Cite dangers of Stabenow/Roberts Bill to organic

WASHINGTON—Organic organizations, farmer groups and companies around the nation representing millions of organic consumers and thousands of organic farmers have voiced their opposition to the discriminatory and deeply-flawed GMO labeling bill being offered by Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). Thirty-six major organic groups have signed on to a letter sent by a national coalition of consumer, food safety, farm, environmental, and religious groups to all members of the Senate earlier this week. The groups condemn the so-called compromise bill which could be devastating to the organic standard.

The following is a statement from Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety:

“Organic organizations, farmers and companies rightly fear that this bill could change important regulations governing the federal organic program including those prohibiting the use of genetic engineering in organic. They also refuse to be part of a sham labeling bill that blatantly discriminates against low-income, rural, elderly and a disproportionately high number of minority Americans.”

Organic groups that have signed on include:

Beyond Pesticides

Consumers Union

Center for Food Safety

Dr. Bronner’s

Equal Exchange

Farm Aid

Food and Water Watch

Genesis Farm

Good Earth Natural Foods

Katchkie Farm

Keep the Soil in Organic Coalition

Kezialain Farm

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service

Miskell's Premium Organics

National Grocers Coop

National Organic Coalition

Nature’s Path

Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance

Northeast Organic Farming Association

Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire

Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York

Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont

Nutiva

Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

Organically Grown Company

Organic Consumers Association

Organic Seed Alliance

Organic Farmers' Agency for Relationship Marketing, Inc.

Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association

Our Family Farms

PCC Natural Markets

Rural Advancement Foundation International

The Organic & Non-GMO Report"‹

Sunnyside CSA

Wood Prairie Family Farm

Letter and full list of signatories including organic groups.