Silencing the enemy - some good news, not a lot but some

So, I started telling you what my idea was for small community circles, or groups or whatever you want to call them, but I wanted to give you some good news.  I was reading about the latest EPA regulations that are now placing on 25 new chemical substances, yadeyadeyada - the report is so long and full of regulation language and generic language and procedures I got bored, but, the list may be something for us to keep an eye on.  Some of the new chemicals were for treatment of paper and wood products, and there was one regarding the use on meat (to keep it fresh longer).... sounds like danger to me, sorry I digressed.  I was going to tell you good news, anyway I got cross-eyed so I went searching some more and found this nice site full of wonderful tidbits. 

Here's some of the information, but as you read you will see that the fight is not over. These were figures from 2011, so there may be some differences now. The big agri-businesses are putting on the pressure.

Key U.S. Organic Facts:

1. $31.4 billion in organic product retail sales in 2011
2. 30-fold increase in organic product retail sales since the passage of OFPA in 1990
3. 11.6% of organic food market comprised of fruits and vegetables
4. 9.5% organic food sales growth in 2011
5. 19% compounded annual growth for organic food sales 1997 –2008
6. 20,000 organic farms
7. 3,700 organic farms in California – the highest number of any state
8. 527,000 jobs created by the organic foods industry in 2010 – a 21 % higher rate than the conventional foods industry

Certified Organic

Foods bearing the certified organic label and the USDA organic seal are grown, processed and certified in accordance with the legal requirements of the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), the law that created USDA’s organic certification program.  Passed in 1990, OFPA requires organic farmers and food manufacturers to have their production systems and product records inspected annually by a USDA-trained independent certification organization. This rigorous certification system ensures that certified organic foods are the healthiest on the market, and that consumers can look for and trust the organic label.
Certified organic foods are the best choice for people wanting to eat healthy foods, produced without the use of synthetic toxic chemicals, sewage sludge, genetically engineered ingredients, growth hormones, irradiation, and cloned animals or their offspring.  Organic is the only food grown in a manner that is legally-mandated to safeguard human health, animal welfare, and the environment.  For people who want to use their food dollars to support agricultural practices that build soil, support biodiversity, and conserve water and energy, organic remains their unrivaled best choice as well.
The Future of Food

Despite organic agriculture’s positive growth, we have reached a critical juncture in the fight for a more sustainable food future. As the organic market has grown and become more profitable, some powerful agribusiness players are trying to weaken the organic rules by pushing to allow cheaper, and often synthetic, ingredients in processed foods. Others are pushing for higher stocking rates and limits to outdoor access for poultry and livestock, both of which would curtail their natural behavior. That is why Center for Food Safety continues to remain at the forefront of debates on the future of organic food, advocating for continuous improvements to the organic standards and food production practices.  That is also why we encourage our supporters to stay involved in the organic issue by:

• Becoming informed and engaged in organic policy discussions;
• Joining our True Food Network and respond to our action alerts; and
• Providing written and verbal testimony to the National Organic Program (NOP) at its bi-annual National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting.

CFS Organic and Beyond campaign seeks to maintain and enhance strong organic standards that live up to the quality and integrity that consumers expect from organic foods.  We strive to evolve the organic ethic by promoting agriculture that is local, small, medium and family scale, biologically diverse, humane and socially just. The ultimate goal of our Organic & Beyond campaign is to progress beyond the industrial agriculture model with a new vision and practice of organic farming that supports and sustains the natural world for future generations. http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/campaign/organic-and-beyond/

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