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#214 25 F e b 10

ORGANIC
Org a nic Consum er s A sso ci at ion
BY TES
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F o o d & C o n su m e r N e w s W e e k ly

Oppose Islam Siddiqui! Monsanto’s GMO Alfalfa Threatens Our


OCA is part of a 98-organization coalition formed by the Pesticide Action Net- Right to Organic and GMO-Free Food
work and the National Family Farm Coalition to block the Senate confirmation Organic and genetically modified “Frankencrops” cannot coexist.
of President Obama’s nominee for US Agricultural Trade Negotiator, CropLife Any open-pollinated crop that is genetically modified will inevita-
pesticide lobbyist Islam Siddiqui. bly contaminate non-GMO and organic varieties.
We’re sending a letter signed by all 98 groups to the Senate. The letter outlines President Obama’s USDA, like all administrations since GMOs were
our opposition to Siddiqui based on his support for pesticides and genetically first patented in the 1990s, wants to help agribusiness force-feed
modified foods and his opposition to organic practices. new genetically modified crops on
Siddiqui was instrumental in drafting the first proposed organic consumers. Currently, the USDA
standards in 1997-98 that would have allowed toxic sewage sludge, is working on getting Monsanto’s
GMOs, and irradiated food to be labeled “Organic.” As Under Secre- Roundup Ready (pesticide-resis-
tary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at President Clinton’s tant) alfalfa to market.
USDA, Siddiqui oversaw the release of the first-ever proposed federal Alfalfa is the fourth most widely
standards for organics, an accomplishment the Obama White House has cited grown crop in the US and it is the first perennial crop to be geneti-
in support of his nomination. However, these rules created an uproar when USDA cally engineered. GMO-contamination of organic alfalfa fields and
overruled recommendations of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) organic alfalfa seed production would happen very quickly. Once
and recommended the use of GMOs, irradiation and toxic sludge under the Monsanto’s GMO alfalfa is widely cultivated, it will inevitably con-
organic label. After a nationwide campaign spearheaded by the OCA, in which taminate organic alfalfa sprouts and alfalfa hay grown for organic
the USDA was deluged with 280,000 irate letters and emails, Siddiqui, Monsanto, dairy cows. Genetically modified DNA sequences have been found
and the USDA backed off. This Organic Consumers Rebellion remains one of the in the milk of dairy cows fed GMO corn and soybeans. If Monsanto
most passionate outpourings of public sentiment on any government regulation gets its way, conventional milk and dairy products will be simi-
in modern US history. www.is.gd/9cSVP larly contaminated. Organic consumers have fought hard to keep
GMOs out of national and international organic standards, but if we
San Franciscans Give Toxic Sludge Back! allow Monsanto’s genetically modified alfalfa to be widely grown
Ever heard of toxic sludge? That’s the product of wastewater treatment and, up in the US, organic integrity will be jeopardized. Take Action: www.
until the 1990s, it was dumped in the oceans. Now, it’s spread on farmland. is.gd/8H2p4
A lot of it is even sold at garden stores as “organic compost.” Please, if you ever
see something called “organic compost” make sure it’s certified organic by OMRI Little Bytes
or an accredited organic certifier. Say ‘No!’ to Corporate Control of Agriculture and Food!
San Francisco, home to Gavin Newsom, who some have called the World’s April 17, 2010 is the International Day of Peasant Struggle. La Via
Greenest Mayor, is actually giving the stuff away to unsuspecting organic gar- Campesina is calling for a day of action against transnational cor-
deners, calling it “organic biosolids compost.” porations which seek complete control over food and agriculture
On March 4th at 12 noon, OCA National Director Ronnie Cummins will join gar- systems around the world.
den activists at San Francisco City Hall to give this toxic sludge back to the city. Bayer Pesticide Banned Over Threat to Honeybees
If you’re in the Bay Area, please join us! www.is.gd/9cTdu A US District Judge from Manhat-

A Thank You to the OCA and Its Members Quote of the W e ek tan has banned the sale of spiro-
tetramat, a pesticide produced by
The organic community has something to be proud of—the recent “Nationalism is our form of incest, is our Bayer CropScience that is toxic
victory in Washington with the publication of new regulations that idolatry, is our insanity. ‘Patriotism’ is its and is killing off the nation’s hon-
will crack down on factory farms scofflaws producing “organic” milk. cult. It should hardly be necessary to say eybee population.
As an organic farming watchdog, on behalf of our farmer-members, that by ‘patriotism’, I mean that attitude World Wildlife Fund: Loyal Ally
we want to sincerely thank Ronnie Cummins and the rest of the staff which puts the own nation above human- of Corporate Agribusiness
at OCA for their decade of hard work that has helped lead to this vic- ity, above the principles of truth and jus- WWF is engaged in a mega-green-
tory. tice; not the loving interest in one’s own washing operation to cover up the
For years OCA has been an invaluable partner in the efforts to rein- nation, which is the concern with the environmental and social destruc-
in abuses by Dean Foods’ Horizon brand and Aurora Dairy (pro- nation’s spiritual as much as with its mate- tion caused by soy production in
ducer of private-label milk labeled organic for the likes of Wal-Mart, rial welfare - never with its power over South America; impacts include
Costco and many grocery chains). other nations. Just as love for one individ- deforestation, environmental pol-
For years, during the Bush administration, the USDA looked the ual which excludes the love for others is not lution and poisoning of people.
other way while giant corporations overtly cheated. But the potent love, love for one’s country which is not UNFI Refuses to Sign
partnership between organic farmers and consumers has proven part of one’s love for humanity is not love, Sustainability Pledge
that people power still can still trump corporate money and clout. but idolatrous worship.” -Erich Fromm (1900- The Coalition for a Sustainable
Less than 2% of our citizens farm today, both conventional and 1980), US psychologist. Posted on Information Food Supply Chain has been try-
organic. Farmers have no clout in Washington or the marketplace. Clearing House Newsletter Feb. 19, 2010 ing to get UNFI to sign pledge to
But when the leading organic farming group partners with the most cease marketing conventional
powerful representative of organic consumers, OCA, we are all potent force to be food as “natural,” to increase the sales of certified organic foods, to
reckoned with. adopt fair trade standards that honor the right of workers to freely
To all of you who have, over the years, contacted your elected officials, written choose representation and collective bargaining and to promote a
the USDA and, most importantly, carefully continued to buy organic dairy prod- sustainable environment that includes the elimination of business
ucts—but only from the true heroes in this industry—we want to sincerely thank practices that accelerate climate change.
you. -Mark A. Kastel, Co-director, The Cornucopia Institute. www.is.gd/9cTpb Read these articles & many more: www.organicconsumers.org

Written and edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer & Ronnie Cummins · Please post, distribute, & subscribe: organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.cfm
We are Making Positive Change · Our Work Depends on You! Please Donate: www.organicconsumers.org/donations.cfm

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