Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Until now, federal regulators relied on a U.S.-based inspection operation to certify organic goods imported from China. But after discovering that the inspector—Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) of Nebraska—was using Chinese government employees to inspect state-controlled farms and food processing facilities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut ties with OCIA.
The ban on using the organic association follows other concerns about Chinese exports, including contaminated milk and toys made with lead paint.
Chinese exporters already have lost business with America’s largest organic retailer, Whole Foods Market, which has cut back on its organic products from China. Whole Foods has gone from importing 30 different items to only two (shelled and unshelled frozen edamame soybeans).
-Noel Brinkerhoff
U.S. Drops Inspector of Food in China (by William Neuman and David Barboza, New York Times)
Chinese-Made Children’s Jewelry Made of Toxic Cadmium (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
China Makes More Than Half of Recalled Goods in U.S….And Gets Away with It (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
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