In the News

Congress Upholds Organic Standard

Thank you to all who contacted your representatives about the recent attack on the new organic standard. We recently received the following letter from California Democrat Sam Farr's office.

(Washington, DC) B A special interest rider to the Appropriations Omnibus of 2003 that had the effect of gutting the organic standard for livestock has been repealed. The language, known as Section 771, allowed organic farmers to use conventional feedstock to cultivate "organic" livestock unless a forthcoming USDA report states that organic feedstock costs less than twice that of conventional feed.

"I am pleased that our efforts to repeal Section 771 of the Omnibus were successful in eliminating the exemption for conventional feed to be used in organic livestock production," said Rep. Sam Farr (D-Carmel). "This action will restore the integrity to the Organic Label. Creating the organic standard has been an ongoing process that started with a few growers right here in Santa Cruz and led to the implementation of the national rule in October of last year. Now, with this language repealed, the consumer can know what they're getting."

A bi-partisan, bi-cameral effort, led by Rep. Farr and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) repealed the language of section 771 by the passage of the supplemental appropriations bill this past Saturday in both Chambers of Congress."

Sarah J. Rosen, Press Secretary
Office of U.S. Rep. Sam Farr
1221 Longworth H.O.B., Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2861

Gaviotas Retreat With Paolo Lugari

Registration for the Gaviotas retreat with Paolo Lugari is now open at www.friendsofgaviotas.org/2003retreat.htm.

This special three-day gathering with Paolo Lugari will explore the magic that sustains the well of imagination, creativity, and innovation in this remarkable village in Colombia.

For 30 years, Gaviotas has been an oasis of peace in a country ravaged by violence. Inventors, artists, peasants, and former street kids have joined with the Guahibo people in Colombia's barren savannah and accomplished the extraordinary. They have:

- achieved energy self-sufficiency,
- established zero-emissions industries,
- created a hospital and medicinal plant research center,
- reforested 36,000 acres and reintroduced biodiversity,
- and governed themselves with remarkable equanimity.

How did they defy the limits of the possible, and how can we do the same? Come join us in exploring a path of hope.

Pests Found to Thrive on Genetically Modified Bt Crops

New research by scientists at Imperial College London and the Universidad Simon Rodrigues in Caracas, suggests that pests not only become resistant to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), an important pest control utilized in organic farming, through exposure to crops modified to contain the naturally occurring toxin, but they might actually thrive on it.

Resistant larvae of the diamondback moth, an increasingly destructive pest in the tropics and southern US, were fed untreated cabbage leaves as well as leaves treated with Bt. To the surprise of even those opposed to the use of the toxin in genetic modification, the larvae eating the treated leaves exhibited a 56 percent higher growth rate.

This research suggests that crops genetically modified to contain the toxin, may pose an even greater threat to organic agriculture than originally thought.

There are currently over 100 million acres of Bt crops planted annually throughout the world, primarily corn and cotton.