Wheatsville Co-op Austin, TX

[Dan Gillotte <gm AT wheatsville.com>]

HI Wheatsville friends,

I'm sorry to say it, but organics are under attack by some large corporations and the senate may vote on a bill that contains a rider that  could weaken organic standards significantly. Even more troubling than the change to the organic standards, the process for this change has been in near secrecy with no real opportunity for public comment. So, we need your voices TODAY, so that our elected representatives can hear that we want openness and transparency in the organic standards.
YOu can CALL THE SWITCHBOARD AT 202-224-3121 Ask to be connected to Senators’ offices in your state. This is the most effective way to be heard, you can also go to
http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm
and send an e-mail to your congress people. IF YOU HAVE TIME, A PHONE CALL IS PREFERABLE!
Let's tell the companies and the USDA that we want an open process and strong organic standards!!!


Here's more from our co-op association the National Co-op Grocers Association (NCGA) who is active in fighting against these changes and the process.

ORGANIC STANDARDS UNDER ATTACK

Say NO to Dangerous Organic Rider on Senate Appropriations Bill

THE ORGANIC TRADE ASSOCIATION (OTA) IS ASKING CONGRESS TO CHANGE THE ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ACT (OFPA) WHICH COULD ALLOW NUMEROUS UNREVIEWED SYNTHETIC SUBSTANCES IN PRODUCTS LABELED “ORGANIC” AND WEAKEN ORGANIC DAIRY STANDARDS

CALL AND WRITE YOUR SENATOR TODAY!  TELL THEM NOT TO WEAKEN OUR ORGANIC LAW!

The industry amendment to OFPA is being offered as a solution to the recent court decision in Harvey v. USDA, however, the suggested law changes will create new loopholes that could seriously undermine organic standards above and beyond the issues involved in the lawsuit. The growth of the organic industry, which we have supported for many years, is built upon acceptance by organic consumers who are willing to pay a premium price in the marketplace for products produced under exacting standards. The proposed industry amendments will have a negative impact on the integrity of the organic label and its value to farmers and consumers.

After rejecting efforts by members of the public interest and environmental community to reach an agreement on these issues, OTA is pushing Congress to “quietly” change the law to allow the use of such synthetic ingredients and potentially weaken the organic dairy standards.   These amendments to change the organic food law are being pitched to the U.S. Senate, and may be voted on as early as Tuesday, September 20th as a rider to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill. (H.R. 2744) 

More specifically the industry’s amendments: 

•	could permanently allow synthetic processing aids and food contact substances, including over 500 food contact substances, to be used in organic foods without any type of public review for their safety and compatibility with organic production and processing.
•	leave unresolved whether young dairy cows could be treated with antibiotics and then converted to organic after twelve months; consumers buy organic milk with the expectation, and often under label claims, that the milk comes from cows that are never treated with antibiotics. 
•	create a serious new loophole in which organic ingredients could be substituted with non-organic ingredients without any consumer notice based upon “emergency decrees” and without review from the public organic advisory board (the NOSB; National Organic Standards Board).

At its heart, OFPA was passed as both a “truth-in-labeling” and production standards law. The organic label was intended to describe the contents of the product and offer consumers and organic producers an opportunity to support production systems that strive to incorporate the greatest percentage possible of organic ingredients. Please reject the industry amendments that will weaken the standards, and support a deliberative process to move forward in a manner that allows all those affected, including farmers and consumers, to be part of the solution. While some changes may be needed in the future to improve the organic law (OFPA), this proposal is flawed and should not move forward.

TELL YOUR SENATOR: 

•	Consumers expect truth in labeling and strong organic standards to insure that the organic food they are paying a premium for remains of the highest quality

•	That opening the law in this manner, and without appropriate process with the many stakeholders of the organic movement will undermine the market and consumer confidence in the integrity of the organic label.

CALL THE SWITCHBOARD AT 202-224-3121
Ask to be connected to Senators’ offices in your state

Or visit www.senate.gov to view the floor schedule and activities, and find contact information for your state.

To view the proposal being offered Congress by OTA, and an analysis of its contents, visit http://www.ncga.coop/news_announce.html

ACT NOW!

Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM