Think Green Live Clean

The big corporations in our country seem to have a hand in everything and it’s definitely not a helping hand…unless, of course, it’s filled with money for lobbyists. This, unfortunately, is precisely what is happening with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Organic label. Because the organic food and beverage market is the fastest growing section of the food industry raking in $23 billion a year, much money can be made by simply boasting the USDA Organic label. So it’s no wonder that businesses are going to great lengths to secure this seal.

The USDA’s National Organic Program began in 2002 to regulate the standards for those wanting to sell agricultural products as ‘organically’ grown, such that are produced without synthetics, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). This gives the choice of whether to buy ‘organic’ back to the consumer and also helps to prevent green washing (the false stating of food or beverages as organic). However, because of the constant pressure from lobbyists, the USDA has been relaxing its standards.

Three years ago USDA employees found a synthetic additive in organic baby formula that violated USDA federal standards and said that it should be banned. Today that same additive exists in over 90% of organic baby formula. What happened? Lobbyists got to the USDA program manager who ended up overruling her staff and allowing the additive to remain. Scenarios like this have been re-occurring, and now products that are not completely organic can still rep the label. For instance, USDA organic beer can be made with non-organic hops.

There is even a debate within the USDA over whether the interpretation of ‘organic’ should be remain rigid or be loosened to allow more non-organic components to exist within organic food and drink. However, because of all the dissatisfaction with the organic certification, the USDA inspector general’s office has launched an investigation into whether other foods with the USDA Organic label are meeting the federal standards. “It will unravel everything we’ve done if the standards can no longer be trusted,” said Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, (D-Vt.), who supported the federal organics legislation.

To learn more check out the full article at the LA Times