Last September, without any public input, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), under pressure from corporations, changed the way the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) decides which non-organic materials are allowed in products labeled as Certified Organic, all but guaranteeing that when the NOSB meets every six months, the non-organic and synthetic materials allowed in organic items will increase.

Certain non-organic or synthetic materials can be used in up to 5 percent of a USDA Organic product, and in up to 30 percent of a Made with Organic Ingredients product. Look for the addition of carrageenan, synthetic nutrients such as DHA and ARA, sausage casings made from processed intestines, synthetic methionine, antibiotics and mutagens, among others. Sign a petition in protest at Tinyurl.com/OrganicStandardsPetition.