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Update on Organic Certification |
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Written by Rob Everts, Co-Executive Director
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On April 18th we notified you that the USDA had issued a new policy that threatened the organic certification of small-scale farmers the world over, including the thousands of coffee, tea, cocoa and sugar growers that are Equal Exchange's trading partners. We had asked that you sign on to a letter we and our allies had drafted and that we were going to deliver to officials at the USDA, and you responded - in less than a week 3,150 individuals and 450 organizations signed on to the letter!
We are now happy to report that the USDA has posted a statement that largely responds to our concerns, those of our farmer partners, and those of domestic organic activists, at least in the near term. This statement can be viewed at the USDA website. We will keep you posted of additional action/input needed by you as the Department proceeds to develop new regulations regarding small grower group certification in the coming year.
We want to again thank you for your support in this effort, which we believe will result in a stronger organic certification system for farmers and consumers around the world. If you have not had a chance, we want to encourage you again to read some of the letters of appreciation that we have received from these farmers whose livelihoods have been hanging in the balance. Your support has not only made a difference in this effort, but has been a source of inspiration for our farmer partners.
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