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New USDA 'Organic' Rules
Mandate Growers Use
Only Organic Seeds
http://www.purefood.o rg
From Modesto Bee - California (1-28-01)


Organic farmers will need to return to their roots in 2002 or run the risk of losing their distinction and the pricey premium that comes from producing organic food reports Richard T. Estrada. That is when the USDAs organic standards become the law of the land including the mandate that growers use organic seeds when available which up to now has been unregulated.
 
"The rules were just published a few weeks ago, so I don't think many growers realize that's in there. I doubt more than 1 percent of organic food produced in the U.S. today is being grown from organic seeds." said Joel Reiten, research and farm manager for Oregon-based Territorial Seed Co. which is one of the nation's most prominent organic seed producers but which sells most of its organic seed to European growers. "It will be interesting to see the sort of reactions when growers realize they need to use organic seeds," he said.
 
Reactions were mixed at last week's 21st Ecological Farming Conference, a four-day event that attracted nearly 800 organic farmers, buyers and retailers from across the country at Asilomar Conference Grounds. While growers are generally pleased to see tighter restrictions on what is considered organic, they question whether there is enough organic seed available. That might explain why the USDA standards come with a caveat that mirrors EU legislation.
 
The rule says they must use organic seed where it is available and that grey area could lead some growers to switch to varieties that don't have a supply of organic seeds - and thus get around the provision requiring their use a practice not unknown in Europe. There's a financial motivation to produce with conventional seeds, since organic seeds can cost an additional 25 percent or more.
 
Another variable that growers will watch with interest is enforcement of the provision. The USDA rules will be enforced by private groups that already are certifying organic growers, such as California Certified Organic Farmers and Oregon Tilth. The California group has announced that it will vigorously enforce the seed mandate, while Oregon Tilth and others have yet to announce their positions. US certifiers would be well-advised to speak to their European counterparts to prepare for the administrative burden that regulation of seed supply can bring. One UK certifier estimates that 20% of its time could be taken up with organic seed supply issues, particularly the requirement to verify non-availability of organic seed.
 
Reiten is the first to admit that it is in his interest to have the seed provision enforced, but he also pointed out that organic growers need to support businesses that cater to them.
 
"If the entire organic industry is going to come to fruition, and I'm talking about growers, seed companies and everyone else, this is necessary," Reiten said. "Europe has already taken this step, and they're building up their organic seed inventory."
 
Producing organic seeds is more expensive because the risk of loss to disease and pests is higher, and seed producers also must look for varieties that are more resistant to fungi, blight, mildew and other diseases that can devastate crops.
 
"I've got to provide something extra if I'm going to convince a grower to pay extra for organic seed," Reiten said. "We look for varieties that have a natural resistance. That's a selling point to growers who can't just spray to control a disease problem."
 
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US Organic Farming Booming
Nando Times
1-16-01
 
Nando Times reported that organic food and fibre sales are planned to reach $9.35 billion in 2001, according to the Organic Trade Association, while they were about $1 billion in 1990. Many farmers have taken their farms organic over the last ten years shifting into the U.S. agriculture's mainstream. Ecological Farming Association said organic farming is the most rapidly increasing U.S. food industry's segment.

 
 
 
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