permaculture

["sals3" <sals3@cox.net>]

GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ORGANIC FOOD

     WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2000 - Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today 
announced the final national standards for the production, handling, and 
processing of organically grown agricultural products.

    "This is the strongest and most comprehensive organic standard in the 
world," said Glickman. For consumers who want to buy organic foods, the 
standards ensure that they can be confident in knowing what they are buying. 
For farmers, these standards create clear guidelines on how to take 
advantage of the exploding demand for organic products. And for the organic 
industry, these standards provide an important marketing tool to help boost 
exports since trading partners will now deal with only one national standard 
rather than multiple state and private standards. I have said all along that 
we would create national organic standards that farmers, consumers and the 
organic industry will embrace, and I think we have done just that."

     Essentially, the new organic standard offers a national definition for 
the term "organic." It details the methods, practices and substances that 
can be used in producing and handling organic crops and livestock, as well 
as processed products. It establishes clear organic labeling criteria, and 
specifically prohibits the use of genetic engineering methods, ionizing 
radiation, and sewage sludge for fertilization.