Kirkissant
03-04-2007, 00:21
It’s clear with the failure of the Repeal of Labeling Standards to achieve quorum that perhaps some delegates may have been concerned that the repeal of Res. 123 would lead to a vacuum in regards to labeling standards worldwide. Rest assured that it is not our intention to abolish label standards but to make them better. There are 2 reasons Kirkissant would like to try to push through another proposed Repeal of Resolution 123.
Reason 1. – The definition of organic is just FLAT wrong. Resolution 123 states: “defining ‘organic’ as food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides.”
Lets break this down. According to Resolution 123 any food product that has been produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of PLANT or animal origin.
This completely voids the entire Organic Meat industry since livestock feed is derived from plants. The provision should only ban animal origin feed since it is a potential source of Mad Cow Disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy). Under this language, organic meat is an impossibility. This is a huge problem for countries with economies reliant on Beef-Based Agriculture.
Reason 2. – Mandatory compliance is not the most effective way to implement standards. The most common sense way to implement world-wide labeling standard is to make them optional. The next step would be creating a UN certifying agency that will award accreditation to private-sector 3rd party verifiers so that food products meeting the international labeling standards CAN be certified to bear a UN Labeling Standards seal. This way industries or entire nations that choose not to use this system can do so for whatever reason they wish. However NONE of their products can bear the UN Labeling Standards Seal. This would give Industries and consumers the CHOICE, while respecting UN member nations’ sovereignty.
Kirkissant is not going to submit this proposal until we are confident we have the necessary delegate support. So please post a reply if there are any changes you would like to see in the draft resolution, or you are a delegate who intends to approve it. If you are not a delegate and like what you see here, please contact your regional delegate and urge them to support this proposal when it is submitted to the UN.
Reason 1. – The definition of organic is just FLAT wrong. Resolution 123 states: “defining ‘organic’ as food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics, or pesticides.”
Lets break this down. According to Resolution 123 any food product that has been produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of PLANT or animal origin.
This completely voids the entire Organic Meat industry since livestock feed is derived from plants. The provision should only ban animal origin feed since it is a potential source of Mad Cow Disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy). Under this language, organic meat is an impossibility. This is a huge problem for countries with economies reliant on Beef-Based Agriculture.
Reason 2. – Mandatory compliance is not the most effective way to implement standards. The most common sense way to implement world-wide labeling standard is to make them optional. The next step would be creating a UN certifying agency that will award accreditation to private-sector 3rd party verifiers so that food products meeting the international labeling standards CAN be certified to bear a UN Labeling Standards seal. This way industries or entire nations that choose not to use this system can do so for whatever reason they wish. However NONE of their products can bear the UN Labeling Standards Seal. This would give Industries and consumers the CHOICE, while respecting UN member nations’ sovereignty.
Kirkissant is not going to submit this proposal until we are confident we have the necessary delegate support. So please post a reply if there are any changes you would like to see in the draft resolution, or you are a delegate who intends to approve it. If you are not a delegate and like what you see here, please contact your regional delegate and urge them to support this proposal when it is submitted to the UN.