Selected Comments from Washington State Farm Friends

The response to this issue is phenomenal. Over 100 farm friends - and counting - have forwarded the comments that they sent to WSDoH. Posted here (with author permission) are a few of the responses:

We are foster parents for the State of Washington. We experience first hand how behind these kids are developmentally and physically. They need the extra advantage of organic products for as long as possible. They need the clean option of organic because their minds and bodies have already been so malnourished and poisoned by things in their environment. PLEASE keep the organic option available for us to provide for them.

To whom it may concern:
Women and children on WIC are on it because they NEED a nutritional boost for health and well being. It is a proven fact that organic foods have more nutrients than conventional because the soil is not depleted of nutrients and chemicals and hormones are not shot into dairy producing livestock thus delivering nutrient dense foods. Why would you even think of cutting out more nutritional foods for the people who NEED it the most? It may be cheaper in the short run, but later the state will be paying for higher medical bills, educational costs, etc. Don't be short sighted...DO the right thing instead of the "cheapest" thing.
Thank you,
Linda S
Taxpayer

While I can understand the desire to make sure good purchases are being made with WIC funds, I feel that cutting out organic items would be a mistake.  Not only have they actually been shown to be more nutritious than "conventional" items, but for some of us, they can be a necessity.  Long before I knew that my older daughter had autism, I knew that if I ate (I was breastfeeding) or she ate non-organic dairy items, she would spend hours writhing around the bed in pain.  Please don't reduce people's choices to simply what you think they should have.

Sincerely,
Catherine

I am writing as a concerned 34 year resident of Washington, and as a health professional over the past nearly 40 years.
 Please do not remove organic products from acceptable items for WIC recipients.  Organic foods contribute to consumers' health in important ways, and pesticide-exposed foods add risk to peoples' health.  Supporting organic farming not only benefits those who consume the products, but all citizens, in that there is less community-wide exposure to pesticides and to other harmful farming practices.

When it comes to the health of our citizens and our environment, Washington programs should not be short-sighted, nor "penny-wise and pound-foolish."

I am a retired disabled vet with four children ( 22 to 3 years of age ) and we purchase ONLY organic products--I emailed and gave my support of keeping the Organic Products within WIC and I also emailed everyone in my addy book

I recently browsed the WIC food selection on the web and was pleased to find that organic dairy was available to those who choose it. I know it's more that standard dairy but many mothers feel that the health benefits equate with other health standards such as: nutrition, vitamins, exercise. I have chosen it for my family as a preventative health measure. There are many studies I can forward to you if you'd like that show children who consume organic foods (including dairy) test higher in academics and are at a much lower risk for type 1 diabetes (an autoamuine disease).

Please reconsider your drastic decision to bar such a high-potent health food from children in need. I may require the use of WIC for my children soon as a temporary releif due to employment circumstances. If you decide in favor of keeping the organic option, it is still just an option that doesn't mean all people will choose it. It's just a wonderful health preventative option for us considering we no longer have health insurance.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Sincerely,
Inga-Lisa A

In a nutshell--why would we even suggest women, infants and children be unable to enjoy the advantages of organic foods?  I do not require the use of the program, but, I would not deny any other mother the healthy and wise choice of organic foods.  We pay the difference in price between organic and non-organic food because of the benefit to my grand and great grandchildren and the stewardship of our land.  Responsible farmers who work harder to provide us with organic food should be encouraged and congratulated for their efforts.

Please see that all children in our program benefit from the very best in what they ingest.  We cannot afford not to do this.

Dear good WIC administrators,

It is my understanding the State of Washington is considering removing organic options from those who rely on WIC to provide proper nutrition to the more vulnerable children in our state.  Please understand that this limitation will hurt both the children and mothers who use WIC. This will also hurt the (often small and local) farms that work hard to provide what
is demonstrably a better, safer and more nutritious product.  By removing organics as a choice for these people, organic benefits can only be received by those who can afford them, inadvertently making the wealthier healthier, while the poor continue to be left with substandard options.

Please understand that there was a time that our family benefited from the services of the state WIC program.  I am proud to say that our family has grown and so has our success.  We are no longer on the WIC roles and I am sure another family has taken our place.  Please allow them the same option we had.  My children do get local organic food whenever we can find it and it fits our food budget.  I have no doubt that some of their quality of life and academic success is due in part to our choices in what we feed them.

We do not want Washington to be known as a state that will not provide options for all, especially the more vulnerable in our society.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Rich M

Dear decision makers,

Please keep organic options available for WIC clients in Washington. I have been a WIC client for several years and I always buy organic milk for my daughter because of its health benefits. Organic milk has much higher concentrations of CLA (conjugated linoleic acids) which are vital to babies growth and development. My toddler no longer has breastmilk to rely on and needs a good, healthy sourse of nutrition: organic milk. Pediatricians often recommend organic milk because it does not contain pesticides and hormones that can be harmful to young growing children.

When I was shopping WIC, I used coupons, discounts and sales to minimize cost to the program. Don't cheap out on me by cutting my options to buy organic milk. After all, I would still be able to get [other milks] which are not organic but cost the same as [organic]. Please consider this and do what's best for the health of our babies.

To whom it may concern,

As a concerned recipient of WIC I strongly suggest that you reconsider the cutting of organic options for families on the WIC program in WA state. That would be a serious detriment to pregnant and nursing mothers and their small children, all of which deserve the purest and best possible nutrition at these crucial times in their lives. I believe that the continutation of allowing organic milk and products is the most beneficial for all families, for our state and our environment.

Thank you, Erin

I'm writing because I have learned you are considering cutting organic
options for certain foods in the WIC program in Washington state.  I think
that is a horrible and short-sighted option.  There are too many benefits
that children and their mothers receive from organic foods (especially in
dairy and eggs).  I understand that budget cuts are needed, but cutting the
healthier nutritional options hurts both families and farmers in Washington
state.  Now more than ever we need to be supporting environmentally
sustainable actions.  Please do not take this option away from those who
need it most.

Thank you,
Heather L

Please do not cut the organic milk, organic cereal, and other organic foods from your WIC food package. They may cost more now but will save us all money in health care costs later on. Consuming the organic foods has been proven to cut down on allergies and other sicknesses in the children.

Dear WSDoH,
We are greatly concerned about your proposed plan to exclude organic options from WIC program. We want to feed our kids milk and other nutrition products without pesticides and harmful byproducts. Although, we understand the rising cost factor, the quality and health of our children are priceless. We strongly urge you to keep the organic option available to WIC children and mothers.

NOT everything done in business or government should be based on the immediate short term benefits of cutting costs, closing plants, laying off workers or moving offshore just to save money. Unfortunately, government seems to have been adopting a "business" model for running itself for some time. This has been most egregious over the past 8 years. Government does not exist for the pleasure and advantage of business interests but for the people who pay for it's operation. It should have the best interests of the citizens and the clients of WIC.

I realize that tough economic, "business" decisions need to be made in the current recession, but it would be good if the long term benefits of organics could be evaluated with the short term gains of saving money.  Considering ...some projects funded by the state, the increased costs of keeping organic foods available to women and children in this program are a dandelion in the wind.

I recently read that there is a proposal to cut organic options from the WIC program. As a former client of the WIC program, I wanted to send a quick message disagreeing with the proposal. Being able to buy organic milk for my child under the program was a great thing, as I couldn't afford to do it all the time on my own. I have read that if you are going to buy any organic product, that dairy products are high up on the list. Also, organic products usually provide great benefits to the often small-scale farmers and the products in the stores often come from more local areas, which of course is more environmentally friendly... To the people who find it very important for their families, punishing them into what they would consider lesser food choices because of their income doesn't seem like the way to go.

Legislators, politicians, representatives and all others in responsible elected positions,
Please support the use of food coupons or assistance for children to be allowed Organic products. It will be good for the children as they grow up, and for the society as they will be Healthier and more productive with less pesticides...

Washington, I am surprised at you! How could you even consider being less GREEN?

Bobbie and Edgar Montesdeoca
Yelm, WA, 98597