So now we have a uniform, federal certification program (the NOP) for organic food. Should be easy to trust that geen and white label, to know that what’s on the breakfast table was raised without chemical nasties, eh? Not so fast. The program appears to be woefully underfunded, as Andrew Martin reports:
The National Organic Program, which regulates the industry, has just nine staff members and an annual budget of $1.5 million….
Other parts of the Department of Agriculture spend roughly $28 million or so a year on organic research, data collection and farmer assistance….
With just nine employees, one of whom performs clerical duties, the National Organic Program would be lucky to effectively oversee the organic industry in Vermont, let alone the rest of the world.