[ORGANIZED C.O.U.P. NEWS]

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Organic? The USDA’s Manipulation of Organic Products by Mark Bowen

            In this age of bio/chemical-terrorism that is enacted by several industries, like the fossil fuel industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and pertaining specifically to this article, the food industry, health conscious folks strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle by taking on certain lifestyles and practices.  Health conscious people attempt to eliminate foods from their diet that are genetically modified, pesticide coated, refined, hormone ridden, etc., and instead, cough up the few extra bucks to get that product labeled ‘organic’.  But just when you thought it was safe to pick something up off the shelf to benefit your health, you may have to reconsider.

            In 2002, the organic foods industry in the US brought in $23 billion; and the industry has had an annual increase of 20% since 1990, and is projected to grow up to 50% annually in the years to come[1].  As is well established, the nature of corporations is to harbor any industry that makes substantial profits (see graph 1.1), and the usual consequence is the modification and redefined standards of that industry to suit the governments and corporations interests, which has been done to the organic foods industry.  First and foremost, we have to understand that when you see any product that is labeled ‘organic’, the government has outlined strict rules on how the word can be used by any manufacturer.  In other words, any seller of organic products cannot use the term ‘organic’ on their products without the governments consent[2].  If a seller makes more than $5,000 a year on organic foods, uses the term ‘organic’, and they are not in compliance with the outlines of the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) or the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990[3] (the Act), they can be fined up to $10,000 and lose all organic certification for 5 years.

Graph 1.1

            So what exactly compromises the official organicness of a product? 

            The Organic Foods Act of 1990 does strictly prohibits synthetic processes concerning organic farming and handling.  Synthetic defined by the government is “…a substance that is formulated or manufactured by a chemical process or by a process that chemically changes a substance extracted from naturally occurring plant[s], animal[s], or mineral sources…”  The National List[4] is a compilation of “processing materials” that were voted on by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB, which stands as a governing body to the National Organic Program under the USDA) to regulate which products are prohibited and allowed to be used by organic farmers.  Out of the 111 products brought to the table, 74 were passed.  Thirty-five of the “processing materials” were “non-synthetic” and Thirty-nine were “synthetic.”  Most of the synthetic products were minerals that pill poppers are accustomed to taking, like calcium citrate for example.  But calcium citrate can be naturally occurring through soil nutrients, or processed in a laboratory, in other words, synthetic.

            Processed foods can be labeled as organic, for as long as the food is “50% organically produced ingredients by weight.”  The product also has to label which ingredients are organic[5]; so always read the ingredients on the back of any product you pick up off the shelf.  Here is a friendly hint, if you cannot identify an ingredient or pronounce it, you’re better off leaving it alone.  Also, the way ‘organic’ is labeled on a product can be misleading and manipulative, so be precautious and read the small print.   

            Chemical pesticides can wind up on organic crops.  The government definition of space between field crops (or buffered zones) is described as an area that has to have a mere windbreak or ditch to separate inorganic from organic crops[6].  Monsanto actually sued other farmers for their (Monsanto) pesticides drifting in the wind onto surrounding farms.  The farmers were using Monsanto pesticides without permission or payment.  So it is clear what little effect having a mere “diversion ditch” can do to separate organic from inorganic crops.  Certified private agencies and State officials are to conduct residue tests on farm crops to determine whether or not a crop is “present at levels that are greater than unavoidable residual environmental contamination… in consultation with the appropriate environmental regulatory agencies[7];” like the EPA for example.  The same EPA that tells us that the air we breath, the water we drink, the processed foods we eat, are avoidably contaminated, in other words, not detrimentally harmful, hence otherwise, safe.  There is no guideline on how often a farm must be visited by the state or a certified agent; and the Secretary of the USDA is required to review the state certified programs once every five years[8].  Loopholes like these are what compromises foods labeled organic more so than any other written provision in the Act.

            The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 is written in such a way as to prohibit organic farmers from practicing certain procedures and farming techniques, but this in hand leaves certain procedures and farming techniques open for practice because they have not been strictly prohibited, hence loopholes (as all government laws are written).  For example, Section 2110, subsection c, paragraph 2 of the Act lists specifically what cannot be fed to livestock in order to be certified as organic, but the provision then leaves it wide open for farmers to feed anything else to the livestock.  Or, for example, there are no provisions throughout the entire Act that require livestock adequately be “free range” for a reasonable amount of time.  “Free range” is the allowance of the livestock to roam the pasture.  Restricting the movement of an animal makes way for contaminated living conditions, poor quality meat, and is denaturing to an animals lifestyle.  As a matter of fact, the farmers and handlers do not necessarily need to slip around certain provisions in order to practice something inorganic:

SEC. 2113. [7 U.S.C. 6512] OTHER PRODUCTION AND HANDLING PRACTICES.
        If a production or handling practice is not prohibited or otherwise restricted under this title, such practice shall be permitted unless it is determined that such practice would be inconsistent with the applicable organic certification program.

            The true organic state of a product is further compromised in Section 2118, subsection c, paragraphs 1 and 2.  Paragraph 1 is titled “EXEMPTION FOR PROHIBITED PRODUCTS”.  It allows prohibited synthetic or non-synthetic products to be used by farmers with the permission of the EPA and the Secretary of the USDA; and that synthetic products can contain “safe amounts” of copper and sulfur compounds; toxins derived from bacteria… soaps… fish emulsions, treated seed[s]…”  Paragraph 2 is titled “PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF SPECIFIC NATURAL SUBSTANCES”.  In summary, paragraph 2 determines that natural products can be prohibited if the Secretary of the USDA, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the EPA determine so. The titles are ironic considering the 1^st paragraph specifies which synthetic products can be used, and the 2^nd paragraph does not specify any natural substances; though the 1^st paragraph’s title does not list any language of specification, and the 2^nd paragraph highlights “SPECIFIC NATURAL SUBSTANCES”.  In any case, any natural products or farming techniques can be prohibited if the government determines so.  This makes room for practices like biodynamics to be prohibited.  Biodynamics is a practice where certain natural (in the authentic sense of the word) substances and elements are concocted to harness the energy of the moon to yield stronger and healthier crops[9].

            The unregulated range of options that the farmers/manufacturers have are shared with the governing bodies behind the US organic program; especially if the manufacturer is wealthy and engages in some form of lobbying with the office of the USDA.  Certified agents (who pretty much can be anybody that knows the ins-and-outs of farming and whose job is to monitor farms), are restricted from “accepting payments, gifts, or favors of any kind from the business…” or acting on a commercial interests[10].  But nowhere in the Act does it prohibit the elite governing bodies that encompass the health foods and environmental agencies of the government from accepting gifts.  Throughout the Act we find more of the same loopholes and provisions of blatant unregulated powers that can be exercised by the appropriate parties, namely the NOSB, EPA, The Dept. of Health and Human Services and the USDA.

            So what can we do to combat the manipulations and prevent the continued compromise, or attack, on our health?  One, we can dig a little deeper and continue to be educated consumers.  The Act does explicitly mention that the programs operating under the Act must release the certifying documents and laboratory analyses that officially certify these programs under the NOP[11].  We have to extract specific information on the manufacturers to expose the real organic products from the artificial ones.  We can do this starting by investigating the large names in the organic foods industry, the same way we investigate the complexity of the media, or the prison industrial complex, or the government, and so forth.  On the NOSB there are individuals that are supposed to represent public and consumer interest groups[12], we have to get information from them and pressure them to take our message back to the other board members.  We have to try to get information from, and about, other NOSB members to as well. 

            Two, there are several organizations out there that have their own organic standards.  Supporting and becoming familiar with certain organizations that conduct independent organic certifications can move us away from the unauthentic produce that is labeled ‘organic’ and toward truly organic products.  Start looking for products that are labeled “Sustainable Agriculture”.  Many farmers, agriculturalists, etc., that use this term oppose the governments standards on organic farming, and use the phrase “sustainable agriculture” or the word “natural” to maneuver past the government’s regulations on the word ‘organic’.

            Three, grow your own foods.  Even if you live in an apartment, you can grow your own herbs, fruits and vegetables in pots.  Besides, we, as so-called spiritually, politically, and/or socially conscious people need to practice more self-sufficiency.  We need to begin to take more and more control over our own food, clothing and shelter, and not continue to be strictly dependent upon the corporations and the government.  How does the saying go “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day, teach him how to fish and he’ll live forever.”  Regardless of this matter, we need to connect with the earth and do some planting and gardening anyways.  A disconnect from the earth is a disconnect from our natural godly selves.  In these days and times when we are pushed to and fro by the strict force of time, and striving to survive in a relentlessly demanding capitalistic society, we need to take time out and move with the supernatural pace of the earth, which is ultimately the pace of the macrocosmic universe (which encompasses all the heavenly bodies), and the pace of the microcosmic atom.  It is the intangible quantum force that all these cosmic bodies are governed by that we need to “flow” with, whether you are consciously aware of it happening or not.  So if we take one step towards our Mother (Nature), she’ll take two steps towards us and nourish our external and internal selves and our surrounding environment.