USA: Court rules in favour of consumers' rights

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has ruled in favor of the Organic Trade Association (OTA) in a landmark case that would have prevented consumers in Ohio from knowing whether products on grocery store shelves were produced without synthetic growth hormones. “OTA believes consumers have a right to know how their food was produced, and organic farmers and manufacturers should be allowed to tell them,” said Christine Bushway, CEO of OTA, the leading voice for the 26.6 billion US$ organic industry in North America. “We are pleased the court agrees,” added Ms Bushway. As a result of this victory for organic, consumers will continue to see truthful information on organic product labels in Ohio and across the country.
 

The Organic Trade Association and its members, including Horizon Organic, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Organic, had filed the appeal in conjunction with the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). The United States is in the minority among industrialized nations by allowing the use of synthetic growth hormones to artificially stimulate milk production in dairy herds. The practice is already prohibited in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and in the 27 countries of the European Union. The best way for consumers to be sure they are choosing products produced without the use of synthetic growth hormones (rBGH), genetically engineered organisms (GMOs), antibiotics and toxic and persistent pesticides is to look for the organic label.

OTA