WASHINGTON, DC- The USDA has announced a controversial proposal, with absolutely no input from consumers, to allow 38 new non-organic ingredients in products bearing the "USDA Organic" seal. Most of the ingredients are food colorings derived from plants that are supposedly not "commercially available" in organic form. But at least three of the proposed ingredients, apparently backed by beer companies, including Anheuser-Busch, and pork and food processors, represent a serious threat to organic standards, and have raised the concerns of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), as well as a number of smaller organic companies and organic certifiers. (Full story)
There is a petition and a form for public comment on the organicconsumers.org site. Unfortunately, time has virtually run out for public comment (only open for seven days) although there is a request by the association for an extension of the comment period, so we may get a chance to put our two cents in.
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