Subject: Genetic Engineering Letter to National Organic Standards Board

From: "J J" <[email-masked]>
Date: 14 Sep 1996 18:08:19 GMT

For those of you concerned about this issue please download and sign this
letterand senditto the board. For those unfamiliar with the I suggest the
Natural Law Party Issues page 
http://www.natural-law.org/issues/genetics/ge_labeling_contents.html. If
this letter seems obscure it's because the devil has been cleverly placed
in the details and that's where it needs to be rooted out.  This is almost
a civil rights issue that every American should support whether you want to
eat and grow recombinant, gene spliced, genetically engineered foods or
not. 

R. Harold Ricker
National Organic Standards Board Meeting
RadisonHotel City Center/Panorama Room
31 W. Ohio St.
Indianapolis, IN  46204

Dear Mr. Ricker:

Genetically Engineered Organisms:

	The current version ofthe Codex Commission Draft Guidelines
fortheproduction, processing, labeling, and martketing of organically
produced foods includesthe statement that "products derived from
geneticallymodified organisms are not compatible with the principlesof
organic production and therefore are not accepted underthese guidelines"
	 It is my understanding that theNational Oganic Standards Act draft has
placed GEO's (genetically engineered organisms) under the "synthetic"
catagory.  This is very dangerous.  It means that along with synthetic
elements, GEO's may be cocidered on a case by case basis.  This leaves a
perpetual open door for these risky, unnatural, insufficiently tested
substances to access the organic market. 

I recommend and urge that the National Organic Standard Board redraft
thesection on genetic engineering ofthe National Organic Standard Act to
match the current version of the International Codex Guidelines. 

PRIVATE CERTIFICATION SEALS/ ORGANIC FOODS 

	I also understand that the federal government may not allow private
certifiers to exceed federal minimum standards for organic products.  
	It is very important to me to know that I have the optionto lookfor a
PRIVATE CERTIFIER SEAL on and organic product knowing the product not only
meets federal minimum andtherefore meets my personal standard which most
likely will be higher than the federal baseline.  
	After all, the government allows car manufacturers and home builders, for
example, to offer the public products that exceed federal minimum standard.
 Certainly, when it comes to the health and welfare of my family and
children I must have the freedom and the choice to purchase food that
exceeds federal minimum standards.
	As an American citizen I believe I have the right to choose what foods I
eat and feed my family, and the rightto safe alternatives to genetically
engineered foods.  The organic market must remain uncontaminated and
maintain the highest standards.  

Sincerely, 

Name 
Address

cc: Mr. Daniel Glickman, Mr. Richard Luger, Mr. Pat Roberts, Mr. Robert
Anderson, Ms. Kathleen Merrigan, Vice President Albert Gore, Jr. , Tom
Harding, 

Mr. Harold Ricker
Staff Director 
USDA AMS TMD
Room 2945 South
PO Box 96456
14th andIndependence Ave S.W.
Washington DC  20090-6456

Mr. Robert B. Anderson, Chair                  http://walnutacres.com
National Organic Standards Board
Walnut Acres Road
Penns Creek, Pennsyvania  17862

Ms. Kathleen Merrigan                             
[email-masked]
Chair, Accreditations Committee
National Organic Standards Board
517 C. St. NE
Washington DC 20250    

Mr Pat Robert, Chairman 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrician and Forestry
United States Senate
Washington DC 20510-6000

VicePresident Albert Gore, Jr
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20500

* The first three people should be written too or faxed at.  

National Organic Standards Board Meeting
Radisson Hotel City Center 
31 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN  46204

AFAx 317/638-0782