This has actually happened--and it should have saved lives.
One of the contaminated spinach problems that occurred years ago was on
a supposedly organic farm that met technical NOSB requirements, but was so
obviously dirty that the certifier used his (or her) discretion and revoked
their right to use the organic label. "Certification denied."
Unfortunately, the USDA allows companies to use up their old packaging
in such circumstances, and the spinach that made people sick came from such
a package.
To me, the important part was that the certifier was looking at
EVERYTHING and tried to stop dirty food from getting out under an organic
label.
On a side note, I would not trust any kind of labeling on any Chinese
product right now.....
---McG
----- Original Message -----
From: "Diana Liu" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 1:09 PM
Subject: [Community_garden] NYT blog: Organic Inspectors Are Told to
ReportHealth Problems
Not sure how this may impact the local growers and distributors. I don't
think much. Do they have organic inspectors for produce coming from other
countries? I heard that there would be Food Drug Administration (FDA)
inspectors in other countries such as China.
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http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5075516&acct=nopgeninfo
Organic Inspectors Are Told to Report Health Problems
By Kim Severson
The United States agriculture department, obviously concerned that
some of the peanuts and peanut products recalled from
salmonella-contaminated plants in Georgia and Texashad been certified
organic, has told inspectors for the National Organic Program (NOP)
that they must report health or safety violations to local, state of
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manufacturers to call their products organic and to use the
agriculture department’s organic seal. It oversees inspections, mostly
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.
- Lao Tzu
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;
courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”
- Winston Churchill
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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