How do you feel about foods certified organic by Old Mexico and sold in the US without US inspection

[Jim Beard]

It happens and I know that veggies must be labeled with the country of origin but what about foods that composed of a variety of plants and animals?

I know for a fact that many of the yellow, white and blue organic labeled corn tortilla chips are Mexico certified organic but not labeled as such since it is a processed food. I don't trust Mexico for any kind of honesty. Minsa Corporation is a huge importer of Mexican certified organic corn. Most of this can be verified by checking the organic growers and and the number of certified US acres of corn and those of sold organic corn. There is a huge gap but it is legal. I have much more to say about this but this is my 2nd thread on DU and want to see the response and start a fact finding dialogue of organic consumers attitudes. I don't like what is happening but I don't know the consumers opinion before I pursue this further.

Do you trust organic foods certified by Old Mexico?

[northoftheborder]

1. Not really.

I don't know the facts behind my opinion, however.

[RebelOne]

2. I wouldn't eat food manufactured in Mexico. n/t

[Jim Beard]

3. Organic certification

To be certified as Organically Grown, in the US, inspectors visit the fields and take random samples and verify that the cropping requirements are being followed (Crop Rotation). Plant samples are taken and tested for insecticides, herbicides, and for GMO. The individual states have their own inspection system but they all must meet USDA guidelines. The crops can not be sold as organically grown if the seller does not have the Federal Certificate.

Now crops grown in Old Mexico have their own standards and are inspected by Mexican officials who issue the certificate. They can be shipped to the US and sold as Organic. The US recognizes the Certification because of NAFTA but we all know how much graft and corruption there is in Mexico. A little payola and across the border it goes into organic food markets.

It was a sweet deal for Mexico because the consumer had no idea where the product was grown and assumed it was inspected by the USDA.

The passage of (COOL) Country OF Origin Labeling, gave the consumer more purchasing information on fresh produce or individual single item products such as raisins without anything added.

The one remaining problem is with items with a combination of ingredients or products like corn tortilla chips that are 99% corn but fried and salted. The country of origin of the RAW product of corn which is 99%, is not required to have country of Origin labeling even if it is processed in the US. The tortilla chip maker receives the corn from old Mexico with the Mexican organic certification and that is where that information stays, with the manufactures. After it is cooked in a lime solution, fried in oil and salted no one knows that the organic certification was from corrupt Old Mexico.

I hope this helps explain what is happening with the organic food trade.

[LeftyMom]

4. WTF is Old Mexico?

[Jim Beard]

8. I used to live in New Mexico and many times when

I talked to people on the phone and gave my address as New Mexico, many people would try to make it just Mexico. I am not kidding so many who lived there just say Old Mexico And New Mexico.

[Kevin from WI]

7. How often are Organically Grown US crops inspected?

Do they get certified once, and then just have to fill out paper work to maintain their certification? I am curious, because that is what I was told by a farmer at a farmers market when we were debating organics. The farmer was not a fan of organics.

[Jim Beard]

9. Yes, by law they are field inspected one time. So of the foreign

buyers run their own test before they buy the product but by law, only once and that is during growing season. The inspectors are few and far between in many states. The chip makers should do their own inspection but instead, accept the Mexico certification.

[Kevin from WI]

6. How about food from China?

Corporations hate food labeling laws, and that includes country of origin. They want to fill us up on heavy toxic metals and poison. Greedy evil monsters who don't care if birth defects and cancer go up as long as they make more profits are lobbying our public officials. They will try to either get rid of food labeling, or find loopholes in the law to make you think you are buying one thing, when in fact you are buying another. That includes produce from the United States.

[Jim Beard]

10. I am bothered by the many Progressive states that are voting down GMO labeling laws.

If they don't want it, they don't have to read the label. I know the Japanese do their own GMO inspection on organic foods..

We need at least a reliable labeling process that is honest about what is in the product. With corn tortilla chips, the corn is cooked in a lime water solution and then ground, pressed cooked and fried and salted. There is very little lime since it is washed away and the oil is what soaks into the chip. Add to that a very small amount of salt and presto, they do not have to label the country it is grown.