permaculture

["sal" <sals@rain.org>]

the OTA may have told the USDA not to hurt the small growers but so what.
it did not work.  i talked to Brian Leathy head executive director of CCOF a
big organic certifier.  they have to double the price of the smallest
growers in order to meet the USDA burden of cost.  so read the writing on
the wall this is just he start.  small certifiers will be forced out of
business because they will not be able to meet the bond even let alone meet
the other burdens the USDA WILL     AND IS putting on the small growers.
they doubled the price to register the small grower and every year the small
grower the one that can afford it the lest will be bleed to support the USDA
standard.,  this story OTA is giving u that it will  ensure reciprocity
among certifiers is also a lie each certifier still will have their own
standards and they will still be different.  no one is there for the small
grower.  I tell you CCOF doubled the cost to their smallest grower and OTA
want you all to put your head in the sand and they say it is not so.  they
say that certifiers will be fighting to give you a good deal but just the
other thing happens.  the small certifiers will be forced out and only the
big players will be left and the poor small grower will be forced to join
one of these big organizations like CCOF and have to pay double or triple
what they use to pay.  the got the small grower by the ears and the USDA is
forcing them to join some organization .  most all the organizations that
are going to be left will be the big shots that mostly want two thing more
power (that's why we are in bed with the state and the feds. these groups
want more power. more teeth) and more money.  that is all they talk about
power and money and the small farm will have to join and pay these folks.
there will be less choices because they are running the small certifiers out
of business just like the New USDA standards will run the little growers out
of business.  im tell you they are raising prices already.  double in one
year on the smallest growers.  these same powertripers also are going to
make it so that if you try and make a nother word for organic you will be
caught and have to pay a fine.  it is get big or get out .  so when these
folks tell you it will not effect the small grower they are lying it already
is taxes the small growers heavy.  CCOF doubled the cost to their smallest
growers all ready so wake up and get your head out the sand.  it is already
happening.  The USDA says this new standard will not cost the farmer
anything.  they lie any one that tell you this standard will not hurt the
small grower they lie.  a whole lot of small growers hundreds of small
grower will be forced to join one of these big players and have to pay what
ever they say.  you wait after this law comes in a lot of small growers will
wake up and see they can not afford to use the word organic.  dam
powertripers organic Gestapo spot inspections more than one inspection a
year small growers will be forced to pay big bucks for inspections.I don't
care how small you are you will have to pay the inspectors gas so much a
mile also they get like over 20 a hour while driving or what ever they ask
some get more and they can send them many miles to your place and you may
even have to pay for their motel room and food etc.  some small growers in
some places will not have a inspector within a hundreds of miles and these
small growers will be forced to join and pay these inspectors big bucks even
it they are small a little over 5000 a year.  you make 6000 you have to pay
pay pay .  how can they say this will not hurt the small grower it already
is.  CCOF just doubled the cost to their smallest grower and Brian Leahy
said it is because of this new standard that is coming. so don't believe
these lies that say we love the small grower and want to help them or we
love the small farmer we want to help them.  they just  doubled you fees .
wake up.  if a small grower like you wanted to use the word organic and u
sell over 5000 you will be hurt there is no two was about it.  it is
happening right now.  small certifier will be forced out by the bond alone
and small growers will not even be able to tell folks they are organic .
CCOF just doubled the cost to their smallest growers.  that is a fact and it
is going to get worse not better.  there are a lot of folks out there just
waiting for this rule so they can bleed the turnips.  they have taking a
grassroots dream and turned it into a bureaucratic nightmare.  how many
pencil pushing bureaucratic bottom feeders that don't have to bring in a
harvest don't have to help u hoe or mow don't have to sell product  only
suck our blood do we need to prove we are organic.  CCOF just had to double
the cost to their smallest grower the one that can afford it the lest while
they are kissing up to the big growers that give them the most money.  the
big growers have already taking over the certifiers and the little grower
will be killed off.  thats the plan and that is what is happening.  and it
is starting now.  CCOF just had to double the cost of their smallest
growers.  only certification for profit certifiers will be left and they
will make their profit of the blood of the small growers.  it is a rip off
and it is oppression on the poor.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bargyla Rateaver" <brateaver@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 5:24 PM
Subject: Re: INTERVIEW-USDA aims to finish organic, meat, ...


> I have a feeling that there is going to be a real earthquake dimension
> upheaval, ending in really organic growers using some other term and
completely
> bypassing "organic" label completely.
>
> Tom Hutcheson wrote:
>
> > Dear Sanet,
> >
> > Two items:
> >
> > Jeff--
> >
> > >Thanks for the correction. But what about the issues of increased
> > certification
> > >costs for smaller growers and random unannounced inspections? Does
Federal
> > >government involvement with organics mean more bureaucracy, costs and
slow
> > >elimination of the small local (certified) organic grower?
> >
> > We'll see.  Of course, I hope not.  Personally, I would like to see full
> > federal funding of the program--but that sort of support hasn't been
seen
> > in the federal government for some time, and never, of course, for
organic
> > production.  I'll also note that OTA took care in its comments on the
> > proposed rule (check it out at www.ota.com) to point out where small
> > farmers and certifiers could be put at a disadvantage, and argued
against
> > those provisions.  Two-thirds of OTA's membership comes from its lowest
> > three membership levels (based on revenues from organic products or
> > services), so we take this issue quite seriously.  The two most
important
> > things it will do, in my mind, are 1) ensure reciprocity among
certifiers,
> > and 2) make it harder to market conventional product as organic, which
> > happens, and does no one any good.
> >
> > Klaus--
> >