Jim Hightower: Think Your Food's Organic? Think Again

[marmar]

Hightower: Think Your Food's Organic? Think Again

By Jim Hightower, AlterNet. Posted August 6, 2009.

Thanks to corporate-friendly policies enacted under the Bush Administration, the legal organic standard is filled with loopholes.




When it comes to a healthy diet, I am not a purist. Too late for that because I grew up eating such culinary concoctions as toasted sandwiches constructed of Spam, white bread and that oddly orange, oddly spongy cheeselike stuff known as Velveeta.

As an adult, I even have been irresponsible enough to serve as a taster, judge and promoter of Spam creations that were served at a now-defunct annual event held in my town of Austin, Texas. Called "Spamarama," the festival featured unspeakable and (often unswallowable) dishes made from the gelatinous, pink potted meat, including -- get ready to gag -- Spam ice cream.

So I am not quick to criticize every little diversion from 100 percent wholesomeness. For example, even though I've been an early and ardent advocate of organic production, I recognize that there are certain times when processors of organic foods (from beer to cheese) are unable to get essential ingredients that are produced organically. Thus, non-organic hops sometimes are allowed in organic beer. Indeed, the original law creating the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "certified organic" program recognizes such realities, allowing up to 5 percent of a certified product to consist of non-organic ingredients.

This exemption, however, was not intended to be a free-for-all loophole for dilution of the USDA's organic standard. Two strong caveats were attached to that 5 percent allowance. First, any non-organic substance has to be approved by the National Organic Standards Board. Second, the explicit intent of the law was for producers and processors to be in active pursuit of all organic ingredients, moving away from synthetic and non-organic substances as quickly as the real things could be found. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/environment/141771/hightower%3A_think_your_food%27s_organic_think_again/

[Lorax7844]

1. k and r

Let's eliminate Robinson and all of the corporate pretenders. To tell new Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to do both, call his office: 202-720-3631.

[izquierdista]

2. Bring in the rabbis

They're a bunch of guys who are serious about their food rules!

[SheilaT]

3. I have never understood why anyone

eats spam. Never had it growing up. Tried it a couple of times as a young adult, and decided it wasn't worth bothering about. I've never been served it at anyone's home, and as far as I know no one I know actually eats the stuff. So who actually does? How does the company stay in business?