Viewpoint: Time for reassessment of ‘privileged’ organic industry as national program head steps down

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[Editor’s Note: Hank Campbell is president of the American Council on Science and Health.]

For the last 17 years, the United States government has given organic food corporations a key ally within their halls. But things may get a little more difficult now that Miles McEvoy, deputy administrator of USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP), is stepping down.

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Miles McEvoy

What qualifies as “organic” is literally picked by organic industry lobbyists, friendly believers on a “citizen” panel, and overt evangelists like McEvoy. And they have done well, directly leading to a $120,000,000,000 worldwide industry.Their deft advocacy is also why there are dozens and dozens of exemptions that allow for synthetic ingredients and chemicals while still being labeled organic. And then a blanket exemption, where synthetic compounds can be used if there is no “organic” version. It’s why clearly non-organic compounds like pheromones on fruit crops as pesticides and animal vaccines get a hypocritical free pass.You can grow organic food with no soil in plastic containers and still be called organic. Guiding the industry through such rationalization during the organic food boom has been McEvoy.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: Miles McEvoy: Organic Marketing Is Losing A Key Government Advocate

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