*****ACTION ALERT -- RECENT NOP DIRECTIVES*****   The latest directives from the National Organic Program, combined with the verbal clarifications of Richard Mathews at the recent NOSB & OTA meeting in Chicago are nightmares for organic farmers, certified and non-certified alike. Organic dairy farmers around the state are outraged by a new regulatory interpretation by employees at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that allows organic farmers to use antibiotics and other formerly prohibited substances on an animal and then keep the animal in the herd.  An additional guidance statement allows the use of fish meal in the diet of dairy cows. "Consumers understand that organic milk is produced from cows that are not treated with antibiotics at any time", said Maureen Knapp, dairy farmer in Preble, NY and board member of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY).  "That is how we produce it and this new regulatory twist is not in the interest of consumers or small farmers," she continued.  NOFA-NY is the largest organization of organic farmers in New York State. Before the guidance statements were issued, cows could not be treated with antibiotics and continue to be considered organic, while fish meal would never be considered a natural component of a cow's diet, much less used in an organic ration. In April, the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) issued several new "Guidance Statements" for the federal organic farming regulations on its website, opening the door to use of antibiotics and other formerly prohibited substances in an organic herd.  Officials at the NOP are defending their right to issue these changes by describing them as simple clarifications of existing regulations, thereby both excluding them from any public comment and compelling organic certifying agents to comply with them.  The legal protocol for regulatory change is normally initiated by providing the public with notice of the change in the Federal Register, and allowing people the opportunity to comment before the change becomes final.  NOP's recent directives sidestep the standard legal channel for changes in the federal organic rule. Organic vegetable and fruit growers are also up in arms about another guidance statement, which would condone the use of the few organic pesticides available even when manufacturers refuse to disclose the inert ingredients.  While the active ingredient is identified as an approved substance that, when used properly, has no health implications and narrow environmental consequences, inert ingredients may, in fact, be toxic and could, if disclosed, be expressly prohibited by the regulations.  This situation arises when product manufacturers withhold ingredient lists for purported proprietary reasons.  "Inert ingredients can be toxic and we do not think it is appropriate to allow the use of unknown substances in an organic system," said Sarah Johnston, Director of NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Inc.)  "Today's organic farmer is dedicated to providing consumers with safe, healthy food," she said.  "Consumers deserve to know the details of every product that may be used on a crop, and we want to be able to tell them."  The new guidance statements are loopholes that many think are being created to assist industrial agriculture in moving into organic production more rapidly.  Today's organic farmers are worried that the new guidance statements are corrupting the meaning of organic food altogether. Organic farmers have developed a system of farming that provides consumers with safe, healthy food and have been concerned about the role of the federal organic regulatory program since it was announced in 2000.  Corporate farms are now intent on cashing in on the growing consumer demand for quality organic food without maintaining those very levels of quality that consumers want. "Consumer's groups, organic farmers and producers have a lot to lose if USDA's staff continue to water down organic standards," said Ms. Knapp.  "As organic farmers, we have a terrific product that we know the consumer wants.  Allowing the use of antibiotics in any stage of organic dairy farming could rightfully undermine consumer's confidence." To read the guidance statements, visit the USDA's website at:  http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/GuidanceStatements/AntibioticGuidance041304.pdf http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/GuidanceStatements/FishmealGuidance041304.pdf http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Compliance/PesticidesCompliance.pdf