|
U.S. suggests standards to define organic foods
December 15, 1997
Web posted at: 3:25 p.m. EST (2025 GMT)In this story:
- The rules, in brief
- Irradiated, genetically altered foods not included
- Organic: growing share of food market
- States may use stricter standards
- Related stories and sites
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The federal government on Monday took first steps toward regulating organic, or so-called natural, foods. Americans who want to learn more about the proposed guidelines or comment on them can do so on the Internet.
The long-awaited rules, intended to end a patchwork of more than three dozen state and private sector organic certifying standards, will implement the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.
The guidelines won't become final until next year and will be open for public comment for 90 days.
Full details are available at the Agriculture Department's Agricultural Marketing Service Web site. Visit http://ams.usda.gov/nop/
The rules, in brief
To gain a government seal that a product truly is organic or natural, the proposed regulations require that:
- Raw products be 100 percent organic.
- Processed foods contain 95 percent organic ingredients.
- Processed foods with 50 percent to 95 percent organic content could be labeled as "made with certain organic ingredients."
- Processed foods with less than 50 percent organic content must specify the organic ingredients.
- Imported items sold as "organic" must meet the same standards as domestically produced foods.
Fines of up to $10,000 could be imposed on anyone who sells or labels products that do not meet the standards.
The rules also set standards for producing and handling the foods, including use of pesticides and a prohibition on antibiotics or hormones to stimulate growth in livestock.
"When we certify organic, we are certifying not just a product, but the farming and handling practices that yield that product," Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman told reporters.
Irradiated, genetically altered foods not included
In making the announcement, the government sidestepped controversial issues such as use of irradiation and crops that have been genetically altered.
Glickman Glickman said more public hearings would be held before a decision is made on those issues, which many farmers and environmental groups contend would violate the all-natural spirit of organic food.
"I have intentionally left open some of the more divisive questions," Glickman said. "I think it's important to have a full national and international discussion of this issue."
Supporters of organic farming welcomed the plan but said using irradiation, genetically altered crops and sewage sludge as fertilizer would undermine organic farming.
"The industry has a long history of operating within certain guidelines that are acceptable," said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group. "These questions need to be answered very clearly."
The National Organics Standards Board created by Congress to help develop the proposed rules recommended against including the controversial practices.
Organic: growing share of food market
Although organic products account for only about 1 percent of food sales nationwide, sales have grown by more than 20 percent annually since 1990 and account for $3.5 billion in annual sales.
Agriculture Department officials forecast a fourfold increase in sales the next decade.
Glickman said the lack of a national standard makes it impossible for consumers -- many of whom pay more for organic products -- to be sure of what they're getting.
The proposals should also make it easier for U.S. organic food companies to increase exports to the European Union, a major consumer of organic foods, he said.
States may use stricter standards
About half the states now have their own organic-food regulations, and they would be permitted to issue stricter standards than the ones enforced by USDA, subject to approval by the agriculture secretary.
The Organic Trade Association estimates there are up to 12,000 organic farmers in the United States out of roughly 2 million farms nationwide. They tend to be smaller operations, usually selling vegetables and other specialty crops at local farmers' markets to small groceries and through cooperatives.
Organic farmers face higher costs because their natural fertilizers and pest control efforts tend to be more expensive and they must hire more workers to replace the mechanization common in conventional farming. Thus, their produce costs more.
The Grocery Manufacturers of America, representing the makers of name-brand foods and packaged goods, called the new uniform standards "a great service to America's consumers and the food-producing industry."
But it added that the nutrition, health and safety levels of organic and "traditionally produced products" were the same and the conventional food industry was using new techniques to reduce use of crop-protection chemicals.
Correspondent Carolyn O'Neil contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- As 'organic' goes mainstream, USDA moves in to regulate - July 29, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
|
Sound off on our message boards You said it... |
|
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.