New Management at USDA Reforms, Strengthens National Organic Program
WASHINGTON, DC: After an extensive audit and investigation of alleged improprieties at the USDA’s National Organic Program, the agency’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) made public their formal report, dated March 9, substantiating the allegations of prominent organic industry watchdog groups — that under the Bush administration, the USDA did an inadequate job of enforcing federal organic law.
Since 2002, when the USDA adopted the federal organic regulations, the agency has been plagued by underfunding and a number of scandals and complaints about its cozy relationship with agribusiness interests and lobbyists.
While I'm happy to hear that things are getting better under the Obama administration, one way to avoid putting your trust in a corporatocracy is to know and support your local farmers. Join a CSA. Buy produce at your local farmer's market. I'm sure that even un-certified local growers are more organic than some of the big companies that helped keep George W Bush in the White House for 8 years.
This is, of course, par for the course for the Bush administration. They had foxes guarding the hen houses in all departments of the Executive branch. I'm sure we'll be finding out all kinds of ways that the American people were duped, ripped-off, lied to, harmed, and even killed in order to boost the bottom line of some international conglomerate.
Oh, wait. We already have, haven't we? That was the whole Bush raison d'ĂȘtre.
3 comments:
Somehow this is unsurprising.
Lacking the nads to approve that last comment? Loser.
No lack of 'nads here, Fred. Just lack of a comment from you...
Post a Comment