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Departments Environment Aurora Organic Dairy signs consent agreement with USDA's agricultural marketing service “The organic industry is booming and the National Organic Program is a high priority for USDA,” said Bruce I. Knight, under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, “and through this consent agreement consumers can be assured that milk labeled as organic in the supermarket is indeed organic.” Under terms of the consent agreement Aurora also must file new organic systems plans for its Platteville, Colo., and Dublin, TX, facilities. These new plans will address all of the inconsistencies between its operations and the NOP regulations identified in the Notice of Proposed Revocation. Major adjustments required at Aurora’s Platteville, Colo., facility include:
2) reducing the number of cows to a level consistent with available pasture with agreed maximum stocking densities; 3) eliminating improperly transitioned cows from its herd and not marketing those cows’ milk as organic; and 4) agreeing to use the more stringent transition process in the NOP regulations for animals added to its dairy herd. AMS initiated its investigation of Aurora based upon a complaint alleging insufficient pasture for its animals. In investigating this complaint, AMS investigators also uncovered the improper transitioning of animals and a failure to maintain adequate records. Aurora’s Platteville, Colo. and Dublin, Texas plants will be closely monitored for compliance with the provisions of the agreement. If AMS finds the terms of the consent agreement are not being met, then the agreement will be withdrawn and AMS could revoke the organic certification for Aurora’s Platteville, Colo., plant. As a result of the investigation, Aurora’s certifying agent, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), agreed earlier this year to make several changes in its operation, including attending increased NOP training and hiring additional personnel. Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990. The OFPA required the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop national standards for organically produced agricultural products to assure consumers that agricultural products marketed as organic meet consistent, uniform standards. The OFPA and the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations require that agricultural products labeled as organic originate from farms or handling operations certified by a State or private entity that has been accredited by USDA. The NOP is a marketing program housed within the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Neither the OFPA nor the NOP regulations address food safety or nutrition. Additional information about this program is available on the National Organic Program Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/nop. |
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Nation’s largest retailers accused of organic fraud Stop the Nuke Loan Bailout!: Harvey Wasserman with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! 3 reasons to stop the nuclear power bailout Eight European governments. say nuclear power is incompatible with sustainable development Bad week for Bush on climate, but what now? Aurora Dairy threatens to sue public interest groups, attempt to intimidate organic watchdogs Secret USDA enforcement action revealed Aurora Farm’s certifier found to have willfully violated NOP rules USDA finds largest organic dairy perpetrating fraud fails to levy fines or yank certification Enforcement hammer falls on nation’s largest organic factory dairy Aurora Organic Dairy signs consent agreement with USDA's agricultural marketing service C.L.E.A.N.- Community, Labor, Environmental Action Network Nuclear power: follow the money USDA cracking down on “organic” factory farms country's largest dairy likely to lose certification USDA plan to "Pasteurize" almonds has consumers going nuts Study: organic dairy and meat improves quality of mothers’ breast milk Speaking truth to power Ohio Environmental Council’s Comments on U.S. Department of Energy’s Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership A live Earth - the alternative online concert against climate change Making history in Atlanta Organic animal agriculture threatened by genetically engineered alfalfa Regulators slap Wal-Mart for misleading organic consumers Federal court orders first-ever halt to planting of a commercialized genetically-altered crop Green beacon The future of Earth Climate: time is short “Rachel Carson turns in her grave," an open letter to Patricia M. DeMarco, Director, Rachel Carson Homestead Association Target global warming, target Exxon Solartopia! An achievable vision of a sustainable future Ten simple things that you can do to save the Earth USDA and agribusiness conspire to mislead consumers Good, clean, green way to generate electricity is approved by city in San Diego County Federal judge orders first-ever moratorium on sale of genetically-altered seed Piketown, Ohio Nuclear reprocessing: dangerous, dirty, and expensive U.S. nuclear fuel reprocessing initiative Organic watchdog, USDA headed to court Listen Gore: Some inconvenient truths about the politics of environmental crisis UN climate change report on global warming Organic fraud: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. accused of widespread distortion nonorganic food products misidentified as "organic" Read Environment Articles by Year: |
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