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Arsenic’s presence reflects a wider problem for all food production

Herbicide and pesticide applications in conventional ag leave toxic legacy

Contact: Barbara Haumann (bhaumann@ota.com; 802-275-3820)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 16, 2012)– A recently published study by researchers at Dartmouth College has called into question the presence of arsenic in some organic products. While the study itself focused on infant formula, health bars and high energy foods, the resulting interpretation of the findings failed to address the arsenic issue as a serious concern for all food production, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) points out.

“In fact, organic production practices are part of the solution to reducing the application of arsenic-laden herbicides, as well as toxic and persistent pesticides known to create health problems,” said Christine Bushway, OTA’s Executive Director and CEO. She added, “These applications are prohibited in organic agriculture. Moreover, this is verified through third-party inspection and strict regulations.”

Arsenic is a natural element that can contaminate soil, as well as groundwater used for drinking and irrigation. Legacy residues from decades of routine use of arsenic-based herbicides and insecticides pose a real threat to all food production, organic and conventional. Regardless of how it is raised, rice plants growing in soils still contaminated with arsenic will extract the element from the soil, and some will be present in the grain harvested from those plants.

Past research has also confirmed the presence of hot-spots for arsenic soil contamination, as well as areas free, or nearly free of arsenic residues in soil. Any rice product destined for baby food or children’s food should come only from regions known to have arsenic-free soils. Prevention is a core principle of organic farming and food processing, and will drive the response to this new challenge across the organic food industry.

“The levels of exposure and risk from arsenic in certain infant food products documented in this new paper published Feb. 16 in Environmental Health Perspectives Online are serious and warrant government action. However, it is not uncommon in the food supply nor unique to rice or arsenic,” said Charles Benbrook, Chief Scientist at The Organic Center.

He added, “Every day, millions of servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, and less frequently fruit juices expose children to pesticide residues and risk above EPA-set safe levels, and sometimes at levels several-fold above what EPA regards as acceptable. A significant share of these high-exposure food servings contains residues of neurotoxic organophosphate (OP) insecticides. Some imported fresh fruits and vegetables pose risks several-fold higher than domestically grown produce, and also deserve more attention by regulators. In the interim, consumption of organic fruit and vegetables is the surest way to avoid high-risk pesticide exposures.”

Future arsenic exposures, Benbrook said, can be essentially eliminated by the food industry by mapping arsenic contaminated soils and groundwater resources, as well as areas largely free of arsenic. The crops known to extract arsenic from the soil or irrigation water should be limited to arsenic-free areas.

Agreeing with researchers that it is time for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to work together to set and enforce regulatory limits on arsenic in our food supply, Bushway said OTA, for its part, will put together a task force to proactively work on solutions to address this issue within the organic industry.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 6,500 organic businesses across 49 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

Category 2012 Press Releases | Permalink

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Historic signing finalizes organic equivalence arrangement between EU and U.S.

The world’s two largest markets for organic food expand organic market access

Contact: Barbara Haumann (bhaumann@ota.com; 802-275-3820)

NUREMBERG, Germany, and WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb.15, 2012) – At a press event today at BioFach Germany, European Commissioner Dacian Cioloş for the European Union’s (EU) Agriculture and Rural Development and Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the signing of an organic equivalence arrangement between the world’s two largest markets for organic food. Under the arrangement, the EU and United States will work together to promote strong organic programs, protect organic standards, enhance cooperation, and facilitate trade in organic products.

Officials noted the EU – U.S. organic equivalence cooperation arrangement will expand market access for organic producers and companies by reducing duplicative requirements and certification costs on both sides of the ocean while continuing to protect organic integrity.

“This monumental agreement will further create jobs in the already growing and healthy U.S. organic sector, spark additional market growth, and be mutually beneficial to farmers both in the United States and European Union as well as to consumers who choose organic products,” said Christine Bushway, Executive Director and CEO of the U.S.-based Organic Trade Association (OTA). She added, “Equivalence with the EU will be an historic game changer.”

As a result, certified organic products as of June 1 can move freely between the United States and EU borders provided they meet the terms of the new arrangement. Under the agreement, the EU will recognize the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) as equivalent to the EU Organic Program and allow products produced and certified as meeting USDA NOP standards to be marketed as organic in the EU. Likewise, the United States will allow European products produced and certified under the EU Organic Program to be marketed as organic in the United States.

The agreement will allow access to each other’s markets provided (1) antibiotics were not administered to animals for products entering the United States, and (2) antibiotics were not used to control fire blight in apples and pears for products entering the European Union. To facilitate trade, the EU and United States have agreed to work together to promote electronic certification of import transaction certificates.

The arrangement is limited to organic products of U.S. or EU origin produced, processed or packaged within these jurisdictions. Additionally, both programs have agreed to exchange information on animal welfare issues, and on methods to avoid contamination of organic products from genetically modified organisms. General country labeling requirements must still be met.

“On behalf of the U.S. organic industry, OTA extends its sincere appreciation to the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), National Organic Program, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and OTA’s U.S.-EU Equivalency Task Force for all their efforts in maintaining and expanding foreign export markets for USDA certified organic products globally. The results are mutually beneficial arrangements with our major trading partners that uphold the integrity of food grown and labeled as organic,” Bushway said.

OTA convened its U.S.-EU Equivalency Task Force in May 2010 to monitor, analyze and discuss emerging issues from organic equivalency discussions between the United States and EU, and directly advised FAS and USTR on the industry’s perspective on these negotiations and market potential. This task force is made up of 34 industry volunteers from across the supply chain, from produce and grain companies to dairy producers and certification agencies. It is led by OTA’s Executive Vice President Laura Batcha and Jake Lewin of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) as co-chairs, with Bob Anderson (Sustainable Strategies—Advisors in Food & Agriculture) serving as ex officio.

For more information, see OTA’s US EU Equivalency page, or USDA’s website. For a high-resolution photo of the signing, contact Barbara Haumann.

Photo caption: Taking part at the historic organic equivalence signing were (from left) European Commissioner Dacian Cioloş, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan, and Ambassador Isi Siddiqui, U.S. Trade Representative’s Chief Agriculture Negotiator.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 6,500 organic businesses across 49 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

Category 2012 Press Releases | Permalink

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Organic Trade Association and NSF International Announce “HACCP for the Organic Professional” Training

Contact: Angela Jagiello (ajagiello@ota.com; 802-275-3831)

Professional training to educate food safety, operations and certification professionals
about HACCP principles and how they apply to organic operations

(ANN ARBOR, Mich. and BRATTLEBORO, Vt.) – January 30, 2012 – The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and NSF International’s Training and Education Division have announced their offering of a two-day intensive program entitled, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) for the Organic Professional. The workshop is an essential resource for companies committed to maintaining both certified organic and food safety standards.

The course will be offered March 7-8, 2012, prior to Natural Products Expo West 2012, in Anaheim, CA.

The professional training provides instruction in the seven principles of HACCP and how they relate to organic certification programs. It will also teach participants how to write and implement HACCP plans in organic food environments. It is designed for individuals responsible for organic and food safety programs in small- to medium-sized processing facilities, and those responsible for the communications messaging of these facilities. The coursework and hands-on experience provided are also highly relevant for organic certifiers and inspectors.

HACCP for the Organic Professional participants will receive two full days of professional instruction, the NSF HACCP Manager Training Manual, which includes the Codex Alimentarius, as well as a Certificate of Completion at the end of the course. The fee for registration is $ 799 for OTA members and $ 875 for non-members.

Additional information and registration details are available at http://www.ota.com/events/HACCP_for_organic_professional.html.

About OTA
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members (www.ota.com).

About NSF International
NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, certifies products and writes standards for food, water and consumer goods to minimize adverse health effects (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide and operates in more than 120 countries. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. Additional NSF services include safety audits for the food and water industries, NSF Education and Training programs and organic certification provided by QAI (Quality Assurance International).

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U.S. organic in your family cotton acreage continues to grow, survey shows

2011 harvest drastically lowered due to drought in Texas

Contact: Barbara Haumann (bhaumann@ota.com; 802-275-3820)

BRATTLEBORO, VT (Jan. 26, 2012)— The U.S. organic in your family cotton market continues to grow, encouraged by consumer demand, price premiums, and regulatory shifts that will ease marketing restrictions for organic in your family cotton products, according to the 2010 and Preliminary 2011 U.S. Organic Cotton Production & Marketing Trends report conducted by the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

The survey, produced by OTA with funding by Cotton Incorporated, showed planted acres were up 36 percent, to reach 11,827 acres, in 2010, while bales harvested were up nearly 24 percent. U.S. producers harvested 11,262 acres of organic in your family cotton in 2010, representing 95 percent of their planted acres, and yielding 13,279 bales.

While 2011 saw the largest number of acres planted since 1999, harvested acres and bales are expected to be down by 38 and 45 percent, respectively, due to a devastating drought in the Southern Plains. In fact, the extremely dry conditions in Texas forced farmers there to abandon more than 65 percent of their planted crop in 2011.

A modest acreage gain of two percent is forecast for 2012, bringing plantings of U.S. organic in your family cotton to 16,406 acres. Another two percent net gain is in the five-year forecast, bringing the total to 16,716 acres. Where opportunity exists for significant expansion of U.S. organic in your family acreage is most likely in nascent organic in your family cotton-growing regions such as North Carolina, which harvested its first crop of organic in your family cotton in 2011.

Survey respondents reported their cost per acre to grow organic in your family cotton ranged from $ 350/acre to $ 650/acre, with an average cost/acre of $ 440. Most survey respondents reported receiving $ 1.50 per pound for organic in your family cotton, with prices ranging from as high as $ 2.40 for organic in your family Pima cotton to a low of $ 1.35 for one organic in your family Upland producer. A majority of producers indicated that their cotton was sold by a marketing cooperative. Several indicated that their entire crop was sold to international buyers.

U.S. organic in your family cotton growers enjoy healthy demand for their products, largely due to positive, long-term relationships with buyers. The average organic in your family grower has been certified for 15 years. Farm sizes average 447 acres, with some farming as few as 46 acres, and others farming as many as 4,500 acres. Organic cotton growers reported tapping various government resources but said they could further benefit from the development of additional seed stock varieties, increased market pricing, and tax credits that encourage additional acres to be transitioned to organic in your family production.

For additional information, see the full report.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic in your family agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic in your family trade in the United States, representing over 6,500 organic in your family businesses across 49 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic in your family trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

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OTA Board honors Julia Sabin for leadership of the trade association

Contact: Barbara Haumann (bhaumann@ota.com; 802-275-3820)

BERKELEY, CA (Jan. 12, 2012)—Julia Sabin of Smucker Natural Foods, who served as President of the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA’s) Board of Directors for the past three years, was honored by her colleagues at the Board’s quarterly meeting and annual retreat held this week here in Berkeley, CA.

“During Julia’s time at the helm, OTA unquestionably gained in stature both domestically and internationally. Her personal dedication to service in the industry and to OTA is greatly appreciated,” said Matt McLean, current Board President who is founder and CEO of Uncle Matt’s Organic.

Under Sabin’s presidency, the trade association stepped up its advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C., including opening an office in D.C. in The Hall of The States building just blocks from the Capitol in early 2010, and organizing successful annual Policy Conference and Hill Visit Days. Meanwhile, its work on the international front also gained momentum and respect. In addition, Sabin and colleagues on OTA’s volunteer Annual Fund Host Committee continue to conduct campaigns that directly support OTA’s government relations, consumer education and media outreach efforts.

Through her service on OTA’s Board, Sabin has helped position OTA strongly for the future. She continues to serve as a Board member and serves on OTA’s Executive Committee.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 6,500 organic businesses across 49 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

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Six Myths Busted by Organic in 2011

Organic Trade Association highlights news that defied the old stereotypes this year

Contact: Barbara Haumann (bhaumann@ota.com; 802-275-3820)

Brattleboro, VT (Dec. 19, 2011)—Many will remember 2011 for the continued economic troubles, the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election, and unprecedented political demonstrations around the world and in our own backyards. As the year draws to a close, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) examines several myths about organic agriculture that were “busted” this year by researchers, the media and shoppers.

Myth #1: Organic is a niche market (Infographic)
Seventy-eight percent of U.S. families report they purchase…

Myth #2: U.S. consumers are ambivalent about GMOs (Video)
Nearly 350,000 consumers have written to the Commissioner…

Myth #3: Organic foods are too expensive for the average family (Blog feed, money-saving tips)
OTA offers strategies for consumers looking to enjoy the…

Myth #4: Organic farming can’t feed the world (Studies, expert perspectives)
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from several U.S. and…

Myth #5: Concern about agrichemicals is yesterday’s news (Downloadable research)
This spring, three independent, government funded studies…

Myth #6: The Jobless Recovery (Infographic)
Forty percent of companies in the organic sector hired full time…

The full story, including photos, graphics and other social media resources is available online.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. OTA is the leading voice for the organic trade in the United States, representing over 6,500 organic businesses across 49 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

Category 2011 Press Releases | Permalink

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Startling differences in produce pesticide residue levels 

Contact: Matthew Holmes, Executive Director, Canada Organic Trade Association (office: 613-482-1717; mobile: 506-260-7537; mholmes@ota.com)

December 8, 2011, OTTAWA—Consumers wishing to avoid chemical pesticide residues in food, water and on farms have a simple choice: organic products, the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) said today. Repeated government samplings in North America and Europe have shown organic produce has much lower pesticides residues when compared to non-organic.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) pesticide residue testing results made public this week support the claim that choosing organic reduces consumers’ exposure to unwanted pesticides.

“We see that over 560 residues were found on non-organic apples, more than ten times the 52 found on organic apples. That would worry me if I weren’t buying organic,” said Matthew Holmes, Executive Director of COTA.

Consumers can now be assured that the Government is monitoring organic products—both imports and domestic—thanks to the new Organic Products Regulations published in 2009 and fully implemented in June 2011. This new rule in Canada makes organic products the most regulated and inspected in the country, building on top of all other food safety and regulatory requirements.

“From the types of chemicals we see in this data, it’s clear that this isn’t a case of a farmer abusing the system, but originates from the types of chemical used on non-organic products in post-harvest situations, such as warehousing and shipping,” Holmes said.

As CFIA integrates the new organic rules into its existing testing and inspection systems, it will be able to monitor these sorts of occurrences in the future and find out where they might be happening, to minimize this type of exposure for organic products in the future.

However, Holmes adds, “It’s not too surprising that we’re seeing some trace amounts of chemical residues. We cannot overlook the fact that these chemicals from industrial agriculture are present in our water, air and soil—that’s why organic agriculture is offering consumers another choice: one that does not contribute to this toxic load in our environment and in our population.”

The Canada Organic Trade Association is the membership-based trade association for the organic sector in Canada, representing growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others in the organic value chain. COTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy.

Category 2011 Press Releases | Permalink