Organic Packaging under review again

The US federal government is now writing new regulations concerning organic food packaging labeling as a result of legal challenges by an organic blueberry farmer from Maine.

Obviously the new rules are detrimental to consumers as products must be 95 percent organic in order to be qualify for the US Department of Agriculture's organic seal for packaging, but presently products with 70 percent organic ingredients are allowed to advertise on their packaging and elsewhere that they have been "made with organic ingredients".

It seems quite obvious that organic manufacturers said they might switch to the "made with" organic ingredients label that could result in less organic ingredients used which does not help the consumer by keeping healthier products in the food stream or encourage organic and more environmental sound farming methods.

In my humble opinion in order to be labeled as organic, food should be 100% organic. If I order a slice of toast, I want 100% toast, not 95% toast and 5% shoe leather. I would also refuse to eat toast that is made from 70% bread and 30% non bread ingredients.

Even though Arthur Harvey's 2002 suit with the alleged that the organic food regulations were far more lax than the original legislation intended failed, Harvey won several points on appeal including limiting the use of non-organic agricultural products in food tabled "organic." (see packaging blog article:Organic Seal results in USDA Law Suit).

Now the National Organic Standards Board, which advises the US Agriculture Department, will be meeting to discuss the ramifications of Harveys' lawsuit.