Organically Grown Loopholes

There are two things you don’t want to see being made—sausage and legislation. (Otto von Bismark) 

The 22^nd of April is Earth Day, designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment.  Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of this movement that was started by the late American Senator, Gaylord Nelson and promoted by a group of eager students, hoping to shape the world from their small office above a diner in D.C.  40 years on and Earth Day is overseen by the Earth Day Network and is observed in 175 Countries. 

One of the most consumer driven aspects of the environmental movement has been the purchasing of organic food.  Market research conducted in 2008 shows that approximately 70% of Americans buy organic food occasionally.  From 1997 to 2008, organic food sales in the U.S. grew around 17-21%.  According to the rules from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), ‘organic’ must adhere to specific and regulated standards: Crops are generally grown without synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, irradiation (a form of radiation used to kill bacteria), or biotechnology. Animals on organic farms eat organically grown feed, aren't confined 100 percent of the time and are raised without antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones.  Sounds good?  But how far can that organic seal of approval be stretched? Large-scale corporations and non-family farms control 75% of agricultural production in America.  Unfortunately research would suggest that a handful of giant factory farms are exploiting loopholes in federal regulations, and this is having an effect on the organic food that’s on our plates because of the sheer size of the market that they control.      

In 2008 the organic dairy watchdog found that two of the biggest players in the organic dairy market were not following strict organic standards.  Horizon Organic (a supplier to Wal-Mart and many health food stores); and Aurora Organic, (a supplier of private brand name organic milk to Costco, Safeway, Giant and Wild Oats, amongst others), are purchasing the majority of their milk from dairies where the cows have little or no access to pasture, the Organic Consumers Association also reports that “the calves have been imported from conventional farms, where animals have been weaned on blood, fed slaughterhouse waste and genetically engineered grains, and injected or dosed with antibiotics”.  Together, these corporations control up to 65% of the organic dairy market in the United States. 

 

Organic meat is another gray area due to legislation that was passed in 2003, that allows producers to give their animals conventional feed and still label the meat organic.  For instance, the legislations allows for a pregnant cow to be fed any type of feed in the first and second trimester of her pregnancy, however the cow must be fed organic feed in the third trimester of her pregnancy in order for her calf to be certified as organic.  As was noted in one report, “you can’t be half organic, you are either all organic or you’re not organic at all”. 

Thankfully for every story of deception there are hundreds of examples of local farmers, cooperatives and advocates that are upholding the correct standards for organic farming and fighting for change across America.  I chose to highlight some of the loopholes in the legislation because I was shocked by it and because I realized that I put my faith and confidence in organic actually being a term that was stringently upheld.  I won’t stop buying organic because I still believe that there are producers out there that have consumers interests, health and taste at heart but I will try and be more conscious of the food that I’m purchasing and learn more about the producers and retailers that are selling it to me. 


My thanks goes to Pat Simpson from Yummy Yard, as a Master Gardener he has spent his life fighting for natural food and teaching people the importance of growing their own produce. It was he that opened my eyes to much of what is going on.  If you're in South Florida and would be interested in hearing a seminar from Pat then visit his site: www.yummyyard.com
If you'd like to learn more, the Organic Consumer Association is a very comprehensive site with a wealth of information: www.organicconsumers.org