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Oppose the Weakening of Organic Labeling Laws

Target: U.S. Senate & House Appropriations, Agriculture Subcommittees
Sponsored by: Consumers Union

A recent court decision ruled that only natural ingredients should be allowed in foods labeled as "organic." This ruling reinforces our current organic labeling law by keeping chemically-derived synthetic substances from being used in foods labeled as Â“organic.Â”

But industry groups are lobbying Congress to change the law so that artificial ingredients can be included in foods labeled Â“organicÂ”! Specifically, food producers such as the Organic Trade Association, Kraft Foods and others seek to amend the Organic Foods Production Act (passed in 1990) so that synthetic substances can be used in food products labeled as "organic." They claim that consumers do not care about their use in "organic" food and are trying to slip this change into the law without any public input.

U.S. consumers clearly do care! The nonpartisan watchdog group Consumers Union recently conducted a nationwide survey of 1,200 adults and found that 85% of respondents said they do not expect food labeled as "organic" to contain artificial ingredients.

Send a letter telling Congress that you donÂ’t want to buy Â“organicÂ” food made with artificial ingredients!

deadline: 9-27-2006
goal: 30,000

28,496
signatures!

Sign Petition! see who signed this

UPDATE: On October 26th, the Agricultural Appropriations Conference Committee voted to weaken the organic label. The decision to allow chemically derived ingredients — some without careful, independent review — was made even after members of Congress heard from more than 325,000 of their constituents and more than 200 organic companies opposing this very action.

In response, Consumers Union plans to mount a widespread public education campaign to help consumers look for additional, meaningful labels on organic food products, such as ‘no-synthetics used’ or ‘100% grass fed’, so that American consumers can make informed decisions about the products they purchase.

This petition is now closed.
Thank you for your interest. Please click here for more petitions.

Dear [senate/house appropriations conferees],

I am writing to urge you to support the organic labeling compromise language adopted in the Senate Appropriations bill, which passed the Senate last week and is now in conference. This amendment calls for a study on the impact of a court decision that ruled that food with the “organic” label may not be made with synthetic ingredients. Please support this language and oppose any attempt to weaken it.

I do not believe that food labeled "organic" should contain artificial or synthetic ingredients. I pay more for these organic food products because organic is the most authentic type of natural-based food that is on the market. Allowing synthetic (non-natural) ingredients runs counter to the fundamental principles of organic production, and violates the spirit and intent of the law.

This differentiation among the three types of organic food labels is meaningful and allows consumers, producers and retailers to have value choices within organic. The law already allows for synthetics to be used in products labeled as "made with organic." Changes to the law that would broaden the use of synthetics to food labeled "organic" would erode the meaning of the "organic" label and consumer confidence. The USDA should promulgate regulations that bring the National Organic Program in line with the law.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

We signed the “Oppose the Weakening of Organic Labeling Laws” petition!

# 50:

6:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Elizabeth Klotzle, Massachusetts

# 49:

6:29 am PDT, Sep 29, Name not displayed, Texas

# 48:

6:28 am PDT, Sep 29, Joy Brown, California

# 47:

6:15 am PDT, Sep 29, Pamela Mcclure, Indiana

# 46:

6:11 am PDT, Sep 29, Charles Mcclure, Indiana

# 45:

6:05 am PDT, Sep 29, April Shanks, Kentucky
If companies such as Kraft want to cash in on the organic food craze, they need to spend the time and resources to deliver additive-free foods. Most people who eat organic do so because it is a lifestyle choice or to avoid contact with an additive that causes an allergic reaction. Don't put the welfare of the American people in jeopardy like that!

# 44:

5:50 am PDT, Sep 29, Robin Johnson, North Carolina

# 43:

5:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Name not displayed, United Kingdom
Information lets consumers make informed decisions. If anything, we need more complete information about where and how our food is produced. Then it is up to the consumer to choose what to buy.

# 42:

5:27 am PDT, Sep 29, Jennifer Wexel, Michigan

# 41:

5:01 am PDT, Sep 29, David Dunkleberger, Pennsylvania

# 40:

4:59 am PDT, Sep 29, Anne Tonisson, Estonia

# 39:

4:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Name not displayed, Netherlands

# 38:

4:38 am PDT, Sep 29, George Worthington, Maryland

# 37:

4:05 am PDT, Sep 29, Hege Wolleng, Norway
When consumers buy organic foods, it's obviously because they want products with ingredients that are natural, and grown, harvested and treated according to organic standards. It's pretty obvious that synthetic substances do not belong in this category...

# 36:

3:18 am PDT, Sep 29, Name not displayed, California

# 35:

3:17 am PDT, Sep 29, Rina Velchuri, India

# 34:

2:26 am PDT, Sep 29, IC G, France

# 33:

1:45 am PDT, Sep 29, Christina Brown, Minnesota

# 32:

12:59 am PDT, Sep 29, Lee Nash, United Kingdom

# 31:

11:46 pm PDT, Sep 28, Brian Baxter, Florida

# 30:

11:45 pm PDT, Sep 28, Name not displayed, California
My expectation when I buy food that is labeled 'organic' is that it be grown free from pesticides and herbicides, that it contain no 'GMO's', and that it contain no artificial chemicals. Labeling laws for organic food need to remain strong to protect consumers. Organic standards are now rigorous, and consumers pay a premium price to buy organic. If manufacturers or farmers wish their products to be labeled organic, then they should simply comply with the standards that consumers demand and have set. To change these standards is to render the labeling meaningless. This is not acceptable.

# 29:

11:22 pm PDT, Sep 28, Roseann Dudrick, California
People have a right to know exactly what is in the food their eating. We have a right to experience food as every generation in the past has. No deceptive advertising, and fooling the public with misleading labels. It's like this fake processed food industry, and toxifying agenda leads people to the pharmaceutical industry which in turn leads to over-extending your credit, and on and on. It's like this giant corrupt special interest machine keeps feeding us up their assembly line so every special interest tries to get their piece of every American.

# 28:

10:38 pm PDT, Sep 28, Name not displayed, Maine
Labeling conventionally farmed foods as organic is a total lie. It is fraud and should be punished as such not condoned by our government. When I buy something organic I want it to be truely organic - no chemicals, no additives, no GMOs. Anything less is unacceptable.

# 27:

10:31 pm PDT, Sep 28, Michelle Brown, California

# 26:

10:00 pm PDT, Sep 28, Ken Pollett, Utah

# 25:

9:46 pm PDT, Sep 28, Marilyn Bartlett, New York

# 24:

9:39 pm PDT, Sep 28, Karen McKernan, Australia

# 23:

9:20 pm PDT, Sep 28, Tj Carson, Washington D.C.

# 22:

9:18 pm PDT, Sep 28, PixiePrints Kelly, Oregon
It is better to have more information than one needs than to not have enough.

# 21:

8:39 pm PDT, Sep 28, Katrina Parzych, Connecticut

# 20:

8:30 pm PDT, Sep 28, John Bass, California

# 19:

8:19 pm PDT, Sep 28, Eliott Scheffler, Nebraska
I think that quality of food is very important, and to attempt to degrade food quality is a violation of American rights.

# 18:

7:11 pm PDT, Sep 28, Lexie Danner, North Carolina
As an avid consumer of organic products, it is comforting to know that when food is labeled "organic" I can trust it to be the best I can get for myself. Please protect these laws and one of our few guarantees for safer foods.

# 17:

7:02 pm PDT, Sep 28, Bess Katerinsky, New York
Protect consumers, not big business!

# 16:

6:19 pm PDT, Sep 28, Name not displayed, Oregon

# 15:

5:58 pm PDT, Sep 28, Name not displayed

# 14:

5:47 pm PDT, Sep 28, Richard Artley, Idaho
Its not good to tell lies on food labels.

# 13:

4:54 pm PDT, Sep 28, Cheri Duncan, Tennessee
thoose of us who search out and buy organic foods (often @ higher prices) do so because we are concerned about what goes into our bodys and what our children eat. Please keep the standards for organinc labels high so we can insure what we are eating

# 12:

4:54 pm PDT, Sep 28, Nicole Le, Florida

# 11:

4:35 pm PDT, Sep 28, Terry O, Virginia
To weaken the laws is tantamount to repealing them. Do not move backward to aid corporations looking to profit from the movement toward better health.

# 10:

4:17 pm PDT, Sep 28, Kelsey Lissner, California

# 9:

4:07 pm PDT, Sep 28, Gary Robertson, California

# 8:

3:47 pm PDT, Sep 28, Elizabeth Oehrn, Sweden

# 7:

3:19 pm PDT, Sep 28, Orestis Papadopolos, Greece

# 6:

3:12 pm PDT, Sep 28, Paul Uecker, Minnesota

# 5:

3:04 pm PDT, Sep 28, Ashley Winkler, Texas

# 4:

2:55 pm PDT, Sep 28, Gregory Esteve, Florida

# 3:

2:15 pm PDT, Sep 28, Wendy Hojohn, New York

# 1:

6:00 pm PDT, Sep 27, D S, California
We need truth in labeling. If artificial ingredients are permitted in "organic" products, then the label will become meaningless!

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