No More Delays: Get Antibiotics out of Organics
Take Action: DEADLINE April 8: Tell the NOSB: No more
antibiotics in organic apples and pears!
Hard to believe, but every time you bite into an organic apple or pear
you get a mouthful – and gutful – of antibiotics. That’s because organic
apple and pear growers are allowed to spray streptomycin and
tetracycline on their trees to prevent a bacterial disease called
fireblight.
Ingesting antibiotics with your food increases your chances of
developing resistance to those antibiotics. Which means next time you
need a cure for a respiratory infection, or something more serious, like
tuberculosis, those antibiotics might not work so well. That’s why, in
2011, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) informed organic apple
and pear growers that antibiotics would no longer be allowed to be used
after October 21, 2014. But now, thanks to pressure from the organic
apple and pear industry, the NOSB is considering pushing back that date
until 2016. There are other, safer, ways to control fireblight. Please
ask the NOSB to stick with the agreed schedule and get antibiotics out
of organic apples and pears by October 2014.
Take Action: DEADLINE April 8: Tell the NOSB: No more
antibiotics in organic apples and pears!
Organic Consumers Association - 6771 South Silver Hill Drive, Finland MN 55603 To subscribe or visit go to: http://www.organicconsumers.org/