ActionAlert: Tell the USDA to Crack Down on Organic Conflicts of Interest and ‘Payola’ by Certifiers!
Click the link below to tell Dr. Jenny Tucker, chief of the National Organic Program, to stamp out conflicts of interest by “independent” third-party certifiers and illegal payments from their agribusiness clients.
There is an inherent and illegal conflict of interest in the organic industry when operators (farms, processors, marketers, and retailers) choose their own certifiers and then compensate them over and above the certification fee.
An investigation by OrganicEye found that these “independent” certifiers are mixing lobbying, marketing, and activism with their certification responsibilities — and taking “payola” from the clients they certify — despite laws prohibiting those practices. Some certifiers accept donations, event sponsorship, and advertising from the same business enterprises they are certifying.
Please click the button below and invest two minutes of your time in sending a personal message telling the USDA to respect the spirit and letter of the law protecting organic farmers, ethical businesses, and consumers.
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