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Reminder:
Keep Farm Bill Calls and Letters Coming In!
After a week of recess, Congress is back in session, and Farm Bill is among their priorities to be taken up this week. OFRF is continuing to push hard for $16 million/year for organic research funding, and we still need your help. Even if you have already done so, please call and write your Senators and Representative and urge them to support this funding level in the Farm Bill. For a detailed action alert, read our last OFAN alert.
URGENT: Oppose USDA's Proposed "Naturally Raised" Meat Label by next Monday, March 3!
The deadline is next Monday for comments on USDA's proposed "naturally raised" meat label. The USDA Agriculture Marketing Service is proposing the creation of a new, low-grade label for meat. OFRF believes that this proposal would mislead consumers and undermine consumer confidence in all other label claims, especially organic. If USDA's proposal goes through, livestock producers could label their meat USDA verified "naturally raised" without any concern for animal welfare or environmental stewardship, and without the animals ever necessarily stepping foot on pasture. Producers would only be required to show that their livestock were never given antibiotics, hormones, or animal byproducts. This proposed label is a direct threat to the value and impact of the organic label.
Please submit comments opposing USDA's proposal by Monday, March 3rd, 2008. You can submit comments two ways:
1. Electronically – submit your comments online at the following link: www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main? main=SubmitComment&o=09000064803b3e50.
2. Via fax to 202-720-1112.
Important: All comments must reference "Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131".
Also: Be sure to include your name, address, and if appropriate, affiliation(s) and/or interest(s) in the issue.
Remember: The public comment deadline is March 3, 2008.
Talking Points
The following is taken from the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s action alert. Please personalize your message and include any additional points you would like to offer. Let us know if you submitted comments – send them to Tracy Lerman, Policy Program Assistant, at tracy@ofrf.org or at (831) 426-6670.
The proposed "naturally raised" standard fails to address many of the high standards consumers expect from sustainable livestock production, including animal welfare, access to pasture, and conservation and environmental requirements. Quite simply, the "naturally raised" label as proposed would not mean what consumers would think it implies and should be abandoned.
With its less than comprehensive definition of "naturally raised" and seemingly similar relationship to other labels, the proposed label would confuse consumers. It could also undermine the consumer confidence in all other label claims, including the well-established and trusted "certified organic" label which numerous producers have built their respective businesses around.
The naturally raised label claim would completely defeat a very important purpose of providing the label in the first place – to provide clear and reliable signals to consumers who want to make informed, environmentally-friendly, and healthy choices about their food purchases.
The implementation of a "naturally raised" claim would further mislead consumers who are already uncertain and skeptical about the meaning of the "natural" label claim currently overseen by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The natural claim refers to processing of meat whereas the naturally raised claim refers to the production of livestock. The implementation of two distinct claims, both using the term "natural" yet addressing completely distinct issues and administered by two separate agencies will create confusion for consumers and farmers alike.
Hormone and antibiotic supplementation and the use of animal byproducts as a feed source are extremely important issues that could be succinctly and accurately addressed through individual labeling claim standards. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service had previously proposed the development of "no antibiotics used" and "no supplemental hormones used" labels, both of which would provide clear and reliable signals to consumers. This approach would provide consumers with clear, reliable signals that will allow them the opportunity to make informed decisions about what they are purchasing, while sustaining their confidence in the integrity of all USDA process-verified labels.
- Background
In November 2007, the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service published a Notice and Request for Comments on the proposed voluntary standard for a "naturally raised" marketing claim. The proposed standard would require all livestock intended to bear the "naturally raised" claim to have been raised "entirely without growth promotants, antibiotics, and have never been fed mammalian or avian byproducts."
While these proposed requirements address very important concerns, they could more simply and accurately be addressed through "no supplemental hormones added" and "no antibiotic used" labels. USDA had previously proposed these labels in conjunction with the recently approved grassfed label. Other label claims under review include "free range" and "pasture raised." Feeding of animal byproducts could be addressed with a "no animal byproducts fed" label claim.
We support labels that are easy for consumers to interpret and that producers could use in appropriate combination to communicate with their clientele. However, should USDA's draft proposal for a vague and non-comprehensive "naturally raised" claim proceed, consumers will be confused and consumer confidence in all USDA verified or certified labels would no doubt decline. In addition, the integrity of the markets that took decades for organic and sustainable livestock producers to create, and upon which increasing numbers of consumers rely, would be seriously jeopardized.
More Info
Read OFRF's comments on the proposed label.
Read the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s action alert. on the proposed label.
Read the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service's original notice published in the Federal Register and the notice extending the deadline for submission of comments..
Join OFRF's
Organic Farmers Action Network by clicking on the link at: www.ofrf.org
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News Roundup
"Harkin: 2002 Farm Bill extension 'most likely' outcome." - Brownfield Network, 2/24/08
"Organic versus climate protection?" - PR Newswire, 2/22/08
"New alliance could deliver better farm bill." - Des Moines Register, 2/19/08
"My voice: Farm Bill's opportunity to support organic agriculture." - The Argus Leader, 2/15/08
"Monsanto U: Agribusiness's Takeover of Public Schools." – Alternet, 2/15/08
Upcoming Events
Albuquerque, NM
2/28/08: A Dialogue Meeting for A National Organic Action Plan. Contact Liana Hoodes for more info: Liana@hvc.rr.com or 845-744-2304.
2/29/08 – 3/1/08:The New Mexico Organic Farming Conference: The Southwest’s Premier Conference for Organic Agriculture.
Dalton, GA
2/29/08 – 3/1/08: Georgia Organics 10th Anniversary Conference: Connecting at the Crossroads - New Directions for Farms, Foods & Communities.
Anaheim, CA
3/13 - 16/08: Natural Products Expo West. OFRF luncheon on 3/13/08.
Berkeley. CA
3/14 – 16/08: The 26th National Pesticide Forum - Reclaiming Our Healthy Future: Political Change to protect the next generation.
Kansas City, MO
3/25 – 27/08: SARE's 20th Anniversary New American Farm Conference.
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