lisabell’s Recent Comments

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  Source clarification

  The source for my information was the Organic Trade Association and was posted with their permission.On Junk food: The Senate trashes organic standards posted 4 years ago 6 Responses

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  The other side of the story

  Congress' action actually restored the U.S. organic standards to where they were prior to the court ruling, with one exception.  A request to develop an "emergency procedures" section was added to address crop availability in times of disaster, such as a hurricane. It only applies to organic crops, NOT synthetic materials, and is limited to minor ingredients (5 percent or less) within a product.

  This is truly a disaster type provision that would only be used in times of crop failure or other extreme market disrupting events. Example: Organic vanilla is a crop largely grown in Madagascar, and the vanilla crops in that country are historically wiped out by major storms every three-four years. A major crop failure would preclude organic vanilla from being available for a year or more. Vanilla is used widely in processed organic products, but is always considered a minor ingredient.

  U.S. organic standards, implemented in 2002, were developed with input from industry, consumers, farmers and environmental groups, and were approved and implemented after over 10 years of discussion, two proposed rules, and over 300,000 public comments. These standards also reflect the recommendations of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), whose decision-making authority remains in place. The organic industry sought government regulation as a way to help guarantee the organic label for consumers.

  Like organic standards used throughout the world (including the United Kingdom), the U.S. organic standards have always allowed specific synthetic materials that are essential to making numerous organic processed products. These are non-agricultural materials, including items such as baking powder and a type of pectin, that are necessary in certain production and processing practices and have been used in producing foods for decades.

  The current labeling requirements of the USDA National Organic Standard includes a 100% organic category (fresh and processed products) as well as the organic category (95% or more organic ingredients), and the made with organic category (70% or more organic ingredients.)  Consumers have a choice in the products that they purchase because of these clearly defined labeling categories. If they want to purchase products that are 100% organic, they can do so. On Junk food: The Senate trashes organic standards posted 4 years ago 6 Responses