Greetings.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture is currently attempting to
revise the U.S. organic standards, as you may already know.  The proposed
revisions are intended to allow large-scale agribusiness to absorb the
organic farming movement, by relaxing standards, establishing high
certification fees, and worst of all, by making more stringent standards
illegal.  I urge you to join the chorus of protest against this
foolishness, by emailing the USDA. The USDA has made this moderately
difficult: it is necessary to access the USDA's "NOP" web site at

http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/

and follow the "Register to Comment" link.  You will have to give your
name and zip code, choose a username and password, and submit the form. 
You can then return to the main NOP page and follow the "Submit Comments"
link, and after entering the previously selected username and password,
you'll be permitted to choose a topic and submit your comments. 

If you prefer submit your comments in writing, the fax number is
(202) 690-4632, and the address is:

Eileen S. Stommes, Deputy Administrator
USDA-AMS-TM-NOP
Room 4007-So, Ag Stop 0275
P.O.Box 96456
Washington, DC 20090-6456

For further information (from sources other than the USDA) I suggest 
visting the www.saveorganic.org website.  I enclose my comments below.

Yours,

Rev. Chris Korda

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I am writing on behalf of the Church of Euthanasia, an educational and
religious organization devoted to restoring balance between humans and
the remaining species on Earth, through voluntary population reduction. 

It is my understanding that the USDA proposes to revise the U.S. 
organic standards, and that the proposed revisions will favor big
agribusiness, by relaxing existing organic standards, establishing high
certification fees, and worst of all, by making more stringent standards
illegal.  I urge the USDA to listen to the recommendations from the
organic sector, and to the many consumers who are jamming up the USDA's
mailboxes and fax machines.  

In the last decade, many small victories have been won for sustainable
agriculture; added together these small victories may be the beginning
of a sane way of life, based on harmony with the natural world, rather
than limitless growth and ruthless exploitation.  The technological
state is at a crossroads, as the Unabomber and many others have pointed
out: humans will acquire humility, recognize their place in the order of
things, and begin to cherish and promote the diversity of life, or
become manufactured products, like the chickens and cows in their
concentration camps.  

Perhaps you do not appreciate the urgency of the situation.  The Earth's
atmosphere and hydrological systems are already seriously compromised,
the weather is increasingly unstable, and most of our topsoil is now in
the ocean, thanks to a mechanized agricultural assault that USDA
continues to support.  The so-called "green revolution" has become a
nightmare of arrogance and short-sightedness, as the land and water are
poisoned with toxins that the USDA encourages the development of.  

The farms and individuals that resist this paroxysm of greed have earned
the support of millions of consumers who care not only about their
health, but the health of future generations.  Vast sums are now at
stake, and agribusiness, smelling lost profits, wants to muscle in. 
That the USDA, supposedly organized to protect consumers from the
excesses of the food industry, should support this obvious effort to
crush the organic sector, is inexcusable.  

Organic standards have prohibited, and should continue to prohibit
genetic engineering, and irradiation, used either directly or indirectly
in foods or anything associated with food production.  Sewage sludge is
equally unacceptable, nor is there any place for "intensive" confinement
of animals.  By upholding these standards, the USDA will join organic
farmers and consumers of organic food in their effort to create a
sustainable future, not only for humans, but for all living beings.  

Yours,



Rev. Chris Korda
coe@netcom.com

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The Church of Euthanasia           http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/coe/      
P.O.Box 261                         ftp.etext.org /pub/Zines/Snuffit
Somerville, MA 02143                        coe@netcom.com