PROMOTING ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR FAMILY-SCALE FARMING News from The Cornucopia Institute Spring 2012 Organic Watergate Cornucopia Seeks Federal Investigation of National Organic Program O oils, commonly marketed as DHA and ARA, OT H CKP are being added to milk, infant formula and O IST other organic foods by such companies as Dean Foods (Horizon), Abbott Laboratories (Similac), and Nurture, Inc. (Happy Baby). “This is a long-standing controversy that the USDA seems to think is just going to go away,” said Cornucopia Codirector Mark Kastel. After a formal legal complaint by Cornu- copia, and an investigative story by the Wash- ington Post, the USDA announced in April 2010 that it had “inappropriately” allowed Martek oils to be included in organic foods. The scandal contributed to the removal of the previous director of the National Organic Program (NOP), who overruled her The complaint alleges undue corporate influence and conflicts of interest that, if left unchecked, could staff’s decision finding Martek supplements change the working definition of the organic seal and degrade its value in the eyes of consumers. were illegal in organics—after she met with a prominent Washington lobbyist, William J. Following the heated meeting of the The controversy surrounds products Friedman. National Organic Standards Board developed by Martek Biosciences Corpora- WATERGATE continued on page 6 in Savannah, Georgia in December, tion. Martek, part of a $12 billion Dutch- The Cornucopia Institute formally requested based conglomerate, recently petitioned for INSIDE THIS ISSUE that the USDA’s Office of Inspector General approval of its genetically mutated algae and 2 Who can use the “O-word”? (OIG) investigate corruption at its National soil fungus and as nutritional supplements 3 Monsanto wins suit dismissal Organic Program. The charge alleges that in organic food. 4 Legal updates: Almonds, GE alfalfa the Board permitted the use of illegal Martek’s formulated oils are processed 5 Counting CSAs synthetics in organic food and then allowed with synthetic petrochemical solvents in a 7 Commentary: Designer organics powerful corporations to “game the system” blend containing a myriad of other synthetic 9 Thickes named Farmers of the Year for approval “after the fact.” chemicals. Supplements derived from these 11 Profile: Live Power Community Farm would be perfectly legal to make a statement The “O-Word” like, “I follow all the same procedures and prohibitions as certified organic farmers do (no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbi- Who Can Use the Term Organic? cides, fungicides, etc.).” If a farmer went farther than that—for Unlike natural, which generally means as high as $5,000 and the forced discontinu- instance, raising pastured poultry rotated on whatever the marketing manager of a ation of the illegal practices. grass every day—they could even say they food manufacturer decides it means, on any Questions come up about farmers selling were beyond organic, as organic standards given day, the word organic has a specific directly to consumers, for instance at farm- only require livestock to have “access to the legal definition. ers markets. Can they use the “O-word” on outdoors,” and rotational grazing is truly the Since November 2002 a farmer, manu- their signage or brochures or verbally repre- gold standard. facturer, or marketer wanting to use organic sent their products as organic if they are not Cornucopia always encourages farm- on their label, or to represent their product certified? The answer, legally, is no. ers to consider going through the process as organic on their website or at a farm- In fact, according to the National Or- to be certified. I know I learned a lot in the ers market or retailer, needs to be certified ganic Program, “people who sell or label a process when I was farming. Many farmers under the USDA organic program. The only product ‘organic’ when they know it does who think they are following 100% organic exception to this rule are farmers selling not meet USDA standards can be fined up procedures are often surprised by some of direct with under $5,000 in annual sales. to $11,000 for each violation.” the nuances. It’s pretty rare to find companies stating That’s not to say that some of these farm- Granted, the most challenging part of organic on their label that are not certified. ers don’t use organic methods. In fact, some certification is the record-keeping, but there But we at Cornucopia have occasionally go far beyond the minimums and are truly are up to 75% cost share rebates available found instances of fraudulent labeling and among the best agricultural producers in from the USDA to help. By becoming certi- subsequently filed complaints with the the country. So although it would be illegal fied, we support the entire community. ■ USDA. These actions have resulted in fines to use the word organic on their signage, it —Mark Kastel BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kevin Engelbert Tom Willey STAFF Organic Dairy Producer Organic Vegetable Grower Steve Sprinkel, President Former NOSB Member Madera, CA Mark Kastel, Codirector & Director of the Organic Organic Vegetable Grower Nichols, NY Integrity Project Ojai, CA Tony Azevedo Will Fantle, Codirector & Director of Research Dave Minar Organic Dairy Producer Charlotte Vallaeys, Director of Farm and Food Policy Helen Kees, Vice President Organic Dairy Producer San Joaquin Valley, CA Lynn Buske, Administrator, Research Associate & Organic Livestock Producer New Prague, MN Volunteer and Intern Coordinator Durand, WI Francis Thicke, PhD Gayle Nielsen, Membership Coordinator Amanda Love Organic Dairy Producer Elizabeth Wolf, Communications and Development William Heart, Secretary Natural Foods Chef Fairfield, IA Director Wildlife Conservationist Nutrition Educator Celeste Gibson, Accountant, HR Manager Ashland, WI Austin, TX Michael James Jim Munsch, GE Alfalfa Lawsuit Representative Community Organizer THE CULTIVATOR Roger Featherstone, Treasurer Organic Restaurateur Environmental Field POLICY ADVISORY PANEL Chicago, IL Elizabeth Wolf, Editor Organizer Special thanks to BJ Birkel, Heidi Blanke, John Houston, Tucson, AZ Merrell Clark Judith McGeary, JD Aaron Hraba, Steven McFadden, and Bobbie O’Brien Organic Livestock Producer Attorney Goldie Caughlan Former NOSB Member Executive Director, Farm and CONTACT US PCC Natural Markets (ret.) Cassopolis, MI Ranch Freedom Alliance Cooperative Retail Educator Austin, TX P.O. Box 126 Former NOSB Member Cornucopia, WI 54827, www.cornucopia.org Seattle, WA (608) 625-2042, [email protected] 2 Judge Backs Biotech ‘Bully’ Monsanto Wins Dismissal of Landmark Gene-Patent Suit Causing outrage throughout the organic community, on and eggs. Some data exist that identifies a quantity of glyphosate in February 24 Judge Naomi Buchwald dismissed the case meat, milk, and eggs. We need to verify this and get more data. of Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association et al v. 2. We have a fundamental property right not to be trespassed by Monsanto. The 81 plaintiffs represent organic farmers, seed grow- GE contamination that goes clear back to the Magna Carta, issued in ers, and agricultural organizations, including Cornucopia. 1215 AD. San Francisco Judge Charles Breyer and several Supreme Since the mid-1990s, Monsanto has brought lawsuits against Court judges acknowledge this issue of fairness and justice. 144 farmers for “patent infringement” when GE seed contami- nates the farmers’ fields. The biotech giant has sued more than 700 “It appears that Monsanto PH O additional farmers who have settled out-of-court rather than face wants to go back to pre- TO BY D MoThnsaen ptloa’sin bteiffllsig berroeungt,h atn tdh ew perlle--fienmapntcievde ,s luitiitg aiogauisn asct ttihoen cs.o  mpany Magna Carta days, when EE ST. GEO seeking not monetary compensation but judicial protection from the serfs grew the crops RGE such lawsuits and to challenge the validity of its seed patents. and the kings let them keep Lead attorney Daniel Ravicher said of the ruling, “While I have great respect for Judge Buchwald, her decision to deny farmers only enough to survive. ” Farmer Chuck Noble the right to seek legal protection from one of the world’s foremost patent bullies is gravely disappointing.” The attorney further deemed the judge’s opinion “flawed on 3. Cattlemen used to free range in the 1800s. They tried to run over both the facts and the law. Thankfully, the plaintiffs have the right people who had fenced, deeded property. They did not prevail. Mon- to proceed to the Court of Appeals, which will review the matter santo is trying to free range the GE genes and they will not prevail. without deference to her findings,” Ravicher said. An appeal of the 4. The genie can be put back in the bottle. Only 100,000 acres of judge’s decision is under consideration by counsel. GE alfalfa out of 23 million acres were planted. Most growers (6) who planted GE in my county got rid of it after I explained what they had A Farmer Speaks Out signed in the Monsanto technology agreement and that they would Chuck Noble is an alfalfa grower in Winner, South Dakota. At the harm their neighbors with gene flow. hearing, Ravicher referred to him as one example of the plaintiffs 5. Why is Monsanto doing GE seed? I believe it is greed, corporate who have been harmed by the Monsanto patent. Noble spoke at a power, control (monopoly), and management egos. public assembly after the hearing and with a number of reporters. 6. Discuss GE with your grocery retailers. Example: They are try- For six years the farmer has worked diligently to challenge ing to genetically engineer peppers. No one wants them except buyers Monsanto’s GE alfalfa. In 2007 he attended the USDA-APHIS who want growers on contracts that they can control. (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) meeting represent- 7. The genetic diversity of our gene pools is at stake. The Euro- ing hundreds of thousands of growers who opposed the contami- pean potato famines between 1850 and 1900 killed millions of people nating trends of GE alfalfa. Raised on a South Dakota farm, the because only four potato varieties were grown and all were susceptible grower sells hay for milk and dry dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, to potato blight. We do not need to repeat this experiment. horses, buffalo, goats, llamas, and guineas. His hay and seed mar- 8. It appears that Monsanto wants to go back to pre-Magna Carta ket spans both the U.S. and export. Writes Noble: days when serfs grew the crops and the kings let them keep only As someone who “has dirt under my fingernails,” I offered these enough to survive. They took the rest and the serfs could not own statements after the hearing: land or crops. 1. Independent and privately funded tests need to be done to 9. We must not let companies monopolize our gene pools and seed. measure GE seed contamination and the presence of herbicide and other toxins in the GE crops used for feed and food. Also, the —The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association is the lead plaintiff in the suit. For updates visit www.osgata.org. presence of these toxins needs to be measured in food, meat, milk 3 Raw Almond Challenge Heads Back to Appeals Court When the USDA and Almond Board exports outside of North America? Califor- an order put in place through the “market of California implemented a nia almond growers lost a valuable market order” mechanisms of the Almond Board. But pasteurization mandate for raw almonds as untreated imports now occupy grocery farmers clearly seemed to have the right to produced in California in the fall of 2008, store shelves rather than their home-grown challenge. Twice judges at the federal appeals Cornucopia began assisting a group of product. court level agreed, ultimately sending the case almond growers who were dramatically im- Many raw food enthusiasts and con- back to Judge Huvelle for full consideration. pacted by the rule. These farmers have been sumers prefer unprocessed almonds. Some On January 18, Judge Huvelle again challenging the requirement that they either believe that the heat treatment destroys rejected the almond growers’ claims. This too steam heat their raw almonds or gas them valuable nutrients and changes the almond’s will be appealed. “It’s never easy fighting the with a toxic fumigant to kill any salmonella texture; others alternatively object to the use government,” notes attorney John Vetne, who bacteria that may be on the nuts before the on their food of a fumigant recognized as a is handling the lawsuit. A three-judge appeals product can be sold to U.S. consumers. carcinogen by the EPA. court panel will hear the case, and Vetne be- The rule was proposed following two Cornucopia has been helping almond lieves that oral arguments will be allowed on salmonella contamination events that growers challenge the controversial rule the core issue of the authority of the govern- occurred in 2001 and 2004. Salmonella, a in federal court with coordination and ment to impose the treatment scheme. bacteria associated with feces, is very rare development of a legal strategy. Initially, Adds Vetne: “This case may well decide in almonds and likely can be prevented by Judge Ellen Huvelle rejected the challenge whether any type of raw, unprocessed horti- careful harvesting and processing practices. arguing that farmers had no right of stand- cultural product will be available to consum- But if the rule were put into place for food ing to bring the lawsuit. Federal law makes ers in the future; whether the choice should safety purposes, why does the treatment clear that consumers, retailers, and groups be made by Big Brother or the family grocery ■ mandate exempt imports into the U.S. and like Cornucopia lack standing to challenge shopper.” —Will Fantle PH O TO Decision Appealed C O UR both conventional and organic agriculture year TESY O after year with the drift and spread of its novel F BO DNA. In fact, the case record documented that in GE Alfalfa Case BBIE O contamination has already occurred. ’BRIEN Alfalfa is the fourth most widely grown , ERIN crop in the U.S. and a key feedstock for live- Plaintiffs, including Cornucopia, will appeal the grant RAN stock farmers, who know it as the “queen of C H of summary judgment last December of the legal chal- forages.” The latest USDA data show that less lenge to the USDA’s approval of Monsanto’s genetically en- Bangs, a five-year-old than 10 percent of alfalfa acres are sprayed with Texas longhorn at Erin gineered alfalfa. “We were disappointed by the decision but any herbicide. Ranch in Kerrville, TX not all that surprised,” says George Kimbrell, attorney for feeds on alfalfa, the Consequently, GE alfalfa will dramatically the Center for Food Safety and counsel for the plaintiffs. “queen of forages.” increase the use of such chemicals across the The alfalfa lawsuit is based on aspects of the federal country, with all of their attendant hazards to Plant Protection Act, the National Environmental Policy wildlife, plants, groundwater, and humans. Act, and the Endangered Species Act. “There were a num- “We need the courts to protect farmers and consumers from genetic ber of critical errors that the judge made,” adds Kimbrell. trespass and pollution of our food chain,” states Cornucopia’s Mark A perennial crop, alfalfa is open-pollinated by bees and Kastel. “Winning this lawsuit is critical to the future of the vibrant $30 other insects—with a pollination radius of at least five miles. billion organic sector.” ■ Monsanto’s controversial GE alfalfa threatens to contaminate —Will Fantle 4 In the beginning it was easy to O Ryan Galt, Assistant Professor of OT H count. The year was 1986, and CKP Agricultural Sustainability and Society O there were only two Community IST The at the University of California, Davis, Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiatives was among those surprised by the USDA CS A in the U.S.: Indian Line Farm in western estimate. He noted a wide discrepancy Massachusetts and the Temple-Wilton between counts by LocalHarvest, the In- Community Farm in southern New ternet hub with the most comprehensive Hampshire. But not long after that, as CSA listing (2,932 at the time), and the the CSA concept spread across America wildly high ag census number. and around the world, the number of He set out to study the matter using N u m b e r farms became a bit of an enigma. a critical cartography/GIS approach and No one was ever quite sure how multiple CSA data sets. Galt observed many CSAs there were. The federal that the overcounting by the 2007 census government didn’t track the number; at likely occurred due to ambiguity in the C o n u n d r u m the same time, for a variety of reasons, relevant question. The ag census, as read many CSAs wanted little to do with by many, seemed to be asking how many government or larger systems. farms are, to one extent or another, in- Now, however, it’s possible to gain a volved with CSA, rather than how many fair idea, thanks to several sources. Estimat- ties helped grow the number further. Two farms are in fact actual CSAs. ing conservatively, there are currently over other factors played an important role: the After applying his analytical tools, Galt 6,000 CSAs in the U.S., possibly as many publication of Sharing the Harvest in 1998 arrived at an estimate of 3,637 CSAs nation- as 6,500. Meanwhile, the trend of growth and the establishment of LocalHarvest.com, ally for the year 2009. While he reckoned continues onward and upward. a website hub for local food. this was a more reliable estimate, he noted CSA farms and the networks they estab- Sharing the Harvest: A Guide to Com- the number was based on extrapolating from lish are in so many ways a positive, creative munity Supported Agriculture by Elizabeth California to the nation. This could be prob- response to the swift and fundamental Henderson and Robyn Van En brought lematic, he cautioned, because of differences changes taking place in the world, in our the story of CSA to a diverse audience, in land rent, structure, political orientations, food, and in the way the land is held and and inspired many to take a step in a new and other factors. treated. CSAs are becoming a significant direction economically, environmentally, By now of course it’s 2012, not 2009. By alternative to the industrial agrifood system. and socially. For an increasing number of all accounts, CSA has continued to prolif- An estimated 60 CSAs had come into households, CSA was being recognized as erate. The growth has been spurred by a being in the U.S. by 1990. That’s the year the an effective response to the globalization of deepening crisis of confidence in Big Ag, Big Biodynamic Farming and Gardening As- the food supply. Food and Big Chem, by a sharper sense of sociation (BDA) published the first book on Shortly thereafter the website LocalHar- economic and environmental uncertainty, the subject, Farms of Tomorrow: Community vest went online, in 2000, to become a key and as always by ideals, including a deeply Supported Farms, Farm Supported Com- resource for the buy local movement. The rooted desire to eat clean and healthy food, munities by Trauger Groh and this writer. website is a searchable directory of CSAs, and to do something positive for the earth. The activity of the BDA, the book, and the farmers markets, and other local food According to director Erin Barnett, as of advocacy of Robyn Van En, helped spur sources. January 2012 LocalHarvest had 4,571 active growth through the 1990s so that by the Eventually, in 2007, the federal govern- CSAs listed in their directory. With ten years year 2000 the number of CSAs in the U.S. ment took a crack at a national count of of experience observing the scene, Barnett was about 1,000. CSAs through a question on the Agricultur- estimates that the LocalHarvest listings in- In the latter part of the 1990s and the al Census. They came up with the number of clude 65-70% of all the CSAs in the U.S. She first decade of the new millennium, the 12,549. That stunned most observers. It was and her colleagues also believe that the direc- impetus from the developing local food more than three times greater than anyone tory’s growth rate over the years has tended movement and from economic uncertain- had imagined. to mirror that of CSAs in general. By CSA continued on page 9 5 Watergate rently used to extract DHA algal oil for use conduct a formal ethics investigation of Mr. in products such as Horizon milk. Friedman’s conduct. Martek again brought in William J. “The dog and pony show put on by Continued from page 1 Friedman, with the powerful Washington Martek and their largest customer, Dean law firm of Covington and Burling, to lead Foods, was without precedent in the organic The former NOP director’s decision their approval process. Friedman appeared industry,” said Alexis Baden-Mayer, Political was reversed in April 2010. But instead of to deliberately mislead NOSB members Director of the Organic Consumers Associa- immediately ordering the removal of these into believing that the powdered form of tion, who was present in Savannah. unapproved synthetics from organic food, Martek’s DHA oil was not covered in the The only scientists who testified at the the Obama/Vilsack administration at meeting on the DHA issue were all on the USDA delayed enforcement by 18 Martek’s payroll, and focused on research months. showing benefits of consuming naturally “It is unacceptable that these mate- occurring omega-3 fatty acids (such as rials are still in organic food and that those found in fish and breast milk), corporations think they can manipu- while ignoring the preponderance of late the system and get away with it,” published peer-reviewed research that said Kastel. shows that these health benefits are not Last December, the National gained from consuming Martek’s novel, Organic Standards Board (NOSB), ISTO manufactured DHA additive. the expert panel set up by Congress CKPH Dean Foods, Martek’s largest cus- O to advise the USDA Secretary on TO tomer, brought in a well-known web- organic matters, narrowly approved pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, who has Legions of paid lobbyists, scientists, and the Martek petitions for their versions acted as a public relations agent endors- lawyers were in attendance at Decem- of DHA and ARA. “All hell broke loose at ing Horizon brand organic milk with the ber’s NOSB meeting. “The dog and pony the meeting in Savannah as the controversy added Martek DHA oils. show put on by Martek and their largest grew extremely heated,” Kastel noted. Although Dr. Greene represented himself customer, Dean Foods, was without Cornucopia’s complaint to the OIG as a “consultant,” simply answering ques- precedent in the organic industry,” said alleges that Martek misrepresented their tions for Dean Foods, and stated he had Alexis Baden-Mayer of the Organic Con- novel, synthetic products and manipulated previously worked for two other organic sumers Association. the vote by the NOSB. companies, he failed to disclose his multiple “Martek oils, marketed under the conflicts of interest in commenting on the Life’sDHA™ brand and included in organic petition, when he said, “That’s not the benefits of Martek’s manufactured DHA infant formula, milk, and baby food, are petitioned material.” This particular product supplements. processed with petrochemical solvents like formulation includes a number of additional According to Cornucopia’s research, hexane or isopropyl alcohol, both of which synthetic materials that have never been Greene has also accepted compensation are explicitly banned in organic production,” reviewed or approved for use in organics. from Mead Johnson, the largest convention- explains Charlotte Vallaeys, Cornucopia’s “Mr. Friedman’s statement thus appears al infant formula manufacturer, to promote Director of Farm and Food Policy. patently false in an apparent attempt to in- Martek’s DHA oil in their products, and Although Martek told the board that they tentionally mislead the NOSB,” Cornucopia’s even has his own product line of nutritional would discontinue the use of the controver- Kastel said. “This apparent subterfuge led, in supplements that include Martek DHA, sial neurotoxic solvent n-hexane for DHA/ turn, to the NOSB’s failure to review other marketed by Twinlabs with his name and ARA processing, they did not disclose what aspects of these materials which would have photograph on the product package. other synthetic solvents would be substi- disqualified them, under law, for inclusion Said Lisa Graves, Executive Director tuted. Federal organic standards prohibit the in organic food.” of the Center for Media and Democracy/ use of all synthetic/petrochemical solvents, In addition to the letter to the OIG, PRWatch, “It is unconscionable that a physi- including isopropyl alcohol, which is cur- Cornucopia has requested that the D.C. Bar cian, who accepted money from a big 6 drug company to promote synthetic Designer Organics DHA—which many believe promotes the use of baby formula at the expense of the nutrients in breast feeding—failed to dis- Holism Not High-Tech Should Guide Policy close such a gross conflict of interest when he testified before the governmental body on certified ‘organic’ standards.” Graves’ For decades, agrochemical companies organic foods would have been squarely, organization helps expose corporate PR selling synthetic fertilizers have em- soundly, and resolutely rejected. Instead, tactics. braced a reductionist view of the natural 10 out of 15 NOSB members voted in Although the FDA has dismissed world that fails to recognize the complexity favor—one more than was needed to keep complaints about the safety of Martek of a farm’s biological systems. These corpo- the synthetic nutrients off the National products in infant formula, reports persist rations profiting from the sale of synthetic List of Approved Substances. fertilizers view from parents and healthcare providers of the soil not as if Martek’s genetically mutated oils are infants experiencing serious gastrointestinal it were alive, but symptoms from consuming Martek’s DHA as a machine— poster children for what Michael Pollan and ARA oils. just fill it up with After this controversy became promi- nent in the media, a number of companies petrochemical calls “edible food-like substances.” nutrients and removed the controversial ingredients from watch the plants their organic products. These brands include grow. ZenSoy organic soymilk, Plum Organics In 1943, Sir Albert Howard, one of the Rejecting this simplistic worldview, of baby foods, and NuGo nutrition bars. founding fathers of the organic movement, course, is nothing new to organic farm- The Cornucopia Institute has sent a wrote that “the approach to the problems ers. Organic farmers are working with formal briefing paper on these matters to all of farming must be made from the field, complex natural processes rather than members of the National Organic Standards not from the laboratory.” Today, Martek’s attempting foolhardily to conquer them Board. “We are asking the NOSB to reopen hired scientists and celebrity physicians with technological fixes. This perspective their deliberations and consider rescinding suggest that the only way to save our is so ingrained in the organic community their approval of Martek nutritional oils,” nation from declining consumption of that the federal organic standards prohibit Kastel explained. “If the board fails to act healthy omega-3 fats is by inserting their all petrochemical fertilizers and all but a now, protecting the integrity of organics, it manufactured nutrients, developed in a handful of synthetic ones. risks changing the working definition of the laboratory and manufactured in a factory, Yet, at the most recent meeting of organic seal and degrading its value in the using synthetic chemicals. ■ the USDA’s National Organic Standards eyes of consumers.” Martek, and its largest organic Board, the debate around synthetic, —Will Fantle customer, Dean Foods, used the same manufactured nutrients added to organic Access an ACTION ALERT at tactics exploited decades ago by chemical processed foods never even considered companies peddling synthetic nutrients www.cornucopia.org if you wish to whether this policy should be guided for the soil. urge the National Organic Standards by the same holistic values that led the First, they framed the debate in terms organic community to reject synthetic Board to reevaluate its approval of of reductionist science. Rather than nutrients for the soil. the Martek materials. Cornucopia’s viewing the human body as a complex If the same principles that guide interconnected biological system, they new ONLINE GUIDE lists foods, organic farmers in feeding their soil were view it in the same mechanistic way that a including infant formula, that contain to guide organic food processors, Martek chemical company views the soil. Biosciences Corporation’s petitions to al- Martek’s DHA. See the website Second, Martek framed the science low DHA and ARA oils (fermented from around the simplistic notion that our bodies under Scorecards. algae and fungus) as added nutrients for are lacking one particular nutrient. Then Continued on page 8 7 Designer Organics Finally, like agrochemical companies, Martek’s oils to organic foods could help Martek greenwashes its products. By repeat- solve it. About that, he couldn’t be more ing over and over that its oils are “sustain- wrong. able,” people at the NOSB meeting appar- Susan Allport, who documented the ently started believing it. Yes, the Martek story of omega-3s in her book The Queen of scientists admit petrochemical solvents are Fats, has the following advice to bring the needed to produce the oils. But nobody level of omega-3s back in balance in our seemed to question the sustainability of a diets: eat lots of fruits and vegetables; con- “food” that will no longer be available when sume oils that have a healthy ratio of omega- we run out of petrochemicals. 3s and omega-6s (like olive and coconut); In reality, like the soil on our farms, what avoid hydrogenated oils; eat a wide variety the human body needs for optimal health is of fish; choose grass-fed meat and milk; eat more complex than Martek would have us omega-3 enriched eggs. believe. This advice honors the “Food Rules” OTO According to leading omega-3 expert identified by best-selling author Michael H CKP Artemis Simopoulos, the root of the prob- Pollan, whose first sensible guidance is O IST lem is that our food supply “is greatly out of to “eat food” rather than rely on “highly Continued from page 7 whack.” Omega-3s in our diet originate in processed concoctions designed by food the chloroplasts of plants and algae, so green scientists.” Martek’s oils are poster children its scientists set about convincing people foods are a good source of omega-3s, or a for what Pollan calls “edible food-like sub- that their corporation provides the solu- good starting point for animal products. stances.” tion. Martek’s scientists told the NOSB that When animals feed on greens, like salmon Allport also points out that the advice to if people who eat lots of fish or babies who on algae, cows on pasture, or chickens on eat more fish is popular with food corpora- drink breastmilk are healthier, and fish and greens, the food products these animals tions because it lets them off the hook for breastmilk contain DHA, then its manufac- give us also have a much higher level of changing the food system away from mono- tured and isolated DHA added to fishless omega-3s and a better balance of omega-3s cultured grains that are the basis of every- diets or infant formula must be just as to omega-6s. thing from beef to eggs (livestock feed) to beneficial as the real thing. As a nation, our diets are deficient in processed foods (oils and sweeteners), and Fertilizer companies perfected this tactic omega-3s because our agricultural policies back to diverse farming, grass-based animal decades ago, when they managed to con- and food processing techniques encourage husbandry, and real food. vince the majority of our nation’s farmers to the use of seeds, especially corn, as the basis Our nutritional crisis will not be solved ignore the complexity of the soil and hone of so much of our food supply. by throwing in select designer, manufac- in on just a handful of isolated nutrients. With fast foods and processed foods tured nutrients in our current food sup- When the goal is selling a manufactured based almost exclusively on seed crops like ply any more than dousing the soil on a nutrient, whether for the soil or the human corn and wheat, and the vast majority of monoculture farm with synthetic fertilizers body, it is necessary to ignore interconnect- animals in factory farms eating seed crops will solve crises of soil health. It will take a edness and pretend that simply adding a as well, our nation’s omega-3 deficiency is change in the way we farm and eat, much manufactured solution can restore health. indeed a serious public health problem. like an organic farmer changes the entire Next, Martek aimed to create a sense In his role as a Dean Foods corporate system of farming to restore true soil health. of dependence—as if their algal oils are spokesperson, Dr. Alan Greene, a media Organic farmers have rejected the high- the only source of omega-3s—in much the celebrity, told the Board in his testimony tech, quick fix approaches to agriculture. same way that chemical companies say that “we are living in a time of nutritional Martek Biosciences Corporation is the they “saved” farmers from low yield and crisis for our children. The way we have epitome of the high-tech, quick fix approach unhealthy soil. While good for profits, this been feeding them is not working.” He is to nutrition. Yet 10 NOSB members have dependence on corporations for the health ■ right about that. But he then suggested to said, “Welcome to organics, Martek.” of our soil and our bodies is anything but the Board that allowing corporations to add —Charlotte Vallaeys sensible or sustainable. 8 MOSES Honors Iowa Dairy PH O TO C O Thickes Named Farmers of the Year U R TESY O F RA been presented to an organic farmer or The dairyman also has received many D IA farm family whose practices exemplify awards, including the Spencer Award for N C E D outstanding land stewardship, innovation, Sustainable Agriculture from the Leop- A IRY and outreach. old Center, the Sustainable Agriculture Cornucopia policy advisor Francis Thicke and The Thickes serve as the “community Achievement Award from the Practical his wife, Susan, own and operate an 80-cow grass-based organic dairy in Iowa. dairy” of this southeastern Iowa college Farmers of Iowa, and the Steward of the town, marketing 100% of the production Land Award from the Iowa Sierra Club. The 2012 Midwest Organic and Sus- of their Jersey herd within four miles of Francis has been a Fellow of the Kel- tainable Education Service (MOSES) the farm. They process their milk on the logg Food and Society Fellows program Organic Farmer of the Year honorees are farm and sell bottled milk, cheese, and (2002–2004) and a 2010 candidate for Francis and Susan Thicke, owners and yogurt through local grocery stores and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. operators of Radiance Dairy in Fairfield, restaurants. The Thickes join Cornucopia board Iowa. Francis, who has a Ph.D. in soil fertility, member Dave Minar, who, with wife Flor- The award was given during the 23rd has served in many leadership positions, ence, also was named MOSES Farmer of annual MOSES Organic Farming Confer- including on the Iowa Environmental the Year, in 2007, along with Cornucopia ence in La Crosse, Wis. Held at the end of Protection Commission, the Iowa Food policy advisors Tony Azevedo and Tom February, it is the largest organic farming Policy Council, and the Organic Farming Willey, both California farmers, who have conference in the country, with over 3,000 Research Foundation Board. He joined received similar recognition at the annual attendees. Since 2003, the annual MOSES Cornucopia’s formal policy advisory panel EcoFarm Conference. ■ Organic Farmer of the Year Award has in 2010. —Mark Kastel CSA “Community farming is In the overall context of 2012, of the burgeoning Occupy movement, and of the about the necessary renewal Continued from page 5 ongoing emergence of CSA, some words that of agriculture through the this calculation, there could be well over Trauger Groh and I wrote back in 1990 still 6,500 active CSAs in the U.S. healthy linkage with the resonate: However, in recent years not all of the “CSA is not just another clever, new ap- human community. ” initiatives claiming the name “CSA” are proach to marketing for farmers. Rather, actually entwined with a real community. farmer, you are not in a CSA.” In an inter- community farming is about the necessary re- Many are aggregators, who secure food from view Balliett told me, “Sure, fake CSAs offer newal of agriculture through its healthy link- near and far, and then distribute to house- greater flexibility in food choices, but all the age with the human community that depends holds, establishing only the barest sem- other benefits of CSAs are tossed out.” upon farming for survival. From experience blance of community involvement with a Still, CSA, however it is implemented, con- we also see the potential of community farm- farm or the farmers, and likewise little direct tinues to grow. Notes Barnett, “Whether it’s the ing as the basis for a renewal of the human ■ farm involvement with a community. economy or the availability of oil, how crops relationship with the earth.” Longtime CSA farmer Allan Balliett are grown and where, or whatever, people will —Steven McFadden co-authored the first book of Sheperdstown, West Virginia has even very likely be turning to their neighbors for a on CSA in the U.S., Farms of Tomorrow, with Traugher Groh. More recently, he is the author of The Call of the started a Facebook page on this theme, network of support. That’s where CSA stands Land: An Agrarian Primer for the 21st Century (www. provocatively titled “If you don’t know your right now as a wise response.” thecalloftheland.com). 9 NOSB Report the Board with products lauded PHO for their quality. TO C O The Board also voted on rec- UR Board Rules on Animal ommendations for animal wel- TESY O fare standards. Covered porches F FREY V Welfare, Wine Sulfites for poultry will no longer count INEYA as “outdoor access,” as required RD S, W by organic law. Should this W W At its annual meeting in December, recommendation be adopted . FREY W the National Organic Standards by the USDA, industrial-scale IN E.C O Board (NOSB) rejected the petition producers like the Country Hen, M to allow synthetic preservatives (sulfur diox- Kreher’s, and Herbruck’s that ide) in organic wine. Cornucopia’s policy team offer their hens no access to the Frey Vineyards, the first organic winery in the U.S., uses no hailed the decision as a victory for the organic outdoors/soil/vegetation will have sulfites in its wine. Here, Andy Power harvests grapes at the Mendocino County, California ranch. community and especially for organic wine- difficulty qualifying as “organic.” makers, who have been producing award-win- The Board also adopted “The minimum of 2 square feet is not ning organic wine for decades. Cornucopia outdoor space requirements for organic enough to protect the land, ensure ad- worked with a strong contingent of wine- chickens, recommending 2 to 5 square equate vegetation in the outdoor run, and makers who illustrated the lack of a need for feet for laying hens and as little as 1 conform to consumer expectation and the preservatives by hosting a wine reception for square foot for broilers. legal requirement that organic livestock be allowed to exhibit their natural instinctive behaviors,” said Cornucopia’s Charlotte Groups Oppose “Ag-Gag” Rule Vallaeys, Director of Food and Farm Policy. The minimum indoor space require- ment in the NOSB’s final recommendation Twenty-seven national groups representing a is 2 square feet for laying hens. wide spectrum of public interests have signed The NOSB also recommended that pul- on to a statement opposing proposed “ag-gag” lets do not have to go outside until they are legislation that is being considered in states around at least 16 weeks old. After being moved the country. The bills seek to criminalize investiga- to the laying house, the birds can then be tions that reveal animal abuse and could suppress confined for up to 5 weeks to get used to critical information about the production of animal “nesting,” meaning that most birds will products on agricultural facilities. probably not have outdoor access until 21 Cornucopia took this photo of an The Cornucopia Institute, an ardent supporter “organic” aviary system in Wisconsin. weeks of age. Many hens remain in produc- of livestock agriculture, is among the organizations tion for only one year. that signed on to the statement. The groups represent animal protection, civil liberties, In a positive move, the Board recom- environmental, health, food safety, and workers’ concerns. mended that mature swine must be on The statement is being provided to lawmakers who are currently reviewing ag-gag pasture during the “grazing” season, with a legislation, now under consideration in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, pasture that consists of at least 25% vegeta- Nebraska, New York, and Utah. In addition to industrial farms, these bills have the tive cover. potential to shield slaughter plants and puppy mills from legitimate investigations. The Board announced it would continue Undercover farm investigations have led to the disclosure of crucial health and wel- its work on animal welfare at the next fare information and many groundbreaking reforms, including a ban on cruel confine- NOSB meeting, to be held May 21–24 in ■ ment systems in California, the closure of a massive slaughterhouse that was shipping Albuquerque, New Mexico. —Will Fantle meat from sick animals to public schools, and the development of humane slaughter ■ protocols. 10