ALERT: SNEAK ATTACK ON ORGANIC STANDARDS

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ALERT: SNEAK ATTACK ON ORGANIC STANDARDS

USDA TO ALLOW MORE CONVENTIONAL INGREDIENTS IN ORGANICS

USDA & INDUSTRY TRY TO SNEAK BANNED CONVENTIONAL INGREDIENTS INTO

ORGANIC BEER, SAUSAGE, & PROCESSED FOODS

The USDA has announced a controversial proposal, with absolutely no

input from consumers, to allow 38 new non-organic ingredients in

products bearing the " USDA Organic " seal. Most of the ingredients

are food colorings derived from plants that are supposedly

not " commercially available " in organic form. But at least three of

the proposed ingredients, backed by beer giant Anheuser-Busch and

pork and food processors, represent a serious threat to organic

standards, and have raised the concerns of the Organic Consumers

Association (OCA), as well as a number of smaller organic companies

and organic certifiers. Specifically, the OCA disagrees with

the " Budweiser exemption, " allowing conventionally grown hops,

produced with pesticides and chemical fertilizers, to be used in

beers labeled as " USDA Organic " . Also, OCA strenuously objects to

the USDA's proposal to allow the use of conventionally raised

factory-farmed animals' intestines (we'll spare you the gory details

of what thes animals have been fed) as casing for sausages labeled

as " organic. " Adding salt to the wound, the USDA has indicated the

public comment period will not be the standard 30-60 days. Although

the USDA has been working closely with industry on these proposed

changes as far back as 2002, the agency will only be accepting

public comments for seven days. Take action now and forward this

alert to interested friends and colleagues.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5225.cfm

Take action now at

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/oca/campaign.jsp?

campaign_KEY=11401&t=