Organic Food Labels, Are They Trustworthy

Posted July 25, 2014

Peter Laufer, a writer and professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, doesn't just wonder, researched the food label “organic,” according to a NPR blog post available here. TakePart also published an article on organic food labels here, Oregon Live here, and Washington Post here.

After Laufer experienced difficulties finding out if the organic labeled black beans from Bolivia were actually “organic,” he began to conduct his own investigation.

"It seems to me if everything is clean as a whistle, then you'd be proud to say where the food came from."

Laufer flew to Bolivia and spoke with the farmer who probably grew them, and determined that those beans were actually organic.

However, Laufer found a discrepancy with “organic” walnuts from Kazakhstan at Trader Joe’s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investigated and found no evidence of organic walnut production in Kazakhstan, but production is in Uzbekistan, which sells to Trader Joe’s.

"Organic" is more trustworthy than most labels you see on foods like "natural," which has not yet been defined by the USDA.

Organic farmers not only have rules to follow, but also have third-party certifiers inspect their operations ensuring the rules are followed. Those certifiers also test a percentage of the product each year for illicit use of pesticides, and those certifiers are paid by the companies that they certify, but their work is audited by the USDA.

According to Consumer Reports, consumers are not fully aware of what "organic" means, but they also have a high bar when it comes to the organic foods they purchase, which is partially due to the universal symbol that accompanies it, according to TakePart.

More than a decade ago, a nearly 20-year veteran of the USDA's Office of Communications, George Avalos, designed the  "USDA Organic” seal. Organic product sales are projected to approach an estimated $35 billion in 2014.

In the beginning, Avalos was unaware the popularity that would ensue.

“I don’t think I really made a big deal about it until I started walking into stores and saw it appearing on different things,” said Avalos.

USDA investigators have found cases of organic fraud in the U.S. and abroad. There is little evidence that fraud is widespread, but USDA is allocating more resources into preventing fraud, according to NPR.

In recent years, the USDA has received about 200 complaints each year concerning suspicious organic products. Last year, 19 farmers or food companies were fined a total of $87 million for misusing the organic label.

For more information on organic food labels, please view the Consumer Reports’ list of benefits provided by organic products here.

For more information on the National Organic Program, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.  

USDA Meeting Ends with No Vote on Organic Aquaculture

Posted May 6, 2014

The spring meeting for the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) ended with no vote on establishing approved substances for organic aquaculture standards, according to an article by Undercurrent News available here. 

During the meeting, the board voted to delay any vote on the approval of 10 substances as usable under the USDA organic standard until the final rule on aquaculture standards is published. 

George Lockwood, chairman of the Aquaculture Working Group (AWG) called the meeting “discouraging” in an update he sent out to stakeholders.

The USDA expected progress on the final rule and for its standards for organic aquaculture to be finalized by the end of the year, but Lockwood says this is a sign of a continuing delay.

There is a large demand for organic fish products in the United States, according to an article by the Fish Site available here.

Standards for US organic aquaculture have been developing for 15 years, but Lockwood is skeptical about when the standards will actually be finalized.

For more information on aquaculture, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

USDA Announces Growth of Organic Industry

Posted March 21, 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced new statistics showing that the organic industry continues to grow domestically and globally, according to a USDA news release available here.  AG Professional also reported on the story here.

The 2013 list of certified USDA organic operations shows an increased rate of domestic growth.  In 2013, an additional 763 producers became certified organic, an increase of 4.2 percent from the previous year.  Currently, there are 18,513 certified organic farms and businesses in the U.S., representing a 245 percent increase since 2002. 

“Consumer demand for organic products has grown exponentially over the past decade.  With retail sales valued at $35 billion last year, the organic industry represents a tremendous economic opportunity for farmers, ranchers and rural communities,” said Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack.  “New support in the 2014 Farm Bill will enhance USDA’s efforts to help producers and small business tap into this market and support organic agriculture as it continues to grow and thrive.”

Efforts to expand the organic industry include major trade agreements with Canada, the European Union, and Japan; access to programs that support conservation, provide loans and grants, and fund research; and additional provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill.

For more information on the National Organic Program, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.  

Organic Farmers Discuss GMO Tolerance

Posted February 14, 2014

Organic farmers are discussing how to deal with contamination from genetically modified (GMO) crops and “tolerance levels” for contamination, according to a Capital Press article available here.

“The question is what threshold are we going to accept for genetic contamination?” said Holli Cederholm, general manager of the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGTA).

OSGTA members have adopted a “zero tolerance policy,” meaning that any detectable level of GMO contamination is unacceptable. 

The issue of GMO contamination is also being discussed by the National Organic Standards Board, an advisory committee to USDA. 

In 2012, a biotech advisory committee “urged the USDA to consider launching a crop insurance pilot program to compensate farmers harmed by cross-pollination from GMOs.”  Some believe, however, that the liability should fall on the companies that own patents for the genetically modified crops.

For more information on organic production and biotechnology issues, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here and here.

NALC Resource: National Organic Program Reading Room

Posted February 12, 2014

The National Agricultural Law Center offers a wide range of resources, one of which is the National Organic Program Reading Room available here.

The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 was enacted to create “national standards governing the marketing of certain agricultural products as organically produced products,” to assure consumers that “organically produced products meet a consistent standard,” and to facilitate “interstate commerce in fresh and processed food that is organically produced.”  The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), an agency within USDA, published a final rule implementing the OFPA and creating the National Organic Program. 

The National Organic Program Reading Room provides information on major statutes, relevant regulations, links to the case law index for the National Organic Program, administrative law decisions, Center research publication, relevant Congressional Research Service reports, and many other resources. 

These resources are provided by the National Agricultural Law Center as a free service to the public.

Christmas Tree, Organic Growers Find Help in Farm Bill

Posted February 11, 2014

Christmas tree and organic growers have found helpful provisions in the newly enacted farm bill, which took over two years of debate and negotiations to be approved by Congress, according to a Capital Press article available here.

Christmas tree growers experiencing slow sales and competition from artificial trees sought to establish a program to pay for media marketing and cross-promotional campaigns.  While the USDA was set to approve the program, in November 2011, the Heritage Foundation portrayed the fee as the Obama administration’s “tax” on Christmas.  As a result, the program was tabled. 

“It had nothing to do the Obama administration at all,” said Bryan Ostlund, of the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association.  “It blew up in the press like none of us had ever seen before and probably never will again.  It was something to behold.”

When the farm bill began moving through Congress, U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), lead the move to include the Christmas tree assessment in the farm bill approved by the House of Representatives.  Oregon leads the nation in Christmas tree production with about 6.4 million harvested annually and sales valued at $110 million.

Organic growers have also found relief in the new farm bill in funding for research and funding to enforce organic standards, according to an article by the Oregonian available here.  Organic farmers will also find improved crop insurance benefits.

For more information on farm bills and crop insurance, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here and here.

CA Appeals Court Rules OFPA Preempts State Consumer Lawsuits

Posted January 3, 2014

In Quesada v. Herb Thyme Farms, Inc., No. B239602, 2013 WL 6730808, (Cal. Ct. App. Dec. 23, 2013), a California Appeals Court considered a case of first impression, holding that the federal Organic Food Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), 7 U.S.C. § 6501, preempts state consumer lawsuits alleging violations of the OFPA or violations of California’s federally approved state organic program (SOP).  For a copy of the decision, please contact the National Agricultural Law Center at nataglaw@uark.edu.  For more information on the OFPA or the National Organic Program (NOP), please visit the Center’s website here.

Background

Defendant, Herb Thyme Farms, is a certified grower, federally approved to label its organically grown herbs as “USDA Organic.”  Id. at *1.  Plaintiff, Quesada, alleged that Herb Thyme mislabeled its product as “USDA Organic” when the contents contained a mix of organically grown and conventionally grown herbs.  Id.  Quesada filed a class and representative action against Herb Thyme alleging violations of California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act, false advertising, and unlawful conduct in violation of California’s unfair competition law.  Id. at *2.  Herb Thyme moved for judgment on the pleadings, arguing that Quesada’s claims were preempted by federal law.  Id.  The trial court granted Herb Thyme’s motion, dismissing the case.  Id.  Quesada appealed.  Id.   

Analysis and Holding

The California Appeals Court considered whether the federal OFPA preempts a state consumer lawsuit based on violations of the state California Organic Production Act of 2003 (COPA).  Id. 

In its analysis, the court noted that there is a presumption against preemption of state laws that operate in traditional state domains, citing Farm Raised Salmon Cases (2008), 42 Cal. 4th at 1077, 1088, 72 Cal. Rptr.3d 112.  Id. at *5. 

The court held, however, that the doctrine of implied preemption bars state consumer lawsuits based on product mislabeling in violation of the OFPA.  Id. at *6.  The court reasoned that the preemption analysis of Aurora Dairy Corp. Organic Milk Mktg. & Sales Practices Litig. V. Aurora Organic Dairy, 621 F.3d 781 (8th Cir. 2010), applied in this case.  Id.  The Aurora Dairy court explained that the purpose articulated in the OFPA, “’to establish national standards governing the marketing of certain agricultural products as organically produced products,’ would be deeply undermined by the inevitable divergence in applicable state laws as numerous court systems adopt possibly conflicting interpretations of the same provisions of the OFPA and NOP.”  Id., citing Aurora Dairy, supra, 621 F.3d at 796.

The court also held that the implied preemption doctrine of obstacle preemption bars state consumer lawsuits based on product mislabeling in violation of the COPA.  Id. at *7.  The court reasoned that the “coordinated state and federal regulatory scheme, the legislative history, and Congressional intent in enacting the OFPA,” distinguish the preemption analysis from Farm Raised Salmon Cases.  Id. at *8.  The court held that “there is no private enforcement of the COPA.”  Id. 

Judge Orders Attorneys’ Fees for Organic Certification Inspector

Posted December 18, 2013

Evrett Lundquist, an organic certification inspector who was facing a $7.6 million lawsuit, won summary judgment and the judge recently ordered the plaintiff to pay a portion of his attorneys’ fees.

The story begins when Lundquist, a part-time inspector for farms seeking USDA organic certification notified the National Organic Program (NOP) that he believed Paul Rosberg’s farm was not in compliance with certification rules, according to Steven McFadden of Call of the Land, here.  The NOP investigated and confirmed that Rosberg’s operation failed to qualify for organic certification.

Lundquist “was acting on his own,” but felt “honor bound by the International Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) Code of Ethics to report suspected fraud.”  Although Lundquist’s complaint “should have been kept confidential” his identity was mistakenly released in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. 

Rosberg sued Lundquist and International Certification Services, Inc., his employer, for $7.6 million in damages.  Rosberg represented himself, pro se, as he has done in several legal actions.  Rosberg is currently incarcerated in Nebraska after he was indicted by a federal grand jury for selling misbranded meat to Omaha Public Schools.  He was also arrested for hiring two hit men to murder two witnesses in the meat trial.

While Lundquist acted “as a private citizen when he initially reported the violations,” he incurred legal fees of over $43,000 and asked for the NOP’s assistance in the case.  The NOP “declined to help with legal costs.” 

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator David Shipman, now retired, responded at the hearing: “We made a mistake … It is really regrettable.  I have looked at this case a number of times and sat with legal counsel trying to figure out how we can in some way help that individual…but the avenue to actually help in a financial way, I have not found a path forward on that yet.  It is an extremely regrettable situation, and we are aware of it.”

A year earlier, the agency published a statement on how complaints are handled.

For more information on the National Organic Program, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.

US and Japan Streamline Organic Trade

Posted October 1, 2013

The United States and Japan have announced that beginning January 1, 2014, organic products certified in Japan or in the US may be sold as organic in either country, according to a USDA News Release, available here.

Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack said, “This partnership reflects the strength of the USDA organic standards, allowing American organic farmers, ranchers, and businesses to access Asia’s largest organic market…It is a win for the American economy and sets the foundation for additional organic agricultural trade agreements in Asia.  This partnership provides economic opportunities for farmers and small businesses, resulting in good jobs for Americans across the organic supply chain.”

The organic sector in the US and Japan is valued at more than $36 billion combined, and rising every year.

Prior to this equivalency arrangement, organic farmers and businesses wanting to sell products in either country had to “obtain separate certifications to meet each country’s organic standards,” typically meaning “two sets of fees, inspections, and paperwork.”  In preparation for the agreement, US and Japanese technical experts conducted on-site audits, ensuring that the programs’ regulations, quality control measures, certification requirements, and labeling practices were compatible.

According to a Farm Futures article, available here, Christine Bushway, Executive Director and CEO of the Organic Trade Association said, “This monumental agreement will further create jobs in the already growing U.S. organic sector, spark additional market growth, and be mutually beneficial to producers both in the United States and Japan and to consumers who choose organic products.”

Cathy Calfo, Executive Director of the California Certified Organic Farmers said, “This agreement is vital to specialty crop growers, who number more than 2,000 in California alone.  These producers will be able to expand sales in a vibrant Japanese market, inspiring growth in a sector that is already creating jobs and economic opportunity.”  

For more information on the National Organic Program, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center's website here.  For more information on International Agricultural Trade, please visit the Center's website here.

Study Examines Consumer Demand For Organic Cotton Apparel

A Washington State University research pilot study examined whether or not consumers are willing to pay extra for organic cotton apparel.

Western Farm Press reported, “As consumers become increasingly conscious of how their purchases influence labor practices and use natural resources, some make product choices that show concern for people and the planet.”

This was one of the first pilots to “use a type of experimental auction methodology to evoke the true price a person will pay for a product.”

Joan Ellis, associate professor of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles at WSU, says, “If the consumer is not willing to pay, then everything upstream - the growing, processing, distribution and selling - has no ramifications.”

By sampling two large university classes, the pilot revealed, “Students who believe organics are of a higher quality were willing to pay more for both organic and conventional cotton t-shirts.”

Eliis says, “The pilot study’s traction definitely shows an interest in consumer behavior and marketing implications for organic apparel.”

O. A. Cleveland, Jr., Mississippi State University Extension economics professor emeritus, says, “The same conditions that took the cotton market to its highs in late January remain in place.”

Delta Farm Press also reports, “U.S. organic cotton growers enjoy healthy demand for their products, largely due to the positive, long-term relationship with buyers.”

According to a 2010-2011 report conducted by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the U.S. organic cotton market will continue to grow if “encouraged by consumer demand, price premiums, and regulatory shifts that will ease marketing restrictions for organic cotton products."

For more information regarding the National Organic Program, visit the National Agricultural Law Center National Organic Program Reading Room here. 

Edamame Meeting in Russellville, AR

On Monday, September 24^th, Rusty Rumley from the National Agricultural Law Center presented at an edamame meeting in Russellville, Arkansas.  The meeting was well attended with over 25 participants representing the farmers, industry, state government, and extension personnel. 

One of those points of interest is the herbicide registration process.  This has been an issue came up earlier in the growing season.  During the meeting the crowd also talked about the possibility of developing crop insurance for edamame which currently has nothing available for it.  During the meeting the group also discussed labeling issues related consumers concerns such as non-GMO and organic labels and the legal issuses surrounding them.  For more information on each of these topics pleas click on: the Pesticide Approval Process, Crop Insurance for Edamame or Non-GMO Labeling Issues.

Premiums on Organic Chicken Breasts

Consumers are still willing to buy organic meat despite its higher price. A recent article out of Fayetteville, Arkansas reported that consumers are willing to pay a premium for organic meat, but that the type of organic label controls their willingness to pay. The article was based on a study done out of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Center for Food Safety. The author of the study’s published results, Ellen Van Loo, says that "willingness-to-pay estimates can also provide insights on how consumers value the organic attribute in meat products and can be used as input in analyzing the marketability of the products."

In the study, consumers were hypothetically surveyed (Van Loo would like to research further with real market data later) as to their willing to pay premiums for chicken breasts. “The surveys found that consumers would be willing to spend a 35 percent premium for a general organic labeled chicken breast and would pay a 104 percent premium for a USDA-certified organic labeled chicken breast.”

The study broke down the consumers based on the frequency in which they purchased organic products. Consumers who traditionally did not shop organic were unwilling to pay the premium. Consumers who occasionally bought organic “would pay a 35.7 percent premium for a general organic labeled chicken breast and a 97.3 percent premium for USDA-certified chicken breast.” The most frequent buyers though “would pay a 146 percent premium for a general organic labeled chicken breast and 244.3 percent premium for USDA-certified chicken breast.”

For a similar article from the USDA on produce, click here. For more information on the National Organic Program and more resources from the National Agricultural Law Center, click here.

USDA Supports Research and Marketing of Organic Agriculture in 18 States

Yesterday, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced 23 new grants to research and extension programs working to help organic producers and processors grow and market high quality organic agricultural products. The grants, totaling $19 million, are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through two unique programs: the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) and the Organic Transitions Program (ORG).

Merrigan stated that, "as more and more farmers adopt organic agriculture practices, they need the best science available to profitable and successful organic farms. America's brand of organic agricultural goods is world-renowned for its high-quality and abundance of selection. These research and extension projects will give producers the tools and resources to produce quality organic food and boost farm income, boosting the 'Grown in America' brand."

For more information, click here.

Posted 10/26/2011

NIFA Awards Grants for Organic Agricultural Research and Extension

USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded 30 grants to enhance the ability of organic producers and processors to grow and market organic agricultural products, according to a news release.

About $18 million was awarded through the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).  OREI seeks to solve organic agricultural issues, priorities, or problems through the integration of research and extension activities.  This initiative focuses on the "science that supports development of sustainable practices in agriculture and forestry.  For more information on OREI, click here.

Additionally, over $4 million was awarded through the Organic Transitions Program (ORG).  "In FY 2010, this program focused on environmental services provided by organic farming systems that support soil conservation and contribute to climate change mitigation" addressing practices such as organic crop and animal production.  For more information on ORG, click here.

To read the NIFA news release, click here.

Posted: 10/28/2010

New Procedures Will Increase Enforcement of Organic Standards

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) "issued new procedures that will increase the effectiveness of enforcing national organic standards" according to Growing Produce.  The new procedures will "ensure that all complaints of alleged violations and civil penalties are consistently handled."

"In the past, complaints of alleged standards violations were referred to accredited certifying agents for investigation and enforcement.  With the implementation of new procedures, the NOP will collaborate with accredited and certifying agents in investigating cases while handling all enforcement actions."

"Since Jan. 2010, the NOP has closed 87 complaints and issued three civil penalties.  The NOP accredits about 100 certifying agents around the world to evaluate agricultural production and handling operations and determine their compliance with the national organic standards."

Posted: 09/14/2010

To read the Growing Produce story, click here.

USDA Revokes COFA's NOP Certification

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently revoked accreditation of the California Organic Farmers Association (COFA) as an organic certifying agent, according to the Central Valley Business Times.

"COFA is no longer authorized by USDA's National Organic Program to certify organic crop, livestock, wild crop, and handling operations."

The National Organic Program (NOP) accredited COFA as a certifying agent in 2002, but during submission of its five-year renewal application, NOP conducted an audit and found several points of non-compliance.  "COFA submitted corrective actions," but NOP determined that "COFA had not adequately corrected 10 of the non-compliances."

Areas of noncompliance "included review of a facility in which an employee held a partial interest, inadequate retention of records and procedures, and insufficient inspection of and communication with certified operators."

For more information on the National Organic Program, click here to visit the National Agricultural Law Center's Reading Room on the subject.
To read the Central Valley Business Times story, click here.

Posted: 09/13/2010

USDA Announces Organic Program Handbook

USDA published the "first edition of a program handbook designed for those who own, manage, or certify organic operations" recently, according a news release from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

The handbook gives guidance about the National Organic Program standards and "will help participants comply with federal regulations."  The handbook "provides guidance on the allowance of green waste in organic production systems, approval of liquid fertilizers in organic production, certification of organic yeast, processed animal manures in organic crop production, reassessed inert ingredients, and the calculation of dry matter intake for NOP's access to pasture requirements."

In addition, the handbook includes "instructions concerning organic certification such as recordkeeping, steps to certification," organic certificates, and accreditation procedures.

The National Organic Program handbook is available here.

To read the AMS news release, click here.

Posted: 09/07/2010

Experts Debate Benefits of Organic Food

The question "Is Organic Food Marketing Hype?" was a recent topic of the Newsweek Intelligence Squared US debate.  Newsweek enlisted six experts to the debate the issue.

The former head of the Food Standards Agency said that "six in 10 Americans who buy organic food believe it is healthier," but eight countries have looked at this issue and all "have concluded that there is no health benefit of eating organic food compared with conventional food."  Many also believe that organic foods do not contain pesticides, but they "just contain a different set of pesticides."

An environmental-health scientist and director of technical policy for the Consumers Union argued the benefits of organic food over conventional, saying that organic animals "eat a diet free of excrement" and organic food "is free of antibiotics" and heavy metals like arsenic.  This expert says that "there are some inadvertent benefits to being healthier to the environment" and since organic practices are better for the environment, they "might be better for us too."

Another participant argued that organic production methods are detrimental for the environment because it takes more land to grow the same amount of food and causes more soil erosion.  The chief scientist at the Organic Center, however, argued that the biodiversity of organic crops allowed more production per acre and the preservation of beneficial insects.

A cancer researcher from the University of California at Berkley found that about 50 percent of both synthetic pesticides and natural compounds caused cancer in rats at high doses.

No particular consensus was drawn from the debate, but the moderator, John Donavan was "surprised" the "level of passion generated by this topic."

To read the Newsweek story, click here.

Posted: 09/03/2010

USDA Bans Organic Certifier in China

According to a press release from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the USDA has reached a settlement agreement with the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA).  The agreement prohibits OCIA from operating in China, while allowing it to retain its accreditation to certify activities under the National Organic Program (NOP) in other countries.  A representative of AMS stated the importance of "integrity of organic products for consumers" and that "all certifiers and operations, domestic or foreign, must be held to the same standards."


In 2007, "NOP conducted an onsite audit of OCIA and its certified operations in China as a part of the program's organic accreditation renewal process.  The audit found that OCIA used inspectors connected to the Chinese government, who had a conflict of interest with the certified organic operations. In July 2008, NOP proposed revocation of OCIA’s accreditation in China. OCIA appealed the proposed revocation."  The settlement allows OCIA to apply for re-accreditation after one year. 


OCIA began closing its China operation in late 2009 due to "regulatory pressure and financial difficulties."


According to the New York Times, the US "imports $3 billion a year in farm products from China. Trade data does not single out organic farm products, which are believed to account for a small but growing portion of the total. The upward trend can be seen in the number of Chinese organic producers certified under Agriculture Department rules, which rose more than 200 percent, to 669 last year, from 216 in 2008."

For more information on the NOP, click here.

To read the AMS press release, click here.
To read the New York Times article, click here.
To read the Wall Street Journal article, click here.


Posted: 06/21/2010

Administration bans two fatty acid additives in organic baby food

Kimberly Kindy is reporting in the Washington Post online that on Tuesday the Obama Administration banned the use of the synthetic additives omega-3 fatty acid DHA and omega-6 fatty acid ARA in certified organic baby formula and baby foods. This is because these two ingredients have not "received legal approval for use in organic products." Despite the lack of approval, the two fatty acids in question are found in 90 percent of organic baby formula.

It is now up to the US Department of Agriculture to draft the guidelines that will allow for the gradual phasing out of the two additives. Kindy reports that this process could take a year to complete. While this is going on the producers of the fatty acid additives plan to petition the National Organic Standards Board to allow the acids in organic foods.

To read Kindy's article in the Washington Post online, click here.
To visit the USDA's National Organic Program website, click here.
To learn more about the National Organic Program and related laws, click here to visit the National Agricultural Law Center's Reading Room on the National Organic Program.

Posted: 04/28/10