*STATEMENT*
In response to the New York Times article, "That Organic T-Shirt May Not Be As Organic As You Think," published February 13, 2022, the Organic Trade Association issued the following statement:
"As the organic market has grown, supply chains have become more complex – particularly with international markets in play," says Organic Trade Association Vice President, Regulatory & Technical Affairs Gwendolyn Wyard. "Unlike other industries, however, organic is not interested in growth at any cost. We're committed to ensuring the integrity of our product as the only regulated eco-claim with third-party certification, federal oversight, and enforcement. While others might fight tooth and nail to avoid regulation and oversight, organic demands it.”
“We believe that more can and should be done to regulate organic claims and ensure organic integrity. Organic's strict regulatory and enforcement system has made it possible for the industry to catch and act on instances of fraud, including cases of organic cotton fraud in India – but we have a fundamental gap in the system that industry alone cannot resolve. USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) maintains a very narrow scope of authority and does not regulate or enforce organic claims made on certain types of non-food products, such as processed fiber or textiles. This leaves a gray area that can open the door to mistakes or fraud; we want to make sure that door is shut, locked, and bolted. The Organic Trade Association is committed to working with our allies in Congress to build upon the Continuous Improvement & Accountability in Organic (CIAO) Standards Act, ensuring that the next Farm Bill provides USDA with the ability to exercise their enforcement authority and act swiftly on misleading and/or fraudulent uses of the term ‘organic’ in the marketplace.”
