The USDA is warning organic distributors of the circulation of a fraudulent organic certificate that artificially represents certain products as certified under the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations. Use of false documents to label, market, or sell non-organic agricultural products as certified organic is in violation of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and subject to civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation. The fraud was brought to the NOP's attention by the France-based USDA-accredited organic certifier who is falsely attributed as the certificate's issuer. Investigation produced no evidence that any product was sold under the fraudulent certificate in the United States.
See the fraudulent organic certificate here.
Read the USDA Press Release here.
Written/Posted by Tanya J. Cramoy, Research Assistant
A research and education program of the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law (CASL)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Proposed Rule Regarding National Dairy Promotion Announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Courtesy of Dreamstime.com |
Access the Proposed Rulemaking here.
Access the USDA Press Release here.
For more information regarding dairy regulation, please visit the Agricultural Law Center's Dairy Pricing and Regulation Resource Area.
Written/Posted by Tanya J. Cramoy, Research Assistant
Friday, August 26, 2011
Pennsylvania Game Commission Proposes Amendment to Chronic Wasting Disease Regulations
Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com |
Access the Proposed Rulemaking here.
Written/Posted by Tanya J. Cramoy, Research Assistant
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Pennsylvania Agricultural Preservation Board Approves Preservation of 1,425 Additional Acres of Farmland
On August 25, 2011, the Pennsylvania Agricultural Preservation Board met to approve the safeguarding of 1,425 acres of farmland, located on sixteen farms in seven counties, for future agricultural purposes. The farm preservation movement runs through the Department of Agriculture's Pennsylvania Agriculture Conservation Easement Program, established in 1988 to slow down the loss of prime farmlands throughout the state. Since its beginning, the program has enabled state, county and local governments to invest more than $1 billion in development rights (conservation easements) purchases from farmers, equating to the protection of 453,419 acres from development for non-agricultural uses.
Read the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Press Release here.
For more information on Farm Transitioning, please visit the Agricultural Law Center's Farm Transitioning Resource Area.
Written/Posted by Tanya J. Cramoy, Research Assistant
Read the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Press Release here.
For more information on Farm Transitioning, please visit the Agricultural Law Center's Farm Transitioning Resource Area.
Written/Posted by Tanya J. Cramoy, Research Assistant
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Director of Agricultural Law Center Presents on Clean Water Act at Ag Progress Days
Photo Courtesy of Penn State Law |
The webinar recording and accompanying powerpoint presentation are now available online through the Penn State Cooperative Extension.
For further resource information regarding the Chesapeake Bay, please visit the Agricultural Law Center's Chesapeake Bay Resource Area.
Written/Posted by Tanya J. Cramoy, Research Assistant
Friday, August 12, 2011
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Enacts Quarantine in Response to Detection of Thousand Cankers Disease in Pennsylvania
Effective immediately, Aug. 12, 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has enacted a quarantine restricting the movement of wood from Bucks County and other states known to host the Thousand Cankers Disease (including AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, NV, OR, TN, UT, VA, and WA). The disease is caused by a fungus found on adult, poppyseed-sized walnut twig beetles, which bore under the bark of walnut trees and cause formation of cankers. There is no cure for the disease and effected trees usually die within ten years due to starvation for nutrients. Given the threat of the disease to the $25 billion hardwood industry, the quarantine restricts movement of all walnut material, live or dead, and all hardwood-species firewood. Penalties for failure to follow the order have been set: criminal penalties of up to 90 days in prison and up to $300 in fines, or a civil penalty up to $20,000 per violation.
View the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture’s News Release here.
For a look at a similar invasive species, please visit the Ag Law Center’s Emerald Ash Borer Resource Area.
View the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture’s News Release here.
For a look at a similar invasive species, please visit the Ag Law Center’s Emerald Ash Borer Resource Area.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Federal Law Suit Filed Seeking to Uproot Genetically Engineered Crops from Southeastern National Wildlife Refuges
Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com |
Written/Posted by Tanya J. Cramoy, Research Assistant
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
National Organic Program Publishes Final Rule on Continuation of Substances Allowed in Organic Production and Handling
Photo Courtesy of Dreamstime.com |
On August 3, 2011, The National Organic Standards Board, under sunset provisions of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, reviewed the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances in organic production and handling. The review is required to ensure sustainable agriculture practices, minimize harm to humans and the environment, and to determine how essential the substances are to organic production in light of biologically-based alternatives. The Board published a final rule, effective Sept. 12, 2011, continuing the use of certain synthetic and non-synthetic substances on organic agriculture including ferric phosphate, activated charcoal, egg white lysozome, and food-grade microorganisms. For the complete list, please see the National Organic Program; Sunset Review Final Rule.
Additionally, you may access the News Release from the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service.
Additionally, you may access the News Release from the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)