A number of the council members are not bona fide farmers and many are employees or have financial relationships with the buyers of organic commodities.
"One of the 'farmers' the OTA has chosen to represent the voice of hard-working organic producers in the country is the CEO of a major egg processor, marketing organic and conventional eggs," Kastel added. "They don't produce any eggs themselves. Rather they contract with dozens of farmers across the country. It's the same production model that corporations like Tyson use. This is far from a legitimate body representing legitimate family farmers."
Although the battle lines seem to be firmly drawn the OTA is obviously trying to influence public opinion. In early June organic farmers reported a follow-up phone call asking if they had "received the brochure" and also surveying producers on whether they supported or opposed the check-off. And, more recently, the OTA has sent out an email soliciting responses to a web-poll. The outstanding question is, what will the OTA do with their newly developed pro and con database? This is the same kind of polling that happens during partisan political campaigns.
The OTA's campaign for the organic check-off could stretch over two years. "If the organic food manufacturers and processors were to set something up that's voluntary, some farmers may very well want to participate," says Kastel. "But that is not what the OTA is pursuing with the use of strong-arm tactics and powerful lobbyists, so farmers will need to stay vigilant. And when this comes to a vote, farmers will be bombarded with happy talk and propaganda from the OTA and the biggest corporate players in the organic industry. Farmers will need to stand up and make it clear that their pocketbooks are not open to raiding."
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