FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN REVISED PROPOSED RULE ON ORGANIC STANDARDS
                                                               
                                            Release No. 0205.98

                                    Andy Solomon (202) 720-4623
                                          andy.solomon@usda.gov
                                     Brad Marman (202) 720-8998
                                         l_brad.marman@usda.gov

USDA TO MAKE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN REVISED PROPOSED RULE ON ORGANIC STANDARDS


     WASHINGTON, May 8, 1998--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced
today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will make fundamental revisions
to its proposed national organic standards as a result of the 200,000 comments
USDA received on the initial proposal.

     "USDA is committed to developing national organic standards that organic
farmers and consumers will embrace," Glickman said.  "Thousands of commenters
requested that USDA issue revised proposed standards, and we intend to do so. 
Most importantly, the revised proposal will contain fundamental changes from
our initial draft."

     The earlier draft, published on December 16, 1997, proposed standards
for growing, processing, labeling, importing, and certifying organically grown
food.  But it did not take a position on certain controversial issues;
instead, the proposal asked for public comment on these items.  The bulk of
the extraordinary number of comments opposed including the products of
biotechnology, the use of irradiation in food processing, and the application
of biosolids (municipal sludge) in organic food production.  

     "Biotechnology, irradiation, and biosolids are safe and have important
roles to play in  agriculture, but they neither fit current organic practices
nor meet current consumer expectations about organics, as the comments made
clear," said Glickman.  "Therefore, these products and practices will not be
included in our revised proposal, and food produced with these products and
practices will not be allowed to bear the organic label."

     Similarly, many of the comments asserted that national organic standards
must be rigorous and credible.  Otherwise, commenters expressed concern that
consumers will lose faith in the organic label.  

     "If organic farmers and consumers reject our national standards, we have
failed," Glickman said.  "Our task is to stimulate the growth of organic
agriculture, ensure that consumers have confidence in the products that bear
the organic label, and develop export markets for this growing industry."

     Before publishing the revised proposal, USDA will evaluate the comments
submitted in response to the December 1997 proposal.  This record will guide
the drafting of the revised proposal, which USDA will issue for public comment
later this year. 

     "This additional opportunity for public comment will assist us in
crafting rigorous, credible national standards for organic farming and
handling that organic farmers and consumers can support," said Glickman.

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