Is It Organic?

Is It Organic?
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The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is holding its twice-yearly standards-setting meeting in Madison, WI, this week. Organic Consumers Association's Political Director, Alexis Baden-Mayer, is there. Here's her live blog.

8:28 am - Over the last twelve years the OCA has been forced to organize a series of national campaigns to safeguard organic standards. While the OCA and our allies have basically been able to prevent the standards from being significantly watered down, constant vigilance and mobilization have been necessary:

9:26 am - Yesterday, I submitted comments on behalf of the Organic Consumers Association on phasing out non-organic and synthetic substances, keeping nanotechnology out of organic, and the importance of animal welfare, especially stocking densities and outdoor access for organic poultry:

10:36 am - You can download a PDF of the National Organic Standards Board meeting agenda here:

10:44 am - VICTORY! The National Organic Standards Board has just voted on organic hops. As of January 1, 2013, organic hops will be required in organic beer. Send your congratulations to the American Organic Hop Grower Association.

11:16 am - LOSS FOR ORGANIC CONSUMERS: The NOSB has just voted to continue to allow the use of non-organic casings from processed intestines in "USDA Organic" sausage.

NOSB member Wendy Fulwider works for the CROPP Cooperative which produces Organic Prairie organic sausage with non-organic casings. She voted "yes" and did not disclose a conflict of interest.

Coleman Organic also sells organic sausage with non-organic casings. Unlike the farmer-owned, all-organic Organic Prairie brand, Coleman Organic is owned by Booth Creek Management, which created Swift & Co., now part of the JBS SA conglomerate, the world's biggest meat company.

Non-organic agricultural ingredients are only allowed in organic if they're on the National List and a USDA accredited certifier concludes that an organic version of the ingredient isn't commercially available. This evaluation should include an investigation into whether the ingredient can be produced on a contract basis. It's time for companies to take responsibility for their supply chains. An organic sausage brand like Coleman Organic that is connected to the world's biggest meat company could easily contract for the production of organic sausage casings.

Ingredients on the National List are supposed to "sunset" after 5 years. The intent of the law is to give producers 5 years to look for, contract for, or create ingredients in organic form. Unfortunately, the NOSB almost always puts ingredients back on the list for another 5 years unless there are producers, like the American Organic Hop Grower Association, who prove they can do it organically.

3:24 am - VICTORY! The National Organic Standards Board has just passed a recommendation asking the National Organic Program to explicitly prohibit engineered nanomaterials from organic.

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