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{{#Show badges: | ToxicSludge}}'''Organic Consumers Association''' (OCA) is the largest membership a public interest organization in the United States representing primarily the interests of those who purchase the nation's estimated 50 million organic and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_purchasing socially responsible consumers]. The OCA deals with food safety, industrial agriculture, [[organic foodgenetic engineering]], children's health, corporate accountability, [[Fair trade|Fair Trade]], and environmental sustainability. "The OCA represents over 850,000 members, subscribers and volunteers, including several thousand businesses in the natural foods and organic marketplace. "<refname="about">[http://www.organicconsumers.org/aboutus.cfm "About the OCA: Who We Are and What We're Doing"], accessed December 2007November 2010.</ref>

==Corporate Campaigns==OCA It is currently targeting (among others): [[Wal-Mart]]; [[Monsanto]]; [[ADM]], [[Cargill]], [[Hershey's]] & [[Mars]], [[Starbucks]]; [[Horizon Organic]] and [[Aurora Organic]] (boycott a member of factory farmed milk labeled as organic); and body care companies including [[Avalon]], [[Jason's]], the [[Nature's GateHealth Liberty]], and [[Aveda]] for falsely labeling their products as organic. <ref>[http://www.organicconsumerscoalition.org Website Accessed June 24, 2010.]</ref>

In 2010,"Organic Consumers Association (OCA) launches Fair World Project, the first fair trade consumer organization, to promote and protect the integrity of the fair trade movement." <ref>[http://fairworldproject.org/index.php?c=intro&m=history History], Fair World Project, accessed January 18, 2011.</ref> ==OCA and Chez Sludge==The OCA was the lead organization in 2009 and early 2010 in confronting and exposing the collusion between the [[SFPUC]] and [[Alice Waters]] and [[Francesca Vietor]] work with the [[Chez Panisse Foundation]]. The [[Food Rights Network]] released a major investigative report on July 9, 2010 titled: '''[https://www.prwatch.org/Chez+Sludge Chez Sludge: How the Sewage Sludge Industry Bedded Alice Waters]'''. <ref>John Stauber, [https://www.prwatch.org/Chez+Sludge Chez Sludge: How the [[Sewage Sludge]] Industry Bedded Alice Waters], PRWatch.org, July 9, 2010</ref> It examines the conflicts of interest and collusion between the Chez Panisse Foundation and the SFPUC based on an extensive open records investigation of the SFPUC internal files. (To view the internal documents see: [[SFPUC Sludge Controversy Timeline]].) ==Background==The Organic Consumers Association started in 1998 in reaction to the backlash by organic consumers against the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]]'s proposed loosening of the national regulations for organic food. OCA was working to safeguard the organic standards. They wanted to pressure the USDA and corporations to preserve strict standards.<ref name="about"/> ==Corporate campaigns==OCA is currently targeting (among others): [[Wal-Mart]], [[Monsanto]], [[ADM]], [[Cargill]], [[Hershey]] & [[Mars]], [[Starbucks]]; [[Horizon Organic]] and [[Aurora Organic]] (boycott of factory farmed milk labeled as organic); and body care companies including [[Avalon]], [[Jason's]], [[Nature's Gate]], and [[Aveda]] for falsely labeling their products as organic. <ref>[http://www.organicconsumers.org Website Accessed June 24, 2010.]</ref> Additional campaigns/goals are:*The conversion of American agriculture to at least 30% organic by the year 2015.*To have Fair Trade, not so-called "[[Free trade|Free Trade]]" as the global norm.*A global moratorium on genetically engineered food.*A phase-out of the most dangerous factory farming practices.*Universal health care with an emphasis on prevention and nutrition*Energy independence/[[renewable energy]].<ref name="about"/> ==Buying guide==The Organic Consumers Association has an online buying guide that helps people find green products and services near by, depending on zip code. They also link to other buying guides, for example for Fair Trade food or for non-corporate, local independent businesses.<ref>[http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/BuyingGuide.cfm Buying guide], Organic Consumers Association, accessed November 2010.</ref> ==Personneland Advisers==Accessed November 2010, includes:<ref name="about"/>

==Advisory BoardCriticism==*Steven Novella, "[http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/bt-and-leukemia-another-anti-gmo-myth/ Bt and Leukemia – Another Anti-GMO Myth]", ''Neurologicablog'', August 28, 2014.

===Related SourceWatch ResourcesExternal articles===*"[[processed food industryhttp://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/media-center/news-releases/greenpeace-and-the-organic-con/ Greenpeace and the Organic Consumers Association Speak Out at Safeway's Shareholder Meeting]]*[[USDA ORGANIC]]* [[Food Rights Network]]* [[OCA", Alice WatersGreenpeace USA, Exchange on Toxic Sewage SludgeMay 16, March, 2010]]2002.

===External resources===*[[category:food]][[Category:Business Ethics Network]][[category:Agriculture]][[categoryhttp:United States//www.naturalnews.com/021186.html Organic Consumers Association's Ronnie Cummings discusses corporate greed and organic milk]][, ''NaturalNews.com'', November 28, 2006.*[categoryhttp:Non//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR_bD8fyeLU Alexis Baden-Government Organizations]][[Category:Environment]Mayer of the Organic Consumers Association at Art for the Climate], Video on YouTube, December 4, 2009.

{{stub}}[[category:Agriculture]][[Category:Business Ethics Network]][[Category:Environment]][[category:food]][[category:Non-Government Organizations]][[category:United States]][[Category:Sustainable Agriculture]][[category: toxic sewage sludgeSustainable Agriculture Organizations]]