NaturalPedia > Organic Standards

Quotes about Organic Standards from the world's top natural health / natural living authors

 Email this page to a friend   |  Click here for FREE email alerts

page 1 of 2 | Next ->

"Yet the USDA still refuses to crack down on companies deceptively using the word "organic" or "organics" on their products, and there are still no comprehensive U.S. organic standards nor any regulations specifically for certified organic personal care products. In March 2008, the OCA and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps issued "Cease and Desist" letters to organic cheaters that had misbranded their products as "organic" on labels." - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.) "This difficulty has led certifiers such as the Soil Association and ECOCERT to develop alternate cosmetic organic standards. The standard guarantee here in the U.S. that a product is truly organic is the "USDA Organic" green seal, which indicates that the product contains at least 70 percent certified organic ingredients. This is very different from the "Contains/Made With Organic Ingredients" label, which means that the product is likely to contain varying amounts of non-organic ingredients." - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.) "Congress to dilute organic standards so they could use more synthetic ingredients and still call their products organic or natural. The only insurance consumers have against these changes is the maintenance of rigid and dependable standards that determine what is and is not organic, along with product labeling that accurately and completely identifies product ingredients. Organic product certification by a third party audit company has been the strength of, but also one of the greatest challenges for, the growing organic industry." - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.)

"In October 2005, Congress voted to weaken organic standards still more by allowing numerous synthetic food additives and processing aids to be included in processed foods labeled "organic." The consumer needs to keep on top of these changes in order to know the current meaning of "organic." Soon, growers and consumers may have to come up with a totally different label, something like "super" or "pure," if we are to maintain high standards. Sadly, all of the expense, pain and suffering from pesticides are neither necessary nor financially efficient in growing healthy crops." - Susan E. Schenck, The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet (Get the book.)

"The USDA finally adopts national organic standards without including the use of sludge, irradiation, or genetic engineering as approved organic practices because of the outcry from 280,000 concerned voters. 2003 Eighty-four percent of US canola acreage is planted with GMO seed. • Five major weeds develop resistance to Roundup herbicide. Arsenic, paraquat, and 2, 4-D are recommended to control resistant weeds. 2004 ?Seventy-six percent of cotton, 45 percent of corn, and 85 percent of soybean acreage in the United States is planted with genetically modified crops." - Will Allen, The War on Bugs (Get the book.)

"Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too But what does that really tell us? After all, you can now get some version of "organic" crispy choco-nutty cereal, and my local health food store is filled with "organic soda." More specifically, when it comes to meat and poultry, what does organic really mean?" - Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why (Get the book.)

"The report was presented to the National organic standards Board of the United States Department of Agriculture. Mark Kastel, founder of The Cornucopia Institute, explained that the report "is simply an analysis, comparing the ethics and management practices of all organic name brand and private label dairy products. This is a tool to help consumers shop with firms that represent their values." ri----- The Institute sent a survey by certified mail to known marketers of organic dairy products in the U.S. The survey was based on 19 questions about the care and feeding of their cows." - Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., What's In Your Milk?: An Exposé of Industry and Government Cover-Up on the Dangers of the Genetically Engineered (rBGH) Milk You're Drinking (Get the book.)

"Organic Consumers Association Works to protect the integrity of organic standards, preserve the environment, and promote locally grown, sustainable food. www.organicconsumers.org Small Planet Institute Founded by authors Frances Moore Lappe {Diet for a Small Planet, Democracy's Edge, among many other books) and Anna Lappe {Hope's Edge, Grub) to promote "living democracy" and share inspirational stories from around the world. www.smallplanetinstitute." - Michele Simon, Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back (Get the book.)

"And that's why we have an orphanage we help in China, an orphanage in Haiti, freshwater wells in Ghana; we help the Chiapas Indians with schools; and David our president is taking on the federal government and fighting for legalized industrial hemp and organic standards — all to help the Earth." If ever a company wore its values right on its sleeve, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap is it. The company was founded by an eccentric German immigrant who spent his life on a modern-day Christian crusade. "He sold soap as a way to distribute the philosophy on the label," Ralph explained. " - Stacy Malkan, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry (Get the book.)

"Before a product can be labeled 'organic,' a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too." What does any of this have to do with cosmetics? Many consumers are already attracted to any cosmetic that claims to be natural, no matter how bogus the claim." - Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition (Get the book.) "For more detailed information on the USDA organic standards, visit their Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/nop or call the National Organic Program at (202) 720-3252. Hypoallergenic or Good for Sensitive Skin: These terms suggest to the consumer that the product is less likely to cause allergic reactions or skin sensitivities. However, there are no standard testing restrictions or regulations for determining whether a product qualifies as meeting this claim. A company can label their product as "hypoallergenic" or "good for sensitive skin" without providing any substantiation for the claim." - Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition (Get the book.)

"We want to meet the regulations," said Kelly O'Shea, Horizon's director of government and industry relations, "and see integrity in the organic standards." Buying Horizon and Aurora dairy products is certainly better than purchasing dairy products from conventionally raised animals given regular subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics and sulfa drugs that government reports show appear in their finished milk products, and I have no problem as a consumer in supporting either of these companies.50 But you, the consumer, ought to have inside information." - David Steinman, Safe Trip to Eden: Ten Steps to Save Planet Earth from the Global Warming Meltdown (Get the book.)

"The USDA finally proposes federal organic standards. These proposed standards include irradiation, genetic engineering, sludge as fertilizer, sodium chlorate as a defoliant, and allowing 20 percent of the animal diet to be not organic. The public responds with a deluge of more than 280,000 complaints. The organic food and fiber market continues to grow more than 20 percent per year. 1999 In the United States. 45 percent of the cotton acreage, 45 percent of the corn acreage, and 57 percent of the soybean acreage is planted with genetically modified seed. 2001 ?" - Will Allen, The War on Bugs (Get the book.)

"USDA for cosmetics and personal care products. [BEGIN BOX] Organic Certifying Organizations There are numerous established, reputable certifying organizations. These include: • USDA National Organic Program (NOP) 100% Certified Organic • USDA NOP 95 % (or more) Certified Organic • USDA NOP 70% "Made with Organic Ingredients" • USDA "Made with Organic XXX" (where XXX is the specific ingredient used) • Soil Association Cosmetic Standard 95% (U.K.) • Soil Association Cosmetic Standard 70% (U.K." - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.)

"Whose organic standards? USDA Prepares for an "Unfriendly Takeover" of the Natural Foods Industry. In Motion Magazine. http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/usda.html 12. This article on the ANH website explains the extreme trouble in Europe trying to stand up for health freedom in the face of oppressive regional trade rules concocted by the German-led European Union, a problem that could soon be America's, http:// www.alliance-natural-health.org/_docs/ANHwebsiteDoc_197.pdf 13." - Byron J. Richards, Fight for Your Health: Exposing the FDA's Betrayal of America (Get the book.)

"Opponents of organics —and there are many—work hard to make you doubt the reliability of organic certification, to weaken the organic standards (so you really will have something to doubt), and to make you wonder whether organics are any better than conventionally grown foods. Let's consider these in order, starting with the issue of trust. I cannot count the number of times that I have been asked whether the Certified Organic seal really means anything. It most definitely does." - Marion Nestle, What to Eat (Get the book.) "The best evidence that organic standards really do mean something—and are not so easy to achieve —comes from the unrelenting efforts to weaken them from Big Meat, Big Organics, the USDA itself, and now Congress. The history of these efforts is sobering. Soon after the standards went into effect, a commercial poultry pro- ___________________ ducer in Georgia got his local congress- T he best evidence that Organic man to sneak a clause into a federal I Standards really do mean spending bill just as it was about to be something—and are not so easy passed." - Marion Nestle, What to Eat (Get the book.) "In response to these confusing developments, the USDA said it would create its own agency committee to draft U.S. organic standards for seafood. When this happens, it will be the first step in a lengthy process that is certain to take years. So for now, "organic" on seafood means much the same as "natural" does on meat—however the seller chooses to define it." - Marion Nestle, What to Eat (Get the book.)

"Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. The USDA developed a seal to certify that a food is organic. But the use of the seal is voluntary, so some organic foods may not be labeled with the USDA seal. People who sell or label a product as "organic" when they know it does not meet USDA standards, however, can be fined up to $10,000 for each violation." - Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods (Get the book.)

"Indian proverb In March 2000, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USDA) announced the approval of national organic standards, which means that supermarket food labeled organic must meet specific, consistent requirements. Under these rules, organic crops cannot be genetically engineered, irradiated, or fertilized with sewage sludge; farmland where crops are grown is prohibited from being treated with synthetic pesticides and herbicides for at least three years prior to harvest; and farm animals raised under organic standards cannot receive antibiotics or growth hormones." - Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal (Get the book.)

"Organic As of October 2002, the National organic standards Board has clearly defined the term organic. For any product or produce to be labeled organic it must be grown without chemical herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and without genetic engineering (genetic alteration or gene splicing). OTC OTC is the abbreviation for Over the Counter drugs and other medications sold directly to the consumer rather than through a pharmacist with a doctor's prescription." - Elson M. Haas, M.D., The New Detox Diet: The Complete Guide for Lifelong Vitality With Recipes, Menus, and Detox Plans (Get the book.)

"THE POLITICS OF ORGANICS The organic seal tells you that the producers of the foods followed a long list of rules: they did not use any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers; they did not plant genetically modified seeds, use fertilizer derived from sewage sludge, or treat the seeds or foods with irradiation; and they kept records of everything they did and showed the paperwork and everything on their farms to inspectors from a USDA-accredited state or private certification agency any time they were asked to, announced in advance or not." - Marion Nestle, What to Eat (Get the book.)

"In the process, some voices argued for a "principle of proximity" to factor locality into organic standards; however, such calls have thus far gone unheeded. In its translation from a motley patchwork of peer-review standards to a USDA regulatory category, "organic" has changed from an ethic of holistic thinking and eco-integration to a law subject to lobbying and loopholes. A 2005 congressional backroom deal inserted amendments to the federal organic standards into an agricultural appropriations bill." - Sandor Ellix Katz, The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved (Get the book.)

"Until recently, most regulation of organic standards has been done on a state-by-state basis. In 1999, the U.S. Department of Agriculture finally announced that it would allow the term organic to be used on meat and poultry, meaning that it has been raised without the use of antibiotics and synthetic hormones, fed only organic feed, and processed in accordance with accepted organic standards. Packaged foods also will be eligible for the organic label if 95 percent of the ingredients are organic." - Sharon Moore, Lupus: Alternative Therapies That Work (Get the book.)

"EATING ORGANICS According to the National organic standards Board, organic farming uses techniques to restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony while avoiding pesticides and fertilizers. Organic foods have been processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, genetically modified ingredients, or irradiation. Fewer chemicals used in farming and food production means fewer chemicals in the environment and in our bodies. Not only are organic foods healthier for the planet, they've proven healthier for those who eat them." - Holly Lucille, Creating and Maintaining Balance: A Woman's Guide to Safe Natural Hormone Health (Get the book.)

"Department of Agriculture finally announced that it would allow the term organic to be used on meat and poultry, meaning that it has been raised without the use of antibiotics and synthetic hormones, fed only organic feed, and processed in accordance with accepted organic standards. Packaged foods also will be eligible for the organic label if 95 percent of the ingredients are organic. Dairy products can carry the organic label, too, if milk cows are certified as not fed antibiotics or synthetic hormones and their milk is processed according to organic standards." - Sharon Moore, Lupus: Alternative Therapies That Work (Get the book.)

"They asked Congress to establish mandatory rules for designating food as organic, and legislators did so in 1990 when they passed the Organic Food Production Act and established a National organic standards Board to advise the USDA about implementation. The board, realizing that Congress had passed the legislation before bioengineered foods were on the market, recommended "as a policy matter" that genetically modified foods be excluded from those considered organically grown." - Marion Nestle, Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism (Get the book.) "By the deadline, the USDA organic standards docket contained an astonishing 275,603 letters, with genetic engineering eliciting the most criticism.30 Eventually, the USDA responded to public demand and dropped the controversial proposals; it would not permit genetically modified, irradiated, sewage-fertilized foods, or animals fed antibiotics to be labeled as organic. The organic foods industry and its constituents hailed the decision as a decisive victory: "Organic food stores are no longer just little co-ops with tofu and bean sprouts...." - Marion Nestle, Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism (Get the book.) "Biotechnology industry representatives criticized the decision as "political, not based on any realistic assessment of risks, benefits, or science," and USDA officials reassured them that the organic standards did not "reflect a judgment about the safety or utility of biotechnology. . . . USDA has not drawn official conclusions about biotechnology labeling for conventional agriculture products. In general, USDA is doing a great deal to promote biotechnology as a key part of mainstream US agriculture efforts." Mexican Native Corn." - Marion Nestle, Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism (Get the book.)

"Organic milk, on the other hand, is rBGH-free, as required by organic standards. Therefore, even if labeling for rBGH-containing products is not available, you can be confident that if a dairy product is organic, it is also rBGH-free. 1980: The American Dairy Association launches the national introduction of the "REAL" s Seal dairy symbol. 1981: UHT (ultra-high-temperature) milks gain national recognition. 1983: The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board is created. 1988: Lower-fat dairy products gain widespread acceptance." - Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods (Get the book.)

page 1 of 2 | Next ->

FAIR USE NOTICE: The research quoted here is provided under the protection of Fair Use provisions and published by the 501(c)3 non-profit Consumer Wellness Center for the purposes of public comment and education. Authors / publishers may submit books for consideration of inclusion here.

TERMS OF USE: Read full terms of use. Citations of text from NaturalPedia must include: 1) Full credit to the original author and book title. 2) Secondary credit to the Natural News Naturalpedia as a research resource and a link to www.NaturalPedia.com

This unique compilation of research is copyright (c) 2008, 2009 by the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center.

ABOUT THE CREATOR OF NATURALPEDIA: Mike Adams, the creator of NaturalPedia, is the editor of NaturalNews.com, the internet's top natural health news site, creator of the Honest Food Guide (www.HonestFoodGuide.org), a free downloadable consumer food guide based on natural health principles, author of Grocery Warning, The 7 Laws of Nutrition, Natural Health Solutions, and many other books available at www.TruthPublishing.com, creator of the earth-friendly EcoLEDs company (www.EcoLEDs.com) that manufactures energy-efficient LED lighting products, founder of Arial Software (www.ArialSoftware.com), a permission e-mail technology company, creator of the CounterThink Cartoon series (www.NaturalNews.com/index-cartoons.html) and author of over 1,500 articles, interviews, special reports and reference guides available at www.NaturalNews.com. Adams' personal philosophy and health statistics are available at www.HealthRanger.org.