Organic Consumers Association sends me a lot of interesting information - you might care to subscribe to their newsletter yourself, here:

OCA newsletter

This remark brought home to me the fact that Government just doesn't get it, and despises those who do!

Collin Peterson, chairman of the House of Representatives agricultural committee, says the farm sector that raises organic produce and grass-fed beef for local consumers needs little federal help. "It is growing, and it has nothing to do with the government, and that is good," he told the FT. "For whatever reason, people are willing to pay two or three times as much for something that says 'organic' or 'local'. Far be it from me to understand what that's about, but that's reality. And if people are dumb enough to pay that much then hallelujah."

To send a message to Collin Peterson (Democrat, MN) congratulating him for getting the Organic Consumers Association award for the dumbest quote of the week: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_8104.cfm

When you follow the link, you may have to scroll down to find the form to write your letter.  Following is what I wrote:

Dear Mr. Peterson,

disrespecting the opinions of those who elect them seems to be endemic among politicians these days.

If instead you take the time to find out WHY we will pay these higher prices, you will find that we compelling reasons to do with health, local economies, agribusiness and government. 

These reasons may not convince YOU to change your mind, but they define US as rational and intelligent, rather than subscribers to the herd mentality you may be more comfortable with.

Lynn Hinderliter CN, LDN

I must have said it a thousand times, and been proven right about that often.  Take a natural brand of food out of the hands of those who developed it with care and honesty, sell it to a big corporation  - and trust goes out of the window.

Once money becomes the main preoccupation, once greed rules, any available short cut will be taken, and we, the consumers, will be taken in. Read my recent post about Walmart and Organics as a case in point.

Walmart and other big names are on the spot again here:  think you are buying organic milk from happy cows?  Not so! Read the details of the scam here.

Protect yourself - let them know you are disgusted. 
Sign a petition here.

You may recall my previous posts about Wal-Mart's entry into the organic field - excuse the phrase.  I had serious misgivings about the effect this would have on small farmers in the US, since inevitably Wal-Mart will be out-sourcing its organics.

Corollary to that of course, is the question of how they intend to monitor overseas standards and compliance ..  but I digress.

If this accusation is true, it sheds a different light on the situation:  if all they intend to do is just LABEL the stuff  "organic", no wonder they can Sell it for Less .

Wal-mart charged with selling non-organic food as organic.

Organic has been much in the news recently:  Walmart has announced it intends to become a significant player.  Organic dairy is popping up everywhere.  Certainly in some ways this could be good, if it signals a shift towards greater care of our planet and the animals we tend.

True organic, though - authentic organic, you might say - certainly does.  It is connected to health, and to husbandry*.

I like to think that most of the people reading this blog are savvy enough to see further than the smiley face label on the "organic " Rice Krispies; they will want to know what principles have been compromised to get the low price point.

So here is the first example. Scroll to the bottom to find how you can influence the sequence of events.

ACTION ALERT: ORGANIC DAIRY REGULATION COMMENTS

WESTON A. PRICE FOUNDATION
ACTION ALERT
May 22, 2006

Organic Cattle Should Be Pasture Fed- Not Raised in Intensive Feedlots

Two of the largest organic dairy companies in the nation, Horizon Organic (a subsidiary of Dean Foods), a supplier to Wal-Mart and many health food stores; and Aurora Organic, a supplier of private brand name organic milk to Costco, Safeway, Giant, Wild Oats and others, are purchasing the majority of their milk from feedlot dairies where the cows have little or no access to pasture. Together, these corporations control up to 65% of the organic dairy market. A routine practice on these giant dairy feedlots, many with thousands of cows, is to continuously import calves from conventional farms, where animals have been weaned on blood, fed slaughterhouse waste and genetically engineered grains, and injected or dosed with antibiotics. Certifiers endorsing these factory farm organic products include QAI and the Colorado state department of agriculture.

Here's How Organic Consumers Can Help Put a Stop to This

The USDA has posted revisions to the National Organic Program and is seeking public comment until June 12, 2006. A portion of the revisions relate to the issue of dairy produced on factory farms being labeled as "organic." The National Organic Standards Board, which is made up of representatives of the organics industry, has proposed that organic dairy cows be required to spend at least 120 days each year on grass and that at least 30 percent of the cows' feed must come from pasture during the grazing season.

For many organic dairy farmers, having grazing standards that can be enforced are essential to protect the industry from the large corporate players in the West with large herds that offer their cows only token access to grass. The organic dairy farmers warn that by leveraging economy of scale, these large dairies can lowball prices, thus putting the livelihood of the smaller family dairies along with the more modest-sized companies and cooperatives that market their milk at risk.

Please send a message to the National Organic Program of the USDA to stop the labeling of factory farm milk as "organic." To do so, please click on the following link:http://tinyurl.com/mqvup

* Husbandry: Careful management or conservation of resources; economy.

Here is the SECOND example. This article is about a lady who moved to what she thought was "healthier food" and still did not lose weight.

Why?  Because she was buying "fake" healthy foods.

Once again, in chorus: when the big manufacturers make a change in their lines, they are following the money. They are doing it not to make you healthier, not to make cows or chickens happier,  not to be better stewards of the earth, but to MAKE MORE PROFIT.