A Missouri farmer has been charged with ripping off food companies and consumers by falsely marketing more than $140 million worth of corn, soybeans, and wheat as organic. Observers have called the scale of this fraud “jaw dropping” and likely the largest case of its kind involving US farmers. The level of deception in the organic industry has reached epidemic proportions: a USDA study found that 40% of all organic food sold in the US tested positive for prohibited pesticides.
First it was fraud from overseas; now we learn that large-scale fraud is also happening on American soil. Write to the USDA and Congress and tell them to strengthen organic fraud prevention measures to protect consumers and organic farmers trying to follow the rules.
Please step up organic fraud detection
Dear [Decision Maker],
Sincerely,[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP][Your Email]