National Organic Standards Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman

March 7, 2000
USDA, press release
Release No. 0073.00

Washington, DC -- "Good afternoon and welcome. I have a lot of people to thank for making today happen. First and foremost are Senator Patrick Leahy who I'm glad could join us today, and Congressman Peter DeFazio who couldn't be here today -- the men who guided this now 10 year old legislation through the Congress to begin with ... and I was there working with them.

"I want to thank Kathleen Merrigan, the National Organic Program staff and everyone else at USDA who worked so long and hard on this endeavor -- not only for their tremendous efforts in putting this 650 page rule together, but also for being so responsive to consumers and farmers.

"We put together an organic standard that is easy to understand and easy to explain just watch me. Not only that, when it is finally in place, it will be the most comprehensive, strictest organic rule in the world, which is the way our consumers and farmers want it.

"I do want to point out that the fact that we are once again announcing a proposed rule on national organic standards is a living example of our democracy at work. The people spoke very loudly I might add. It's a well known fact that we received an unprecedented 275,603 comments during the first go round.

"The need for these standards rose out of the exponential growth of organic agriculture. It is a sector that is here to stay -- growing from $78 million in 1980 to about $6 billion today with continuing growth of 20% a year. And, whereas most other sectors of agriculture are losing farmers, the number of organic farmers is increasing by 12% per year. All of this is happening in response to increasing consumer demand.

"Our goal for the national organic standard is to ensure that it is: strict in what is acceptable as organic; is precise in its definition of organic; is easy for consumers to understand; and, through its uniformity, creates more economic potential for the nation's 12,000 organic farmers a number that is growing and I believe will continue to grow as a result of this proposal.

"We were asked to answer a most basic question, "What is organic?"

"For fresh produce, farmers must meet a set of exacting standards in how their crops are grown -- as in using only approved materials which are mostly natural, and using crop rotation and other environmental practices.

"For fresh meats to be labeled organic, livestock must be raised according to strict requirements which include, among others, organic from birth, no antibiotics and 100% organic feed.

"And, as I've said before, in no case will the use of irradiation, sewer sludge, or genetic engineering be permitted in the production of any organic foods or ingredients.

"Finally, for consumers we've created a labeling system for processed foods that is simple, easy to understand and broken down into four categories. So, for example, for something to be labeled as organic, it must contain at least 95% organic ingredients. Or, if it only has between 50 and 95% organic ingredients, then the label may only say that it was made from organic ingredients.

"And all of this must be certified by private or state regulating authorities.

"But let me be clear on a very important point. The organic classification is not a judgment about the quality or safety of any product. Organic is about how it is produced. Just because something is labeled as organic does not mean it is superior, safer or more healthy than conventional food. All foods in this country must meet the same high standards of safety regardless of their classification. For nutrition information, look at the nutrition label. And, as for quality, that's a matter of personal preference.

"The organic label is about giving consumers a choice. It's about giving consumers and farmers a definition of organic that takes the guesswork out of the process. Consumers know what they're buying and farmers know what's expected of them.

"By establishing a uniform national organic standard, we are smoothing the way for even more growth in organic agriculture and furthering the development of another new market for farmers. This rule will also help organic farmers more easily export their products because our trading partners will know exactly what they're getting.

"But that's not all we're doing. In addition to providing our traditional loan programs and conservation programs for farmers -- including, in next year's budget, new farm safety net conservation proposals that have a broader reach -- there are three other organic fronts we are moving on.

"First, also in the President's budget we've proposed $5 million in research money for organic agriculture. This money will be used to develop improved production and processing methods, evaluate economic benefits to farmers, develop new markets and support general research on organic farming.

"Second, all farming carries with it a certain amount of risk. And, although last year the federal crop insurance program wrote over 1 million policies providing farmers with $30 billion in protection, most organic farmers do not qualify for coverage. That is why we're putting together a pilot organic crop insurance program to help organic farmers better manage risk.

"Third, we are entering into a cooperative agreement with University of California, Davis for research on organic production and the marketing of organic fruits and vegetables under USDA marketing order programs, which allow farmers to work together to increase sales.

"I do believe that the new National Organic Standards rule hits the mark -- but we'll let the public be the final judge of that. I look forward to working with the organic community in the next few months on getting a final rule in place this year. Together with the other actions we are taking today, I believe it begins to pave the way for even more dramatic growth in the organic sector, given the growing consumer demand for these products. Thank you.