| There are now two dueling sites by two very different (but similarly named) organizations. Organic Consumers Association has launched Stop Vilsack, and Organic Trade Association (and others, including a top Vilsack aid) replied with Support Vilsack... and included a page trashing OCA. What's going on here?
Let me first admit some bias. I'm a longtime fan of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) and a more recent friend of their director, Ronnie Cummins (read an interview I did with him here). More importantly, over the years I've subscribed to OCA's newsletter and followed their work. I've seen a consistent commitment to do what is in the best interest of organic consumers - people who want to buy food that was produced in the best way for the environment, for people, for animals, and for health and flavor.
So if that's OCA's mission, what's OTA for? They are for organic producers, and while they may represent some of the "little guys" they appear to mostly represent Industrial Organic - the big guys. OTA has even tried to weaken organic standards. As you may have read in The Omnivore's Dilemma, Industrial Organic may follow the letter of the law but it does not always respect the earth or the animals involved. You can raise a chicken that is technically organic, but has a life little better than a conventional, factory farmed chicken. You can grow crops on an enormous farm that is technically organic, but where the soil is no better off than on a conventional farm. OTA might support that. OCA doesn't. |
Who set up the Support Vilsack site? It's not much of a mystery:
Who's behind the site?
This site was conceived and organized by Walter Robb, Peter Roy, Gary Hirshberg, and Sharon Egan, with feedback from the contributors listed in the sidebar to the right. Technical help was provided by Kerry and Ted Robb. Kerry operates a graphic design business, and Ted owns and operates InHouse Creative Studios.
Who paid for the site?
The total cost of the site was paid for equally and collectively by Walter Robb, Peter Roy, Gary Hirshberg, Drake Sadler, and Steve Demos as individuals. There is no corporate money involved, nor was any solicited.
Walter Robb is co-President of Whole Foods Market. Peter Roy also served as president of Whole Foods Market. Gary Hirshberg is CEO of Stonyfield Farm yogurt. Sharon Egan is President/CEO of Sun Valley Bar. Industrial Organic.
These guys are using the good reputation of truly sustainable agriculture to enrich themselves with their "organic" and "natural" businesses and to make it appear that the sustainable food community supports Vilsack. Yes, there may be some good points about Vilsack that we should appreciate, but the say-so of Industrial Organic executives does NOT mean that sustainable food and ag advocates support Vilsack and what he stands for. OCA speaks for sustainable food and ag, not OTA.
Furthermore, the new Support Vilsack site has some incorrect information:
TRUTH: The emergence of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Iowa brought along a multitude of challenges. Governor Vilsack continually pushed for local control over siting of large livestock confinements and called for local control in his annual condition of the state address before the legislature. He believed local elected officials should have a say in where facilities should and should not be built.
Actually, in the state senate, Vilsack voted FOR a bill that would prevent counties from zoning where CAFOs (factory farms) would be located, giving that power instead to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The bill also expanded tax exemptions for CAFOs and gave CAFOs immunity from nuisance lawsuits if they met minimum standards set by the DNR. |
