Senator Patrick Leahy Introduces
Bipartisan Organic Restoration Act

Legislation Will Repeal Appropriations Rider That Undermines Organic Standards
 

WASHINGTON (Wed., Feb. 26) – Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) Wednesday led a group of 27 senators in introducing the Organic Restoration Act to restore strong national standards to organic foods.  The bill repeals a rider in the recently enacted Omnibus Appropriations Act which undermines the four-month-old national organic standards, overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“With the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, we set out to create strong and credible standards so that consumers know that when they buy something ‘organic,’ they know it is organic,” said Leahy, the author of the 1990 law and the “father” of the organic standards and label program.  “This rider would undo what it took more than a decade to achieve.  It would undermine consumer confidence in the new labeling program and in this thriving new American industry, and it would devastate U.S. exports of organic products.  We do not let meat packing plants ignore food safety standards or automakers ignore passenger safety standards for the sake of corporate convenience.  We should not weaken the organic standards because one producer wants to cut corners that his competitors are not cutting.  We will build a bipartisan coalition to repeal this rider.  We will not let 10 lines in a 3,000-page appropriations bill undermine 12 years of hard work and the commitment of thousands of organic producers.”

Late in the Appropriations process, after the House-Senate conference committee had met, a rider was included in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill allowing producers to label their meat and dairy products “organic” even though they do not meet the strict criteria set forth by USDA, including the requirement that the animals be fed organically grown feed.  This approach was considered and rejected by USDA last June [text available].  The rider was included in the bill to benefit one Georgia producer, but it is written broadly enough that it essentially creates a loophole for any livestock producer in the country to get around the organic feed requirement.

In a statement released today, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman repeated her support for the existing standards.  Leahy, who spoke this week with Veneman, said he is hopeful that the Administration will come to support the repeal effort [Click here for link to statement].

The Leahy-Snowe bill would repeal the organic rider, restoring what USDA has called “the most comprehensive national organic standards in the world.”  Counterpart legislation to repeal the rider will be introduced in the House by Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.) and others.

The organic industry, ranging from all-organic companies such as Forestrade Inc. of Brattleboro, Vt., to major corporations such as Tyson Foods, have united to oppose the  organic rider and to support the Leahy-Snowe bill.  The Organic Trade Association has compiled a list of organic producers, processors and merchants in support of the Leahy bill [text available].

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Click here to view Organic Trade Association list

Click here to view USDA June 2002 letter on organics