Release No. 0426.00

BY
SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN
RELEASE OF FINAL NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS
WASHINGTON, DC -- DECEMBER 20, 2000

[As prepared for delivery]

"Good morning. It's a great pleasure to be here to announce the release of the final rule on national organic standards.

"I am proud to say that these are the strictest, most comprehensive organic standards in the world. We said that we would deliver standards that could be embraced by farmers, industry and consumers alike...and we have done exactly that. I am confident that our work will lead to even greater growth and opportunity in what is already a $6 billion dollar organic food industry.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank Under Secretary Mike Dunn, Deputy Under Secretary Enrique Figueroa, and especially Kathleen Merrigan, Mike Fernandez and Keith Jones and their team at the Agricultural Marketing Service. Their outstanding, exhaustive, painstaking work made this day possible. Let me also single out Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Rich Rominger, who grows organic crops on his family farm, and the National Organic Standards Board, led by Carolyn Brickey. And I'm also pleased that the Senate's leading champion of organic agriculture, Senator Pat Leahy, could be here.

"This has been a true public-private partnership. The standards are as so sound because we have worked with consumer and environmental advocates, with organic farmers like Amy and Travis Forgues, and with industry leaders like Katherine DiMatteo of the Organic Trade Association.

"These new standards are a win for both farmers and consumers. For farmers, the standards create clear guidelines for how to take advantage of the exploding demand for organic products. For consumers, the organic standards offer another choice in the marketplace. Those who want to buy organic can do so with the confidence of knowing exactly what it is that they're buying.

"I want to talk for a minute about how we reached this final rule, because I think the process is critical to the strength of the standards.

"There's a misperception, I think, about how government rules are drawn up. Some people believe that it's done behind closed doors, without accountability or public input. The reality is that it is a transparent, fully inclusive process, and the drafting of the organic standards was no different. In fact, the organic standards represent government rule-making at its very best. They are the product of a full-throated public debate.

"When the proposed rule was first released three years ago, the public response was staggering -- 275,603 comments, more than one comment for every minute of the public comment period. The people spoke; we listened; and we responded by dramatically changing the rule last March. Most notably, we revised the standards to say that no food could be called organic if irradiation, sewage sludge, or genetic engineering was used in its production.

"Before finalizing the rule, we submitted it for another round of public comment, resulting in additional changes, some of which I want to highlight for you:

• For a product to be labeled "Made With Organic Ingredients", its ingredients must now be 70 percent organic, as opposed to the 50 percent minimum proposed in the March version of the rule. This change will be an important step in facilitating international trade, as the 70 percent threshold is consistent with the standard used in the European Union, our top organic export market.
• We have added "commercial availability provisions", which require handlers to use organic ingredients in organic products whenever possible. In other words, it's no longer enough for a product labeled "Organic" to have at least 95 percent organic ingredients. Now, on top of that, its remaining ingredients must also be organic, if that's possible given what's available in the marketplace.
• We are now allowing handlers to post their products' exact percentage of organic content on the primary display label. The idea here is that the ability to boast a specific number will encourage more folks to use more organic ingredients.

"Let me be clear about one other thing. The organic label is a marketing tool. It is not a statement about food safety. Nor is "organic" a value judgment about nutrition or quality. USDA is not in the business of choosing sides, of stating preferences for one kind of food, one set of ingredients or one means of production over any other. As long as rigorous government safety standards are being met, we stand ready to do what we can to help support any farmer and help market any kind of food.

"Today, we're also announcing a new cost-share program that will help small producers in 15 states receive the organic certification required by the new standards. About half of the nation's organic farmers are not currently certified. This new initiative allows the government to pay 70 percent of a producer's certification costs or $500, whichever is higher.

"But there's still more we can do and are doing to invest in this industry that is just now coming of age. We are exploring the feasibility of marketing organic fruits and vegetables through USDA marketing order programs. We must also devote more resources to organic agriculture research.

"As we look ahead to a new farm bill in the next year or two, I believe it must address the growing importance of organic agriculture. It won't be enough to renew the same old programs, which support the same crops in the same parts of the country. We need a more innovative approach, which recognizes, promotes and nurtures the growing diversity of American agriculture. And organic production is very much a part of that diversity.

"We have completed this rule. Now it's time to take the next steps...to fully embrace organic agriculture and gives it a more prominent role in the farm policy of the 21^st century. Thank you."