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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 Ā“organic.Ā”

But industry groups are lobbying Congress to change the law so that artificial ingredients can be included in foods labeled Ā“organicĀ”! 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 donĀ’t want to buy Ā“organicĀ” 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!

# 100:

7:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Debra Ward, Texas

# 99:

7:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Karen Sheppard, Vermont

# 98:

7:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Linda Smernoff-jensen, Utah

# 97:

7:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Chris Bartle, California

# 96:

7:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Heather Abney, Wisconsin

# 95:

7:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Rex_shupe , Virginia

# 94:

7:39 am PDT, Sep 29, Roberta Greenspan, North Carolina

# 93:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Karen Kwass, Massachusetts

# 92:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Jenna Hains, New York

# 91:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Loyd Nolen Dunaway, Oklahoma

# 90:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Terilee Peavler, Tennessee

# 89:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Sholey Argani, MD, Maryland

# 88:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Meiko Krishok, Wisconsin

# 87:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Janice Biggs, Georgia
ONLY those true organic foods should be labled "organic."

# 86:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Erica Rapport Gringle, North Carolina
Truth in advertising should be maintained. "Organic" means something specific; it is not a marketing technique for big business.

# 85:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Deb Kinney, North Carolina

# 84:

7:38 am PDT, Sep 29, Angie Cornelius, Illinois
"Organic" is not a term that can be defined as you wish...it stands for a specific process that does not include artificial ingredients in order to pacify big business. If they want to be called "organic", then change their methods to fit in the description, not the other way around.

# 83:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Robert Holgate, California
It is very important for the american people be able to trust what we are eating is healthy and honestly marked.

# 82:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Julie Gengo, California

# 81:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Amy White, North Carolina

# 80:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Zoe Aarden, New Jersey

# 79:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Tanya Cheff, New Jersey

# 78:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Judy And Melvin Robinson, Texas

# 77:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Name not displayed, California

# 76:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, C Cockrell, Texas
it should be obvious.

# 75:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Nan Corliss, Minnesota
Organic means organic- not artificial. Keep strong labels on these foods for those in our population concerned with health, honesty and care in what we put into our mouths and stomachs. Do not let the big food giants weaken the laws which protect humanity. Enough is enough...

# 74:

7:37 am PDT, Sep 29, Elizabeth Mcsweeney, New York

# 73:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Cathy Kemelmacher , New York

# 72:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Claudia Trevor, Massachusetts

# 71:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Penny Wixson, Illinois

# 70:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Emily Jones, Tennessee

# 69:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Karen Johnson, Nevada

# 68:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Tina Dellapina, Connecticut

# 67:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Linda Estkowski, North Carolina

# 66:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Debra Raymond, North Carolina

# 65:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, E. Santora, New Jersey

# 64:

7:36 am PDT, Sep 29, Name not displayed, New Jersey

# 63:

7:35 am PDT, Sep 29, Elizabeth Robinson, Massachusetts

# 62:

7:35 am PDT, Sep 29, Tanya Paglia, Massachusetts

# 61:

7:35 am PDT, Sep 29, Zoe Sleeth, Massachusetts

# 60:

7:35 am PDT, Sep 29, Michael Daniel Neary, New York

# 59:

7:35 am PDT, Sep 29, Christe Hicks, Texas

# 58:

7:35 am PDT, Sep 29, Mary Alexander, Ph.D., New Jersey

# 57:

7:34 am PDT, Sep 29, Amy Gurowitz, New Jersey

# 56:

7:34 am PDT, Sep 29, Anthony Ivankovic, New Jersey
Just like Kosher food laws people need to know what they are eating is certified to be what it is sold as.

# 55:

7:34 am PDT, Sep 29, Jay Diaz, New York
oppose the weakening of organic labeling laws petition.

# 54:

7:23 am PDT, Sep 29, Mohan/Scott Attar, West Virginia
The laws are there for a reason, what would be the point of weakening them`? So we can be further misinformed? Furthermore it is critical that they are strengthened, ensuring people who want organic get it.

# 53:

7:05 am PDT, Sep 29, Annamaria Koncz, Michigan

# 52:

6:50 am PDT, Sep 29, Kristina Alm, Sweden

# 51:

6:47 am PDT, Sep 29, John Tomaszewski, Indiana

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