The USDA stole the term Organically Grown so that their cronies in big business could abuse consumers and lockout small farmers.
The USDA is in the process of stealing the term Grass Fed so their Big Ag affiliates will be able to do confinement feeding of grass and confuse consumers who think they’re getting pasture raised meat.
Now the USDA has filed in the Federal Registry a request for comments in order to steal the term “Naturally Raised”. There is already an independent small farmer based organization NaturallyGrown.org that has been doing Certified Naturally Grown for years.
Oppose the government and Big Ag take over. Go to the Federal Registry and leave comments. Here is a page where comments can be added. Click on the Add Comment icon on the right. You can also mail comments to:
Naturally Raised Marketing Claim,
Room 2607-S, AMS, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20250-0254or by fax to (202) 720-1112
Fight back through action.
Here are my comments:
I am commenting on:
Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131; LS-07-16
United States Standards for Livestock and Meat Marketing Claims,
Naturally Raised Claim for Livestock and the Meat and Meat Products
Derived From Such LivestockI specifically object to this part:
“The feeding of mammalian or avian by-products is prohibited. Livestock cannot be fed rations that include components that are mammalian or avian derived.”
We feed our pastured pigs (and chickens) whey, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. All of that is mammalian derived and a perfectly fine natural diet. Combined with pasture/hay it makes for an excellently balanced diet that our animals thrive on.
Additionally the government standards subverts the definition of Certified Naturally Grown by making absolutely no reference to how the animals were raised. Using the government definition animals could be raised in large confinement operations and still qualify for Naturally Raised. That is anything but Natural. This is just a coopting of the term like the USDA already did with Certified Organic.
I also generally object to the government creating one more branding program which will be abused by big business. We already have a Certified Naturally Grown program and do not need government interference or dilution of that mark.
Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
West Topsham, Vermont 05086
Update: See USDA Stole CNG and Naturally Raised Mammillary and get your comments in before the 1/28 deadline.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse. Where will it stop? I feel like I am living in a nightmare… like a cross between brave new world and 1984!
Thanks for your site, without it I would have no idea these things were happening.
Comment Shelley — November 29, 2007 @ 7:23 am
Must be nice to be able to change the meaning of words at will and “patent” other words…Let’s just get rid of the USDA, PERIOD.
I’m tired of them wiping their dictatorial shit stained e-coli tromping boots on the American Public. They are interested in only one kind of “protecting” and it’s not you and me or the food we eat.
Arise ye sheep and take aim with your cow pies and your votes! This is one department that WASTES millions (billions?) of dollars, while trashing our rights!
Comment Bob Constantine — November 29, 2007 @ 8:26 am
As a CNG gardener (I grow mostly for myself and a friend and a local food bank), I too must object. What’s next–will the government try to copyright the word “green”?
Comment Tasha Kollor — November 29, 2007 @ 9:21 am
The biggest and most dangerous enemy of the US agriculture producer is the USDA and George Bush.
Comment DB — November 29, 2007 @ 9:38 am
Walter- I put this in the hopper (Federal Registry):
This proposal will actually defeat it’s stated purpose, to clear the air of
terminology and standards.
The term “naturally grown” is already in use in the private sector and has it’s
own set of standards.
(See http://www.naturallygrown.org/ )
The USDA has the term “organic” standardized already. If the large producers
feel a change in standards is necessary, let them rewrite that standard and use
that term in their marketing.
It has every bit of “pop” in the market place as naturally grown. Leave the
latter term to the small producers, who have had a standards program in effect
for several years..a program that is quite clear and working well.
And to those of you who have not commented, please get in there and do it. Walter’s link makes it quite easy.
Bob
Comment Bob Bogue — November 29, 2007 @ 9:41 am
For all of you who want to get rid of the USDA, vote for Ron Paul. He wants to get rid of almost every governmental agency.
See www.ronpaul2008.com
Comment Suz — November 29, 2007 @ 10:49 am
This is 1 more nail in the coffin of small farmers. Big marketers –it isnt even thebig farmers– will steel and dillute the term naturally grown. Tyson or cargil is already doing it. This just makes it official.
I will send comments but I do not believe they will really make any differenec. The USDA will throw away most of the comments they dont like keeping just a few to show minor opposition. This is how they did nais.
Theother thing is they try and sneak stuff thro like this so nobody comments. Thank you for the heads up!
Comment Edward Emmings — November 29, 2007 @ 11:23 am
Ron Paul doesnt stand a chance. He may be a good man but that will not get him elected. The parties are in cohoots to present someone who will continue feeding the coffers of big business. This time it is the Democrats turn. The real policies will be no different. Just the name of the party.
Still I will vote for the opposition, the third party candidate and write letters to the editor. If we make no noise we are just sheep like the rest.
Comment MadManning — November 29, 2007 @ 11:26 am
I’ve had it. Enough of this garbage presented as food. Don’t know if anyone’s followed it but remember the murderer accused of putting the women in the rendering plant. If we don’t get this commercial obfuscation stopped, we’re all going to end up eating and being soylent green, I very much fear. This has just gone too far.
Comment Jack — November 29, 2007 @ 2:57 pm
…Did somebody say Ron Paul? (sorry)
If he doesn’t stand a chance, neither do we that love freedom. If we continue to allow our rights to disappear…they will. There are many pet issues, freedom trumps them all I think.
I’m sure the people that read this site have alot of different opinions on who our next President should be. So thank you for putting up with me. If anybody else running has even HEARD of NAIS or supports our efforts against it, I’d be real surprised. I tend to be uh opinionated but I’d rather have too little government than too much.
I will crawl to the polls
if I must to vote this time.
Comment Bob Constantine — November 29, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
There seems to be at least one term they won’t be able to bastardize/steal and that would be the term, “LOCAL”.
No one would believe that a chicken raised and processed 1, 2 or even 3 states away would be “LOCAL”.
The use of “LOCAL” along with our naturally raised or organic products really makes a difference. My customers know that “LOCAL” means “LOCAL”.
How long before the lawyers and wordsmiths at USDA stretch this meaning as well….
Comment MD — November 29, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
Well said Bob! We can look at all the impossibilities we face and give up,or we can take the bull by the horns and kick him where it counts,personally I’m putting on my steel toed boots :)
“Live free or die tryin”
Comment LEE — November 29, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
Here in Tennessee, I figured that was coming. I spoke this summer with the UT Ag extention office who said I had to pay and join to call my cows organically grown. I told her ok, I naturally grow mine. She said same thing. I said BS, have plenty of that in the field but apparently they had more.
Perhaps we should say God Grown to the heathers, they surely would not say that.
Get rid of the FDA, USDA, and all the other thieves in Washington. We need real Americans in office and less offices in America.
Comment Anthony Kimbrough — November 29, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
I hope I did that right.
Yeah, it doesn’t seem ‘the government for the people by the people’, with the gov. “fearing” the people. It sure seems THE PEOPLE “fearing the gov!!
Comment Charlie — November 30, 2007 @ 12:46 am
Less than 15 minutes after putting “Ron Paul for President” signs on my property, a fellow in a blue brono pulled over on the side of the highway and started to make off with one of them. A few choice words later, and he was hightailing his butt off my property. I guess you know who I’m voting for and why.
Comment Jo Smith — November 30, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
Dr. Paul did not imagine his campaign would come this far. We need to follow his example and put our convictions on the line.
Comment donna — December 1, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
The way I see it. If you want grass fed beef or anything else.
You need to get to know your local farmer. Buy local. Or raise your animals yourself.
In the end, change is what is needed. Isn’t it funny that the FDA was put in place to protect us. Now the medicines the FDA say are okay kill us! The USDA cuts back on meat inspectors and spend money trying to get NAIS installed in each state. Private meat inspectors and laboratories is what we need. I agree that FDA and USDA gone would save US folks lots of dollars.
I plan on voting for Ron Paul!
Comment Deborah — December 3, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
Walter,
The Fed Reg description calls this part of the ‘voluntary’ AMS program. But I get the impression that this is not so voluntary in practice. Can you explain?
Comment Pete — December 5, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
An interesting note, several pig breeds, such as the Gloucestershire Old Spot, were developed in an environment where they were fed whey. This is then logically a part of their ‘natural’ diet. It is certainly more natural than a corn/soybean ration.
Comment Pete — December 5, 2007 @ 1:07 pm
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www.teaparty07.com
If we put all of this grassroots effort behind him it will really steamroll his campaign. This seems to be our best chance at real change. Check out and get involved with your local Ron Paul meetup group.
www.meetup.com
Thanks Walter for all you do!
Comment Amber — December 10, 2007 @ 11:52 pm
Since the USDA has not yet posted my comments but has posted two comments from a large poultry processing plant I have resubmitted my comments in a revised form. I suggest people check to make sure their comments are being submitted. Both times I was given a tracking number. The new tracking number is 803780f7.
Here’s my revised new comments:
We are a small family farm with no outside non-family employees and net annual sales under $100,000. We are already Certified Naturally Grown by the certifying organization which can be found at http://NaturallyGrown.org which has been certifying farms for years for this claim. Our certification and the use of the CNG logo is an important marketing tool that helps us and other small farmers differentiate our products. Our customers have come to recognize our logo and the CNG logo on our meat label as a sign of quality.
Because there is already a certifying organization for Certified Naturally Grown (http://NaturallyGrown.org) this standard should be set to follow the guidelines and rules already established by that organization and followed by farmers who are already certified by that national organization. Duplication of the term, standards, rules and moniker could cause unnecessary confusion for consumers as well as hardship for farmers who are already Certified Naturally Grown.
Specifically regarding the proposed voluntary standards the following changes need to be made:
1. The words “mammalian or avian by-products” should be modified to be “mammalian or avian _slaughter_ by-products” to explicitly allow for the feeding of dairy and eggs to swine. These are natural and good forms of food for pigs. Consumers understand and expect our pigs to eat milk and eggs which are traditional foods for hogs. For example in the proposed standard it says:
“The feeding of mammalian or avian by-products is prohibited. Livestock cannot be fed rations that include components that are mammalian or avian derived.”
needs to be changed to:
“The feeding of mammalian or avian _slaughter_ by-products is prohibited. Livestock cannot be fed rations that include components that are derived from mammalian or avian slaughter.”
Other sections need to be similarly revised. Let me know if you need help rewording it but those examples should get you started.
2. Livestock should specifically be required to free-range outdoors on pasture in order to meat the claim standards. Confinement feeding operations should be explicitly excluded from using the term Naturally Raised or Naturally Grown. Consumers expect that Naturally Grown and Naturally Raised mean the animals are outdoors on pasture. To simply set the standard at the way it is worded in the proposed AMS standard would be both miss-leading and confusing to consumers
Comment walterj — December 11, 2007 @ 7:34 pm
Walter thanks for pointing out on a previous post a couple of the good things the USDA does…apparently posting your comments first time around isn’t one of them though. :)
Since there seem to be several Ron Paul references posted here I’ll keep it brief. Part of his campaign literature actually includes a handout indicating his absolute rejection of NAIS. I have some and plan to post them beside the NONAIS literature I distribute in my travels.
Somehow I just don’t see any other ahem “major” candidate even knowing what NAIS is or if they do know, helping us get rid of it.
Comment Bob Constantine — December 12, 2007 @ 8:19 pm