Organic Group Objects to Withdrawal of OLPP

A group of organic food producers, retailers and certifiers has published a full-page advertisement in The Washington Post containing the text of a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue expressing the group’s objection to the withdrawal of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule.

In the letter, the group says the elimination of the rule is “an affront to the many people and organizations engaged in a multi-year, transparent, and highly participatory process that resulted in an animal welfare standard overwhelmingly supported by organic farmers, organic companies, humane animal care advocates, and consumers . . . . Eliminating the rule not only fails to acknowledge innovation in the organic farming sector and provide fair and transparent rules, it also undermines the faith people have in how organic agriculture is governed.” The letter had 25 signatories, including Organic Valley, Whole Foods Market, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Humane Society of the United States and the Natural Resources Defense Council.