No. I wasn't sure what they were referring to. I vaguely recall that the USDA was considering allowing some farmed fish to be called "organic" but I wasn't keeping track.
So, the Organic Consumers Association is advising us to eat factory farmed fish. Is "aquaculture" just a nice-sounding euphemism for factory farmed?
"Existing U.S. rules do not allow any seafood to bear the coveted ‘USDA Organic’ label due to the lack of standards for organic aquaculture production and certification."
So, the USDA's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is working on a rule, over the next 2 years. They have to decide what chemicals they'll allow.
In the mean time, I guess "organic" means whatever anyone wants it to mean.
Undoubtedly farm-raised, and hence probably not as healthy as wild-caught fish, if you can find unpolluted sources.
ReplyDeleteLocal from the Chesapeake Bay. A horribly polluted body of water.
ReplyDeleteBix, any word back yet from Organic Consumers?
ReplyDeleteNo. I wasn't sure what they were referring to. I vaguely recall that the USDA was considering allowing some farmed fish to be called "organic" but I wasn't keeping track.
ReplyDeleteSo, the Organic Consumers Association is advising us to eat factory farmed fish. Is "aquaculture" just a nice-sounding euphemism for factory farmed?
By the way, I thought that link in the tweet, the AlterNet article by Jill Richardson was really good.
ReplyDeleteBill Marler's Food Safety News never lets me down:
ReplyDeleteUSDA Works to Create Organic Aquaculture Standards
"Existing U.S. rules do not allow any seafood to bear the coveted ‘USDA Organic’ label due to the lack of standards for organic aquaculture production and certification."
So, the USDA's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is working on a rule, over the next 2 years. They have to decide what chemicals they'll allow.
In the mean time, I guess "organic" means whatever anyone wants it to mean.