Debate on National Organic Program

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Hi Friend,

Is the USDA National Organic Program protecting organic?

I will be participating in a debate next week at the NOFA Summer Conference at Hampshire College. I will be debating Jo Mirenda from the Organic Trade Association on the proposition:

The USDA National Organic Program Is Doing its Job (protecting the values of traditional organic agriculture and meeting consumer expectations).

I am arguing that the National Organic Program is NOT doing it’s job. That it is NOT protecting the values of traditional organic agriculture. And that it is NOT meeting consumer expectations.

In recent years we have been besieged with story after story about the serious failures of the National Organic Program (NOP). We are not talking about little “oopsie daisies.” We are talking about massive failures of integrity and enforcement.

More on the debate at the NOFA Summer Conference

The most recent story haunting the National Organic Program is the documented animal abuse at a 25,000 cow Texas CAFO dairy certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Did I say 25,000 cows? How do they get all those cows out to pasture and back to the barn every day? Teleport them? “Beam us up, Scottie!”

Link to "American Milk Myth: New Undercover Investigation Challenges Organic Milk"

The animal abuse is just the sickening punchline to a flagrant disregard for the law. The question isn’t just whether the NOP will decertify the huge CAFO, but whether they will decertify the certifier? Why is the Texas Department of Agriculture permitted to continue as an approved certifier? This story follows the 2017 Washington Post expose of Aurora Dairy.

Why do we tolerate this?

It is our government. Can we reclaim it?

It should be an exciting debate. One member of the Organic Trade Association leadership has publicly written that I tell lies about the OTA. Hopefully, this debate will be a chance to discuss these accusations and clear the air.

I hope to see many of you at Hampshire College next Saturday at 4:30 pm.

In the meantime, meet another Real Organic Project farmer, Nuri Icgoren who runs Urban Sprout Farms in Georgia. Nuri turned an abandoned hotel into a thriving organic farm and community center right in the middle of Atlanta! Nuri teaches us that nutritious food comes from eating just harvested food from high quality soils. His energy and positivity is contagious attracting many to take part in the activities around the farm.

Our movement continues to grow!

Dave

Watch Urban Sprout Farms video

Check out this week's Know Your Farmer video, featuring Nuri Icgoren, an organic farmer in Georgia who runs Urban Sprout Farms!

Dave Chapman
Executive Director / dave@realorganicproject.org
Real Organic Project / realorganicproject.org

Sign the petition to prohibit hydroponics from organic certification

“The deeper I get involved in this work, the more I see a need for people from our side to be outspoken, tenacious, tireless activists for organic. In the current political climate, it is no longer enough just to ‘support’ organic – we need to really engage with the political arena to help direct the systemic changes we need and want to see happen.”
--Steve Crider, Liaison for Government and Industry Affairs, Amy's Kitchen
He received the OTA award for member of the year in 2014.

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www.RealOrganicProject.org
The Real Organic Project has been created to help educate and connect those who care about organic farming.

Our mission is to grow people’s understanding of traditional organic values and practices. Our first goal is to create an add-on label to USDA certified organic to provide more transparency on organic farming practices.