Organic Consumers Association

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Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is a public interest organization in the United States representing the interests of the nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers. The OCA deals with food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, 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."[1]

Organic Consumers Association is a member of the Business Ethics Network and profiled in the WiserEarth database at: [1]

It is a member of the Health Liberty coalition.

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." [2]

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: Chez Sludge: How the Sewage Sludge Industry Bedded Alice Waters. [3] 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.[1]

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. [4]

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" 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.[1]

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.[5]

Personnel and Advisers

Accessed November 2010, includes:[1]

Contact details

6771 South Silver Hill Drive
Finland, MN 55603
Phone: 218-226-4164
Fax: 218-353-7652
Web: http://www.organicconsumers.org

Criticism

Resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "About the OCA: Who We Are and What We're Doing", accessed November 2010.
  2. History, Fair World Project, accessed January 18, 2011.
  3. John Stauber, Chez Sludge: How the Sewage Sludge Industry Bedded Alice Waters, PRWatch.org, July 9, 2010
  4. Website Accessed June 24, 2010.
  5. Buying guide, Organic Consumers Association, accessed November 2010.

External articles

External resources