MDA - Recommendations

First: To protect the integrity of organic products, a regulatory program should be established within the MDA. It should be designed to ensure the integrity of products of organic agriculture produced and sold in and/or exported from Michigan.

Second: The MDA should join with the Michigan organic industry to promote organic products produced in Michigan at the state, national, and international levels.

Committee members agreed that Michigan must develop, administer, and enforce effective organic agriculture laws. There should be established a minimal regulatory framework that will complement the USDA Organic Food Production Act of 1990. The framework will encourage the highest standards and enable Michigan organic growers to produce for the growing market. It will protect consumers, producers, processors, and handlers by prohibiting false labeling, misleading advertising, and fraudulent practices in the marketplace. The framework would not establish the MDA as a certification organization. Rather, its role would be to license third party organic certifiers.

The Committee recommends that the following definitions be included in any laws or regulations:

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE is a management system that enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity to produce healthy plants and animals and foster human and environmental health. The use of synthetic chemicals, genetically modified organisms, and ionizing radiation is prohibited.

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION verifies compliance with the standards of an accredited certification organization. It combines good organic production and handling practices and an audit trail that ensures the integrity of products from the farm to the consumer.

The Committee recommends that organic certification be required for all Michigan producers, processors, and handlers (including retailers) of products of organic agriculture if they sell, market, label or represent their products as organic. Only those who are certified may use the term organic in their labeling or advertising

A.	MDA should grant licenses to all those providing organic certification of products sold or produced in Michigan.
B.	MDA licensed certifiers must certify to a minimum set of standards. OCIA International Standards and/or those used by the Organic Growers of Michigan shall be considered the base line. Certifiers must demonstrate equivalency. Once an approved set of rules governing organic production is in place at the national level, the State of Michigan should apply these standards as a minimum base line for certifiers wishing to use the USDA seal. At the same time Michigan should continue to place strong emphasis on setting and maintaining its own high standards for products of organic agriculture.
C.	MDA licensed certifiers working in interstate or international commerce must be in compliance with ISO Guide 65 of the International Organization for Standardization. These are general requirements for bodies operating product certification systems.
D.	MDA licensed certifiers working in intrastate commerce will not be required (but are encouraged) to be in compliance with ISO Guide 65 of the International Organization for Standardization. These are general requirements for bodies operating product certification systems.

Organic Review Panel

An Organic Review Panel should be created and charged with the following responsibilities:
A.	Review and make recommendation to the MDA on applicants for licenses;
B.	Formulate and recommend to the MDA rules and policies governing the organic agriculture industry;
C.	Study, evaluate, and make recommendations to the MDA on issues relating to organic agriculture.

The Committee recommends that the MDA be authorized to enforce the certification and labeling provisions described in this paper. Enforcement should include but not be limited to: letters of warning, seizure of product, fines, license revocation.

The Committee fully recognizes that a conflict of interest may exist with the MDA both regulating and promoting organic agriculture. We recognize that these two functions are also highly complementary and mutually reinforcing. Both must be present in order to develop a complete organic program. In cases where conflict occurs, the Committee believes that priority must be given to the MDA's regulatory role in protecting the integrity of both the organic product and the organic industry.

The Committee recognizes the desirability of petitioning the MDA for the recognition of organic as an agricultural commodity under the provisions of the Agricultural Commodities Marketing Act; P.A. 232 of 1965. The Committee agreed it would be advantageous to the organic industry to establish organic as a commodity under P.A. 232. If petitioned for and approved through a referendum of the affected producers and processors, a committee of industry-nominated members could conduct a comprehensive marketing program. Provisions of the Act would also provide for the collection of assessments to be used for promotion of the Michigan products of organic agriculture. Finally, all marketing programs created under this Act must be resubmitted for referendum every fifth year.

The Committee requests that the MDA obtain an informal opinion from the State's Attorney General whether products of organic agriculture could constitute an agricultural commodity as defined in P.A. 232 of 1965, Part 290.652 Definitions, (a) Agricultural commodity.

The Committee recommends that the existing organic groups and organizations explore the desirability and feasibility of forming a single unified Michigan trade or advocacy organization for products of the organic agriculture industry.

The Committee recommends that, if requested, the MDA explore ways (such as staff time or "seed" money) to assist the industry in the creation of single unified organization to promote trade, education or advocacy for Michigan organic agriculture.

The Committee recommends that the current Organic Advisory Committee continue to function and be supported by the MDA until such time that the formal groups noted above are in place.

The Committee's responsibilities would include:
A.	Taking a leadership role in the dissemination of this plan;
B.	Preparing an implementation plan and helping carry it out;
C.	Consulting with the MDA about additional rules or policies that maybe needed to support the organic industry;
D.	Providing comments and making recommendations to the MDA about other organic issues that may affect the organic industry;
E.	Reviewing, providing comment and making recommendations to the MDA on the proposed USDA National Organic Program when it is released.
F.	The Committee recommends that it and the MDA explore ways to partner and coordinate with existing commodity groups that currently assess organic growers.
G.	The Committee recommends that the MDA become more proactive in supporting the merits and contributions of organic agriculture in its policies, programs, and promotional efforts.
H.	The Committee recommends that the MDA implement a data gathering and reporting system for the organic industry. The Committee recognizes that this is a critical element in protecting and promoting the industry.

The Committee recommends that the MDA encourage Michigan State University (MSU) to target a portion of its state funding to support organic agriculture, as follows:

A.	Develop new organic courses;
B.	Integrate the concepts of organic agriculture into existing course work of various MSU Departments such as Crop and Soil Science, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Resource Development, Animal Science;
C.	Conduct a program of organic research in response to identified needs;
D.	Develop a degree program emphasizing or specializing in organic agriculture;
E.	Add organic agriculture Professorships;
F.	Offer non-credit workshops, institutes, and specialized training in organic agriculture;
G.	Continue to encourage MSU Extension agents to obtain training in organic agriculture and to work with growers that are organic or want to become organic.

These recommendations for MSU should apply not only to the various colleges but also to the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and MSU Extension.

The Committee recommends that the MDA as well as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency and Michigan State University Extension support growers desiring to make the transition to organic agriculture with a focus on farm production methods that promote long term soil health.

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