May 3, 2012 Center for Food Safety comments to the National Organic Standards Board regarding GMO contamination of organic, GMO vaccines, animal welfare, aquaculture, inerts, carrageenan, public participation, and conflict of interest (Docket No. AMS-NOP-12-0017; NOP-12-06). View Comments
November 13, 2011 CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board regarding contamination of Organic by Genetically Engineered (GE) Organisms, Sulfites in Wine Petition, Aquaculture, Conflict of Interest, Transparency, and Public Participation. Read Comments
September 30, 2011
Center for Food Safety comments to the National Organic Program listening session on organic integrity, aquaculture, nanotechnologies and genetically engineered crops. View Comments
July 29, 2011
CFS Comments to USDA on proposed National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (NLGMA). CFS believes that food safety is not just about eliminating microbial contamination from farms and processing facilities. It is also about looking at the full spectrum of factors that impinge upon delivering safe, healthy food to consumers across the U.S. and abroad. CFS does not believe that these values and practices that underpin a safe food system can be preserved with the introduction of a NLGMA that is driven by large-scale green leafy vegetable handlers. We believe that our nation’s food safety interests are best served through the creation of an integrated, transparent, food safety program with strict government oversight, funding for education, training, and enforcement, and with flexibility for implementation that allows diverse and organic farms of all sizes and configurations to thrive across the country. The public has the right to know how their food is grown and that right is much more likely to be preserved through an open, federal rulemaking process than by an industry-driven agreement that lacks transparency and a public participation process. View Comments
April 10, 2011 CFS comments to NOSB for April 26-19 meeting in Seattle, re: avoiding conflict of interest in NOSB decisions, prohibiting antibiotics in organic apple & pear growing, clarifying the definition of synthetics, improving animal welfare and slaughter standards and practices, and evaluating accessory nutrients in organic food. View Comments
January 25, 2011 GMO Contamination Prevention and Market Fairness, What Will it Take? is intended to influence the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) current deliberations on “GMO coexistence” and to urge USDA to reframe its discussion around “GMO contamination prevention.” We believe that GMO contamination prevention is a preferable and prudent public policy framework for protecting organic and non-GMO conventional farming, which have served as the foundation of American agriculture for centuries. The document presents a 7 Point Plan of Action to guide development of a workable, national GMO contamination prevention strategy. View Report
December 23, 2008 CFS comments to USDA on proposed pasture standards for organic production View Comments
November 13, 2008 NEW POLL REVEALS THAT PROPOSED “ORGANIC” STANDARDS FOR FISH WILL FAIL TO MEET CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS View Comments
November 3, 2008 CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board urging them to reject misleading proposals for organic aquaculture standards View Comments
September 30, 2008 CFS comments to USDA on interim final rule implementing Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) View Comments
September 4, 2008 CFS Comments to the National Organic Standards Board Regarding Development of Organic Feed Standards for Organic Aquaculture View Comments
March 20, 2008 CFS comments to the California Department of Food and Agriculture opposing urban aerial spraying to combat the light brown apple moth (LBAM) View Comments
March 3, 2008 CFS comments to USDA on proposed Naturally Raised label View Comments
November 13, 2007 NOC comments to the National Organic Standards Board regardign organic certification of “grower-groups” and multi-site operations View Comments
November 1, 2007 COALITION OF MORE THAN 40 GROUPS SIGN LETTER URGING THAT “USDA ORGANIC” STANDARDS BE UPHELD FOR AQUACULTURE View Press Release View Letter
September 12, 2007 Letter from CFS and allied organizations to the Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia’s regarding their consideration of organic aquaculture standards in British Columbia, Canada. View Letter
July 17, 2007 Letter to Reprentative Kagen supporting his amendment to the 2007 Farm Bill to increase funding for organic research View Letter
July 13, 2007 CFS and allied consumer organizations letter supporting mandatory implementation of country of origin labeling (COOL). View Letter
March 16, 2007 CFS comments to the NOSB opposing cloned animals and their offspring from inclusion under the organic standards View Comments
March 15, 2007 CFS comments to the NOSB on organic aquaculture standards View comments
October 12, 2006 CFS urges the National Organic Standards Board to prohibit use of fish meal and open water net pens in organic aquaculture View Comments
September 30, 2006 Statement to the National Organic Standards Board on access to the outdoors in organic poultry production View Comments
July 26, 2006 CFS comments to USDA on pasture requirements and prohibition of genetically engineered forage under the Grass Fed label. View Comments
July 21, 2006 CFS comments to the National Organic Program on proposed amendments to the National List View Comments
June 12, 2006 CFS comments to USDA on proposed rulemaking regarding access to pasture in organic livestock production in the National Organic Program. View Comments
May 8, 2006 CFS comments on proposed revisions to organic livestock standards, in response to the outcome of Harvey v. Johanns. View Comments
April 5, 2006 CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board on proposed guidelines for organic aquaculture. View Comments
March 30, 2006 National Organic Coalition comments to Congress on FY 2007 organic agriculture appropriations. View Testimony
January 20, 2006 CFS and Consumers Union raise concern over “consumer” appointments to the National Organic Standards Board. View Letter
November 17, 2005 CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board on organic dairy and livestock standards. View Testimony
September 30, 2005 CFS and coalition of other NGOs issue statement on the Organic Trade Associations’s proposed amendments to the Organic Foods Production Act View Statement
September 19, 2005 CFS explains why the Organic Foods Production Act should not be changed in “Myth and Reality: Proposed Amendments to OFPA Premature and Over-Reaching” View Myth and Reality
CFS writes letter to Senators urging them to reject amendments to the Organic Foods Production Act that would negatively impact the integrity of the organic label. View Letter
August 19, 2005
CFS comments to the National Organic Program concerning Sunset Review of Approved Materials on the National List for use in organic agriculture. View Comments
August 17, 2005 CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board on a variety of organic issues View Comments
June 22, 2004
The organic committee of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture submits letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning National Organic Program View Letter
June 22, 2004
The organic committee of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture submits letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning National Organic Program View Letter
March 15, 2002
CFS comments concerning the draft proposal for “Guideline for determining whether a processing technology shall be reviewed by the National Organic Standards Board.” View Comments
March 13, 2000
CFS Comments on the New Organic Standards View Comments
March 7, 2000 USDA releases a revised, proposed National Organic Program rule View Rule
March 1, 2000 Comparative Analysis of NOSB Recommendations and OTA’s American Organic Standards View Analysis
October 29, 1999
Letter to Kathleen Merrigan, Director Agriculture Marketing Service, USDA urging the USDA to establish a simple, cost-effective cost-share program for organic small farmers View Letter
October 28, 1998 Comments of Joseph Mendelson, III, before the National Organic Standards Board View Comments
September 29, 1998 Memorandum
T National Organic Standards Board
From: Joseph Mendelson, III and Andrew Kimbrell
RE: Ex Parte Communications View Memorandum
September 14, 1998 Second amended complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief View Complaint
April 30, 1998 Comments submitted to Docket No. TMD-94-00-2, USDA’s [first] Proposed National Organic Program View Comments
April 1998
Letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman View Letter
Policy Comments
May 3, 2012
Center for Food Safety comments to the National Organic Standards Board regarding GMO contamination of organic, GMO vaccines, animal welfare, aquaculture, inerts, carrageenan, public participation, and conflict of interest (Docket No. AMS-NOP-12-0017; NOP-12-06).
View Comments
November 13, 2011
CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board regarding contamination of Organic by Genetically Engineered (GE) Organisms, Sulfites in Wine Petition, Aquaculture, Conflict of Interest, Transparency, and Public Participation.
Read Comments
September 30, 2011
Center for Food Safety comments to the National Organic Program listening session on organic integrity, aquaculture, nanotechnologies and genetically engineered crops.
View Comments
July 29, 2011
CFS Comments to USDA on proposed National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (NLGMA). CFS believes that food safety is not just about eliminating microbial contamination from farms and processing facilities. It is also about looking at the full spectrum of factors that impinge upon delivering safe, healthy food to consumers across the U.S. and abroad. CFS does not believe that these values and practices that underpin a safe food system can be preserved with the introduction of a NLGMA that is driven by large-scale green leafy vegetable handlers. We believe that our nation’s food safety interests are best served through the creation of an integrated, transparent, food safety program with strict government oversight, funding for education, training, and enforcement, and with flexibility for implementation that allows diverse and organic farms of all sizes and configurations to thrive across the country. The public has the right to know how their food is grown and that right is much more likely to be preserved through an open, federal rulemaking process than by an industry-driven agreement that lacks transparency and a public participation process.
View Comments
April 10, 2011
CFS comments to NOSB for April 26-19 meeting in Seattle, re: avoiding conflict of interest in NOSB decisions, prohibiting antibiotics in organic apple & pear growing, clarifying the definition of synthetics, improving animal welfare and slaughter standards and practices, and evaluating accessory nutrients in organic food.
View Comments
January 25, 2011
GMO Contamination Prevention and Market Fairness, What Will it Take? is intended to influence the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) current deliberations on “GMO coexistence” and to urge USDA to reframe its discussion around “GMO contamination prevention.” We believe that GMO contamination prevention is a preferable and prudent public policy framework for protecting organic and non-GMO conventional farming, which have served as the foundation of American agriculture for centuries. The document presents a 7 Point Plan of Action to guide development of a workable, national GMO contamination prevention strategy.
View Report
December 23, 2008
CFS comments to USDA on proposed pasture standards for organic production
View Comments
November 13, 2008
NEW POLL REVEALS THAT PROPOSED “ORGANIC” STANDARDS FOR FISH WILL FAIL TO MEET CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS
View Comments
November 3, 2008
CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board urging them to reject misleading proposals for organic aquaculture standards
View Comments
September 30, 2008
CFS comments to USDA on interim final rule implementing Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)
View Comments
September 4, 2008
CFS Comments to the National Organic Standards Board Regarding Development of Organic Feed Standards for Organic Aquaculture
View Comments
March 20, 2008
CFS comments to the California Department of Food and Agriculture opposing urban aerial spraying to combat the light brown apple moth (LBAM)
View Comments
March 3, 2008
CFS comments to USDA on proposed Naturally Raised label
View Comments
November 13, 2007
NOC comments to the National Organic Standards Board regardign organic certification of “grower-groups” and multi-site operations
View Comments
November 1, 2007
COALITION OF MORE THAN 40 GROUPS SIGN LETTER URGING THAT “USDA ORGANIC” STANDARDS BE UPHELD FOR AQUACULTURE
View Press Release
View Letter
September 12, 2007
Letter from CFS and allied organizations to the Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia’s regarding their consideration of organic aquaculture standards in British Columbia, Canada.
View Letter
July 17, 2007
Letter to Reprentative Kagen supporting his amendment to the 2007 Farm Bill to increase funding for organic research
View Letter
July 13, 2007
CFS and allied consumer organizations letter supporting mandatory implementation of country of origin labeling (COOL).
View Letter
March 16, 2007
CFS comments to the NOSB opposing cloned animals and their offspring from inclusion under the organic standards
View Comments
March 15, 2007
CFS comments to the NOSB on organic aquaculture standards
View comments
October 12, 2006
CFS urges the National Organic Standards Board to prohibit use of fish meal and open water net pens in organic aquaculture
View Comments
September 30, 2006
Statement to the National Organic Standards Board on access to the outdoors in organic poultry production
View Comments
July 26, 2006
CFS comments to USDA on pasture requirements and prohibition of genetically engineered forage under the Grass Fed label.
View Comments
July 21, 2006
CFS comments to the National Organic Program on proposed amendments to the National List
View Comments
June 12, 2006
CFS comments to USDA on proposed rulemaking regarding access to pasture in organic livestock production in the National Organic Program.
View Comments
May 8, 2006
CFS comments on proposed revisions to organic livestock standards, in response to the outcome of Harvey v. Johanns.
View Comments
April 12, 2006
CFS and Consumers’ Union release polling data showing that consumers expect strong organic pasture guidelines.
View CFS Polling Data
View CU Polling Data
View CFS’s Planned Testimony to NOSB on Pasture
April 5, 2006
CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board on proposed guidelines for organic aquaculture.
View Comments
March 30, 2006
National Organic Coalition comments to Congress on FY 2007 organic agriculture appropriations.
View Testimony
January 20, 2006
CFS and Consumers Union raise concern over “consumer” appointments to the National Organic Standards Board.
View Letter
November 17, 2005
CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board on organic dairy and livestock standards.
View Testimony
September 30, 2005
CFS and coalition of other NGOs issue statement on the Organic Trade Associations’s proposed amendments to the Organic Foods Production Act
View Statement
September 19, 2005
CFS explains why the Organic Foods Production Act should not be changed in “Myth and Reality: Proposed Amendments to OFPA Premature and Over-Reaching”
View Myth and Reality
CFS writes letter to Senators urging them to reject amendments to the Organic Foods Production Act that would negatively impact the integrity of the organic label.
View Letter
August 19, 2005
CFS comments to the National Organic Program concerning Sunset Review of Approved Materials on the National List for use in organic agriculture.
View Comments
August 17, 2005
CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board on a variety of organic issues
View Comments
October 12 & 14, 2004
CFS comments to the National Organic Standards Board at bi-annual meeting
View Comments October 12
View Comments October 14
June 22, 2004
The organic committee of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture submits letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning National Organic Program
View Letter
June 22, 2004
The organic committee of the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture submits letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture concerning National Organic Program
View Letter
March 15, 2002
CFS comments concerning the draft proposal for “Guideline for determining whether a processing technology shall be reviewed by the National Organic Standards Board.”
View Comments
March 13, 2000
CFS Comments on the New Organic Standards
View Comments
March 7, 2000
USDA releases a revised, proposed National Organic Program rule
View Rule
March 1, 2000
Comparative Analysis of NOSB Recommendations and OTA’s American Organic Standards
View Analysis
October 29, 1999
Letter to Kathleen Merrigan, Director Agriculture Marketing Service, USDA urging the USDA to establish a simple, cost-effective cost-share program for organic small farmers
View Letter
October 28, 1998
Comments of Joseph Mendelson, III, before the National Organic Standards Board
View Comments
September 29, 1998
Memorandum
T National Organic Standards Board
From: Joseph Mendelson, III and Andrew Kimbrell
RE: Ex Parte Communications
View Memorandum
September 14, 1998
Second amended complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief
View Complaint
April 30, 1998
Comments submitted to Docket No. TMD-94-00-2, USDA’s [first] Proposed National Organic Program
View Comments
April 1998
Letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman
View Letter
Publications
Organic Comments on USDA ANPRM for pasture requirements in organic livestock production