USDA Bows to Pressure on Organic Standards

More Than 200,000 Comments Sent

PANNA 18may98

After receiving more than 200,000 comments from farmers, environmentalists, consumers and others, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is backing down on its proposed national organic standards. The standards would have allowed farmers to use a wide range of toxic, synthetic substances, and left open the possibility of allowing use of genetically engineered organisms, sewage sludge and irradiation in organic production. Almost all comments submitted to USDA criticized the standards for being far too weak and for compromising the integrity of the organic label.

"If organic farmers and consumers reject our national standards, we have failed," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. "Our task is to stimulate the growth of organic agriculture, ensure that consumers have confidence in the products that bear the organic label, and develop export markets for this growing industry." The agency announced that it will evaluate the comments submitted in response to its proposal and submit a revised proposal for public comment later this year. The revised proposal will prohibit use of genetically engineered products, irradiation or sewage sludge, according to Glickman.

Organic industry and advocacy groups, including the Organic Trade Association and the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), were pleased about the agency's announcement, but said that there is still work to be done. "We will continue lobbying the USDA, Congress and the White House for a federal label for organic that maintains the rigorous standards already established by the organic industry," said Katherine DiMatteo, head of the Organic Trade Association.

According to Bob Scowcroft, executive director of OFRF, Secretary Glickman's statement that USDA's job is to "stimulate the growth of organic agriculture," marks a significant change in the agency's attitude. "Hopefully, this reflects a long-lasting change of heart," said Scowcroft. "It means that now it's safe for mid-level researchers at USDA to express an interest in organic without risking their careers."

Since issuing its proposed standards in December, USDA has been flooded with critical comments from a broad range of consumers, activists and industry groups, including mainstream agricultural organizations such as the California Farm Bureau, the Produce Marketing Association and various state Departments of Agriculture. The California Senate and Assembly issued a joint resolution stating that the rules, "would threaten the integrity of the organic process in our state." In addition, 32 U.S. Senators and 48 House members wrote a letter to Secretary Glickman urging him to rewrite the organic rules or face action that would block them in Congress.

International groups also submitted comments, including the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), which stated in a press release the proposed
standards were so bad that they could hurt "our movement everywhere."

Observers have remarked that USDA was stunned by the force and volume of negative comments. According to a spokesman for Secretary Glickman, "for anybody who thinks of organic farming as some fringe element . . . this has really proved them wrong." He stated that organic farming is "very mainstream, it's very national and it's very big."

Sources: Bob Scowcroft, personal communication, May 13, 1998;
The Boston Globe, May 9, 1998; Reuters, May 8, 1998; USDA
Release No. 0205.98, May 8, 1998.
Contact: PANNA.

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