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Re: comments on UDSA/NOP cost and benefits to organic farmers and handlers



I am not asking for no regulations I am saying why burden the small
farmer.  Did you read 

http://www.cfarm.com/nosb/OrganicCrop/4farmer.htm

They still have to follow reg. yet they can avoid the cost.  The thing is
a small farmer annual sells is way to low and should be raised  because
it is set way to low poor small farmers will be forced to pay the state
,the certifier, the inspector,the local chapter of the certifier and the
fed. gov money which they  may need to live on.  Do you really want to
tax the small farmer .  How many penile pushers does it take to prove to
you we farm organic.  How many people to we have to pay off and how much
of  our hard earned money do we have to pay out for doing nothing wrong? 
I have been certified organic for years and every year the cost goes up
yet I have not change the way I farm.  every year I have to pay off all
these folks that do not help one bit in growing organic and why I farm no
different this year than I did last.  Why not check each farmer every day
or even every min.   This is crazy that every year there is a new cost
and a new level of big government bureaucracy that I am force to pay. I
have to go through all this and I never change from year to year. I am
the same .  just because it is `1997 I am still the same but yet I have
to go through this over and over and over and over and over and over and
over and over and pay and pay and pay and pay and pay . every year pay
the state every year pay a inspector and every year pay the certifier pay
pay pay for what I am the same I am farming the same why should all these
folks be supported by my hard work.  I did nothing wrong so why tax me. 
I can not afford it.  That does not mean my crop is not organic .  It is
not the money we are forced to pay that makes us organic it is the way we
grow.  

Will you not accept :

(1)  Signature on a completed Declaration form, which attests

                  to a thorough knowledge of the provisions of the OFPA
and to the

                  production and handling of organic products according
to the OFPA.


                  (2)  The development of an Organic Farm and/or Handling
Plan,

                  in accordance with the requirements of the OFPA.


                  (3)  The establishment of record-keeping adequate to
trace an

                  organic product from production site through to sale
for consumption.

                   Records must be kept for five years.


                  (4)  The provisions of public access to the above
document 

  Exempted Small Farmers who demonstrate compliance with the OFPA

             shall be able to market non-certified organic products from
their

             farms directly to consumers at direct sales outlets. 
Examples

             of direct sales outlets include roadside stands, farm
markets,

             and consumer subscription programs (Community Supported
Agriculture).

              Exempted Small Farmers who wish to market directly to
retail

             outlets may do so by providing copies of the Declaration
form

             to the individual retail outlet.(now this part I also do not
agree with.) <bigger> In no instance shall non-certified

             organic products be marketed through exporters, wholesalers,
brokers,

             processors, or retail chain warehouses. 

</bigger>Why? If I am organic I should be able to sell to
wholesalers,exporters and anyone else that will buy my crop.  If I am a
small farmer I need all the help I can get.  


             Furthermore, an exempt farmer may not sell or label an
agricultural

             product as "certified organic"  unless certified by

             an USDA-accredited certifying agency.


             The exempted Small Farmer and/or retail outlet may display
the

             Small Farmer Declaration form at the place of sale.  There
shall

             be no mandatory filing requirements for the above small
farmer

             exemption provisions.  All required information must be on
file

             and available on the premises of the exempted farmer

.

Is this enough for you? you can then buy certified or small farmer
exempt.  Or do you want a armed cop walking around the place every day
and the farmer has to pay him.   .Somewhere in all this is trust.  you
can if you wish to pay for it get the crop tested yourself.

Why not let all the chemical farmers that sell over $5000 pay for it.  


do you really think setting up a big government bureaucracy will help the
consumer . it will only make the food cost more and at the same time 
burden the small farmer and drive people that want to grow organic away .
 It has already.  it is wrong to put an extra  tax organic growers for
selling   organic produce as organic.  I would think that the consumers
like you would not want to see the poor farmer burden because he grows
organic.  There have been people that lie and they get caught now .There
are lots of laws on the books that don't single out one group of folks to
tax.  The USDA can give a definition of what organic is and everyone will
have to follow it or the USDA can catch them but don't tax the folks that
are telling the truth and cannot afford it. You know how fast small farms
are desipering?  Tax the cheaters when you catch them and let the good
folks farm organic with out the added tax and burdens.  Use the money you
get from catching the crooks like traffic tickets or breaking and
entering these laws don't need to make poor small farmers pay for the
enforcement . I think there should be a small farmer ex


 At 10:20 AM 10/5/97 -0500, Susan K. Snow wrote:

>Sal,

>As an consumer of certified organic foods, what can I do to make sure

>that the grains, beans, and produce that I buy, are free from

>intentionally used manmade chemicals without the cost being passed on
to

>the small grower, like yourself?

>

>Susan Snow

>

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