The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Organics at a Crossroads

From the Organic Consumer's Association
listadmin@ORGANICCONSUMERS.ORG


"Regime change" seems to be in the air this fall; whether we are talking about personal lifestyle changes, converting the marketplace, or transforming the political arena. Millions are saying "No!" to junk foods, frankenfoods, pesticides, industrial agriculture, and the general "Wal-Martization" of American life.

Hopeful trends, such as the growth of the organic food and holistic health sector, suggest that a critical mass of consumers are beginning to comprehend that our personal and family's health and well-being are directly related to what we eat and drink, what we breathe into our lungs, and what we wear or apply to our skin.

In terms of organic food, demand is growing so fast that most grocery items sold in North American and European supermarkets will likely be labeled "organic" within 20 years. The question is, how "organic" will they be? Genetically engineered crops, namely corn, canola, cotton, and soybeans, are already starting to contaminate the fields and seed stocks of organic and traditional indigenous farmers. Big corporations are lining up to buy out organic companies, monopolize retail outlets, and work with government bureaucrats to lower organic standards. http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/save090604.cfm

The biotech and agri-toxics lobby are planting stories in the press, claiming that organic foods are neither safer nor better than industrial foods. http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/attack090704.cfm


Congress doles out $25 billion a year to subsidize biotech and industrial agriculture, while family farmers, who desperately need help to convert to organic and sustainable practices, are getting next to nothing.

And finally, global treaties such as NAFTA and the WTO are programmed for disaster, designed to enthrone biotech and industrial agriculture, while driving two billion farmers and rural villagers off the land and into urban slums. http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/slums090604.cfm

• We need to meet up and move together, as a massive organic consumer bloc and body politic, and change course.
• We need to raise significant funds and raise mass consciousness.
• We need to reward the farmers, the organic companies, and the politicians who are doing the "right thing," and put the "Biodevastators" on notice that regime change is coming.

What You Can Do:
Vote with your consumer dollar! By supporting products and businesses that are established on the principles of Fair Trade and sustainable agriculture, you're putting your money where your mouth is. One way you can save money, support positive products, and the OCA, all at the same time, is by purchasing a $10 OCA Organic Coupon book, containing up to $400 worth of savings on nationally distributed products (for a detailed list of coupons, click here).

Please give us your support now, so we can expand our nationwide public education and mobilization activities... both before and after the upcoming November elections.


Save money and help the OCA by buying one or more of the OCA's Organic Coupon Books for $10 (up to $400 in savings). See a detailed list of the coupons here:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/coupons/index.cfm

Host an OCA House Party and show the new highly acclaimed film, "The Future of Food," by Debra Koons Garcia.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/party.htm

Donate: All contributions are tax-deductible.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/donation.htm

Stay tuned to Organic Bytes and our website http://www.organicconsumers.org/ for the latest news and developments.

Bon Appetit,

Ronnie Cummins

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
6101 Cliff Estate Road
Little Marais, MN 55614
Phone: (218) 226-4164
Fax: (218) 353-7652