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TechnoratiKathleen Merrigan, Developer of Organic Regs, Chosen as No. 2 at the USDA
President Barack Obama has chosen Kathleen Merrigan, a professor who worked on the original organic labeling rules under the Clinton administration, as the No. 2 at the Department of Agriculture.
![[President Barack Obama has chosen Kathleen Merrigan, a professor who worked on the original organic labeling rules under the Clinton administration, as the No. 2 at the Department of Agriculture.]](http://www.commondreams.org/files/article_images/KMerrigan-2.jpg "KMerrigan-2.jpg")
Merrigan, now a professor at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, led the USDA's Agriculture Marketing Service from 1999-2001, and before that, worked on the staff of Senator Patrick Leahy with whom she worked on passing a law that recognized organic agriculture.
She has also worked as an analyst with the Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture, a consultant with the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and in various capacities at the state level in Texas.
Progressive and sustainable ag advocates are so far delighted with the selection.
The sustainable ag community has came out in force the last few months as Obama's cabinet took shape, asking for USDA leaders who could bring reform to America's agriculture system by refocusing it on food. Merrigan is one of the "Sustainable Dozen"-nominated by Food Democracy Now! for the deputy position.
Secretary Tom Vilsack was at first received with lukewarm responses, but Merrigan's appointment might help warm that.
Steph Larsen writes at Ethicurean: "Today is a big day for all of us who believe not only in sustainable food and agriculture systems, but also in the democratic process. The months since the election brought an outpouring of engagement from citizens urging the Obama Administration to appoint change-makers to lead our country."
Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition tells Reuters, "Sustainable and organic farmers are excited ... that someone who has been associated with these issues her whole career is going to be at that level in the department."
And, Brian Depew, of the Center for Rural Affairs (whose Executive Director Chuck Hassebrook was also in the running for the job), hailed the pick Tuesday writing on the center's blog, "I am hard pressed to think of another person I would be as pleased with as Kathleen in the number two position at USDA. This is a wise and bold move on the part of the Obama Administration and Secretary Vilsack."
31 Comments so far
Show AllThe story behind the story:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17038.cfm
Unfortunately, her boss is still Tom Vilsack . . . longtime advocate of factory farming and Monsanto's frankenfoods.
Obama appoints reckless corporate shill Vilsack as Agriculture Secretary, and then tells congress he will seek "a cure for cancer in our time?" Smells like bullshit to me.
Here's the latest on the the health-destroying impact of factory farming, even for those of us who eat organic foods from trusted, local farms:
motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/Meat-Poultry-Health-Risk.aspx
If I understand things correctly, the terms "organic" and "natural" are pretty much farces anymore because the legal definitions of those words have been so watered down from what they were originally intended to mean, thanks to powerful lobbying from the big agri-business monstrosities.
Therefore, I'm not sure I see this appointment as much more than symbolic window dressing.
But like I said . . . "If I understand things correctly." If I am wrong, please let me know.
Thank you for the replies and information, all of you.
"Natural" is vague. It once referred to "whole" foods (as opposed to highly processed foods), but agribusiness now splashes the word on all kinds of junk food. Shop at a "natural" food store or co-op, rather than a supermarket, to avoid the fakes.
USDA certified "organic" is much more specific. Standards have to be met. Although, under the Bush gang, those standards were maliciously monkey-wrenched for the benefit of agribusiness giants. Read: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17038.cfm
Organic Consumers Association and The Cornucopia Institute are two excellent sources of information on trustworthy farms, brands and certifications.
Also, Environmental Working Group has a list that ranks vegetables and fruits according to their pesticide load. It's smart to buy organic for those foods high on the list (in fact, for almost all foods on the list). Pesticides kill insects by destroying their nervous systems. They have the same effect on humans.
The biggest "organic" fraud is Dean Foods (which makes Horizon Dairy products). Don't buy Horizon Dairy products.
The most important thing: don't be suckered into thinking there's no difference between organic food and conventional food. Conventional food is loaded with toxic chemicals, growth hormones, antibiotics and worse. Eating it leads to cancer, neurological diseases and birth defects. And diabetes. It's well worth your time to seek out genuine natural and organic food.
"Natural" claims are nothing, but "Naturally Raised" is a legally enforced label that is somewhat different from regular meat. I don't know the specifics of it offhand though.
"Naturally Raised" is a new category from USDA. It indicates meat from livestock that haven't been given growth hormones or antibiotics (except for ionophores to control parasites), and have never been fed animal byproducts.
However, the animals can still be raised in factory farms, live their entire lives in cages and never see daylight.
Livestock producers who raise organic, "grass-fed" or "pasture-raised" animals are outraged because this weakens existing standards, and allows factory-farmed animals to get an "official" label which will lead consumers to believe the meat is as good as theirs, when it is not. It's even worse than agribusiness diluting the term "natural" with their labeling, because this comes from USDA.
Further, factory farming makes for sickly animals that need antibiotics, so I don't think such animals will truly be anti-biotic free.
See: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_11049.cfm
This is one more reason to do your homework and find stores, co-ops, brands and certifications you trust.
Thanks for the information. It is interesting to see how our food is actually raised and how it is marketed to us.
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Thanks for the info :-)
Not necessarily, I can tell you from firsthand experience that organic lettuces taste way better and last far longer than the crap Dole sticks in a bag.
I don't know who she is (not that I would).
And even if she does have real organic/sustainable credentials, we will see whether she is just window dressing who will be marginalized by all the other components of the Obama 'recovery' plan; or play an active roll in trying to turn the 'food safety' policy around so that it protects people instead of corporate profits.
Food security is as important as any other issue facing us, and by food security I mean maintaining the integrity, sustainability and nutritional value of food for the next 20 generations (or don't we expect anything that far into the future?).
Support local organic farmers, spend your money on what you believe and what you want to support. That is one way to vote, where you spend your money. The local organic farmers in my area (northern California) are mostly dedicated, knowledgeable individuals who care.
By a freezer or learn to can so you can buy from organic farmers in bulk. That saves them a whole lot of marketing costs!!!!!!
Wow!
But my question is, which side of our movement is she on?
Does she misunderstand the commodity title or understand price floors and supply management as the biggest issue impacting unsustainable livestock factories in competition with organic farmers. Most of the sustainable agriculture movement did not advocate for any policies that would stop these huge below cost gains. (On these hidden multibillion dollar gains see the Timothy Wise and Elanor Starmer, also from Tufts University: "Industrial Livestock Companies’ Gains from Low Feed Prices, 1997-2005"
February 26, 2007. http://www dot nffc.net/Learn/Fact%20Sheets/CompanyFeedSvgsFeb07.pdf
And ditto (these Commodity Title mechanisms, with price ceilings and reserves, are also the biggest issue) for rural development investments, cash flowing loans, aid to LDCs...)
Endorsements by "Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition" and "Brian Depew, of the Center for Rural Affairs (whose Executive Director Chuck Hassebrook was also in the running for the job" don't count as answers on this, the biggest farm program issue. Those groups were on the wrong side of this mega issue (historically multitrillions in impact,) in their work on the 2007-8 farm bill, (though they did some great work on a variety of lesser issues, and she will surely bringing a great perspective into these other important issues).
I don't know. Maybe the Tufts connection is worth something.
Who will be next?
Obama DID say in his speech to Congress that he was going to remove subsidies to large agricultural corporations. That's encouraging!
Those subsidies are compensations for losses per acre, which are bigger losses for bigger farms, except for some economies of size.
I'm talking about hidden below cost gains for giant unsustainable animal factories and feedlots. http://www dot nffc.net/Learn/Fact%20Sheets/CompanyFeedSvgsFeb07.pdf
I'd really consider it progress when they simply require all food grown here to be organic.
Sweet. Plus she looks beautiful too. :-)
Terrance Mitchell
Redfield, South Dakota
That's progress!
Vilsack is a Monsanto frankenfood supporter so I wonder if this woman was one the ones who sought to gut the organic stipulations. California had the the best OG regulations and then they USDA came in to make their own which were far from organic and mainly put in place to allow agribusiness to steal the organic market through relaxed rules. They just saw an emerging market and as usual in this country believed they were entitled to those profits...so they lied their way in.
Sounds like progress to me!
Not really. The aggressive RAPE and MURDER of the small family-oriented sustainably dedicated farmer continues...LOOK AT THE PRICES/WAGES THEY GET FOR GOD'S SAKE!
...and how do I know? I am one. Do you have any idea how many farmers have been eradicated through economic wasting away? How many lands have been stolen and given over to corporate-controlled entities and agencies?
I'll let you know though, if and when there actually is any progress. If I still am here...which I doubt.
Go to hell, Amerika.
nedlud
"Not really?"
She hasn't done anything yet.
Do you know anything about her record?
Like I already said: I'll let you know.
What policies do you think are needed?
Oh, and thank you for asking me! :)
No problem, thanks for the detailed answer. I'm glad you treat your cows so well. As much as I like meat and dairy (and I can't really switch to a vegan/vegetarian diet, I have a huge texture problem with veggies), the treatment they receive in industrial style operations is simply disgusting. I have read that dairy cows in industrial operations are typically slaughtered after just 2 or 3 years...and turned into your next Big Mac. Would it be possible for you to try to organize your own sort of dairy cooperative, with other local or regional dairy farmers?
See, I tried that when I was younger. We formed a local cooperative and I was a founding board member. There was much talk and euphoria! But we got 'chased away', rendered useless, moot by hyper-regulation (federal and state/CORPORATE) and well, modern economics. I was forced to join Organic Valley a LARGE distant 'cooperative' to try to get some sort of price and stabilization for my efforts. For awhile I believed. But, they (Organic Valley) continued the rape...
...and that is where I am today. I am soooo tired and depressed. And there really aren't enough of us left anymore. Oh, we might fight a little, but it's like isolated snipers hidden in hills, avoiding tanks and unmanned Predator drones.
Amerika.
What's your complaint about Organic Valley? I thought they were one of the good guys.
I'm a dairy farmer and I milk about 20 or less cows, an unheard of small number in today's USA. And yet, this is the most sustainable size! This size, my cows do not congregate enough to pollute anything and they are my friends, each one of them I know. And I prefer them to live a long life. I think livestock animals benefit from close association with loving humans and I feel I benefit from my association with them! I talk to them, I play with them! I don't believe they should be rendered useless prematurely by over-push for high-production and also declared unfit because of pseudo-scientific quality issues that only create scams for industry preying upon a gullible, fearful dumbed-down public, far from the farm environment. Cows past heifer age often run a higher SCC count than is permitted anymore. And yet SCC is not really about quality at all, or very minimally. It is about long 'shelf-life', so they tell me, in order for the large manufacturer (who takes ALL the profit) to create the illusion that your milk is fresh after it has been shipped all over the place, in huge trucks, and then handled and stored and processed until it no longer milk. I drink and like my raw milk (unprocessed, only cooled), and I believe the closer to raw and fresh it is, the better it is for you--scientific scare stories and theories be damned. So we need thousands and thousands of small dairy farms again and hundreds and hundreds of small local processors who treat farmers fairly as individuals and who will get fresh milk to the customer without false fanfare and hoopla, which only makes money for the advertisers and perception managers and the propagandists.
And we sure as hell don't need NAIS!
That's a very good reply, Nedlud.
I know from first-hand experience how right you are. About the sustainable number of cows, relating to them (animals are live beings, as are all we animals, humans being not all that superior, and pretty stupid on many counts due to our blindness to our being animals!). And about the healthy richness of fresh, unpasteurized, cool milk. - I pity those who don't know the taste.
Stay put, bro. "I support family farms".
(NAIS = National Animal Identification System - neccessary only when factory-farmed animals are freighted and consumed over long distances from place of origin)
Guerrilla warfare--it's all we've got right now.
Thanks, really tired of it though. I really wanted to be just a farmer, not a subversive. But I have no choice.
nedlud, there is nothing subversive about healthy food,or happy cows!It is part of mindfull eating and conscious consumption to eat local organic food.Right livlihood has always required extra effort.The corporate control of food and government is the war a small farmer faces.Can you imagine running a herd of 500 hopped up, stressed out Holstiens and still going broke.Keep up your good work,i am probably drinking your milk. peas in