News
August 6, 2009
The USDA is voluntarily submitting to ongoing, independent oversight of the National Organic Program. RAFI and the National Organic Coalition applaud the USDA's decision. The move will increase transparency and integrity for the organic seal and ultimately benefit consumers and farmers alike.
For more information, read NOC's press release and the letter from USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen A. Merrigan.
This was one of our principle recommendations to the Obama administration.
Mission
The National Organic Agriculture Coalition, (NOC) is a
national alliance of organizations working to provide a “Washington
voice” for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, animal welfare
activists, consumers and progressive industry members involved in
organic agriculture. The coalition operates under the central
principles that protecting the stringency and integrity of the national
organic standards is necessary:
- To maintain the organic label’'s value to consumers;
- To realize the environmental benefits of the organic agricultural
system;
- To provide and encourage diversity of participation and fair
and equitable access to the organic marketplace; and
- To ensure the long-term economic viability of organic family
farmers and businesses.
Furthermore, the Coalition believes that organic agricultural policy
must encourage continuous quality improvements, sound stewardship
and humane practices.
The Coalition is focused on federal organic agricultural policies
that promote this mission, including:
- Implementation of and beneficial reforms to the Organic Foods
Production Act of 1990
- Implementation of organic and other related provisions of the
Farm Bill
- Promotion of policies which seek to reinvigorate public plant
and animal breeding to benefit the expansion of organic agriculture.
Recommendations for the Obama Administration
NOC recommends measures to facilitate the growth of the U.S. organic food and farming sector and to resolve missed opportunities and the logjams created by USDA bureaucratic impediments in order to allow organic agriculture to reach its full potential. Full Report
Membership
Membership is open by invitation from the current members
to those representing the following categories of interests in organic:
(1) farmers; (2) non-profit consumer, environmental, and animal
welfare organizations; 3) retailers or other businesses dedicated
to the integrity of organic.
As of December 2007, the members of the Coalition include:
Beyond Pesticides
Center for Food Safety
Equal Exchange
Food & Water Watch
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Services
National Cooperative Grocers Association
Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance
Northeast Organic Farming Association -Interstate Council
Rural Advancement Foundation International -USA
Union of Concerned Scientists
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