United We Farm! 

We, the farmers and staff of Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative, consider ourselves pioneers in the organic movement, a vanguard upholding the integrity of the USDA organic seal.

When we first gathered in 1988, there was no clear definition about what it means to be an organic dairy producer, other than the dedication to a production system in harmony with nature, producing food that's healthy for people and the planet. Working towards an organic standard, we came together at the table with others who care deeply about organic agriculture. This is one of the most wonderful things about organics: It unites farmers and foodies, environmentalists and eaters, scientists and social justice mentors.

The organic industry today represents $14.5 billion dollars (just over 2% of America's food sales) in 2005, and is growing at 20% a year—making it one of the brightest hopes for saving the American family farm, as well as for protecting our health and resources.(1) But to put this in perspective, organic farms represent only 0.3% (yes, three tenths of one percent) of all farms in the nation, so we in the organic community need to continue to work together to advance positive change.

Organic is about a whole system, with interdependent parts working together to create a sustainable process. The development of the Organic Food Production Act and its regulations reflects that organic system, with all parts of the organic community—including growers, manufacturers, scientists, and citizen-consumers—coming together in a participatory process to develop a program that promotes integrity, sustainability and healthy organic growth.

Recent legal challenges to the Organic Food Production Act of 1990, from a lawsuit against the USDA won by organic inspector and blueberry farmer Arthur Harvey, completely circumvented the democratic public process that is central to the evolution of the National Organic Program. Without remedies to restore the organic regulations as intended, this courtroom determination had the potential to effectively halt the growth of the organic industry, taking many products off the shelves and drastically slowing the demand for organic farm goods.

One of the negative outcomes of this situation has been fracturing within the organic community. Confusion about regulations and differences in philosophy have caused rifts among organic proponents at a most critical time. Just like the tale of the six blind men and the elephant, we all may interpret the same thing differently. It's been a long row to hoe the last seventeen years, and we take pride in the USDA organic seal.

The best response to a challenge like the Harvey lawsuit is to come together to face challenges and emerge with an organic community that is stronger and more vibrant than before. So it is in all of our interests to put differences aside and move forward in solidarity. Into the future...United We Farm!

1. See OTA website for organic ag industry statistics.