USDA Redefines 'Organic' to Maximize Profits for Agribusiness

Susanne Posel, Contributor
Activist Post

The Cornucopia Institute (CI), a watchdog group that focuses on the American agricultural industry, has accused the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) over a federal governmental panel that decides what is considered “organic” and the federal insiders that are using the USDA to further their alternative agenda.

CI has released a document called The Organic Watergate , wherein they claim the USDA’s Natural Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is staffing their agency with employees that have corporate ties to nefarious multi-nationals.

Congress enabled the NOSB with statutory power when they passed the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.

At the Savannah meeting a giant Dutch-based multi-national corporation, Royal DSM N.V./Martek Biosciences, aligned with the nation’s largest dairy processor, Dean Foods, to force approval of DHA/ARA synthetic nutrient oils. The additives, created from genetically mutated algae and soil fungus, are processed with petrochemical solvents, grown in genetically engineered corn, and formulated for use in infant formula, dairy and other products with a myriad of other unregulated synthetic ingredients.

“All these elements of the Martek Biosciences products, along with outstanding safety and efficacy concerns, made them inappropriate and illegal in organics,” said Charlotte Vallaeys, Director of Food and Farm Policy for Cornucopia. “So after witnessing this travesty, we decided to take a closer look at how other synthetic additives have been approved for use in organic foods in the past.”

Congress mandated that in order to “maintain” organic integrity, 15 seats on the NOSB would be divided amongst farmers, consumers, scientists and environmentalists as well as commercial interests involved in organic food manufacturing, marketing and retail sales.

CI is requesting that the USDA reexamine their NOSB board members to expose those who have infiltrated the agency; as well as guidelines to keep those corporate insiders from being allowed to be part of the NOSB.

According to the document released by CI:

Although not a constitutional crisis on par with what happened during the Nixon administration, the USDA’s blatant disregard for the requirements laid out in the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA), and the intent of Congress, is illegal and has inappropriately favored corporate agribusiness over the interests of ethical businesses, farmers and consumers.

They point out that the USDA is “stacked [with] board [members from] agribusiness” which is not only illegal, but has been “business as usual” for the last three presidential administrations.

“This is the proverbial fox watching the organic chicken coop,” says Mark A. Kastel, co-director of The Cornucopia Institute.

The NOSB was created to have oversight and monitor synthetic ingredients used by the farming industry and the production of “organic” food.

Within the US, NOSB is supposed to guarantee “that [food] is not a threat to human health or the environment,” and established policy or modifications recommendations “to the regulations governing organic agriculture and food processing”.

However, large corporations have infiltrated the agency to remand the USDA’s standards and corporate colleagues have effectively removed rules that inhibit their profit margins.

“Those of us in the industry, who are committed to the value of wholesome, nutritious foods that has been the hallmark of the organic industry, need the NOSB and the USDA to carefully and impartially review synthetic ingredients like carrageenan,” Eden Foods President Michael Potter.

One example of this corrosion is the allowance of the use of carrageenan, which is a known carcinogen. This ingredient was banned from use because of its dangers to the public’s health. Agribusiness insiders are pushing with governmental influence to have “independent” analysis of this component to bring it back to the market.

These analyses would be conducted by firms hired by those same corporations.

CI maintains that the USDA has consistently approved the use of “questionable synthetic additives and even dangerous chemicals in organic foods.”

Kastel stated:

The organic community came together and actually asked the government, in order to maintain a level playing field and organic integrity, to regulate our industry: How many other industries have ever asked the federal government for tough regulations and enforcement?

Susanne Posel is the Chief Editor of Occupy Corporatism. Our alternative news site is dedicated to reporting the news as it actually happens; not as it is spun by the corporately funded mainstream media. You can find us on our Facebook page.