ACTION ALERT: Strengthen Animal Welfare in Organics Submit your comments to the National Organic Standards Board Due October 19, 2009 -- 11:59 P.M. Current organic standards lack strong language to address animal welfare on farms; as a result, factory farms are producing certified organic meat, eggs and milk. Some poultry operations, for example, house tens of thousands of chickens in buildings with tiny concrete porches -- so small that they often accommodate less than 1% of the building's chickens, and often accessible by one single small door in the corner of the house -- and that supposedly counts as legally required "access to the outdoors." This is just one example of how the current organic standards do not adequately address animal welfare.

Posted in Completed Action Alerts

BREAKING NEWS: Supporters of the food safety legislation HR 2749 sought to push the bill forward without amendments and only 40 minutes of debate. Their effort failed Wednesday afternoon to get the needed 2/3rds vote for this maneuver. To view a short news story on this, click here. Stay tuned for what comes next. This week, as soon as Tuesday, the House will vote on HR 2749 -- the Food Safety Enhancement Act. We strongly encourage you to call or email your Representative as soon as possible and ask that they support the Farr-Kaptur amendment to HR 2749. New food safety legislation should not penalize or threaten the nation’s organic and local, sustainable farmers.

Posted in Completed Action Alerts

Hello all, Just a reminder and some particulars on the emergency rally for organic dairy farmers this coming Thursday, July 16. The rally will be held from 11 AM through noon. The event will take place at the La Crosse Interstate Fairgrounds in West Salem, Wisconsin. The fairgrounds are located on County M just north of Hwy 16. The easiest way to find the fairgrounds is to get off I-90 at the West Salem exit. Take the frontage road that runs parallel on the south side of the interstate. When you come to County Road M go north (right) and cross over the interstate. You will pass through one set of traffic lights (Hwy. 16) in the fairgrounds will be on your left side.

Posted in Completed Action Alerts

Now's your chance! National Organic Coalition In the waning months of the Bush Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a proposal to completely overhaul regulation of genetically engineered (GE)crops. The plan significantly weakens USDA oversight. The proposed rules would virtually ensure that contamination of organic and conventional crops will become even more frequent, and even excuses the Agency from taking any action to remedy such contamination. The rules would continue to allow the dangerous practice of producing drugs and industrial chemicals in food crops grown in the open environment, and in many cases even allow the biotechnology industry to decide whether their GE crops are regulated at all. You can comment on this rule and make your voice heard. The public comment period, noted below, has been extended until June 29.

Posted in Completed Action Alerts

Urge the NOSB to remove soy lecithin from the national list, comments due Monday, April 20th UPDATE: Last fall, we urged members of the organic community to write to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) in support of the first petition in the history of the USDA's Organic Program to remove a food ingredient from the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances (conventional soy lecithin). Our action alert, thanks to you, was a success. The NOSB Handling Committee received more comments on this topic - in favor of this petition - than all other comments combined. And they heard you! The Committee, which reviewed the petition this past winter, unanimously recommended that the removal of conventional lecithin be approved at the vote of the full NOSB, at their meeting next month. We must show the NOSB that organic stakeholders are still engaged - tell them we expect them to cast their final vote in the interest of organic consumers and innovative organic companies. Our action alert below outlines why this precedent-setting vote is so important for the future of organics.

Posted in Completed Action Alerts