National Organic Coalition

As part of our work to protect the organic standards, the Center for Food Safety is a co-founder and member of the National Organic Coalition.

The National Organic Coalition, (NOC) is a national alliance of organizations working to provide a “Washington voice” for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, animal welfare activists, consumers and  progressive industry members involved in organic agriculture.  The coalition operates under the central principles that protecting the stringency and integrity of the national organic standards is necessary:

• To maintain the organic label’s value to consumers;
• To realize the environmental benefits of the organic agricultural system;
• To provide and encourage diversity of participation and fair and equitable access to the organic marketplace; and
• To ensure the long-term economic viability of organic family farmers and businesses.

Further, the Coalition believes that organic agricultural policy must encourage continuous quality improvements, sound stewardship and humane practices.

The Coalition is focused on federal organic agricultural policies, which promote this mission, including:

• Implementation of and beneficial reforms to the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990
• Implementation of organic and other related provisions of the Farm Bill
• Promotion of policies, which seek to reinvigorate public plant and animal breeding to benefit the expansion of organic agriculture.

Members of the Coalition include:

Center for Food Safety

Rural Advancement Foundation International -USA

National Cooperative Grocers Association

Beyond Pesticides

Equal Exchange

Food & Water Watch

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Services

Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance

Northeast Organic Farming Association – Interstate Policy Council

Union of Concerned Scientists