USA: ORGANIC FOOD INDUSTRY ARE PROTESTING AGAINST GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR NATIONAL STANDARD FOR ORGANIC FOOD
Record ID:
208325
USA: ORGANIC FOOD INDUSTRY ARE PROTESTING AGAINST GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR NATIONAL STANDARD FOR ORGANIC FOOD
- Title: USA: ORGANIC FOOD INDUSTRY ARE PROTESTING AGAINST GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR NATIONAL STANDARD FOR ORGANIC FOOD
- Date: 15th June 1998
- Summary: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, UNTIED STATES (RECENT) (RTV-ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF FIELD/PAN TO BUD WIMER, ORGANIC FARMER, PENNSYLVANIA TALKING TO EMPLOYEE 0.12 2. SLV WIMER WALKING IN FIELD 0.17 3. VARIOUS, WIMER AND HIS EMPLOYEES PLANTING LETTUCE PLANTS (2 SHOTS) 0.29 4. WIDE OF ROWS OF LETTUCE AND OTHER CROPS/ WIMER WORKING 0.33 5. SLV WIMER WHEELING BARROW OF LETTICES 0.40 6. SCU (ENGLISH) WIMER SAYING I AM A CHRISTIAN AND I BELIEVE THAT GOD CREATED THE EARTH AND THAT HE SUSTAINS IT THE WAY IT IS AND WHEN ADAM AND EVE WERE KICKED OUT OF THE GARDEN SO TO SPEAK HE TOLD THEM THAT BY THE SWEAT OF YOUR BROW THAT YOU'LL EAT OFF THE GROUND AND I BELIVE HE MADE IT SO THAT IT CAN WORK AND HE WOULDN'T LEAVE US WITHOUT A WAY AND I DON'T BELIVE THAT CHEMICALS ARE THAT WAY. / WIMER WORKING IN FIELD (4 SHOTS) 1.14 7. VARIOUS OF VEGETABLES AND FRUIT ON SHELVES IN SUPERMARKET 1.21 8. VARIOUS, SHOP ASSISTANT ARRANGING VEGETABLES ON DISPLAY (2 SHOTS) 1.26 9. CLOSE/ PAN PEAS, MUSHROOMS, 1.33 10. VARIOUS, ASSISTANT ARRANGING VEGETABLES 1.35 11. VARIOUS OF LETTICE/BEETROOT (2 SHOTS) 1.39 12. CLOSE OF ORANGES WITH SIGN "UPTOWN WHOLEFOOD CERTIFIED ORGANIC" 1.41 13. SCU BANANAS WITH CERTIFIED ORGANIC STICKER 1.43 14. SCU (ENGLISH ) FEMALE SHOPPER SAYING UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY THE ORGANIC FOODS OR NOT BECAUSE THE WAY THEY ARE GOING TO BE PROCESSING WILL BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS AND THAT'S VERY UPSETTING 1.52 15. SCU (ENGLISH) FEMALE SHOPPER SAYING IT'S A MESSAGE BEYOND THE CONSUMER TO THE FARMER, IT'S A BIG MESSAGE AND IT'S ABOUT SAVING THE PLANET, I MEAN THIS IS GLOBAL AND IT'S SOMETING THEY NEED TO LOOK AT. 2.05 16. SCU (ENGLISH) FEMALE SHOPPER SAYING I GUESS IT'S JUST A MATTER OF BEING A MORE INFORMED CONSUMER, DONIG READING OR TALKING TO STORE MANAGERS ABOUT WHAT THEIR PARTICULAR STANDARDS ARE, WHAT THEY WILL ACCEPT AND SELL IN THEIR OWN STORE . 2.19 17. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF ORGANIC STORE 2.24 18. VARIOUS, PEOPLE SHOPPING AT ORGANIC STORE (3 SHOTS) 2.36 19. SCU ORGANIC APPLES /TOMATOES (2 SHOTS) 2.40 20. VARIOUS OF ENRIQUE FIGUROA SITTING AT DESK (2 SHOTS0 2.46 21. SCU (ENGLISH ) UNITED STATES (U.S.) DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) SPOKESMAN DR ENRIQUE FIGUROA SAYING I KNOW THE SENTIMENT OUT THERE, I'VE HEARD IT BOTH PERSONALLY AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE COMMUNICATED IT TO ME. NOONE, THAT WOULD BE CARACTERISED IN MY JUDGEMENT AS A LARGE AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS HAS CONTACTED ME. 3.00 22. VARIOUS, BUD WIMER INSIDE HOT HOUSE/ LOOKING AT HIS TOMATOES (2 SHOTS) 3.12 23. SCU (ENGLISH) WIMER SAYING WE WOULD ESSENTALLY BE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER FARMER THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS IN THERE THAT JUST YOUR TYPICAL CHEMICAL FARMER DOES NOW THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DISTINCTION AND PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT OUR NAME AND SEE 'CERTIFIED ORGANIC' AND THEY'D SAY 'WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN. 3.35 24. VARIOUS OF PROTEST BY 'SAVE OUR ORGANIC STANDARDS' CAMPAIGN (3 SHOTS) 3.49 25. SMV , PEOPLE SIGNING PETITION 3.51 26. SCU (ENGLISH) CAMPAIGNER AT RALLY SAYING WE WON'T STAND FOR WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO TO OUR FOOD SUPPLY. WE DO NOT WANT CHEMICAL WARFARE ON OUR FOOD SUPPLY. 4.00 27. WIDE OF FARM 4.03 28. WIDE OF FARMER PLANTING 4.18 29. WIDE OF FIELD 4.19 30. SCU (ENGLISH) FIGUROA SAYING WE FEEL AND THE ORGANIC INDUSTRY FELT, IN MY JUDGEMENT, THAT IF YOU SENT A PRODUCT WITH THE USDA SEAL OF 'ORGANICALLY PRODUCED', WHETHER IT'S FROM CALIFORNIA OR OHIO OR ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, THAT YOU INDEED INCREASED YOUR ABILITY TO ENTER MARKETS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES . 4.36 31. SMV SHOPPER IN ORGANIC SHOP 4.43 32. SCU SIGN READING CERTIFIED ORGANIC MELONS / MELONS 4.46 33. VARIOUS, CHRIST ROMANO, ORGANIC SHOP OWNER WORKING IN HIS SHOP (3 SHOTS) 4.54 34. SCU (ENGLISH) ROMANO SAYING IT WOULD GREATLY AFFECT THE MARKET HERE. I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO SET OUR OWN STANDARDS IF THE USDA HAS SUCH LOW STANDARDS, WE WOULD CREATE A NEW SET OF STANDARDS THAT WOULD OFFER THE CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN GETTING FOR PAST TWENTY, TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. 5.11 35. WIDE OF FARM/ GREENHOUSE (3 SHOTS) 5.22 36. SCU FARM CAT SITTING 5.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th June 1998 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA19LE7098MPX5WL2YIOP9887Z9
- Story Text: The American organic industry and its consumers are
up in arms over a plan by the government to introduce a
national standard for organic food.
The Department of Agriculture has angered many people by
proposing that irradiation, sewage sludge fertilisers and
pesticides whould be allowable.
The department will bring out its final decision later
this year but in the meantime those initial proposals have
caused an uproar.
Bud Wimer is an organic famer, deep in the
Pennsylvania countryside. He grows a wide range of produce
including tomatoes, zucchini and lettuce. He uses no
pesticides, no artificial fertilisers and no automated
processes.
But Bud's method of farming is being threatened by a new
federal rule and for Bud growing organic food is not just a
job -it's a way of life - a philosophical issue.
CAPTION: BUD WIMER ORGANIC FARMER
"I AM A CHRISTIAN AND I BELIEVE THAT GOD CREATED THE EARTH
AND THAT HE SUSTAINS IT THE WAY IT IS AND WHEN ADAM AND EVE
WERE KICKED OUT OF THE GARDEN SO TO SPEAK HE TOLD THEM THAT
BY THE SWEAT OF YOUR BROW THAT YOU'LL EAT OF THE GROUND AND
I BELIVE HE MADE IT SO THAT IT CAN WORK AND HE WOULDN'T
LEAVE US WITHOUT A WAY AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT CHEMICALS
ARE THAT WAY." (ENGLISH)
The United States Department of Agriculture has been
reviewing organic guidelines for nearly six years in an
attempt to come up with a national standard for fruits,
vegetables and dairy products.
But the list of proposed rules, as they're called, that the
USDA issued were met with horror and disbelief by growers
and consumers alike. Terms like irradiation, sewage sludge
fertiliser and genetic mutation all came under the heading
"organic".
CAPTION: SHOPPER "UNFORTUNATLEY WE'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW WHAT'S
REALLY THE ORGANIC FOODS OR NOT BECAUSE THE WAY THEY ARE GOING TO BE
PROCESSING WILL BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS AND THAT'S VERY
UPSETTING". (ENGLISH)
CAPTION: SHOPPER "IT'S A MESSAGE BEYOND THE CONSUMER TO THE FARMER,
IT'S A BIG MESSAGE AND IT'S ABOUT SAVING THE PLANET, I MEAN THIS IS
GLOBAL AND IT'S SOMETING THEY NEED TO LOOK AT", (ENGLISH)
CAPTION: SHOPPER "I GUESS IT'S JUST A MATTER OF BEING A MORE
INFORMED CONSUMER, DOING READING OR TALKING TO STORE MANAGERS ABOUT
WHAT THEIR PARTICULAR STANDARDS ARE, WHAT THEY WILL ACCEPT
AND SELL IN THEIR OWN STORES". (ENGLISH)
The Organic Food busienss is now worth 3.5 billion U.S.
dollars annually and is growing at 20 per cent a year.
Supermarkets and wholesalers know that by labelling produce
'organic', they can charge a premium and increase market
share.
The USDA has been accused of allowing big business to
influence their proposed rules - a charge which spokesman Dr
Enrique Fiuroa vehemently denies.
CAPTION: DR ENRIQUE FIGUROA UNITED STATES (U.S.) DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE (USDA) SPOKESMAN
"I KNOW THE SENTIMENT OUT THERE, I'VE HEARD IT BOTH
PERSONALLY AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE COMMUNICATED IT TO
ME. NOONE, THAT WOULD BE CHARACTERISED IN MY JUDGEMENT AS A
LARGE AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS HAS CONTACTED ME". (ENGLISH)
But farmer Bud Wimer claims that the proposed rules could
put an end to his farm and life-style, if the definition of
'organic' is changed in any way to allow mass production by
larger farms.
CAPTION: BUD WIMER ORGANIC FARMER
"WE WOULD ESSENTAILLY BE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER FARMER.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS IN THERE THAT JUST YOUR TYPICAL
CHEMICAL FARMER DOES NOW THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DISTINCTION
AND PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT OUR NAME AND SEE 'CERTIFIED ORGANIC'
AND THEY'D SAY 'WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?'". (ENGLISH)
So passionate are some consumers that they've held
demonstrations across America. The Save Our Organic Standards
campaign was one of the groups that encouraged more than
200,000 people to complain directly to the government.
The proposed rules could also impact the rest of the world.
Countries with far higher organic standards might be forced,
under international trade agreements, to import less pure
American products that are labelled organic.
Although USDA argues a national standard will incrase
overseas organic trade.
CAPTION: DR ENRIQUE FIGUROA UNITED STATES (U.S.) DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE (USDA) SPOKESMAN
"WE FEEL AND THE ORGANIC INDUSTRY FELT, IN MY JUDGEMENT,
THAT IF YOU SENT A PRODUCT WITH THE USDA SEAL OF
'ORGANICALLY PRODUCED', WHETHER IT'S FROM CALIFORNIA OR OHIO
OR ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, THAT YOU INDEED INCREASED YOUR
ABILITY TO ENTER MARKETS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES".
(ENGLISH)
But despite a recent announcement that the more extreme
proposals have been removed from the list, such as sewage
sludge fertilisers and irradiation, organic shop owners like
Chris Romano already have a back-up plan if the word organic
is diluted in any way.
CAPTION: CHRIST ROMANO ORGANIC SHOP OWNER
"IT WOULD GREATLY AFFECT THE MARKET HERE. I THINK WE WOULD
HAVE TO SET OUR OWN STANDARDS IF THE USDA HAS SUCH LOW
STANDARDS, WE WOULD CREATE A NEW SET OF STANDARDS THAT WOULD
OFFER THE CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN GETTING FOR THE PAST
TWENTY, TWENTY-FIVE YEARS". (ENGLISH)
It could be several months before the proposed rules are
made into final rules and then into law - until then fans of
pure food can only wait and hope.
Mike Harding for Reuters New York.
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