Nothing Natural About It

Among other offenses to common sense, the label will allow animals raised in large, industrial confinements to be called "Naturally Raised." Anyway, the more than 1,700 people who have sent comments already (from the above website alone) say it better than I ever could. Some excerpts:

Subject: Reject Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131 - Naturally Raised labeling Dear USDA, As a farmer myself, I have been in animal "factories" who get away with Free Range and ORGANIC Labels, and the animals have never been off concrete floors with nothing but some wire sides of a major steel building to do their so called "Free Ranging" as compared to our farms animals who are pasture rotated every 28 days,out doors on a real farm and I can't seem to get around the red tape for the real thing! It is a joke. Education of the public is under way and you will not fool the consumer for long. The public is aware and getting a bad taste for the misrepresentation of how animals are raised and that Organic means nothing when it comes to animals. Now you want to give big industry another advantage over us and continue to allow them to mislead the public once again. This is sad indeed. Typical Government. Please for once do the right thing and protect us, the real farmers. Please. Please abandon all efforts to advance such a misleading label.

Subject: Reject Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131 - Naturally Raised labeling Dear USDA, I cannot support the USDA proposal for a "Naturally Raised" label standard [Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131; LS-07-16]. The proposed label places small and mid-size family livestock farmers at major disadvantage by cynically misleading the public. Permitting animals to raised in demonically industrial confinements and then to advertise them as "Naturally Raised," is deceptive and does not address many livestock raising standards consumers expect in terms of meat production. I urge you to cease and desist on these efforts to advance misleading labels. The USDA should finish its work on accurate and meaningful labels like antibiotic-free and hormone-free ones that bring clarity, and not cynical deception to market.

Subject: Reject Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131 - Naturally Raised labeling Dear USDA, I do not support the USDA proposal for a "Naturally Raised" label standard [Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131; LS-07-16]. I live in a county that once was mainly composed of family farms raising all kinds of locally consumed fruits and vegetables along side major exportable crops of corn and soy. Now, I can count on my fingers the farms producing locally consumed fruits and vegetables. Our roads are filled with trucks carrying away all the corn and soybeans--adding to air pollution and traffic congestion. In this age of hamburgers made up of flesh from innumerable cows, pesticide and hormone infected animals and land, non-availability to most urban dwellers of fresh and clean local produce is making us sick. You need to be putting your energy and power behind the movement for local and clean family farming--not to empower even further the factory farms that are taking over the US farming industry.

Subject: Reject Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131 - Naturally Raised labeling Dear USDA, I do not support the USDA proposal for a "Naturally Raised" label standard [Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131; LS-07-16]. As a marketing professional, I understand the deliberate attempt to provide lobbyist supported agribusiness with a communications vehicle that serves to confuse the issue. And I resent the executive branch abuse of power bestowed by this great nation's electorate in favor of those peddling influence for corporate gain over the public's benefit. How many of you are lining up jobs in the private sector which you are now pledged to regulate? If it smells like a skunk... Stop now.

Seeing these comments is one of the best parts of my job, and Brian Depew, our website and organizing/outreach guru deserves a big cookie for doing the work behind the scenes. SO CLICK HERE AND SUBMIT A COMMENT. It ain't hard.

And if you already have commented, you deserve a big cookie too. Thanks.