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IMPORTANT
NOTE: The OCA would
like to thank everyone who has been involved in
our Coming Clean campaign. As of August 24, 2005,
we are happy to announce a major victory in this
campaign! Our advice to consumers, from this point
forward, is to look for personal care products
that carry the USDA Organic Seal. As with food
products, this is now the best way for consumers
to be able to distinguish true organic products
with the highest percentage of organic ingredients
from those products with lower organic ingredient
content and/or those containing any range of synthetic
ingredients.
 There
are still no regulations that keep unethical body
care companies from making fraudulent "organic"
labeling claims outside of the USDA organic certification
process. In other words, the National Organic
Program will only be regulating products that
meet the stringent standards that allow them to
carry the "USDA Certified Organic" symbol.
As a consumer, if you purchase a body care product
that claims to be organic but does not have the
USDA certified organic symbol, you have no way
of knowing how much (or how little) organic content
that product actually has . The OCA will continue
to fight to stop mislabeling outside of the NOP.
In the meantime, look for the "USDA Organic"
symbol.
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BREAKING NEWS! USDA Yields in Battle Over Access of
Personal Care to National Organic Program
Organic Non-Food Products Qualify
Says USDA
*FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
CONTACT:
Craig Minowa 320-237-0432
or Adam Eidinger 202-744-2671
ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
WWW.ORGANICCONSUMERS.ORG
*August
24, 2005** *
WASHINGTON, DC - On the eve of a deadline
requiring the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP)
to respond to a federal court complaint filed in June
by the *Organic Consumers Association* *(OCA),* representing
more than 500,000 members, and *Dr. Bronner's Magic
Soaps* */ **Dr. Bronner's
& Sun Dog's Magic* (www.drbronnersundog.com),
the USDA has directed in a memo to organic certifiers
that _certified non-food products specifically including
personal care may represent that they are NOP certified
"organic" or "made with organic,"
and display the USDA organic seal, so long as such products
are certified to meet the NOP standards for organic
agricultural products.
"We are pleased that USDA has decided
to follow the law and promote the interests of consumers
by recognizing that certified organic producers are
indeed able to access the NOP program and display the
USDA organic seal," said Joe Sandler, the lead
attorney handling the complaint. USDA NOP's directive
puts to rest the USDA's attempt earlier this year to
prevent certified organic non-food products from accessing
the NOP program and displaying the USDA organic seal.
This would have reversed the USDA's long-standing policy
that explicitly /invited/ companies to certify non-food
products to NOP standards and earn the USDA organic
seal. Such a reversal would have destroyed good faith
investments while depriving consumers of the ability
to tell the difference between a mislabeled or misbranded
"organic" personal care product from a bona
fide NOP certified organic product.
The complaint, which will likely be
withdrawn by OCA/Dr. Bronner's following settlement
talks over the next 30 days, was part of OCA's
Coming Clean Campaign for strong organic standards,
under which thousands of consumers and hundreds of businesses
have been mobilized. "This is a major victory for
organic consumers who rely on NOP certification to ensure
that their personal care and other non-food consumable
products like pet foods contain real organic ingredients
free from unnecessary synthetic ingredients," said
Ronnie Cummins, OCA founder and National Director.
"Thanks to USDA's wise decision,
brands such as Dr. Bronner's & Sun Dog's Magic that
support organic agriculture and farmers with all the
integrity the National Organic Program intends, can
continue to display the USDA organic seal," said
David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's/Sun Dog that
manufacturers certified organic lotions, balms and soaps
made with organic oils. "We look forward to an
amicable settlement of our lawsuit against the USDA
and are thrilled to have played a part in preserving
NOP access for certified non-food products." Lynn
Betz, Founder and President of *Sensibility
Soaps* that produces over 20 certified organic personal
care products, stated: "I commend NOP Administrator
Barbara Robinson and USDA's 'change of heart' in regards
to certifying personal care products under the National
Organic Program. Supporting the integrity of certified
organic claims in the marketplace is of immeasurable
benefit to organic consumers, farmers and suppliers
as well as organic personal care manufacturers."
Congresswoman Melissa Hart (R-PA) in
whose district Sensibility Soaps is located was a leading
champion for organic consumers and industry in Congress
to ensure that access to the NOP would be preserved
for qualified non-food products. In a letter Rep. Hart
stated, "In addition to business concerns it is
important for consumers to see the USDA organic seal
when selecting personal care products because many individuals
who purchase organic products do so because they are
allergic to certain processed ingredients that are often
in non-organic products." Other organic caucus
members in Congress were also very supportive. The OCA's
campaign was endorsed by Friends
of the Earth and Health
Care Without Harm. Other organizations and businesses
that played an important role in the USDA's decision
included: the Organic
Trade Association, California
Certified Organic Farmers, Terressentials
and the American
Herbal Products Association.
Related
Documents :
###
 The
Organic Consumers Association has built a coalition
of over 400 organic businesses and thousands of consumers
who support the position of the Coming Clean campaign.
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The
OCA believes that organic body care standards
should mirror organic food standard. This means
that:
-
Certified organic agricultural feedstocks
are utilized in the manufacture of the key
basic cleansing and conditioning ingredients,
versus petroleum or conventional feedstocks.
-
Manufacture of such ingredients is ecological.
-
The
toxicity of each ingredient is minimal
-
Non-agricultural water is not counted in any
shape or form as contributing to organic content.
See
a list of the over 400 organic
businesses who have signed on to endorse
this OCA campaign!
Thousands
of consumers
have signed on, as well!
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__________________________________
ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION · 6101 CLIFF ESTATE
ROAD · LITTLE MARAIS, MN 55614 USA Telephone:
218-226-4164 · Fax: 218-353-7652·
email: info@organicconsumers.org
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