(Washington, D.C.) – In comments filed this week with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) condemned the organic food industry’s attempt to create an entire new federal subsidy for organic farming.

“It is preposterous for the organic industry, which lobbied for the creation of an organic certification program, to now propose that it should be compensated for the costs of that program,” writes John Frydenlund, director of the Center for International Food and Agriculture Policy at CAGW.  “Taxpayers should not be saddled with the costs of farmers wishing to become certified as organic.”

In comments to USDA, the organic food industry is calling for farmers to be compensated for complying with the organic certification program.  In addition, the industry is asking USDA to allocate federal funds to pay farmers a premium price for their products in order to transition to organic production.  According to Frydenlund, it would be highly inappropriate for the federal government to provide an artificial incentive for organic farming.

CAGW also has objections to specific provisions of the proposed rule itself.  Among them:  (1) the unjustified prohibition of certain farming technologies from qualifying as organic; (2) the improper use of the “USDA Certified Organic” seal; and (3) the failure to provide adequate information regarding the potential health dangers from certain organic foods.

“The proposed rule’s prohibition of the use of genetic engineering and irradiation in the production of food products labeled ‘organic’ is unjustified on a scientific basis,” Frydenlund stated.  “The prohibition of these technologies is not based on sound science.”  Instead, he contends that the ban is the work of “those who intend to impose a politically correct food agenda on the American people.”

The Center for International Food and Agriculture Policy is an arm of CAGW, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.