Congress’ vote on 'organic' label a sham Posted by Urvashi at 10/25/05 10:05 PM

In the dark of the night, without public input, and ignoring the will of most Americans, Congress has made a sham out of the organic label. The Agricultural Appropriations Conference Committee has bowed to well-financed industry lobbyists in allowing synthetic (chemically derived) ingredients into food labeled as “organic”.

Shame, shame , shame. The decision comes even after Congress heard from more than 325,000 of its constituents and more than 200 organic companies who opposed this very action. An overwhelming number of consumers look to organic as the most authentic version of natural food they can buy. In fact, in a March 2005 nationwide survey of 1,200 U.S. adults online, 85% of respondents said they do not expect food labeled as "organic" to contain artificial, or synthetic, ingredients.

The committee’s vote also flies in the face of a recent court decision (Harvey vs. Johanns) banning the use of synthetic ingredients in the non-organic portion of food labeled "organic". What is clear from the vote is that some industry groups – most notably the Organic Trade Association -- want its members to have the bonus and economic edge of carrying the coveted "organic" label without shouldering the burden of meeting consumer expectations.

comments (12)

1 Posted by Amanda at 10/26/05 09:47 AM

A standard has to stand for something! Especially now that the market for organic food is expanding and gaining wider acceptance. It makes me angry that bleach and other synthetic substances will be allowed in the organic foods I buy -- with the USDA organic seal I've come to trust.

Here's a link to an article with more information: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N27474310.htm

2 Posted by EQ at 11/01/05 03:19 PM

We're in deep trouble now. Some things we can do are grow our own food, get to know local farmers, collect heirloom seeds, and separate as much as we can from big business. Personally, I refuse to have biological children due to the obvious role of overpopulation in this rampant destruction. So many people still have this insane drive to perpetuate their own DNA with a false and arrogant belief that it is superior. This country is ruled by insane, greedy, lying, power-hungry religous fundamentalist fanatics. One way or another it will come crashing down. The question is: how many of us will they take down with them?

3 Posted by Joan at 11/01/05 05:47 PM

Congress should worry about companies like Monsanto and stop contaminating food that is pure. I guess the big guns win again. I think they should eat everything they pass on to us. We have to keep fighting and don't stop until we win!!

4 Posted by Sheila at 11/01/05 06:51 PM

As celiac lables are very important to me and ORGANIC usually means I can trust the label - It is lousy that you can't protect that trust!

5 Posted by Tom at 11/02/05 06:31 AM

Too many people in Congress are getting too many kickbacks. Wharever happened to the good old Constitution, as in "for the people". It appears to me that congress wants to line their pockets by allowing big corporations to influence their decisions when it comes to voting. As in the vote on the Organic Label, in allowing big companies to put in more of the syntheyic substances under the organic label. With this in mind how can we continue to trust our federal government. It sort of makes you wonder what else they have hidden under other well known labels.

6 Posted by DragonFly at 11/02/05 09:10 AM

We must begin to sidestep the very people that are supposedly there to protect and serve us, (yea...right!) we the people.

We need an independent organization to monitor products claiming 'organic'.
Something like 'TrueOrganics.com'. Sounds good, yes? Any takers?

Then at that particular watchdogs website, we as consumers can go there to verify whether a brand found on the market claiming 'organic' truly is up to the original standard.

If you can't knock em down....go around.

7 Posted by set_the_controls at 11/02/05 10:57 AM

From the above article and the one posted by Amanda, I can only list three of the "38 [synthetic] ingredients prohibited by the court:" Ascorbic acid, Pectin, and Hydrogen Peroxide. I'll continue to look for the other 35 (and post them here), since I almost always prefer "organic" food for my kids and now feel a bit duped (gonna scrutinize those labels a lot more). Does anyone know what the other now-permissible (synthetic) ingredients are?

8 Posted by citizenactivist at 11/02/05 01:58 PM

Why can't Congress get this right? Is it really too much to ask that a product be labeled honestly?

Your original post says this decision is coming from "The Agricultural Appropriations Conference Committee." Who exactly is on this committee? Who voted for this packaging lie to become the law? Is there decision final? Are they up for re-election?

9 Posted by Amanda at 11/04/05 08:50 AM

Sadly, the decision to slip in the amendment to weaken the organic law was made at the end of the Agriculture Appropriations process in a closed door meeting with only a portion of the Conference Committee (made up of House and Senate representatives). Since the Conference Committee knew that there was enough support, there was no actual vote and no actual sponsor.

10 Posted by Urvashi at 11/04/05 11:47 AM

Consumers Union will be launching a public education campaign to help educate consumers about which organic products and brands meet high standards and which use synthetic ingredients. We'll keep you posted on the progress. In the meantime, visit eco-labels.org to look for labels that do add value to "organic" food including "no synthetic ingredients or additives used." Other labels like "fair trade certified," "100% grass fed," and "certified humane" are all examples of verified labels that add meaning to organic.

As for the 38 synthetic ingredients, here is the list taken from section 205.605(b) of what is called the "National List." This list contains non-organic and synthetic ingredients that are allowed and those that are explicitly prohibited. It also lists natural ingredients that are prohibited for use. What you all should know is that processing aids like filtration devices etc, has been exempted from review (thanks to USDA's clearing a few years ago). Synthetic substances used as processing aids are not required to be disclosed on the ingredient panel. The court ruling would have likely rectified that problem and required processing aids to be reviewed again. Unfortunately, the weakening amendment will continue to allow for that exemption and also creates new exemptions but allowing the USDA to have wider discretion to fast track the use of non-organic ingredients even without careful review.

The following nonagricultural substances may be used as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as "organic" or "made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))" only in accordance with any restrictions specified in this section.

(b) Synthetics allowed:
Alginates.
Ammonium bicarbonate - for use only as a leavening agent.
Ammonium carbonate - for use only as a leavening agent.
Ascorbic acid.
Calcium citrate.
Calcium hydroxide.
Calcium phosphates (monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic).
Carbon dioxide.
Cellulose - for use in regenerative casings, as an anti-caking agent (non-chlorine bleached) and filtering aid.
Chlorine materials - disinfecting and sanitizing food contact surfaces, Except, That, residual chlorine levels in the water shall not exceed the maximum residual disinfectant limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Calcium hypochlorite; Chlorine dioxide; and Sodium hypochlorite).
Ethylene - allowed for postharvest ripening of tropical fruit and degreening of citrus.
Ferrous sulfate - for iron enrichment or fortification of foods when required by regulation or recommended (independent organization).
Glycerides (mono and di) - for use only in drum drying of food.
Glycerin - produced by hydrolysis of fats and oils.
Hydrogen peroxide.
Lecithin - bleached.
Magnesium carbonate - for use only in agricultural products labeled "made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))," prohibited in agricultural products labeled "organic."
Magnesium chloride - derived from sea water.
Magnesium stearate - for use only in agricultural products labeled "made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))," prohibited in agricultural products labeled "organic."
Nutrient vitamins and minerals, in accordance with 21 CFR 104.20, Nutritional Quality Guidelines For Foods.
Ozone.
Pectin (low-methoxy).
Phosphoric acid - cleaning of food-contact surfaces and equipment only.
Potassium acid tartrate.
Potassium tartrate made from tartaric acid.
Potassium carbonate.
Potassium citrate.
Potassium hydroxide - prohibited for use in lye peeling of fruits and vegetables except when used for peeling peaches during the Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) production process.
Potassium iodide - for use only in agricultural products labeled "made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))," prohibited in agricultural products labeled "organic."
Potassium phosphate - for use only in agricultural products labeled "made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))," prohibited in agricultural products labeled "organic."
Silicon dioxide.
Sodium citrate.
Sodium hydroxide - prohibited for use in lye peeling of fruits and vegetables.
Sodium phosphates - for use only in dairy foods.
Sulfur dioxide - for use only in wine labeled "made with organic grapes," Provided, That, total sulfite concentration does not exceed 100 ppm.
Tartaric acid.
Tocopherols - derived from vegetable oil when rosemary extracts are not a suitable alternative.
Xanthan gum.

11 Posted by BubbaNunez at 11/10/05 01:46 PM

What Congress did was wrong; it was blatantly anti-consumer and pro-special corporate interest.

However, looking at the list of allowable synthetics, it could be a lot worse. Many of these chemicals are simply manufactured versions of natural substances. Ascorbic acid is vitamin C; Tocopherals are various versions of vitamin E; cellulose is the undigestable fiber found in various plants; pectin is the thickening agent used in all jam and jelly making; ethylene is a gas, which is given off by apples and other fruits, that can serve as a natural ripening agent for fruits and vegetables (which is why you put apples in a bag with, say, avacadoes to get them to ripen).

I urge Consumer Union's eco-labels.org to research for us what, if any, are the negative effects of these chemicals on the human body. In addition, please find for us a list of all "processing aids like filtration devices" and other substances which are exempted. I would love to know if significant quantities of processing aids get in my food e.g. bleach for cleaning equipment, chemical reaction catalysts.

Thanks and keep up the great work.

12 Posted by dennis Sharp at 02/07/08 03:05 PM

There are a number of scientific experiments to prove the science behind organic foods, but our scientist cannot even give a definition of organic foods. Scientist and technicians develop new products, but fail at times to take out the flaws. Forget genetically-altered foods and cloned food products, when are we going to take-out the flaws in food grown with artificial fertilizers or the hybrids. The experiments to prove the dangers with cloned foods are somewhat complex, but if we are that serious about cloned foods, maybe we should do them. Our scientific solutions are like our financial solutions: let the next generation solve them.