Success! New USDA Rules Establish Strong Organic Standards for Pasture and Livestock

A big thank you to all of our members who took the time to write to the White House to express your concern, and to urge the President to support truly organic dairy farming practices. Thanks to your efforts organic dairy can continue with meaningful pasture and grazing rules that support the true ethics of organic farming.

From The Cornucopia Institute:
On behalf of the organic family farmers in this country I want to thank and recognize the co-op community. I can't think of a more important ally in this 10-year struggle that has resulted in the Obama administration setting up to crack down on the abuse from factory farms in organic dairy.

This is a big victory and I hope that you and your members will take pride in your important contributions,
Mark Kastel
Codirector
The Cornucopia Institute

Read the full Press Release here: http://www.cornucopia.org/2010/02/new-usda-rules-establish-strong-organic-standards-for-pasture-and-livestock/

Contact the White House - Don't Let Lobbyists Weaken New Organic Dairy Standards

From the Cornucopia Institute:

Farmers and consumers concerned with the integrity of organic dairy farming need to contact the White House (IMMEDIATELY) and urge the President to support a strong pending standard governing organic livestock and dairy management practices.

The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is nearing the end of its critical review of proposed new regulations clarifying the requirement that dairy cows and other ruminants consume a meaningful amount of feed from pasture and grazing. Powerful factory farm interests opposed to the rule - who want to continue to principally confine animals in feedlot style operations - have privately met with OMB officials and are seeking to weaken the new rule.

Click here to visit the Cornucopia Institute's website, find out how to contact the White House and read more: www.cornucopia.org

Tell the USDA You Care about GE Contamination of Organic Food!

In 2006, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) sued the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its illegal approval of Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE) Roundup Ready alfalfa. The federal courts sided with CFS and banned GE alfalfa until the USDA fully analyzed the impacts of the plant on the environment, farmers, and the public in a rigorous analysis known as an environmental impact statement (or EIS). USDA released its draft EIS on December 14, 2009 and their preliminary determination is to once again deregulate GE alfalfa without any limitations or protections for farmers or the environment, claiming that there is no evidence that consumers care about GE contamination of organic foods! A 60-day comment period is open until February 16, 2010.

Please take the time to visit the Center for Food Safety's website to voice your opinion on genetically engineered foods.

Go here: http://ga3.org/campaign/alfalfaEIS

Help the Center for Food Safety

If you're never heard of them before, the Center for Food Safety is an organization that works to protect public health and the environment by promoting organic and sustainable food production practices and lobbying against harmful technologies and companies.

They do a lot of good work and we as a co-op rely on them to alert us to issues and news. They are in the middle of their fall donation funds drive, and they have a short but interesting video of Vandana Shiva, an amazing speaker, on their donation page. Its worth checking out even if you don't wish to donate. Also if food safety is something you're interested in its worth signing up for their e-mail updates which is free.

Check it out (takes you to another website) https://secure.ga3.org/03/FFF_Shiva!

Tell USDA: Keep Nanotech OUT of Organic!

From the the Center for Food Safety's True Food Network website:

USDA's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is voting on whether nanotechnology should be banned from use in Organic products. Thanks to your overwhelming outcry in May 2009 the Board's initial recommendation is to keep nanotech out of organic entirely. Now, we need your help again to make sure USDA holds the line! The critical vote on the Board's final recommendation will be held in Washington D.C. on Nov 3.

Nanotechnology is contrary to Organic Principles and could further entrench industrial/chemical agriculture and industrial food as our dominant paradigm, to the detriment of public health and the environment. Tell NOSB to ensure the integrity of Organic on this issue by voting that USDA ban nanotechnology as an excluded method.

Read more and take action now (takes you to True Food Network website)

EWG Posted a New Dirty Dozen

The non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) the same good folks that bring us the skin deep website have released a new Shopper's Guide to Pesticides. I'm lucky enough to be able to purchase almost all organic produce, but if you can't, for whatever reason, the EWG's list can really help you make the best choices, to purchase the least amount of pesticides.

EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly 87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2007 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find a detailed description of the criteria EWG used to develop these rankings and
the complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at their dedicated website, www.foodnews.org.

For Three Years, Every Bite Organic

The New York Times has a short little read on Dr. Alan Greene, a pediatrician and author, who for the past three years has eaten all organic food. He mentioned in the article that he found it to be particularity challenging, much more so than he had originally thought.

Check out the article here.

I know a lot of our customers follow an all organic diet or at least do their best to have much of their food be organic. This article left me wondering, what obstacles do you face trying to eat an all organic diet? Do you have any tips or tricks to share that our other customers might benefit from? How has eating organically affected your life?

Also don't forget, post a comment below before December 15th and be entered into our Holiday Giveaway for a chance to win a co-op gift card for $100!

The Winner will be announced on this blog on December 16th so be sure to check back to see if you won!