group have been: Michael Sligh, not a certified organic farmer,
employed by RAFI; Melanie Adcock, not a certified organic farmer, employed by
the Humane Society US; Kathleen Merrigan, not a certified organic farmer;
employed by the Wallace Institute of Sustainable Agriculture; Betsey Lydon,
not a certified organic farmer, employed by Mothers and Others, and Joe
Mendelson, not a certified organic farmer, employed as an attorney by the
International Center for Technical Assessment.

As I mentioned before in an email, it is disconcerting that certified organic
farmers are not actively, directly involved on the National level of organic
leadership.  Lack of well supported grass roots organic farmer leadership in
decision making forums creates a vacuum that less informed but better funded
individuals and organizations step into.  Certifier representatives, as sole
representatives of certified organic farmers, are not satisfactory for
achieving quality organic community national agendas.  

Active certified organic farmers must be at least a majority in national
organic community representation, if we desire quality organic community
decisions.  If certified organic farmers are not going to represent their
interest within the public policy making sector, we will be sold down the
river, not by plan, but by lack of a plan for a quality "organic" future.  I
do not believe any of the Campaign organic leadership is pernicious, however,
as is universally recognized, those who are not actively farming organically
lack information and perspective on a number of facets regarding organic
farming, certification and marketing.  Beyond a doubt there are a vast number
of organic community issues that certified organic farmers need to and must
become aware of to provide informed leadership for the national organic
community.  Being well informed is the requirement of leadership.

The previous national Campaign meeting, held the last week of October 1998,
which I attended, and this coming Campaign meeting are examples of meetings
where significant decisions may be made without grass roots organic farmers
being involved.  If consummated, these decisions will dramatically and
fundamentally affect the economic livelihood of certified organic farmers and
the principals that affect the future of the organic marketplace.  Certified
organic farmers must be involved.

I strongly urge all the organic community to support and encourage certified
organic farmers to take local and regional organizational representative
leadership to the national scene.  To not do so means the slow, steady,
basically unqualified bureaucratization of the regulatory sectors of the
organic community.  There will be no one to blame but we, certified organic
farmers, for overbearing regulations, fees and requirements.  

A New Perspective

The little cares that fretted me.
I lost them yesterday
Among the fields above the sea,
Among the winds at play;
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the 
  trees,
Among the singing of
  the birds,
The humming of the
  bees.

The foolish fears of what may happen,
I cast them all away
Among the clover-scented grass,
Among the new-mown hay;
Among the husking of the corn
Where drowsy poppies
  nod,
Where ill thoughts die 
  and good are born,
Out in the fields with God.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Best regards,

Eric Kindberg


Subj:    PROPOSED DRAFT AGENDA
Date:   1/29/99 4:57:40 PM Central Standard Time
From:   campaign@magiccarpet.com (Natl. Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture)

PROPOSED DRAFT AGENDA -  Campaign DC Organic Meeting Feb.7-8, 1999.

Please Read carefully -- if your burning bottom line is not here, and needs
community discussion, please let us know right away.

Sunday, February 7, 1999 - Noon start

12:00 - 1:30    Introductions, and Approve the Agenda
                UPDATES
                What are people doing in relation to these 2 tracks.  What new
information do people need to have on the table?
                International standards and criteria
                Introduce issue of Social Criteria
                Preparation for NOSB
                
1:30 - 5:00     Introduction to Standards and Process Issues Still Needing
Agreement
                20 minutes each:
                1.  Inerts
                2.  Synthetics
                3.  Accreditation out-source
                4.  Peer review
                5.  Appeals process
                6.  Private certifiers
                7.  Others
5:00 - 6:00     NOSB preparation

Monday, February 8, 1999

9:00 - 10:00    Introductions
                Recap from Sunday               
                UPDATES
                Preparation for NOSB

10:00 - 12:30   Review and Conclusion of Standards and Processes Issues from
Sunday

2:00 - 4:00     NON-GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAM
                What needs to be in place?
                Discussion of Repeal: legal information, etc.
BREAK
4:30 - 5:00     Assignments -- Where do we go from here?
5:00 - 6:00     New Business
                International standards and criteria
                Social Criteria 
                Fair Trade criteria
6:00 - 6:30     Wrap-up
*************************************************************************


TO ALL PARTICIPANTS IN CAMPAIGN DC ORGANIC MEETING:     Please come to the
meeting with the following specific information from your constituent
group.  This is not a re-hash of the "66 points of darkness," but a
specific items with specific language that are vital to you and your group.

With regard to Organic standards and a national program (either
governmental or non-governmental), what are your specific non-negotiable
bottom lines?
Whether the law is fixed, abandoned, or  repealed, what do you see as the
terms of the interface between the government and the organic community:
what specific roles do you see?

Use as a guide the following:
Bottom line standards we believe we have agreement on (and must be a  part
of any program):

        No GMO; NOSB definition of biotech
        No sludge
        No irradiation
        Antibiotics use as defined by NOSB
        Criteria for NOSB membership
        Outdoor access means pasture
        Fees: 1st round from Appropriations; then cost carefully accounted and
reviewed by NOSB who will then advise USDA on future costs.  NRCS will
develop cost-share program for farmers.
        Cost of accreditation should be based on (offset of) AMS accreditation
budget, not on the entire AMS budget
        USDA national program standard is a baseline high enough to ensure
consumer integrity but additional standards are allowed as long as they are
not a barrier to trade
        No regulatory blanket over any label that is not organic

Bottom line standards and processes still needing agreement:
1.      Materials:
        a)Should Class 2 and Class 3 inerts be prohibited (as a way to flush 
out
brand names ingredients)?
        b) Who should do this? What should be the role of OMRI and what is 
OMRI's
relationship to the NOSB (or any other private standards-setting body)?
2.      Synthetic ingredients in processed foods: Given the way the law
currently reads, should the class of "made w/ organic ingredients" be used
for products with synthetic ingredients?
3.      If there is a national program, should there be a stated option to 
allow
outsourcing to a private accreditor?  
4.      Peer Review: Is peer review a requirement of accreditation?
5.      Appeals process: Should there be 3rd party non-AMS appeal process if
this is a government program?  What would the appeal process be if this is
not a government program?
6.      Private Certifiers: What  is the role of enforcement for private
certifiers?  What do certifiers want in a government program?  What should
the interface to look like?  What powers do private certifiers feel they need?

The Non-governmental Program
1.      What are the critical criteria that need to be in place in terms of
accountability, participatory process, and cost in a private program?
January 29, 1999
--------------------

*****************************************************
Liana Hoodes
National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture
P.O. Box 396
Pine Bush, NY  12566
P: 914-744-8448; F: 914-744-8477
campaign@magiccarpet.com

 

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