Dear Egg Buyer,

HELP SAVE THE ORGANIC FARMER

One night, I read about a meeting, to take place in New Jersey, to allow the public to tell the USDA what it thought about the new proposed organic regulations. The hearing was to take place in two days. At the end of the next day, I got into my pick-up truck, and drove 5 hours to Rutgers University. I found no Motel 6, but chose a nearby substitute.

SCENE OF ANTICIPATION

I was at the conference room at 8:00 A.M. the next morning. There were police, reporters, T.V., the Fishberry fellow, and rumors of a Greenpeace demonstration. Not feeling very comfortable in such strange surroundings, I took a seat in a hall that had about 500 chairs. The hall began to fill. I was the 92nd speaker out of about 120 total. We were to each have 5 minutes to talk. After sitting for 8 1/2 hours before I gave my remarks, I could hardly believe my ears.

THE ACT AND THE BOARD

I learned that Senator Pat Leahy of Vermont had initially proposed the Organic Food Production Act, which passed in 1990. Since the subject was very complex, the act provided for a National Organic Standard Board (NOSB) to be established, drawing on various sectors of the public to form the enabling regulations. This board labored for 5 years and presented its finished work to the USDA from 1992- 1997. This board will continue to meet.

THE MASSACRE

As mothers, families, farmers, students, professors and cattlemen gave their testimony in 5 minute blocks on that day of days, it became clear the small organic farmer had been ambushed. It was these small farmers, not the government, not business, who had pioneered organics and set up certifying bodies to define standards and keep them high. The NOSB had done admirable work in 5 years. But, in December of 1997, when the USDA finally published its proposal, the changes in the NOSB recommendations were catastrophic. The rage and dismay were clearly apparent in the speakers' voices. In the room of perhaps 500, there was not a single individual willing to speak in favor of the newly proposed regulations.

BIG BUSINESS AND BIG GOVERNMENT

The changes were appalling. Sludge is now proposed as a fertilizer for organic crops, in spite of the heavy metals it may contain. Irradiation of organic produce by atomic waste is permitted. Genetic engineering is allowed. Now, huge loopholes are opened up. Big businesses may produce genetically engineered food, use city sludges as fertilizer, and apply irradiation by means of atomic waste. A pretty green label can then be attached to the product, announcing it as ''organic''. In addition, the government is actually asking the poor farmer to pay a fee to be certified and in some cases asking him to pay for lab work to verify pesticides residue. These fees can cost $1,000 and more.

THE COUNTRY HEN PRESENTS

At 5:30 P.M., I came to the podium to present my remarks. I was only given 3 minutes, since time was running out. I tried to make only two points. First, it was unfair and violated organic principles to allow egg producers to put hens in cages and call their product ''organic eggs''. Secondly, it was unfair and contrary to common sense to label a feed ''organic'' if only 80% of its contents are organic. The remaining 20% could be full of pesticides or even animal parts, which can cause Mad Cow disease in cows.

A SUMMARY OF THE MASSACRE

The initial recommendations made by the official board (NOSB) during its 5 year work have been dramatically violated by the proposed USDA Regulations. I list only those mentioned above:


1) Use of sewer sludge - NOSB - no; USDA - yes
2) Irradiation of food by means of atomic waste - NOSB - no; USDA - yes
3) Use of genetically engineered organisms - NOSB - no; USDA - yes
4) Use of cages to produce organic eggs - NOSB - no; USDA - yes
5) Certifying feed organic even though 20% is non-organic (animal parts can be used) - NOSB - no; USDA - yes

CAN YOU HELP ?

Yes. There is still time to act before 30 April. We recommend that you ask that the present USDA regulations be scrapped. New ones, based on the NOSB recommendations, should be written. Write both your Senators and Congressmen. If you don't know who they are, call The Capital Swithcboard at 1-202-224-3121. It's very easy.


The addresses for Senators for MA:

Senator Edward Kennedy
U.S. Senate
421 Russell Senate Building
Room 315
Washington, DC 20510

Senator John F. Kerry
U.S. Senate
421 Russell Senate Building
Room 421
Washington, DC 20510

You may wish to enclose this insert in order to better inform them of some of the issues at hand. Please recommend that all USDA organic regulations be scrapped.

Write and/ or fax:
Eileen S. Stommes, Deputy Adm. Agr. Marketing Services - USDA
Room 4007-S AGSTOP 0275
P.O. Box 96456
Washington, D.C. 20090-6456 FAX: 202-690-4632

To learn more about the details of this subject , you may wish to subscribe to a wonderful newspaper, ''The Natural Farmer''. The spring edition is devoted to the organic regulation problem. Send $10 to NOFA-MA, 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01115.

IN THE MEANTIME

Please feel assured we would never commit to any of the above irrational practices which violate organic philosophy. Our feed will always be truly 100% organic. Our feathered friends will always be cage free in sunlit barns. We value your patronage and encourage your support in keeping the organic standard very, very high. Let's protect one segment of the food supply.

For those at the Country Hen,

George S. Bass