The Future is Organic Blog

Forwarded Message (my response to it is at the bottom):

Below is the message we [Washington State WIC Nutrition Program] are sending out to stakeholders announcing the WIC approved food list for October 1, 2009.  I know you will be disappointed in our decision to not allow organic milk because of cost, and I hope the following FAQ will help explain our rationale.  All of this information is also on our website.

Question:  Why are you not approving organic milk?

Answer: The reason is cost.  Most organic milk costs over two times more than non-organic milk.  When organic milk was approved for Washington WIC eight years ago, it was only slightly more costly.  This is no longer true and we cannot afford to approve organic milk.

We heard from over 900 people asking us to keep organic milk approved.  Many made statements that organic milk is better - more nutritious and with fewer pesticides, hormones and antibiotics than non-organic milk.

We are aware there are studies that show the benefits of organic food as well as studies which either do not show a benefit, or actually show a negative effect.  WIC’s primary mission is nutrition education, not research or interpreting data, and so we rely on scientific experts at universities and other organizations to interpret all the studies and provide guidance for food selection.  In particular we look to the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics.  They and other experts do not currently state organic food should be available through WIC programs.

· In 2005 the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine did a thorough study of the WIC foods.  While they made many recommendations on what food should or should not be offered in WIC, they made no reference to the need for organic food.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/oane/menu/Published/WIC/FILES/Time4AChange(mainrpt).pdf ..

· The American Academy of Pediatrics has not supported the need for organic food.

· The American Medical Association has not supported the need for organic food

· The Mayo Clinic states there is no benefit to children from organic food. www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-baby-food/AN01424#

· The American Dietetic Association states there is no benefit from organic food. http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/home_4143_ENU_HTML.htm

· The U.S. Department of Agriculture states there is no conclusion about the need for or benefit from organic food.  http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/faq/BuyOrganicFoodsIntro.shtml

· The National Dairy Council states there is no benefit from organic milk. http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Nutrition/Products/Organic+Milk+FAQ+HTML.htm

Without support from the experts we cannot justify the additional cost of organic milk.  We understand this is disappointing for some WIC clients, and we encourage clients who prefer organic milk to stay on the WIC program for other program benefits and foods.  For these clients we can take milk off of their WIC checks.

Here is the announcement:

We are pleased to announce the final Washington WIC Nutrition Program approved foods that will begin October 1, 2009.  We believe this list offers the best possible choices to Washington WIC clients.  This new list is based on recent changes in federal laws that:

• Align WIC foods with national dietary recommendations
• Promote & support breastfeeding
• Increase the variety of foods available to WIC clients
• Accommodate cultural food preferences

After significant research, input from clients, and comments from other stakeholders, foods were selected based on:

• Requirements of the federal rule
• Cost
• Availability
• Clients’ preferences
• Minimizing confusion at the grocery store

To view the new food list and the Frequently Asked Questions please see http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/WIC/newfoods.htm

Thank you for your support of the Washington WIC Nutrition Program.

Cathy Franklin, M.S., R.D.
Nutrition Coordinator
Washington State WIC Nutrition Program
1-800-841-1410, ext 3648, or 360-236-3648
Cathy.Franklin@doh.wa.gov

==================

My Response:

Hi Cathy,

Indeed, this is very disappointing. I’m disappointed that we continue, as a society, to act in ways that relegate our children to second-class citizen status despite much over-blown rhetoric to the contrary by our public officials and, unfortunately, voters as well. In this case, it is accomplished by not providing adequate funding for WIC in Washington to continue to offer organic milk and organic baby food while ensuring all eligible WIC clients receive full benefits.

I take note that seven organic foods are allowed, whole wheat bread, whole grain bulgur, brown rice, oatmeal, tofu, dried peas and lentils [Oh! Also fresh fruits and veggies].

I’m disappointed in our so-called experts, too many of whom are beholden to private, industrial interests to be able to see the forest for the trees, much less truth and common sense. I’m shocked, actually, at the list of institutions that shamefully proclaim, explicitly or implicitly, that it is all well and good to continue to spray poisons on our children’s food, contaminate the environment they are growing up in with agricultural chemicals, grow food crops on poorly managed, nutrient-deficient soils, experiment on the whole population by feeding us unlabeled genetically modified foods and treat livestock destined for our children’s food supply with a chemical soup of medications, insecticides and processing aids while subjecting them to cruel, unhealthy factory farming conditions.

I would very much like to know which studies that “actually show a negative effect” of organic foods you included in your research that led to your conclusions about not keeping organic milk and organic baby food in the food package. Many of the studies in this category that I’m aware of are deeply flawed and dubious in nature.

I don’t think your agency does itself a service by rolling out this list of shameful institutions as justification for nixing organic milk and baby food while at the same time including seven organic foods in the package. If it is the position of Washington WIC, based on its “guidance”, that there “is no benefit to children from organic food”, why include any? If it’s the cost differential, say it’s the cost differential and leave it at that. As it is, you will likely be hearing from 1000 more folks as disappointed as I am, despite it not doing any good this time around.

I’m sure there are a few within the agency who share in this disappointment. These are disappointing times. My motto is “The Future is Organic” and I’m confident that in time, but not without much struggle, the wisdom of the organic movement and the recognition of the necessity of organics to ensure a sustainable future, will overcome the old inertia that remains the dominant force today.

Yours Truly,

Chrys Ostrander

This message originated from or was forwarded by:
Chrys Ostrander
Chrysalis Farm @ Tolstoy
Organic Micro-permaculture
33495 Mill Canyon Rd.
Davenport, WA 99122
509-725-0610
chrys@thefutureisorganic.net
http://www.thefutureisorganic.net

Please consider making a contribution towards my sustainable agriculture organizing work.
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“From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs”
Louis Jean Joseph Charles Blanc - “The organization of work” 1839
Karl Marx - “Critique of the Gotha Program” 1875

“The purpose of agriculture is not the production of food, but the perfection of human beings”
Masanobu Fukuoka (February 2, 1913 - August 16, 2008)  - “One Straw Revolution” 1978

“The community whose every member possesses the art of deriving a comfortable subsistence from the smallest area of soil… will be alike independent of crowned-kings, money-kings, and land-kings….”
Abraham Lincoln: Address to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1859

“We will never have an organic future and a stable climate until we pull all the troops out of Iraq
and redirect our annual $650 billion military budget to greening the economy and guaranteeing
a sustainable environment and economic justice for everyone.”
Ronnie Cummins, National Director, Organic Consumers Association
at the “Farms Not Arms” public forum and protest in Manhattan, September, 2007