Contact: Aimee Simpson, 202-543-5450 [email protected], www.beyondpesticides.org Abigail Seiler, 443-854-4368 [email protected], www.centerforfoodsafety.org Will Fantle, 715-839-7713 [email protected], www.cornucopia.org Legal Petition Filed to Restore Organic Board’s Independent Authority Set by Congress (June 17, 2014 – Washington, DC) Today, 20 organic farm and consumer groups filed a legal petition with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to protect the… Read more »
Organic Food Shows Lower Levels of Pesticides than Conventional
by Pamela Coleman, PhD Credit: USDA Consumers often choose organic food because of the perceived health benefits—particularly the reduced exposure to pesticides—but is that a valid reason? In a recent scientific article[1], Charles Benbrook and Brian Baker examined the evidence; they concluded that organic food does, indeed, have lower levels of pesticides than conventional food…. Read more »
A Response to The Wall Street Journal article: “Organic Farming Is Not Sustainable”
Linley Dixon, PhD Cornucopia Farm Policy Analyst The Wall Street Journal opinion piece “Organic Farming Is Not Sustainable” published May 15, 2014 by Dr. Henry Miller misrepresents the industry and is riddled with factual inaccuracies. Dr. Miller attempts to discredit organic agriculture’s environmental benefits on the basis of pesticide use, lower yields, groundwater contamination, and… Read more »
Mr. Orwell Would Be Proud: Animal Farm Becomes Certified Organic
Update: We want to be clear about the discussion in the commentary below regarding the certifier OCIA and the letter sent to the USDA by the umbrella group Accredited Certifiers Association. In addition to OCIA’s board, the staff of the organization was likewise unaware of this letter being sent by the ACA to the USDA. In… Read more »
The ‘Natural’ Label’s Impact on Organic Farmers
It’s only natural to get swept up by the allure of products marketed as “natural.” We resonate with that term for a number of reasons: it implies pure, unadulterated goodness. It sounds comforting. There’s an ease—a lightness implied to it. And above all else, we associate it with being healthy for us. But when it… Read more »
Attention Mothers
Did your infant get sick after feeding liquid infant formula (conventional or organic)? Did he or she get better after switching to a powdered formula? Please share your experience with The Cornucopia Institute researchers: [email protected]
Turmoil Shakes National Organics Standards Board Meeting in Texas
Board Decision Making Colored by Restrictions to Authority and Governance Imposed by USDA CORNUCOPIA, WI – Protests, an arrest and parliamentary maneuvers marked the beginning of the semi-annual meeting of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). After the initial turmoil subsided its members wrestled with the implications of widely criticized changes to its authority… Read more »
It’s Time to Take Back the Organic Community
One Seat on the National Organic Standards Board at a Time Nominations for True Organic Representatives to NOSB by May 15 When Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 it included an important buffer assuring the organic community that we would never lose control over the true meaning of the organic label: a… Read more »
Excerpt of Mark Kastel’s Testimony at NOSB Meeting, Spring 2014
Mark Kastel, Codirector and Senior Farm Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute, gives testimony at the spring NOSB meeting.
Track the Fireworks at the USDA Organics Meeting in TX #NOSB
Last update: 12:47 p.m., May 2 Join the Cornucopia Institute as we live tweet from the National Organic Standards Board meeting in San Antonio, Texas. We will be sharing the play by play with our Twitter followers under #NOSB or simply follow our stream. If you’re not already following us on Twitter please do so here…. Read more »
