When I read the title of the article in the most recent e-newsletter from the National Organic Program (NOP) about a recent assessment of organic food production from China, I had to read more.
At first, I was going to write about how the NOP has worked hard to ensure that organic products from China meet their standards. But as I read more and more of the report, I started to become disquieted.
Why is our government spending money on sending auditors to China to verify if the communist country’s organic products are truly organic? I began to see the "2010 Organic Assessment of China” as another example of a colossal waste of taxpayer money.
Who is responsible for this waste? I would point the finger at the person in charge of the USDA in 2010. This person is the current incumbent of the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
Secretary Vilsack was appointed to the post of Secretary of Agriculture by President Obama in 2009. Mr. Vilsack ran for president as a Democrat in the 2008 election, but ended his bid for the presidency in only a few short months. He served as the governor of Iowa for two terms.
I can think of many, many other ways to spend taxpayer money. Instead of auditing organic products from a country where the common citizen cannot own his or her own property, I believe the USDA should focus on local, American organic products. If you believe like me, then contact the USDA at amsadministratoroffice@ams.usda.gov. Feel free to contact your congressmen and congresswomen as well.
I will be the first to admit that I am not fully informed of the USDA and NOP’s operations. However, it appears that auditing China’s organic agriculture is pointing towards our government supporting China’s farmers instead of our own. As a taxpayer, I do not want that to happen.
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