First the Paxton story. Basically, diluted chlorox is sprayed on fruits and veggies to extend shelf life. Whether the produce is organic or not.

Organic Eye is a watchdog organization that regularly reports on the US organic program. It noted this yesterday:

OrganicEye has also recently learned that NOP staffing has been radically reduced. At the end of FY25 the program had 57 employees, down from 85 a year earlier.

With the aggressive growth in the organic marketplace, and overdependence on imports, which are difficult to regulate, the industry has asked for and received increased funding for the NOP during every previous budgetary cycle. It has often been noted how unusual it is for commercial interests to actually petition the government for more rigorous regulatory oversight rather than the opposite.

“A reduction of force at the NOP by one third is certainly not out of character for this administration, which has radically cut all regulatory agencies, including virtually every responsibility at the USDA,” he continued.

According to Kastel, the USDA has never been a universally hospitable place for the organic program.

“During the deliberations in the late 1980s, before the passage of OFPA, the USDA actually testified before Congress that they didn’t support the passage of the legislation and didn’t want the responsibility of regulating organics,” he stated. “Since then, organic farmers have faced an adversarial environment under both Democratic and Republican administrations, with regulators who have supported corporate agribusiness interests in watering down the working definition of organic food and farming. However, this is the most drastic reduction in staff that we have seen in recent history.”

I have been learning how federal agencies actually don’t like to do what their mission entails. In the case of the organic program, the work of giving out organic certifications has been farmed out to various groups around the country. Many of these groups have become “pay to play” organizations that will certify repeat rule-breakers, as long as their fees are paid.

For example:

Local food coops and local growers are the best way to be sure you are getting what you thought you paid for.